《In The Maw Of The Gods》


 Prologue I- Flight from Erika

    Prologue


    He ran as fast as he could, hearing the shouting of the Erikan guards off in the distance behind him. He knew that if he slowed down even a little then their tracker spirits would be on him in an instant. He needed to somehow get them off of his tail so he could find a way to get out of the city, which was already going to be a hard enough task on its own. The Ijirian capital of Erika was one of the most heavily fortified cities in the west with some of the most renowned magic users from across the world making it their home. If he didn¡¯t escape within the next hour, the city would go into a full scale lockdown and it would be unlikely that he would ever escape.


    Hell, I¡¯d probably be better off surrendering, he thought to himself. At least they¡¯d go easier on me if I did.


    Yet, even knowing that, Rista Pine didn¡¯t turn around nor did he slow. It was unthinkable for him to give up after coming so far. He¡¯d already accomplished so much and he owed it to the others, and especially his mentor, to see the mission through. He couldn¡¯t let any of their deaths be in vain.


    Rista reached a hand down to his hip to ensure that the pouch carrying the relic was still there, tied to his belt. Feeling the soft leather of the small, palm-sized pouch put him slightly at ease, assuring him that he hadn¡¯t dropped it in his escape.


    Good. I¡¯ve still got it.


    The shouts of the guards somewhere behind him were getting louder, but he pushed his fears from his mind, knowing that now that he had made it into the back alleys of Erika¡¯s slums, they were on his turf. After all, Rista knew these paths like the back of his hand. Combined with the cover of the night¡¯s darkness and his own proficiency in wind magic, he was confident that he could find a place to hide before the guards could catch him.


    He took a deep breath, making sure his heartbeat was steady, and put even more magical power into his legs as he propelled himself around a corner, increasing his running speed from twice that of an average person to three times. At the same time, he manipulated the air around his feet to muffle the sound of his boots against the cobblestone path so that anybody living in the buildings around wouldn¡¯t hear him.


    Not that it would matter if they did, he realized, knowing that between the air manipulation he was using to conceal his presence and the black cloak hiding his features, all any onlookers would see was a distortion in the space around him and perhaps a small glimpse of black cloth.


    At the moment, all he could hope to do was try and get a hold of any of the other children that might have made it out of the Citadel alive. With Erika and its mages now on high alert and no doubt panicking with the theft of one of its most valuable and rare talismans, the other Children were the only ones he could trust. Nobody else would risk getting killed or even erased to help a mere orphan boy like him. Only those he had grown up with would lend him a hand now.


    That is...if any of them are still alive.


    He felt tears start to form in his eyes but he hurriedly pushed his feelings back inside as he rounded another corner and used his abilities to scan the air around him for any sign of trackers.


    He could still clearly see the deaths of all his brothers and sisters replaying in his mind, forcing him to accept that despite succeeding in stealing the relic, they had failed in every other way. He recalled seeing Eora burnt alive by flame magic and Laios turning back to try and save her only to be overrun by the mana-infused blades of the Citadel¡¯s soldiers. They were only the first of many. Noran and Ria also fell before they¡¯d even escaped the vault¡¯s floor. They had started with ten of them, all highly skilled in air magic, and by the time they had finally reached the escape point to get out of the Citadel and back into the city, Rista was alone, not knowing who still lived and who had met their end.


    I¡¯ve gotta do this! he urged himself. I¡¯ve gotta get out of the city as fast as I can! I can¡¯t let the relic fall back into the hands of the Ijirians! Otherwise...


    He let the thought hang, not wanting to even further consider the possibility of failure.


    Feeling that he had put enough distance between himself and the guards, Rista ground to a halt and hurriedly surveyed his surroundings. He recognized where he was in an instant based on the abandoned and worn out appearances of the black cobblestone buildings around him.


    I¡¯m in the southwest quadrant, he realized. Which means that I¡¯ve got at least ten miles between me and the Citadel. I¡¯ve got time!


    Rista turned and looked up at the four story structures around him that he knew used to be apartment buildings and still served as places for the homeless to sneak into and sleep in.


    It¡¯ll be risky, but I should get up to the roof and get an idea of how close the guards are.


    Despite his apprehension, he took another deep breath and whispered, ¡°Ventus.¡±


    He could feel the energy surging through his hands as his feet slowly left the ground. He needed to have complete concentration to both levitate his body from the ground and to continue distorting the air. If he faltered for even a second then the spells would break and he would crash into the cobblestone ground below.


    However, this wasn¡¯t Rista¡¯s first time using levitation and distortion in tandem and so he was confident that he wouldn¡¯t falter. Within ten seconds, he was hovering over the roof of one of the apartment buildings.


    ¡°Prohi,¡± he breathed, canceling the levitation spell and landing gracefully onto the roof.


    He wasted no time, knowing the trackers would have an easier job finding him above even with the distortion. Rista spun around to face east where he could clearly see the lights of the city off in the distance as well as the large, towering fortress walls of the Citadel directly ahead in the center of Erika. Beyond those walls was the Citadel itself, a tower so large that it took up almost half a mile in diameter and reached nearly nine hundred meters into the sky. When he was younger, he looked up at the white tower in awe, as did most people who got the chance to behold the Citadel¡¯s beauty.


    But now, after having narrowly avoided death and losing almost everybody he loved within its corridors, all the sight of it did was make him sick.


    I need to get moving, he thought nervously, turning his attention away from the Citadel and towards the mountain to the south.


    The city of Erika was built at the base of the tallest mountain in Ijiria, Mount Crainin, and was the center of trade for the magical crystals mined from within its caves. Much of Ijiria¡¯s magical superiority came from its monopoly on some of the rare and powerful gems that had only ever been found within Crainin¡¯s mines. The caverns themselves were long and complicated, almost like a maze, but did eventually lead to the other side of the mountain.


    Rista swallowed nervously.


    He knew the mages of the Citadel would expect him to attempt his escape through the northern gate since he could use the forests beyond as cover. Given the ease with which one could get lost in the Mines of Crainin, they would never expect him to risk trying to escape through there. What they didn¡¯t know was that he had long since memorized a map of its caverns and would be able to get to the other side within a day. As long as he moved quickly and continued to distort the air around him, nobody would ever realize he was there.


    I know it¡¯s smarter to try and make contact with one of the other Children but... He sighed. I need to get out as fast as I can. If I can just find a way to get past the gates and into the mountain...


    Shaking his head, Rista focused his magic into his feet once more and propelled himself over the road and onto the roof across from him. He didn¡¯t stop there, using his speed and precision to move across the rooftops in the direction of the southern gates.


    I have to try. I¡¯m carrying one of Ijiria¡¯s most valuable weapons on me...as well as...


    His thoughts briefly shifted to the knife strapped to his hip beside the pouch, knowing that he could use it to escape with ease. If he simply used its power, he could get himself someplace far away from Ijiria and out of the clutches of the mages in an instant. The reason he hesitated to use it was because he knew it was a one-way trip. If he resorted to the dagger, it was unlikely he would ever be able to come back.


    I can¡¯t do that! Mrs. Reiner gave me a job to do! he reminded himself. I can¡¯t fail her now! I need to get the relic up north to Trovia and away from the mages! If I take it there...


    His thoughts briefly shifted to his final conversation with his mentor, Abigail Reiner, before she was killed. It was the moment when she had given him the knife.


    ¡°This is only to be used in an emergency,¡± she had told him. ¡°This blade may recharge quickly here, with such an abundance of magic, but there...it takes years to reclaim enough power to make the jump back. Only use this blade as a last resort.¡±


    A last resort. Rista clenched his teeth, propelling himself onto another roof, noticing the lights and chatter of the night market getting closer. I still have options. I can¡¯t give up yet.


    He launched himself across a few more buildings, heading in the direction of the Erikan Night Market. The market was another part of the city that drew tourists from all across the world. There were many things that could only be purchased there and some of the best craftsmen one could find set up shops on Main Street. Because of it¡¯s fame, the market never closed. It was packed with people from dawn till dusk.


    Which means it¡¯ll be a perfect place to blend in, he told himself.


    Even using his distortion magic, the trackers would be able to find him eventually the longer he remained alone. The little spirits worked by searching for the mana flowing inside one''s body rather than their physical existence and distorting the air did nothing to hide personal mana. However, if he dropped into the crowds milling around at the market, they would have a far harder time differentiating his mana from that of those around him. It should buy him enough time to get to the southern gates.


    Rista landed atop the roof of one of the market¡¯s shops and came to a stop. He was only two stories off the ground so he could clearly make out the faces of the many shoppers down on the roads. The fire magic of the streetlights illuminated the market in a red glow, giving Rista the chance to quickly scan for any guards. He spotted a few trios of Erikan guards, distinct from the rest of the crowd due to their green and gold armor. He could see them rushing around and pushing past the shoppers as they entered the various buildings and stalls.


    They probably expected I would try to lose the trackers here, he remarked. Guess I better be extra cautious.


    ¡°Ventus,¡± he breathed, activating his levitation magic once again. He slowly rose from the roof and then carefully maneuvered himself down towards the road below, choosing a spot on the sidewalk where there weren¡¯t any shoppers.


    ¡°Prohi.¡±


    His feet soundlessly hit the ground and he immediately directed all of his power into distortion. With everything he had put into concealing his presence, as long as he didn¡¯t bump into anybody and no one looked directly at him, he would be safe from discovery. Only the most observant could be able to see the faint shimmering that distortion magic created to conceal him.


    Rista moved immediately, staying close to the buildings and carefully moving out of the way of anybody walking around. He almost bumped a few people on his way, but was lucky enough to just barely inch by. In addition, every time it seemed like somebody had noticed the shimmering, he froze in place and waited for them to move on. He had started near the edge of the southern end of the market so he didn¡¯t have to travel very far before the crowds started thinning. Once he reached the residential district, there was nobody around. It was significantly late so the only people who wouldn¡¯t be at home sleeping were almost certainly at the market.


    Rista grinned, feeling confident for the first time since escaping the Citadel. I might actually do this.


    With the streets before him empty, he diverted some power into his feet again and took off running. He wasn¡¯t as familiar with the area as he had been with the back alleys so he didn¡¯t run as fast. All the while he kept the mountain in front of him, wanting to be sure he was heading south.


    Alright...I can do this. I¡¯m almost there! If I can just reach the gates, I¡¯ll¡ª!


    Rista ground to a sudden halt, hurriedly putting his power back into distortion. He had rounded a corner and immediately seen the silhouette of a person at the end of the street, standing completely still. Despite the street lamps casting their light over the road, the person¡¯s features remained dark. Rista held his breath, waiting for them to move. He knew he should just sprint past the figure, knowing that they would never be able to sense his presence, yet he remained still. His instincts were urging him to turn and flee despite there being no clear danger.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Then, without any warning, the figure vanished.


    ¡°What...?¡± Rista exhaled softly, furrowing his brow in confusion.


    ¡°Rista Pine, I presume?¡±


    He jumped and spun around, the sudden voice mere inches from his ear completely taking him by surprise.


    What the hell? How did he see me?!


    He was certain that his distortion was still activated. However, when he took in the sight of the man standing only feet away from him, he realized with utter terror how he had been found.


    The man before him grinned slyly. ¡°I see you recognize me. Good. Then you know that resistance is a waste of both of our times.¡±


    You¡¯ve got to be kidding! How is he here? Why is he here? Did they know I¡¯d be heading this way? And if they did...why send him? Am I really that big of a threat?!


    ¡°I must say, I¡¯m impressed,¡± the man continued. ¡°Even if you lost a bunch of people in the process, I never thought it would be possible for somebody to infiltrate the Citadel and escape alive...let alone steal one of the relics.¡±


    Rista couldn¡¯t find the words to reply. The man was speaking so casually, as if they were old friends who hadn¡¯t seen each other in a while. But of course, Rista had never even seen the man in person. All he knew were the rumors and the whispers that spread throughout the slums.


    His name was Nigreos Noctis and he was one of the Masters of the Citadel. One look at his appearance made it clear which magic class he was the Master of. Every part of the man was pitch black; his skin, his hair, his thin beard, and even the suit and tie that he wore, which was more common in the northern regions than in Erika. The only thing showing any light were his eyes, pupil-less and shining pure white. To anybody well versed in the art of magic, they knew that this was one of the most powerful mages in Ijiria and Master of one of the most powerful magic classes¡ªDarkness.


    ¡°You¡¯re oddly quiet,¡± Nigreos mused. ¡°Don¡¯t have anything to say for yourself? You can at least gloat. Even if you¡¯ve broken the most sacred laws of the country, what you did was impressive. You should take advantage of your bragging rights while you can.¡±


    Do I fight him? he thought frantically. Would I even stand a chance?! If this guy¡¯s as powerful as they say he is then I might get killed in seconds. But...


    The sweet and calming features of Mrs. Reiner flashed through his mind, followed by those of the children who gave their lives trying to steal one of the relics.


    If I give up now...it¡¯ll have all been for nothing...and Mrs. Reiner¡¯s wish will never come true.


    Nigreos tilted his head in curiosity. ¡°Are you a mute?¡±


    Rista once again considered the knife at his hip and immediately discarded the thought. He would only use it if he couldn¡¯t get away. Instead, his thoughts shifted to his personal one-handed sword strapped to his left hip.


    Well...I have to at least try.


    He exhaled softly then shouted, ¡°Proto!¡±


    Air magic suddenly erupted from underneath his feet, launching him backwards. With practiced skill, he spun around so that his feet pressed against the front wall of the house to his left. Rista knew Nigreos could strike at any second so he centered his magic back into his feet and launched himself into the sky, heading southward towards the mountain. He used his momentum to ricochet off of the houses on either side of the road, bouncing back and forth to keep his speed from decreasing.


    He hasn¡¯t attacked yet? Why not?!


    He spared a glance over his shoulder to see the man still standing in the same spot, staring after him.


    Shit! He¡¯s probably planning something! I need to be on guard!


    Yet, Nigreos never moved and Rista found himself landing on the road of the next neighborhood over before beginning to sprint toward the southern gates.


    ¡°Well, that was rude.¡±


    At the sound of the voice, coming from only mere feet ahead of him, Rista felt a sudden impact against his body and before he knew it, he was laying on the concrete, staring up into the night sky with his breath knocked out of him. It was so sudden that he didn¡¯t even know how to react. Nigreos stood above him, his hands in his suit¡¯s pockets as he stared down at Rista with a cocked eyebrow.


    ¡°Well I suppose I should have expected as much from a person as bold as you,¡± Nigreos continued.


    Damn it! What the hell?! How did he get here so fast? And what did he hit me with?


    Trying to ignore the pain coursing through his body, Rista mustered all his strength to make another move.


    ¡°Proto!¡±


    This time, the air centered around his entire body, launching him up into the air, far above Nigreos¡¯s head. He used the magic to add strength to his body as he reached down and unsheathed the longsword at his hip.


    ¡°Infundite!¡± he shouted.


    The incantation activated the extra mana stored within the cyan-colored gem in the hilt of the sword. Wind magic began to swirl around the steel, adding its might to the already sharpened blade. Down below, the Master of Darkness simply stared up at him, unmoving.


    It looks like I¡¯m going to have to fight him, he realized. I don¡¯t know what he can do, but I know he¡¯s powerful. If it becomes clear that I have no shot of winning, I¡¯ll use the knife and I¡¯ll run. Until then...


    ¡°Proto!¡± Rista let out a howl as his body launched not toward Nigreos but toward the house on the other side of him. His plan was to move faster than the Master could see. No matter how powerful he was, he couldn¡¯t defend against an attack from every direction almost at once.


    Using the same movements as when he fled the man the first time, Rista bounced over the road and back, circling the Master but never staying in one spot longer than a millisecond. Then, when he believed himself to have an opening, he propelled himself toward the man, swinging his blade at his exposed neck.


    The next instant, Nigreos disappeared.


    What?!


    Feeling the sudden presence of overwhelming mana behind him, Rista landed on the ground and used it as a launchpad, sending himself back into the air. When he turned to look back, Nigreos was standing a few feet from where he had just been, still silently watching.


    How?! Is this...what dark magic is like?!


    Because of his time spent under the teachings of Abigail Reiner, he had been exposed to users of various forms of magic. All of the Children had been taught by her, and Rista had come to know users of all the main classes. One of the only types he had never faced was dark magic since there were very few people in the world that could harness its power. Even Mrs. Reiner couldn¡¯t use it and she was proficient in most others.


    Can dark magic enable him to move like that?! he thought incredulously.


    ¡°Proto!¡± he shouted once more, launching himself back onto one of the houses.


    He tried again, propelling all around and sending strike after strike toward Nigreos but none ever found their mark. The Master kept vanishing and reappearing at random so that Rista was never able to land even a single blow.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ve had enough. We¡¯ve had our fun,¡± the Master suddenly called out.


    The next moment, a sudden impact slammed into his body, sending him flying into the road. Had he not broken his fall with magic, the impact would have almost assuredly killed him and he only barely saved himself from any life-threatening injuries. That alone told him that the Master was ready to take the fight seriously.


    ¡°I admit, you¡¯re a talented sorcerer,¡± Nigreos said, smiling confidently. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t expect anything less of a disciple of Abi Reiner.¡±


    Rista clenched his teeth, pushing himself to his feet so he could face the other man with dignity. ¡°You knew her?¡± he growled.


    ¡°Ah, he finally speaks,¡± the Master mused. ¡°Of course I knew her, boy. We were Masters together, after all¡­before she decided to turn against us.¡± He shook his head. ¡°She was the most talented healer I¡¯ve ever met. It truly was a pity.¡±


    Rista narrowed his eyes, wondering suddenly how well the two had actually known each other. He had never heard anything about the Master of Darkness from Mrs. Reiner but he was talking like he knew her well. In addition, while he wasn¡¯t sure if he was imagining it, Nigreos¡¯s tone almost sounded regretful.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll see her soon enough.¡± Nigreos held out his hand. ¡°Return the stone, boy. If you cooperate, perhaps I can convince the others to simply kill you rather than erase you. But if you struggle...¡± His voice turned dark for a moment. ¡°...I can¡¯t say I¡¯ll be so generous.¡±


    Rista sighed. He knew he couldn¡¯t beat Nigreos in a fight so he was left with his only option. He really didn¡¯t want to leave given the uncertain fates of some of the other children but if he died and the relic was returned then those who sacrificed their lives would have done so for nothing.


    ¡°Prot¡ª!¡±


    Before he could get the last part of the incantation out, he suddenly grunted in pain, his sword dropping from his grasp. He could feel blood trickling from his lips. When he looked down, his eyes went wide. A hand was protruding from his chest. It was small and delicate, the skin colorless and white, yet it went through his body as if he were paper.


    Without warning, the hand was wrenched from his body and he toppled forward. He couldn¡¯t scream. For some reason, he couldn¡¯t get his mouth to make a sound..


    ¡°You were warned,¡± came a soft, monotone female voice from behind him. ¡°You should have accepted his offer.¡±


    He struggled to look up over his shoulder and what he saw only made him realize just how powerless he had been. The woman standing before him was Nigreos¡¯s complete antithesis. Her skin and long hair were completely white, as was the suit she wore that matched Nigreos¡¯s in the northern style. Her eyes were also pupil-less, but the color was black. He recognized her in an instant, recalling other rumors he had heard throughout his time with Mrs. Reiner.


    Her name was Album Luz, the Master of Light.


    The Masters of Light and Dark... Shit. I never really had a chance, did I?


    ¡°What a pity,¡± Nigreos muttered. ¡°I dare say you could have become Master of Wind someday with your skill had you not turned traitor.¡±


    Rista pushed himself up onto his knees and looked up at the black-clad man. He was surprised to find that Nigreos looked genuinely disappointed.


    ¡°Now...give me the gem, boy.¡± He held his hand out once more.


    Rista slowly nodded, reaching down into his cloak to where the pouch was tied. Album was right behind him so he couldn¡¯t be sure if she suspected anything. All he could do was hope. Rather than grabbing the pouch, he wrapped his fingers around the pommel of Mrs. Reiner¡¯s knife.


    Please work...


    He ripped it from its sheath and spun around, slicing toward where he knew Album to be. Yellow mana erupted around the blade as the woman jumped back in surprise.


    ¡°Really now. This is getting ridicu¡ª!¡±


    Nigreos stopped mid-sentence and Rista knew that the Master had figured out what he was doing. He had never meant to strike Album. Cutting through the air had always been his intention. The space around where he sliced suddenly distorted, as if he had made a clean cut in reality itself. Without warning, the cut expanded outwards and Rista found himself looking into a portal of yellow. With Album on the other side of the portal, she wouldn¡¯t be able to reach him so he knew he had to escape before Nigreos could react. Within a mere second of the portal opening, Rista whispered, ¡°Proto.¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    He heard Nigreos¡¯s shout of surprise behind him just as his body lurched forward and was engulfed by the mana. The feeling was as weird as he had expected it to be. When he went through, he felt like he was submerged in water for a few seconds before his body collided with the warm and grainy ground. He didn¡¯t know where he was and he didn¡¯t have time to check. Instead, he grabbed the knife and pressed a button on its hilt to close the portal.


    In a second, the yellow portal vanished, sealing himself off from Ijiria...but more importantly, sealing Nigreos and Album off from whichever world he was now in.


    Rista could feel his body weakening from the wound and knew he would need to get it treated as fast as possible. He hurriedly took in his surroundings and frowned. He was sitting on a beach, mere yards from the shores of the ocean. The sun was low on the horizon, casting an orange glow over the world. The breeze felt good on his face, which was covered in sweat. The beach stretched further to the left and to the right, he saw the mouth of a cave.


    I should go in there and hide for the moment. I don¡¯t know which world I¡¯m in just yet. All I know...is that it¡¯s one of the magicless ones.


    Just as the thought went through his mind, he noticed something laying in the sand beside him. He exhaled sharply, realizing instantly that it was a severed hand, its skin pitch black and dark red blood dripping from the stump of the wrist.


    Nigreos¡¯s hand? Did it get caught in the portal?


    Seconds later, a wave splashed up toward him, splashing him with salty seawater, before enveloping the hand and pulling it out to sea. With the realization that he had managed to sever a limb of one of the most powerful men in Ijiria, Rista suddenly felt even more terrified of the task ahead of him. He pushed himself to his feet and shuffled toward the mouth of the cave. He didn¡¯t want to go too far in so that he could still have sunlight so he simply sat down against the wall only a few yards inside.


    He exhaled with relief which only sent another spasm of pain through his body.


    Well...at least I got away.


    He set the realm dagger down onto the ground and reached for the leather pouch tied to his belt. It was still where he left it even after hopping through realms, which put his mind at ease.


    So...which one did we get?


    He began untying the thin strands of rope that kept it in place, eager to know which of the relics they had managed to acquire. When they broke into the vault of the Citadel, they hadn¡¯t had the chance to determine where each gem was so he couldn¡¯t be certain what they had. He prayed that it would be one of the offensive gems so that he could use it in self defense against the mages when they inevitably came after him.


    When the pouch was untied, he pulled it open and carefully reached inside. What he pulled out was an oval-shaped gemstone about the size of his palm. However, despite having one of the relics of Ijiria, his excitement died in an instant.


    The gem was orange.


    It¡¯s...the Assassination Gem...


    It wouldn¡¯t be helpful to him in the slightest. All it would do was enable him to hide but, against the Masters of Ijiria, that would be next to useless. In a world without magic, he would be easily found due to his far larger levels of mana.


    Shit...


    Thunk.


    At the sound of the noise, he frowned, finding himself barely processing what he had just witnessed. There was a hole in his hand where the gem had just been sitting. Now, it was laying on the ground of the cave right next to him.


    What happened?


    He understood seconds later when the rest of his hand began crumbling into dust. His eyes went wide.


    No! No, please!


    Somehow, despite being worlds apart, Album was erasing him.


    How?! She shouldn¡¯t be able to do this! Was it the wound?! Did she put something inside of me?!


    The rest of his arms vanished, followed by his feet. The phenomenon was enveloping even his clothes.


    Shit! If I¡¯m erased then...nobody will know to come after me! The others won¡¯t know what happened! No! Please!


    Yet despite his internal pleas, his body continued to vanish. It spread up his legs and toward his torso as he collapsed onto the ground. Tears were forming in his eyes as he realized that he had failed after all. Even after doing everything in his power to survive, he was going to be erased.


    I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Reiner... I¡¯m sorry...everybody. I tried my best...


    But I just wasn¡¯t strong enough.


    In the next moment, the rest of Rista Pine vanished into nothingness.

 Chapter 1-The Last Day of Summer

    Chapter I


    Damien Clark grimaced, reaching up to wipe away the sweat that was pouring down his forehead. It was a hot day even for August and he found himself burning up despite wearing only his swim trunks, a white tank top, and his sandals. The boy sighed, wishing that they had planned their trip on a cooler day as he wasn¡¯t one who particularly liked the heat. He squinted as he turned to stare down at the hiking trail he was walking on, once again internally berating himself for forgetting to grab his sunglasses before getting in the car.


    We¡¯ve gotta be almost there, he thought bitterly. How did I let myself get talked into coming with them? I mean, I know it''s smart to get one last trip in before junior year starts but couldn¡¯t we have gone someplace air-conditioned?


    ¡°You really should smile a bit more,¡± came a sly voice from his right.


    Oh, right. That¡¯s how I wound up getting dragged out here.


    He turned to look at the girl walking beside him and sighed. As much as he wasn¡¯t thrilled with being out on a hike in the middle of one of the hottest days of the year, he couldn¡¯t deny that his girlfriend looked absolutely adorable with her yellow-framed sunglasses and her black hair tied up in a ponytail. The bright blue tank top, yellow shorts, and blue beach bag she had strapped over her shoulder only added to her attractive appearance.


    Elizabeth Tao was smiling up at him with her typical mischievous grin she always gave him whenever he was roped into something he didn¡¯t want to do, which happened to be a common occurrence in his life. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t like hanging out with his friends. It was actually the opposite as he greatly enjoyed their company. He simply preferred to hang out with them at home rather than out in public, a habit that Liz seemed insistent on getting him over. She liked to tell him how it was good for him to get outside and enjoy the sun, especially during summer.


    The girl laughed, as if she knew what was going through his mind, and continued. ¡°Come on, Damien. I know it¡¯s a little hot but look at the view! You can¡¯t tell me that¡¯s not pretty.¡±


    Liz motioned to their left and Damien glanced over to see the beach stretching out before them down below. He could hear the sound of the ocean waves even from their spot up on the side of the hill and the sparkling of the sunlight on the water was pretty to look at. He even spotted a few seagulls gathered around on the sand, picking at trash that had been left there by other visitors. However, there wasn''t anybody else within sight as Damien was sure any beachgoers wouldn¡¯t be stupid enough to hike all the way out there in the heat. They were likely at the beach closer to town.


    ¡°I mean, yeah,¡± he replied, readjusting his own beach bag slung over his shoulder. ¡°It is kinda cool. But I just don¡¯t understand why we needed to come all the way out here. If you guys wanted to go to the beach then we should have just gone over to the spot by the pier.¡±


    Liz shrugged. ¡°Maybe. But that¡¯s not really an adventure, now is it? We need to end summer vacation off with a bang and what better way than to go on a hike out to a quieter spot? Plus, Vinny said there were some cool caves over here that he wanted us to see.¡±


    ¡°That there are, my dear friend,¡± came the sudden call from up ahead.


    Damien snorted, glancing a few yards down the path to where his two old friends, Vinny Mickelson and Eric Reiner, were walking, both looking back at him with sly grins that were obnoxiously similar to Liz¡¯s. He always found that, when getting ready to screw around, the two of them looked rather similar. They were both tall and lanky, with mischevious grins that made them look like brothers. The only noticeable difference between them was their hair color, with Vinny''s an almost pale blonde and Eric''s dark brown. Damien, on the other hand, was shorter with broad shoulders and much darker skin, which was a stark contrast to their almost pasty complexions. He eyed them both for a moment, knowing he was in for their usual banter.


    ¡°Trust me, Damien,¡± Vinny continued, running a hand through his golden locks as he spoke, a typical habit of the boy whenever he was preparing to tease him. ¡°They¡¯re pretty cool¡ªcooler even than your living room, I imagine, so I promise you that it¡¯ll have been worth the hike.¡±


    Damien cocked an eyebrow. ¡°I think you¡¯re underestimating my love for my living room,¡± he snapped back. ¡°What does a cave have? Rocks?¡±


    ¡°Cool rocks,¡± Vinny corrected. ¡°And probably a few bats, too.¡±


    Damien eyed the blonde boy with a dejected expression before turning to glance at Eric, who was watching the back-and-forth with an amused look on his face. It was unusual for him to refrain from poking fun at Damien¡¯s expense so he couldn¡¯t help but to suspect that his old friend was up to something.


    ¡°Got something to add, Eric?¡± Damien inquired.


    The tall, brown-haired boy simply shook his head before turning back to face forward. ¡°Nothing at all. I just think it¡¯s funny. For all your griping and complaining, you¡¯re still here. Though I can¡¯t help but assume that¡¯s more due to Liz than Vinny and I.¡±


    ¡°Well you¡¯re assuming right,¡± he replied wryly. ¡°As if I¡¯d ever make a hike out to some boring ass caves for either of you idiots.¡±


    ¡°Ah, how rude!¡± Vinny retorted, feigning offense. ¡°Are you saying that just because I don¡¯t have boobs, you wouldn¡¯t go on a hike with me if I asked you to?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s because you¡¯re obnoxious,¡± he replied.


    Vinny sighed and glanced sidelong at Eric. ¡°You hear this, dude?¡±


    Eric nodded somberly. ¡°Yeah, I do. And here I thought Damien loved us! I feel betrayed! My feelings have never been so hurt before! I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever recover! I¡¯ll never trust anybody ever again!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, bro. You can always trust me!¡± Vinny assured. ¡°I¡¯d never choose a girl over you!¡±


    Eric gave an exaggerated smile. ¡°You really mean that?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    Liz chuckled, watching the interactions between the three boys with amusement. ¡°Alright, you two can cut it with the comedy act now.¡±


    Eric glanced over his shoulder and eyed the girl suspiciously. ¡°I hope you realize this is war, dear Liz! I can¡¯t believe you would dare steal Damien from us with your womanly wiles! This act of defiance against us will not go unpunished! We shall reclaim Damien and save him from your siren¡¯s song!¡±


    Liz returned Eric¡¯s challenging grin with one of her own. ¡°Oh really? Bring it on, Reiner. I can take you, no problem.¡±


    Eric frowned. ¡°Vin¡¯. She¡¯s not backing down. I don¡¯t think my intimidation efforts are succeeding.¡±


    Vinny shook his head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem so. Perhaps we should try a different method of attack. Perhaps the time has come to put Operation Falconhyde into effect? That could work against her.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s a risky move. If we fail then we will almost assuredly lose the war before it''s even begun! Can we really risk Damien¡¯s well-being like that?¡± Eric asked with mock nervousness.


    But the blonde boy nodded sternly. ¡°We must. If we do not free him from her grasp soon then I fear we may never save him.¡±


    ¡°Throw whatever you want at me,¡± Liz called over to them. ¡°I have no intention of losing to a couple of monkeys like you two.¡±


    Damien sighed as he listened to the three of them in their mock argument, barely following any of what they were saying. He was also pretty sure that Eric and Vinny were just making nonsense up and didn¡¯t actually have any clue what ¡°Operation Falconhyde¡± was or how it would help them in their imaginary war.


    ¡°Can you guys cut it out,¡± Damien snapped. ¡°I don¡¯t need to be ¡®saved¡¯ and even if I did, I wouldn¡¯t want either of you to do it.¡±


    Vinny glanced back at him, his eyes wide. ¡°My god, Eric! She really has brainwashed him into submission!¡±


    The two boys broke out into laughter as Damien eyed them irritably. Although, like usual, he couldn¡¯t help but laugh along with them after a few moments. Vinny and Liz had both been quite busy for most of the summer so the four of them had only been able to get together a handful of times. Despite his grouchy attitude, the boy couldn¡¯t deny that he loved their back-and-forths and was happy that they¡¯d be seeing each other more often once school started back up.


    ¡°Ah, here we are!¡± Vinny announced, coming to a stop up ahead.


    He and Eric waited for Damien and Liz to catch up before setting off down the natural stone steps that descended down the side of the hill and toward the beach. Looking off to the left, Damien could already see the entrance to a cave in the side of the rock wall and, while he would never admit so to Vinny, found himself suddenly excited to look inside.


    He felt Liz softly grab his hand, smiling at him like she knew what he was thinking, before leading him down the steps and toward the sand.


    ¡°Ah, finally!¡± Eric cheered as he and Vinny jumped over the last few steps to land in the sand. ¡°And we¡¯ve got the whole place to ourselves.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d you even find this place, Vin¡¯?¡± Liz called down to him as she and Damien reached the bottom.


    The blonde boy shrugged. ¡°I actually didn¡¯t. My little sister was telling me about it a couple weeks ago. Apparently one of her friends took her down here to show her the caves and Mia thought they were really cool. I asked her to show me so she brought me here and we checked out the caves together.¡±


    Damien smirked. Vinny¡¯s little sister had always been more of the tomboyish type so he found it easy to believe that she would be pretty excited to go exploring some caves. Mia and Vinny had a close sibling relationship, something Damien had always been slightly jealous of. Like Liz and Eric, Damien was an only child, and he had always wanted a sibling, though his two friends had become like brothers to him over the years.


    ¡°Well I¡¯m all for checking out the caves,¡± Liz replied. ¡°But I¡¯m dying from this heat so I¡¯m getting in the water for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Ah, come on,¡± Vinny whined. ¡°We can swim afterwards!¡±


    But Liz simply ignored him as she slipped out of her blue tank top to reveal a black bikini top underneath. Damien laughed, knowing that if Liz decided she was going to swim then there was nothing the blonde boy could do to change her mind. Vinny no doubt realized that fact as well since he merely sighed in defeat and shrugged, seemingly deciding not to protest any further as he, too, took off his shirt.


    ¡°Alright, swimming it is,¡± he grumbled.


    Liz smiled sweetly, though there was an undeniable smugness to her expression. ¡°I thought so.¡±


    Damien hung back for a moment, watching both Vinny and Liz heading for the shore. He shook his head and chuckled softly.


    ¡°Well, Eric,¡± he began. ¡°I guess we ought to get in, too.¡±


    He glanced to his right and immediately frowned. His friend was staring off toward the cave entrance, his brow furrowed in confusion as if something was bothering him. Damien suddenly felt a little worried and turned his own attention toward the cave, wondering if the boy had seen something inside. However, he saw nothing out of the ordinary from where he stood so he turned back to Eric.


    ¡°Uh, dude?¡± he asked. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Eric didn¡¯t reply. He just kept staring at the cave.


    ¡°Dude? Eric? Earth to Eric Reiner!¡±


    When Damien raised his voice, Eric suddenly seemed to snap back to reality as he turned his head sharply to look at him.


    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s up?¡± he asked casually, as if he hadn¡¯t been doing anything weird.


    Damien cocked an eyebrow. ¡°You okay? You were staring at that cave pretty intently. Is everything alright?¡±


    The tall boy immediately nodded, grinning at his question. ¡°Oh yeah. Everything¡¯s fine. I just thought I saw something but it was probably just a seagull.¡±


    ¡°Oi!?¡± Vinny called from the water, waving his arms over his head to get their attention. ¡°What¡¯s taking so long? Get your asses out here!¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes at his friend but Eric simply laughed before patting him on the back.


    ¡°Come on, buddy. Let¡¯s go swimming. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re dying to cool off for a bit,¡± he teased.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    He watched Eric pull off his shirt and kick his sandals off into the sand before sprinting off to join Liz and Vinny. For a moment, Damien stared after him before deciding there wasn''t any point in worrying. Eric was a strange person in general and he had long accepted his quirks. So, he pushed the issue from his mind then removed his own shirt and rushed off to join his friends. For all of his griping about getting dragged out to the beach, Damien actually found himself enjoying the cool touch of the ocean water as he listened to the ridiculous back-and-forth between Eric and Vinny about which of them could swim faster which inevitably ended up with them splashing each other and challenging the other to a race. It was a common occurrence in the ever competitive relationship between the two boys and Damien could always predict how things would end up. Of course, there was no question that Vinny was the faster swimmer since he was a part of the swim team during their freshman year.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Liz called out, glancing between the two of them as they both prepared to take off before pointing to a rock nearly fifty yards to the right. ¡°First to circle around that rock out there and get back wins. The loser then has to buy everybody snow cones from the pier after this.¡±


    Both boys turned to look at her in surprise.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Eric protested. ¡°Why would the loser have to buy cones for you and Damien? You guys aren¡¯t a part of this bet!¡±


    ¡°Yeah! That¡¯s not fair in the slightest!¡± Vinny agreed.


    Liz laughed mischievously before fixing them with a challenging stare. ¡°Because I said so. Is there any better reason? Or are you going to challenge my decision?¡±


    Eric sighed. ¡°I am wholeheartedly convinced that you were sent to this plane of existence from the deepest pits of hell. You truly are a demon, Tao!¡±


    ¡°That I am, Reiner,¡± Liz replied with an oddly creepy giggle. ¡°Now, any more objections or can we get started?¡±


    ¡°No, ma¡¯am!¡± both replied in unison.


    ¡°Good. Then go!¡±


    Taken by surprise at her sudden shout, both boys scrambled to begin swimming, taking a few seconds to get a rhythm going as they raced each other toward the rock. Damien watched the whole interaction with amusement before glancing at his girlfriend, who was smugly watching the two in their race.


    ¡°You really do like messing with them,¡± he mused.


    Liz laughed. ¡°Of course I do. I mean, I wanted a snow cone and this seemed like the best way to get one.¡±


    ¡°It is a bit unfair though,¡± he replied. ¡°Either way, we benefit here.¡±


    She eyed him wryly. ¡°And that¡¯s a problem, how?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± He sighed, knowing that if it actually bothered Vinny or Eric then they wouldn¡¯t actually buy the snow cones. He knew the two greatly enjoyed their weird relationship with Liz that always seemed to end up with them getting manipulated so, if it meant he got free dessert out of it and they were having fun, then who was he to complain?


    He and Liz grinned as they watched Vinny begin to overtake Eric and, by the time they had looped around the rock, the blonde boy had gained a good ten yards on his friend. When he passed by Liz and gained his victory, Eric was nearly twenty yards behind, finding himself greeted by Vinny¡¯s victorious laughing when he finally reached the end.


    ¡°I told you not to challenge me, Eric!¡± he boasted. ¡°Clearly I am the superior swimmer, as was obvious! I am sure going to enjoy that snow cone later!¡±


    Naturally, Vinny¡¯s victory speech led to another childish splash war between the two, which Damien couldn''t help but to sigh at.


    They stayed in the water for another hour and a half. Damien spent most of the time chatting with Liz and enjoying the water while also watching Eric and Vinny¡¯s shenanigans. However, he could tell that Vinny was getting impatient to check out the caves and, finding himself oddly excited, too, Damien decided to finally bring them up.


    ¡°Alright guys. Why don¡¯t we go to the caves now,¡± he suggested. ¡°I¡¯d say I''ve cooled off enough.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Vinny cheered. ¡°Damien to the rescue! Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Before either Eric or Liz could offer their opinion on the suggestion, Vinny immediately began to swim toward the shore, leaving his friends watching after him in exasperation. When they all got back to the beach, Liz got her towel out of her bag and began to dry herself off while Eric and Vinny simply threw their shirts back on over their wet bodies.


    Liz frowned at them. ¡°Uh...are you not going to dry off?¡±


    ¡°Nah,¡± Eric replied casually. ¡°I didn¡¯t bring a towel or anything.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, same,¡± Vinny added.


    The girl shook her head. ¡°You didn¡¯t¡­? What kind of idiots don¡¯t bring towels to the beach? And actually¡­¡± She looked around the beach and scowled. ¡°I just realized neither of you brought any bags or anything! Where¡¯s your sunscreen?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Mom,¡± Vinny replied, brushing her questions aside with a wave of his hand. ¡°I put sunscreen on before I left. I just didn¡¯t want to have to carry a bag with me all the way over here.¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s not like I needed anything either,¡± Eric added. ¡°Other than my wallet, of course, but I gave that to Damien.¡± The tall boy indicated Damien¡¯s bag laying a few feet away from them with a grin.


    Liz merely rolled her eyes before looking back at Vinny. ¡°Oh whatever. Anyway, Vin¡¯, lead the way.¡±


    The blonde boy¡¯s eyes lit up at her words. ¡°Awesome! In that case, follow me, friends!¡±


    With an exaggerated spin on his heel that nearly caused him to fall over due to the sand, Vinny recollected himself and began to make his way toward the mouth of the cave off to the right side of the beach. Eric followed immediately behind him while Liz and Damien fell into stride alongside each other in the rear.


    As they got closer to the cave entrance, Damien realized how big the cave¡¯s opening was. It was easily twelve feet tall and nearly ten yards wide, giving the four of them a good look at the darkened space beyond. The sun was on the other side of the hill so there was no direct sunlight streaming in yet he was still able to tell that the cave went on for a decent length. The rock walls were slick and the ground looked unstable to walk on, making the boy slightly apprehensive to go inside despite his earlier curiosity.


    ¡°Vinny? You¡¯re sure this is safe?¡± Damien asked skeptically.


    The blonde boy merely laughed as if Damien was telling a joke. ¡°Of course it¡¯s safe. When Mia and I came down here, we found that it doesn¡¯t really go too deep. Admittedly, it¡¯s not the most impressive thing ever but I thought the stalactites looked cool so¡­¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes at his friend¡¯s laid back response before shrugging. He figured that as long as there were no holes they could fall into and they watched their steps, they would be fine. He shrugged, motioned for Vinny to go inside, and then watched the boy smile and hurry in. Damien exchanged a brief, reluctant look with Liz, but, as was to be expected, she merely smiled back at him, took his hand, and led him forward.


    ¡°See? Isn¡¯t this cool?¡± Vinnny asked enthusiastically, motioning to the stalactites hanging from the rather high ceiling.


    Though he wouldn¡¯t have said so to his clearly excited friend, Damien found it to be rather underwhelming. Vinny wasn¡¯t exaggerating when he said it wasn¡¯t very impressive. Even Liz, who typically enjoyed that sort of stuff, was looking around as if expecting something cool to magically appear. However, when Vinnny turned around when they didn¡¯t immediately respond, Damien forced a smile.


    ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± he replied. ¡°Really cool, Vin¡¯.¡±


    Vinny nodded. ¡°Right?¡± He then glanced over Damien¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What about you, Eric? Wouldn¡¯t this be like a cool hideout or something for the club?¡±


    Damien expected Eric to come back with some over-the-top response about how perfect it would serve as their base of operations for whatever secret plan the two of them would inevitably come up with so when the boy didn¡¯t reply, he looked over his shoulder in confusion.


    ¡°Eric?¡± he called, cocking an eyebrow.


    The tall boy was kneeling down on the ground, looking at something beside the wall of rock.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Liz asked. ¡°You find a cool rock or something?¡±


    As if snapped back to reality by her question, he raised his head and looked over at them, a conflicted look on his face. ¡°Uh...yeah. Something like that, at least.¡±


    When the girl frowned as if not understanding what he was talking about, Eric raised his hand to reveal a small, orange ball clutched in his right hand. Intrigued by what he had found, Damien turned and made his way over to his friend to get a better look and, upon closer inspection, he found that it was less of a ball and more of an oval-shaped gemstone. It sparkled slightly from the little bit of illumination coming through the cave entrance.


    ¡°Woah!¡± Vinny exclaimed in awe. ¡°Where¡¯d you find that? I know for a fact it wasn¡¯t here when I came here with Mia the other day!¡±


    Eric shrugged. ¡°Well...it was just laying here against the wall.¡±


    ¡°It looks expensive,¡± Liz mused. ¡°You think some rich girl wandered in here and dropped it or something?¡±


    ¡°I mean, maybe,¡± Eric replied uncertainly. ¡°But¡­¡±


    He trailed off, looking as if he was considering something that Damien could only guess at. He narrowed his eyes, knowing his friend well enough to know he was hiding something. However, he also knew that if Eric didn¡¯t want to say something then it wasn¡¯t good to pry. The boy, despite his outgoing personality, was actually quite private and only refrained from talking about certain things when he really didn¡¯t want to. Therefore, Damien chose to remain silent and not press the matter further.


    ¡°Well, finders keepers,¡± Vinny said. ¡°They lost it and you found it so as far as I¡¯m concerned, it¡¯s yours now.¡±


    ¡°Vinny,¡± Liz admonished. ¡°Look at that thing. Not only is it clearly expensive, but it looks like the type of thing that would be a family heirloom or something. I know I¡¯d be really upset if I lost something like that!¡±


    The blonde boy smirked. ¡°Yeah, maybe. But what would you have him do then? It¡¯s not like we could find whoever owns it anyway.¡±


    ¡°Then we leave it here for the owner to come back and find it,¡± Liz suggested.


    ¡°And risk some other morons getting their grimy hands all over it?¡± Vinny shook his head. ¡°No, dear Liz. That just won¡¯t do.¡± He then turned to look at Damien. ¡°What about you, buddy? What do you think we should do with it?¡±


    Damien grimaced, having not wanted to be dragged into the situation and forced to take a side. Both his friend and his girlfriend were looking at him with expectant expressions that told him they both wanted him to side with them. However, as was often the case in situations like that, he chose the safer side and merely planted himself right in the middle.


    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t care,¡± he said. ¡°Eric can do whatever he wants with it. It doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡±


    Liz stuck out her bottom lip and pouted at him. ¡°No, Damien. You were supposed to side with me.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡± Vinny turned and smiled at her as if he considered the response to be a victory for him. ¡°Well, it seems there are some holes in your siren''s song! Damien Clark is not lost to us yet!¡±


    Sighing apathetically at what he was sure would be a long debate, he turned and glanced down to where Eric was still crouched, his eyes fixated on the orange gem. Damien found himself surprised at how interested the boy was in it as he was never really the type of person who got awed by pretty stones and jewels.


    Damien internally laughed, knowing that it would be best to keep his mouth shut, but also wanting to settle the matter quickly. So, ignoring his logical side, he turned back towards Liz and Vinny.


    ¡°On second thought, I think Eric should keep it,¡± he said. ¡°He did find it, after all.¡±


    The combination of Vinny¡¯s victorious cheer and Liz¡¯s narrowed eyes told him that we would almost certainly regret ever opening his mouth.


    ***


    ¡°Ah, the sweet taste of victory!¡± Vinny exclaimed happily as he chewed on his strawberry flavored snow cone. ¡°I¡¯d say this was a rather successful day for me, wouldn¡¯t you guys?¡±


    He turned his cocky smile toward the other three and Damien simply opted to ignore him, focussing only on the refreshing taste of his own blueberry snow cone. The four of them were sitting on a bench at the pier, the ocean on the other side of a concrete barrier across the cement path before them. Off in the distance, they could see the ferris wheel slowly turning, it¡¯s flashing lights turned on in preparation of the oncoming night. The sun was partially set below the horizon, casting an orange glow over the Wilham Pier.


    Damien watched the steady flow of people walking both in the direction of the parking lot and the stalls and games of the pier. He knew the place got much livelier at night, especially considering the fact that summer vacation was ending the following Monday. Most students would be trying to get a few more trips in before most of their free time became dedicated to school. Oddly enough, Damien found himself excited for his junior year to begin and wished the rest of vacation would hurry along so he could get back to his school routine.


    ¡°Ah, why so quiet?¡± Vinny teased when he realized nobody was going to respond. ¡°Didn¡¯t you guys have fun today? Wasn¡¯t it just the most funnest, bestest day ever?¡±


    God, I suddenly wish Eric had won that swimming contest. I forgot how obnoxious Vinny can be when he wins anything!


    Damien at least found himself grateful that Liz was sitting between him and the blonde boy though he did feel bad for his girlfriend, who was nibbling on her snow cone as she stared out at the ferris wheel with a blank expression. However, he knew Vinny wouldn¡¯t stop until he got a reaction out of somebody so, predictably, he continued on.


    ¡°I mean, I couldn¡¯t have asked for a better day, honestly!¡± His laugh sounded so fake that Damien couldn¡¯t have imagined that the boy was actually trying to make it sound real. ¡°I mean, I got a free snow cone and I managed to convince the famously brainwashed Damien Clark to take my side against the siren of the deep! Really, it¡¯s such a successful da¡ª!¡±


    At Vinny''s sudden exclamation of surprise, Damien glanced to his left to find that Liz had reached over and shoved her snowcone into his face. The cone itself was laying in his lap and shaved ice was dripping down his nose. Beside him, the girl was smiling with satisfaction despite wasting her dessert. Those who were walking by were looking at them either with amusement or like they were idiots. Damien even saw a little kid with his mother pointing at Vinny and laughing.


    ¡°Well, jokes on you,¡± Vinny said, reaching a finger up to wipe some of the ice off his face before sticking it in his mouth. ¡°You just gave me more to eat and now you¡¯ve got nothing! Still a victory for¡ª¡±


    Before he had finished talking, Liz had reached out and grabbed his wrist, pulling it upwards so Vinny¡¯s own cone collided with his face. Damien sighed, having seen that coming from a mile away and suspecting Vinny probably did as well. The whole thing was a show to him and there was no doubt that he was simply trying to get reactions like those out of her.


    ¡°You were saying?¡± she asked smugly.


    The blonde boy cleared his throat and smiled. ¡°I was saying...what a wonderful sunset this is. It¡¯s so beautiful.¡±


    Liz snorted. ¡°That it is.¡±


    Damein chuckled softly, finding himself grateful to have the whole group back together for one final hurrah before school. He then looked to his right where Eric was sitting. Normally the boy wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to get involved in the teasing battle between Liz and Vinny but, like he had been doing since they entered the cave, he was staring down at the orange gem clutched in his hand. He seemed so hypnotized by it that it had Damien a little concerned.


    While they were on their way to the pier, he had fallen back to walk beside Eric, wanting to make sure his friend was doing alright. But before he could ask him anything, the boy had spoken first.


    ¡°Damien? Am I holding anything in my left hand?¡±


    The question had been so out of the blue and he only found himself more confused when he looked to find Eric¡¯s hand empty.


    ¡°Is that supposed to be a trick question?¡± he had asked.


    Eric¡¯s eyes had momentarily widened before his brow furrowed in concentration. Then his familiar grin had returned and the next words to leave his mouth had thrown Damein through a loop.


    ¡°I think...this gem is magic.¡±


    They weren¡¯t unusual words for Eric Reiner given his obsession with the supernatural but, for some reason, they had thrown Damien off. Normally when Eric would talk about magic, he would always say how he would someday find something magical to prove its existence to them. Damien liked to write it off as one of his games yet, every time Vinny or Liz would try to play along and pretend something was magical, Eric would always shoot them down and sternly tell them it wasn¡¯t. No matter what, Eric never once claimed to have any magic. So for him to so openly say he thought the gem was magic was completely out of left field.


    The boy hadn¡¯t elaborated since, but his attention never left that gem. He just kept staring at it with a soft smile and a faraway look, like he was reminiscing about something. Damien couldn¡¯t explain why, but something about the situation put him on edge.


    He couldn¡¯t help but feel like something was about to change.

 Chapter 2- West Wilham High

    Chapter II


    When the sound of her alarm going off finally broke the silence in her bedroom, Lillian Harper felt her stomach churn. She had been laying in bed, wide awake, for the past hour and a half dreading that sound. She bit her lip in nervousness, listening as her sister turned the alarm off and got out of her own bed.


    ¡°Come on, Lilly,¡± she called over. ¡°I know you¡¯re awake so get up. Wouldn¡¯t want to miss your first day of school, now would you?¡±


    Lilly grimaced, knowing full well that if she were given the option to lay in bed all day and not have to go to school then she would have been perfectly happy. However, she also knew there was no way she could get away with doing so and was thus prepared to face reality. Whether she liked it or not, she would be starting her first day at her new school and there was nothing she could do to change that.


    Sighing, the girl sat up in bed and eyed her older sister, Alexa, irritably.


    ¡°You could have just let me lay here a little longer, you know?¡± she grumbled. ¡°You and I both know you¡¯re going to take the shower first anyway and I¡¯m going to have to wait.¡±


    Alexa shrugged, reaching up to tug at a strand of her dark brown hair, grinning slyly as she responded. ¡°I know,¡± she chirped. ¡°But I knew you were awake since you were tossing and turning so much. I figured it would be better for you to get up and go through your checklist or whatever.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well¡­¡± Lilly began softly. ¡°As it so happens, I already ran through my checklist last night. I¡¯ve already got everything.¡±


    Her older sister snorted. ¡°And? This is you we¡¯re talking about. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re still going to go through it a dozen more times before we leave.¡±


    Lilly didn¡¯t reply, knowing she was probably right. Alexa grinned wryly before turning on her heel and walking to their door, leaving her sitting on her bed alone. She groaned, flopping onto her back to stare up at the ceiling, finding Alexa¡¯s overly cheerful attitude to be slightly annoying. But of course, she wasn¡¯t going to say anything. She was well aware that it was simply an act and that the idea of going to a new school was really hurting her. After all, for as much as Lilly had been complaining for months about the move, she knew Alexa had it far worse. Lilly was only switching school¡¯s in her junior year while her older sister was a senior. Her final year of high school was going to be spent trying to make new friends and she wouldn¡¯t get to graduate with the ones she had known since grade school.


    For Lilly, she wasn¡¯t as bothered about making new friends for the simple fact that she never really had any close relationships back at her old school in the first place. She had those she would hang out with on occasion but she never had anybody that she would want to text after moving or stay in touch with. She was almost certain that she would never talk to anybody from her old school again. The reason for her irritation at moving was because of how comfortable she had been. Having to adjust to a new environment with new faces was something that seemed like far too much work. She had a hard enough time interacting with those she knew since she was a kid. Having to interact with a bunch of new people was the main thing that had kept her up all night.


    Well, I guess I should get up. Alexa¡¯s right. Just laying here thinking about it isn¡¯t going to make anything easier.


    Grumbling under her breath, Lilly pushed herself back to a sitting position and threw her navy blue sheets off of her before swinging her legs over the side of the bed and planting her bare feet against the old red carpet of her bedroom. As she stood up, she stretched her arms up over her head and yawned, feeling her body loosening up as she did so. She then glanced around the room, grimacing at how cramped it was with both beds shoved against opposite walls. Despite having been living there since June, she still hadn¡¯t gotten used to the smaller bedroom.


    And I thought our last bedroom was cramped, she thought bitterly, walking across the thin area between the beds to the opposite wall.


    The room didn¡¯t have much in the way of decoration. Alexa had hung up a singular poster of a favorite boy band of hers and Lilly had a few of her cross country and track awards up on her own wall.


    I wonder what the team¡¯s going to be like at this new school¡­not that it really matters, I guess.


    At her last school, she hadn¡¯t been particularly close to the team. At practice, she often ran by herself and she never attended any of the after-race team lunches. She preferred to be alone and most of the team had allowed her to do that. She didn¡¯t expect that to change at the new school.


    Lilly sighed, turning her head to stare at the only other thing hanging in the room¡ªa full-length mirror on the wall before her, displaying her sleep-deprived self.


    Her shoulder-length brown hair was messy from laying down and there were dark lines under her eyes.


    Great, she thought. Now I¡¯m going to look like a zombie all day. Just my luck.


    She glanced back at the small table between their two beds, eyeing her sister''s hairbrush laying atop it. She considered brushing her hair then turned away, realizing that it wouldn¡¯t matter since she would be showering soon anyway.


    Eh, whatever. Who cares if I look like a zombie. Maybe it¡¯ll put people off and I can just get through the day without having to talk to anybody.


    Lilly wasn¡¯t one who cared much about her appearance in the first place. She knew she wasn¡¯t the prettiest person and was completely satisfied looking average. She never bothered with makeup, unlike her sister who seemed to the girl to have a bit of an unhealthy obsession, nor did she do much to her hair aside from brushing. Her taste in clothes was pretty basic as well. She typically just wore t-shirts and shorts without any real thought put into them.


    With another glance into the mirror, surveying her gray pajama shorts and tank top she always wore, Lilly opted to do as her sister suggested and go through her ¡°checklist¡±.


    The room¡¯s closet door was on Alexa¡¯s side, at the foot of her bed, so Lilly walked over and pulled open the sliding white door. Her backpack was sitting at the bottom, beside her sister¡¯s, so she knelt down and unzipped the main compartment. Alexa had already been to the school to pick up their schedules and textbooks so she made sure everything was already there. She then counted her notebooks and checked for her pencil pouch. Everything was where she left it the previous night. The only thing left was her school uniform, which was probably still out on the ironing board.


    Well, guess all that¡¯s left to do is wait for Alexa to hurry up and finish getting ready.


    The girl scowled, wishing she could have gone first since her sister always took forever to shower and do her makeup. Lilly briefly considered going out into the main room but decided not to, knowing she would have to endure her parents trying to psych her up from school. Instead, she simply plopped back down on the bed and waited.


    When her sister finally walked back in after what felt like an hour, she was already dressed in her school uniform¡ªa white polo shirt, black knee-length skirt, red tie, and a light gray blazer with the school¡¯s emblem on it¡ªwith her hair tied up in a ponytail. When she saw Lilly laying down and narrowed her eyes in disappointment.


    ¡°Really? You didn¡¯t even move?¡± Alexa asked.


    ¡°Nope,¡± she said apathetically. ¡°Although I did check my stuff for a moment.¡±


    Her sister snorted. ¡°Of course you did. Well, whatever. You can have the bathroom now.¡±


    ¡°Cool.¡±


    Lilly crawled back out of bed and went out into the hallway. She was immediately greeted with the smell of eggs and bacon, realizing that her mom was already cooking breakfast. Feeling her stomach grumbling, she poked her head into the living room and looked to her left to see her mother in the kitchen at the stove. Her father wasn¡¯t around so she figured he had already gone to work.


    Not wanting to have to talk to her mother yet, she hurriedly reached for her uniform laying on the ironing board against the wall and ducked back into the hall before heading toward the bathroom. She wanted to eat breakfast soon so she got ready as fast as possible. She was in and out of the shower relatively fast then begrudgingly used the hairdryer, which took longer than she would¡¯ve liked, before combing it with her brush. Once she was dressed in her unform, she looked herself over in the mirror, deciding she looked less like a zombie, and finally headed back out into the main room.


    ¡°Good morning, sweetie,¡± her mother, Nora Harper, greeted cheerfully. ¡°Are you excited for your first day at school?¡±


    Her mother¡¯s ever-present cheerful smile made Lilly feel slightly less irritable. Combined with her tied up hair and pink apron with the words ¡°World¡¯s Best Mom¡± written across them, she found herself struggling to remain annoyed as she took a seat at the small dining table. Alexa was sitting across from her, already eating while surfing one of her social media apps on her phone.


    ¡°Excited?¡± Lilly repeated with a touch of sarcasm in her tone. ¡°Not the word I would use, Mom. More like...hmm...how about indisposed?¡±


    Nora cocked an eyebrow at her daughter as she set a plate of bacon and eggs in front of her.


    ¡°Indisposed, huh?¡± she asked. ¡°You know, you could stand to be a little bit more positive, Lil¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡± Alexa smirked, sparing a glance from her phone. ¡°Remember who you¡¯re talking to, Mom. Lilly¡¯s the most apathetic and negative person I know. Telling her to be positive is like telling the sun to stop being bright.¡±


    ¡°Alexa,¡± their mother admonished. ¡°That¡¯s not very nice.¡±


    ¡°Maybe not,¡± her sister conceded. ¡°But I¡¯m not wrong.¡±


    Lilly shrugged, agreeing with her sister despite knowing she should feel insulted, as she began eating her breakfast.


    ¡°Look, guys,¡± their mother began. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about all this. I really am. It¡¯s not fair to either of you but please try to make the best of this. At least go to school with an open mind.¡±


    Alexa smiled up at her but Lilly could tell it was forced.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mom. You¡¯ve already said this like a million times. Dad needed a job. He couldn¡¯t help that it was so far away. There was nothing anybody could do.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Lexi,¡± the woman replied softly. ¡°And I promise that your father and I will do our best to give you as fun of a senior year as we can.¡±


    Lilly began to tune them out, wanting to be done with her breakfast and out of the house as fast as she could. Despite dreading getting to school, she found herself wanting to get there early enough for her to learn her way around before class started. Since she intended to minimize the amount of times she would be forced to interact with people, she didn¡¯t want to have to ask anybody for help.


    Having inhaled her eggs and bacon, Lilly got to her feet.


    ¡°Thanks for breakfast, Mom,¡± she said.


    Alexa looked up at her in bewilderment. ¡°Jeez, sis. You ever heard of savoring?¡±


    Lilly shrugged. ¡°I was hungry.¡±


    ¡°Clearly.¡±


    The girl turned and headed back toward her bedroom, hearing her sister call out to her.


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re already leaving?¡±


    ¡°Why not? Might as well get there early,¡± she called back before walking into her room.


    She made a b-line for her still open closet, pulled her backpack up over her shoulder, and turned around to leave when Alexa walked in, staring at her in exasperation.


    ¡°Honestly,¡± she grumbled. ¡°Did you even plan on waiting for me?¡±


    Lilly watched her move past her and toward the closet before replying.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to come with,¡± she said. ¡°I figured you¡¯d want to finish breakfast.¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± Alexa snapped, shouldering her own backpack. ¡°But it seems my little sister is more impatient to get to school than I thought and I¡¯m not about to let you go to our first day alone.¡±


    Lilly frowned. ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Because where¡¯s the fun in that?¡± the older girl asked. ¡°I wanted to spend some quality time with you! Is that so bad?¡±


    The younger girl sighed, deciding there was no point in pressing the matter further. ¡°I guess not.¡±


    ¡°Good!¡± her sister huffed. ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡±


    The two girls walked out into the hall, saying a quick goodbye to their mother before heading toward the front door.


    ¡°Have a nice day at school, girls,¡± she called back.


    Alexa took the lead as they walked through the door and out into the hallway. The third floor of their apartment building was empty aside from the two of them so they made their way to the elevator without running into anybody, something Lilly was grateful for. Alexa pressed the down button, waited for the doors to open, then stepped inside with Lilly following close behind. She then pushed the button for the bottom floor.


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    ¡°So, are you excited for anything about today?¡± Alexa asked. ¡°Like...at all? Or are you just dreading everything?¡±


    ¡°Basically just dreading everything,¡± she muttered.


    The other girl shook her head. ¡°Oh come on! Nothing? Really? What about cross country? You like that! Aren¡¯t you excited to show everybody what a badass you are?¡±


    Lilly shrugged again. ¡°I mean, I guess it¡¯ll be somewhat fun.¡±


    The elevator dinged and the doors slid open, admitting them into the lobby. They walked toward the front doors, saying a quick good morning to the receptionist, Mr. Alberts, before heading outside.


    The town of Wilham was small so the streets weren¡¯t terribly busy at that time of morning. There were a few small businesses around and a few other places that Lilly had never bothered to go to around the building. She saw a few other kids wearing their school uniform on the opposite side of the road and hoped they wouldn¡¯t say, ¡°hi¡±.


    ¡°What about meeting new people?¡± Alexa suddenly said, restarting the conversation Lilly had hoped was already over. ¡°No offense but you were kind of a loner. Isn¡¯t this the best time to reinvent yourself now that you¡¯ve got a clean slate?¡±


    Lilly snorted. ¡°I don¡¯t want to reinvent myself. I¡¯m pretty happy being a loner, thank you very much.¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t you get bored?¡± she pressed. ¡°You never go to games or dances or anything. All you¡¯ve got are your races. Don¡¯t you want to go out and hang with people? And what about a date? Haven¡¯t you ever wanted a boyfriend?¡±


    ¡°A boyfriend?¡± Lilly considered the thought for a second before shaking her head. ¡°Sounds like a hassle.¡±


    Alexa frowned. ¡°It¡¯s not a hassle. It¡¯s fun.¡±


    ¡°Says the girl who had, like, five different boyfriends in a single year,¡± she retorted.


    ¡°Well...¡± she sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not a hassle when you find somebody who isn¡¯t an asshole.¡±


    ¡°Something that has been a hassle for you,¡± Lilly pointed out. ¡°My point stands.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, whatever.¡± Alexa then smiled, looking up at the sky as they walked. ¡°I¡¯m just saying. For all you know, this could be a good thing.¡±


    Lilly smirked, eyeing her sister in amusement.


    ¡°I honestly doubt it.¡±


    ***


    Despite her strong aversion to her new school, Lilly couldn¡¯t deny that she found herself oddly impressed by how big it was when she and her sister finally arrived at the front gates. There were throngs of students walking through and into the large courtyard beyond, chatting and laughing as they caught up with each other after summer vacation. On the other side of the courtyard was the large, three-story West Wilham High School, towering over the surrounding neighborhoods which, Lilly noted on their way in, seemed to only consist of small, one-story homes. There was a plethora of windows overlooking the courtyard which would have no doubt given an amazing view were she up there.


    ¡°Now come on, sis,¡± Alexa muttered under her breath. ¡°You can¡¯t tell me you aren¡¯t at least a little excited now.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I can easily say that,¡± she replied dryly before readjusting her backpack and pressing forward into the crowd.


    She heard Alexa snort behind her, but she followed nonetheless. Lilly kept her head down, not wanting to make eye contact with any of the other students around, hoping she could just make it into the school and toward her first period class without getting stopped by anybody. Having studied her schedule thoroughly ever since getting it, she knew where she would have to go without looking at it. Her first class of the day was Honors English with Mrs. Kentz on the second floor in room 2-12. She also knew that her sister¡¯s first class was on the first floor and that she would finally be allowed to be on her own once they got to the school gates.


    At the very least, she stopped badgering me about why I should be excited, Lilly thought gratefully.


    After their earlier conversation had ended, Alexa had instead turned the conversation toward her own excitement at meeting new people and getting to experience a new place. However, Lilly only half listened, knowing that her sister was exaggerating and wasn¡¯t as excited as she was claiming to be. It irritated her how much Alexa was trying to put on a mask and pretend like everything was okay. Lilly would have absolutely preferred her to actually speak her mind, but that just wasn¡¯t who Alexa Harper was. She would remain forcing a smile for the sake of her family no matter what. It was something Lilly didn¡¯t have the energy or desire to do.


    For a brief second, she rose her head to survey the courtyard, finding it oddly cozy looking. The cement path she was walking on was surrounded by lush green lawns on both sides with tables and benches scattered throughout for students to sit on. There were trees around, giving shade to those sitting down and some even had umbrellas beside them. Part of her considered eating lunch out there later since it would most likely be far less crowded than the cafeteria.


    ¡°Well, here we are,¡± Alexa said cheerfully as they arrived at the school¡¯s front entrance.


    Lilly grunted her acknowledgment as the two walked through the double doors and into the hallway beyond. To her left, she could see that the corridor led to some classroom doors and then curved around the corner. On her right, it was a similar sight with the exception of the staircase leading up to the second and third floors. There were signs on the wall indicating which halls led to the bathrooms, office, and cafeteria. She filed the information away for later before looking up at her sister.


    ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll see you later,¡± Lilly said softly.


    Alexa eyed her wryly. ¡°I don¡¯t imagine you want me to join you for lunch?¡±


    ¡°Not even a little.¡±


    Her sister sighed, seemingly having expected that response, before nodding. ¡°Alright, fair enough. In that case, I¡¯ll see you when you get home, little sis. Have a nice first day.¡±


    Lilly nodded. ¡°You, too.¡±


    The sisters then turned and went in opposite directions, Alexa heading left and Lilly heading right, making a b-line for the staircase. She briefly looked around the hall, staring through the windows that showed her the courtyard beyond.


    Yeah, I¡¯m definitely eating out there later, she said to herself again before turning and walking up the stairs.


    She kept to the side of the stairs, ensuring that she stayed out of the way of the students both climbing and descending. Much like on her walk in, she kept her head lowered, staring only at the ground and where she was placing her feet. When she reached the second floor, she looked around at the signs hanging on the walls. Left would take her to classes ten and under while right took her to eleven and up. She nodded, glancing down the hall and immediately spotting room 2-12 where she saw an elderly lady with tight, curly white hair and a light brown pantsuit right outside the door.


    Mrs. Kentz, I suppose, she thought with disappointment, realizing that she wasn¡¯t going to be able to get into the class without having to talk to her first.


    Resigning herself to her fate, Lilly sighed and walked toward the class. Kentz noticed her heading in her direction and immediately smiled in a way that reminded the girl of a stereotypical grandma.


    ¡°Good morning, young lady,¡± Kentz greeted sweetly, holding out a hand for her to shake. ¡°I¡¯m Mrs. Kentz. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±


    Lilly forced herself to smile as she shook the woman¡¯s hand. ¡°Yeah, nice to meet you, too. I¡¯m Lilly.¡±


    ¡°Ah, what a pretty name,¡± Kentz replied. ¡°My niece is named Lilly, too.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    She grimaced inwardly. God, please don¡¯t be one of those teachers that talks forever. I¡¯ve already introduced myself so please just let me inside.


    Luckily, the woman didn¡¯t elaborate any further on her niece and instead motioned for Lilly to go in. ¡°Well, I hope we¡¯re in for a fun year. The syllabus is on my desk and the seating arrangement is up on the whiteboard.¡±


    ¡°Cool, thanks,¡± she muttered, taking the opportunity to hurry inside before the teacher could say anything else.


    Much to her relief, the classroom was still relatively empty. The only other people in the room were a group of boys in the back left corner and a single girl sitting by the window on the opposite side of the room. They all glanced up at her when she entered, but only looked at her for a moment before going back to what they were doing.


    Yes, ignore me. Thank you!


    She walked across the room to the teacher¡¯s large oak desk where she immediately spotted the stack of papers on the side. She snagged one of them before turning around to stare up at the white board. The room was organized with the desks in rows of six with six rows in total and the white board had the same design drawn out in pink marker. Names of the students were written over each individual square representing a desk. There didn''t seem to be any particular order for the seating arrangement so she just scanned each name until she found her own.


    Ah, awesome. I got a window seat. She smiled in satisfaction, happy that she would at least have the view when she inevitably got bored of the lecture. Alright then...let¡¯s see...second from the back¡­ Shit.


    As she looked over her shoulder to find her desk, she realized that by a stroke of bad luck, her desk was right behind the girl that was already sitting there.


    Well, she seems lost in thought. Maybe she won¡¯t bother talking to me.


    Banking her hopes on that possibility, Lilly reluctantly turned and made her way to the far right row, dropping her backpack onto the ground beside her desk before pushing it under with the side of her foot. It was then that the girl in front of her seemed to snap out of her thoughts as she turned her head and stared up at her. Lilly didn¡¯t look back, choosing instead to sit down in her chair and immediately turn her attention to the view of the neighborhood outside the window and below.


    Take a hint and don¡¯t say something. I look like a zombie, right? You don¡¯t want to talk to me. I¡¯m creepy.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± the other girl said after a moment.


    Shit.


    Not wanting to come across as rude, Lilly turned and looked back at the girl, surprised to find her smiling pleasantly.


    ¡°Uh...yeah, good morning,¡± she replied awkwardly before turning back to the window, hoping that would be the end of their interaction. However, the girl was apparently not satisfied with simple ¡°good mornings¡± and instead spoke again.


    ¡°Sorry if it seems like I¡¯m prying but are you new to the school, by any chance?¡± she asked.


    Lilly looked back at her in surprise. How on earth could she possibly know that?! She just met me! She doesn¡¯t even know my name!


    The girl laughed innocently, reaching up to brush a strand of her long, black hair behind her ear. ¡°Sorry, sorry. I get that sounds weird coming from somebody you just met. It¡¯s just...there¡¯s always kinda been a set of students who take honors classes and I¡¯ve been with them since freshman year. I didn¡¯t recognize you so I thought you might be new. Based on your reaction, I guess I¡¯m right?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Lilly stuttered, finding the girl¡¯s cutesy tone to be slightly irritating. ¡°...yeah, I¡¯m new. Just moved here last June, actually.¡±


    ¡°Oh really? Then welcome to West Wilham,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m Alice, by the way. Alice Mendez.¡±


    Lilly looked down at the girl¡¯s now outstretched hand, not thrilled with the idea of two handshakes in five minutes. But, much like with Kentz, she reluctantly reached out and shook it, albeit not very strongly.


    ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± she muttered. ¡°I¡¯m, uh, Lilly. Harper.¡±


    Alice smiled back at her, leaning her arms on Lilly¡¯s desk in clear indication that she didn¡¯t plan on ending the conversation any time soon.


    ¡°So, Lilly, do you like it here? I know Wilham¡¯s a bit small but there¡¯s actually a lot to do if you look,¡± she said.


    Lilly nodded again, glancing briefly up at the clock hanging above the whiteboard, praying that the bell would ring soon. However, it was then that she realized she¡¯d gotten there early and still had nearly twenty minutes until class was over.


    Damn it. Maybe Alexa was right. I shouldn¡¯t have rushed through breakfast.


    When she looked back at Alice, the girl was staring at her expectantly, her dark brown eyes innocently watching her. Combined with her blue headband and her uniform, Lilly could easily see the girl being one of the more popular kids at the school.


    ¡°Uh, I mean I guess it¡¯s pretty cool,¡± Lilly finally replied. ¡°Not that I¡¯ve actually been anywhere. To be honest, I didn¡¯t really leave my house this summer.¡±


    Alice looked at her in surprise. ¡°Really? But you at least went to the pier, right? That¡¯s, like, our town''s biggest attraction.¡±


    Lilly glanced away again, recalling how her sister had tried to convince her to go with the rest of the family to check out the pier back in July. She had flat out refused and Alexa still got on her about that.


    ¡°N-no,¡± she stuttered. ¡°I¡¯ve never been to the pier.¡±


    Alice¡¯s shock predictably increased with that reply. ¡°Wow. In that case, why don¡¯t¡ª¡±


    Before the girl could finish her sentence, one of the boys in the corner suddenly called out loud enough to startle the two girls.


    ¡°Well if it isn¡¯t Eric Reiner!¡±


    Lilly looked over at the boy in surprise before turning toward the door where two other boys were standing, eyeing the one who had spoken. The one who had been addressed, Eric, was tall and skinny, looking almost like a walking scarecrow. Beside him was a slightly shorter blonde boy, who was the one to immediately reply.


    ¡°Ah, Brad,¡± he said slyly. ¡°Look at you, getting to school early. I¡¯m proud of you! You get a gold star, young man!¡±


    Brad, who was far bigger than both boys, with a crew cut that made him look like a stereotypical bully, snorted.


    ¡°Oh fuck off, Vinny,¡± he snapped.


    ¡°Hey, Reiner¡± one of Brad¡¯s friends chimed in. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you finally found any magic relics over summer, huh? Or maybe a potion that could give you some actual muscle?¡±


    The other boys chuckled for reasons Lilly couldn¡¯t even fathom. To her, the insult seemed painfully lame. The boys, Eric and Vinny, didn¡¯t seem bothered by the comment in the least.


    ¡°Ha! Even if I did, I would never tell a simple-minded oaf like you, Wright!¡± Eric declared, sticking his finger out in their direction. ¡°You could never hope to fathom the immense power of the magical realm!¡±


    Lilly cocked an eyebrow. Is this some sort of comedy act or are these kids just this weird?


    Brad laughed. ¡°Oh no! I¡¯m so scared! Please don¡¯t use your spells on us, oh great master!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry, ol pal,¡± Vinny chimed in. ¡°Why would we ever need to use magic to curse you when genetics did the job for us? So was your dad the horse or your mom?¡±


    Despite the absurdity of the conversation, Lilly almost laughed, noticing with a quick look that Brad did, in fact, kind of resemble a horse.


    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re really asking for it today, aren¡¯t you, Mickelson?¡± Brad¡¯s friend, Wright, snapped.


    ¡°Asking for it?¡± Vinny shrugged. ¡°I mean, how else am I going to find out what fucked what to create our dear Bradley Fischer if I don¡¯t ask?¡±


    Brad looked about ready to get to his feet when Mrs. Kentz poked her head into the room, eyeing the boys with a frown.


    ¡°Is everything alright in here?¡± she inquired.


    Brad immediately smiled back, the anger in his features gone in an impressively quick amount of time.


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re all good,¡± he replied. ¡°Just catching up with two good friends of mine.¡±


    ¡°Yup,¡± Vinny agreed. ¡°All good.¡±


    Kentz didn¡¯t seem fully convinced but still nodded and returned to her post outside the room. The moment she did, Vinny turned a sly look upon Brad and raised his hand up as if pretending to be holding a wine glass.


    ¡°To another fun year, my friend,¡± he said.


    Brad simply raised his middle finger in disgust, earning more laughter from Eric and Vinny. The two boys then took their seats at the front of the class while Brad and his group continued to talk amongst themselves.


    What the hell did I just watch? Lilly thought in disbelief. Those have to be the weirdest kids I¡¯ve ever seen.


    ¡°So that¡¯s the Magic Club,¡± Alice suddenly said, lowering her voice to a whisper.


    Lilly turned to look at her in apprehension. ¡°The...Magic Club?¡±


    Alice nodded. ¡°Yeah. They¡¯re pretty infamous for being kinda strange.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Lilly muttered. ¡°Magic? So...what? Do they do tricks or...?¡±


    ¡°Not as far as I know,¡± the other girl replied. ¡°From what I heard, they aren¡¯t magicians or anything. They actually believe in...well, magic. Like actual magic.¡±


    ¡°You mean...wizards and wands and potions?¡± Lilly pressed.


    Alice shrugged. ¡°I guess so. That¡¯s what I¡¯ve heard at least.¡±


    Lilly grimaced, glancing across the room to where Eric and Vinny sat, chatting back and forth with each other in hushed voices. She stared at them for a moment in part intrigue and part disbelief.


    Great, just my luck. First day at this godforsaken new school and some of the first people I come across are magic-worshiping nut jobs.


    The girl sighed.


    This is going to be a long year.

 Chapter 3- Faces New and Old

    Chapter III


    With a smile on her face, Elizabeth Tao watched the crowds of students rushing down the hallway, the excitement of the end of their first day of school clear in the smiles on their faces and the boisterous conversation taking place among the various groups. Some would be heading straight home but most would be heading to after-school activities¡ªclubs and sports. Liz didn¡¯t know why she got such entertainment watching them. Ever since she was young, she enjoyed observing people, her thoughts filled with ideas about what they could be thinking.


    She leaned up against the hallway wall and glanced out the window behind her, staring down into the courtyard below where there were groups of students heading for the front gates. She noticed a group of shorter girls¡ªfreshman, she guessed¡ªtalking excitedly amongst themselves, already dressed in the uniforms of the volleyball team. She wondered briefly what it would be like to be on a sports team before immediately abandoning the thought. Sports would never be her thing and she was perfectly aware of that.


    Liz smirked, reaching up to adjust her headphones around her ears before turning back to those in the hall. The girl closed her eyes, listening to the soft orchestral music she always played whenever she had the chance. She knew closing her eyes in the middle of a crowded hall wasn¡¯t the smartest idea, but she nevertheless found it calming to disassociate from reality for a brief moment.


    It was just as she was considering opening her eyes again when she felt a presence to her right. She smiled, knowing exactly who it was without having to open her eyes.


    ¡°Took you a while,¡± she teased, pulling her headphones down around her neck and pressing a button on the side to turn the music off.


    Damien chuckled. ¡°Yeah, well, it was a pain trying to fight my way all the way to my locker. This year¡¯s freshmen seem rowdier than last years.¡±


    The girl readjusted her blue-framed glasses and looked up at her boyfriend with a sly grin.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s no excuse,¡± she replied. ¡°We¡¯re juniors now, Damien. If there¡¯s some annoying little bastards in our way then we just bowl over them. That¡¯s what the upperclassmen did to us back in the day, right?¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡± Damien shook his head. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because of them that I¡¯d rather not. I¡¯ll never forget the day Eric almost got flattened by...uh, what was his name?¡±


    ¡°Andrew Credence,¡± Liz replied.


    The boy snapped his fingers. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the guy. I swear that dude was part troll with how big he was.¡±


    ¡°Oh, he definitely was,¡± she agreed. ¡°I saw his Mom one time at the spring festival and she looked like a mountain troll. She had the same chunky nose and wiry hair he did...not to mention her arms looked more muscular than his.¡±


    Damien laughed, nodding. ¡°Well, at least he¡¯s gone now. Not sure how, but he managed to graduate so he¡¯s someone else¡¯s problem now.¡±


    ¡°That he is,¡± Liz replied wryly.


    The two laughed as Damien reached out and took her hand. She moved closer to him before glancing around the hall to find the crowd much thinner.


    ¡°Well,¡± she began. ¡°Why don¡¯t we head to club? Don''t want to keep Eric and Vinny waiting.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± he muttered. ¡°Plus, I¡¯d rather not leave them there alone. Who knows what trouble they¡¯d get into.¡±


    Exchanging looks of amusement, the two turned left and headed down the hall. The stairs to the third floor were right around the corner and when they arrived, they took them two at a time, keeping their fingers intertwined as they did so.


    The club room of the Magic Club was on the third floor in room 3-5, which was a literature class during the day. Ever since Eric had formed the club in their freshmen year, the four of them had been meeting up in that same room after school. Getting to take the route for the first time since the end of their sophomore year put Liz in a significantly good mood.


    ¡°Home sweet home,¡± Damien muttered as they arrived at the blue door of room 3-5.


    There was a small, square-shaped window in the middle, like all the other classroom doors in the school, but they couldn¡¯t see inside due to paper the literature teacher had put over it from the inside. Liz smiled, excited to go inside, and reached for the door handle.


    And when she pulled it open, she was greeted by the shouting voices she loved so much.


    ¡°You should surrender, Reiner! You can¡¯t beat me!¡±


    ¡°Surrender? Ha! Don¡¯t make me laugh! I would never concede to the likes of you, peasant!¡±


    ¡°Peasant! How dare you! If anything, I am a king and you should be bowing to me!¡±


    ¡°No one in their right mind would ever call you a king!¡±


    Liz and Damien stared at their two friends in mild surprise. Eric and Vinny were kneeling beside one of the desks, furiously arm wrestling each other on its surface. Both were evenly matched and neither had managed to gain any ground on their opponent.


    ¡°Yeah, I expected as much,¡± Liz said with a laugh. ¡°Hey dumbasses! What caused it this time?¡±


    Vinny glanced over at them and smirked, his voice clearly strained as he attempted to defeat Eric.


    ¡°Well, you see,¡± he replied. ¡°Eric here claimed he was the strongest member of the club and naturally, as we all know, the strongest is actually me! So I couldn¡¯t let his indolence stand and I challenged him to a duel!¡±


    Eric laughed. ¡°And it¡¯s clear you¡¯re not as strong as you claimed, Mickelson!¡±


    ¡°Please! I¡¯m going easy on you, Reiner!¡±


    Liz glanced back to see Damien walking past the rows of individual desks and towards a table in the back of the room. Knowing him, he would be pulling his laptop from his backpack and setting up to do his homework like he always did during their ¡°club activities¡±.


    Liz sighed, turning back to the arm wrestlers.


    ¡°You two are so stupid,¡± she snapped. ¡°We all know I¡¯m the strongest club member!¡±


    Both immediately started laughing, not even bothering to look at her. She narrowed her eyes before walking past the desks and towards the two. She then grinned as she leaned forward so that her face was only inches away from the side of Vinny¡¯s.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny, friendo?¡± she asked softly.


    He chuckled awkwardly, but before he could respond, Eric spoke.


    ¡°You know what? I concede,¡± he said. ¡°Liz is the strongest member.¡±


    Liz nodded. ¡°Correct, Eric.¡± Then, she turned and sent a light kick into Vinny¡¯s thigh. It wasn¡¯t enough to hurt him, but it did knock him off his balance enough for Eric to get the upper hand.


    ¡°Hey! Cheating! I call cheating! Ref!¡± he protested, but it was no use.


    With the leverage, Eric was able to press his hand into the desk, thus winning the game.


    ¡°Victory!¡± he cheered, jumping to his feet. ¡°Liz may be stronger, however, due to the conditions of the duel, I have proven that I am superior to you.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t proven anything!¡± Vinny snapped, jumping to his own feet. ¡°I call outside interference! Damien! Back me up here!¡±


    The other boy, who, as Liz predicted, was already typing away on his laptop, didn¡¯t even bother to turn around before replying dryly, ¡°I want nothing to do with this.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Liz grinned. ¡°Then I guess that means I¡¯m the only other person to be the ref and, you know what Vinny? I declare Eric¡¯s victory fair.¡±


    ¡°Bias! We have a biased ref!¡± the blonde boy shouted. ¡°Justice for Vinny! Justice!¡±


    ¡°Eh, you¡¯re just bitter you lost!¡± Eric declared.


    Liz laughed, watching the interactions between the two with a warm feeling in her chest. She was well aware of how the rest of the school saw them¡ªthat they were a bunch of occultist weirdos who were better avoided. Yet, she had always been okay with that. She loved hanging around them and watching dumb interactions. To her, it was the best part of school and the thing she looked forward to every day. The Magic Club was weird and she wouldn¡¯t have it any other way.


    ¡°Well, whatever!¡± Eric said loudly, cutting off Vinny¡¯s protests. ¡°We can discuss the matter another time! For now, it¡¯s time to begin the first meeting of the Magical and Other Anomalies Investigation Team for Junior Year!¡±


    The Magical and Other Anomalies Investigation Team¡ªor MOAIT as Vinny kept trying to call them¡ªwas Eric¡¯s name for the club. The only reason they were officially called the Magic Club was because their supervisor immediately shot down Eric¡¯s idea. Therefore, the boy decided that ¡°Magic Club¡± would be their cover name to keep anybody from learning about what they were ¡°really up to¡±.


    Not like he doesn¡¯t take every chance to tell people though, Liz thought with amusement.


    ¡°Damien!¡± Eric called out. ¡°Get over here! You can¡¯t skip our first meeting!¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± he replied. ¡°I mean, I really don¡¯t feel like listening to another proposal from Vinny...like every other meeting.¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± the blonde boy immediately chimed in. ¡°Not this time, actually. Eric¡¯s the one who has something for us.¡±


    Liz frowned in surprise and even noticed her boyfriend¡¯s typing stop for a moment.


    That¡¯s surprising, she thought. Eric never starts one of these. He¡¯s always said he wouldn¡¯t unless he found something he genuinely believed was magic.


    ¡°And what have you got for us?¡± Damien asked after a moment, turning around in his chair so he could see them.


    Eric grinned, reaching into the pocket of his pants.


    ¡°This,¡± he replied dramatically before pulling his hand out and revealing a familiar orange gemstone clutched in his hand.


    Damien instantly narrowed his eyes while Vinny simply grinned as if having already known what Eric wanted to talk about.


    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s the thing from the beach,¡± Liz said. ¡°You think that¡¯s magical, Eric?¡±


    He nodded sternly. ¡°I do. In fact, I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    Damien sighed, pushing his chair back and reluctantly getting to his feet. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll humor this one,¡± he said, making his way over to stand beside Liz. ¡°What¡¯s so special about that gem, Eric?¡±


    The other boy smirked before turning and beginning to pace around the room, no doubt for dramatic effect. ¡°Well, you see, ever since we found this little talisman at the beach, I¡¯ve felt something off about it. There¡¯s energy flowing through it that I¡¯m certain is not of this world.¡±


    ¡°Energy?¡± Liz inquired. ¡°What do you mean? Like...did it accidentally recharge your phone or...?¡±


    ¡°Here. Feel for yourself,¡± he replied, turning and tossing the stone over the desks and toward her.


    His throw was significantly inaccurate and she only barely caught it by stumbling past a few desks and clutching it against her chest. She glared at him before looking down at her hand. Right as she was about to reply with snarky retort, she furrowed her brow. It was faint, but she couldn¡¯t deny that she felt a warmth emanating from the stone.


    ¡°You feel it, don¡¯t you?¡± Vinny pressed, his eyes wide with excitement. ¡°I held it earlier and I could totally feel something off about it.¡±


    She hesitated, unsure of how to respond.


    Ever since the formation of the club, Liz had known Vinny and Eric both genuinely believed in magic. Their search for the supernatural wasn¡¯t a joke to them. She also knew that Damien never once humored the idea. He was in the club simply because of his close relationship with the two boys. As for her, she¡¯d never been sure. She didn¡¯t want to completely write off the idea, but also knew the unlikeliness that they were right.


    So what is this? There is something weird about this gem...but I don¡¯t think I can just call it magic.


    She finally shrugged, turning and tossing the gem back over to Eric, who caught it easily.


    ¡°I mean, I guess I can feel something,¡± she replied. ¡°But it¡¯s been in your pocket all day so that¡¯s probably why it¡¯s so warm.¡±


    Eric scowled. ¡°Ah, come on, Liz! There¡¯s clearly a difference here!¡±


    ¡°Eric, let me see it,¡± Damien prompted, holding his hand out. ¡°And don¡¯t throw¡ª¡±


    Before the boy had finished talking, Eric had already tossed the stone Damien¡¯s way. He reacted with surprising reflexes, begrudgingly catching the stone with his right hand before staring down at it. The room was silent for a moment with even Liz curious to know what his reaction would be.


    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± he finally said, placing the stone down on the desk in front of him. ¡°There¡¯s no other reason it would be warm aside from body heat.¡±


    Eric sighed, walking forward and picking the stone up. ¡°You two have no imagination,¡± he said with clear disappointment in his tone. ¡°But you¡¯ll see. Vinny and I will investigate it¡¯s properties and we¡¯ll show you that there¡¯s power within this thing.¡±


    Vinny nodded his agreement. ¡°Damn right we will!¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Damien muttered. ¡°You go right ahead and do that.¡±


    Knock! Knock! Knock!


    All four of them turned to stare at the door to the club room in surprise, though Liz didn¡¯t miss Eric hurriedly shoving the stone back into his pocket.


    ¡°Come on in,¡± Damian called out.


    Moments later, the door was pushed open and in walked the familiar features of their club advisor, one of the school¡¯s literature teachers, Mr. Lowe. He was fairly short for a man, being the shortest person in the room, with a balding head and circular glasses. In addition, he wore his typical black suit and gray slacks with his obnoxiously bright blue tie.


    ¡°Ah, Mr. Lowe!¡± Vinny exclaimed cheerfully. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again!¡±


    Lowe looked around the room, eyeing each one of them with unconcealed irritation, as if he¡¯d hoped they would have disbanded the club over the summer.


    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± he grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, too, Mr. Mickelson. Now...¡± Lowe didn¡¯t move from his spot at the door, clearly not wanting to remain in the room for very long. ¡°...I was just stopping by to remind you all about club rush.¡±


    Liz frowned. ¡°Already? I mean, I guess it¡¯s important, but club rush isn¡¯t for, like, two weeks, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Lowe growled. ¡°However, I don¡¯t need a repeat of last year so I thought I¡¯d just remind you all right away that, since you¡¯re technically a club, you have to attend club rush.¡±


    Liz and Damien exchanged guilty glances, recalling the previous year when the four of them had opted not to bother setting up a booth since they were all fully aware that nobody else would ever want to join their club. Lowe had been furious at them so they knew skipping out wasn¡¯t an option for the next rush.


    ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Eric replied casually. ¡°We won¡¯t be making that mistake again. After all, we¡¯re juniors this year! Soon enough, we¡¯ll be graduated and then there won¡¯t be anybody else to continue the club after we¡¯re gone.¡±


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Vinny agreed. ¡°We gotta start snagging freshmen if we want the MOAIT to live on!¡±


    Lowe grimaced. ¡°Oh yes. Wouldn¡¯t want this club to die, now would we?¡±


    The sarcasm in his voice was painfully obvious but, if Vinny and Eric noticed, they chose to ignore it.


    ¡°Well, regardless,¡± the teacher continued, turning to address Damien specifically. ¡°Please don¡¯t forget. Just make a poster or something. As long as you¡¯re there, nobody gets in trouble.¡±


    Damien nodded with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Mr. Lowe. I¡¯ll make sure everything gets done.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Clark,¡± he replied dryly. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s all. Continue on with...whatever you¡¯re doing.¡±


    The four of them watched the older man leave, watching as the door closed behind him.


    ¡°Pleasant, as always,¡± Vinny quipped. ¡°Truly, you¡¯ll never find a man who loves his job as much as him.¡±


    Damien snorted in amusement. ¡°Well, I guess we have to figure out club rush, too. Don¡¯t suppose you guys have an idea for that?¡±


    Eric immediately grinned mischievously, leading Liz to assume whatever he was going to suggest would be a bad idea. But before he could say anything, Damien quickly cut him off.


    ¡°On second thought, we¡¯ll just do what Lowe suggested and make a poster.¡±


    The look of disappointment on Eric¡¯s and Vinny¡¯s faces were almost pitiful.


    ***


    Lillian Harper sprinted around a corner and found herself on the road that led towards the school¡¯s front gates. She grinned, glancing over her shoulder to see a few of her teammates not too far behind. She was still in the lead and she intended to keep it that way. Speeding up for one last sprint, Lilly rushed through the gates and then slowed her pace until she came to a stop right in front of her coach, breathing hard from the run.


    ¡°Eighteen minutes, forty seconds,¡± the tall woman said as she looked down at her yellow stopwatch. ¡°Great job, Harper!¡±


    Lilly nodded her thanks as she turned and walked over to one of the tables situated around the courtyard¡¯s lawn. She listened as Coach Francis shouted out the times for those behind her, the girl finding herself thrilled to have been able to outrun the others on her first day.


    I got barely over a six minute mile, she thought with satisfaction. Not a bad way to start the season.


    When she arrived at cross country after school was over, she¡¯d been surprised to find that the team wasn¡¯t very big, consisting of only fifteen of them¡ªnine guys and six girls. However, that was something she was grateful for as it only meant she didn¡¯t have as many people to try and interact with. Coach Francis was a nice enough woman and was friendly when Lilly was forced to introduce herself.


    For the first day of practice, they had been told to run around the neighborhood outside of the school ten times since that distance added up to about a 5K. The coach wanted them to run it like it was an actual race so she could see where they all stood at the beginning of the season. Since they were setting their base times, Lilly wanted to make as good of a first impression as she could so she went all out.


    And I¡¯d say I did a pretty good job, she thought to herself.


    She immediately got to doing her cooldown stretches around the table, wanting to be able and ready to go home once the coach gave the go-ahead. She could feel the stares of some of the other team members which she had expected given that she was a new student who beat all their times. Her logical side had told her not to go all out since she knew it would draw attention to herself, but her competitive side had really wanted to kick all their asses.


    Just don¡¯t talk to me, she prayed. Please just leave me alone.


    ¡°Well, that was certainly something.¡±


    Damn it!


    At the sound of the obnoxiously nasally voice, Lilly glanced up to see a boy walking towards her, a grin on his face that looked more like a mischievous fifth grader¡¯s than a high schooler¡¯s. His short curly brown hair combined with his slightly too tight black running shorts and shirt only made him look like more of a doofus.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen Matt get beaten like that,¡± the boy continued. ¡°I really gotta thank you. He needed his ego beaten down a bit.¡±


    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s rich coming from you, Jay!¡± came the irritated shout of a blonde teammate, a boy Lilly remembered thinking was the popular one of the team given how much he had been talking with everybody before practice started. He¡¯d also been the one giving Lilly the hardest chase during the run.


    The boy talking to her, evidently named Jay, scoffed before turning his attention back to Lilly. ¡°So, I¡¯ve never seen you before. You¡¯re either new to the school or you¡¯re just new to cross country and seeing your time, I¡¯m gonna guess it¡¯s the first one.¡±


    Lilly nodded softly. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m new.¡±


    ¡°Well then,¡± he replied, sticking his sweaty hand out to her. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Speedy. I¡¯m Jay.¡±


    Once again irritated at being forced to shake somebody¡¯s hand and cringing at the stupid nickname, Lilly reluctantly reached out and shook it.


    ¡°Lilly,¡± she muttered. ¡°Nice to meet you, too.¡±


    ¡°Oi, Jay. Leave the poor girl alone.¡±


    Sighing inwardly, Lilly glanced over Jay¡¯s shoulder to see Matt heading towards them. Unlike the rather creepy looking Jay, Lilly found Matt to be quite handsome and charming in the few conversations she overheard. She could tell why he was as popular as he was.


    ¡°That was really awesome,¡± the boy said, turning to her. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m impressed. With someone as fast as you on the team, we¡¯ll be set to get at least you into Sections.¡±


    ¡°Uh...thanks,¡± she replied softly, irritated at all the attention despite knowing she brought it on herself.


    ¡°So I imagine you ran at your old school?¡± Matt went on. ¡°Or did you just join on a whim?¡±


    Lilly nodded. ¡°Uh...yeah. I ran at my old school. I¡¯ve been running since middle school, actually.¡±


    ¡°Clearly,¡± Jay said wryly.


    ¡°Alright everybody! If you¡¯ve done your stretches then you can go home!¡± Coach Francis called out. ¡°We¡¯ll meet again after school tomorrow. Have a nice rest of your night!¡±


    Thank god!


    ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ve gotta get going,¡± Matt said. ¡°I¡¯ll see you guys tomorrow. It was nice meeting you, Lilly.¡± With a wave, the blonde boy turned and hurried back to join up with a group of kids heading back into the school.


    Lilly watched him go, thankful that she was given an out, before turning back to look at Jay. The boy hadn¡¯t moved and didn¡¯t seem like he had any plans to.


    ¡°W-well,¡± she began. ¡°I guess I¡¯m gonna get going too. It was nice meeting you.¡±


    The boy glanced back at her and smirked. ¡°You¡¯re just gonna leave? You know poor ol¡¯ Alice is gonna be sad if you don¡¯t stay to say bye.¡±


    Lilly raised her eyebrows in surprise. ¡°W-what makes you say that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, playing dumb, are we?¡± Jay shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s not very nice. I was under the impression you two were getting along. But maybe I misjudged.¡±


    The girl sighed. She had been unfortunate enough to share five out of her six classes with Alice Mendez, the girl she had met in first period. She was nice enough but was overall too peppy for Lilly and, for some reason, the girl had taken an interest in her. Even though Lilly suspected Alice was just trying to help her feel comfortable in a new school and she appreciated the gesture, just being in her presence was exhausting. Finding out she was also on the cross country team was just salt in the wound.


    However, because she knew she at least owed the girl a thanks for trying to help, Lilly begrudgingly decided to wait for Alice to finish the run. Unfortunately, Jay seemed perfectly content hanging out with her and so, she was condemned to more socializing on top of an already too full day.


    ¡°So, Harper,¡± the boy began. ¡°Why¡¯d you move out here? Aside from the beach, this town doesn¡¯t have much going for it.¡±


    Lilly grimaced, her emotions conflicted between not wanting to talk and not wanting to be rude.


    ¡°My dad got a job out here,¡± she replied. ¡°So we moved.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I guess that makes sense,¡± Jay said with a chuckle. ¡°Emoria Co. I¡¯m guessing?¡±


    Lilly nodded.


    ¡°Figures,¡± he continued. ¡°There¡¯s not any other jobs worth moving for other than those bastards. My mom works for them, too. She hates it though. I wish your dad luck.¡±


    ¡°Well...thanks, I guess,¡± she muttered.


    He glanced over at her with a cocked eyebrow. ¡°You know, you could stand to talk a little louder. I can hardly hear you with how soft you talk. It makes me feel like you don¡¯t want to talk to me.¡±


    Well, at least he¡¯s not totally oblivious, she thought.


    Lilly was about to open her mouth to reply when Jay suddenly spoke again.


    ¡°Ah, there she is!¡±


    The girl turned her attention to the school gates to see Alice and another girl with glasses and her hair tied up in a ponytail run through, heading straight for the coach. Lilly and Jay watched the two girls silently as they got their times. Alice then looked around the courtyard, spotted the two of them, then beckoned for her friend to follow her.


    Oh great...another person.


    ¡°You guys waited!¡± Alice cheered happily as the two girls approached. ¡°And I guess you¡¯ve met Jay, Lilly.¡±


    The statement was directed at her but the boy responded before she could even think up a reply.


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s a nice girl,¡± he said. ¡°I think we¡¯ll get along great.¡±


    Lilly almost rolled her eyes at both Jay¡¯s unlikely prediction and the fact that he was talking like she wasn¡¯t there. Alice either didn¡¯t notice or didn¡¯t care so it was the girl Lilly hadn¡¯t met yet that spoke next.


    ¡°So what were your guys¡¯ times?¡± she asked. ¡°I know you¡¯re always fast, Jay, but Lilly, you took off so quickly I hardly ever saw you.¡±


    So she already knows my name, she thought with mild confusion. I guess Alice told her about me, too?


    ¡°Oh, she was crazy fast,¡± Jay said. ¡°She even beat Matt by a good few seconds, if you can believe it.¡±


    ¡°Wait really?¡± Alice exclaimed, turning to look at Lilly with awe. ¡°Now that¡¯s impressive. He¡¯s been the king of the team since Freshman Year.¡±


    ¡°I guess we¡¯ve got a challenger for him then,¡± the other girl said excitedly. Then, as if realizing something, she hurriedly stuck out her hand. ¡°I¡¯m Ellie, by the way. It just occurred to me that I didn¡¯t introduce myself.¡±


    Great...another hand.


    Nevertheless, like every other reluctant introduction of the day, Lilly shook her hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m Lilly...but I guess you already knew that.¡±


    ¡°Yup! Alice was telling me about you at lunch,¡± she replied, confirming Lilly¡¯s earlier suspicions. ¡°She said you¡¯re from out of town. Where are you from?¡±


    ¡°Uh...Aster,¡± she stuttered. ¡°It¡¯s a smallish town up in Norbury.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so she¡¯s a northern girl,¡± Jay said wryly. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve been enjoying summer here then.¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah. It¡¯s been hot,¡± Lilly whispered.


    The group went silent for a moment and she prayed that the conversation was finally over. However, possibly noticing Lilly¡¯s discomfort, Alice came to her rescue.


    ¡°Well, Coach said we can go home so why don¡¯t we start heading out,¡± she suggested.


    Jay shrugged. ¡°Sure. No point in hanging around here anymore, right?¡±


    The other three turned and began making their way back toward the school. Lilly lagged behind for a moment, tempted to just go straight home and get changed there. After all, she saw no point in putting her uniform back on if she was just going to put on her usual clothes when she got home and if she did just leave, she would be free of the others.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m just gonna head out,¡± she called over to them.


    Alice looked back over her shoulder and frowned with a look that almost seemed disappointed. ¡°Oh, okay. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Sure. You, too,¡± Lilly replied.


    Both Jay and Ellie waved bye too before the three turned and went into the school. Lilly sighed, thankful to be free of the constant interacting, before turning to grab her backpack off of one of the nearby tables and begin her walk home.


    ***


    The elevator taking her up to her apartment building¡¯s third floor felt like it was taking forever as Lilly wanted the day to finally be over. When it finally stopped and the doors opened with a ding, she hurried down the hall and pulled her keys out of her backpack. Once she had the door unlocked, she went inside and found herself instantly surprised. She knew her mom would be home but had expected Alexa to still be at dance practice and her father to be at work. And while there was no sign of her sister, she was taken off guard by the sight of David Harper, her dad, casually sitting at the kitchen table with his usual laid-back smile.


    ¡°Welcome home, kiddo,¡± he greeted cheerfully. ¡°How was your first day at school?¡±


    Her father wasn¡¯t old by any means but his hair was starting to show signs of graying. Paired with his glasses and his fairly round belly, the man had the look of a jolly old guy that always made even the generally apathetic Lilly smile.


    ¡°It was fine,¡± she replied, walking over to dump her backpack into one of the chairs. She noticed her mother in the kitchen working on what she realized was a lasagna for dinner. ¡°Nothing to report really,¡± she added.


    ¡°Nothing?¡± her father shook his head. ¡°What about how you liked your teachers? Or how about cross country? Was that fun? Did you make any friends?¡±


    She briefly considered her interactions with Alice before deciding that their relationship couldn¡¯t be counted as friendship.


    ¡°Nope. No friends, really. My teachers were fine and I liked cross country,¡± she said.


    ¡°Did you kick all the other kids¡¯ asses?¡± he asked with a mischievous glint in his eyes.


    ¡°David,¡± her mother admonished but both father and daughter ignored her.


    ¡°Yup,¡± Lilly said with a smug grin. ¡°I even beat the team¡¯s supposed ¡®king¡¯ by fiveish seconds.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my girl! Already showing those other chumps who the real queen is.¡±


    The two of them laughed and Lilly felt her mood increase just a little bit more as she joked around with her dad.


    ¡°By the way, Dad,¡± she began as her laughter gradually subsided. ¡°What¡¯re you doing home already? I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be back til six.¡±


    The man shrugged. ¡°Well, it was my daughters¡¯ first day of school. I figured I¡¯d beg my boss to let me off an hour early so I could be here when you get back.¡± He then laughed guiltily. ¡°Not to mention I wanted to be back for your mom¡¯s famous lasagna.¡±


    Lilly eyed him skeptically. ¡°Something tells me that last part was the real reason.¡±


    ¡°Well, can you blame me, Lil¡¯?¡± he asked. ¡°Last time, you and Alexa devoured the whole thing before I could get home.¡±


    ¡°Ha! Stop exaggerating,¡± she replied. ¡°We left you at least a quarter of it. It just somehow wasn¡¯t enough for you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±


    Lilly laughed before glancing up at her mom on the other side of the island. The woman looked like she had something to say but didn¡¯t want to interrupt them so the girl made eye contact with her and tilted her head in curiosity.


    ¡°Something up, Mom?¡± she inquired.


    Nora Harper sighed. ¡°No, not particularly. I just wanted to ask you something real quick.¡±


    ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Well, I know it¡¯s your first day of school and all but Renee called earlier and said that her usual babysitter canceled last minute tonight...¡±


    Lilly grimaced. She knew exactly where her mother was going. As much as the girl desperately wanted to decline and spend the rest of the day lazing about, she also knew she¡¯d feel guilty for the next week if she left Renee and Natalie hanging.


    ¡°Yeah, fine,¡± she replied begrudgingly. ¡°I¡¯ll watch Natalie.¡±


    Her mother smiled with clear relief. ¡°Thank you, sweetheart. And don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll save some dinner for you.¡±


    Lilly snorted, eyeing her Dad teasingly. ¡°Not with him around, you won¡¯t. I¡¯ll have one piece left, max.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Her dad protested. ¡°What kinda glutton do you take me for?¡±


    The girl shrugged, grabbing her backpack off the chair and turning to head toward the hall.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to answer that, Dad.¡±


    ***


    After changing out of her cross country clothes and into a loose gray t-shirt and brown shorts, Lilly bid her parents goodbye and made her way down to the second floor of the apartment building where the Hill family lived. She had made the trip a few times since moving to Wilham as she had been a babysitter for the family multiple times over summer. Of course, that wasn¡¯t to say she did it willingly. Her mother had essentially guilted her into going the first time but, much to her surprise, she found Natalie to be fun to hang out with and so she was quicker to babysit the next few times they asked her.


    Though, the money definitely makes it worthwhile, too, she added as an afterthought.


    She grinned as she walked down the hall and stopped in front of apartment 2-G. Lilly reached forward and knocked on the door a few times before stepping back and waiting. However, Renee must¡¯ve been nearby as the door opened almost immediately to reveal the short, brown-haired woman standing before her.


    ¡°Ah, Lilly,¡± she said with clear relief in her tone. ¡°Thank you for coming. I know today was your first day of school and all so I was really hoping I could get that other babysitter.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Hill, it¡¯s all good!¡± she hurriedly said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to explain or anything. I like babysitting Natalie anyway.¡±


    Renee smiled. ¡°You¡¯re such a sweet girl. Thank you. Now, come on in.¡±


    The woman beckoned for Lilly to come inside and the girl obliged, stepping into the rather narrow entryway. She slipped her shoes off by the door and followed Renee further inside to where the living room was. The room was fairly small, consisting of a ragged old green couch, a small TV mounted on the wall, and a coffee table beside the couch where Lilly immediately spotted a little girl brushing the hair of a doll.


    ¡°Heyo, Natalie,¡± Lilly greeted cheerfully.


    The little girl¡¯s head jolted up and she turned her head in Lilly¡¯s direction, a wide smile spreading across her face.


    ¡°Lilly!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were coming today.¡±


    ¡°The other sitter had to cancel,¡± Renee explained to her daughter. ¡°So Lilly was kind enough to come by and watch you. I want you to behave for her while I¡¯m out, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Natalie said.


    The little girl then reached her small hands out into the air, grasping at nothing and Lilly immediately knew to step forward and grasp them with her own hands. Natalie smiled then, making it clear how excited she was.


    ¡°We¡¯re gonna have a fun afternoon, yeah, Nat¡¯?¡± Lilly asked.


    Natalie immediately nodded. ¡°Yup! Can you brush my hair like you usually do?¡±


    Lilly nodded. ¡°Of course I can.¡±


    Renee watched the two with a smile though Lilly could tell it was somewhat strained. The girl knew that it wasn¡¯t due to any lack of trust. In fact, Renee had expressed how comfortable she was leaving her daughter with Lilly multiple times. Instead, the nervousness to leave her daughter was simply due to Renee being the single mother of a blind girl. Lilly could only imagine how much Renee worried about her daughter and it was one of the reasons the girl was always so willing to help.


    ¡°Alright, I guess I¡¯ll get going,¡± Renee said after a moment. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to do your homework, Natalie.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± the little girl replied.


    Lilly smiled up at the woman, wanting to comfort her as best she could. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Hill. I¡¯ll make sure she gets it done.¡±


    She saw a small bit of the worry in the woman¡¯s eyes ease up. ¡°Thank you, Lilly. I¡¯ll be back around seven. I just have a few errands to run. There¡¯s leftover casserole in the fridge if either of you get hungry.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thanks,¡± Lilly replied.


    Renee quickly bid them both goodbye, giving her daughter a kiss on the forehead before grabbing her purse from off the couch and heading back to the front door. Once her mother was gone, Natalie carefully got to her feet and headed down the hall in the back of the room. Lilly smirked, knowing what the girl was up to and finding her suspicions confirmed when the girl returned carrying a bright pink hairbrush.


    ¡°So, what homework did your mom assign for today?¡± Lilly asked as she took the brush. She then sat down between the coffee table and the couch, helping Natalie to sit down in her lap.


    ¡°We¡¯re doing math,¡± the ten-year-old replied.


    ¡°Oh? What kind of math?¡± she inquired, taking the girl¡¯s long, silky brown hair and beginning to run the brush through it.


    ¡°Multiplying and dividing fractions,¡± Natalie said. ¡°I¡¯m still not very good at it so Mom wants me to practice even more.¡±


    Lilly nodded. ¡°Ah. In that case, I¡¯ll see what I can do to help. I may not be too much of a math whiz but I think I can handle a few fractions.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d hope so,¡± the little girl teased. ¡°I¡¯d be worried about you if you were in high school and couldn¡¯t multiply fractions.¡±


    Lilly narrowed her eyes, always finding the girl¡¯s teasing to be a mix of amusing and adorable.


    ¡°Yes, I can multiply,¡± she said. ¡°Division, on the other hand...¡±


    Natalie began to laugh, causing Lilly to join in. Despite being exhausted from a long first day of school, she still found herself enjoying hanging out with the little girl. She was intelligent and clever despite her disability and Lilly found herself in awe of her, despite being six years older. Babysitting her was one of the only good parts about their move and she was grateful her mother and Renee had become such good friends as quick as they had.


    Lilly smiled. ¡°Alright then. Why don¡¯t we get started?¡±

 Chapter 4- An Unflattering Reputation

    Chapter IV


    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe I got stuck with you,¡± Liz whined as she and Vinny made their way down the stairs, past groups of students going up, before reaching the first floor of West Wilham High School. ¡°And that¡¯s saying something considering the only other option was Eric.¡±


    The blonde boy smirked, glancing over his shoulder at her with a wry look. ¡°Whine all you like, Liz. It doesn¡¯t change reality. And anyway, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m that bad! What¡¯s with all this ¡®make fun of Vinny crap¡¯?!¡±


    The girl sighed. ¡°You¡¯re just easy to make fun of since there¡¯s so much about you worth teasing.¡±


    ¡°Hey! Like what?!¡± he narrowed his eyes in challenge, but Liz didn¡¯t even hesitate before responding.


    ¡°Well how about the fact that you always look like you¡¯ve got a bad case of bed head? Or that whenever you win at something, you gloat about it for weeks on end. Oh, or that one tooth of yours that sticks out sometimes.¡± She smiled with sweetness that was painfully fake. ¡°Shall I continue?¡±


    Vinny snorted, moving to the left to avoid a group of sophomore girls before sliding back up against the wall. He readjusted his grip on the rolled up posters in his left hand before replying.


    ¡°You act like I¡¯m not grouchy about getting stuck with you,¡± he snapped. ¡°I would¡¯ve much preferred Damien or Eric. You¡¯re not perfect either, you know?¡±


    Liz grinned slyly, moving to walk beside him as they rounded a corner into a more packed area of the hallways.


    ¡°Oh really? Got something you want to say about me, do you, Vin¡¯?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Absolutely. You see¡ªwhat are you doing?¡±


    Just as he was about to begin his own list of problems, Liz raised her phone up, angled horizontally as if she were watching some video.


    She shrugged. ¡°Just recording this. I¡¯m sure Damien would love to hear all about what you hate about me. So don¡¯t mind me at all. Go right ahead.¡±


    Vinny grimaced. ¡°You truly are a witch, Elizabeth Tao!¡±


    Her little giggle at his reply only further convinced him that she wasn¡¯t one to face alone. If he wanted any hope of besting the bespectacled girl, he would at the very least need Eric at his side.


    Not like that¡¯s helped in the past though, he mused.


    ¡°Yeah, whatever,¡± Vinny replied. ¡°In that case, let¡¯s just get this done before lunch ends. I¡¯m starving.¡±


    The reason Vinny and Liz were wandering the halls in the middle of lunch had to do with the upcoming club rush the following week. Ever since the start of school, Lowe had been stopping by the club room to badger them about it so Damien convinced them to make posters that they could hang on the community boards around school.


    Not like the MOAIT really needs any other club members though, he thought to himself. After all, very few can handle the power that resides within our club room!


    Each of them knew that trying to do anything was pointless. Nobody was going to join the club and that wasn¡¯t going to change. It had been the four of them since their freshmen year when Eric first put the club together. After two years, their club had a reputation for being full of weirdos and outcasts that would surely keep any curious freshmen away.


    The only time any kids had even bothered talking to them had been the previous year. A few students had stopped by after hearing about them so he and Eric had excitedly told them all about their club activities. Predictably, the kids never returned and would avoid them in the halls whenever they happened to cross paths.


    There was no doubt in Vinny¡¯s mind that the same result would emerge in the upcoming year, so to him, making and putting up the posters was an utter waste of time. But Damien was set on not getting into trouble with Lowe again so he had demanded that they do at least the bare minimum of work. In addition, the boy had ensured that Vinny and Eric not be in a group together and so, had assigned Liz to watch the blonde boy while he helped Eric.


    ¡°How about here?¡± Liz asked, breaking him out of his thoughts.


    The girl was indicating a rather empty community board that only had a few notices from the student government and a handful of less popular clubs. The reason was due to its location further away from the main hall where less students were likely to see it. However, if nobody saw their poster, Vinny was perfectly happy.


    ¡°Sure! This is perfect!¡± he replied cheerfully.


    He took one of the three posters left under his arm and handed it to Liz, who silently took it. He then reached into the pocket of his dark blue uniform slacks and pulled out a small transparent case of different color tacks.


    Since they had already gone through the second floor, they had established a routine for putting the posters up. Liz didn¡¯t say anything as she unfolded the poster and placed it against the bottom left corner of the board while Vinny opened the case to take out a few tacks. Once he had all four in and the poster was secure, the two stepped back to look at their work. It was slightly tilted to the left but neither cared enough to fix it.


    However, Vinny couldn¡¯t help but to smirk at the art. The poster had ¡°MAGIC CLUB'''' written in big bold letters across the top. Below it was a picture of a girl in West Wilham¡¯s uniform with a witch¡¯s hat and next to her was a guy dressed like a detective. Below them was the room number of the club and Eric¡¯s school email address.  The drawings were actually pretty impressive and he found himself once again baffled by how good of an artist Damien was.


    ¡°You know,¡± Vinny grumbled. ¡°I really wish we could¡¯ve used our actual club name on the poster. Otherwise, people are gonna be confused as to why there¡¯s a detective.¡±


    Liz shrugged. ¡°Officially, Magic Club is our real name. That¡¯s why I tried to convince you not to have Damien draw the detective. You and Eric just wouldn¡¯t listen.¡±


    ¡°Of course we wouldn¡¯t!¡± Vinny refused to back down. ¡°We are the Magical and Other Anomalies Investigation Team! If we omit the investigation part then people won¡¯t know what to expect from our club!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think having the full name would make what we do anymore clear,¡± she replied. ¡°I mean, I¡¯ve been in the club for two years and even I still don¡¯t know what we¡¯re actually supposed to be doing.¡±


    Vinny smirked and was about to reply when somebody spoke from behind him.


    ¡°Magic club?¡±


    When he turned around to look, he found two shorter boys¡ªclearly freshmen¡ªstaring up at the poster with raised eyebrows. The one who had spoken had a crewcut and the other boy had a rather thin face that made him look kind of creepy, in Vinny¡¯s opinion.


    ¡°Yup, that¡¯s us!¡± Vinny declared. ¡°Are you interested in joining?¡±


    Crewcut cocked an eyebrow. ¡°What do you guys do? Magic tricks?¡±


    ¡°You know how to pull a rabbit out of a hat?¡± Creepy guy added.


    Vinny simply laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t let the name fool you, young men. Magic Club is merely our cover name. In reality, we are the Magical and Other Anomalies Investigation Team and our job is to look into various reports of mysterious happenings.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Crewcut smirked. ¡°So you¡¯re a bunch of losers then?¡±


    He heard Liz barely stifle a laugh behind him as the freshmen cackled at Crewcut¡¯s reply.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call us losers,¡± Vinny replied, completely unbothered.


    ¡°Of course you wouldn¡¯t!¡± Creepy guy sneered. ¡°You believe in magic! I bet you still think Santa brings you presents on Christmas!¡±


    Vinny chuckled. ¡°Of course he does! Who else could possibly be the one eating the cookies?! In fact, I¡¯ve tried catching the fat bastard multiple times but he always slips through my fingers.¡±


    The two boys continued to laugh, looking at Vinny like they thought he was pathetic, but the blonde boy found it fun to act like he was. He knew much of the school thought he was a cringy moron, but he enjoyed playing that role. After all, it was more fun than just being an average joe.


    ¡°So? You want to join?¡± Vinny pressed.


    ¡°Ha! No thanks. How about you ask your mom instead?¡± Crewcut retorted.


    ¡°Oh I did. She wasn¡¯t interested though.¡±


    At Vinny¡¯s reply, the two kept laughing, not even bothering to look at him anymore as they walked away. Vinny watched them go with a smirk, partially wishing he could¡¯ve messed with them a little longer. He glanced back up at the poster and smiled.


    Well, their loss, he thought. They don¡¯t know what they¡¯re missing.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    As he looked at the poster, he suddenly recalled something Creepy Guy had said. He had accused Vinny of believing in magic and the odd thing was, the blonde boy wasn¡¯t sure if he actually did. He enjoyed messing around in the club and he knew Eric believed beyond a shadow of a doubt that it did exist, but Vinny wasn¡¯t sure where he stood on the matter. Realistically, there probably was no such thing as magic. However, magic not existing was such a boring concept. Vinny Mickelson lived his life trying to be as entertained as possible. So, even if he logically knew that it probably didn¡¯t exist, he still chose to act like it did because that was more fun than being skeptical.


    Smiling, he finally turned to look back at Liz, who was leaning up against the wall with an amused expression.


    ¡°You¡¯re such an idiot, you know?¡± she muttered.


    ¡°I¡¯m well aware, dear Liz!¡± he replied. ¡°Now, let¡¯s be off. I want to see if there¡¯s any room on the front entrance¡¯s board.¡±


    ¡°Doubtful,¡± she grunted.


    However, the girl still followed after him as he shoved the tacks back in his pocket and continued on down the hall.


    ***


    The first week of school passed by both quickly and slowly for Lilly and she wasn¡¯t completely sure what to make of it. Her classes were fine since they hadn¡¯t fully gotten rolling yet and cross country was still going well. Their first race was the following Saturday and for her, it couldn¡¯t come fast enough. The rest of the team seemed pretty excited for the season to start as well so practice was rather lively.


    Naturally, she hadn¡¯t seen the last of Alice Mendez, who made it a point to wish her a good morning and to make small talk before first period, but it seemed like the girl had at least taken the hint that Lilly didn¡¯t have any interest in interacting. Now, their conversations were quicker and Lilly was all for it. On the first day of school, she would have guessed that getting Alice to back off would have been the solution to avoiding having to talk to people.


    Unfortunately, she was sorely mistaken in that regard.


    While Alice was nice enough to realize that Lilly preferred to be left alone, Jay Brooks was another matter. Ever since they met during practice, the curly-haired boy had been going out of his way to find her and chat. She considered herself lucky that they only shared one class¡ªcalculus in fifth period¡ªbut that didn¡¯t stop Jay from hunting her down at lunch.


    Not like I was hard to find though, she thought to herself.


    Despite wanting to go down and eat lunch in the courtyard, she hadn¡¯t bothered to go due to how crowded it looked when she looked out the window on the first day. Instead, she¡¯d been opting to eat in her fourth period chemistry class where there was a significantly smaller number of students. However, since Alice had the same class, Jay had found her pretty quickly and had been stopping by to eat with her since. Naturally, most of the time was spent with him talking and her half listening as she gazed out the window.


    After a week of enduring it, she finally caved and decided that she would rather brave the chaos of the courtyard than put up with Jay for another day. It was why she now found herself sitting alone at one of the tables, eating her school-bought lunch of moderately warm pepperoni pizza. She was surrounded by tables full of students, chatting and laughing. The noise was so loud it gave her a headache.


    Though, not as bad of a headache as I get from Jay.


    She still couldn¡¯t figure out what he wanted with her. They had only talked¡ªif that interaction could even count as both of them talking¡ªthe one time and all of a sudden, he seemed to decide that they were best friends.


    I hope he doesn¡¯t have a crush on me or something, she thought irritably. That would be a real pain in my ass. Although, if he does, I hope he gets up the courage to ask me out faster so I can turn him down and be done with this.


    At least then, he probably wouldn¡¯t be following her around all over the school. It was harsh and she didn¡¯t particularly dislike him. She just preferred to be alone and he was getting in her way.


    She took another bite of pizza and sighed, scanning the courtyard once again to make sure he hadn¡¯t tracked her down.


    Thank god. Maybe I¡¯ll actually get through lunch without¡ª


    ¡°There you are, Harper!¡±


    Fuck my life!


    Lilly begrudgingly looked over her shoulder at the nasally voice to find not only Jay, but Alice and Ellie, walking past a few tables and toward where she sat. She noticed the two girls looking a little embarrassed, as if neither truly wanted to bother her.


    Oh great. He brought the whole gang with him this time. Wonderful.


    ¡°If you were going to eat outside, you should¡¯ve let me know!¡± Jay admonished, plopping down on the other side of the circular table, a brown paper lunch bag in his hand.


    Ellie sat to her left and Alice on her right, both with the same styrofoam trays with pizza on them that Lilly had bought from the cafeteria.


    ¡°Sorry. I decided last minute. Didn¡¯t know where you were,¡± she replied in monotone.


    Jay shook his head. ¡°This is why I keep telling you we should exchange numbers. Then you could have texted.¡± He cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Speaking of, did you bring your phone today?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± she lied, subconsciously pressing her foot against her backpack under the table, where her phone was concealed.


    He sighed. ¡°Of course not. But I gave you my number yesterday. Did you at least put me in your contacts?¡±


    ¡°I forgot.¡±


    With as many hints to leave her alone as she was giving, he was either an oblivious idiot or he genuinely didn¡¯t care that she had no interest in talking to him. She could see Ellie and Alice exchanging exhausted looks and knew that they were both well aware that she wanted to eat in peace.


    ¡°Man, what are we going to do with you?¡± Jay muttered. ¡°But oh well. Good thing I saw you out the window. All¡¯s well that ends well.¡±


    She internally grimaced. ¡°Yeah. Good thing.¡±


    Now being unable to take out her phone and check the time, she had no way to know how much longer she was going to be subjected to the situation.


    Not like it matters though. He¡¯ll follow me to fifth period and then we¡¯ll have cross country together.


    ¡°So, you have any plans after school?¡± Ellie asked, smiling awkwardly as she looked at Lilly. ¡°Cause Alice and I were thinking about going to the pier.¡±


    Jay opened his mouth to speak but Alice cut him off with a wave of her hand.


    ¡°Of course you¡¯re invited, Jay,¡± she snapped before also turning her attention toward Lilly. ¡°It¡¯s really cool at night and the ferris wheel gives a really pretty view of the town. You don¡¯t have to if you don¡¯t want to though.¡±


    Of course, Lilly didn¡¯t want to go in the slightest. She wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep. While that wasn¡¯t an option, she at least had an excuse without having to lie.


    ¡°I¡¯m actually babysitting tonight so I can¡¯t go,¡± she replied. ¡°Thanks though.¡±


    Jay frowned. ¡°Babysitting? You got a younger sibling?¡±


    ¡°No. She¡¯s just a younger girl in my apartment building,¡± Lilly muttered. ¡°I watch her sometimes.¡±


    Ellie nodded, as if having expected that response. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s cool. Another time then.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Lilly then turned and glanced over at the school¡¯s front entrance past a few other tables where a familiar blonde boy was walking with a girl she only vaguely recognized.


    Hey, it¡¯s that Magic Club boy again, she thought with mild interest. Vinny, I think.


    As she had expected when she first saw Vinny and Eric, the two had definitely stood out from the rest of her classmates. Their argument with Brad had been the first of many and she genuinely found herself wondering how they had never gotten beat up. At her last school, she¡¯d seen people far less weird get their asses kicked by people like Brad. It made her wonder if they had some dirt on him or something of the sort.


    Jay seemed to notice she was looking past him since he glanced over his shoulder to where she was staring. He instantly smirked when he saw who she was staring at.


    ¡°You got a crush on Mickelson, Harper?¡± he teased. ¡°Or maybe Tao? I don¡¯t judge if you do.¡±


    ¡°Jay,¡± Alice snapped, but he ignored her.


    Lilly merely shook her head, not bothered by his questions in the slightest. ¡°No. I just think they¡¯re weird.¡±


    ¡°Who doesn¡¯t?¡± Jay asked wryly.


    Fair point.


    ¡°Although,¡± he continued. ¡°I can only imagine what those idiots must look like to an outsider. I¡¯ve been going to school with them since seventh grade so I¡¯m pretty used to them by now.¡±


    Ellie chuckled. ¡°Come on, Jay. They aren¡¯t that bad. Sure, they¡¯re weird, but it¡¯s not like they¡¯re hurting anybody.¡±


    ¡°Although, I¡¯m waiting for the day Vinny snaps and decks Brad,¡± Alice mused. ¡°Despite the size difference, he always looks ready to take him on.¡±


    Jay scoffed. ¡°I kinda hope he does. I¡¯m not Mickelson¡¯s biggest fan by any means, but he¡¯s far better than that scumfuck Fischer. I wouldn¡¯t mind seeing him get decked.¡±


    ¡°Still bitter, are we, Jay?¡± Alice asked slyly. ¡°I actually believe him when he says it was an accident.¡±


    ¡°It was not!¡± Jay replied sharply. ¡°They could totally see me! There¡¯s no way the star quarterback missed so badly that he accidentally hit me! It was on purpose!¡±


    Ellie nodded, clearly not agreeing with him. ¡°Whatever you say, Jay.¡±


    Despite wanting the conversation to end as fast as possible, Lilly realized that she had a prime opportunity to learn a little more about the strange ¡°Magic Club¡± and so, she decided she might as well ask.


    ¡°So, has Brad ever kicked their asses?¡± she asked. ¡°He looks like he wants to.¡±


    Jay shook his head. ¡°Not as far as I know. But I doubt he would risk that.¡±


    Lilly frowned. ¡°Risk? What do you mean?¡±


    The boy suddenly grinned, as if he was excited to be given a chance to gossip. ¡°You haven¡¯t heard?¡±


    The girl narrowed her eyes in irritation, glancing at both Ellie and Alice to see them both looking disinterested in the conversation. Deciding it probably wasn¡¯t going to be anything special, she apathetically shook her head.


    Jay smirked, clearly pleased with her response. ¡°Alright then. Let me ask you something else, Harper. Have you heard of a kid named Damien Clark?¡±


    ¡°Damien¡­?¡± Lilly thought back on it and immediately realized who he was talking about. ¡°Oh.¡±


    She recalled a boy that was in a few of her classes that the teachers called, ¡°Clark¡±. She wasn¡¯t completely sure his first name was Damien, though she imagined he was probably the guy Jay was talking about. He had seemed relatively normal and not somebody who she expected would be hanging around weirdos like Vinny and Eric.


    ¡°So you do know him,¡± Jay pressed.


    Lilly shrugged. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t know him, but he¡¯s in a few of my classes. Why? What about him?¡±


    ¡°Well, he happens to be in their club,¡± Jay explained. ¡°He¡¯s been friends with those three ever since middle school and he had a bit of a¡­let¡¯s say violent reputation. Then, one time, a couple of guys started getting rough with Mickelson, so Clark took the biggest guy down. Made it pretty clear that he and his buddies weren¡¯t ones to be messed with. Fischer went to our middle school so I¡¯m sure he¡¯s not wanting to press his luck.¡±


    Lilly furrowed her brow. Damien hadn¡¯t seemed like a dangerous person in class. On the contrary, he seemed like a rather chill guy.


    But I guess what Jay¡¯s saying makes sense. If Vinny and Eric have somebody deterring bullies then that explains why Brad hasn¡¯t dragged Vinny around the back of the school yet.


    She looked back over Jay¡¯s shoulder but Vinny and his friend were already gone. She knew they were people she should avoid at all costs, but there was something about them that intrigued her. Perhaps it was how little they seemed to care about what everybody thought of them. Vinny and Eric didn¡¯t seem ashamed in the slightest to be West Wilham¡¯ biggest weirdos.


    Maybe¡­I just respect that about them.

 Chapter 5 Part 1- Club Rush Arrives

    Chapter V Part I


    Damien Clark walked with his hands in the pockets of his uniform¡¯s slacks, enjoying the fact that the hallways of West Wilham High School were empty. Normally, when he was forced to traverse the corridors between classes, he was always finding himself desperately trying to maneuver around students who clearly were not paying attention to where they were walking. He had taken many an elbow to the side in his school¡¯s hallways. So, despite having hardly any interest in participating in that afternoon¡¯s club rush, he was grateful that it got him out of sixth period early, making his trip down to the courtyard peaceful and easy.


    The boy smirked as he passed by a school bulletin board and noticed one of their club¡¯s posters tacked to it. It was an utter abomination and it pained him to think that he had used any of his time and energy to draw it. Part of him had wanted to simply rush through the art since nobody in the club¡ªexcept maybe Eric¡ªactually cared about trying to convince new students to join. They were only participating in club rush because Mr. Lowe was forcing them to. Yet, as was normal for him whenever he started drawing something, he got more into the art than he thought he would and wound up putting far more effort than it arguably needed. However, despite how proud he was of his work, he was certain that the ridiculous combination of the detective and witch would easily put off anybody who would otherwise be interested in joining, something Damien was grateful for.


    And if that doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯m sure one conversation with Eric and Vinny will change that, he thought with a wry smirk.


    He chuckled to himself as he turned and made his way down the flight of stairs that would take him to the first floor. The staircase was close to the school¡¯s front door and so he simply crossed the hall and walked out into the courtyard where club rush would be held. When he arrived, he found a handful of students already setting up. There were fold-out tables spread all across the lawn with students from West Wilham¡¯s vast array of clubs gathered at their assigned stations. He always forgot just how many different clubs were at their school and club rush only served to remind him. Each table had a large piece of white paper hanging from the front with the name of the assigned club written in colorful markers so Damien knew without having to ask where each group was located.


    In addition, each club was strongly encouraged to provide some sort of demonstration of the type of activities they participated in. He saw various watercolor paintings on easels surrounding the art club¡¯s table, stacks of old books on the literature club¡¯s table, and even a group of students cleaning their instruments where the jazz band was located. There were, however, a few tables where students were simply sitting and staring off into space, either not having anything to show for themselves or not caring enough to try and figure something out. Whether for good or for bad, the Magic Club was in that category since most of their so-called ¡°club activities¡± revolved around Eric and Vinny calling meetings where they discussed anything from theories that their teacher was actually a vampire to attempting to brew a ¡°smart potion¡± that would help them in school. Since Damien and Liz both had adamantly refused to let them do anything weird, they had managed to convince their friends to just do the bare minimum and show up.


    As Damien finally made it around the various tables and toward where their table was located, he found that Eric was the only one there. When he noticed his friend approaching, the tall boy grinned and raised a hand in greeting.


    ¡°Welcome to our station, my friend,¡± he greeted dramatically, spreading his arms out wide as if to indicate their pathetic little table.


    Damien immediately scowled upon seeing the item laying upon the table.


    ¡°Eric? Why is that there?¡± he growled, indicating the poster.


    But his friend didn¡¯t seem bothered in the slightest by his irritation as he maintained his grin and replied. ¡°Well, we have to show our potential clubmates something! Since you and Liz didn¡¯t want any of our props, I thought we could at least show the poster to them.¡±


    Damien sighed. ¡°And what purpose would showing them that damned thing achieve?¡±


    ¡°Well, since we couldn¡¯t put our real name on it, I imagine people are quite confused as to why there¡¯s a detective next to the witch,¡± Eric explained. ¡°So, I thought we could explain it to them. Once they realize we¡¯re an investigation team, I¡¯m sure anybody would want to join us!¡¯


    ¡°Oh?¡± Damien grunted. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    There was no doubt in his mind that explaining the poster would put people off more than if they were simply confused. Though, since he didn''t actually want anybody to join, he decided just to keep his mouth shut and let Eric do what he wanted. The posters were already plastered on every community board in the school so he realized that there wasn¡¯t any point in being embarrassed by it.


    Hell, there¡¯s no reason to be embarrassed in the first place, he thought with a smirk. Just being in this club makes everybody think we¡¯re weirdos...and I guess some of us are.


    He eyed Eric, who plopped himself down on one of the fold-up chairs behind the table before reaching into the pocket of his blazer and removing the orange gem. Ever since their first day of school, the boy hadn¡¯t brought the stone up again, but Damien had noticed him fidgeting with it every time he was sitting down. It was almost as if simply holding it comforted him, which made sense to Damien given the fact that he was fully convinced it was magical. Because of the fact that Eric was so obsessed with magic, Damien had been certain that he would be badgering them about investigating it¡¯s properties nonstop so he was genuinely surprised that his old friend had seemed happier keeping the stone to himself.


    But I guess that doesn¡¯t surprise me Damien thought, eyeing the stone curiously. If he truly thinks it¡¯s magic then it probably reminds him of his mother.


    It was for that simple reason that Damien found himself unable to reprimand Eric for being so obsessed with it. He wasn¡¯t going to lie to his friend and tell him that he thought it was actually magical, but that didn¡¯t mean he was going to try to convince him that it wasn¡¯t. Eric wasn¡¯t hurting anybody by being so attached to it and, if it was comforting him, then there wasn''t any problem.


    ¡°So,¡± Damien began, ¡°you making any progress with that thing?¡±


    Eric glanced up at him, as if snapped out of some trance, before shaking his head. ¡°Not yet. I know there¡¯s something about this stone, Damien, but I can¡¯t begin to guess what it could do or how to make it work. I can feel its power but¡­¡±


    Damien nodded his understanding. ¡°Yeah, well, don¡¯t get too hung up over it. Knowing you, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll figure it out one way or another.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess,¡± Eric muttered, his earlier enthusiasm suddenly gone, replaced by a look of longing. ¡°I wish I could just ask Mom. She would know. I¡¯m certain of that.¡±


    Damien glanced down at his feet, his thoughts briefly shifting to Eric¡¯s mother, Abigail Reiner. She had already been gone by the time he met Eric, but his friend had often told him that she was a very kind and loving woman. He said she would always tell him stories about magical talismans and other worlds and he had been fascinated by them, even going so far as to recite a few to Damien every so often. While Damien always considered them nothing more than whimsical tales that Abigail came up with to entertain her son, Eric was absolutely certain that everything she said had been the truth. Abigail Reiner was the source of his unwavering belief in magic.


    I do sometimes wonder what happened to her, he thought.


    Eric had never said what really happened to his mother and Damien knew not to pry. All he said was that one day, she simply went out and never came home. They didn¡¯t know if she was dead or if she left of her own free will but Damien was convinced it was the latter possibility.


    ¡°I suppose so,¡± Damien said after a moment. ¡°But hey, there¡¯s no rush, right? If you keep at it, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll figure out something.¡±


    Eric grinned, his earlier cheer suddenly returning. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. There¡¯s no use getting so hung up over it! For the time being, we need to focus on our current mission of trying to convince as many students as possible to join our club!¡±


    ¡°Riiiight,¡± Damien muttered.


    The other boy simply laughed. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be like that, my friend. I know it¡¯s cozy with just the four of us but we¡¯ll be graduating next year! If we don¡¯t start recruiting freshmen then the Magical and Other Anomalies Investigation Team will vanish. Somebody needs to carry on our torch, after all.¡±


    Damien snorted. He knew full well that no matter what they did, their club was not going to make it past their graduation. There weren¡¯t many people like Vinny and Eric who were both weird enough to participate in a club as ridiculous as theirs and content being considered the idiots of the school. Especially given their reputation of being a bunch of cringy morons, there was no way any freshmen would willingly condemn themselves to such an image. In fact, Damien would strongly urge any curious freshmen to avoid them like the plague if they didn¡¯t want their high school social image to be butchered so early on in their career.


    ¡°Carry on our torch, huh?¡± Damien replied with a wry grin. ¡°Whatever you say, Eric.¡±


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    His friend laughed before glancing over his shoulder and waving his hand. ¡°Liz! Vinny! Welcome!¡±


    Damien glanced over his shoulder to see the two other members of their club making their way toward them. The boy grinned.


    Well, here we go. Let¡¯s get this damn club rush over with.


    ***


    When the bell rang announcing the end of sixth period and the school day, Lilly immediately got to her feet, scooped up her backpack, and hurried out of her Inporian history class without a single look at any of the other students around her. With club rush taking place right after school, they had the day off from cross country practice and so she was determined to get out of the school and on her way home as fast as possible. The reason for her rush was simply due to the fact that Jay had made it clear at lunch that he wanted her to go to club rush with him and Alice and she found herself desperately wanting to not get stuck with him again. No matter what she did, she just couldn¡¯t get him off her back. After nearly two weeks of being as obvious as she could, he still didn¡¯t seem as if he was understanding that she didn¡¯t want to talk to him. She still made excuses as to why she couldn¡¯t give him her phone number and even that wasn¡¯t enough. She was reaching the point where she was tempted to just be as blunt as possible and to tell him to fuck off. The main reason she hadn¡¯t already was, aside from being annoying, he at least wasn¡¯t mean to her. She was already being rather rude to him to begin with and she was starting to feel a little guilty, so she really didn¡¯t want to have to be any more direct than she already was.


    She rounded a corner and headed down the staircase two steps at a time before arriving on the first floor. The halls were naturally packed with students both heading to club rush and going home for the day so she had to try and maneuver around them as best as she could on her way to the school¡¯s front doors. She could see the many tables scattered around the courtyard through the windows and there were already a large number of students walking around. When she reached the doors, she could see the front entrance just down the concrete path that crossed the courtyard and she knew she was almost home free. However, as was pretty typical of her luck, the minute she walked through the doors and was about to cross the courtyard, she heard the dreaded voice call out to her.


    ¡°Where are you going, Harper? I thought we were supposed to meet up by room 1-2?¡±


    Lilly stopped in her tracks and sighed. Yup, that¡¯s about right. I should have known I wasn¡¯t getting away that easily.


    She begrudgingly stepped off the path and out of the other students¡¯ way before turning around to see Jay leaning up against the wall of the school, eyeing her with a sly grin. She wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to him as it should have been obvious that she was trying to ditch club rush but, before she could figure out what to say, Jay continued.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s fine. I had a feeling you were going to forget about our plans,¡± he said. ¡°Good thing I thought ahead and waited for you here. Wouldn¡¯t have wanted you to miss your first West Wilham club rush, now would we?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she replied dryly. ¡°Sorry about that. Silly me.¡±


    He laughed. ¡°I know, right? I¡¯ve never known a more forgetful girl than you. I mean, what kind of teenager forgets her phone every day for two weeks straight?¡±


    None, she thought bitterly. Nobody is that stupid! Just put two and two together and take a damn hint!


    ¡°Anyway, Alice and Ellie should be on their way,¡± he explained. ¡°I sent them a text letting them know that we were changing the meeting spot to here so they¡¯ll probably be here in a moment.¡±


    Lilly sighed, glancing once more over her shoulder and in the direction of the front gates. She knew she could still make some half-assed excuse like telling them she had to babysit Natalie but decided that, since she had declined every other invitation from the boy, she might as well just stay. She hoped that if she appeased him the one time then maybe he would be satisfied and wouldn¡¯t badger her the next day. Condemning herself to a longer afternoon than she wanted, the girl walked over to stand beside Jay against the wall.


    ¡°You know, I don¡¯t really see any point in going,¡± she muttered. ¡°We¡¯re in cross country so it¡¯s not like we have the time to join a club.¡±


    Jay smirked. ¡°So? Doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s not fun to see what clubs there are. Aren¡¯t you at least a little bit curious to check them out?¡±


    Lilly grunted, glancing off to her left where the majority of the tables were set up. Despite Jay¡¯s claims that it was going to be fun, she found that she wasn¡¯t interested in the slightest. She couldn¡¯t care less what clubs the high school had to offer since they all met during practice. Aside from the end-of-year spring festival that she had heard about, she wouldn¡¯t ever cross paths with any clubs. Therefore, it seemed like a complete waste of time to wander around the courtyard¡ªtime she would much rather be spending at home, lazing about on the couch.


    However, just as she was having second thoughts about not making up an excuse to leave, she noticed a familiar person in the crowd, making his way toward a table in the back. It was Eric Reiner, the boy from the Magic Club. She suddenly wondered what the booth for their club would look like. She had already heard some interesting rumors about them from Alice and Jay which only caused her curiosity to increase. Everything about them was so strange to her. She was the type of person who, aside from her running, preferred not to stand out and to go through her life drawing as little attention as possible. Eric Reiner and Vinny Mickelson seemed to be the complete antithesis of her ideals. They seemed to thrive on standing out and didn¡¯t appear to care what anybody thought of them. They were living their lives the way they wanted. She suddenly wanted to go stop by their table just to see what they were doing when Alice and Ellie emerged from the school building.


    ¡°Sorry we¡¯re late, guys!¡± Alice quickly apologized. ¡°I wanted to stop by my locker to drop my backpack off. I really didn¡¯t want to carry that heavy thing around.¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s no problem,¡± Jay replied. ¡°Harper and I were perfectly fine just waiting.¡±


    Both of the girls looked at Lilly with expressions of both surprise and what seemed to her to be excitement. She didn¡¯t understand why they still wanted her to join them when she wasn¡¯t exactly the friendliest or most social person. All three of them really just confused her with how nice they were to her when they didn¡¯t even know her.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s be off,¡± Jay said, stepping away from the wall. ¡°We ought to start off with the confectionery club. I heard from Ridley that they were giving out free chocolate samples.¡±


    ¡°Ooh, that sounds really good,¡± Ellie replied excitedly. ¡°Let¡¯s definitely stop there first.¡±


    Alice nodded. ¡°Then we ought to check out the art club. I heard Rich saying that they painted Principal Rickons and I really want to see that!¡±


    Lilly silently listened to the conversations of the other three, having nothing much to add. Since she didn¡¯t know any of the clubs or what they had to show for themselves, she didn¡¯t particularly care where they went. All she planned to do was follow quietly behind and try to make the best of her situation. For a moment, she considered suggesting that they check out the Magic Club but quickly decided against it. She didn¡¯t want them to think she was interested in them, after all. So, she chose to stay quiet.


    The club rush wound up being nothing too impressive. It was a pain trying to get around the crowd of students and most of the stations they went to were just a handful of kids calling out to passersby and trying to convince them to join. The only one¡¯s she enjoyed were the Confectionary Club¡¯s chocolate and the performance by the jazz band, which was far more talented than she would have expected from a high school group. Otherwise, she was thoroughly underwhelmed and was once again playing around with the idea of making up an excuse and booking it home. Yet, much like the last time the idea crossed her mind, what made Lilly hesitate was once again the Magic Club.


    She was standing behind Jay as he and Alice were talking to a member of the Newspaper Club when she glanced to her right and saw the table where the Magic Club was sitting. Aside from Vinny and Eric, she saw a shorter girl with glasses and a pair of headphones around her neck, and beside her was Damien Clark, the boy Jay had been talking about at lunch the previous week. She frowned then, realizing that there wasn¡¯t much on their table. The only thing that stood out was a weird poster that Vinny was holding displaying their club name above drawings of a witch and a detective. She remembered seeing the same poster up on one of the community bulletins and being confused as to why they drew a detective. It was then that she realized she had made a mistake by staring too long.


    Vinny must¡¯ve noticed her looking as he made eye-contact with her before grinning.


    ¡°Good afternoon, my friend,¡± he called over to her. ¡°Are you interested in magic?¡±


    Shit! I don¡¯t want to talk to them! And especially not about magic!


    Vinny calling out to her caused the other three members of the club to look her way. Eric grinned excitedly while Damien and the girl both looked as if they felt bad for her.


    ¡°Um, no,¡± she quickly called back. ¡°I¡¯m good, thanks.¡±


    ¡°Ah, come on,¡± Eric began, grinning cheerfully as he walked around the table before spreading his arms wide. ¡°You can¡¯t tell me you aren¡¯t at least somewhat fascinated by the supernatural. Here at the Magical and Other Anomalies Investigation Team, we are determined to unearth the secrets of magic so we can bend it to our will! Does that not interest you, Miss¡­?¡±


    No, it doesn¡¯t interest me in the slightest. In fact, it just makes you sound like a lunatic...especially with that stupid name! What on earth does that even mean?!


    Ignoring his prompt to introduce herself, Lilly quickly shook her head, wanting to be free of the conversation as quickly as possible. As curious as she was about them, she sure as hell didn¡¯t want to be stuck in a conversation with them. She could hardly handle Jay so she wanted absolutely nothing to do with magic-worshiping nutjobs.


    ¡°Uh, no,¡± she replied dryly. ¡°Really, I¡¯m good.¡±


    ¡°No need to be embarrassed,¡± Vinny quickly chimed in. ¡°I saw you staring at us and, I mean, it¡¯s only natural to be curious about the unknown, after all!¡±


    Lilly clenched her teeth at their obnoxious stubbornness. ¡°N-no, I was just...wondering what was with the detective, is all. I thought you were a magic club!¡±


    She noticed Damien rolling his eyes at Eric and Vinny off to the side while the girl next to him looked like she was trying, and failing, to hold in her laughter. The two boys, however, seemed as if they were getting more into the conversation with everything she said.


    ¡°Well, you see,¡± Eric began, ¡°we investigate magic anomalies, hence the detective. Unfortunately, however, we were forced by the powers that be to hide our true name and so, we are undercover for the time being. It¡¯s quite an unfortunate situation, if I¡¯m being honest.¡±


    True name?! Was that what that Magical Anomalies and Other...or whatever he said was?


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± she stuttered, glancing over her shoulder, hoping Jay or one of the girls would step in and save her but they were still deep in conversation with the newspaper kids. Luckily, however, she was rescued not by them but by a member of the very club she was trying to escape.


    ¡°Alright, guys, leave her alone,¡± Damien snapped. ¡°She¡¯s clearly not interested.


    ¡°And why would she be with how annoying the two of you are?¡± the girl added with a snort. She then looked at Lilly and smiled. ¡°Ignore them, friendo. They¡¯re just messing with you. If you want to run, I would totally understand.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Liz!¡± Vinny protested. ¡°You make it sound like we¡¯re harassing her!¡±


    ¡°You are, dipshit!¡± she snapped back. ¡°Now, sit back down and twiddle your thumbs again like a good boy. Then maybe you can have a treat afterwards.¡±


    Just as Lilly was hoping that the girl, evidently named Liz, was normal, she called Vinny a ¡°good boy¡± and she felt uncomfortable all over again. Yet, she found she was okay with it as Liz¡¯s comment seemed to attract Vinny and Eric¡¯s attention to her and away from Lilly, giving the girl the chance she needed to back away and hurry back over towards Jay, Alice, and Ellie.


    Man, I knew they were weird but...that was far worse than I ever imagined.


    Despite her earlier curiosity, Lilly was now absolutely certain that the four of them were a group she should avoid like the plague for the rest of high school.

 Chapter 5 Part 2- The Moment It All Began

    Chapter V Part II


    ¡°Well wasn¡¯t that fun?¡± Vinny asked sarcastically as the four members of the MOAIT made their way up the flight of stairs that would take them to the third floor. ¡°I, for one, don¡¯t feel like we wasted a perfectly good afternoon getting jeered at by snotty little freshmen. Who doesn''t like that, after all?¡±


    The blonde boy smirked, glancing back at the three behind him. Damien was carrying their poster as he walked next to Liz, both looking exhausted. Behind them was Eric, who had his hands in his pockets and was staring down at the ground. None of them replied to him, leaving Vinny to sigh and turn his attention back to walking. The halls were empty since everybody was either still at club rush or had already gone home. Technically, they were supposed to still be out in the courtyard but, seeing as it was painfully obvious that nobody was going to join their club and Mr. Lowe had already marked them as present, there had been no reason to stick around. So, Damien suggested they pack up and head to the clubroom to hang out and unwind. Despite not having to do much, it was exhausting sitting out there and putting up with all of the laughing and jeering from the passing students.


    Those little bastards just don¡¯t know what they¡¯re missing, Vinny thought with satisfaction. This club is fun as hell and now, they¡¯ll never get to find that out!


    However, despite the insults, which had been predictable, Vinny considered the day to be rather successful. He hadn¡¯t wanted anybody to join the club anyway since he was completely content with the dynamic the four of them shared. He hadn¡¯t wanted some annoying little freshmen to waltz on in and start getting in their way. Theirs was a unique club and he knew that most people simply wouldn¡¯t fit in.


    When they reached the top of the stairs, Vinny took a left and made his way down the hall, toward where room 3-5 was located. Damien had given him the clubroom key so he reached into the pocket of his uniform and removed it, unlocking the door then heading inside.


    ¡°Ah, home sweet home!¡± he said cheerfully, flopping down into one of the desk chairs at the front of the class. ¡°Stupid courtyard¡¯s got nothing on the sweet, air-conditioned clubroom.¡±


    ¡°Honestly,¡± Liz mumbled. ¡°It got kinda hot there at the end, didn¡¯t it? I really can¡¯t wait for summer to finally be over!¡±


    The girl took a seat at the desk in front of Vinny while Damien made his way to the back of the classroom to the table he usually sat at. The boy had made a stop in his sixth period class on their way out of club rush to retrieve his laptop, which he silently pulled out of his backpack and opened. Vinny watched him with amusement, knowing he was probably going to work on his homework like he always did during their daily club meetings. As for Eric, the tall boy was standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame, once again staring at the orange gemstone he found at the beach a few weeks prior.


    I wonder how long he¡¯s going to obsess over that thing, Vinny thought. I mean, I get that he thinks it¡¯s magic, and there was definitely something off about it when I held it, but I¡¯m starting to worry about him a little bit. Every chance he gets, he¡¯s fidgeting with that thing and staring at it like it¡¯s the most precious thing in the world. It¡¯s kinda creepy, actually.


    ¡°Hey, Eric,¡± Vinny called over to him, holding his hand up in the air. ¡°Toss it over. Let me get a look at it.¡±


    His friend didn¡¯t seem to hear him since he made no response and just kept running the stone around in his palm. Liz glanced over at him and cocked an eyebrow.


    ¡°Uh, Eric?¡± she asked. ¡°Oi! Earth to Reiner!¡±


    Eric¡¯s head suddenly snapped up before he causally turned to look at them, as if nothing was wrong.


    ¡°Hmm? You say something, Liz?¡± he inquired.


    What the hell? Was he really that entranced by the damn thing?


    The bespectacled girl furrowed her brow, looking as if even she were unsettled by Eric¡¯s odd behavior. ¡°Uh, Vinny and I were trying to get your attention. I get that the gem¡¯s pretty and all but it¡¯s clearly no match for my good looks! I get ignoring Vinny for it but you don¡¯t get to prioritize it over me!¡±


    ¡°Geez, ego much?¡± Vinny grumbled but both Liz and Eric ignored him.


    Eric simply chuckled and looked at her with an exasperated look. ¡°Sorry, sorry. I was just thinking, is all. What did you need?¡±


    ¡°The gem,¡± she replied sternly. ¡°Hand it over. I want another look at it.¡±


    Eric grinned. ¡°Oh? You finally coming around to the possibility that this thing is a magic talisman, dear Liz?¡±


    ¡°Sure, whatever you want to think, buddy,¡± she replied dryly. ¡°Now, hand it over.¡±


    Laughing, Eric tossed the gem over to her and she caught it with ease. The moment he had looked away from the gem, Eric seemed to be back to normal. It was a weird contrast. It was as if just holding the stone sent his thoughts spinning so much that he shut himself down from everything around him. Vinny couldn¡¯t even begin to fathom what about it made him think so much nor could he figure out why that specific stone was what Eric had determined was magic. Ever since the MOAIT was formed in their freshmen year, Vinny had been trying to play into the whole investigation part of the MOAIT name by bringing in cool conspiracies or items that he believed would be fun to mess around with. Yet, despite making the club, Eric never played along. If he didn¡¯t think it was magic then he would say so and that would be the end of it. He knew Eric genuinely believed in magic but, until the discovery of the stone, he had never classified anything as fitting his idea of the supernatural.


    So what¡¯s the difference here? he asked himself. Why now of all times is he so certain something is magic?


    It was strange enough that Vinny almost believed Eric knew something that he wasn¡¯t telling the others. However, no matter how many times he had asked since his friend first announced his suspicions about the gem, Eric wouldn¡¯t elaborate.


    ¡°Still weirdly warm,¡± Liz muttered under her breath. ¡°But other than that, I don¡¯t see what fascinates you.¡±


    Eric shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain, honestly. But trust me, Liz. It¡¯s the real deal. I just need to figure out how to work it.¡±


    ¡°And how exactly do you plan to do that?¡± Vinny asked. ¡°I mean, how would one even go about trying to get something magical to show its...well, magic?¡±


    The taller boy hesitated for a moment before replying in a soft voice, ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that either. But I¡¯m going to figure it out. And when I do, you¡¯ll all be the first to know.¡±


    Vinny snorted as Liz tossed the gem back over to where Eric was standing. The blonde boy spared a brief glance back at Damien to see if he was paying attention but he was still typing away on his laptop.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Eric continued. ¡°I have to use the bathroom.¡±


    Pocketing the gem once more, Eric turned and left the room, leaving Liz and Vinny to watch after him.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting a little worried,¡± Liz muttered. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him so obsessed.¡±


    ¡°Maybe the thing really is magical and it¡¯s got some sway over his mind,¡± Vinny joked, eyeing the girl with a grin.


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    She scoffed. ¡°Oh shut up.¡±


    ***


    Much to Lilly¡¯s relief, Alice came to her rescue and told Jay she needed to get home to start on some calculus homework. The boy didn¡¯t argue and so, she was able to get out of club rush earlier than she thought. However, she wasn¡¯t all in the clear since Alice bringing up their homework reminded her that her math notebook was still in her locker. Therefore, she was stuck walking up to the third floor of the school building with Alice and Jay to where the junior locker hall was located. Ellie had all of her stuff on her so she decided to wait for them at the newspaper booth where a few of her friends were working. Much like before, Lilly lagged slightly behind Jay and Alice, who were walking side-by-side and chatting about some race they had both run over the summer. When she saw them talking so comfortably with each other, part of her wondered if they were actually dating. At least, if they weren¡¯t, she guessed that they might have had more of a history aside from being simple school friends.


    ¡°So, Harper,¡± Jay suddenly said, glancing over his shoulder. ¡°What did you think of your first club rush? Pretty cool stuff, right?¡±


    Lilly shrugged and looked out the window to her right where she could see the courtyard, and the students still browsing the clubs, down below.


    ¡°It was fine, I guess,¡± she replied softly. ¡°Though there wasn¡¯t anything I¡¯d be interested in joining.¡±


    The boy smirked. ¡°Well, of course not. Cross country is still far superior to any of those other activities. Still though, it is fun to see what they¡¯ve got.¡±


    Lilly shrugged a second time. ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Man, we really got to teach her how to hold a conversation,¡± Jay teased, addressing Alice this time.


    The girl snorted. ¡°Or maybe she¡¯s a great conversationalist and she just doesn''t want to talk to you. You ever consider that, Jay?¡±


    ¡°Ah, nonsense,¡± he replied, brushing her comment aside with a wave of his hand. ¡°Harper and I are best friends. She¡¯s just a little introverted, is all.¡±


    Well, you got that last part right, she thought irritably. However, I wouldn¡¯t even call us friends, let alone best friends. Even ¡®acquaintances¡¯ is a bit of a stretch.


    Alice rolled her eyes. ¡°Whatever you say, Jay.¡±


    The three of them rounded a corner and arrived at the junior locker hall where Lilly immediately headed toward her own locker. She wanted to get her stuff and leave as fast as possible so she wasted no time putting in her combination and opening it. There wasn¡¯t much inside other than a few textbooks and notebooks, which made it look relatively empty, so it didn¡¯t take her long to find her math book. Glancing down the hall to where Jay was standing with Alice while the girl opened her own locker, she realized she had a prime opportunity to just bid them goodbye and hurry home.


    Lilly sighed as she closed her locker door.


    But then again, I did say I would walk out with them. I guess it¡¯s not that big of a deal to wait. After all, if I ditch now then Jay¡¯s gonna be all over me tomorrow and suffering through today will have been for nothing.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m ready to go,¡± Alice announced, closing her own locker and looking over at Lilly with a smile. ¡°You ready?¡±


    Lilly nodded, indicating her blue math notebook clutched in her left hand. ¡°Sure. Whenever you are.¡±


    ¡°Awesome,¡± Jay said with a grin. ¡°Then let¡¯s not keep Ellie waiting. On we go.¡±


    The three of them left the hall behind and were heading toward the stairs when they heard an irritated-sounding voice call out.


    ¡°Well, well. If it isn¡¯t Eric Reiner all by himself.¡±


    Lilly instantly recognized the voice and, when the three of them rounded the corner, her suspicions were confirmed. Down the hall, right outside of the bathrooms, was one of the kids from the Magic Club and Bradley Fischer, the latter glaring at the former with a sneer.


    ¡°What? Out by yourself this time? Don¡¯t got Damien or that asshole Vinny with you?¡± Brad went on.


    As was usual when Eric and Brad got into arguments in the classroom, the boy didn¡¯t seem particularly irritated. Instead, he merely grinned and faced the larger boy with clear confidence, as if he weren¡¯t twice his size.


    ¡°Got a problem with that, my friend?¡± he asked mischievously, shoving his hands into the pockets of his pants as if trying to look casual. ¡°I mean, you¡¯re up here by yourself, too. And I mean, it''s not like I need my friends around all the time. If any demon or evildoer decides to jump me in the halls then I¡¯ll simply strike them down with my special flame technique. Nobody stands a chance against my overwhelming power. Not even a meathead like you, dear Fischer!¡±


    ¡°God, he¡¯s such a dumbass,¡± Jay muttered under his breath as the three watched the odd conversation taking place.¡±


    Brad scoffed, clearly already fed up with Eric¡¯s performance. ¡°What the fuck is wrong with you? I swear, you must¡¯ve been dropped on your head as a child or something. You¡¯re a fuckin¡¯ lunatic.¡±


    Eric laughed in what was clearly an attempt at mimicking a villain from a movie. ¡°A lunatic? Yes, in fact, I am. I¡¯m quite insane so perhaps you should not be so quick to pick a fight with a man of my stature¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Just move,¡± Brad snapped, grabbing Eric by the shoulder and shoving him out of his way.


    Lilly cringed as she watched Eric collide with the lockers before losing his balance and stumbling to the ground. As obnoxious as the boy was being, she felt Brad was far rougher than he should¡¯ve been. She heard Jay scoff and glanced over to see him looking at the big boy with clear disgust.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to shove him, you asshole,¡± he growled softly.


    Despite how annoying he could be, Lilly suddenly felt a little bit of respect for him seeing how, even though he had said multiple times how he would rather avoid the Magic Club and their strange personalities, he still didn¡¯t like seeing them bullied. He might have been weird, but he wasn¡¯t a bad guy, she thought.


    When she turned her head back to the boys, she saw Brad scoff at Eric before passing him by and walking into the bathroom. Lilly then turned to look at the boy on the ground, who was holding his shoulder and cringing in pain. Clearly, he had hit the lockers harder than she realized. Sighing, knowing that it would be rude to just watch, Lilly walked forward and began heading toward him. It was then that he must have realized she was there as he looked up at her with a surprised look.


    ¡°Oh, we had an audience, I see,¡± he muttered.


    She cocked an eyebrow at him but decided to simply extend her hand out to him to help him up. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    He nodded, grasping her hand and allowing her to pull him to his feet.


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m fine,¡± he replied confidently. ¡°A mere ape like him could never hope to harm somebody like me.¡±


    ¡°Well, you sure look like you¡¯re in pain, Reiner,¡± Jay called over to him. ¡°Maybe¡ªand this is just a thought¡ªyou shouldn¡¯t antagonize the brute. What good does it do you to make fun of a guy that could snap you in half like a twig?¡±


    Eric glanced over at the boy and smirked. ¡°Snap me in half? Have more faith in me, my friend. Just because you haven¡¯t seen my power doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t have it. As far as I¡¯m concerned, it¡¯s best to let Brad think he¡¯s the stronger of the two of us lest his fragile ego be shattered forever.¡±


    Lilly exchanged an uncomfortable look with Alice and she could tell that the other girl was just as weirded out by Eric as she was.


    ¡°Well, I appreciate your concern,¡± the tall boy said, turning his attention back to Lilly. ¡°But I¡¯m perfectly¡­¡± His voice suddenly trailed off as he stuck his hand in his slacks pocket. He furrowed his brow and then stuck his other hand in the other pocket only for his confused expression to deepen.


    ¡°Lose something, Reiner?¡± Jay inquired.


    ¡°Um...it seems so,¡± he whispered, turning to look frantically around the hall.


    Lilly frowned, deciding for his sake to at least scan the area for any sign of something he might have dropped. However, she quickly noticed a small orange ball laying beside the lockers to her right, right next to her foot. She kneeled down and picked it up, realizing suddenly that it wasn¡¯t a simple ball but a rather pretty looking gemstone. The fact that it looked so expensive made her almost certain it was what Eric was looking for.


    ¡°This it?¡± she asked, raising her hand up to show him.


    A look of relief washed over his features and he nodded. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s it. Thanks!¡±


    ¡°What on earth?¡± Jay muttered. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    Eric smirked, extending his hand to take the gem from Lilly. ¡°Just a simple talisman my club came across over summer. We have yet to figure out how to use it but¡ª¡±


    What happened next was so sudden that Lilly couldn¡¯t even process what was going on. The moment Eric¡¯s fingers touched the orange surface of the stone, Lilly¡¯s entire vision went white. It was as if she had been suddenly submerged in an endless ocean. She couldn¡¯t feel anything, as if she didn¡¯t even have a body. She felt like she was existing within a void and the thought made her suddenly panic. However, the sensation lasted for only a few seconds, before feeling began to return to her body. Yet when she did, her shoulder suddenly began throbbing and everything felt a little off.


    Then, when her vision finally returned, she was thrown so off guard that she wondered if she was hallucinating. Instead of being crouched on the ground like she had been moments before, she was now standing up, her arm extended out to the person before her. And when she looked into the eyes of that person, her own went wide in disbelief.


    What...the hell? That¡¯s...I¡¯m hallucinating. I have to be¡­


    It was the only logical explanation aside from somebody having secretly put a mirror in front of her in the few seconds she was in the white void as, crouched down before her, she was staring not at Eric Reiner but at herself.

 Chapter 6- QuaerBasim

    Chapter VI


    Without any sort of warning, he suddenly awoke and sat up in his bed, sweat pouring down his body and his breathing heavy. He felt as if he had been struck by lightning and hurriedly looked around his bedroom but, when he saw as much as sensed that he was alone and knew that he wasn¡¯t under threat of attack, Nigreos Noctis took a deep breath and put his head in his hands.


    What was that? What just happened?


    Clenching his teeth, the Master of Darkness threw off his velvet covers and placed his bare feet against the soft carpet of his room. The man got to his feet and looked around once more, wanting to be absolutely certain that he was alone and that nothing had gotten past his defenses. However, despite the rather large size of his room, aside from the king-size bed in the corner and his wardrobe across from him, it was empty. He wasn¡¯t one to have unnecessary clutter in his living quarters and, because of this, there was nowhere for anybody to hide. Satisfied that his room was indeed empty, he turned and crossed to the door, pulling it open and moving out into the hallway. He still didn¡¯t sense anything and, when he arrived in his living area, he didn¡¯t see any intruders. Much like his bedroom, the room was relatively empty, with a dark red couch and a desk on opposite corners. There truly was nowhere for anybody to hide. He was certain that he was alone.


    So what was that feeling then? he asked himself. Could it possibly be¡­?


    A month prior, on the night of the attack on the Citadel and his subsequent battle against Rista Pine, Nigreos had been unable to prevent the Assassination Gem from getting away. He had never expected Rista to have Abi Reiner¡¯s Realm Dagger on him and so, hadn''t been prepared when he cut open a portal and rushed through it. His inability to prevent Rista from escaping came at the cost of his right hand. Nigreos grimaced, looking down at where his hand used to be to stare at the replacement. His prosthetic was constructed out of a slick back metal known as sensium which contained a strange matter that greatly resembled human nerve cells. It was found in the Mines of Crainin and was one of Ijiria¡¯s main exports due to its properties. Due to the nerve matter¡¯s compatibility with human nerves, sensium was often used for prosthetics since it both returned feeling to the limb and gave the user the ability to move it as if it were their own. However, despite being able to easily replace his lost limb, just staring at his sensium hand reminded him of his failures.


    In his attempt to try and make up for losing the relic, Nigreos had enhanced his senses to alert him if the stone was activated. Since they couldn¡¯t afford to let Rista run around with the gem while they were trying to locate it, he had urged Album to erase him and that was what she had done. Yet, that solution only caused new problems. While Rista had been dealt with, they didn¡¯t know what world he had fled to. There were an infinite number of different realities and he could have gone to any one of them. The only way they could pinpoint where was if the gem was activated and, since it was one of the Ijirian Relics, it wouldn¡¯t be hard for a mage of his power to find it, especially if Rista fled to a magical world and the gem was found by another mage. If he went to a magicless one, however, it wouldn''t be as easy.


    So...was that feeling just now an alert that the gem was used? he asked himself. But...that was so strong. If it was then...whoever found it is no mere commoner. That power...could only mean that the Assassination Gem was picked up by a magic user of high status.


    Nigreos clenched his teeth, realizing that he couldn¡¯t just leave the matter uninvestigated. Despite the late hour, he would need to be certain that the feeling rushing through him was related to the gem¡¯s theft.


    Wanting to get back to sleep as soon as possible, Nigreos rushed back into his room to grab his silk black robe from his wardrobe before throwing it on over his bare chest and dark-colored shorts. He didn¡¯t feel the need to get completely dressed for such a quick errand. Once he had his sash tied around his waist, the Master headed for his front door and hurried out.


    The silver and white hallways of the residential section of the Citadel were empty and silent. The torches were mostly extinguished with only a handful still containing the fading embers of fire magic, casting a dim red hue over the corridors. Most of the Citadel¡¯s residents would most likely be asleep at such a late hour and thus, he knew there was no need to worry about running into anybody. If it was, in fact, a false alarm, he wanted to investigate quietly. When he reached the end of the hall, he came upon the air lift¡ªa large shaft stretching from the bottom of the Citadel all the way to the top. The platform itself was not currently on the residential floor so Nigreos was forced to summon it.


    He slowly stretched out his hand and whispered, ¡°Ortumo.¡±


    He was only forced to wait for a few seconds before the large, silver disk soundlessly rose up to his level. It was about 6 feet in diameter and could only fit a few people at the most. Normally, it¡¯s small size was annoying given the large number of denizens in the Citadel but the larger something was, the harder it was to raise with wind magic. Since not everybody in the castle excelled in wind spells, the platform was forced to be small so that everyone could use it.


    Nigreos stepped forward and onto the disk, once again whispering ¡°Ortumo¡± to continue upwards. His control over air magic, while not terribly impressive, was still strong enough that he was able to ascend rather smoothly. The platform didn¡¯t lurch like it did for many others and, before he knew it, he had arrived at the floor third to the top. He stepped out into the hallway, finding the torches on that floor to be all but extinguished already. However, the lack of light did nothing to him as, due to his control over the darkness, he could see so clearly it might as well have been daytime.


    Nigreos proceeded forward down the hall, making his way down various halls and passing different rooms before arriving at his destination¡ªlarge, obsidian doors with a golden sign on the left reading ¡°MAP ROOM¡±.


    He reached for the silver door handle and pushed one open before stepping inside. The large, circular room was nearly ten yards across with banners displaying the green flame and golden shield that was the royal crest hanging all around them. There were four large oval windows about the height of Nigreos at equal distances from each other, giving him a view of the city of Erika down below, the lights of the Night Market off to his right visible even from where he stood. Finally, in the very center of the room, there was a circular platform mounted on a golden pedestal.


    The Master nodded to himself before walking across the room to stand before the pedestal. Once he was right in front of it, he could see the dozens of runes carved into its surface. He exhaled softly, both hoping his earlier feeling was a false alarm and praying that he finally had a lead, before placing his hand upon the platform.


    ¡°Permitte Vedere,¡± he whispered.


    Instantly, the platform burst to life. The runes suddenly began glowing blue as swirls of mist-like mana began to rise and swirl around the pedestal. Gradually, the mist began to form little balls the size of his fist with letters appearing right under them. Each ball represented a world known by the Ijirian Empire. The ones that remained blue were controlled by Ijiria, the ones that turned red were independent magic worlds, and the ones that turned green were independent magicless worlds. There were only a few dozen known worlds since Ijiria only had a finite amount of time and resources to dedicate toward the exploration of other realities. Nigreos stared at the various balls for a moment, knowing that if something as mana-dense as the Assassination Gem were used then the QuaerBasim would have surely picked it up.


    Due to the overwhelming power he felt when he woke up, Nigreos immediately began to search the magic worlds since it was highly unlikely that anybody with as much power as he sensed would be in a magicless world. When he found nothing out of the ordinary, he was about to consider the matter settled and leave, but then decided he might as well be thorough and search the other worlds. Because he was almost certain it wouldn¡¯t amount to anything, he wasn¡¯t searching terribly thoroughly and so, he almost missed it. However, just as he was about to turn away, he saw a small dot of orange light atop one of the green balls.


    ¡°W-What?¡± he breathed, blinking a few times to ensure that he was seeing correctly. ¡°T-that¡¯s not¡­¡±


    There¡¯s a magic user as powerful as the one I sensed in a world without magic? How? Shouldn¡¯t Ijiria have already known about this? There¡¯s no way someone as powerful as this broke the law and went to a magicless world without our knowledge. I mean...the only person who could have done that was¡­


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Just as the thought occurred to him, he frantically looked below the green orb to the name displayed below.


    It can¡¯t be¡­


    It read ¡°Omaruo¡±, a name he not only recognized, but was the name of a world he had visited once before.


    ¡°Abigail''s...Haven?¡± he whispered.


    ¡°Quite a strange development, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Nigreos spun around, immediately pulling all of his dark mana to the tips of his fingers, but the moment he saw who stood before him, he relaxed his body and released his hold on the power within him.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he demanded.


    Before him stood a man he was quite familiar with yet hadn¡¯t expected to run into him at that time of night. He was an old friend of Nigreos and the Citadel¡¯s Master of Wind, Ryokumo Caeli¡ªthe only man who¡¯s distortion magic could actually conceal his presence from somebody with senses as finely tuned as the Master of Darkness.


    Ryokumo grinned, reaching up to run his hands through his slicked back silver hair. The man was strange-looking to begin with due to his curled mustache, small pointed beard, and narrow brown eyes¡ªcommon of the people of the eastern country of Sukon¡ªbut his choice to use magic to alter his hair color to silver was something that just made him look more like an eccentric fool than a Master of the Citadel.


    ¡°What am I doing here?¡± Ryokumo said softly, repeating Nigreos¡¯s question as if thinking of it as a stupid thing to ask. ¡°Well, the same as you, I would think. I mean, you are here to investigate the source of the rather alarming alert, correct?¡±


    Nigreos struggled to keep his surprise from showing, not wanting to show any sort of weakness in front of the man. ¡°You...felt it as well? In that case...you were searching for the stone, too?¡±


    ¡°Of course I was,¡± he said, chuckling. ¡°No mage in their right mind wouldn¡¯t be. The only difference is between those of us who are powerful enough to search every world as opposed to the ones close by.¡±


    Nigreos grimaced inwardly. He should have expected somebody like him to have thought along the same lines. Very few Ijirians had the magical ability, or even the desire, to try and sense every known world due to the stress it took on the caster¡¯s body. In fact, Nigreos had been feeling constantly lethargic ever since the attack on the Citadel because of how far he was trying to extend his senses. However, knowing Ryokumo for as long as he had, he found himself unsurprised that his old friend would have done so as well.


    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right,¡± Nigreos conceded. ¡°But did you have to be hiding? God, I hate it when you sneak up on me like that.¡±


    Ryokumo smirked. ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t sure who was coming so I thought it would be best to hide. After all, once can never be sure who is friend and who is foe in this lovely Citadel of ours, now can you? When I saw it was you, I simply thought it would be fun to make a dramatic entrance.¡±


    ¡°Well don¡¯t,¡± Nigreos grumbled.


    The Sukonese man chuckled before turning his head in the direction of the still activated QuaerBasim. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure what I was expecting, to be honest,¡± he said softly. ¡°I was certain that the gem must¡¯ve been activated in one of the magical worlds since the user felt so powerful but...to think that somebody like that not only exists in a magicless world but in that one. It seems fate is just as cruel as they say...though it¡¯s not like we didn¡¯t know that.¡±


    Nigreos sighed, turning his own attention back to the glowing green orb that represented Omaruo.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think...somebody else went there with her, do you?¡± Nigreos asked the man.


    Ryokumo quickly shook his head. ¡°No. Abi went alone. I¡¯m certain of that. If there¡¯s a mage as strong as we sensed in Omaruo then it has nothing to do with her. After all, in a world like that, the only one who would be able to sense the gemstone would be somebody with magic blood.¡±


    ¡°Magic...blood?¡±


    Nigreos¡¯s eyes went wide as Ryokumo¡¯s words forced him to consider a possibility that seemed so preposterous that he almost felt like a fool for even thinking it. However, there was very little known about what Abi Reiner did during her time in Omaruo and so, they could only speculate.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think¡­¡± Nigreos murmured, ¡°...that Abi¡¯s son could have found the gemstone?¡±


    Ryokumo turned a dark expression his way, essentially confirming that even the Master of Wind had considered it.


    ¡°To be honest with you, I¡¯m not certain,¡± he admitted. ¡°But I can¡¯t say it didn¡¯t cross my mind. You said this supposed ¡®Rista Pine¡¯ fellow almost certainly acquired his Realm Dagger from Abi. If that¡¯s the case then it¡¯s not surprising that it was set to take him to her Haven. And if that¡¯s where she wanted him to go...perhaps there was a reason for that?¡±


    Nigreos clenched his teeth. ¡°What, you think she was sending Pine to her son? What good would that do? The boy was hardly seven when she left. It¡¯s not as if she could have trained him to be of aid.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he replied. ¡°But I do know that this isn''t something we can simply ignore. An investigation needs to be conducted and the gem needs to be retrieved whether it¡¯s the boy who has it or somebody else.¡±


    The Master of Darkness scowled. ¡°Maybe...we should have taken Eric Reiner into custody after all.¡±


    ¡°No, I disagree,¡± Ryokumo immediately replied.


    Before Nigreos could ask him why, the Master of Wind turned and walked toward one of the windows. He folded his hands behind his back and stared out across the city, his back now to Nigreos.


    ¡°Abi may have broken the law but her son did not,¡± Ryokumo continued. ¡°Keeping that boy a secret...was the right choice, Nigreos. Even if we come to regret it in the present.¡±


    Nigreos looked down at his feet, knowing that his old friend was right even if he didn¡¯t want to admit it. In truth, he didn¡¯t think he would ever truly regret sparing the boy. It was a final request from a beloved friend and one that he would have wanted to fulfill no matter what.


    After a moment, Ryokumo turned and glanced back over his shoulder, a look of longing in his eyes. ¡°So? What¡¯s the plan? Regardless of what¡¯s going on, we still need to reclaim the gem.¡±


    Nigreos nodded sternly. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll fill Album in on the situation in the morning and then we¡¯ll try to get an audience with the High Council and request permission to use a Realm Dagger to enter Omaruo. From there, we¡¯ll simply have to see what we¡¯re up against and plan accordingly. Until we know for certain who has possession of this stone, we can¡¯t be sure of what¡¯s the best course of action.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± the other man muttered. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll speak with Thrim and ask him what he can do for you.¡±


    Nigreos glanced back at the QuaerBasim and narrowed his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you would accompany us. If we are in fact up against a powerful individual then Album and I may very well need your help.¡±


    Ryokumo snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t sell yourself short, Nigreos. We both know you two are perfectly capable of handling the situation.¡± The man chuckled. ¡°But even if I wanted to go with you, I can¡¯t. Reigious has Nakoma and I in charge of dealing with the few attackers we caught in the Citadel raid¡­which you two haven¡¯t exactly made easy for us. After all, there¡¯s not much they can tell us about Rista Pine if they don¡¯t remember the bastard.¡±


    Nigreos shrugged. ¡°We did what we thought was best at the moment. Hindsight¡¯s clearer than a Liquet Crystal after all.¡±


    Ryokumo chuckled. ¡°Very true, my friend. Don¡¯t worry about it though. We¡¯ll deal with the situation. They may not know what Pine intended but that doesn¡¯t mean they aren¡¯t familiar with their plan. They¡¯ll talk eventually. You just worry about reclaiming the gem.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough. In that case. I should get some sleep. It¡¯s going to be a long few weeks,¡± he grumbled.


    ¡°Agreed,¡± the other man replied, extending his hand. ¡°Luck to you, old friend.¡±


    Nigreos grinned, firmly grasping Ryokumo¡¯s hand. ¡°And to you.¡±


    ***


    Ryokumo watched silently as Nigreos Noctis turned and made his way through the double doors of the Map Room. The Master of Wind said nothing more, feeling that the conversation had contained everything worth talking about. When the door shut and he was left alone in the room once, he turned and stared back at the QuaerBasim, furrowing his brow in thought.


    Abi Reiner¡¯s son, huh?


    He walked over to stand before the pedestal and reached his hand out to touch the glowing green ball that represented the world his old friend loved so much. Much of what she did there was still unknown to Ijiria, and her reasons for leaving were never revealed. All the country¡¯s leaders knew was that she got her hands on a Realm Dagger and disappeared, only to be found many years later. When she returned, she wasn¡¯t the same. In fact, as they found out shortly after, she started a rebellion against the High Council and the King of Ijiria and was the cause of the theft of the Assassination Gem that they now sought to reclaim. Despite knowing more about it all than he ever revealed to the council and the crown, so much of the woman was still a mystery to him and now, there was no longer any way to learn the answers he so strongly desired.


    But if her son is, in fact, involved in this situation...perhaps more answers are about to come to light.


    He grinned. The winds are changing. I can tell. Something big is about to happen and whatever it is is almost certainly going to change the multiverse. It¡¯s all simply a matter of whether those changes are going to be for the better.

 Chapter 7- A Face That Isnt Her Own

    Chapter VII


    For Lilly, it felt as if time had simply stopped. The hallway was silent as she stood there, fingers wrapped around the orange gem, while she stared down at the face before her¡ªa face that belonged to her. The doppelganger looked as surprised as she felt, which once again made her wonder if there was, in fact, some sort of weird mirror in front of her that was distorting the world and making it appear as if she were on the ground despite her standing up. However, she knew that was ridiculous since it was obvious that the image before her wasn¡¯t a simple reflection. It was silly to think otherwise and yet, she found herself unable to accept that what she was looking at was real. Simply put, it was impossible. She knew as a fact that she didn¡¯t have a twin so the only other explanation was that she had to be seeing things.


    ¡°Um...guys?¡± Alice said suddenly, breaking the silence. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    It was then she remembered that Alice and Jay were standing nearby though, despite having been behind her just moments before, they were now directly in front of her and behind the doppelganger. Both had uncomfortable looks on their faces but, for some reason, they didn¡¯t seem terribly shocked.


    Wait, where¡¯s Eric?


    Remembering that the boy had been standing in front of her just before everything went white, she turned to look over her shoulder, wondering if he might know what was going on. He did claim to have some sort of magic and, while she felt stupid for even thinking it, she was prepared to believe even that if it explained what was happening. Yet, when she looked, there was no sign of the lanky boy. The hall behind her was devoid of any other students.


    What happened to him?


    ¡°Uh...Reiner? You good?¡± Jay asked, a tone of irritation in his voice. ¡°What the hell are the two of you doing anyway? You gonna take the stone or what?¡±


    Lilly¡¯s head snapped back to stare at the boy. He was talking to Eric despite the fact that the boy was nowhere to be found while also not seemingly confused by the fact that there were now two of her. Could he just not see her double or was something else going on. What threw her off even more was that he was looking directly at her when he asked the question despite having addressed Eric. Getting irritated by the situation and wanting some sort of answer, she decided to respond.


    ¡°What on earth are you talking about, Jay¡ª?¡±


    Lilly paused mid-sentence, her eyes growing wide once again. She noticed the difference almost instantly. The voice that came from her mouth when she spoke wasn¡¯t hers. Her voice was all of a sudden deeper and, despite sounding so foreign to her, was also oddly familiar.


    ¡°Uh, are you high, dude?¡± Jay growled. ¡°I mean, come on. Stop screwing around. Just take the stone and get outta here. We got places to be. I don¡¯t have time to deal with your nonsensical ramblings.¡±


    He¡¯s talking to me? she realized. But he¡¯s addressing Eric? That doesn¡¯t make any sense¡­


    It was then that a possibility suddenly occurred to her. If not for the already strange course of events, she would have considered herself utterly pathetic for even thinking that it might be possible. Yet, in a situation where nothing was making sense, she couldn¡¯t help but to try and reason it out with any answer she could come up with. She quickly turned away from Jay to her double still crouched on the ground. She was no longer staring back at her but instead down at her own body. Slowly, the girl reached up and grabbed a strand of her hair, pulling it out to look at it. She then turned her attention to her hand before placing it against her chest. Lilly instantly felt her cheeks go red and she considered herself lucky that both Jay and Alice were looking at her and not the double. However, the double¡¯s reaction to her own body and Lilly¡¯s position in relation to her made her hypothesis seem even more likely.


    When she looked down at herself, however, her suspicions, despite being utterly ridiculous, were confirmed.


    The sight she was greeted with was not her own body but one completely foreign to her. Her chest was much broader than before and her arms were longer. In addition, she was no longer wearing the girl¡¯s uniform of West Wilham High but the boy¡¯s, with long dark blue slacks in place of the skirt she normally wore. She slowly raised her hand up to her own chest and exhaled sharply. She could tell instantly that, in addition to no longer having a bra on, her chest was completely flat...like a boy¡¯s. Her hair wasn¡¯t hanging down in her vision either and when she reached her hand up to her head, she found that it was cut so short that she could only see a little bit of her bangs in her field of vision.


    ¡°Fucking hell,¡± Jay snapped. ¡°What? You got a headache now, Reiner?¡±


    In contrast to Jay¡¯s irritation, Alice looked genuinely concerned as she looked between Lilly and the double, her brow furrowing as she noticed the girl on the ground tugging at her skirt.


    ¡°Guys? Is something going on?¡± she asked hesitantly, before turning to address the double. ¡°Lilly? Are you okay? What happened?¡±


    The double seemed to realize she was being addressed as she suddenly turned her attention away from her skirt and looked directly up at Alice. Lilly held her breath, wondering if the girl was going to say anything when, out of the blue, she suddenly smiled. However, it wasn¡¯t a sweet or happy smile but one of intense excitement. Moments later, she began laughing. Jay and Alice both stared at her like she had lost her mind and Lilly could feel her cheeks heating up in embarrassment.


    ¡°Yes!¡± the double suddenly exclaimed. ¡°This is it! I knew that stone had held some sort of power but I never imagined it would be something like this!¡± She then turned to stare directly at Lilly, her smile widening. ¡°Don¡¯t you see what we¡¯ve discovered! They all doubted me and yet I was right! Finally, after all this time!¡±


    ¡°Uh...Harper,¡± Jay stuttered, looking genuinely thrown off for the first time since Lilly had met him. ¡°Wh-what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    The double continued to laugh before seeming to think of something. Before Lilly could snap out of her shock and try to talk to her, the double spun on her heel and darted through the open entrance of the boy¡¯s bathroom just behind her.


    ¡°Wha¡ª!¡± She tried to call out but her voice caught in her throat.


    ¡°Wait, Lilly!¡± Alice protested.


    Jay was staring after her like she was insane. ¡°That¡¯s the boy¡¯s bathroom, Harper!¡±


    Feeling her panic begin to increase even more and knowing she had to do something, Lilly acted on impulse and raced after the girl with her face. Normally she wouldn¡¯t dream of going into the boy¡¯s bathroom but, given the absurdity of her circumstances, she decided she had bigger problems to worry about.


    The minute she entered the bathroom, she noticed Brad Fischer at one of the sinks, staring at her double while clearly stunned that a girl would so nonchalantly walk into the boy¡¯s room. She feared the rumors that could potentially spread after this but she forced herself to push the thought from her mind and deal with the problem at hand. Yet, despite already having an idea of what might¡¯ve happened to her, when she stopped alongside her double at the sink and stared into the mirror before her, she still wasn¡¯t prepared for the face that stared back. There was no denying it anymore. Her reflection no longer displayed her own features. Instead, when she looked in the mirror, she found the face of Eric Reiner staring back.


    Holy shit! he thought in horror. So...I''m not seeing things? This is real life? I¡¯m...actually in Eric¡¯s body? Then that means¡­?


    She slowly turned away from her own features and to the girl beside her, who was staring at her reflection with wide eyes and an ecstatic grin.


    That¡¯s Eric then¡­ He and I...switched bodies?!


    Lilly wasn¡¯t one to even consider the possibility that the supernatural could be real. She was a realist and didn¡¯t care for playing games and pretending like the world had some cool secrets it hid from the common person so to have somehow switched bodies with somebody threw her mind into disarray. In addition, she felt overwhelmingly confused. Despite being much taller and with a deeper voice, not to mention she was now a guy, something she didn¡¯t even want to consider, nothing felt weird. She didn¡¯t feel off balance despite the drastic shift in body weight. It felt almost as if she had been born in that body and had already lived her life with it. The only real differences she felt were smaller things like the rougher feeling of her skin or the odd sensation of speaking with a lower voice. It was both painfully foreign and uncomfortably normal. She spared another glance at Eric, wondering what could possibly be going through his mind while also fearing what he could do with her body. After all, she didn¡¯t know the guy and thus, had no reason to think he would consider her own reputation and well-being while suddenly being in the body of a girl.


    ¡°H-hey!¡± Brad finally stuttered, staring straight at Eric. ¡°This is the guys room! What the fuck are you doing?¡±


    Lilly turned to look at the big boy, trying desperately to find something to say that could save the situation. But when she realized that, as far as Brad knew, she was Eric Reiner, and therefore, anything she said would probably just make the situation worse. In addition, it seemed the real Eric didn¡¯t have the same fears as, much to her terror, he turned to look at Brad with a smug grin on her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m well aware of the room I am in, dear Fischer,¡± he said. ¡°However, you must feel like a true fool now! All of your declarations of my stupidity when, in reality, I¡¯ve had magic at my fingertips this whole time!¡±


    Shut up! You dumbfuck! You¡¯re gonna make me look like a cringy idiot!


    Yet, she couldn¡¯t get her voice to work. Instad, she was forced to watch as Eric made an utter fool of her. Brad was staring at her in clear confusion and, before he could say anything, Eric continued, turning his attention to the orange gem still clutched in Lilly¡¯s grasp.


    ¡°Yes¡­so this is how it works. Fascinating. Truly fascinating.¡± Then, he began laughing once again, reaching forward to take it from her. She didn¡¯t have the strength or the care to resist. ¡°I need to tell the others! Damien¡¯s gonna flip when he sees this! Come on, Harper!¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­!¡± she protested, but Eric ignored her.


    Instead, he turned and bolted out the door, leaving Lilly and Brad to stare after him in shock. She didn¡¯t know what to do or even how to process what was happening but, knowing that she both needed to figure out what was going on and how to switch back, as well as knowing she couldn¡¯t just let Eric run around in her body, Lilly decided she would have to deal with finding an explanation for Brad, Jay, and Alice later. She then sprinted through the door and turned to see Eric rushing down the hall.


    ¡°Reiner?¡± Jay snapped, still standing beside Alice, both looking completely unnerved. ¡°What the fuck is going on?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± she stuttered. ¡°I¡¯ll...explain later!¡±


    Then, leaving Jay to shout after her in protest, she turned and sprinted after Eric, praying that she could figure out a way to both switch back into her own body and to prevent Eric from doing anything else.


    ***


    Liz sat with her head against the desk as she fidgeted with her blue mechanical pencil. Damien was still focussed on his homework, Vinny was probably surfing some online message board on his phone, and Eric still hadn¡¯t returned from the bathroom. Because of this, she was quite bored. Normally, there was always something entertaining going on in the clubroom but, with Eric not in and the other two worn out from club rush, it was a rare quiet day. The girl had her headphones, which she usually wore around her neck when she wasn¡¯t using them, over her ears and was listening to some relaxing piano music¡ªsomething that was usually very helpful in clearing her mind. Liz sighed, repeatedly clicking the pencil until the lead fell out and then carefully putting it back in through the tip only to start the process over again.


    I wonder what¡¯s taking Eric so long. Did the poor guy just eat something bad? She smirked, remembering the time he ate one of the school cafeteria¡¯s bean tacos and claimed that it had ruined his stomach for nearly two weeks.


    Well, he wasn¡¯t being totally over-the-top about it. The school tacos are utter shit.


    Liz had only eaten them once and she had to agree with Eric in that both of them swore to never eat them again. Vinny, however, seemed to like them and neither she nor Eric could fathom what his stomach was made out of to be able to handle it.


    She chuckled. Good times, I suppose.


    The girl then glanced over her shoulder at Damien, who was staring at his computer with a look that made him seem lost in thought. She watched him for a moment, marveling at how cute he looked whenever he was struggling with his homework. The boy then seemed to come to an epiphany as he suddenly sat up straighter and began hurriedly typing.


    Good job, Damien she silently cheered. You get that homework done!


    She smiled happily and was turning back to face forward when the door to the clubroom suddenly burst open. Figuring it was Eric, she pulled her headphones down just as Vinny jumped at the sudden noise. Both of them turned to look at the door and both immediately stared in surprise since the person at the door wasn¡¯t Eric, but a girl from their year that Liz only barely recognized. They had a few classes together and Liz remembered Eric and Vinny teasing her during club rush but it took a moment for her to remember the girl¡¯s name.


    Oh, Lilly Harper, she recalled.That new girl. But what the hell would she want with us? There¡¯s no way Vinny and Eric actually convinced her to join the club.


    Lilly was stopped in the doorway, looking at each of them in turn before suddenly smiling in a mischievous manner and stalking inside.


    ¡°Damien! Off the computer, my friend!¡± she called out. ¡°I am commencing an emergency meeting of the Magical and Other Anomalies Investigation Team and attendance is mandatory!¡±


    Uh...what the hell?


    Liz, and even the typically quick to react Vinny, just stared at the girl in shock. Damien, who hadn¡¯t bothered to turn around when the door initially opened, spun around in his chair and furrowed his brow as he looked at Lilly.


    ¡°Uh...are you, like, trying to do an impression of Eric or something?¡± Vinny finally managed to get out. ¡°Cause, uh, full marks and all but...why?¡±


    Lilly laughed, shaking her head in clear amusement. ¡°I would assume my impression would be flawless, Vin¡¯. After all, while I might not look like it, I am Eric Reiner! This is no impression but the real deal!¡±


    Liz opened and closed her mouth, still unable to get herself to say anything. She exchanged looks with Damien, tilting her head in question, but he merely shrugged as if to say he had no idea what was going on either.


    I don¡¯t get this, she thought in bafflement.


    Vinny was nodding his head but he was staring at Lilly like he thought he was imagining everything. ¡°Okay. So you¡¯re Eric? Is that what we¡¯re going with?¡±


    Lilly nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Vinny chuckled and shook his head. ¡°Alright, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on but I¡¯ll get behind this.¡±


    ¡°Vinny,¡± Damien snapped. ¡°Don¡¯t just accept this! She¡¯s clearly trying to screw with us!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and Eric probably put her up to it,¡± he responded casually. ¡°I, for one, think this is hilarious.¡± The boy then turned to look at Lilly with a grin. ¡°So? How much is the dumbass paying you?¡±


    Liz was still trying to process what was going on when, before Lilly could respond to Vinny¡¯s question, Eric Reiner himself appeared from behind her, looking so out of breath that Liz realized he must have run there as fast as he could.


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°You¡¯re...really out...of shape,¡± he grunted, eyeing Lilly with an irritated expression.


    Lilly merely shrugged. ¡°And you¡¯re quite fast. I¡¯m impressed. You run or something?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Damien snapped, getting to his feet and putting his fingers to the bridge of his nose as if the situation was giving him a headache. ¡°Eric, now that you¡¯re here, you mind explaining what you¡¯re doing? Did you pay her?¡±


    Eric suddenly seemed to notice the three others in the room and, instead of reacting with his typical dramatic flair, he seemed to pull back, as if just being there was making him uncomfortable. Lilly, by contrast, did exactly what she had expected him to do.


    ¡°You guys really don¡¯t have any faith in me, do you?¡± she asked with a laugh. ¡°Come on! I¡¯d never pay some random girl to do something like this! I¡¯m offended you would even suggest it, Damien!¡±


    The boy just stared silently back at her, as if his brain was once again struggling to find some way to react to Lilly¡¯s performance.


    At the very least, she deserves an award for acting, Liz thought to herself. She might be screwing with us but her impression of Eric is so on point that part of me wants to just bow down to her right here. I mean, the girl can act!


    ¡°Oh, I love this!¡± Vinny cheered, looking like he was having the time of his life. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m biting! Miss Lilly, if you are telling the truth and you are Eric Reiner then I want you to explain to me how this little predicament happened!¡±


    Lilly grinned slyly. ¡°That I can do! You see¡­¡± She then reached down into the pocket of her skirt and, much to Liz¡¯s shock, produced the orange gemstone that Eric had found at the beach. ¡°...this is the cause. I told you all at the start of school and I¡¯ll say it again! This gemstone is magic and now I know what it does! You see, Vinny, it has caused me to switch bodies with Lilly Harper!¡±


    Liz and Damien once again exchanged looks of confusion and even Vinny failed to react immediately. The blonde boy¡¯s smile wavered a bit as he stared at the stone clutched between Lilly¡¯s fingers.


    Switched bodies? Liz¡¯s attention shifted over to where Eric was still standing quietly, looking like he really wanted to say something but also not knowing what to say. I know Eric isn¡¯t a bad actor either but it¡¯s almost scary how good he is at mimicking Lilly¡¯s facial expressions from club rush. Not to mention, he doesn¡¯t do things for no reason. Sure, he has his fun and all but a prank like this is really out of character for him. It¡¯s almost if¡­


    Coming to a quick decision, Liz got to her feet and faced Lilly with a challenging grin. ¡°So you¡¯re telling me that you actually are Eric Reiner and that the gemstone switched you into Lilly¡¯s body?¡±


    Lilly nodded firmly. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m telling you.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then how did it happen? How did the gem switch you?¡± she pressed.


    Damien looked at her like she was crazy for even bothering to pretend like she believed him but Liz wanted to be certain that this was a mere prank. As arguably stupid as it was for her to even consider that Lilly might be telling the truth, she wanted confirmation just to ease her mind.


    Lilly didn¡¯t even hesitate to give her response. ¡°We touched the gem at the same time.¡±


    This time, it was Vinny who replied. ¡°Touched? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Are we seriously playing along with this?¡± Damein muttered but all present in the room ignored him.


    ¡°We touched it,¡± Lilly explained. ¡°I had my hand on the gem and so did she. I think it acts as a pathway or something for the consciousnesses to flow into the opposite body.¡±


    Liz frowned, realizing that in all the time Eric had the gem, none of them ever touched the thing at the same time. Eric¡¯s annoying habit of constantly tossing it prevented that. With the information she wanted, Liz decided to go in for the final strike in determining what was going on.


    ¡°Okay then,¡± she said, extending her hand out. ¡°Let¡¯s switch then, Reiner.¡±


    Eric suddenly looked horrified, like he wanted to protest, but the boy kept quiet, which only furthered Liz¡¯s fear that something might have actually been going on. Vinny and Damien were staring at her with cocked eyebrows but she ignored them all, facing only Lilly.


    ¡°Why not, right?¡± she pressed. ¡°If you aren¡¯t lying then it should switch us. After all, there¡¯s no way I could think you weren¡¯t telling the truth if I wound up in Lilly¡¯s body.¡±


    Part of her had expected Lilly to find some way around it and yet, she still found herself unsurprised when the girl grinned wryly and extended her own hand, holding the gem out for Liz to touch. The room was silent, as if even Damien were holding his breath to see what would happen, so, deciding she should just go for it, Liz stepped forward and placed her bare palm against the orange surface of the stone.


    Instantly, everything went white.


    What the hell?


    She immediately began to panic, frantically trying to look around to see anything but she couldn¡¯t move. It was like she didn¡¯t have any physical existence and, before the terror could truly set in, she found herself back in the clubroom where she had been moments earlier. It was so sudden that she was forced to blink to get her vision to stop being blurry. Yet when she did, she was greeted with a sight that caused her to inhale sharply.


    She was looking at her own features, which had a smug grin upon them that was very reminiscent of Eric. Knowing what must¡¯ve happened but not wanting to believe in something so preposterous, she hurriedly tried to find some way to prove that she was wrong. Yet, the minute she realized she was seeing clearly without glasses and that her hair was cut down to her shoulders, she knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was no longer in her own body but in the one owned by Lilly Harper.


    Which means¡­


    The person in Eric''s body is the real Lilly and the person now in mine is¡­


    Eric!


    ¡°Vinny, give me your phone!¡± Liz shouted suddenly, turning a frantic look to the blonde boy.


    ¡°W-what?!¡±


    ¡°Just do it!¡± she insisted.


    To his credit, Vinny took it from the desk and handed it to her, all the while looking completely thrown off by everything that was going on. Once she was holding his phone, Liz immediately pulled up the camera and put it into selfie mode.


    Oh my god¡­ I can¡¯t believe this! she thought. Eric wasn¡¯t full of it? He...actually found magic! What the hell! This can¡¯t actually be happening! The whole club is just supposed to be a joke! I never thought he¡¯d find something to actually investigate!


    It was such a surreal experience, staring down at a reflection that wasn¡¯t hers. She slowly raised her free hand to touch her face and the image of Lilly in the phone did the same. Liz narrowed her eyes, slowly lowering the phone and placing it back on Vinny¡¯s desk. Then, as expected, the person she now realized was Eric spoke, his tone and mannerisms the same but now with her own voice and face.


    ¡°What did I tell you, Liz?¡± he asked slyly. ¡°This gem has the magical properties to allow people to switch bodies and I have figured out how to use it! In fact¡­¡± He smirked, glancing over at Damien, who was looking between the two of them as if begging somebody to explain. ¡°I suppose I have finally found a way to counteract your siren¡¯s song! Now that I have your face, Damien will be wrapped around my finger! With this, the war is essentially won!¡±


    This time, even Vinny was unable to play along with what he believed was a joke. The way Eric was speaking was so similar to his normal behavior that seeing it coming from Liz¡¯s body must have had even him shaken up. Despite the situation, Liz clenched her teeth, turned, and stalked toward Eric. She knew that since he was currently her, she couldn¡¯t exactly slap him for his stupid comments so, instead, she grabbed his collar and wrenched him close so she was looking right into her own eyes.


    ¡°You do anything to my body, Reiner, and I swear to god, you¡¯ll be butchered so thoroughly that they won¡¯t be able to tell your ass from your head...which you definitely don¡¯t want seeing as it¡¯s already hard enough as it is!¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡± Eric laughed. ¡°I¡¯m you though. You wouldn¡¯t dare to harm your own face, witch!¡±


    ¡°Call me a witch with my mouth again and I¡¯ll tell Harper to take off her pants for all in this room to see your pale ass!¡±


    Having her usual back-and-forth with Eric served to calm her nerves a little bit but she was still internally freaking out. Part of her wanted to immediately take the gem from Eric and switch back into her own body while the more curious part of her wanted to see what being somebody else was like. At the same time, though, she also felt like turning bright red at the realization that Eric Reiner could feel every inch of her body like it was his own.


    ¡°Enough of this,¡± Damien suddenly growled, looking between Eric and Liz in a strange mix of fury and panic. ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Liz, you can¡¯t actually be playing along with this, right?!¡±


    Naturally, her boyfriend was addressing Eric, who she could tell was about to say something else stupid, so she immediately turned and began stalking across the room. Damien turned to her in surprise, his eyes narrowed in obvious suspicion.


    ¡°Er, Harper?¡± he said hesitantly.


    She ignored him, stopping only inches away from him before leaning down so that her lips were right beside his ear. She saw him tense up and, despite feeling a pang of sadness as seeing the boy she loved so uncomfortable around her, she did what she had to and whispered soft enough that only he would hear.


    ¡°If I were lying to you and I wasn¡¯t actually Liz, then how would I know about that cute little birthmark on your ass that you¡¯re so embarrassed about?¡±


    Damien¡¯s eyes went wide as he jerked backwards, hitting his hip against the table. His mouth was open but he couldn¡¯t seem to get any words out. Liz simply smiled smugly, folding her arms across her chest in satisfaction.


    ¡°Y-you¡­!¡± the boy was stuttering.


    ¡°Would I ever tell anybody something like that?¡± Liz went on. ¡°Because I¡¯d be really hurt if my boyfriend trusted me so little. So, which is more likely, Damien¡ªyour girlfriend is a liar or magic is real. Choose wisely. Your love life depends on it.¡±


    She was mostly joking since even she probably wouldn¡¯t have believed in magic so quickly when put on the spot but part of her did hope that Damien wouldn¡¯t be so quick to think she betrayed his trust and told a random girl like Lilly Harper one of his more self-conscious secrets.


    After a moment, he sighed, looking up at Liz with a tired expression. ¡°Are you really telling me that Eric isn¡¯t full of it¡ªthat the damn stone can actually switch people¡¯s bodies?¡±


    ¡°See for yourself, buddy,¡± Eric called over, holding the gem up for Damien to see.


    But the boy instantly shook his head. ¡°No. I¡­if that is actually magic then¡­I don¡¯t want any part of it. For now¡­I¡¯ll take Liz¡¯s word.¡±


    Liz smiled. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°W-wait, hold on!¡± Vinny protested, looking at Damien in shock. ¡°Are you being serious? I thought this whole thing was a joke!¡±


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Liz snapped. ¡°If you think I would ever do something so embarrassing as an impression of Eric then I¡¯m a little pissed off! What do you take me for, Vin¡¯?¡±


    The blonde boy looked between the other three members of the Magic Club in disbelief before seeming to find some convincing. ¡°Alright! I want proof too then! Eric!¡± He turned to look at the boy turned girl and forced a confident smile. ¡°Let¡¯s switch.¡±


    ¡°Oh hell no!¡± Liz protested immediately. ¡°It¡¯s bad enough that Eric had ever been in my body! I¡¯m sure as hell not letting you in it! God¡­I¡¯m gonna have to find some way to bleach my insides!¡±


    Damien sighed, putting his head in his hands. ¡°If anybody ever overheard this out of context¡­¡±


    Smirking at his comment, something suddenly occurred to Liz and she spun to face the door in embarrassment. Lilly, in Eric¡¯s body, was still standing in the doorway, staring down at the ground.


    Oh the poor girl!


    ¡°Eric, give me the gem,¡± Liz ordered. ¡°I¡¯m giving poor Lilly her body back before your ugly ass scars her for life!¡±


    Lilly looked up in surprise at the mention of her name while Eric merely chuckled.


    ¡°Oh, right. Whoops,¡± he said with a laugh before tossing the gem over the desks and towards Liz.


    The girl caught it then turned and made her way to the doorway. She put on as sweet of a smile as she could to appear comforting to the girl.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about this,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re really confused.¡±


    Lilly nodded softly. ¡°Uh, yeah. A bit.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t do anything to embarrass you, did he?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    Ignoring Eric¡¯s protest, Lilly seemed to hesitate for a moment before shaking her head.


    ¡°No. Nothing.¡±


    Liz smiled. ¡°Good.¡± Then, she held the gem out for Lilly to touch. ¡°Then I¡¯ll give you your body back so you can leave. That way, you won¡¯t have to worry about that asshole being inside you again. After all, just thinking about him being in me makes me shiver.¡±


    ¡°Seriously, Liz, word choice,¡± Damien grumbled.


    She smirked before shaking her head. ¡°So go ahead, Lilly.¡±


    As much as she both dreaded the thought of once again being stuck in that white void and being in the body of not only a guy but Eric, Liz wanted to make the girl feel as comfortable as possible. She couldn¡¯t imagine what Lilly was thinking and she was sure the magic was overwhelming her. Taking Eric¡¯s body for a few seconds was the least she could do.


    Whispering a soft ¡°thanks¡±, Lilly reached out and pressed her fingers to the stone¡¯s surface.


    Moments later, everything went white.


    ***


    For the entirety of her trip home, Lilly¡¯s mind was spinning so fast that she barely spent a few seconds on a thought before something else came to mind. Everything that went down that afternoon was like something out of a movie and she still couldn¡¯t fully believe it had actually happened. After Liz Tao had given her body back, Lilly had immediately turned and sprinted from the club room, wanting to get as far away from them and their magic gemstone as possible.


    I still can¡¯t believe that happened, she thought with a shiver as she picked at her plate of spaghetti with her fork. It wasn¡¯t a dream. It was real life. That orange gem actually caused me to switch bodies with Eric Reiner. I was him. I was in his body.


    She could still vividly remember the feeling of being him. While, for some reason, being in his body hadn¡¯t felt as weird and unnatural as one would have expected, the drastic difference between her and him was still noticeable. All of the foreign sensations of being in his body were fresh in her mind and some of them were best left forgotten.


    She felt her cheeks burning at the memory of the various sensations that she knew a girl should never have felt in her lifetime.


    Geez, she thought. Well, how many girls can say they¡¯ve ever had a dick? Though, I suppose at least two.


    Her attempt at an internal joke did nothing to soothe her discomfort and instead made her feel nauseous all over again.


    She grimaced at her plate of dinner, not feeling hungry in the slightest and instead wishing she could run to her room and hide under her covers while attempting to erase the memories of that insane day.


    But what now? she suddenly wondered. What am I supposed to do? Magic actually exists! Everybody scoffs at that club because of their belief in it and now it turns out they¡¯re right?! What are they even going to do with that damn thing? I can¡¯t imagine what the ability to switch bodies would even be good for aside from¡­


    She gritted her teeth as her mind went to dirty thoughts once again.


    Stop thinking like that, Lilly! It¡¯s disgusting!


    ¡°Hey, Lil¡¯?¡±


    Lilly snapped out of her thoughts at the voice of her sister. When she looked up and across the dinner table, she saw Alexa looking at her with a concerned expression.


    ¡°Uh, yeah?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Are you okay? You¡¯re kinda just picking at your food. Did something happen?¡±


    Yeah¡­something happened¡­and if I told you what, you¡¯d think I was crazy!


    ¡°No¡­I¡¯m just not hungry,¡± she lied. ¡°Do you want my food?¡±


    Her sister frowned. ¡°No. You should eat dinner! You¡¯re already skinny enough as it is! Eat!¡±


    ¡°I told you, I¡¯m not hungry,¡± she grumbled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m perfectly healthy.¡±


    Alexa cocked an eyebrow, glancing sideways into the kitchen where their mother was cleaning.


    ¡°Mom. Tell Lilly to eat,¡± she called out.


    Their mother simply laughed. ¡°If she¡¯s not hungry then she doesn¡¯t have to eat. I¡¯ll put it in the fridge so she can eat it later.¡±


    Lilly sighed in relief. ¡°Thanks, Mom.¡±


    Anxious to be by herself again, Lilly hurriedly got to her feet and took her plate into the kitchen for her mother to put away. She then rushed past the table and, ignoring Alexa¡¯s concerned look, went into the hallway. When she arrived in their room, she shut the door behind her and flopped onto the bed.


    What am I supposed to do? Should I just go on with my life and pretend like it never happened? She snorted. Yeah, sure. Like that¡¯s gonna happen. No way in hell I can act like something like that didn¡¯t happen.


    She rolled onto her side and grimaced.


    Should I go back and talk to them? No, that sounds awful! I can hardly stand Jay and those four are twenty times weirder! Add that magic stone into the mix and it¡¯s just a recipe for insanity! I want to just go about my life like normal and I especially want to be alone.


    She turned and stuffed her face into her pillow before groaning.


    Although, something tells me that I¡¯m never going to see ¡°normal¡± again.


    ***


    Damien Clark sat in his room, staring up at his ceiling with a nervous expression. His phone was still clutched in his hand, his call with Liz having ended just moments earlier. Outside his window, the sun had already gone down and night had arrived. Normally, this would be the part of the day when he started winding down and getting ready to go to bed, yet he couldn¡¯t seem to calm his pounding heartbeat.


    If that wasn¡¯t all some elaborate prank to screw with me then¡­Eric actually got his hands on some magic.


    Despite the absurdity of the claims, he found himself fairly confident that they weren¡¯t lying. For one, whenever Eric or Vinny pranked him, they would always own up to it after seeing his reaction. The very fact they hadn¡¯t was enough to cause doubt. Then there was the simple fact that seeing both Lilly and Liz acting like Eric so perfectly was unnerving. But what really did it for him  was ¡°Lilly¡± whispering in his ear about his birthmark. Aside from his family, Liz was the only other person who knew about it since it was embarrassing and he was fully confident that she wouldn¡¯t ever tell anybody for a mere prank since she knew how self-conscious he was about his body.


    For the time being, he was going to believe that he wasn¡¯t getting messed with and the gemstone actually could switch people¡¯s bodies. Once Liz had switched with Lilly, the girl had instantly, and understandably, fled, leaving them to figure out the gem. Liz and Eric then switched back and everybody was back to normal. From there, Vinny and Eric swapped and the blonde boy¡¯s stunned reaction just served to convince Damien even more that something was going on. Still, despite their attempts to convince him, he refused to touch that gem.


    So, if this is actually magic then¡­what does this mean? Has Eric been right this whole time and magic is actually more common than we realize? If so then who knows? Is this a government secret? Or is it hidden from even those in power?


    Damien leaned forward in his seat and sighed.


    I don¡¯t like this. Where did that gem come from? There¡¯s no way it just appeared out of nowhere. It had to have gotten in that cave somehow. The boy frowned. And there¡¯s no doubt that magic is a secret. Whoever lost that stone will surely want it back. So what happens when they find it? We could be in actual danger right now. Hell, we might¡¯ve stumbled upon a conspiracy that could get us all killed.


    He scowled. And then there¡¯s Lilly. What¡¯s she going to do now? She¡¯s the only one other than us who knows about the stone. What¡¯s she thinking about all this? Hell, being in Eric¡¯s body probably traumatized her.


    Damien got to his feet and began to pace. We should just get rid of the stone. If we throw it in the sea and pretend we never knew about it then maybe we can just go on like nothing happened.


    He shook his head. The problem is¡­there¡¯s no doubt in my mind that Eric is never going to give that thing up.

 Chapter 8- Explaining the Unexplainable

    Chapter VIII


    When the following morning arrived, Lilly was so tired that she knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was going to be at risk of falling asleep in class during the upcoming day. She hadn¡¯t gotten a wink of sleep since her mind had been so focused on trying to process the previous day¡¯s events. Part of her was still trying to find some way to brush it all off as a dream or a hallucination but no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn¡¯t accept it as anything more than reality. That little orange gemstone had switched her into the body of Eric Reiner.


    Magic existed. There was no way for her to deny that anymore. It was real and those in the Magic Club had their hands on it. She had no idea what they would do with it, but what she did know was that she didn¡¯t want to be involved. She wanted to put as much distance between her and them as possible and go on with her life like nothing had happened. The problem was that it was easier said than done.


    While they were switched, Eric had both monologued like a maniac in front of Jay and Alice then sprinted into the boy¡¯s bathroom where Brad Fischer was. There was no doubt in her mind that the three of them were confused and would be demanding answers from her, especially given the drastic shift in personality that they witnessed.


    Lilly grimaced. Well, Alice and Jay will want to talk. I¡¯d be lucky if Brad didn¡¯t just assume I¡¯m some perverted psycho.


    She shivered at the thought of the rumors that could potentially spread about her. Despite knowing that they would probably keep people away, she was very much against being seen as a pervert or as crazy by her classmates.


    The girl bit her lip nervously, making a right turn and heading up the school¡¯s staircase that would take her to the second floor. Nobody seemed to be looking at her or talking about her so for the time being, she was content to hope that any rumors were confined to Brad and his friends. Of course, she knew that didn¡¯t mean it wouldn¡¯t spread eventually but she was trying to be positive about the situation.


    When she arrived on the second floor, she turned and made her way toward Mrs. Kentz¡¯s English class. She cringed at the sight of the door, knowing with almost certainty that Alice would be waiting within. The girl had gotten to class early every day since school started and, after what happened the previous day, it would be surprising if she was late. Lilly knew there wouldn¡¯t be a way to avoid the conversation and, despite having had all night to think, she still didn¡¯t know how she was going to explain herself. She was grateful that she never gave her phone number to either of them or else she would have been forced to confront them sooner.


    It wasn¡¯t like she could tell the truth. Alice most likely already thought she was insane so claiming that she swapped bodies with Eric would only solidify that image. The problem, however, was that there was no other explanation. How was she supposed to justify going into the boy¡¯s bathroom? There wasn¡¯t a way that wouldn¡¯t make her look crazy.


    Well, she thought with apprehension. At the very least, Alice probably won¡¯t want anything to do with me anymore. I can go back to being a loner like I used to be.


    However, the thought wasn¡¯t as comforting as she wanted it to be. While she wanted to distance herself from the other girl and just be by herself, she certainly didn¡¯t want their brief relationship to crumble under circumstances like the one she currently found herself in.


    Well¡­I might as well get this over with.


    She took a deep breath and walked toward the classroom, whispering a soft ¡°good morning¡± to Kentz before walking through the doorway. It was then that she felt her heart nearly stop as, when she looked over to where she and Alice sat, she saw not only the girl standing there but Jay Brooks as well. She stopped, her eyes going wide. She had hardly been prepared to face Alice, let alone Jay.


    Lilly panicked, wanting to turn around and sprint from the room, when she noticed the other group in the room. Brad¡¯s group of friends were sitting in their usual spot in the back left corner and Lilly immediately noticed the big boy looking at her with an uncomfortable expression. She looked back at him for a moment before the urge to flee overtook her and she turned around, only to stop once again.


    ¡°Harper? Where are you going?¡±


    It was Jay¡¯s voice. Clutching the strap of her backpack so hard that she could feel her fingers losing feeling, she took another deep breath and turned around. Now that they had seen her, running would only make the problem worse. It would be best to just face them head-on and try her best to get the conversation finished as fast as possible.


    Jay and Alice were both standing by her desk, each with mixed expressions of concern and hesitation. The fact that there was no sign of Jay¡¯s normal confident and obnoxious demeanor only further proved to her that the situation wasn¡¯t one she could just brush off like it didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°I¡­just thought I¡­¡± she stuttered.


    ¡°Look,¡± Alice began, albeit with clear discomfort. ¡°Can we just talk really quick? We won¡¯t keep you long if you have somewhere to be though so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Jay snorted, as if he had something he wanted to say but, oddly for him, he kept it to himself.


    Lilly averted her eyes and nodded, reluctantly moving across the classroom to the opposite wall where her desk was. Nobody said anything as she removed her backpack from over her shoulders and set it on the ground under her desk. She then took a seat and waited for one of them to say what it was they wanted to say. To her, it was best to let Alice and Jay take the floor and then attempt to explain herself based on whatever they had.


    ¡°So¡­¡± Alice began, sitting down in the desk in front of her. ¡°I¡¯m just gonna come out and ask. Is everything all right because¡­well, to be blunt, you were really weird yesterday?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an understatement,¡± Jay grunted. ¡°I mean¡­what was all that about the stone having power or whatever? And then you just run into the guy¡¯s bathroom? I mean¡­if I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d have thought you were possessed by Reiner!¡±


    Lilly grimaced inwardly. If only you didn¡¯t know better, Jay. Then explaining this whole thing would be a piece of cake.


    ¡°Is something going on?¡± Alice pressed. ¡°Like¡­something we should know about because¡­if so, then we¡¯re here for you. Just¡­ask and we¡¯ll help.¡±


    Lilly frowned, having not expected to hear something like that come out of her mouth. She had been fully prepared for the two of them to look at her like a nutcase so for Alice to still act like they wanted to help her left her speechless.


    ¡°And we¡¯ll keep whatever it is secret if you want,¡± Jay added. ¡°Clearly you don¡¯t want anybody knowing. So like¡­do you have multiple personalities or¡­?¡±


    She looked between the two, trying desperately to figure out what to say. They stared back at her, both smiling warmly as if trying to comfort her.


    I don¡¯t understand. Why are they being like this? They don¡¯t know me! They don¡¯t have any reason to want to help me! They should think I¡¯m some unstable maniac¡­so why would they want to try to help?!


    ¡°Look,¡± Lilly began softly. ¡°Can you give me some time to think? Honestly¡­even I don¡¯t really know what¡¯s going on.¡±


    She could no longer bring herself to lie¡ªnot after they made it so clear that they were there for her. However, since she couldn¡¯t exactly tell the truth either, she opted to be vague and tell only the part of the truth that she could.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Alice replied sweetly. ¡°Take all the time you need and, when you¡¯re ready, just come to us.¡±


    Jay chuckled. ¡°And it better be a good story after everything we witnessed. Also¡­¡± he added, as if suddenly remembering something. ¡°¡­don¡¯t worry about Fischer telling anybody about what happened. Alice convinced him to keep quiet until we knew what was up.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­thanks,¡± she whispered. ¡°Honestly¡­I mean it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± Jay said with a wave of his hand.


    To her surprise, Lilly smiled. The two of them had annoyed her so much since school started and yet, in that moment, she found herself grateful that they were there. After having everything turned upside down with the stone, it was oddly comforting to have Alice and Jay by her side. However, that comfort only lasted a few minutes before a new voice rang out through the room.


    ¡°Ah, I was hoping I would find you here!¡±


    Cringing inwardly at the voice, Lilly looked past Jay and to the door where Vinny Mickelson was making his way toward her. Luckily, there was no sign of Eric or his little gemstone.


    ¡°The hell do you want, Mickelson?¡± Jay snapped, clearly displeased at the boy¡¯s sudden arrival.


    ¡°Wow, harsh,¡± Vinny replied with a grin. ¡°What¡¯s with the rude tone, buddy? I haven¡¯t even done anything yet. I just wanted to talk to Harper about something.¡±


    Lilly looked down at the desk¡¯s surface, hoping Jay would somehow get Vinny to leave. She wanted to avoid the Magic Club and their stone at all costs so she certainly didn¡¯t want to have any sort of interaction with Vinny.


    ¡°You want to talk to her?¡± Jay snorted. ¡°Does it have to do with your buddy Reiner being all weird around her yesterday?¡±


    Lilly looked up at the blonde boy to see him staring back at her, a knowing smile on his lips.


    ¡°I¡¯d imagine so,¡± he replied. He then addressed her directly. ¡°It won¡¯t be long. I just wanted to talk to you about something outside for a minute. Do you mind?¡±


    Both Jay and Alice looked to her, clearly awaiting her answer and she knew Jay wouldn¡¯t be getting her out of it. If she wanted to avoid talking to Vinny then she would have to reject him herself. However, even though she wanted nothing to do with them, she couldn¡¯t deny that she was slightly curious as to what he wanted.


    Well, he said it wouldn¡¯t take long¡­


    Allowing her curiosity to get the better of her, Lilly nodded and got to her feet, much to the clear surprise of Jay.


    ¡°Awesome,¡± Vinny chirped. ¡°In that case, follow me, my lady.¡±


    Scowling at his dumb addressing of her, Lilly nevertheless followed him from the classroom and out into the crowded hallways beyond. Vinny didn¡¯t take her very far from the class before they arrived at a small gap between lockers where a water fountain was. He leaned up against the wall and grinned.


    ¡°Well, seeing as you can¡¯t exactly call yesterday a proper meeting, I thought I¡¯d first introduce myself.¡± He stuck out a hand in greeting. ¡°I¡¯m Vinny Mickelson. It¡¯s nice to meet ya.¡±


    Lilly stared down at his hand in barely restrained irritation as she wasn¡¯t in the mood for pleasantries. She just wanted him to get to the point so she could leave. Yet, knowing that angering the boy wouldn¡¯t do her any good, she took his hand and shook firmly.


    ¡°I¡¯m Lillian Harper. You can just call me Lilly,¡± she replied.


    The boy nodded. ¡°Coolio. In that case, Lilly, I wanted to talk to you about yesterday.¡±


    Of course he does. What else would he need from me?


    ¡°After all,¡± he went on. ¡°It wasn¡¯t exactly a normal afternoon. It isn¡¯t everyday you come across¡­magic, now is it? Quite frankly, I¡¯m still trying to process the whole thing myself. It was such an insane idea¡­a gem that can switch bodies. It¡¯s like something out of a fairy tale.¡±


    Lilly cringed, glancing back at the passing students for fear of what they would think if they overheard any of the conversation. If Vinny noticed hey worry then he ignored it.


    ¡°My point is¡­¡± he continued. ¡°We¡¯re still trying to figure it all out and, seeing as you¡¯re the only other person who knows about this, it seemed only fair that we let you know that you¡¯re welcome to join us in our investigations. We meet after school in the clubroom.¡±


    Lilly quickly shook her head. ¡°Uh, thanks, but I have cross country practice after school. I wouldn¡¯t be able to make it anyway.¡±


    She knew she couldn¡¯t let her curiosity overcome her. It was best to avoid the whole club and pretend the previous day never happened. And regardless of whether or not the gem intrigued her, it wouldn¡¯t matter if she was busy. Yet, as Vinny welcomed her to join them, part of her was tempted to find some way to make it work just to see what else that magic stone could do despite every ounce of her body urging her to keep her distance from it.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± he replied. ¡°Cross country gets out at five, right? We¡¯re here til around six so there would be plenty of time for you to stop by.¡±


    Lilly immediately looked down at the ground, cursing the fact that she no longer had a confident excuse to not go.


    Don¡¯t be stupid, Lilly! That damn gem already got you in enough trouble as it is¡­not to mention the Magic Club is full of nutcases! There¡¯s no logical reason to even consider taking Vinny up on his offer.


    Yet there was still that feeling of curiosity that nagged at her every time she thought about the fact that magic existed and that she had experienced it. Part of her was starting to fear that she would regret it if she let such an insane opportunity like this pass her up regardless of her desires to keep to herself.


    When she didn¡¯t immediately respond, Vinny chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m starting to realize you aren¡¯t a talkative one.¡± He then shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine. If you don¡¯t want to come then we won¡¯t mind. But just know that this offer comes all the way from our club¡¯s very own president, Mr. Eric Reiner, and I¡¯m sure he¡¯d be quite disappointed if you don¡¯t show.¡±


    The boy winked before giving her a cheerful few pats on the shoulder. Lilly grimaced at the contact but Vinny didn¡¯t seem to notice as he moved to walk past her.


    ¡°I hope to see you later, my friend,¡± he called back to her as he walked into the flow of students. ¡°Take care!¡±


    Lilly stared after him, standing in place as she considered his words.


    Eric¡¯s the one who invited me?


    She recalled how confident and outright strange the boy had been throughout the whole body switching situation. In particular, she thought about how quick he was to embrace and even get excited about what was going on. The way he spoke also made it seem like he wasn¡¯t surprised but had instead expected the stone to have some sort of power.


    The mysteries of Eric Reiner was just one other factor that seemed to be pulling her towards that infamous club.


    She sighed, her thoughts shifting back to the experience of being Eric and all the foreign sensations it came with. She still recalled them all vividly and immediately felt her cheeks warming up. She shook her head and began making her way back toward the classroom.


    I really shouldn¡¯t go there later, she told herself.


    And yet, she wasn¡¯t so sure that she would be able to keep herself from doing so.


    ***


    The beginning of the school day seemed to drone on for far too long so when the bell announcing the start of lunch rang out across the classroom, Vinny Mickelson couldn¡¯t help but to sigh in relief. However, he immediately regretted it when Mr. Alexander, his Honors Inporian History teacher, looked to where he sat in the back of the class and raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Have something you want to add, Mr. Mickelson?¡± the old, balding man asked with narrowed eyes.


    Shit. I was a bit too obvious with my relief there, wasn¡¯t I? he thought with an internal chuckle.


    ¡°Actually yes, sir,¡± he replied as the rest of the class began packing their books into their bags. ¡°I was just thinking how silly it was that Faren Luther fell into the northerners'' trap as easily as he did. For a supposed tactical genius, he seems like a bit of an idiot.¡±


    He could hear a few laughs from the students around him but never once removed his eyes from Mr. Alexander¡¯s features. He was mostly bullshitting his response, but at the same time, he knew enough about the history of the world to make it at least sound believable. Because of this, it took Mr. Alexander a moment to regard him before the old man responded with a snort.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s because you¡¯re overlooking the clear fact that Luther¡¯s opponent was just as clever, if not more so. Not to mention the battle of Cape Cavell was one of the final turning points of the Civil War. Luther had exhausted his forces in the northern campaign and so, he had nothing more to give when General Christi set the trap.¡±


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Vinny nodded. ¡°I suppose you have a point there, sir. My mistake. Next time, I¡¯ll consider all the details a little more carefully.¡±


    ¡°And perhaps you¡¯ll pay more attention in class,¡± Alexander snapped. ¡°I assure you that my lectures can be far more interesting than watching the clock tick if you just apply yourself.¡±


    That¡¯s quite debatable, Vinny thought and, by the dubious looks on the students still straggling in the room, he knew that he wasn¡¯t the only person thinking that.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll see everybody on Monday!¡± the man called out, addressing the other students still in the room. ¡°And don¡¯t forget that the exam on the Civil War will be next Tuesday so use the weekend wisely!¡±


    Vinny smirked as he slid his history book into his backpack, knowing full well that he wouldn¡¯t be opening it again until class the following Monday. It was just as he was getting ready to get up and leave when he noticed somebody stopping just beside his desk. He didn¡¯t even have to look up to know who it was. However, when he did look, he saw a disapproving expression on the boy¡¯s face.


    ¡°Yes, Damien?¡± Vinny asked wryly. ¡°What is it?¡±


    The other boy sighed. ¡°Do you really need to butt heads with Alexander every day? We¡¯ve only been in this class for two weeks and he already looks sick of you.¡±


    Vinny laughed, getting to his feet and sliding his backpack over his shoulder. ¡°He¡¯s not sick of me. Mr. Alexander loves me. That scowl is just how he shows affection.¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡± Damien smirked. ¡°Sure. Keep telling yourself that, Vin¡¯.¡±


    Walking together, the two boys made their way from the classroom and out into the third floor hallway before making a right in the direction of their clubroom where they usually ate lunch together. They kept to the left wall to avoid running into any passing students. Normally, Vinny wasn¡¯t terribly excited for lunch aside from getting to end Alexander¡¯s painfully boring history class but on that day, things were different. If the halls weren¡¯t so crowded, he would already be sprinting.


    After all, they were going to discuss what Vinny and Eric had now dubbed ¡°The Switch¡±.


    I still can¡¯t believe it¡¯s actually real, he thought with anticipation. I mean¡­actual fucking magic!


    When the person he thought had been Lillian Harper had burst into the room the previous afternoon talking identically to Eric, Vinny had genuinely believed that she had been paid by the boy to come in and mess with them. It wasn¡¯t until Liz and Eric switched that he started to doubt it being a prank. After all, he just couldn¡¯t fathom the Elizabeth Tao he knew willingly doing an impression of Eric. However, his confirmation came right after Lilly regained her body and fled the room.


    Liz and Eric returned to their normal bodies and then the tall boy had offered to switch with Vinny. Wanting desperately to make sense of the situation, he had done as he was told and he touched the gemstone. What happened after completely turned his world upside down. He and Eric actually swapped bodies. It hadn¡¯t been a dream or a hallucination or anything of the sort. He had actually been in the body of his old friend.


    I always thought it was just a game, he thought. I thought this Magic Club was just a way to have fun and joke around with friends. I knew Eric believed in it but¡­I always just played alone cause I thought it was more entertaining than acting like the world had nothing magical to offer. But now to actually face something like The Switch¡­


    Vinny glanced to his left where Damien was walking, his head down and his brow furrowed in deep concentration.


    He¡¯s probably thinking about the stone, too. Damien never even pretended to believe in magic so I can¡¯t imagine what¡¯s going through his mind right now.


    ¡°It¡¯s a crazy world we live in, ain¡¯t it?¡± Vinny asked with a grin.


    Damien glanced over at him and shrugged. ¡°I suppose so. I just¡­still can¡¯t make sense of any of this.¡±


    ¡°Of course you can¡¯t,¡± Vinny replied. ¡°It¡¯s magic, dude. It¡¯s not supposed to be sensible.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± The boy shook his head. ¡°Magic doesn¡¯t exist, Vinny. It¡¯s not real! Or at least¡­it shouldn¡¯t be. So¡­I mean, there¡¯s just got to be some sort of explanation for this.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡± Vinny eyed his friend in amusement. ¡°Really? You want a scientific explanation as to how people can swap bodies? Yeah, let me know when you figure that out.¡±


    Damien scowled, briefly glancing around to make sure none of the passing students  were paying them any attention. ¡°Oh, shut up. I¡¯m serious here. It¡¯s not possible for a simple rock to switch bodies. Hell, the whole concept of switching bodies doesn¡¯t even make any goddamn sense.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± the blonde boy asked, genuinely curious to get his take on the situation.


    ¡°Well, for starters, what exactly is getting swapped?¡± he asked.


    Vinny frowned. ¡°What do you mean? Us¡­obviously?¡±


    ¡°No, I mean¡­the soul is just a human construct, right? It¡¯s never actually been proven to exist,¡± Damien explained. ¡°Our consciousness is made up of various functions in our brain. Take memories for example. They¡¯re predominantly dealt with by the hippocampus, right?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Vinny muttered.


    ¡°Okay, so what does the stone do?¡± Damien went on. ¡°Does it transfer memories from one brain to the other? Setting aside the absurdity of a rock having the ability to do that, it¡¯s not like memories make up your entire personality. The hippocampus is in the brain¡¯s temporal lobe while personality is mainly dealt with in the frontal lobe. So does the gem access both lobes? And then does it overwrite it in the new brain?¡±


    Vinny grimaced. ¡°Dude, my head hurts. I dunno. It¡¯s magic! It can probably do whatever the hell it wants!¡±


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t make sense,¡± Damien frowned. ¡°Not to mention the shock it must deal to the mind to suddenly be in a foreign body.¡±


    Vinny shrugged. ¡°I mean I didn¡¯t feel all that different when Eric and I swapped.¡±


    Damien nodded. ¡°Not too surprising, honestly. You and Eric are pretty similar in body types. I¡¯m thinking more about what Eric and Lilly would have experienced.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± the blonde boy said. ¡°Man, that must¡¯ve been an experience. I wonder what it feels like to be a girl. Although you¡¯re right, losing my dick would probably send me into shock from trauma.¡±


    ¡°That aside,¡± Damien grumbled, clearly not amused by Vinny¡¯s attempt at a joke. ¡°Ignoring the obvious anatomical differences between the genders, there¡¯s still size to think about. Eric might not be big in the shoulders but he¡¯s still a dude. Lilly¡¯s smaller than him, not to mention their centers of gravity are much different. Walking around should¡¯ve been a chore on its own but Eric was strutting around in her body as if he¡¯d been born that way. It¡¯s just¡­¡±


    ¡°Look,¡± Vinny interrupted, noticing Mr. Lowe¡¯s classroom coming into view up ahead. ¡°You¡¯re trying to explain the unexplainable, Damien. The answer is magic. Simple as that.¡±


    The other boy scowled. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re just accepting this.¡±


    ¡°Of course I am,¡± he replied casually as they arrived at the door. ¡°What kinda MOAIT member would I be if I didn¡¯t?¡±


    Vinny pulled the door open and stepped inside, immediately noticing Liz and Eric already sitting in the back corner. There were a few seniors eating lunch at various desks but they were on the opposite side of the room meaning they¡¯d have plenty of privacy.


    ¡°Gooooood afternoon, Mr. Lowe!¡± Vinny greeted the older man, who was hunched over his desk, grading papers.


    Lowe barely managed a grunt in reply, which was more than Vinny got on a normal day. Satisfied that their grouchy club advisor was coming around, the blonde boy walked around the desks to where Eric and Liz were sitting.


    ¡°Welcome, fellow investigators,¡± Eric greeted with a grin.


    ¡°Yo,¡± Vinny replied, taking a seat in the desk beside Eric and turning it to face the boy.


    Damien did the same to the desk beside Liz. Once they had the desks turned in a way that had them facing each other, Eric continued.


    ¡°So, now that we¡¯ve all gathered again, I first want to ask you something, Vinny.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Vinny asked, surprised to be the first one to be addressed.


    ¡°Did Lilly Harper take us up on our offer to join?¡± Eric pressed.


    The blonde boy smirked. ¡°I mean, honestly, she really didn¡¯t say much. I guess that means she didn¡¯t say no but she didn¡¯t really say yes either.¡±


    Liz rolled her eyes. ¡°You guys seriously think that girl¡¯s ever coming near us again? If just switching bodies didn¡¯t scar her enough then being Eric is gonna give her PTSD til the day she dies. I know I¡¯m still shivering from the thought and I was only in his body for a minute at most.¡±


    Eric frowned. ¡°Hey! Being me isn¡¯t that bad.¡±


    ¡°Regardless,¡± Liz continued. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t hold my breath. Harper didn¡¯t seem like the type who would mix well with us anyway. And I doubt she¡¯ll tell anybody about the gem¡­not like she''d be believed if she did though.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Damien muttered. ¡°There¡¯s no way she comes back.¡±


    Eric sighed, looking genuinely disappointed for a brief second before returning to his normal confident demeanor.


    ¡°Well, even if Miss Harper doesn¡¯t come back, we still need to figure out what to do with the stone,¡± he said.


    ¡°What to do with it?¡± Liz asked. ¡°What are we supposed to do with it? I mean, as cool as a body swapper is, it¡¯s not like it¡¯s going to be of much use to us. Unless you want to just swap bodies for fun.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why we need to brainstorm,¡± he replied in exasperation. ¡°We need to figure out what good it¡¯ll actually do us.¡±


    Damien sighed. ¡°I still say we chuck it off the pier and into the ocean. That way, we can pretend like it never existed.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Eric exclaimed. ¡°Why would we want to do that?! We¡¯ve finally found a magical talisman and you want to get rid of it?!¡±


    ¡°Of course I do!¡± Damien snapped. ¡°Eric, think about this. We found that thing just laying in the cave, right? It had to come from somewhere! Someone had to have lost it and I highly doubt whoever it was isn¡¯t looking for it! If that thing really is magic then it¡¯s clearly supposed to be a secret from people like us! What do you think is gonna happen when it¡¯s original owners find us?¡±


    Vinny felt a sudden chill go down his spine at the thought. He hadn¡¯t actually considered where the stone might have come from and Damien had a point.


    Yet Eric simply shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not too worried. I don¡¯t think whoever lost it would want to hurt us.¡±


    Liz cocked an eyebrow in bewilderment. ¡°And why is that?¡±


    Eric grinned. ¡°Call it a hunch.¡±


    Vinny chuckled, finding an odd sense of comfort in Eric¡¯s confidence despite it having no apparent reason behind it. Yet, regardless, he felt his worries eased and was able to help brainstorm ways to use the gem with a clear mind. However, despite ignoring it, he couldn¡¯t deny that there was still a nagging sense in the back of his mind telling him that they shouldn¡¯t be so quick to brush Damien¡¯s fear aside.


    ***


    The sound of her footsteps against the linoleum floor of the school echoed through the silent and empty hallways of the third floor. The sun was setting over the horizon, casting an orange glow across the corridor. Lilly clutched her backpack strap and absently chewed on her lower lip, her eyes focused on her feet as she walked. Cross country practice had ended five minutes ago and, after breaking off from Alice and Jay, she had gone up to her locker to retrieve a few textbooks she had forgotten to get before going to practice. Now, all she had to do was make her way down to the bottom floor and start her walk home.


    Yet, for some reason she couldn¡¯t fathom, instead of turning right onto the staircase, she passed it by and continued down the hall in the direction of the Magic Club¡¯s room.


    What the hell am I doing? she berated herself. This is so stupid! There¡¯s no sane reason to get myself involved with them any more than I already have! Did that gem drive me crazy or something?


    She knew she only barely survived her last encounter with Eric Reiner and the gem. The fact that Alice and Jay were being so understanding wasn¡¯t a turn of events she could ever have predicted and she knew she should be grateful that they didn¡¯t think she was a nutcase. The logical course of action would be to then avoid Reiner and his stone like the plague so she could avoid getting herself into any more trouble. Then, if she could make up some excuse to give to Jay and Alice that would explain her odd actions while Eric was in her body, she could put the whole thing behind her.


    So why am I actually going to that damn room?!


    She knew she still had the opportunity to turn around and run. After all, she hadn¡¯t arrived at the clubroom yet. But she knew that wasn¡¯t going to happen. Regardless of how much her logic urged her to leave them alone, she just couldn¡¯t ignore the simple fact that she now had undeniable proof that magic existed. How was she supposed to go about her life acting like it all never happened when she had witnessed real magic?


    Especially since Vinny had offered to let her join them, she no longer had anything standing between her and investigating the otherworldly entity that was Eric¡¯s little orange gem. She didn¡¯t know what she expected to gain from it but she simply couldn¡¯t convince herself to try and forget about it.


    Lilly exhaled softly as room 3-5 came into view up ahead.


    Well, let¡¯s do this. Who knows. Maybe they¡¯ll weird me out so much that I¡¯ll come to my senses and run for the hills.


    With that last thought, the girl pressed onward and stopped only when she stood right outside the room. Then, with a deep breath, she rapped her knuckles three times against its metal surface. For a few seconds, she stood in silence, listening for either a call to come in or for somebody to open the door, until she heard someone speak.


    ¡°Uh, come in.¡±


    Lilly nodded, knowing she was now fully committed, and pushed the door open. The sight she was greeted with was the four members of the club gathered at desks arranged in a circle and pointed toward each other. Damien, Liz, and Vinny were staring at her in clear surprise but Eric merely smiled, as if he were the only one who expected her to come.


    ¡°Miss Lilly Harper!¡± he called out cheerfully. ¡°Glad you could make it!¡±


    Lilly cringed inwardly at his overly formal way of addressing her but found herself unable to make a response. It felt like her voice was stuck in her throat.


    ¡°Wow,¡± Vinny said with a chuckle. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d actually come. Here, pull up a desk and sit between Liz and I.¡±


    Deciding to simply nod, Lilly slipped her backpack off and onto a nearby desk before walking silently toward them and doing as Vinny suggested.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m just gonna come out and ask,¡± Liz began, looking at her with a cocked eyebrow. ¡°Did either of them blackmail you to come?¡±


    Before she could even consider a response, Eric and Vinny exclaimed in protest.


    ¡°I take offense to that, dear Liz!¡± Eric snapped. ¡°As if I would ever attempt to manipulate an innocent maiden such as her!¡±


    Vinny nodded his agreement. ¡°And that¡¯s rich coming from you considering you¡¯re the one seducing Damien with your siren song! If anybody manipulated Lilly, it was most likely you!¡±


    ¡°Oh really? Is that so?¡± Liz said with a click of her tongue.


    Lilly quietly took her seat as the three argued, noticing that Damien had his face in his hands in clear embarrassment. It actually surprised her to know that one of them seemed self aware enough to actually care about how they were perceived by her. He glanced up at her briefly and mouthed ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡±.


    Despite the situation, she couldn¡¯t help but to smile and shrug.


    I brought this on myself, after all. I knew what I was getting myself into.


    ¡°Anyway!¡± Eric said loudly, breaking off the bickering. ¡°Since Miss Harper has joined us, we should fill her in on what we¡¯ve discussed thus far.¡±


    Finally finding her ability to speak, Lilly quickly interjected before he could continue.


    ¡°Um, actually¡­¡±


    When she trailed off, the other four turned to look at her curiously with Damien being the one to respond.


    ¡°Yeah? What¡¯s up?¡±


    She sighed, once again reevaluating her sanity, before continuing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s up with the formalities or whatever but¡­just call me Lilly. No ¡®Miss¡¯ or ¡®Harper¡¯. Just Lilly.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I guess she¡¯s not one for Eric¡¯s stupid addresses,¡± Liz said with a laugh. ¡°That makes two of us, to be honest.¡± The girl then turned to look at Lilly. ¡°And I realize you¡¯ve only really met Vinny so, we should start with introductions. I¡¯m Liz. Nice to meet you!¡±


    The bespectacled girl stuck out her hand and Lilly was once again forced into shaking hands and introducing herself. She supposed it simply came with the territory of being the new girl but she found herself growing progressively sick of it by the day.


    ¡°I¡¯m Damien,¡± the boy added once she had shaken Liz¡¯s hand.


    ¡°And I¡¯m Vinny but¡­you already knew that.¡± He laughed like he had made some sort of joke before putting his hands behind his head and leaning back in his chair.


    Eric chuckled, extending his own hand to Lilly, which she firmly shook.


    ¡°Eric Reiner,¡± he said happily. ¡°Though it is kinda odd to have to introduce myself to somebody who¡¯s been inside my body, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Lilly shrugged, feeling her cheeks turning red at the thought of their body switching. ¡°I-I¡­guess so.¡±


    ¡°Oh, the poor girl really is traumatized,¡± Liz said, eyeing Eric through narrowed eyes. ¡°What¡¯d I tell you, Reiner? Being in your gross body is psychologically scarring for a girl¡­especially one as pretty as Lilly! Imagine being blessed with her face and then one day looking into the mirror to see your ugly mug staring back.¡±


    Lilly¡¯s cheeks burned even brighter at both Liz calling her pretty and the constant reminder of the previous day¡¯s events that she could only continue to cringe at.


    ¡°Silence, Liz!¡± Eric commanded. ¡°Your words cannot wound me! I know full well how much of a handsome devil I am and you can¡¯t tell me otherwise.¡±


    Damien snorted. ¡°Can we just get to the point?¡±


    ¡°I am trying!¡± Eric replied sharply.


    He then brushed at his uniform before reaching into his pocket to produce the small orange gem. He held it up for them to see, the light of the sunset reflecting across its smooth surface. Lilly felt herself tense up at seeing it once again but also felt an aura of intrigue now that the conversation had returned to the stone.


    ¡°Naturally, this is the main topic of discussion,¡± he continued, placing the stone down on the desk before Lilly.


    She looked down at it in awe and Eric motioned with a nod of his head for her to pick it up. Despite being fairly hesitant to come into contact with it again, Lilly still found herself reaching out to wrap her fingers around its smooth surface. This time, however, there was no being enveloped in that white world nor did she switch bodies with anybody. All the gem did was glisten in her palm. She felt a soft warmth to it against her bare skin.


    ¡°As far as we know, it only activates when two people touch it at the same time,¡± Eric went on. ¡°Otherwise, it¡¯s just a simple gemstone.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called ¡°The Switch¡± by the way,¡± Vinny chimed in, earning a roll of the eyes from Liz.


    ¡°Nobody asked,¡± she retorted.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Damien snapped. ¡°Go on, Eric.¡±


    The tall boy nodded. ¡°Well, Lilly, after talking it over, we¡¯ve decided that we need to figure out more about this thing. As of right now, all we know is that it can switch bodies but we don¡¯t know anything past that.¡±


    Lilly frowned, looking up at him in confusion. ¡°What else is there to know? I thought it was pretty straightforward.¡±


    Well, as straightforward as goddamn magic can be, that is.


    Eric motioned for Damien to explain so it was him that took the floor.


    ¡°Well, you see, there¡¯s still a lot to figure out,¡± he explained. ¡°Even if we just accept that it¡¯s magic, which I¡¯m still not fully convinced about, there¡¯s still other aspects to consider. How long could two people stay switched? Do you gain anything past physical elements from the person you swapped with? That sort of stuff.¡±


    Lilly nodded, realizing now that they had put a lot more thought into the situation than she had.


    ¡°So,¡± Liz began, ¡°since it¡¯s kinda risky to use it at school until we know more about it,  we were thinking about all getting together at my house this Sunday to experiment. My parents won¡¯t be home so we¡¯ll have the place to ourselves and you¡¯re more than welcome to come.¡±


    Lilly looked over at her in surprise. ¡°B-but¡­you hardly know me. Wouldn¡¯t it be kinda weird for me to just come over?¡±


    Liz shrugged. ¡°Listen, friendo. I¡¯ve been in your body. As far as I¡¯m concerned, I know you better than anybody.¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡± Lilly grimaced.


    What kind of logic is that?!


    ¡°So, are you free Sunday?¡± Eric asked.


    Lilly glanced back down at the gem still laying in her palm. She was, in fact, free on Sunday and could easily go over to Liz¡¯s to experiment if she lived nearby. The problem was that she hadn¡¯t been over to a fellow student¡¯s house since she was seven. She wasn¡¯t one to socialize with people and putting up with Jay and Alice was about her limit. Just the fact that she was currently sitting in that clubroom was a major feat for her.


    But¡­what was the point in even coming here today if not to learn more about this thing, right?


    Lilly closed her fingers around the gem and allowed it¡¯s faint warmth to wash over it. She knew that no matter what she did, she wouldn¡¯t be able to stop thinking about the stone until she had a better understanding of what it was. Prone to avoiding people or not, she knew herself well enough to know that she would be at Liz¡¯s home come Sunday whether she liked it or not.


    Lilly nodded with a sigh.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m free.¡±

 Chapter 9- Experimenting with Magic

    Chapter IX


    The rest of Friday and all of Saturday passed by in a blur and, before she knew it, Sunday had arrived and with it, the scheduled get together between her and the Magic Club to conduct their experiments with what Vinny apparently dubbed ¡°The Switch¡±. Lilly had no idea what they intended to do in their experiments but she knew for certain that it would probably entail more body swapping. The thought made her both turn red in embarrassment and get a little excited at the prospect of using magic again.


    She was also grateful to have a heads up that she would be switching bodies again as it meant she could actually plan for it and psych herself up before doing it. In addition, despite not having any clothes that might have been questionable anyway, Lilly still made sure that what she wore wouldn¡¯t be embarrassing if she wound up swapping with one of the guys. She ended up wearing loose black shorts that went to her knees and a dark red t-shirt that she had gotten back in March.


    Once she was dressed and had her sandals on, she told her parents that she was going out for a walk and left. There wasn¡¯t any big reason to lie to them as she was sure they wouldn¡¯t have minded her going out to Liz¡¯s¡ªand might¡¯ve even been happy about it¡ªbut she knew both them and Alexa would have started bombarding her with questions considering the fact that she was notorious for never leaving the house. Therefore, she opted to avoid the hassle and simply lie.


    Much to her relief, Liz lived in a nearby neighborhood that only took a short, ten-minute walk to arrive at. Despite the small distance however, the sweltering heat has her sweating by the time she made it to her destination.


    God, why does it have to be so hot today?


    Grimacing and wishing she could have just stayed home, Lilly walked up the cute, brick path that led from the sidewalk and up to Liz¡¯s porch. The house was a small one-story with a covered porch out front. There was a wooden rocking chair a few feet to the right of the door and she noticed some motionless wind chimes hanging over the path. When she approached the door, she saw a welcome mat with the name ¡°Tao¡± written across it in curly red letters.


    Well, at least I know I¡¯m at the right place. Before knocking, she glanced over her shoulder and scanned the area but didn¡¯t see any sign of cars parked in either the driveway or on the street. So either they all walked here or I¡¯m first. God¡­let it be the first option.


    Praying that she wasn¡¯t about to be stuck alone with Liz while they waited for the others, Lilly hesitantly knocked on the door. She stood in place, waiting with a quickened heartbeat, until she heard footsteps on the other side and was, much to her relief, greeted by the calm features of Damien.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he said with a smile, motioning for her to come in. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you actually came.¡±


    She cocked an eyebrow as she stepped into the small entryway. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    The boy shrugged. ¡°Well, you just looked really uncomfortable the other day, is all. Part of me thought we scared you off and you just said you¡¯d come to get us off your back¡­something I wouldn¡¯t have blamed you for, honestly.¡±


    Lilly laughed softly, sliding her sandals off and placing them beside a group of shoes to the left hand side of the door. Judging by the many pairs already there, she realized the others must have already arrived.


    ¡°Well, I won¡¯t deny that I wasn¡¯t uncomfortable,¡± she admitted. ¡°But I can¡¯t exactly pass this up. It¡¯s not everyday you stumble upon magic, after all.¡±


    Damien glanced away for a moment and suddenly seemed distant. ¡°Yeah, I guess so.¡±


    ¡°Ah, good! So the gang¡¯s all here!¡±


    At the sudden exclamation, Lilly turned and looked down the hall to see Eric staring back, a hand raised in greeting.


    ¡°Come on into the living room and make yourself comfortable,¡± he continued before turning and once again disappearing around the corner.


    Lilly frowned. ¡°This¡­is Liz¡¯s house, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Damien grumbled in reply. ¡°But on quote-unquote ¡®club business¡¯, Eric¡¯s in charge.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­gotcha.¡±


    The boy sighed once again and beckoned for her to follow after him. She silently obliged, ready to get the experimenting on with.


    Damien led her into a rather large living room consisting of a dark red couch facing a mounted flat-screen TV. Off to the left of the couch were some dark gray recliners at which Vinny and Liz were currently sitting and there was a coffee table in the center. To Lilly¡¯s immediate left was a door that most likely led to a kitchen and dining area and to the right was a hallway that almost certainly led to the bathroom and the bedrooms.


    As she scanned the living room, she suddenly realized how weird it was to see the four of them not in their West Wilham uniforms. She was so used to them being dressed that way that it took her a moment to take the scene in. All three boys were dressed in light cargo shorts with Vinny and Eric wearing tank tops and Damien wearing a light t-shirt. As for Liz, the girl had on a cute baby blue blouse and a short black skirt. However, her ever-present headphones around her neck hadn¡¯t moved.


    ¡°There she is,¡± Vinny called out with a smile. ¡°The great Lilly Harper herself. Glad you could make it!¡±


    ¡°You can sit anywhere you want,¡± Liz added. ¡°And I¡¯ve got sodas and water in the fridge if you¡¯re thirsty.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m good,¡± she muttered. ¡°Thanks though.¡±


    In reality, she was a bit parched but she wasn¡¯t one who liked taking things even when offered. She wasn¡¯t sure why but she never felt comfortable doing so.


    ¡°Well, in that case, let¡¯s start,¡± Eric announced as Damien and Lilly both took their seats on the couch. The tall boy remained standing as he walked around the coffee table, all the while reaching into his pants pocket to produce the stone. ¡°So begins the first Switch Investigation Meeting of the Magical and Other Anomalies Investigation Team!¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Liz grumbled. ¡°Really rolls of the tongue, that one.¡±


    Ignoring the girl¡¯s snarky commentary, which Lilly was beginning to realize must¡¯ve been the norm for them, Eric continued on.


    ¡°Damien! You take the floor, my friend. After all, you¡¯re the one with all the questions, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah sure,¡± he replied, seeming only mildly interested in the whole situation. Nevertheless, Damien went on. ¡°Well, first of all, I think the biggest goal here would be to simply figure out the boundary between what¡¯s physical and what¡¯s psychological.¡±


    Lilly frowned. ¡°W-what do you mean?¡±


    Since none of the others seemed confused, she figured they must have already gone over what Damien was talking about before she arrived at the clubroom the previous Friday. Normally, she wouldn¡¯t have wanted to interrupt but, since being confused would only make coming to the meeting pointless, she forced herself to speak.


    Damien didn¡¯t seem bothered by her interruption in the slightest. ¡°Well, you know the brain is more or less the control center of the body. Everything you do comes from signals it sends out. Your consciousness is also within the brain. This is all basic stuff, yeah?¡±


    She nodded to let him know she was following his explanation.


    ¡°So, I think we can assume that the gem isn¡¯t physically switching brains into opposite bodies,¡± he continued. ¡°That¡¯s just¡­absurd even if we¡¯re talking about magic. The only other thing I can think of is that living beings actually do have some equivalent of the soul and that¡¯s what the gem is swapping.¡±


    ¡°Okay, that makes sense,¡± she said with another nod.


    Damien smiled, seeming suddenly a little more into the subject than when she arrived.


    ¡°So, take your swap with Eric for example,¡± the boy said. ¡°If your soul is what went into Eric then that should mean you had his physical brain, right? But that just brings up a whole other load of questions.¡± He frowned, seeming to consider the topic for a moment as he folded his hands together on his lap. ¡°Memories and personality are dictated by the brain so¡­technically, you should have had his memories and at least aspects of his personality. Yet, Eric says he had full recollection of all of his own memories and none of yours when he was you. So did his memories transfer with his soul?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see,¡± Lilly said softly. ¡°So you guys want to figure out what transfers and what doesn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Vinny chimed in. ¡°Damien was also going on about what effects the physical body could have on the mind.¡±


    Lilly tilted her head. ¡°Meaning?¡±


    ¡°Meaning,¡± Damien began, ¡°what would a boy being in a girl¡¯s body do to the soul? How would the different hormone levels and physical urges affect his conscious existence and vice versa.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± she muttered. ¡°That makes a lot of sense, actually.¡±


    ¡°Good!¡± Eric said excitedly. ¡°Then if we¡¯re on the same page, we can begin.¡± The boy then turned to look at Lilly. ¡°And let me quickly say that we have no intention of making you do anything you don¡¯t want to, Lilly. If you don¡¯t want to swap, that¡¯s perfectly fine. I don¡¯t want you to feel pressured.¡±


    She glanced up at him, surprised to see genuine concern in his eyes that she might think they intended to make her use the stone. However, as sweet as it was, she had been considering it ever since she made the choice to go to their clubroom. As strange as being Eric had been, she couldn¡¯t deny that a part of her wanted to switch again so she could experience it under different, less chaotic circumstances. Since they were alone away from school, she had decided that, to help their self-proclaimed investigation, she would be willing to switch with the boy once more.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she replied. ¡°But don¡¯t worry about me. In fact¡­I¡¯m prepared to switch again¡­if you need me to.¡±


    She didn¡¯t look away from Eric when she said it but she could sense the surprise of the other three around her. As for the tall boy, he merely smirked and eyed her with clear approval.


    ¡°A woman as curious as I, it seems,¡± he said with a laugh. ¡°You see that, Liz! It seems being in my body has not scarred the poor girl!¡±


    Liz snorted. ¡°Eh, it could still be some twisted, magical version of Stockholm syndrome. Maybe being you messed her up in the head or something.¡±


    ¡°Liz!¡± Vinny admonished. ¡°That¡¯s a rude thing to say to our guest!¡±


    Lilly cringed inwardly, still not used to being around their obnoxious and outgoing personalities. She simply considered herself grateful that at least Damien seemed sane enough.


    God, of all the people in the world to get their hands on a magic rock, it had to be these maniacs, she thought in part amusement and part discomfort.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Eric interrupted before Vinny and Liz could go off on a tangent. ¡°Lilly, if you are willing to switch with me again then that means we could truly start to try and understand just what effects this thing has. Are you sure you¡¯re okay with this?¡±


    She nodded firmly, slowly getting to her feet. ¡°Certain. I want to know more about this, too, you know.¡±


    Eric grinned. ¡°Good. In that case, shall we?¡±


    He held out his hand with his fingers wrapped around the orange surface of the stone. Lilly looked down at it, feeling a swirl of emotions within her. She was both excited to use it again and nervous to be willingly giving her body to a boy she hardly knew and entering into his. It was as that thought crossed her mind that she realized just how crazy her life had become in such a short time that her dilemma was even a possibility. Yet, she knew she had to do it if she wanted her curiosity satisfied.


    Taking a deep breath, Lilly reached out and placed her fingers against the stone.


    Much like the last time she used the stone to swap bodies, the second her skin touched its surface, she was engulfed in that world of formless white. Without any physical body, she couldn¡¯t breathe or move or speak. For those brief few moments, all she could do was exist until she abruptly found herself once again standing in Liz¡¯s living room. Except this time, she was seeing it from a higher vantage point and instead of looking into Eric¡¯s eyes, she was looking into her own.


    She immediately released her hold on the gem and looked down at her body. Everything was as she had expected. She was no longer wearing her red shirt and black shorts but Eric¡¯s cargo shorts and his tank top. Her shoulders were broader than before and she didn¡¯t have any hair falling into her vision. In addition, the other differences that were due to their different genders caused her cheeks to heat up in embarrassment. Everything was just like the last time.


    It happened again. It actually happened. I¡¯m in Eric¡¯s body.


    When she looked back up, she found Eric tugging on a strand of her hair as he looked down at his own new form. Luckily, unlike the first time they swapped, he didn¡¯t touch anywhere she didn¡¯t want him touching and instead simply looked back up at her with an excited grin.


    ¡°So, I¡¯m assuming by your weird reactions that it worked,¡± Vinny said, breaking the silence.


    Eric chuckled, his confident laugh sounding really strange when paired with her voice.


    ¡°That it did, my friend,¡± he said with an extravagant wave of his hand. ¡°The switch was once again a success! Now our investigation can truly begin!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it worked,¡± Liz muttered. ¡°Poor Lilly¡¯s been condemned to the terrifying prison that is Eric¡¯s body. Poor, poor Lilly.¡±


    ¡°Hey, silence, you witch!¡± Eric snapped. ¡°Nobody asked for your opinion! Your jokes are getting old.¡±


    Liz smiled with a sweetness that was very clearly faked. ¡°I dunno. I still think it¡¯s funny.¡±


    ¡°Regardless,¡± Eric growled. ¡°Damien! You may begin! The reins are yours from here on out!¡±


    Lilly couldn¡¯t help but to cringe hearing Eric talk like that in her body but she knew she couldn¡¯t complain. She knew what she was getting herself into when she committed to the swap.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Damien, who looked equally as put off by the whole scene as Lilly did, grimaced before getting to his own feet.


    ¡°Alright¡­I guess I¡¯ll start with the obvious,¡± he grumbled. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like anything¡¯s off to me, but how hard is it to move while swapped?¡±


    Lilly frowned. Both the first time and the current time, she found it as easy to move around as Eric as when she was herself. Walking was any different from normal with the exception of the clear difference in physical fitness between the two of them.


    ¡°It¡¯s pretty normal,¡± Eric replied. ¡°Why?¡±


    Damien cocked an eyebrow before glancing over at Lilly, as if waiting for an answer. She nodded her head in agreement with Eric¡¯s response, which only seemed to confuse him even more.


    ¡°It¡¯s just odd,¡± he muttered. ¡°The center of gravity between boys and girls is very different¡­not to mention the obvious height difference between you two. You should be stumbling around right now.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Liz piped in. ¡°What does it mean if they aren¡¯t?¡±


    Damien shrugged. ¡°Well I¡¯m not really sure. The best guess I have is that the part of the brain that deals with motor control doesn¡¯t swap. Lilly has Eric¡¯s ability and he has hers.¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Eric murmured. ¡°So what does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Hell if I know,¡± Damien snapped. ¡°Remember, I¡¯m just guessing here. Most of my psych knowledge comes from the internet so take it with a grain of salt.¡±


    Vinny smirked, getting to his own feet as he looked between Eric and Lilly. ¡°Alright, so we¡¯ve got that down. What else?¡±


    ¡°Well, let me just ask you both something kinda awkward,¡± Damien began with a grimace.


    Lilly glanced away, not liking the uncomfortable tone of his voice. None of the other three seemed particularly bothered however.


    ¡°So¡­obviously your current bodies are¡­different,¡± he continued. ¡°So I guess what I want to know is¡­how noticeable is everything? Like¡­how foreign does it feel?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Eric! What does it feel like to have boobs?¡± Vinny inquired with a sly grin, earning him a snack over the head by Liz.


    ¡°Who¡¯s bothering the guest now, huh?¡± she snapped. ¡°What a tactless question.¡±


    Lilly forced herself to ignore them, irritated by how often her cheeks seemed to be turning red in the past few days.


    ¡°Honestly,¡± Damien said. ¡°While I wouldn¡¯t phrase it as bluntly as Vinny, that is essentially what I¡¯m asking. To both of you. How does it feel to have the body of the opposite sex? How different are the sensations?¡±


    Vinny smirked, eyeing Lilly this time. ¡°Ah yes, different sensations. Like a boner. Are you interested in experiencing your first boner, Lilly?¡±


    Somehow, her cheeks got even redder than they had ever been as she was forced to face the reality that his question was actually a possible experience she could now have. She desperately tried to shove the thought from her mind for fear that just imagining it would cause it to happen.


    ¡°You asshole,¡± Liz growled, smacking him over the head a second time but this time, Vinny was busting up laughing. ¡°Go in the other room and think about what you¡¯ve done.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry!¡± he apologized between laughs. ¡°I¡¯ll stop now. I promise!¡±


    Damien looked somehow less amused than Liz as he turned a genuinely apologetic look her way. She tried to look like it didn¡¯t bother her but she knew she wasn¡¯t very convincing. Eric had his back to her so she couldn¡¯t see his reaction. However, moments later, he spoke.


    ¡°To be honest,¡± he said. ¡°As weird as this might sound, unless I really think about it, it doesn¡¯t feel odd at all.¡±


    Damien frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Eric sighed as he began to pace again, his brow furrowed in clear concentration. ¡°As long as I¡¯m not actively thinking about my body, it almost feels like I was born this way¡­as if my brain is correcting everything to make this all seem normal.¡±


    Lilly exhaled softly, realizing that Eric hit it right on the mark. It didn¡¯t feel weird to be in his body unless she started thinking about all the differences. In fact, she remembered noticing that odd fact the first time they swapped.


    ¡°Okay, so the magic corrects that, too?¡± Liz asked.


    ¡°I think so,¡± Eric replied.


    Damien scowled. ¡°Okay, that doesn¡¯t make any sense but then again, none of this does so I¡¯ll just move on to the next topic.¡± He shook his head, seemingly trying to process everything and lead the meeting at the same time. ¡°So you remember how I mentioned physical urges and hormones?¡±


    Lilly nodded, as did the other three.


    ¡°In that case, I have to ask you something, Lilly,¡± he went on.


    She hesitated, hoping it wasn¡¯t another weird question. ¡°Sure. Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Are you into girls or guys?¡±


    She was taken aback by his question, having not expected him to take that route with his questioning. She¡¯d never given her sexuality much thought since she didn¡¯t think she¡¯d ever bother dating anybody anyway. But, since she tended to notice the hot male actors on TV, she figured that meant she was probably straight. She quickly recovered and replied with a shrug.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­into guys, I think. Why?¡±


    Damien nodded. ¡°Okay, interesting. So then¡­¡± He then eyed Vinny with narrowed eyes.


    ¡°What?!¡± The blonde boy asked, feigning offense. ¡°You can ask her whatever! I¡¯m not gonna say anything this time!¡±


    Damien didn¡¯t look like he believed a word Vinny said so, seeming to come to a decision, he then walked toward Lilly, beckoning her to lean forward. Realizing he wanted to whisper the question so Vinny couldn¡¯t hear, she did what he wanted and leaned over.


    ¡°Sorry about this but¡­¡± he began softly. ¡°Do you feel any¡­urges to touch your body right now? Like¡­are you attracted to it or¡­?¡±


    Lilly¡¯s eyes went wide at the awkward question but, trying not to let her discomfort show, she quickly shook her head and answered honestly.


    ¡°N-no! Not really!¡±


    ¡°Ah, come on!¡± Vinny whined. ¡°Now I really want to know!¡±


    Damien ignored him, nodding his head as he considered her response. ¡°That makes sense,¡± he whispered to her. ¡°After all, any normal person wouldn¡¯t be sexually attracted to themselves. Aside from the normal urge to masturbate, which we aren¡¯t going to test for, there shouldn¡¯t be any other urges. It seems the gem corrects that, too.¡±


    He backed away and began to pace, earning curious stares from those who didn¡¯t hear his question.


    ¡°I already asked Eric the same thing the other day,¡± he mumbled. ¡°And he said the same thing. Okay then¡­¡± Raising his voice to once again address everyone, he continued. ¡°Now we come to a certain problem. I¡¯m curious to know how much the consciousness and physical body clash when it comes to sexual attraction.¡±


    Lilly frowned. ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You know,¡± he went on. ¡°Like, if you¡¯re attracted to boys and Eric¡¯s attracted to girls,  how does the gem mess with that?¡± He cleared his throat and sighed. ¡°Attraction has a lot to do with hormones. Those are produced by the body in the endocrine gland. Therefore, by all technicalities, Lilly would theoretically be attracted to girls when Eric.¡±


    Lilly glanced down at her feet in embarrassment, irritated at how so much of the experiments were sex related.


    ¡°On the flip side,¡± Damien explained. ¡°Lilly is consciously attracted to men. So with her brain and body on opposing sides, what would win out? Now of course, this is just a theoretical scenario. That¡¯s where the problem comes in.¡±


    Lilly cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Problem? What problem?¡±


    Damien shrugged. ¡°Well, simply put, Eric¡¯s bisexual.¡±


    Her eyebrow remained raised as she looked at him in growing confusion. ¡°And that¡¯s a problem how?¡±


    ¡°Well, if Eric swings both ways and you¡¯re only attracted to guys,¡± Damien said. ¡°Then it¡¯s my theory that with body and brain at odds, both would correct to a male attraction since aspects of both body and mind have it. Only Eric has any attraction to girls so I think both your body and mind would overcome that and build off his male attraction.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Lilly uttered, realizing now what he meant. ¡°So we can¡¯t really test it with us, can we?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± he replied.


    Lilly frowned in an attempt to come up with a solution when, before anybody else could say anything, Vinny began chuckling slyly.


    ¡°Well then, I guess you could say this is a job for the horniest guy around,¡± he said wryly. ¡°Have Lilly switch with me and I assure you that you¡¯ll notice an immediate change.¡±


    ¡°Oh absolutely not!¡± Liz protested before Lilly could say anything. ¡°Why would we ever condemn the poor girl to being you! Being Eric is bad enough!¡±


    ¡°While we need to further discuss my placement below Eric, I¡¯ll put that on hold for the time being,¡± Vinny growled. ¡°And anyway, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s up to you, dear Liz. It¡¯s up to Lilly.¡±


    ¡°Vinny,¡± Damien grumbled, clearly worn out by the day¡¯s events. ¡°Are you suggesting we put you in Lilly¡¯s body because that sounds like a terrible idea.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°God! What kinda pervert do you guys take me for? I¡¯m saying I¡¯ll become Eric and she¡¯ll be me. When she gains my uncontrollable libido, we¡¯ll know how the gem affects attraction.¡±


    Lilly glanced between the four of them in consideration. While she wasn¡¯t exactly excited at the prospect of becoming yet another, supposedly hornier, guy, she also couldn¡¯t deny that she was getting caught up in the investigation and was genuinely curious to see what the effect would be.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s up to Lilly,¡± Eric said, chiming into the conversation for the first time in a while. ¡°Like I said earlier, I won¡¯t make her do anything she doesn¡¯t want to do.¡±


    At the boy¡¯s words, all eyes turned to Lilly as the group awaited her answer. She could tell that Damien and Liz expected her to turn Vinny down so she was certain they would be surprised when she responded.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s test it,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll swap with Vinny.¡±


    ¡°Hell yeah!¡± the blonde boy cheered. ¡°At least somebody trusts me!¡±


    Damien¡¯s eyes were wide. ¡°You¡¯re seriously okay with that, Lilly? You really don¡¯t have to if you don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Maybe the gem really has driven all logic from her mind,¡± Liz muttered.


    Ignoring the bespectacled girl¡¯s comment, Lilly responded directly to Damien.


    ¡°I¡¯m being serious,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m actually kinda curious to see how it would work, too and it¡¯s not like being him is going to be much different from being Eric.¡±


    The boy sighed. ¡°Alright then. If you¡¯re good with it then I won¡¯t stop you.¡±


    Vinny grinned, holding his hand out and motioning toward Eric. ¡°Awesome. Then give the gem here, buddy. Let¡¯s get this going.¡±


    Eric chuckled softly and seemed ready to toss it to the boy.


    ¡°No, Eric,¡± Liz protested. ¡°Don¡¯t throw¡ª!¡±


    However, she was unable to get the whole thing out before he had tossed the stone over the coffee table and into Vinny¡¯s outstretched hand.


    ¡°You dumbass!¡± she snarled.


    ¡°What?¡± Eric snapped back. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with throwing it?!¡±


    Liz scoffed. ¡°What if he missed and it hit the table and broke? You¡¯d be stuck in Lilly¡¯s body the rest of your life and, more importantly, she¡¯d be stuck as you!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to think a magical stone would be a little less fragile,¡± Vinny chimed in. ¡°And anyway, it¡¯s not like he can just hand it to me!¡±


    Liz narrowed her eyes at him. ¡°Then just set it on the table like a normal person.¡±


    ¡°Oh whatever,¡± Vinny said with a wave of his hand before turning to look at Lilly. ¡°Anyway, my friend, are you ready to do this or what?¡±


    She nodded, feeling slightly irritated after bearing witness to the argument. She realized Liz had a point. If they broke the gem while they were swapped, there was no reason to believe they¡¯d go back to their original bodies. It made her tense up at the thought of Eric tossing it. However, she kept her fears to herself and stepped forward to where Vinny was holding the stone out to her.


    Well, here we go again, she thought moments before placing her fingers against its surface.


    For the second time that day, she was submerged into the realm of nonexistence but, now knowing to expect the strange feelings that came with being formless, it didn¡¯t scare her as much and, seconds later, she was back in the living room. The fact that she was staring at the face of Eric Reiner with the gem clutched in her hand was proof enough that the swap had succeeded and she was currently in the body of Vinny Mickelson.


    ¡°Man,¡± Vinny said with a laugh as he looked down at his body. ¡°I know I swapped with Eric the other day but it doesn¡¯t get any less surreal. Really makes me wonder what it¡¯s like to be a girl.¡±


    ¡°Keep dreaming, bud,¡± Liz quipped.


    Ignoring them both, Damien once again focused his attention on Lilly. ¡°So? How do you feel? Anything different?¡±


    She frowned, not sure of how to tell if becoming Vinny actually changed anything. Since she wasn¡¯t one to check people out to begin with, she wasn¡¯t sure how to test it so, deciding to be as simple as possible, she turned to look at Liz in an attempt to see if she noticed anything different in how she perceived her.


    The moment she did, however, she was taken aback by how much more noticeable her feminine features were. While Vinny¡¯s body didn¡¯t feel like he was really attracted to her, Lilly did find herself more drawn to the curve of Liz¡¯s body and the softness of her face. Suddenly scared of the foreign feelings welling up inside her, she turned away, her cheeks burning once again.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± she whispered, immediately noticing the different voice emerging from her mouth. ¡°Uh, yeah. It¡­definitely has an effect.¡±


    Liz immediately laughed with clear satisfaction. ¡°Good to know you realized that while looking at me. I¡¯m hot, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Oi, don¡¯t get the wrong idea here!¡± Vinny protested. ¡°Just because I¡¯m aware of you being a girl does not mean I¡¯m attracted to you! You are a witch, after all!¡±


    ¡°Witch, siren, you guys just aren¡¯t consistent,¡± she retorted. ¡°Pick one and stick with it, why don¡¯t you?¡±


    Not wanting to make it seem like Vinny had a crush on Liz and give anybody the wrong idea, she quickly jumped to his defense.


    ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t feel any sort of attraction, per se. It''s more like I¡¯m just more aware that you¡¯re a girl than before. That¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Damien muttered. ¡°Very interesting. So, for the time being, it seems like the physical is outweighing the psychological.¡±


    ¡°It seems so,¡± Eric agreed. ¡°Well, in that case, I suggest we take a brief break. I want to think a bit before we move on. Liz, you mentioned smoothies earlier?¡±


    The girl immediately perked up at his question. ¡°Oh, right! Yeah, I¡¯ll go make those! Damien, wanna help?¡±


    The boy smiled. ¡°Of course. You want one, Lilly?¡±


    She opened her mouth to reply but Eric beat her to it.


    ¡°Yeah, she does actually,¡± he said. ¡°Her throat is really parched.¡±


    Lilly grimaced, having forgotten that she couldn¡¯t deny her thirst if she wasn¡¯t even perceiving it. Deciding not to say anything, she watched as Damien and Liz headed into the kitchen, leaving those who were swapped alone in the living room.


    ¡°Man, what an experience,¡± Vinny said, flopping down into one of the recliners. ¡°It¡¯s so trippy hearing Eric¡¯s voice coming out of my mouth¡­er, well, at least the version of it that he hears.¡±


    Eric chuckled, taking a seat in the other recliner. Lilly immediately tensed and prepared for him to spread his legs but, to her surprise, he actually crossed them in the way she normally did when she sat down.


    I wonder if that¡¯s another one of those subconscious habits that doesn¡¯t transfer over, she thought to herself.


    Realizing that meant she might start subconsciously acting like Vinny, she opted to stay standing and not sit down, especially given the fact that she didn¡¯t want to be any more conscious of what was currently between her legs.


    Vinny¡¯s right. This whole thing really is trippy¡­


    ¡°So, Lilly,¡± Eric said, bringing her attention back to them. ¡°I wanted to quickly thank you for coming. To be honest, even though you said you would, I wasn¡¯t sure if you¡¯d actually be here.¡±


    She frowned, recalling that Damien said the same thing. ¡°Did I really come across like I was lying?¡± she asked, momentarily surprised by her voice before remembering that she was in Vinny¡¯s body.


    Eric shrugged. ¡°A bit. I know I probably scared you the other day when we first swapped so I wasn¡¯t really sure what to think. I was hoping you¡¯d come though.¡± Then, as if a thought occurred to him, he went on. ¡°Also, I¡¯m really sorry about running into the boy¡¯s bathroom while in your body. I¡¯m sure I embarrassed the hell out of you in front of your friends.¡±


    She looked at him in mild surprise. While she hadn¡¯t thought of Eric as a bad guy, she¡¯d been under the impression that he was so absorbed in his own little world to realize just what he had done to her. She hadn¡¯t expected him to apologize.


    ¡°Wait, you did that?¡± Vinny asked incredulously. ¡°Dude! They¡¯re gonna think she¡¯s some sort of peeper or something!¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± Lilly quickly interjected. ¡°I¡¯m sure you were just caught up in the moment. After all, it¡¯s not every day you swap bodies with somebody. I smoothed it over with my friends so we¡¯re okay.¡±


    Eric smiled in a way that she realized she rarely did. It was a foreign expression on her face and once again, she was taken aback by it. It was then that she realized she wasn¡¯t feeling the same attraction toward her own body like when she looked at Liz.


    I wonder if my mind is overriding any attraction toward me since it¡¯s my body, she wondered. Either that or Vinny just doesn¡¯t look at me as a girl.


    ¡°Well regardless,¡± Eric said. ¡°I hope that doesn¡¯t put you off. Truthfully, I¡¯d really like it if you could keep experimenting with us after this. You might be rather quiet but I¡­get a good feeling from you. I trust you, dear Lilly Harper.¡±


    She was once again taken off guard by his comment. Despite his almost comical tone, she found from the look in his eyes that his words were genuine. He wasn¡¯t putting on a show or simply being nice¡ªhe meant what he said.


    Maybe¡­I had the wrong impression of them, she thought. They aren¡¯t anywhere near as bad as I thought they¡¯d be. Sure, they¡¯re really frickin¡¯ weird, but they aren¡¯t bad people.


    Surprising herself, wondering if it might¡¯ve been an effect of being Vinny, she returned the smile with one of her own.


    ¡°Thanks, Eric.¡±

 Chapter 10- An Unexpected Request

    Chapter X


    In the days following their meeting at Liz¡¯s house, life for Lilly seemed to return to a modicum of normalcy. Their first big test in calculus, the only class Lilly shared with all four members of the Magic Club, was announced to be the oncoming Friday and so, mixed with her next big race being the following Saturday, Lilly tried her hardest to push the magical stone from her thoughts and try to focus solely on school and cross country. However, the task was easier said than done.


    What she learned about the stone was fascinating and it only made her want to experiment with it more. Her curiosity and intrigue was even strong enough to overcome some of her aversion to socializing and so, she found that she wasn¡¯t too opposed to interacting with Eric, Liz, Vinny, and Damien despite them being arguably weirder than even Jay.


    But putting up with them is a small price to pay for getting to see actual magic, she thought. And¡­it¡¯s not like they¡¯re that bad.


    Their experimenting had carried on for the rest of that day though, despite the many swaps they had done, Damien had still continued to refuse to use it. The boy was very adamant about not touching the stone and made it clear that he had no interest in experiencing it¡¯s magic. By the time they wrapped up, the sun was going down and it was almost night. It was fun but it left her with the task of coming up with some excuse for her parents as to why she was out so late. She wound up lying about having stopped at a cafe and hung out there all day which they luckily believed.


    In the following week, despite being so caught up in studying and training, she did make time one afternoon to go up to the clubroom and see what they were up to. Evidently, Eric had put the investigation on hold for the sake of the test and so she realized she wasn¡¯t missing much. That Friday came much faster than she had been prepared for but, luckily, the test hadn¡¯t been that hard. With it out of the way, it left her psyched up for her race the following afternoon, which she did quite well on, having taken sixth among the girls competing that day. She swore to herself that she would take first by the end of the season.


    And now it¡¯s Sunday, she thought with a sigh. Another week ahead of us. But I guess this means that, with the test done, they¡¯ll be back at it with the stone. I really don¡¯t know why this fascinates me so much¡­I mean, I know it¡¯s magic and all but even so¡­


    She wasn¡¯t one who felt comfortable around people. She far preferred being alone as opposed to being around others. By her own logic, she should have been avoiding the Magic Club and despite having tried to convince herself to do so, she just couldn¡¯t bring herself to keep out of The Switch business. She had to know what was going to happen with it.


    But even ignoring my fascination with that stone, why was I more comfortable around them than I am with others? What is it about them?


    ¡°Hey, Lilly? Are you okay? You¡¯ve been really quiet for, like, ten minutes.¡±


    Snapped back to the present by the sound of the ten-year-old¡¯s voice, Lilly quickly sat up on the couch and looked over at Natalie, who was laying on the ground on her stomach, working on an assignment her mother had left for her.


    ¡°Uh, yeah,¡± she quickly replied. ¡°Sorry, Nat¡¯. My mind¡¯s just been elsewhere recently.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± she asked. ¡°Mom says I¡¯m a really good listener so I can help if you want.¡±


    Lilly couldn¡¯t help but to laugh at her suggestion. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry, sweetie.¡±


    It¡¯s not like I could tell her about the stone, after all, she thought. She¡¯d think I¡¯d gone crazy.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Natalie pressed. ¡°Is it, like, boyfriend problems? Do you have a boyfriend, Lilly?¡±


    She chuckled, always finding herself in a pleasant mood whenever she was asked to babysit the girl.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t have a boyfriend,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Oh. A girlfriend then?¡±


    ¡°Nope. None of those either.¡± Lilly smirked. ¡°I¡¯m a lifelong single girl.¡±


    ¡°Do you want a boyfriend then?¡±


    Okay, I love her but she really likes asking questions, doesn¡¯t she?


    ¡°Enough about me and my lack of a love life,¡± Lilly said, trying to push the conversation elsewhere. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m all good. School¡¯s just a little stressful, is all.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that,¡± Natalie responded. ¡°School¡¯s stressing me out, too. Mom keeps giving me a whole bunch of work and it¡¯s so boring. I liked it better when all I had to do was add two and two. Now she¡¯s making me find X! Why? I didn¡¯t know math had letters!¡±


    Lilly smirked. Good luck when you reach calculus, kid. It¡¯s a whole other ball game.


    ¡°Oh yeah. Math¡¯s a real jerk, now isn¡¯t it?¡± she joked, watching Natalie laugh.


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    The little girl then reached up and felt her hand along the coffee table behind her. It was clear she was trying to find the blue bunny eraser a few feet away from where she was feeling so Lilly leaned forward and handed it to her. She muttered a soft thanks before returning to her work.


    As Lilly watched her do her homework, she suddenly wondered what Natalie¡¯s take on the whole gem situation would be if she knew what was going on. After all, she was very intelligent for her age and often had perspectives that never occurred to Lilly. While she couldn¡¯t outright tell Natalie, she decided to satisfy her curiosity and pick her brain.


    ¡°Hey, Natalie. I¡¯ve got a quick question for you,¡± she began.


    ¡°Yeah? What is it?¡±


    Lilly hesitated another moment but, knowing the girl wouldn¡¯t make fun of her, she pressed forward.


    ¡°Do you believe in magic?¡±


    At that, Natalie sat up and turned her head back in Lilly¡¯s direction, a confused and skeptical look on her face.


    ¡°Magic?¡± she muttered. ¡°You mean like Santa Claus? Or do you mean¡­witches and warlocks? Cause I¡¯m a big girl now! I don¡¯t believe in all that stuff! It¡¯s for kids!¡±


    Lilly cocked an eyebrow in amusement. ¡°So you don¡¯t think there¡¯s any magic in this world? None at all?¡±


    Natalie shook her head. ¡°Of course not? Do you?¡±


    I mean¡­I didn¡¯t think I should but then again, what do I know?


    ¡°Not really,¡± she lied. ¡°I was just making conversation, is all. And for the sake of conversation, if magic did exist and you got ahold of it, what would you do with it?¡±


    The little girl shrugged again. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t know. I guess it depends on what it does. Can it, like, make me unlimited candy or something because I¡¯d totally use that!¡±


    Lilly snorted. ¡°You know if you did that, your mother wouldn¡¯t be very happy, now would she?¡±


    ¡°So?¡± she grumbled. ¡°I¡¯d have magic! I¡¯d just cast a spell and make her forget she caught me eating candy!¡±


    ¡°Oh? So now you can make candy and erase memories? Is that the case?¡±


    Natalie laughed. ¡°I mean I¡¯ve got magic, right? If that¡¯s true then I can do anything! Why not? And you know what? I¡¯d summon a unicorn!¡±


    ¡°You believe in unicorns?¡± Lilly asked.


    ¡°No. But if magic is real then why can¡¯t they be?¡± she replied with a cute little smirk.


    ¡°I guess you¡¯ve got me there,¡± the older girl murmured, suddenly wondering if she had a point and there actually were unicorns out there somewhere.


    Well, if Eric ever stumbles upon a unicorn then I¡¯ll just have to ask him to give Natalie a ride.


    ¡°Also¡­¡± Natalie suddenly continued. ¡°¡­I think I¡¯d want to fix my eyes.¡±


    Lilly frowned, recognizing the sudden shift in tone from cheerful to longing in her voice.


    ¡°I know Mom says it isn¡¯t something to be fixed but¡­everybody always talks about the world and I¡¯ve never gotten to see any of it. I guess if I had magic¡­I¡¯d want to be able to see¡­even if it¡¯s just for a little while.¡±


    Lilly nodded, suddenly feeling bad for bringing the topic up.


    Although¡­I guess I technically could give her that if I had the stone, she realized. If I swapped bodies with her, she could see through my eyes for a little while. Maybe¡­


    But she quickly abandoned the thought. They still weren¡¯t sure if there were any long term side-effects from using the stone. Until they had an idea of what they were dealing with, she didn¡¯t want to put Natalie in any possible danger. Not to mention it wasn¡¯t guaranteed that she wouldn¡¯t say something about it to Renee. While the woman wouldn¡¯t ever believe her daughter was telling the truth, it clearly wasn¡¯t like Natalie to believe in that stuff. It would only worry Renee more than she tended to be.


    ¡°Well, if I ever find some magic, I¡¯ll let you know,¡± Lilly said after a moment.


    Natalie giggled, some of her earlier cheer returning. ¡°Okay! As long as you promise to bring a unicorn with it!¡±


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Lilly replied. ¡°It¡¯s a promise.¡±


    ***


    The following day, Lilly found herself wishing the weekend could have gone on for longer as she didn¡¯t feel completely rested after Saturday¡¯s race. Luckily, Coach Francis had canceled practice that afternoon for a doctor''s appointment so Lilly could take some extra time to relax. However, even as the thought occurred to her, she knew she would just wind up in the Magic Club¡¯s room for another afternoon of discussing what to do with the stone.


    She sighed, glancing over her shoulder to look across the calculus classroom where the four members of the club were scattered at various desks. Lilly was sitting at the front left corner of the room so she had a good view of each student. Eric was the only one who noticed her staring so he simply smiled at her before turning his attention back to Mr. Keipler¡¯s lecture. Despite Eric¡¯s quirks, she found herself smiling back as she returned her own eyes to the front of the room where the teacher was standing, scribbling another equation on a board already full of numbers and letters in various colored markers.


    ¡°Now,¡± the stout, balding man began, glancing up at the clock in the corner of the room before continuing. ¡°I graded your tests over the weekend and suffice to say, I¡¯m not very impressed.¡±


    There was a collective groan of the students and Lilly felt her stomach churn.


    Ah damn. Don¡¯t tell me I flunked it. I felt so confident about this one!


    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Keipler went on. ¡°Groan all you like. However, it is very clear to me that we aren¡¯t fully grasping the concept. When three quarters of a class fails their test, clearly some blame must fall on the teacher as well.¡±


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Three quarters?! Oh boy¡­


    Keipler cleared his throat as he walked over to his desk, which was directly in front of Lilly, and picked up a stack of papers. ¡°Therefore, I will be holding a few review lectures today and tomorrow at lunch and will give you all the chance to retake the test in class this Friday.¡±


    At his words, the discomfort that Lilly had sensed among the students quickly shifted to hope as everybody learned they¡¯d get a second chance. Even she felt a bit better knowing that she wasn¡¯t going to be starting the year off with an ¡°F¡±.


    ¡°You¡¯re the best, Mr. K!¡± she heard Matt Briggs from the cross country team call out.


    ¡°Yes, thank you, Mr. Briggs,¡± Keipler replied, clearly unamused by the interruption. ¡°Now, anyway, there is one student in particular that I need to praise as she managed to get a ninety-four on her test, which is a good ten percent above the second highest score.¡±


    Lilly snorted, wondering which tryhard managed to actually ace the test. Therefore, she could only widen her eyes in surprise when Keipler walked over and placed one of the sheets of paper down onto her desk with a big ¡°94%¡± written in red pen in the top right corner.


    ¡°Very impressive job, Miss Harper,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m quite impressed.¡±


    She barely got out a ¡°thanks¡± as she stared stunned at the paper, trying to process the fact that she got an ¡°A¡± on a test that most of the class failed.


    It¡¯s not like I suck at math but I¡¯m definitely not some genius at it! How did I pass when everybody else failed? Is the rest of the class just really stupid or something?!


    She could hear compliments from Jay, Matt, Vinny, and Eric but she hardly processed what they all said.


    ¡°Now, class will be over in five minutes so I suggest you take this time to study,¡± Keipler said as he held out the stack to a girl sitting next to Lilly, who took it as he beckoned for her to pass them out. ¡°And to those of you who did pass, you can still feel free to do the retake. I¡¯ll keep your largest score. Now stay in your seats until the bell rings.¡±


    Yeah, no thanks, Lilly thought. I¡¯m perfectly happy taking the week off from studying!


    She listened to the groans of the other students as they got their tests back, feeling suddenly guilty that she wasn¡¯t sharing in their pain. Outside of cross country, she never excelled in anything so being put in the spotlight made her even more uncomfortable than she normally was.


    Well great! Now Keipler thinks I¡¯m some math whiz so his expectations for me are gonna be higher! Maybe this isn¡¯t a good thing!


    After five minutes of her sitting in silence and staring at her paper, the bell finally rang, signaling the end of fifth period. She quickly took her test and shoved it into her binder, wanting to get out of the room as fast as possible. Unfortunately, she realized she should have packed before the bell rang and was not quick enough to escape.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were a math genius, Lilly,¡± Vinny said with a grin, plopping down onto the surface of her desk.


    ¡°Neither did I,¡± she muttered.


    He laughed. ¡°Well I guess there¡¯s a lot of secrets kept in that quiet head of yours.¡±


    Is that supposed to be a compliment?


    ¡°Uh thanks,¡± she grumbled, sliding her binder into her backpack as she did so. Naturally,and unfortunately for her, Vinny wasn¡¯t the only one to approach her. With the other three in the same room, it was only natural that they would all gravitate together. She couldn¡¯t help but to cringe, not wanting the rest of the class to start associating her with the Magic Club. However, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to tell them to go away.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you aced that,¡± Liz sighed as they drew up alongside her desk. ¡°I got fifty-five percent and I studied like crazy! How did you get an ¡®A¡¯?¡±


    Lilly shrugged, not sure how to respond but was thankfully saved from having to do so by Eric.


    ¡°Well, did you actually study? Or did you just sit at your desk with the book open to some random page while you sent kissy texts to Damien?¡± he inquired with a grin.


    She scowled. ¡°Shut up! Of course I studied, Reiner! It¡¯s just hard to understand! I mean, how¡¯d you do?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± he muttered, then cleared his throat. ¡°I might¡¯ve only got a fifty-six but it¡¯s still better than you!¡±


    ¡°Jokes on both of you!¡± Vinny interjected. ¡°Cause I got a thirty-two!¡±


    Both went silent and turned to stare at him like he was a dumbass, which didn¡¯t seem to bother Vinny in the slightest. Then, turning attention away from himself, he addressed Damien next.


    ¡°So? How about you, buddy?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m actually shocked you didn¡¯t get an A.¡±


    Damien shrugged. ¡°I mean, I got an eighty-four so it¡¯s not like I did that poorly.¡±


    ¡°Of course he did!¡± Liz exclaimed. ¡°Even when you do badly, you do well! You suck!¡±


    The boy frowned. ¡°When I do badly, I do well? That¡­doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to!¡± she retorted.


    Feeling the stares of the students left in the room, Lilly slung her backpack over her shoulder and prepared to move to the door on the opposite side of the room. That was apparently the club¡¯s cue to leave because they followed after her, chatting and arguing as they did so. Luckily for her, when they reached the door, they all bid her goodbye and took a left while she went right.


    God, if I¡¯m not careful, I¡¯m gonna get lumped in with them, she thought nervously. Although, that might be a good thing. I guess it would keep other people away¡ª


    ¡°Hey, Harper!¡±


    She jumped at the sudden call of her name and turned around to see Brad Fischer leaning up against the corridor wall, his arms folded and his brow furrowed in clear irritation.


    ¡°Uh, yeah?¡± she stuttered, afraid of what he might want after what happened in the bathroom nearly a week prior. Despite his promise to Jay and Alice to keep quiet, she still feared that he might try to confront her.


    ¡°Come here a moment,¡± he mumbled, though still keeping his voice firm.


    Worried about saying no, she moved out of the wave of students and approached the football player, trying to conceal her strong sense to avoid him.


    ¡°What?¡± she asked softly.


    ¡°Could you, er, meet me in the library after school,¡± he replied, all of a sudden seeming slightly uncomfortable before his sharp expression returned. ¡°I want to talk to you about something important.¡±


    And with that blunt response, he hurriedly turned and stalked into the crowd, leaving a stunned Lilly staring after him, unsure of how to react.


    ***


    The suddenness of Brad¡¯s request to meet him in the library had her so on edge throughout her sixth period Inporian History Class that she hardly processed any of what Mrs. Nelson was talking about. All she could focus on was trying to figure out what a popular football guy could want with somebody like her that didn¡¯t have something to do with the boys bathroom incident. Regardless of what might be going on, she was almost certain based on how Brad typically acted that she was getting blackmailed in some fashion. Therefore, despite knowing it might cause even more problems than she already had, Lilly decided she would take a risk.


    The minute the bell rang, signifying the end of the school day, she packed up her things and made a b-line for the staircase that would take her to the third floor. Despite the fact that being late to the library would almost certainly piss Brad off, she also knew she couldn¡¯t exactly go alone. And so, when she arrived at the top of the stairs, she went directly to the Magic Club¡¯s room.


    ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t Miss Lilly Harper,¡± Vinny said with a grin as she walked through the door. ¡°Always a pleasure for you to visit our humble abode.¡±


    She stopped in surprise, realizing that Vinny and Eric were the only ones in the room. She figured whichever teacher owned the room and a few straggling students would still be there.


    I guess whoever teaches here doesn¡¯t have a sixth period class, she reasoned.


    ¡°So what brings you here today?¡± Eric asked. ¡°Want to try messing with the gem again?¡±


    Lilly felt her body tense up as she tried to force herself to ask them for help. She wasn¡¯t used to reaching out to people like she was about to but, not wanting to deal with Brad by herself, she really wanted somebody to go with her and preferably somebody who wasn¡¯t afraid of the big boy, hence why she was talking to Vinny and Eric.


    ¡°A-actually,¡± she stuttered. ¡°I was wondering¡­if you could help me out with something?¡±


    The two boys looked momentarily surprised before smiling in excitement.


    ¡°Of course!¡± they said in unison.


    ¡°Anything you need,¡± Eric added.


    She was slightly uncomfortable at the ease with which they accepted her request without even knowing what she wanted but at the same time, she found herself grateful that the two were so quick to help.


    ¡°Look¡­¡± she began. ¡°Right after math ended, I ran into Brad Fischer and¡ª¡±


    Vinny snorted. ¡°Ew. What did that gorilla want you? And if he so much as laid a finger on you, let me know and I¡¯ll pound him into the ground!¡±


    Lilly hesitated, genuinely uncertain if he was serious but Eric motioned for her to go on before she could ask.


    ¡°And anyway,¡± she continued. ¡°He told me to meet him in the library after school. I¡¯m not sure what he wants but he was very¡­demanding.¡±


    Vinny shrugged dismissively. ¡°So? If you don¡¯t want to go then don¡¯t. He won¡¯t actually do anything to you if you don¡¯t. He¡¯s all talk.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but¡­¡± She didn¡¯t want to voice her fears about Brad spreading rumors about her in front of Vinny despite the fact that he already knew most of what went on during Eric¡¯s time in her body that first day. She glanced up at Eric with a pleading look and he seemed to understand what was bothering her.


    ¡°Well, there shouldn¡¯t be any harm in just seeing what he wants,¡± the tall boy said after a moment.


    Vinny cocked an eyebrow at his friend. ¡°I mean maybe¡­but what would he actually need with her? I didn¡¯t think he knew Lilly at all.¡±


    ¡°I mean, he doesn¡¯t really,¡± she muttered. ¡°Look¡­I was just wondering if either of you could just¡­like, come with me? I don¡¯t want you to walk in with me but could you just hide nearby so that Brad doesn¡¯t see you? It would¡­make me feel a bit better to know I wasn¡¯t alone.¡±


    ¡°Oh absolutely!¡± Vinny responded immediately. ¡°I¡¯ve got your back.¡±


    Still thrown off guard by his quickness to help, Lilly couldn¡¯t stop herself from staring at him in surprise.


    ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± she pressed. ¡°Cause if its a bother then¡ª¡±


    ¡°Nonsense!¡± he interrupted. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t want to keep the bulky bastard waiting. You hold down the fort, Eric.¡±


    ¡°Will do,¡± he replied. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything to screw her over, Vin¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t dream of it!¡±


    With that, the blonde boy beckoned for her to follow him before walking toward the classroom door. She glanced back at Eric but he merely smiled, encouraging her to go with him. So, realizing she should just be thankful that she got the help she wanted, Lilly turned and followed after Vinny.


    I can¡¯t believe how easy that was, she thought incredulously.


    ¡°Hey, Vinny,¡± she mumbled as she rushed up to walk alongside him. ¡°Thank you. I mean it.¡±


    The boy chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. You act like this is some big deal. Even if you haven¡¯t signed the official papers or whatever, I consider you an honorary member of the club now! Therefore, it is my duty to make sure you¡¯re safe and taken care of.¡±


    An honorary member, huh?


    Despite knowing that probably wasn¡¯t a good thing, she still couldn¡¯t help but to smile softly at the sincerity of his words. Suddenly, she didn¡¯t feel terribly embarrassed to be in his presence out in the halls. She wasn¡¯t sure why. She knew rumors would spread about her being caught up with them but it suddenly didn¡¯t seem like such a bad thing.


    After all, I¡¯m starting to realize that most of this school doesn¡¯t actually know a damn thing about them.


    The West Wilham High library was located on the third floor so it didn¡¯t take much of a walk before the two of them arrived at the open blue double doors. She took a deep breath, unsure of what she should expect but finding comfort in the fact that she didn¡¯t have to deal with it alone.


    ¡°Alright, you head in first,¡± Vinny said. ¡°I¡¯ll stay out here for a moment and act like I just wandered in. That good?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s fine. Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Alrighty. Let¡¯s get this done!¡±


    Using his words as motivation to move forward, Lilly walked through the doorway and into the library. As far as school libraries went, it wasn¡¯t anything impressive to the girl. Naturally, there were bookshelves all around with long, rectangular tables situated throughout the room for students to gather around and study. She figured she¡¯d find Brad at one and soon enough, she noticed him sitting at the corner of a table alone, scrolling on his phone. With one more deep breath, she walked toward him.


    ¡°Oh, there you are,¡± he grumbled upon seeing her approaching. ¡°Took you long enough.¡±


    ¡°I¡­had to stop by my locker,¡± she muttered, taking a seat opposite the table from him. ¡°So¡­you wanted to talk?¡±


    He nodded, glancing over her shoulder before narrowing her eyes. When she turned to look, she saw Vinny sauntering over to one of the bookshelves, grinning for some reason. When he noticed Brad staring, he waved with a sly chuckle before disappearing behind a shelf.


    Yup. Very inconspicuous, Vinny, she thought.


    ¡°What¡¯s your deal with them?¡± the broad-shouldered boy growled after a moment. ¡°Those Magic Club nuts, I mean.¡±


    She turned back to stare at him, hesitant with how to respond. She knew Brad couldn¡¯t stand them and so, she decided to simply lie for fear of pissing him off.


    ¡°Not much, really,¡± she replied.


    The boy scoffed. ¡°Oh don¡¯t give me that. I saw the way they all gathered around you in math earlier. You looked like you¡¯d been friends for years! Not to mention all that weird shit with you and Reiner the other day.¡± He then glanced away, and cleared his throat. ¡°But I won¡¯t get into that.¡±


    She cringed at the mention of that incident but found herself surprised that he didn¡¯t press it. So, not wanting him to change his mind, she quickly responded.


    ¡°Look¡­they just kinda took a liking to me,¡± she lied. ¡°I don¡¯t know why though. Is¡­that what you called to talk to me about?¡±


    Brad sighed before shaking his head. ¡°N-no,¡± he stuttered. ¡°Actually¡­it¡¯s about something else. I need your help.¡±


    She frowned, wanting to ask him what he needed before getting distracted by the sight of Vinny peeking at them from around the bookshelf behind Brad.


    Could you be more obvious?


    She was about to try and subtly motion for him to stop being so blatant when Brad¡¯s next words threw her mind through a loop.


    ¡°I¡­was wondering if you could be my calculus tutor?¡±

 Chapter 11- The Price of a Good Grade

    Chapter XI


    For the second time that day, Jay Brooks was taken by surprise at the sight of Lilly Harper at the side of one of the members of the Magic Club. The first time was during fifth period when, after the bell had rung, all four members of the club rushed to her table to begin talking with her. It was such an odd scene that he wound up simply staring in shock rather than approaching her to congratulate her on her test score like he had initially planned to. Then, she had walked out with them and he had been left by himself. Flash forward to the present and he was having deja vu as he watched Lilly and Vinny Mickelson walking side-by-side as they headed in the direction of the library.


    What the hell is going on? he asked himself. Since when was she so cozy with those idiots?


    He recalled a few weeks back when she had asked about them, and he had assumed that meant she didn¡¯t know them. Yet now, here they were, interacting as if Lilly were actually a member of their club.


    Are they actually friends? I mean, I didn¡¯t think so but, then again, Harper doesn¡¯t exactly tell me anything. In fact, she hardly talks at all. So why on earth would somebody as opposed to socializing be hanging around them?


    ¡°Jay?¡± came a voice from beside him. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    He quickly turned to look to his left where Alice was standing, looking past him to where he had been staring only a moment earlier. Her brow furrowed in confusion, no doubt at the receding backs of Lilly and Vinny.


    ¡°Weird, isn¡¯t it?¡± he grunted, returning his attention to his open locker before him. ¡°Did you know she was friends with Mickelson?¡±


    Alice shook her head. ¡°I mean, it didn¡¯t seem like they were all that close. But then again, he did pull her out of class last week. You remember? Maybe whatever he wanted sparked a friendship or something.¡±


    ¡°With Harper?¡± Jay scoffed. ¡°As if. If you and I know anything about that girl, it¡¯s that she doesn¡¯t like people. Mickelson should be somebody that she avoids like the plague, not walks to the library with!¡±


    Alice chuckled softly. ¡°Jealous, Jay?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he snapped, instantly cringing at how sharp his words were. Alice didn¡¯t seem particularly bothered by it but that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t furious at himself for letting his emotions take over and snapping at the girl.


    At the end of the day, she was partially right, after all. Ever since he met her, he had been trying to become friends with Lilly Harper and she just continued to show no interest in being around him. She constantly made excuses to not give him her number and she always attempted to get out of interacting with them. So, seeing her suddenly acting all close with the Magic Club did make him feel a bit worthless. If she was so quick to hang out with them but pushed back on him all the time, did that mean there was something wrong with him? Was he just repulsive enough that she wanted nothing to do with him?


    ¡°Look, I just think it¡¯s kinda weird, okay,¡± he said after a moment, softing his tone. ¡°Especially after she started acting so off that afternoon after club rush.¡±


    Alice nodded. ¡°I mean, you¡¯re not wrong. It is kinda strange, but it¡¯s not like it¡¯s our business. I keep telling you that Lilly doesn¡¯t want anything to do with us so maybe it¡¯s time to just accept that fact and move on. We¡¯re clearly bothering her.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to do that,¡± he grumbled.


    Alice sighed in exasperation. ¡°Why not? I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re so persistent with this girl. Why do you want to befriend her so much when she clearly doesn¡¯t want to be friends? I know as a fact you don¡¯t have a crush on her so what¡¯s the real reason? Why won¡¯t you just be honest, Jay?¡±


    Jay grimaced. There was a reason why he was so insistent on trying to be friends with Lilly but he knew there was no way he could ever tell Alice what that reason was. Regardless of how long they had been friends, this was something he simply had to keep to himself. However, that didn¡¯t mean he was only being nice to Lilly because of ulterior motivation. The truth of the matter was that he thought there was a certain charm to her and when he told the girl that he would be there for her, he genuinely meant it. Even after she started acting like a maniac after club rush, he still wasn¡¯t put off by her. He might have been confused and surprised by her sudden change of personality but not put off.


    ¡°It¡¯s really nothing big,¡± he lied. ¡°I just want to be friends with her.¡±


    Alice scoffed in clear irritation. ¡°Jay...I¡¯ve known you since we were barely old enough to walk...so I obviously know you well enough to know when you¡¯re lying to me.¡±


    He shrugged as nonchalantly as he could, trying not to show on his face that he was uncomfortable by her words. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to tell you, Alice.¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Since we don¡¯t have practice today, I took an earlier shift at Ralph¡¯s Diner so I gotta go. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you, too,¡± he replied softly.


    He stared after her as she turned and made her way down the hall, leaving him standing by himself in front of his still open locker. He sighed, knowing she was pissed at him but also knowing that he had no way around that. She was far too observant to be lied to for long, especially when he was acting as weird as he was.


    But this is for your own good, Alice, he thought. You might not realize it now but...you will eventually.


    Grabbing his history book and sliding it into his backpack, he then shut the door to his locker, slung the backpack over his shoulder and began heading not toward the staircase but in the direction of the library. He knew he should just leave the situation alone, but he also knew that if he didn¡¯t figure out what was going on between Lilly and the Magic Club soon then he was most definitely gonna regret it. So, hoping that Lilly and Vinny actually went to the library, Jay made his way down the third floor corridor and toward its open double doors. When he went inside, he glanced around the room for any sign of the two and was once again completely surprised to see Lilly sitting at a table across from not Vinny Mickelson but Bradley Fischer.


    What the¡­? Why the hell is she talking to that piece of shit?


    He quickly moved away and ducked behind one of the bookshelves before Lilly noticed him. It was then that he noticed a second surprising detail¡ªVinny was behind the same bookshelf, his brow furrowed in confusion as he clearly listened to the conversation between Lilly and Brad. Occasionally, the blonde boy would poke his head around the corner, which only confirmed Jay¡¯s suspicions that he was listening.


    What is going on with these three?


    Deciding that he couldn¡¯t leave before he got an answer, Jay decided to move away from Vinny but made sure to keep his ears open to the conversation on the other side of the shelf.


    ***


    ¡°Y-your tutor?¡± Lilly repeated, stunned.


    Brad nodded firmly, his cheeks a soft red hue, as if he was embarrassed to be asking the favor in the first place. ¡°Yeah. You made it clear to everybody in class today that you know what you''re doing. Nobody else got even close to your score so...I figured that meant that if anybody could help me then it would be you.¡±


    She could hardly believe what she was hearing. Over the course of her time in school, she had always been one with average grades. She did well in class but it was always high ¡°B¡±, low ¡°A¡± type of scores. There was always somebody better than her and that had never been a problem. So she was already thrown off guard by the fact that she did so much better than the rest of her class on the test so having Brad coming to her of all people was just the final straw to throw her mind into complete and total disarray.


    What the heck am I supposed to do? she internally wondered. I don¡¯t have the time to tutor somebody and I especially don¡¯t want to be around somebody like him! After the way I¡¯ve seen him treat Eric and Vinny, as well as what Jay said about him, I know he¡¯s bad news. But if I don¡¯t do it...is he going to start telling his friends about what happened? He¡¯s got enough sway in the student body that I doubt he would even need proof to convince everybody that I¡¯m a weirdo.


    ¡°And don¡¯t worry,¡± Brad continued. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to do it for free. I¡¯ll pay you a hundred bucks if you tutor me until this damned retake test. That way it¡¯ll be worth your while.¡±


    He¡¯s..gonna pay me?


    Once again, she found herself quickly trying to understand the situation. She had expected him to jump right to blackmail so she hadn¡¯t even considered the possibility that she could make money off of it.


    I can¡¯t even fathom what Vinny¡¯s thinking right now. I wish I could ask him what to do. Damn. Maybe I should test the waters a bit, she decided, wanting to get a better idea of how much freedom she had in the choice.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m flattered that you would ask me to tutor you,¡± she began, ¡°but I¡¯m on the cross country team so I won¡¯t have any time after school.¡±


    Brad shrugged. ¡°Yeah, obviously. I wouldn¡¯t either. I¡¯m on the football team, remember. The Homecoming Game is this weekend so we¡¯ll be busy practicing like hell after school all week. It¡¯s another reason I need a tutor.¡±


    Oh, that¡¯s right. He¡¯s on the football team. And I didn¡¯t even realize Homecoming was this week.


    ¡°So then...what were you thinking?¡± she asked nervously.


    He glanced away, seeming to stare in the direction of the doorway with a scowl before looking back at her. ¡°I was thinking we could meet before school and/or during lunch. I thought I¡¯d leave it up to you depending on when you had time.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± she muttered, still confused by how pleasant and accommodating he was being.


    Maybe I can actually turn him down and get away free, she thought.


    However, he must¡¯ve sensed that she was getting ready to turn him down because he spoke again, this time with a soft pleading tone to his voice.


    ¡°Look, Harper,¡± he said. ¡°I can¡¯t fail this retake. If you were curious, I got a twenty-five percent on this test. I didn¡¯t just bomb. I nuked the fuckin¡¯ thing  and the sad thing is that this isn¡¯t even uncommon for me.¡± The boy grimaced. ¡°Every year, I barely pass my classes and last year, I did so poorly that I was almost removed from the team. I can¡¯t let that happen this year. Football is my life and if I don¡¯t get to play, I could lose my shot at a scholarship and my only chance at getting into a good college. I can¡¯t start on a fuckin¡¯ ¡®F¡¯ so please...if you need more money I¡¯ll pay more money. I just really need your help!¡±


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Lilly listened silently, taking in everything he said and the genuine tone in which he said them. He wasn¡¯t lying or being manipulative. She was certain of that fact. He meant every word he had spoken to her. The boy not only wanted to not risk getting kicked from the team but he wanted to start the year hitting the ground running. She realized she understood him a little better than she thought. She knew that if she were going to be kicked from the cross country team then she would do everything in her power to avoid that outcome.


    So why isn¡¯t he blackmailing me, yet? If he¡¯s so desperate then shouldn¡¯t he be forcing me into it?


    When she didn¡¯t immediately respond, Brad sighed, as if he believed he had failed in his bid to get her to help.


    ¡°Could you at least think about it?¡± he asked. ¡°Then you can let me know during first period tomorrow.¡±


    With that, he slowly got to his feet, clearly intending to leave. She stared after him in shock, having been certain that he would resort to blackmail. The fact that he was ready to leave meant that he must not have planned to do so.


    But...does that really mean all that was genuine?


    She clenched her teeth, knowing that she would quickly regret being so impulsive but also not wanting to ignore the boy¡¯s request after everything he said.


    ¡°One hundred will be fine,¡± she said finally. ¡°And we can meet whenever is best for you.¡±


    He looked over his shoulder in surprise. ¡°W-wait, you¡¯re seriously gonna do it?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll help. Though I can¡¯t promise that I¡¯ll be a good tutor. I¡¯ve admittedly never done something like this before.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± he quickly replied. ¡°Anything helps. I¡¯m a terrible studier so even just having somebody guiding me through the work will be great. Thanks, Harper! I appreciate it! You think we can meet in the library tomorrow before school?¡±


    ¡°Sure. That works.¡±


    He grinned. ¡°Awesome! You won¡¯t regret it, I promise you!¡±


    Oh, I¡¯m already regretting it. Now I¡¯ll have to get up frickin early tomorrow. Damn it.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve gotta get running, but I¡¯ll see you in the morning,¡± he said before turning and making his way toward the doors.


    ¡°Yeah, see you in the morning,¡± she mumbled.


    She watched him go with a sigh, realizing that she had just gotten herself into a long week ahead. The girl waited for a moment and, only a few seconds after Brad had left, Vinny walked out from behind the closest bookshelf and took the seat Brad had been in moments earlier, a look of incredulity on his face.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you actually agreed to that,¡± he said.


    She scowled. ¡°Yeah, me, too, Vinny.¡±


    The boy chuckled, running his fingers through his hair as he seemed to contemplate the situation. ¡°So you¡¯re actually going to tutor the oaf? Good luck with that. The dude has bricks for brains and I¡¯m pretty sure bricks can¡¯t understand calculus.¡±


    ¡°Look, I know it¡¯s stupid but¡­.I don¡¯t know, he just seemed so despertae. Everybody makes him out to be an asshole, and I¡¯ve already seen him act like one so...I guess I was just kinda surprised that he sounded so...serious. I don¡¯t know..I guess I just would have felt guilty if I left him hanging out to dry.¡±


    Vinny shook his head. ¡°Why? There¡¯s no reason to? He would have it coming? I know as a fact that jackass would have beaten Eric and I up if we ever gave him the opportunity to do so.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± she admitted, recalling the day she first swapped with Eric when she had seen Brad shove the boy into a locker. She knew he was somebody best avoided so even she couldn''t be certain why she wanted to help him. Vinny was right and she knew it.


    ¡°Well,¡± he said after a moment. ¡°I guess you¡¯re kinda like Eric in that way, though.¡±


    She frowned. ¡°What? How so?¡±


    ¡°Well, he wouldn¡¯t ever look away from somebody asking for help...or even somebody who needed it but wasn¡¯t asking.¡± Vinny chuckled, his stare distant as if suddenly reflecting on something long past. ¡°I know that if Brad went to Eric for help, he would''ve helped regardless of what that oaf has done. It¡¯s just who he is and...I guess that¡¯s who you are, too.¡±


    Lilly shook her head. Really? He thinks I¡¯m like that? He clearly doesn¡¯t realize who I am then. I don¡¯t like interacting with people. Their problems aren¡¯t mine. If I can avoid them, I will. This..is just a special circumstance. I mean...there¡¯s still no guarantee that Brad won¡¯t try to blackmail me. Yeah, this is just the safest bet.


    Having reasoned everything out in her mind, she kept it to herself, not wanting to have to explain it all to Vinny, who seemed to still be reflecting on something she couldn¡¯t begin to guess at.


    ¡°Well,¡± she began, getting to her feet. ¡°Thanks for coming with me, Vinny. I think I¡¯ll head home now. I¡¯m kinda tired.¡±


    Her words seemed to snap her back to the present as he looked up at her and smiled. ¡°Ah, not coming to club today? But I guess that¡¯s fine. Get your rest, Lilly.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Yeah, thanks.¡±


    With that, she bid him goodbye and made her way from the library, all the while considering her interaction with Brad and trying to come up with some way to approach the situation.


    ***


    Vinny Mickelson leaned back in his seat, watching Lilly leave the library with a smile on his face. Up until that point, he hadn¡¯t known fully what to think of her. He liked her enough but there was an obvious distance between her and the club, like she didn¡¯t want to get close to any of them. Naturally, when he first met her, there had been a part of him that didn¡¯t want her getting involved with them. Much like during the club rush, he hadn¡¯t believed anybody else could fit into the dynamic that the MOAIT had created over the many years of their friendship. That seemed even more likely given Lilly¡¯s distant personality. However, after seeing the way she handled Brad, he was no longer certain of that.


    She¡¯s a lot more like Eric than I realized, he thought. And perhaps even more than she¡¯s willing to admit.


    He smirked, deciding he should hurry up and get back to the club before the others started screwing around with The Switch without him. Yet, before he could do that, he knew he still had one more job to accomplish. He glanced over to see a certain boy from his grade making his way toward the doors. Vinny couldn¡¯t help but to chuckle.


    ¡°Hey, Brooks,¡± he called out. ¡°Come over here, buddy.¡±


    Jay seemed to stiffen up before looking back over his shoulder in Vinny¡¯s direction. The blonde boy reached his hand up and motioned for him to come over with his pointer finger. Jay looked like he considered leaving before conceding to Vinny and making his way toward the table.


    ¡°The hell do you want, Mickelson?¡± he grumbled, taking the seat that Lilly had vacated.


    Vinny shrugged. ¡°Well you see, my friend, there was only supposed to be one person eavesdropping on Lilly and yet, much to my surprise, there were two. Care to explain why that was?¡±


    The other boy¡¯s eyes widened in surprise before his features instantly morphed into one of irritation. ¡°Well, who says I was eavesdropping on anything? Can¡¯t a guy come to a public library without being accused of something?¡± Jay then snorted. ¡°And you seem pretty quick to just admit you were listening in on her.¡±


    ¡°Well, I had permission,¡± he said simply. ¡°And you did not. Therefore, I don¡¯t have to worry about hiding the fact that I was listening in. It was by Miss Lilly Harper¡¯s request.¡±


    Jay narrowed his eyes in clear suspicion. ¡°Oh really? You¡¯re telling me that Harper asked you to be a creep? And why on earth would she ask you of all people to do that?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Vinny laughed as if the answer to his question was obvious. ¡°Because she was in a bit of a pickle and so, she asked me to listen in so I could give her advice. And of course, I accepted as what kind of man would I be if I refused to help a friend?¡±


    ¡°A friend, huh?¡± Jay looked away for a moment, seeming to fall into contemplation. ¡°And since when were you two friends? I didn¡¯t realize you even knew each other.¡±


    The blonde boy eyed Jay curiously. While he didn¡¯t have any problems with being honest about why he was eavesdropping on Lilly and Brad, he obviously couldn¡¯t tell Jay the story behind how their friendship began. So instead, he merely smiled.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a long story,¡± he said. ¡°But suffice to say, it ended with dear Lilly becoming more or less an honorary member of the club.¡±


    The boy exhaled softly, shaking his head as if wanting to get away from Vinny as fast as possible. ¡°An honorary member? Yeah, sure. Whatever.¡±


    ¡°Look, if you still don¡¯t believe me, I can give Lilly a call and have her tell you herself,¡± he offered, reaching into his pocket to produce his phone so he could wave it in front of Jay. However, he was surprised to see the boy jolt up in apparent surprise as he stared back, wide-eyed.


    ¡°Y-you...have her number?¡± he asked sharply.


    Vinny frowned, confused by his reaction, but still opted to reply honestly. ¡°Of course. Like I said, we are friends. And, last I checked, friends tend to have each other¡¯s phone numbers, correct?¡±


    In truth, the only reason he had her number was because Eric had insisted that she get every member¡¯s number so that she could have an easy way to get in contact with them should she have anything to offer relating to ideas about the gem. Lilly had seemed reluctant but obliged regardless.


    Jay¡¯s surprise slowly shifted as he seemed to once again look like he was deep in his own thoughts. Vinny noticed that he looked almost sad for a moment before the expression vanished, replaced by his earlier irritated one.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t bother,¡± he growled. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Now anyway, I have to get going.¡±


    He slowly got to his feet but Vinny was quick to jump up as well.


    ¡°Not so fast, my impatient friend,¡± he said quickly. ¡°I explained why I was eavesdropping but you have yet to give me your excuse.¡±


    Jay scoffed. ¡°I already told you, Mickelson! I wasn¡¯t eavesdropping. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    With that, the boy turned and stormed out of the room. Despite wanting to know what was going on, Vinny decided to remain behind and not give pursuit. He knew that if Jay didn¡¯t want to tell him then he wouldn¡¯t. Any more insistence would be met with more anger and he knew that angering the boy wouldn¡¯t achieve anything. Sighing, Vinny plopped back down into the chair and glanced around at the other tables. He realized that the library was fairly empty and found himself grateful that there were only a few people who could have overheard his conversation with Jay Brooks.


    Oh well. I guess I shouldn¡¯t worry about it. I know he and Lilly are friends so maybe he was just worried about her when he saw her with Brad Fischer.


    That answer seemed most logical to him and so, for the time being, he was satisfied with it. So, deciding that he would just keep an eye on Jay, Vinny got back up and headed out so he could finally make his way back towards the club.


    ***


    So she gave Mickelson her number, huh?


    As Jay walked, he felt a pit forming in his stomach. He didn¡¯t know why it bothered him so much. It was as Alice said earlier¡ªLilly didn¡¯t seem to want to be friends with him and had been pushing him away since they first met. Yet he had figured that was just her personality and it would simply take him some time before she warmed up to him. So to learn that she had already given it to Vinny was a blow to the gut for him.


    If she¡¯s so quick to give a weirdo like him her number then what¡¯s wrong with me? Am I really that pathetic in her eyes that she would put a member of the fucking Magic Club over me?


    He sighed, rounding a corner of the hallway and continuing down the next corridor. He knew he shouldn¡¯t let it bother him and yet it just kept nagging at him. Combined with her weird attraction to the Magic Club in recent days and he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if something was up. He knew he should really just take Alice¡¯s advice and leave her alone but he was still holding out hope that Lilly could play the role he wanted¡ªno, needed her to play. So, he decided that he would give it a little more time and see if he could get to the bottom of the mystery.


    This weird relationship she has with them started right after club rush when she went insane. Could it possibly have something to do with that?


    He racked his brain, trying to remember what exactly went down before she started flipping out. He remembered Eric Reiner getting pushed into a locker by Brad Fischer and then Lilly went over to help him up. When he and Alice approached, Eric realized he was missing something and began looking for it. It was a little orange stone that Lilly found on the ground. Then¡­


    Jay furrowed his brow, coming to a stop in the relatively empty hallway.


    Then she handed it to him and...that moment she did, that¡¯s when she started acting odd. Could it be...that the stone had something to do with it?


    He shook his head, knowing that it was a stupid idea. He knew there was no way a simple rock could cause a reaction like the one Lilly had that afternoon. It was most likely just a coincidence that she started acting strange right after touching it. However, he couldn''t help but to keep considering it. The fact remained that Lilly suddenly began acting completely out of character¡ªalmost like she was trying to mimic Eric Reiner¡ªand it happened right after she touched the stone.


    I know it¡¯s dumb to conisder but¡­


    He frowned.


    ...maybe I should give that stone a look.

 Chapter 12- False Preconceptions

    Chapter XII


    For the second time in less than twenty four hours, Lilly Harper was making her way through the third floor hallways and toward the school¡¯s library. It was seven o¡¯clock in the morning so the sun was barely over the horizon and there weren¡¯t any students in the halls. The only ones at the school would be those who had zero period classes. School wouldn¡¯t start until eight-fifteen so that meant they would have a little over an hour for their tutoring session.


    Lilly yawned, turning a corner as she tried to blink the sleepiness from her eyes. She still couldn¡¯t believe she was actually going to be tutoring somebody, let alone Brad Fischer. She didn¡¯t know the first thing about teaching and so, after asking her sister for advice, she decided she would just have to wing it. If she couldn¡¯t do it then the worst thing she would have to do is give Brad his money back and go on her way.


    Assuming that¡¯s an option, she thought nervously.


    There was still no guarantee that the boy wouldn¡¯t try to use the incident after club rush against her. For all she knew, he was saving it for a reason she couldn¡¯t even begin to guess at. Though she was relatively confident he wouldn¡¯t after their interaction the previous day, she simply couldn¡¯t help but to be weary.


    Well I¡¯m already committed so at least I can try and make the most out of it, she thought bitterly. I¡¯m making money, after all.


    The girl sighed, hoping for the tenth time that morning that Brad would actually be in the library when she showed up. She realized after he left that the big boy had forgotten to give her his phone number and had left her with the only information about their meetup being that it would be before school in the library at some point. She had no way to get ahold of him since she guessed none of the Magic Club members had his number so she was simply assuming that he would already be in the library.


    Oh well¡­ If he isn¡¯t there then I¡¯ll just have to wait until he eventually shows up.


    She shrugged to herself as she approached the closed doors of the library. Fearing they might be locked, she gave one a soft pull and was thankful when the door started to open. Lilly then pulled it all the way before stepping into the large room. She immediately noticed an elderly librarian at the desk to her right who she was pretty sure hadn¡¯t been present the day before. The old woman looked up and smiled at her, whispering a soft ¡°good morning, dear¡± before going back to the book she was reading.


    Great. Well at least it¡¯s open.


    ¡°Hey, Harper.¡±


    Just as she was about to start scanning the rather empty room, she heard somebody softly call out to her from her right. When she turned to look, she saw Brad sitting at one of the tables with his textbook open before him, an irritated look on his face.


    Oh, so he is here. He looks pissed though.


    Not particularly comfortable with being around the boy if he was angry, Lilly nevertheless approached the table, taking a seat across from him like she had the previous day.


    ¡°What the hell, Harper?¡± Brad hissed the moment she sat down. ¡°Do you, like, not exist online or something?¡±


    She frowned, having no idea where that question even came from. ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Your social media,¡± he snapped. ¡°I went to look you up so we could plan a time, but I couldn¡¯t find any accounts. Do you just not use your name or something?¡±


    Realization immediately dawned on her at his response.


    So that¡¯s why he didn¡¯t give me his number. He thought he could just find me online?


    In truth, she didn¡¯t actually have any social media accounts. There was nothing that happened in her life that she felt like sharing and she didn¡¯t ever care enough about any of her classmates to follow them and see what they were up to. It never even occurred to her that Brad might try to get ahold of her that way instead of just texting her.


    ¡°Uh¡­well¡­¡± she stuttered. ¡°No¡­I don¡¯t have any accounts. Sorry.¡±


    He looked at her in clear bafflement. ¡°Really? Nothing?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± he pressed. ¡°Do you just not have friends or something?¡±


    Yup. Pretty much.


    However, since that suddenly sounded really pathetic, she instead replied with, ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. I just don¡¯t have anything I feel like sharing. If you want to get a hold of me then just text me.¡±


    Brad cocked an eyebrow as if he thought she were lying to him.


    Is it really that inconceivable that I¡¯m not on social media? Why¡¯s he looking at me like I¡¯m crazy?


    Though even as she asked herself the question, she realized that it wasn¡¯t terribly unlikely that he already did think that. Luckily, however, he did press the issue any further and instead turned his attention to the book laying open before him.


    ¡°Alright, whatever. I¡¯ll just get your number later,¡± he muttered. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s get started. I don¡¯t want to waste any time. We¡¯ve only got three days until the test.¡±


    Well, he definitely doesn¡¯t beat around the bush, she silently remarked. I guess we¡¯re just doing this.


    From there, the two of them got right right work. However, it was immediately apparent just how hard of a task she had signed herself up for. Aside from Brad¡¯s clear struggle to understand most of the content, she realized that attempting to wing her teaching had been a bad idea. She wasn¡¯t good at articulating her thoughts to begin with so trying to explain calculus to somebody with hardly any understanding was completely beyond her. She was constantly stumbling over her words and correcting herself which she was sure only confused Brad even more. Yet, for some reason, he wasn¡¯t complaining or getting irritated by her blatant failure to explain the content. He simply listened and waited when she had to stop and think.


    At the same time, she was already slightly on edge just being in his presence. She knew almost nothing about him aside from how violent he was toward Eric and that the Magic Club despised him. So the fact that he was both being relatively nice to her and not bringing up the incident had her completely thrown through a loop. Being so on edge and confused didn¡¯t help her concentration at all and made her explanations way more complicated than they had any right to be.


    God damn, I¡¯m so bad at this.


    As time went on, a few students wandered into the library, with some even glancing over at the two of them, as if curious why they were together. Brad didn¡¯t seem to care but she couldn¡¯t help but cringe at once again drawing attention from those around her. Though she knew she shouldn¡¯t be surprised. She was, after all, tutoring the school¡¯s star football player early in the morning. There was no doubt that would draw attention from anybody who noticed.


    I hope this doesn¡¯t start any rumors from spreading about us, she thought irritably. I¡¯m doing this to stop rumors, not create them!


    After a while, she told Brad to work on some problems from the book on his own so she could gather her own thoughts, but watching him struggling to solve the first one, which was by far the easiest, only made her more nervous.


    He probably hates me now. I¡¯m the worst tutor he¡¯s probably ever had¡­assuming he¡¯s ever had a tutor before.


    Lilly sighed, turning to look out the window to her right. The light from the sunrise was already shining through the glass and casting its glow into the library. She could hear the sounds of students off in the hallway and knew that school would be starting soon. A glance at the library¡¯s wall clock confirmed that they had about twenty minutes left.


    I guess I should wrap things up soon.


    ¡°Hey, Harper,¡± Brad suddenly said, drawing her attention away from the window and toward him.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± she replied hesitantly. She knew he hadn¡¯t finished the problems yet so there was no doubt he wanted to talk about something else.


    ¡°Are you doing alright?¡± he asked softly. ¡°You¡¯ve seemed stressed out this whole time. Are you really that afraid of me?¡±


    Taken aback by his question, she struggled to find a response. Her hesitation seemed to only confirm his question for him.


    ¡°W-well¡­¡± she managed to get out. ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m afraid of you but¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯ve Reiner and Mickelson told you?¡± he interrupted.


    He was looking at her not with an accusing stare but with one that almost seemed sad. She was once again taken aback, but this time, she decided she should just be honest with him. He didn¡¯t seem like he was blaming her, and after how reasonable he had been behaving, she felt as if she at least owed him that much.


    ¡°Well¡­admittedly, they did warn me to be careful,¡± she replied softly, looking down at her desk nervously. ¡°And I mean, can you really blame them? I saw you and Eric that afternoon after club rush. He clearly has a reason not to like you.¡±


    Brad sighed. ¡°Yeah¡­fair enough, I guess.¡±


    She looked up in surprise at the dejected tone in his voice.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to push him so hard, you know,¡± he continued. ¡°It was an accident. I was already pissed off and combined with his stupid declarations about magic and I¡­¡± He stopped suddenly and grimaced. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m just making excuses. I shouldn¡¯t have shoved him.¡±


    Lilly frowned. He actually seemed to genuinely regret getting physical with Eric. After watching their interactions, she had been certain that Brad hated the club members but now she wasn¡¯t so sure. The more she interacted with him, the less she realized she knew about the boy sitting across from her.


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°What¡­was going on that made you sure mad, if you don¡¯t mind my asking?¡± she said softly.


    He shrugged. ¡°Oh nothing important. Evan, a friend of mine, was just getting on my nerves, is all. Kept going on about how stupid all the clubs were. He was just making fun of everybody in sight like he was better than them all and it just got under my skin. Eventually, I figured I¡¯d leave and I ran into Reiner getting my stuff from my locker.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± she began, trying to find some way to phrase her next question without sounding like a jerk. ¡°Why would that make you so mad?¡±


    Brad scoffed. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it? The jackass thinks that cause we¡¯re the football kids that everyone else is just pathetic. I mean, none of those clubs are my thing, sure, but if other people enjoy it then more power to them. I just don¡¯t get why he needs to belittle everybody else.¡±


    Lilly couldn¡¯t help but frown once again. His words and actions weren¡¯t adding up and she couldn¡¯t help but to be a bit skeptical.


    ¡°With all due respect,¡± she said. ¡°If you¡¯re so against belittling people then why do you fight with Eric and Vinny all the time? I mean, you tend to be the aggressor whenever I¡¯ve been around.¡±


    Brad glanced away, as if embarrassed. ¡°Look¡­my relationship with them is complicated. Back in freshman year, my friends on the team always seemed to try to antagonize them. I think they were looking for a fight. They figured that if one of them reacted then they could get a chance to beat the shit out of them. Hell, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they were trying to get a rise out of Clark just to see if the rumors were true.¡±


    Right, she thought. He means those rumors Jay was telling me about a while ago.


    He had said that the reason the Magic Club didn¡¯t get targeted very often was because Damien acted as a deterrent. However, in her time spent with the club, she found Damien to be the most rational and calm of the bunch so she wasn¡¯t sure how much she believed the rumors. But regardless, she could see what Brad meant.


    ¡°But Reiner and Mickelson never lashed out,¡± he continued, picking up his pencil and beginning to fiddle with it. ¡°They would insult us and say stupid shit but they never got violent. And, since I was the big rising star on the team, the two dumbasses seemed to decide I was the head of the group and started targeting me specially.¡±


    He smiled a self-deprecating grin. ¡°Funny thing I¡¯ve noticed, Harper. When you¡¯re the one who everybody has their eyes on, people just kinda assume that you¡¯re the leader of your group of friends. If my buddies are causing trouble then it must be me instigating it.¡± He set the pencil back down on the desk and shook his head. ¡°After a while, I got sick of their constant teasing and so I started firing back. That¡¯s how we got to the present day.¡±


    Lilly didn¡¯t immediately respond as she tried to process everything he was saying. It all suddenly made sense to her. He wasn¡¯t the asshole Eric and Vinny seemed to think he was. They had simply misunderstood who it was they should blame for the constant insults. Brad wasn¡¯t a bad guy. He was just caught up in a bad crowd.


    ¡°So why are you friends with these people if they irritate you so much?¡± Lilly finally asked.


    He shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, Harper. Evan and the other guys aren¡¯t bad people. They just get caught up in their social status sometimes. They¡¯re good guys at heart though.¡± He then smirked. ¡°It¡¯s because they get carried away that I promised Mendez and Brooks that I wouldn¡¯t tell anybody about your little trip into the guy¡¯s room. You¡¯d never live that down.¡±


    She immediately turned red at his smirk, having hoped that situation wouldn¡¯t ever get brought up. However, she found herself grateful that he was looking out for her despite the strange course of events that had no doubt left him utterly confused.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she mumbled.


    He chuckled. ¡°Well, seeing as I¡¯ve spilled my guts out to you, would you care to explain exactly why it was that you did that? When I asked you for help, I was prepared to deal with somebody potentially stranger than Reiner yet¡­you seem normal. What happened?¡±


    ¡°Er¡­¡± she looked away out of embarrassment. ¡°How about we save that for another time. It¡¯s¡­hard to explain.¡±


    She expected him to protest but was surprised once again when he merely shrugged.


    ¡°Fine. But you do owe me one, Harper,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Lilly,¡± she corrected. ¡°Call me, Lilly. I don¡¯t know why everybody here uses my last name all the time.¡±


    Brad laughed. ¡°Well, I guess we¡¯re just more polite around here, Lilly.¡±


    She smirked. ¡°I guess so, huh?¡±


    Well, I can¡¯t say I¡¯m not surprised. He¡¯s a very different person than I expected him to be. I guess¡­I should put a bit more effort into trying to teach him. I want him to pass this test after all. So¡­I¡¯ll do what I can to make that happen¡­as a thanks for not telling anybody about what happened.


    ***


    Despite trusting that Lilly could handle herself, Vinny couldn¡¯t help but to be a little nervous knowing that she was helping out somebody as potentially dangerous as Bradley Fischer. Part of him had wanted to rush to the library the moment he got to school and make sure she was okay but he knew the potential repercussions of doing so if Brad saw him. So, he opted to do the more sensible thing and simply wait until he saw Lilly in first period.


    A quick glance to his left to where Eric and Damien were walking told him that they, too, didn¡¯t like the idea of Lilly associating with Brad. When Vinny had returned from the library the previous afternoon and filled them in, Liz had been immediately prepared to go and talk some sense into Lilly for accepting the football player¡¯s offer. Damien hadn¡¯t been as emotional but he clearly had been worried about it. Eric, however, while making it clear that he didn¡¯t like it, didn¡¯t seem to be as bothered as the rest of them.


    Even now, as Vinny walked with his taller friend, Eric seemed as if it was only a minor problem.


    Well, I guess that¡¯s just Eric. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever really seen him get nervous or angry anyway. But regardless of whether he¡¯s worried about the situation or not, I sure am. Hopefully Brad is being serious and he only wants help with math, Vinny thought. Cause if he lays even a finger on Lilly, I¡¯ll beat the shit out of him myself.


    He then smirked, recalling the little gem tucked away in Eric¡¯s pocket.


    Then again, there are always far worse things we could do to him if he forces us to. With something like The Switch, it would be easy to fuck over his reputation¡­


    He let the thought hang, not wanting to think it would have to go that far. However, in the few days he¡¯d known her, Lilly had become somebody he sincerely liked and wanted to get to know better. He wouldn¡¯t stand for anything happening to any of his friends and he now considered her one of them.


    ¡°Well, here¡¯s where we part ways,¡± Vinny said as they came to the top of the second floor staircase. ¡°Until later, Damien.¡±


    The other boy nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll see you guys later. And let me know how things went with Brad after you talk to Lilly.¡±


    Vinny smirked. ¡°Of course. But like hell he¡¯s actually gonna do anything. Not with you around, that is.¡±


    Damien¡¯s mouth twitched and the blonde boy immediately regretted making the joke.


    ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t remind me,¡± his friend muttered.


    Vinny nodded. ¡°Sorry. Bad joke.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Damien replied, the momentary discomfort gone almost as quick as it had appeared. ¡°I¡¯ll see you guys later.¡±


    Bidding them goodbye, he then turned and made his way down the opposite hall from where Mrs. Kentz¡¯s classroom was. Vinny watched him go, regretting how little he thought before speaking. He knew Damien¡¯s reputation was a sore subject for him and it was usually taboo to bring it up. He had just hoped that trying to be lighthearted would make his friend less anxious about Brad. After all, if anything was going to deter Brad from hurting Lilly in any way then it was certainly Damien¡¯s presence. If Brad thought for even a second that Damien might retaliate then it was likely Lilly would be safe.  Yet, he realized he should have just kept his mouth shut as he was almost certain Damien was already aware of that fact. There wasn¡¯t a point to saying it aloud.


    ¡°Vinny?¡±


    Eric¡¯s call pulled him from his thoughts and he realized that the boy was already heading to the classroom.


    ¡°Coming,¡± he called back, rushing up alongside his friend.


    Together, the two of them made their way down the hall and into their first period English class, anxious to talk to Lilly and see how everything had gone. However, when they arrived through the door of Mrs. Kentz¡¯s classroom, they found Lilly¡¯s seat to be empty. For a moment, Vinny wondered if she might still be in the library with Brad when he realized there was only seven minutes until class started. If she was, she would be cutting it real close. However, he got his answer moments later from somebody sitting in the back left corner.


    ¡°She went to her locker.¡±


    Both Eric and Vinny turned in surprise to see Brad sitting with his friends, eyeing them with clear irritation. His other football buddies looked equally as disgusted by their presence, a fact that always made Vinny want to laugh. The amount of hate he managed to have from the football team was something he considered should be an accomplishment rather than a problem, especially given the fact that none of the supposed ¡°tough guys¡± had the balls to actually do anything to them.


    ¡°Oh? Did she?¡± Vinny replied with a grin. ¡°Fair enough, then.¡±


    The blonde boy prepared himself for some form of insult but, much to his surprise, Brad then turned back and resumed chatting with his friends. For a moment, he just stood there, contemplating whether he was missing something as it was quite unusual for Brad to refrain from saying anything rude to them. Vinny frowned and was about to say something when somebody else beat him to it.


    ¡°What the fuck do you need, Mickelson? Brad already told you where Harper is so stop standing there like a dumbass and go to your fucking desk.¡±


    The one who spoke so harshly was a tall, broad-shouldered friend of Brad¡¯s named Evan Wright. His slightly curled up bangs and sharp brown eyes made him look like somebody Vinny would never want anything to do with in the first place, and his personality was easily the most grating and arrogant of the football guys, even over Brad. Wright was the only one who he was slightly weary of as he was infamous for getting into fights with other students both older and younger. In addition, there were many who even suspected Evan enjoyed fighting and so, Vinny had always gotten the impression that he actually wanted to take on Damien. The only guess Vinny had as to why Evan hadn¡¯t yet was probably due to urgings from his friends to not antagonize Damien.


    Therefore, despite his usual love for screwing around with the football team, since Brad and the others were laying off him for the time being, Vinny opted to back out peacefully. Evan was not somebody he wanted to piss off since he was the only one who might retaliate. Therefore, Vinny simply shrugged.


    ¡°Just thinking about things,¡± he replied. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, my friend.¡±


    Wright scoffed but, after exchanging a quick look with Brad, he rolled his eyes and turned away. Vinny smirked and, with the still silent Eric, made his way to his desk.


    ¡°That was interesting,¡± Eric muttered as he set his backpack under his desk. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen Brad act so passive. I wonder if Lilly said something to him.¡±


    Vinny laughed. ¡°Well, if she did then I have to bow to her. I never thought anybody could tame Bradley Fischer.¡± Then, noticing the door swing open to admit another pair of students, the blonde boy couldn¡¯t help but to chuckle once again. ¡°Speak of the devil.¡±


    When Lilly noticed the two of them looking at her, she sighed, said something to Alice who was standing beside her, then made her way over to the two of them.


    ¡°And so she survives her first day of the ordeal,¡± Vinny said with a sly smirk. ¡°Good to see you still in one piece, Lilly.¡±


    She rolled her eyes but Vinny could see a hint of a smile on the corner of her lips.


    ¡°How did everything go?¡± Eric asked softly, lowering his voice so that the football players in the back couldn¡¯t hear them. ¡°Did Brad do anything or did everything go smoothly?¡±


    Lilly glanced back over her shoulder and, when she seemed to decide that Brad and his friends weren¡¯t paying them any attention, she shook her head. ¡°No. He was actually really nice. He wasn¡¯t anything like the guy I see arguing with you two.¡±


    Vinny cocked an eyebrow. ¡°What do you mean? Was he, like, acting like a gentleman or something?¡± The boy couldn¡¯t help but to laugh at the ridiculousness of the thought.


    ¡°N-no...nothing like that,¡± she replied. ¡°It¡¯s just...I don¡¯t think he¡¯s as much of a jerk as he might come across.¡±


    Eric frowned, turning a glance back in Brad¡¯s direction as if trying to size him up. As for Vinny, he couldn¡¯t help but to internally scowl. While he was happy to hear that Brad had been treating Lilly well, he knew with almost certainty that it was simply an act in the presence of an attractive girl. In fact, he realized that Brad putting on a nice-guy act was not terribly surprising now that he thought about it. If he was serious about actually doing better in class, like he had seemed when he spoke to Lilly the day before, then he was assuredly going to act as nice as possible to ensure that Lilly helped him.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll tell you more later,¡± Lilly said after a moment with a glance up to the classroom¡¯s wall clock. ¡°School¡¯s starting soon.¡±


    ¡°Alrighty then,¡± Eric replied. ¡°See you after class.¡±


    The two boys watched her head back to her desk in silence and Vinny could immediately tell that Eric was deep in thought. The blonde boy looked up at his friend and couldn¡¯t help but to smile wryly.


    ¡°So? What do you make of that?¡± he asked quietly. ¡°You think Fischer¡¯s manipulating her?¡±


    He had expected Eric to immediately agree since it seemed like the most logical explanation. So, when his old friend simply frowned, Vinny was taken by surprise. With a sigh, Eric turned another look back towards Brad, his brows furrowed in contemplation.


    ¡°Honestly, Vin¡¯...who knows.¡±

 Chapter 13- Trust Gained and Trust Lost

    Chapter XIII


    The following days seemed to pass by in the blink of an eye for Lilly and, before she knew it, the retake test was only a day away. Despite her initial misgivings about both Brad and her ability to actually teach him, she still stuck to her promise and did her best to help him pass the test, especially given the fact that she realized that she hadn¡¯t truly understood him before. To find out that he wasn¡¯t as terrible of a person as she had believed made her want to actually help him and so, she did everything she could to teach what she knew. Yet, even that wasn¡¯t enough. At the end of the day, she still wasn¡¯t somebody who excelled at communication and so, she struggled with putting what she knew into words that Brad could understand. Because of that, he hadn¡¯t really improved since the first day of their study sessions even with them getting together every day before school and during lunch. Her week had been so packed that she hadn¡¯t gotten much of a chance to help the Magic Club with their gem investigations and it was looking like that sacrificed time wasn¡¯t going to have been worth it. As it stood that afternoon, Brad would be lucky enough to get a ¡°D¡±.


    She recalled how dejected Brad had been during their lunch session that day with a twinge of guilt. She knew a lot of it was her fault for being so incapable of explaining the content and so, she felt bad for wasting his time when he could have been getting help from somebody who knew what they were doing. That being the case, she had suggested that he just keep the money since she hadn¡¯t done what she promised to do. His response, however, had surprised her.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t worry about it,¡± he said. ¡°I came to you and asked for your help and you did what you said you would do. It wouldn¡¯t be right not to pay you after you¡¯ve spent all week trying to help me.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°But it¡¯s not like my help is actually going to amount to anything. If anything, I¡¯ve just wasted your time.¡±


    ¡°Lilly,¡± he replied, his voice firmer than it had been moments earlier. ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s nothing for you to worry about. Hell, I should be thanking you for even giving me the time of day after what those Magic bastards probably said about me. Honestly...thanks for trying. Not to mention that I¡¯m an unteachable jackass to begin with. It¡¯s probably more my fault anyway¡­¡±


    Thinking back on the conversation only made Lilly clench her teeth in irritation and she suddenly found herself running even faster than she had before. She was at cross country practice doing laps around the neighborhoods and she realized that her mind kept wandering back to Brad. In the few days that she had been teaching him, she found that she really didn¡¯t want Brad to fail the test. It was why she was genuinely considering doing something that she was sure the Magic Club would think was insane. In fact, even she couldn¡¯t be certain that it was even a good idea, yet she couldn¡¯t help but to consider it more than once since she spoke to Brad at lunch.


    It would only be a temporary solution but...it¡¯s probably all I can do at this point, she thought hesitantly.


    Lilly scowled, once again attempting to shove the thoughts from her mind as she turned her attention back to running. She glanced up from the pavement to see Matt Briggs just ahead of her. Part of her wanted to pick up the pace and run him down, knowing there was nobody ahead of him, but then she recalled Coach Francis¡¯s instructions to run at a more casual pace that day. Internally sighing, Lilly only slightly increased her speed but not enough to catch Matt before she rounded a corner and the front gates of the school came into view. She was on her last lap so once she made it back, she was free to go home. That meant she had only a few more minutes to decide whether to approach Eric about her idea or not.


    Hell, I¡¯ll probably just be wasting my time. After all, he doesn¡¯t have any reason to help Brad...and I¡¯m sure he¡¯d be especially against letting him in on that stone. Lilly frowned. Not to mention he hardly knows me. Maybe he¡¯d consider it if it were Vinny or Damien asking but he has no reason to help me out with something like this. I¡¯m not an actual club member, after all.


    As she slowed to a stop the moment she went through the gates, her thoughts then shifted to her conversation with the Magic Club the afternoon of the first day of her tutoring job. She had told them all about what Brad had said about how he feels regarding his school image and his relationship with his friends and was met with very mixed reactions. Vinny seemed almost certain that Brad was simply putting on an act because she was a girl and while Damien and Liz weren¡¯t as certain as he was, they were both skeptical of whether what he said was true or not. Eric, surprisingly, didn¡¯t offer any opinion. Instead, he seemed to be deep in thought for the majority of the conversation and only spoke on occasion. Yet despite their reactions, the more Lilly interacted with Brad, the more certain she was that he was telling the truth. Unless he was some acting prodigy, she didn¡¯t think he could fake the emotions in his voice when he talked about how people saw him.


    ¡°Good job, Harper!¡± Coach Francis called over to her with a broad smile. ¡°Go get some water and stretch. Then you¡¯re free to go.¡±


    Lilly nodded to her before making her way toward the table that she normally put her stuff at. She was so distracted by her thoughts and her internal struggles that she didn¡¯t even notice that there were two people sitting at that table until one of them spoke.


    ¡°Man, they weren¡¯t kidding,¡± Vinny said cheerfully. ¡°You really are freakishly fast!¡±


    She looked up, startled by the sudden voice, only to see Eric and Vinny sitting across the table from her with grins that suggested her surprise was amusing them.


    ¡°I mean, I had heard you were quick but you came in second out of the whole team,¡± Eric added. ¡°Truly, you are an inspiration, my friend.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help but to smile, feeling her cheeks turning red due to their compliments as she did so. ¡°T-thanks,¡± she managed to get out. Then, desperately wanting to turn the conversation away from her, she asked, ¡°So what are you guys doing down here? Shouldn¡¯t you be in the clubroom?¡±


    Eric shrugged. ¡°Eh, we got bored. Damien had to leave for a dentist appointment and Liz went home early to study more for tomorrow¡¯s retake test. Since it was just the two of us, Vinny suggested coming out here to hang out with you once you were done.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± she replied softly, feeling her body tense up at the mention of the following day¡¯s retake test.


    Then, as if Eric¡¯s comment reminded them, Vinny spoke.


    ¡°Speaking of that stupid test, how¡¯s everything going with the big oaf? Has he collected his third brain cell yet?¡± The blonde boy smirked slyly. ¡°Or has he finally displayed his true colors to you?¡±


    Lilly scoffed, finding herself more irritated by Vinny¡¯s insults than she thought she would have been. However, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to tell him off and instead remained quiet as she tried to find a way to respond.


    ¡°Be nice, Vin¡¯,¡± Eric admonished softly. ¡°Whether you like him or not, Fischer¡¯s at least trying to do well on the test. He might be a quick-to-violence buffoon, but at least he wants to improve himself. I can respect that.¡±


    Lilly looked at Eric in surprise, having never expected the boy who she saw Brad shove into a locker to jump to his defense. Vinny didn¡¯t seem particularly bothered by Eric¡¯s comment and simply laughed.


    ¡°Say whatever you like, Eric,¡± he replied. ¡°But I¡¯ve had enough experience with that asshole over the years to know that he¡¯s nothing but the stereotypical football player who, if not for...certain circumstances, would have beaten the shit out of us a long time ago.¡±


    Lilly glanced down at the ground, knowing that the circumstances he was referring to had to do with the rumors surrounding Damien. Part of her wanted to ask him about it but the other part didn¡¯t feel like she knew them well enough to pry into their business. If Vinny wanted to explain it then he wouldn¡¯t have been so vague.


    ¡°I know you like to forgive people and good on you but I¡¯m keeping an eye on that bastard so long as Lilly is associating with him,¡± Vinny continued. ¡°I don¡¯t like him and I never will.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not excusing his actions over the years,¡± Eric said. ¡°But I do think we should take what Lilly told us into account. If it¡¯s true what he told her then it would seem we were the ones who caused our rather unstable relationship simply by assuming he was the one behind the initial teasing.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡± The blonde boy shook his head. ¡°Right¡­If he was telling the truth and like I said, I don¡¯t believe a word that comes out of his mouth.¡±


    Eric sighed and, as if deciding that his words weren¡¯t going to get through to Vinny, turned to look back at Lilly, who had been silently watching the exchange.


    ¡°So? How is it going?¡± he asked. ¡°Does it seem like Fischer might actually pass that test?¡±


    Seeing how genuinely interested the boy seemed, Lilly couldn¡¯t help but to regret that she couldn¡¯t give any good news.


    ¡°No...I don¡¯t think so,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯m not very good at explaining things and so I haven''t really been able to teach him properly. I¡¯m better at just doing the work. I can¡¯t really explain how to do it. In fact, I don¡¯t think my tutoring is going to help him at all.¡±


    Eric frowned. ¡°Oh. Too bad.¡±


    ¡°Well, sucks to be him,¡± Vinny grumbled. ¡°If he were us, he could just have Lilly switch bodies with him and take the test. Too bad he¡¯s spent three years shitting on magic. In fact¡­¡± The boy looked up at Lilly and made a pouty face that might have been intended to be endearing but came across more creepy than anything. ¡°You think you could do me a solid and take the test for me, Lil¡¯?¡±


    Lilly snorted, eyeing him irritably. ¡°Not a chance in hell, Vin¡¯,¡± she growled. ¡°Study on your own.¡±


    ¡°Ah, damn,¡± he said, snapping his fingers. ¡°Well it was worth a shot, wasn¡¯t it.¡±


    Lilly internally grimaced, having had her very proposition suggested as if it were utterly preposterous. Vinny had essentially confirmed that there was no way they would ever let Brad know about the stone, let alone allow him to use it.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    But I guess that makes sense, she thought miserably. This is too crazy of a situation to just let anybody in on. Magic exists. It¡¯s not like that¡¯s something we can just go parading around...no matter how much I wish I could help Brad.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we just have Lilly switch with Brad to take the test?¡±


    For a second, she thought she had imagined Eric¡¯s words as they seemed so ridiculous that she knew she had to have been hearing things. So, when Vinny turned to look at Eric like he had gone utterly insane, she realized that his words had been real. Eric Reiner had actually suggested what had been on her mind.


    ¡°Are you crazy, Eric?¡± Vinny hissed. ¡°Like hell we could ever let an asshole like Bradley Fischer know about The Switch! Letting him swap with Lilly would be absolutely disastrous for us!¡±


    Lilly opened her mouth to speak but found herself still too stunned to formulate any response. She just stared at Eric¡¯s calm features while trying to deduce if he was joking or not. However, there was a determined look in his eyes that suggested that he meant every word he said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it would be all that disastrous,¡± Eric replied. ¡°In fact, I think Brad would keep it a secret if we asked him too. Especially after doing him as big of a favor as we would be. He¡¯d be in our debt and anyway, even if he did tell anybody else, they¡¯d just think he was insane.¡± Eric then grinned causally. ¡°After all, us having magic is the biggest joke of the school, right? They¡¯d never take him seriously.¡±


    Despite Eric¡¯s argument, Vinny immediately shook his head. ¡°No, absolutely not! I know you¡¯ve got a fricking mega-boner for helping people but this is a situation where I absolutely can¡¯t agree with you. Brad Fischer is a piece of shit! If we let him know we have this kind of power, there¡¯s no doubt in my mind that he would either try to blackmail us into using it for him again...assuming he doesn¡¯t just come right out and steal it from us!¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t steal it, Vinny,¡± Eric said with a tone of absolute certainty that threw even Lily off guard.


    She couldn¡¯t figure out why he seemed so set on that course of action. She was the only one who had spoken directly to Brad and even she couldn¡¯t say for certain that Vinny was wrong. Eric had been the one that Brad bullied all the time so he should be more against it than her.


    So why is he so okay with this?


    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t get you,¡± Vinny grumbled. ¡°You always do this. Why do you trust people you hardly know so easily?¡±


    Eric grinned confidently. ¡°Have I ever been wrong before, Vin¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Vinny scowled. ¡°Just because you haven¡¯t been wrong yet doesn¡¯t mean you won¡¯t be eventually. There¡¯s no way we could ever let Brad know about the stone. And hell, even if we did, I wouldn¡¯t trust him for even a second in Lilly¡¯s body! He¡¯d be in the girl¡¯s locker room copping a feel before we could stop him!¡±


    Lilly¡¯s cheeks immediately went red and she hurriedly glanced around to make sure that none of the other cross country members were paying them any attention. She wanted to tell the two of them to shut up but couldn¡¯t find a way to interject into the conversation.


    Eric shook his head. ¡°Not if they only stayed swapped during fifth period. And even if he did get a chance, remember that the gem won¡¯t make you attracted to your current body.¡±


    ¡°So?!¡± Vinny asked incredulously. ¡°Maybe he undresses as her and takes pictures of her naked for when he swaps back! You consider that?¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t do that?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that!¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    Vinny looked ready to continue protesting so, before he could speak, Eric got to his feet and grinned challengingly at his friend. ¡°Alright, Vinny, I¡¯ll concede that Lilly could be at risk if she were to swap with Brad. So, to remedy this problem, here is my suggestion.¡± Without elaborating, Eric reached into his pocket and produced the orange stone before turning and facing Lilly. ¡°If she¡¯s the one at risk then she¡¯s the one who should decide whether to do it or not.¡±


    Then without further warning, he tossed the stone into the air and toward her. She barely reacted in time to reach out and grasp the little gem before it fell into the grass, clutching it tightly to her chest. Vinny stared at the two of them dumbfounded but after a moment, he simply sighed.


    ¡°Fine,¡± he muttered. ¡°Let Lilly decide. Just know that I think doing so would be a horrible idea.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯ve said,¡± Eric mused.


    Lilly turned to stare down at her palm, the little rock resting nicely against her skin, sending waves of warmth throughout her arm. She could hardly believe what had transpired. Without saying a single word, Eric had done exactly what she wanted him to and had given her the gem. For the time being, how to use its power was up to her.


    ¡°Now, I must be going,¡± Eric continued. ¡°Use that power wisely, dear Lilly. It''s a high responsibility I¡¯m entrusting you with. Don¡¯t let me down.¡±


    With a wink, Eric waved her goodbye and turned to make his way toward the school¡¯s gates. Vinny sighed then muttered a soft ¡°see ya¡± before following after his taller friend. However, as they walked, Vinny looked back over his shoulder at her with an expression that seemed to beg her not to use it and part of her did feel hesitant to do so after hearing all of the blonde boy¡¯s fears. Yet, another part knew she was being given the chance to help Brad and she wanted to do what she could. Eric sounded so confident that it almost eased her concerns.


    But why though? she wondered as she walked over to her backpack resting on the table¡¯s bench. What makes him so sure Brad won¡¯t do anything he shouldn¡¯t?¡±


    She opened the front pocket of her backpack and tucked the stone within, wishing she had a pocket in her running shorts to store it in. Sighing, deciding she could just consider the situation more overnight, she turned back to do her stretches. Unfortunately, her peace and quiet didn¡¯t last long before someone else¡¯s voice alerted her to their presence.


    ¡°You¡¯ve become quite cozy with the magic nuts, haven¡¯t you, Harper?¡±


    She sighed, really not in the mood to deal with him, before turning around to see Jay Brooks sitting on the bench beside her backpack, grinning his normal almost borderline creepy grin.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that,¡± she replied softly. ¡°They¡¯re just...helping me out with something.¡±


    Jay narrowed his eyes and, for a moment, she wondered if he knew she was lying but, if he did, he opted to keep it to himself. Instead, the boy simply sighed and glanced down at the grass with an almost tired look.


    ¡°Helping you, huh?¡± he said. ¡°Could it possibly have something to do with your little incident last week?¡±


    She tried to force herself not to wince at his words. She had considered herself lucky that neither Alice nor Jay had brought up the incident since the morning after. They had told her that, whenever she was ready, she could talk to them and hadn¡¯t pried any further.  Though, that didn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t notice the two of them giving her weird looks every now and then, as if they desperately wanted to talk to her.


    And the club being around me so often probably isn¡¯t helping anything, she realized.


    ¡°No,¡± she muttered. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Jay. It¡¯s nothing important.¡±


    ¡°Nothing important?¡±


    Jay narrowed his eyes and this time, she was absolutely certain that he suspected she was hiding something from him. Her thoughts shifted to the gemstone in her backpack right beside the boy and, for a moment, she wished she could just tell him all about it so he would understand what happened that afternoon. However, she not only wasn¡¯t sure what Jay would do with information like that, she also couldn¡¯t bring herself to do anything that Eric hadn¡¯t explicitly said she could do. The only person she was allowed to tell was Brad and she couldn¡¯t do anything else. So, wanting to get the conversation onto any other possible subject, Lilly asked a question unrelated to the topic of the club.


    ¡°So where¡¯s Alice? I noticed she wasn¡¯t here earlier.¡±


    Jay sighed and shrugged. ¡°She had an early shift at her job so she couldn¡¯t come to practice today. That¡¯s all.¡±


    Lilly nodded. ¡°Ah, gotcha.¡±


    The conversation quickly died and so, she decided to simply return to her stretches. She wanted to be done as fast as she could be so that she could get home to try and figure out what to do about Brad the following day. She didn¡¯t have the time to be dealing with Jay at the moment. Once she had the Brad situation dealt with, then she could go about trying to find something to do about Jay and Alice.


    Much to her relief, after a moment, Jay got to his feet and muttered a soft ¡°see you tomorrow¡± before making his way across the courtyard and toward the front gates. She watched him go for a moment, knowing that he was irritated with her and that he knew she was lying but there wasn¡¯t anything she could do about it. In fact, she knew she should be thinking it was for the best. She had been trying to avoid Jay and Alice for a while so if they started getting irritated with her then maybe she¡¯d finally be left alone.


    ¡°Is something going on? Like¡­something we should know about because¡­if so, then we¡¯re here for you. Just¡­ask and we¡¯ll help.¡±


    ¡°...we¡¯ll keep whatever it is secret if you want. Clearly you don¡¯t want anybody knowing.¡±


    She felt her stomach churn as she remembered the words Alice and Jay had spoken to her when they confronted her about the incident. They had been so understanding and comforting and even after a few weeks had passed, she couldn¡¯t fathom why that was. Their words had been genuine and she didn¡¯t know what she had done to deserve them. After spending so much effort trying to push them away, they should have been questioning her constantly and they weren¡¯t.


    What is wrong with me? she wondered as she finished her last few stretches. Is it possible that I...don¡¯t actually want to push them away anymore? Do I even have the right to want that after how I treated them?


    She grimaced, plopping herself down onto the spot where Jay had been sitting only minutes earlier. For a moment, she stared up into the sky, watching as a few clouds slowly moved across the expanse of blue.


    I can¡¯t let myself get distracted, she thought. I¡¯ll figure out Alice and Jay later. For now¡­


    She reached toward her backpack¡¯s front pocket and reached for the zipper before pulling it open. She then reached into the pocket so she could retrieve the stone. However, when she did, her eyes went wide. Panic started to spread through her body as she frantically sat up and felt all along within but there was no sign of the little orange stone.


    Shit! Where the hell is it?!


    Praying that she put it in a different pocket and forgot, she unzipped every other compartment of her backpack and checked every nook and cranny she could but no matter what, she couldn¡¯t find any sign of it. The stone wasn¡¯t in her backpack anymore.


    But where could it have¡­?


    Her body suddenly went cold as she recalled something that made her want to throw up. Jay had sat down when she had her back turned to the table.


    While I wasn¡¯t looking...is it possible he¡­?


    Lilly clenched her teeth, furious at herself for having been so stupid.


    That son of a bitch!


    ***


    As the sun was setting over Wilham, Jay Brooks stared down at the little orange gemstone within his palm. He was walking through the neighborhoods around the school, taking a different route than he normally did on the chance that Lilly realized the stone was gone before he could get far enough away. He knew she would be furious when she found out and that he would have no choice but to face her the following day but he couldn¡¯t help himself. When he saw Eric hand Lilly the stone from across the courtyard, he knew his only chance to investigate it had come. He was especially certain that he had to take the chance when Lilly turned her back to the table. Being as quiet as he could, he sat down on the bench and slowly unzipped the front pocket of her pack so he could quickly swipe the stone and shove it in his pocket. She had never suspected anything even as he was walking away.


    What¡¯s wrong with me? he wondered. What do I think I¡¯m going to find by stealing this?


    But even as he asked himself the question, he could feel the soft warmth emanating from the stone. Combined with the fact that Lilly started acting crazy and shouting about the stone¡¯s power after touching it only made him feel like there was something he was missing. However, nothing had happened after he stole it so for all he knew, he was just looking for answers where there wasn¡¯t anything to find.


    I¡¯m such a piece of shit, he thought. I¡¯m so fucking stupid. Why am I doing this? When she finds out and inevitably hates me...


    I¡¯ll absolutely deserve it.

 Chapter 14- Mistakes Were Made

    Chapter XIV


    As the sun got lower on the horizon and the temperature began dropping by a significant amount, Jay couldn¡¯t help but to shiver. He was only dressed in his black running shorts and a tank top so he knew that once night truly set in, he would be freezing. The logical course of action was to simply go back to his apartment, but he just wasn¡¯t in the mood to deal with his parents. If he could avoid being at home then he would do so. Being home was utter torture for him so, as was fairly common for Jay after practice let out, he found himself wandering down various streets on his way to Ralph¡¯s Diner where Alice worked. Normally she had a later shift and so they would go together but, since she had left early that day, he was by himself. He ate at Ralph¡¯s so often that he knew all of Alice¡¯s coworkers by name and each of them now knew his order without him having to ask. Alice often got out of work at around eight so he would just have dinner and then hang out around town until she finished. Then, they would walk together until they had to go their separate ways. It was moments like those that he always treasured and looked forward to. They were the few lights in his relatively dark life that made waking up every morning somewhat worth it.


    But today...I really should skip out¡­


    Normally, he would never dream of skipping his visit to Ralph¡¯s but, given his impulsive decision to steal the gem, he felt his guilt begin to overwhelm him and he was sure that his actions would really piss Alice off.


    God...what was I thinking? All this is going to accomplish is just pushing Lilly even further away and making Alice lose any respect for me she hasn¡¯t already. He clenched his empty fist as he lifted his hand to look at the small orange stone within his grasp. This stupid fucking stone! What did I think I was going to find? What? Did I think the damn thing was magic or something like I¡¯m one of those freaks?


    He suddenly felt the powerful desire to just hurl the stone into the bushes and run away but he managed to keep his emotions in check.


    I should just go find Lilly and give it back, he told himself. I was fucking stupid to take it in the first place. I just wanted to know...if she was okay. I wanted to understand what happened to her. She really scared me that afternoon.


    He thought back to the day she started going crazy. Everything about her had been so surprising that it felt like he was looking at a completely different person. Her distant and reserved personality had all vanished to be replaced by an outgoing and almost extravagant attitude that truly did remind him of the way Eric Reiner and Vinny Mickelson behaved. If he hadn¡¯t known her, he would have believed that she was one of the club members.


    So what happened? Why the sudden shift?


    He furrowed his brow, recalling the words Lilly had shouted that afternoon.


    ¡°Yes! This is it! I knew that stone had held some sort of power but I never imagined it would be something like this! Don¡¯t you see what we¡¯ve discovered! They all doubted me and yet I was right! Finally, after all this time!¡±


    This damn stone. Not only did she start acting weird after she touched it but¡­ Jay scowled. She said she thought it had power, but I can¡¯t imagine why. It just...all seems to revolve around this thing.


    He sighed. I have to just give it back but¡­I don¡¯t think I can face Lilly again. Maybe¡­I¡¯ll just ask Alice to give it to her tomorrow.


    The boy rounded a corner and left the neighborhood he had been walking through. He now found himself on the sidewalk of a road lined with various shopping centers and restaurants. Unlike the neighborhood, there were people around, some stopping to look at window displays and others holding food they had bought. He made sure to shove the gem into his pocket despite knowing that it probably wouldn¡¯t draw much attention.


    Jay then noticed two students wearing the West Wilham uniform and holding hands, making it obvious that they were a couple. The girl was laughing at something her boyfriend had said as she leaned in close to him. He watched them out of the corner of his eye for a moment before continuing on down the sidewalk.


    I hope Alice finds something like that someday, he thought. I want her to be happy. That¡¯s all I want.


    Once he reached Erwin¡¯s Burgers and Brew, Jay pushed the button on the crosswalk and waited for the light to turn green. He could see the familiar red and gold colors of Ralph¡¯s Diner across the street and was anxious to get there. Finally, after a few moments, the light turned green and Jay was able to cross the street and head toward the front door of the restaurant.


    When he went inside, he found that, much like every day he came, there weren¡¯t very many people there. Ralph¡¯s wasn¡¯t the most popular place in town and so it only made enough money to get by each month. That was one of the reasons Jay liked going there. It had a cozy and quaint feel that always made him nostalgic to think about whenever he hadn¡¯t been back for a while.


    The moment he closed the door behind him, the blonde girl at the front looked up from the podium and smirked.


    ¡°Ah, there he is,¡± she said with a laugh. ¡°I knew you¡¯d be here any minute, Brooks.¡±


    Jay returned her smirk with one of his own. ¡°Of course I¡¯m here, Wahl,¡± he replied. ¡°I couldn¡¯t miss my favorite Meirion Omelette, now could I?¡±


    Monica Wahl cocked an eyebrow at him and folded her arms across her chest as she eyed him skeptically.


    ¡°Oh really? The omelette is why you¡¯re here? That¡¯s what you¡¯re going with?¡± the girl snorted. ¡°You can¡¯t get anything past me, buddy. I know exactly what¡­or rather, who, you¡¯re here to see.¡±


    With a nod of her head, she beckoned for Jay to follow him as she led him toward his usual booth by the window in the back corner.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I appreciate your implications,¡± Jay retorted. ¡°This place serves a better Meirion Omelette than even Meir does! Alice being here is simply an added bonus.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Monica laughed as he slid into his booth. ¡°And have you ever been to Meir?¡±


    Jay shook his head. ¡°Nope. Never. But I can guess.¡±


    The girl rolled her eyes but Jay could tell she enjoyed their back and forths. ¡°Whatever. Alice already put your order in so it¡¯ll be out in a few minutes. And don¡¯t worry¡­¡± As she moved to turn away, Monica made sure he could see her wink. ¡°¡­she covered the bill for you.¡±


    Jay made sure that his outward appearance was one of exasperation at her teasing but inside, he felt his stomach tighten.


    No! I¡¯ve told her a million times not to pay for it! Why does she always do this?


    He hated it whenever Alice did stuff like that for him simply because it made him feel like more of a burden on her than he already was. His continued association with her was enough stress on her as it was. He¡¯d seen the looks she got in the halls whenever they were together. People thought they were an item and that no doubt sparked rumors she would be better off not having to deal with.


    So why does she insist on doing things like paying for my dinner? It¡¯s only a bigger weight on her shoulders. I should be the one helping her! Not the other way around!


    Yet, even as he admonished her for helping him, he realized the hypocrisy of his words. He had, after all, come to the diner with the intent of asking for a favor from her¡ªa favor that would help him escape his own painful cowardice.


    The weight of the stone in his pocket made his earlier sickness suddenly return. He all of a sudden wasn¡¯t even sure that he could eat his omelette and wished he had just booked it home and prayed that his parents weren¡¯t there yet.


    He knew it had probably only been ten minutes but it felt like hours of sitting in that booth, anxiously tapping his foot and listening to his heart beating in his ears before he saw Alice making her way toward him with his food on a tray and a smile on her face. She was wearing her normal employee attire of a black button up and slacks as well as her name tag pinned to her shirt with her hair tied up. He couldn¡¯t help but to inwardly scowl at how tight the uniform was, as he was certain that was an intentional choice by whoever ordered the uniforms.


    ¡°Here you go,¡± she said cheerfully, first placing the omelette down in front of him, followed then by a plate of sausage and a glass of water.


    It wasn¡¯t much of a dinner but it was his favorite menu item whenever he came to the diner and so, he got it no matter the time. Normally it made his stomach grumble in anticipation but today, all he felt was anxiety.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± he replied, forcing his normal mask of cheer.


    ¡°No problem,¡± she said. ¡°Is there anything else you need, Jay?¡±


    His thoughts immediately returned to the gem and, for a moment, he considered not waiting and just asking her to return the gem. However, he quickly decided against it. It would be best to wait until after her shift to pose the question. So, instead, he merely shook his head.


    ¡°Nope. I¡¯m all good. Thanks, Alice.¡±


    However, he didn¡¯t recognize his mistake until it was too late. Alice had known him almost all her life and so was able to recognize the brief hesitation despite how quick it was. Her warm smile instantly vanished as her eyes narrowed in clear suspicion.


    ¡°You¡¯re lying to me again, aren¡¯t you?¡± The earlier cheer in her voice was all but gone, replaced by a whisper that was tinged with clear irritation.


    He opened his mouth to speak but couldn¡¯t get any words to form. His mind froze up and he couldn¡¯t find a way to reply. When he stayed silent, Alice shook her head and continued.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so insistent on keeping this to yourself.¡± Her voice was quiet enough that only Jay could hear her. ¡°I can tell something¡¯s been bothering you and it¡¯s irritating that you won¡¯t just come out and tell me. I¡¯m your best friend¡­aren¡¯t I? Don¡¯t you trust me?¡±


    He felt his stomach churn at the obvious hurt in her voice as he scrambled to find a response. He hated the fact that she could see right through him but knew he had no choice but to lie to her. If she knew what had been bothering him in the recent weeks then she would freak out. He couldn¡¯t allow that. He needed to work things out with Lilly for Alice¡¯s sake, no matter what.


    In fact¡­maybe having Alice give the gem back could play to my advantage. It might be the push they need to start becoming genuine friends!


    ¡°Of course I trust you!¡± he whispered back after a moment.


    She glanced over her shoulder and, once it was clear that nobody was listening in, she returned her attention to him.


    ¡°Then why? Why can¡¯t you tell me what¡¯s wrong?¡± Alice leaned forward then and put the hand not clutching the tray on his shoulder. ¡°Please. I won¡¯t judge you, Jay. I¡¯m here for you.¡±


    His thoughts returned to the gem laying in his pocket and knew that he now had a chance to come clean and ask her for help. Yet, when he opened his mouth to form the question, he found himself unable to speak once again. He couldn¡¯t bring up the gem because he was terrified of what she might think when he told her how pathetic he had been.


    When Jay remained silent, Alice simply removed her hand from his shoulder and turned away, not speaking another word to him. He could tell she was furious and couldn¡¯t bear the thought of her being mad at him so, in a panic, Jay Brooks once again gave into his impulses and quickly spoke.


    ¡°I stole Eric Reiner¡¯s gem,¡± he called after her, still soft enough that only she would hear.


    He hurriedly looked away from her, cursing himself for being so weak and giving in. He heard her turn around and waited with his breath held for her to speak.


    ¡°You¡­what?¡± she breathed. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    At her question, he found he had no choice but to answer honestly and so, everything suddenly began spilling out of him.


    ¡°You remember that gem from the afternoon of club rush? The one that Reiner dropped right before Harper went crazy?¡± He didn¡¯t wait for her response, knowing she was aware of what he was talking about. ¡°Well, after practice, I saw Harper talking to Reiner and Mickelson in the courtyard. I couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying but I saw Reiner hand her his gem before leaving. I don¡¯t know why but¡­I¡¯ve just had this feeling that the stupid stone had something to do with Harper¡¯s weird freakout! So, when I saw her put it in her backpack and turn around, I knew I had a chance.¡±


    He waited for her to respond, dreading what she might say but, when Alice stayed quiet, he knew she was waiting for him to finish his explanation. So, as he continued talking, he reached into his pocket and produced the stone so she could see it.


    ¡°I stole it,¡± he confessed, staring down at his omelette so he didn¡¯t have to look at her. ¡°I stole it and I don¡¯t know why. It was just an impulse but¡­I couldn¡¯t help it. I don¡¯t know what to do.¡±


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Speak! Say something, damn it!


    When Alice still remained silent, he finally forced himself to raise his head and look into her eyes but when he did, he immediately regretted it. She was looking down at him in clear disgust, like she couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing.


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡± she muttered after a moment, the dreaded disappointment clear in her words.


    His heartbeat quickened as he frantically tried to think of a way to make himself look better. However, he knew it was a lost cause. What he did was utterly pathetic. He stole a priceless-looking gem from a girl that he wanted to call his friend. And for what? What did he expect to figure out?


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Jay,¡± she said sternly, like a mother admonishing a misbehaving son. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the hell you think that gem could have done to her and frankly, I don¡¯t care. Give it back to her and apologize. Then, leave the poor girl alone. I¡¯ve already told you¡­¡± For a moment, there was a hint of longing mixed with the anger in her next words. ¡°¡­Lilly Harper doesn¡¯t want anything to do with us.¡±


    He clenched his teeth and looked down at the gem in his grasp. It glistened in the few rays of sunlight streaming in through the window.


    ¡°Could you¡­?¡± he asked softly, cringing at the utterly pathetic request.


    ¡°Can I what?¡± she snapped.


    He exhaled softly, trying to steady his heartbeat. ¡°Give it to Harper? I don¡¯t think I can face her again after this.¡±


    Jay expected her to fully lose it at that point and completely tell him off for being such a worthless piece of shit. She had every right to. He was the dumbass who stole the gem and now he was asking her to fix the problem he created. He truly didn¡¯t know why she still stuck around somebody like him and knew she could leave him at any point she chose.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she growled. ¡°But I still expect you to apologize to her. You promise me?¡±


    He looked up in surprise, completely thrown off by the fact that she accepted his request. Yet, there was no warmth in her stare. Instead, she looked more furious than he had ever seen her. The girl¡¯s hand was outstretched and she clearly expected him to turn the gem over immediately.


    So, he complied without a word.


    He reached out and placed the stone into her palm and, in the next moment, everything went white.


    What the¡­?


    It was so sudden that he hardly had time to process it. One moment he was sitting in that booth and the next, he was floating in a world of pure white. He tried to spin around and get his bearings but he couldn¡¯t move. It was almost like he didn¡¯t have a body anymore. Just as he was about to panic, he suddenly found himself back in the diner as abruptly as he had left it.


    What the hell just happened?


    He immediately realized something was off. In addition to his slightly blurry vision, he could feel a tickling sensation on the back of his neck and his body as if something were slightly off.


    Thunk!


    The noise made him jump and he immediately turned to look down to his right just as his vision became clear again to find a black tray laying at his feet.


    Wait¡­what? Am I standing up? Why aren¡¯t I at the booth?


    Confused, he turned back to face forward¡­and was instantly thrown into another wave of shock. Sitting in front of him, where he had been moments before, was himself, staring back with the same shocked expression he imagined he currently wore.


    ¡°Alice? You okay?¡±


    He heard the voice of Monica Wahl from behind him and hesitantly turned to look, desperate to know where Alice was and why he was looking at a person identical to himself. Yet, when he looked, he saw that rather than staring at Alice, Monica was staring at him with a concerned expression on her face.


    ¡°Uh¡­earth to Alice?¡± Monica said, still staring at him. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Wait¡­is she¡­


    ¡­talking to me?!


    ***


    Damn it! God damn it! Where the hell is he?! He couldn¡¯t have gone very far!


    Lilly Harper ran through the neighborhoods as fast as she possibly could, desperate to catch up to and find Jay. She still couldn¡¯t believe that he actually stole the stone from her while she wasn¡¯t looking. Not only had she never pegged him for the type of person to steal from somebody but she couldn¡¯t fathom why he would want to steal the stone in particular.


    Did he just think he could sell it or something? she asked herself for the millionth time. Or could he have possibly overheard Eric and Vinny talking about it¡¯s power?!


    She truly had no idea but she was determined to find out one way or another. The problem was that she had no way to find him. Jay was an impressively fast runner and he had a good enough head start on her. Even if she knew for certain which way he¡¯d gone, she wasn¡¯t sure she would have been able to catch him.


    Damn it! I never thought I¡¯d wish I had Jay¡¯s damn number!


    She knew that if he made it to his house then she wouldn¡¯t be able to get the stone back. He could just hide it somewhere and pretend he had no idea what she was talking about.


    Cursing her incompetence, Lilly finally came to a halt at the opening to a cul de sac and caught her breath.


    God¡­not five minutes after Eric tells me he trusts me with the stone, I go and lose it! I¡¯m such an idiot! Damn it! What am I supposed to do?! Jay could have gone anywhere and I don¡¯t know him or this damned town well enough to even begin guessing where!


    She exhaled softly, knowing that, whether she liked it or not, she had no choice but to ask one of the club members for help. She''d already been out there for nearly twenty minutes and realized that she was only running in circles. She needed help from the club. They might at least know where Jay lived so she supposed she could ask them to accompany her to his place so they could get it back.


    She reluctantly reached into her backpack¡¯s pocket and produced her phone, pulling up her meager list of contacts that included her family, a few old friends she never talked to anymore, and the Magic Club members. Her first instinct was to call Eric but, after deciding that she couldn¡¯t face him until she had the problem resolved, she opted instead to go with a different person and hope he wouldn¡¯t tell Eric about it.


    She pressed the button to call him and raised the phone to her ear as she dreaded the conversation to come.


    ¡°Hello, Miss Lilly,¡± came the cheerful voice of Vinny Mickelson. ¡°This is a pleasant surprise. What can I do ya for?¡±


    ¡°Is Eric there with you?¡± she asked instantly.


    ¡°Eric? No, he already went home. Why?¡±


    She took a deep breath and forced herself to be honest with the boy, knowing that nothing could be accomplished by lying. All she would be doing was risking his trust in her more than she already was.


    ¡°Look¡­I need your help,¡± she admitted softly.


    Immediately, and much to her surprise, she heard concern in his voice. ¡°Help? With what? What happened?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± She exhaled softly. ¡°Right after you guys left, Jay Brooks came over to talk to me. You know him?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, course I do,¡± Vinny replied. ¡°He¡¯s that weird kid you¡¯ve been hanging out with, right?¡±


    Scowling at his unnecessary clarification, Lilly pressed on.


    ¡°While my back was turned¡­he¡­¡±


    Just say it! The damage is done! You need his help, Lilly!


    ¡°He stole the gem from my backpack and left before I noticed and now I have no clue where he could have possibly gone and I don¡¯t have his number!¡± She said it all in one breath, knowing she needed to force it all out. ¡°I need help, Vinny! I don¡¯t know what to do! Eric trusted me and I screwed up! Please¡­¡±


    ¡°That piece of shit,¡± Vinny growled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lilly. I won¡¯t tell Eric! I¡¯ve got your back!¡±


    She frowned, having expected him to at least berate her for being so irresponsible with something so priceless.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she replied weakly. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize,¡± he said sternly. ¡°You did nothing wrong. Who would have expected that bastard to straight up steal from you. Now, I have a plan.¡±


    Lilly perked up instantly, ready to do whatever she needed to help. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Jay¡¯s buddy, Alice, works at this Diner downtown. I ran into her there a few weeks back with my family,¡± he explained.


    She nodded, recalling that Jay said Alice had a job and that¡¯s why she missed cross country.


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s there right now,¡± Lilly confirmed.


    ¡°Good. I¡¯m just down the street from them,¡± Vinny went on, ¡°so I¡¯ll run over there as fast as I can. I¡¯ll talk to Mendez and see if she can tell me where we can find Jay or where he lives. If you can meet me there, we¡¯ll go find him together. That sound good?¡±


    She nodded once again. ¡°Absolutely! Thanks, Vinny! Really!¡±


    ¡°No problem. It¡¯s called Ralph¡¯s Diner and it¡¯s on tenth street. Are you close by?¡±


    Lilly frowned, quickly trying to remember the way downtown from where she was.


    ¡°Uh¡­I¡¯m probably twenty minutes away on foot,¡± she guessed.


    ¡°Perfect,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯ll meet you there!¡±


    ¡°Okay! See you in a bit!¡±


    ¡°You too, Lilly!¡±


    With that, Vinny hung up and Lilly wasted no time turning and sprinting in the direction she believed downtown to be.


    And, despite the panic of the situation, she found herself amazed at how understanding and quick to action Vinny Mickelson actually was.


    ***


    Everything happening before her was so utterly absurd that Alice immediately wondered if she had been drugged somehow and was now hallucinating. One moment she¡¯d been talking to Jay, furious at him for stealing Eric¡¯s stone from Lilly, and the next she was suddenly sitting in a booth, looking up not at her old friend but at herself. The person standing in front of her was so identical to her that, if she hadn¡¯t known better, she would think she was looking at her twin sister. So, since she didn¡¯t have a twin, Alice quickly tried to come up with another explanation as to what was going on.


    ¡°Alice? Seriously, you okay?¡±


    Monica Wahl was standing a few feet away, having come over when Alice¡¯s double dropped the tray she was holding, and was now staring at her in clear concern. Just the fact that Monica was using her name but wasn¡¯t looking at her was enough to give Alice an idea as to what might have happened.


    It¡¯s absolutely ridiculous, but¡­


    Slowly, Alice pulled her attention from the scene before her and turned to look down at her own body.


    Oh my¡­god.


    Rather than being dressed in her diner employee¡¯s uniform, Alice was now wearing a loose running shirt and a pair of black running shorts. However, her clothes weren¡¯t the only things that changed. Her entire body was completely foreign. Her shoulders were bigger, her arms and legs were clearly unshaven, and the empty sensation on her chest were all indicators that she was no longer herself. But, wanting to be absolutely certain, Alice turned to her left and stared into the window displaying the parking lot beyond.


    She could just barely make out her reflection in the glass and, conforming her suspicions, it was not her own face looking back at her but Jay¡¯s.


    That¡¯s¡­impossible! We¡¯ve¡­actually swapped bodies? How? How could that have¡­?!


    ¡°Um¡­are you¡­talking to me?¡±


    At the sound of her own voice, Alice turned back to see that the person she now knew must be Jay had finally spoken.


    Monica cocked an eyebrow in clear confusion. ¡°Uh¡­obviously.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Brooks,¡± she then snapped, turning a glare upon Alice. ¡°What¡¯d you do to her? Why¡¯s she so creeped out?¡±


    Monica called me ¡°Brooks¡±. Jeez¡­this is actually happening! I need to do something quick or else Monica¡¯s going to think I¡¯ve gone insane!


    It was just as the thought crossed her mind that something clicked in Alice¡¯s head. She suddenly understood exactly what transpired the afternoon of club rush when Lilly went crazy. Even after all that time, Alice still couldn¡¯t figure out why Lilly, a major introvert, would have acted the way she did in the moment. But now, she understood. When Eric Reiner and Lilly Harper touched the stone together, they had swapped bodies just like what just happened to her and Jay.


    Meaning Eric was the one acting crazy that afternoon. God¡­


    Shoving the implications of what that meant aside for the time being, Alice quickly formulated a reply to bail Jay out of the situation with Monica.


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s fine,¡± Alice replied, startled at the voice coming from her mouth despite having already figured out what was going on. ¡°Actually, would you mind giving us a moment, Moni¡ªer, Wahl. It¡¯s a bit personal.¡±


    Jay was looking down at her with clear disbelief while Monica simply glanced between the two skeptically. She was a very observant girl so there was no way she couldn¡¯t tell that Alice was lying through her teeth but, thankfully the girl simply shrugged.


    ¡°Alright. But I expect an explanation after work, Alice,¡± she said, eyeing Jay with her concern still clear in her eyes. ¡°And the manager needs you for something so be quick about it.¡±


    Jay simply continued to stare after her, dumbfounded, as Monica turned and began to walk away. The minute she was no longer looking at them, Alice quickly leaned forward and reached toward the gem still clutched in Jay¡¯s hand.


    If my guess is right then just touching it should swap us back. And once this is fixed¡­Eric and Lilly have some explaining to do.


    She grabbed the stone and prepared herself to be plunged back into that world of white¡­but it never came. Instead, she remained sitting in the booth. Jay jumped at her sudden movement and released the hold on the stone.


    What the hell? Why didn¡¯t we¡­? Was I wrong? Does something else trigger the switch? I don¡¯t¡­understand what¡¯s going on!


    ¡°A-Alice?¡± Jay breathed. ¡°What¡¯s¡­happening?¡±


    Alice stared down at the stone in her hand and clenched her teeth in frustration.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she replied weakly. ¡°But we¡­clearly swapped bodies¡­somehow.¡±


    As if Alice putting it into words was the last thing Jay needed to come to terms with what had happened, his eyes quickly went wide as he turned to stare down at his body.


    ¡°Act natural!¡± she hissed, wanting to stop him before he reflexively started touching himself in a weird way.


    His head snapped up at her words. ¡°W-what are we supposed to do? How do we swap back?!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she replied sharply. ¡°But¡­I¡¯d bet anything that Lilly does. She and Eric knew about this! I know it!¡±


    Jay exhaled softly. ¡°You mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°They swapped bodies after club rush,¡± Alice said. ¡°That¡¯s what happened to Lilly that day. Eric took over her body.¡± The girl sighed as she hurriedly tried to find something to do. ¡°Just¡­you¡¯ve worked a restaurant job before, right?¡±


    Jay hesitated before nodding. ¡°I mean¡­once.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± she muttered. ¡°Then¡­I have two more hours on my shift so just¡­do your best to act natural and finish it! I¡¯ll keep hold of the stone and once we¡¯re done here¡­¡± She furrowed her brow in thought. ¡°Liz Tao lives down the street from me. We¡¯ll go there and, if she doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, we¡¯ll try to get ahold of Eric through her.¡±


    Jay quickly shook his head in bewilderment. ¡°You mean we have to stay like this for two hours?!¡±


    ¡°What choice do we have?¡± Alice snapped back. ¡°It¡¯s not like I can just leave my job! But¡­I guess I can just run over there myself if you want! You just have to act like me to the best of your ability! Can you do that?¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­¡± His cheeks suddenly turned a bright red as he glanced down at the ground. ¡°What if¡­I have to use the bathroom or something?¡±


    Alice felt her stomach tighten at his question. It was then that she realized that he could feel every part of her at that moment just as she could him. She knew she shouldn¡¯t be embarrassed considering how long they knew each other so she quickly pushed her feelings down.


    ¡°We have bigger issues right now!¡± she snapped, gathering Jay¡¯s stuff as she got to her feet. She briefly considered eating his omelette before shaking her head, knowing she needed to get to Liz¡¯s as fast as she could. ¡°I¡¯ll be back as soon as I can!¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­Alice!¡±


    He went to protest but she ignored him as she turned and headed straight for the diner¡¯s entrance. Without looking back, deciding to trust Jay with her body for the time being, she walked out into the chilly evening and was about to head straight for the crosswalk when she came to a sudden stop.


    ¡°Well, well, well. Going somewhere, you little thieving bastard?¡±


    Vinny Mickelson was walking straight towards her, an unpleasant grin on his face.


    ¡°Back inside, Brooks,¡± he said as he gave her a rough pat on her shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s have a little talk, shall we?¡±

 Chapter 15- A Chance to Restart

    Chapter XV


    Barely containing his fury, Vinny led Jay back into the diner, keeping a firm hold on his shoulder as they walked through the door. The blonde girl at the front looked up at them, clearly startled, so Vinny smiled as cheerfully as he could.


    ¡°Table for two, please,¡± he said.


    The girl glanced at Jay, her eyes narrowed in confusion. ¡°Uh, well¡­he¡¯s already got a table so¡­¡±


    ¡°Does he?¡± Vinny laughed. ¡°Oh good. Then let¡¯s go there, shall we?¡±


    The hostess uncomfortably pointed toward a booth in the back corner and Vinny immediately began making his way in that direction, thanking the girl as he did so. He noticed Jay¡¯s friend, Alice Mendez, staring at the two of them with wide eyes, probably confused as to why he was essentially dragging Jay toward a booth. So, not wanting to make her any more suspicious than she must already be, he simply waved casually.


    ¡°Alright, sit down, buddy,¡± Vinny hissed in Jay¡¯s ear, indicating the booth before them.


    Much to his surprise, Jay still didn¡¯t protest, instead choosing to quietly take a seat right in front of a plate with a clearly uneaten omelette. Vinny eyed the food curiously, wondering where Jay had been headed without having eaten his dinner, as he took a seat across from the curly-haired boy.


    ¡°You gonna eat that?¡± Vinny asked, indicating the food.


    Without looking directly at him, Jay shook his head.


    ¡°Good,¡± Vinny grunted, reaching forward and sliding the omelette toward him. Jay was clearly about to protest so Vinny gave him a look, warning him to stay quiet. ¡°Consider it payment for all the stress you¡¯ve put poor Lilly Harper through this afternoon. Capiche, friendo?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­yeah,¡± Jay muttered. ¡°Sure. That¡¯s fine.¡±


    Vinny smirked, motioning for the boy across from him to pass him the silverware. Jay silently obliged and Vinny wasted no time digging into the other boy¡¯s dinner.


    ¡°Mmm, delicious,¡± he said through bites of egg, onion, and bell pepper. ¡°I¡¯ve never had an omelette from here before. Is this Meirion?¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah,¡± Jay mumbled.


    Vinny nodded. ¡°I thought so. I¡¯ll have to get this again. It¡¯s quite tasty. Although, I¡¯m a tad parched. I could really go for a drink, you know? Would you mind¡­maybe, getting me a soda or something?¡±


    He knew his teasing must be affecting the typically hostile boy so Vinny was simply waiting for him to inevitably snap and start arguing with him. So he continued to be surprised when Jay obliged, waving down one of the waitresses and putting in an order of a Dr. Bell soda.


    Vinny narrowed his eyes. What the hell is up with him? Why¡¯s he acting so passive? It¡¯s almost like he¡¯s a different¡­


    The blonde boy¡¯s smile suddenly faded as the realization set it. He felt his stomach churn as he prayed that he was mistaken.


    Oh you son of a bitch!


    ¡°So¡­I assume you know why I¡¯m here?¡± Vinny asked, wanting to get to the point and thus, no longer putting up a mask of cheer.


    Jay nodded softly. ¡°I do.¡±


    Then, without saying another word, the boy reached into his pocket and placed Eric¡¯s stone right down onto the table in front of him. It was so quick and easy that Vinny almost wondered if there was some trick. He still didn¡¯t know why Jay stole it in the first place and with each passing minute, he was becoming more and more convinced that the person before him wasn¡¯t Jay Brooks.


    Watching the boy carefully, Vinny reached out and grabbed the stone, pulling it close so he could have a good look at it. Sure enough, he could tell simply by touching it that it was the real deal. The warmth emanating from its surface was enough proof for him.


    Vinny sighed. Well, whoever this is¡­he¡¯s clearly being honest here. Might as well be blunt and see where it gets me.


    ¡°You¡¯re not Jay Brooks, are you?¡± he asked softly.


    The boy¡¯s head snapped up as he stared at Vinny in clear surprise. However, once the question had been processed in his mind, he didn¡¯t try to deny it. He simply shook his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±


    Vinny snorted. ¡°The gem. It swapped you, yeah?¡±


    ¡°It did.¡±


    ¡°So¡­?¡± Vinny leaned forward, wanting to look directly at the mystery person to make sure he could tell if they were lying. ¡°Who are you then?¡±


    He sighed, then his expression turned stern and he faced Vinny with more confidence than he could have expected.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­Alice Mendez,¡± he replied.


    Vinny exhaled sharply. ¡°Alice¡­? Wait a second! Then you¡¯re a girl!¡±


    Oh god. And Liz always talks about how scarring it would be for a girl to be in mine and Eric¡¯s bodies! I can¡¯t imagine how terrifying it must be for her to have a face that would look right at home on a prepubescent boy!


    It was then that something else dawned on him.


    Oh shit! I¡¯ve been teasing this poor girl for the last five minutes thinking she was Jay!


    ¡°I am so sorry!¡± he replied in a hushed but desperate tone. ¡°You can have your omelette back and I swear I¡¯ll pay for the whole meal! I didn¡¯t mean to be so rude to you, Mendez!¡±


    Alice panicked at his sudden apology and, had she not been Jay at the moment, he imagined it would have been kinda cute.


    ¡°No! It¡¯s fine,¡± she hurriedly said. ¡°You thought I was Jay and, after what he did, it was completely understandable that you would act the way you did! Don¡¯t worry about it, er¡­?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Vinny,¡± he replied. ¡°Call me Vinny.¡±


    She nodded, clearly trying to process the whole situation.


    ¡°Okay¡­Uh, so¡­¡± Alice stuttered. ¡°You figured out I wasn¡¯t Jay pretty quickly. Did you guys¡­the Magic Club, I mean, already know about this stone?¡±


    Trying to get past the sudden awkwardness of the situation, Vinny quickly responded.


    ¡°Yeah¡­we¡¯ve known for a little while,¡± he explained. ¡°Ever since Lilly and Eric accidentally swapped bodies after club rush.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Alice murmured. ¡°So that is what happened to Lilly. So, do the other members know, too?¡±


    ¡°Pretty much.¡± Vinny glanced down at the omelette sitting in front of him, considering taking a bite but no longer feeling particularly hungry. Instead, he simply grabbed his fork and started picking at it. ¡°Just the club members and Lilly. And I guess you and Jay now, too.¡±


    He grimaced at the realization that a dumbass like Jay Brooks now knew the Magic Club¡¯s big secret. It only made him that much more apprehensive to tell Brad Fischer anything about it.


    ¡°And speaking of,¡± Vinny began, glancing around the restaurant. ¡°Where is the little bastard?¡±


    As if summoned by Vinny¡¯s question, the body of Alice Mendez suddenly walked around the corner, her eyes drawn to their table and, the moment she saw Vinny staring at her, he could see the panic set in.


    Yup, that¡¯s the real Jay, isn¡¯t it.


    Vinny snapped his fingers and pointed at the ground in front of the booth, his way of indicating that he wanted Jay to come over. Luckily, he didn¡¯t protest and made his way across the restaurant at once.


    ¡°There you are, Jay,¡± Vinny said, making sure to emphasize his name.


    If there was any hope in the boy¡¯s now female features that Vinny didn¡¯t know who Jay was, it was crushed with those words.


    ¡°Where¡¯ve you been, buddy?¡± he continued. ¡°Cause if I find out you¡¯ve done anything dirty in that body of yours, I¡¯m gonna beat your ass so hard it¡¯ll be flatter than a pancake.¡±


    He could see both Alice and Jay turn bright red at his statement and he immediately felt both bad and amused. He didn¡¯t think Jay had actually done anything, but he really wanted to see the little shit squirm a bit. However, he regretted saying it right in front of Alice.


    ¡°I-I wasn¡¯t¡ª¡± Jay started to protest but Vinny waved his words aside.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± he growled. ¡°I honestly couldn¡¯t care less. Now, give Mendez her body back immediately.¡±


    He placed the stone back onto the table without ever looking away from Jay.


    ¡°A-are you sure it¡¯ll work?¡± Jay stuttered.


    Vinny snorted in irritation. ¡°Don¡¯t question me. Of course I know it¡¯ll work. Just do it. Touch it at the same time and you¡¯ll switch back no problem.¡±


    Both Alice and Jay exchanged uncertain looks before they both placed a finger down upon the surface of the stone. For a second, both went completely still but it was over as fast as it had started.


    ¡°Wha¡­?¡± Alice mumbled, now looking down at her normal body. ¡°It actually worked.¡±


    Vinny snatched the stone off the table without giving Jay a second glance, feeling both bad that Alice got wrapped up in it all and pissed that Jay now got the club into a situation that wouldn¡¯t be easy to fix. Both of them now knew about the stone and there was nothing he could do to change that. They just had to hope that if they wound up telling people about it then everybody would think they were insane.


    ¡°You can get back to your job now, Mendez,¡± Vinny said, trying to sound as comforting as possible. ¡°Lilly and I¡¯ll explain everything tomorrow at school, okay?¡±


    The girl, still obviously shaken by everything that had transpired that afternoon, nodded.


    ¡°O-okay,¡± she muttered. ¡°Thanks, Vinny.¡±


    Without another word, the girl turned and left them alone, her brow furrowed in confusion as she did so. Then, with her having left, Vinny turned and went to look at Jay, preparing to rip him a new asshole for what he did to Lilly. However, when he looked at the boy, he saw him staring out the window, his skin even paler than before. When Vinny glanced to his right to see what he was looking at, he couldn¡¯t help but to smirk.


    Lilly Harper was making her way from the crosswalk and toward the diner.


    ¡°Well¡­this just isn¡¯t your day, is it, Brooks?¡± Vinny sneered, enjoying the utter panic on the other boy¡¯s face.


    ***


    Leaving Downtown Wilham behind, Jay silently followed Lilly into the surrounding neighborhoods to the west. The minute the girl had noticed him sitting with Vinny in the back booth of the diner, she walked right over to them and, after hearing what went down from the blonde boy, she immediately ordered Jay to come with her, then collected the stone, thanked Vinny, and made her way out. Jay had reluctantly followed after her despite being desperate to not be alone with her after all that had happened. Many times did he consider turning on his heel and running, but each time, he remembered that he wouldn¡¯t be able to escape Lilly at school the following day.


    Not to mention that Alice would be utterly pissed, he reminded himself. Even more than she already is.


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Jay shook his head. I still can¡¯t believe that actually happened. Reiner¡¯s stone actually caused Alice and I to swap bodies! How?! Does this mean that those magic nuts have actually had magic this whole time?!


    It was such a preposterous concept that had he not experienced it first-hand then he would have laughed the story off. But there was no denying it given what happened. He had no choice but to accept that magic existed and that Eric Reiner had it. With that in mind, the true weight of what he did to Lilly set in on his mind.


    I didn¡¯t just steal some expensive stone, he realized. I stole actual magic from her! God damn¡­the panic she probably went through today because of me. I¡¯m so fucking stupid.


    He glanced up from the sidewalk to stare at Lilly¡¯s back a few feet ahead of him. She hadn¡¯t said a word since ordering him to come with her so he couldn¡¯t even begin to guess what it was she was going to say to him. However, he was certain about one thing: Lilly Harper would probably never talk to him again after today.


    And I¡¯m going to deserve that. I wouldn¡¯t talk to somebody who did what I did. She has every right to hate me. I just¡­hope she doesn¡¯t take it out on Alice, too. She had nothing to do with this.


    Lilly rounded a corner and came to another neighborhood street that Jay recalled was fairly close to the school. There wasn¡¯t anybody around and so it was just the two of them making their way down the road. The sun had already set below the horizon and so a chill had set in over the lamplit neighborhood. Jay shivered but kept his complaints to himself.


    Finally, after looking around for a moment, Lilly came to a stop. Jay did so as well, mentally preparing himself for what was to come. He watched with his breath held as Lilly turned around and fixed her stare on him. He expected her to glare at him or to scoff so he was quite surprised to see her looking more tired than anything.


    ¡°So¡­you know what the stone does know?¡± she asked softly.


    Vinny had already told her about his body swap so he knew she was already aware of the answer. Nevertheless, he responded.


    ¡°Yeah, I do,¡± he muttered.


    Lilly sighed, leaning her back up against a lamppost and turning her head to stare up at the stars. The moon was new that night so the sky was fairly dark.


    ¡°Look, Jay,¡± she began hesitantly. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you something and I want you to just be honest. Don¡¯t lie or anything, okay?¡±


    He immediately nodded. ¡°O-okay!¡±


    ¡°In that case¡­¡± She paused for a moment, her brow furrowed as if she were trying to organize her thoughts. ¡°I guess I just want to know why you took it. Did you already know about it or¡­?¡±


    As she trailed off, Lilly averted her eyes from the sky and looked at him once again. There was an oddly desperate look in them, as if his answer was actually important to her. So, having no reason to lie and not wanting to anger her any further, he replied truthfully.


    ¡°I was worried about you,¡± he admitted. ¡°Something changed after that day where¡­well, I guess where you swapped bodies with Reiner. That whole situation was enough to scare me, but then you started hanging out with the Magic Club which¡­well, no offense but was definitely out of character for you.¡±


    She cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Meaning?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­you aren¡¯t exactly a social butterfly, are you, Harper?¡± he replied. ¡°I mean, Alice and I clearly put you on edge so I couldn¡¯t fathom you associating with people like Reiner and Mickelson. It was just strange.¡±


    Jay noticed her frown and thought she might interrupt but, when she stayed silent, he decided to finish his explanation.


    ¡°I remembered you¡ªer, or I guess it was actually Reiner¡ªgoing on about the stone having some sort of power and so, when I saw the guy give the stone to you at practice, I just had a feeling that it might have had something to do with your weird behavior. So¡­I acted on an admittedly stupid impulse and took it. That was it. And I regretted it immediately. I don¡¯t know why I felt the need to take it¡­I just did.¡± He exhaled softly, feeling his cheeks starting to burn from embarrassment as he realized just how much of an idiot he was. ¡°I honestly didn¡¯t know there was any magic in it or anything. Swapping with Alice was an accident. I swear.¡±


    He finished his story and braced himself, knowing that if Lilly was going to get mad then it was going to happen now, after hearing his dumbass reasoning for stealing something obviously valuable from her. Yet, the girl surprised him yet again.


    ¡°But¡­I don¡¯t get it,¡± she muttered. ¡°Why would you be so worried about me that you¡¯d resort to stealing?


    He looked up in confusion. ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You even said it yourself,¡± she went on. ¡°Clearly you knew I was put off by you and Alice and I never exactly treated you well. So why? Why do either of you give a damn about me? I mean¡­it just doesn¡¯t make sense. I was so obvious about it that I¡¯m sure I came across as a bit of an asshole.¡±


    Lilly was looking at him with an expression of genuine curiosity. It was as if that question had been nagging at her and it made him realize just how strange his actions must have seemed from her point of view. Despite the situation, he couldn¡¯t help but to smile a bit.


    ¡°Well, a bit is probably an understatement,¡± he replied wryly. ¡°I mean, what kind of person actually forgets their phone for nearly a month straight?¡±


    She narrowed her eyes. ¡°Watch it, you frickin thief.¡±


    He put his hands up in defense and looked away in embarrassment. ¡°Yeah, touch¨¦.¡±


    ¡°But really,¡± she pressed. ¡°Why would you worry so much about somebody like me? What am I to you?¡±


    For a moment, he hesitated. She had urged him to be honest with her and at the time, he had every intention of doing so. However, for that question, he knew there was no way he could tell her the truth. Yet, he knew he could never have lied to her either given what he did so, he opted instead to only tell her a part of the truth.


    ¡°You¡­remind me of an old friend of mine,¡± he said after a moment.


    The girl frowned. ¡°An old friend?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he replied softly. ¡°She was a lot like you, honestly. She was reserved and she didn¡¯t like people but when she did open up, she was one of the sweetest girls I¡¯ve ever known.¡±


    Jay couldn¡¯t help but feel a pain in his stomach as the laughing features of his old friend resurfaced in his mind. He quickly pushed the thoughts back down just as Lilly responded.


    ¡°You¡­talk like you haven¡¯t seen her in a long time,¡± she said.


    ¡°I¡­haven¡¯t,¡± he murmured. ¡°I guess I just see a lot of her in you. I dunno, maybe that¡¯s weird, but I guess¡­I just feel a connection to you. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re the grouch that you want everybody to think you are.¡±


    The girl stared quietly at him for a moment before surprising him for the third time that night. Instead of scowling or looking embarrassed or weirded out, Lilly simply smirked.


    ¡°Look, Jay,¡± she began. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I¡¯m still pissed that you stole the stone but¡­¡± She chuckled softly. ¡°Well I¡¯m sure Vinny¡¯s going to make you regret it so I guess there¡¯s really no point in being mad at you myself. Especially not when you did it out of concern for me. I admit¡­I¡¯ve been acting like a maniac lately.¡±


    Jay grimaced, recalling the furious grin he¡¯d gotten from Vinny back at the diner. He knew that even if he was lucky enough that Lilly was letting him off the hook, Vinny Mickelson would never let him forget it.


    Nor will Alice, I assume, he thought in apprehension.


    ¡°So,¡± Lilly continued. ¡°Why don¡¯t we start this whole thing over? Clearly, we both have issues that we need to work through so¡­¡±


    Pausing for a moment to reach into the side pocket of her bag, Lilly produced a cellphone. Jay furrowed his brow as she unlocked it and tapped on it for a moment before holding it out to him with her contact information displayed on the screen.


    ¡°Good thing I remembered it today, yeah?¡± she said with a grin.


    Jay stared down at her number for a moment, completely thrown off guard by the direction their conversation had taken.


    ¡°You mean¡­? You don¡¯t hate me?¡± he asked meekly.


    She snorted. ¡°I probably should, to be honest with you, but¡­no. I don¡¯t. I want to be friends with you and Alice. I mean it.¡± She then looked down at the ground as if recalling something. ¡°Not to mention you guys now know about stone so¡­it¡¯s not like I could get rid of you if I wanted to.¡±


    Jay couldn¡¯t help but to laugh in relief as he pulled his own phone from his pocket.


    ¡°You know, Harper? When you actually talk, you can be a bit funny, you know that?¡± he teased.


    Just¡­like her¡­


    Lilly rolled her eyes. ¡°Oh shut up. Just hurry up and take the number before I change my mind.¡±


    ¡°Will do,¡± he replied, quickly inputting her information into his phone. ¡°And don¡¯t worry¡­we won¡¯t tell a soul about the stone.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± she said. ¡°Cause if you did, just know that Vinny will steal your body and run around the school naked in retaliation.¡±


    Jay grimaced, realizing that her words were only half-joking.


    ¡°Yeah¡­I suspect you aren¡¯t wrong.¡±


    ***


    After the insane afternoon she¡¯d had, Alice was thankful when her shift at Ralph¡¯s Diner had finally ended and she could start heading home. It was already dark by the time she had clocked out so she was a little worried about walking home alone. Normally Jay stayed with her, but he had already been gone for nearly an hour and a half, having left soon after Lilly Harper had arrived. Part of her had wanted to go after them as she was dying to hear what Lilly had to say about everything relating to the gem but, since she couldn¡¯t just leave her job, she had reluctantly remained behind. Not long after they left, Vinny finished the rest of Jay¡¯s omelette and took off as well.


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving, Monica,¡± Alice told her coworker as she passed by the front podium.


    The blonde girl eyed her wearily, still clearly uncomfortable after the earlier incident.


    ¡°You¡¯re sure you¡¯re okay, Al¡¯?¡± she asked. ¡°You swear nothing¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Alice forced a smile and nodded. ¡°Yup! I¡¯m doing just fine. Thanks for worrying though.¡±


    Monica grimaced. ¡°You really okay walking home alone? I get off work in a half hour. I can walk with you.¡±


    ¡°Thanks but I¡¯m fine,¡± she replied. ¡°I need to get home and get started on my homework. I got a retake in math tomorrow and I think I need to study a bit more.¡±


    ¡°Alright then,¡± Monica said with a sigh. ¡°But be careful, okay?¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± she assured her. ¡°Good night, Monica.¡±


    ¡°Night, Alice.¡±


    With a wave, the girl turned and headed through the front doors of the now relatively empty diner. It was oddly chilly for a summer night and she immediately wished she¡¯d brought a jacket.


    The downtown streets were just as packed as when she arrived for work despite the late hour so there were still people across the street, browsing shops and getting late dinners or dessert at nearby restaurants. Alice was about to start making her way toward the crosswalk when a voice suddenly called out to her.


    ¡°Yo, Mendez!¡±


    She stopped in surprise and glanced to her right to see Vinny getting to his feet, evidently having been sitting up against the wall of the building.


    ¡°Uh, Vinny?¡± she stuttered, taken aback by his presence since she had been under the impression that he had left a while ago. ¡°What are you doing here? Didn¡¯t you go home?¡±


    He chuckled and shrugged. ¡°Nah. I thought about it, but figured it might be better to hang back and wait for you. I imagine you¡¯re probably pretty damn confused after everything that happened today.¡±


    ¡°You¡­? You were waiting for me?¡± she asked softly.


    ¡°Yup,¡± he replied, as if it was no big deal that he spent an hour and a half waiting for somebody he hardly knew. ¡°So do you mind if I walk with you?¡±


    She quickly smiled and nodded. ¡°By all means, come along. It¡¯ll be nice to have some company.¡±


    ¡°Awesome.¡± He grinned back at her. ¡°That way you won¡¯t be walking home alone. It¡¯s not safe for a maiden as fair as yourself to be walking the dangerous streets by your lonesome.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help but to cock an eyebrow at the strange accent he was speaking in but, despite how weird it was, she found it kind of endearing. Failing to contain a laugh, Alice motioned for him to walk with her and the two started making their way toward the crosswalk.


    ¡°Oh, by the way,¡± Vinny began after pressing the button to cross with his elbow. ¡°I thought I ought to apologize again for being so rude earlier. I didn¡¯t even consider that you might not be Jay.¡±


    Alice couldn¡¯t help but smile at the fact that he seemed genuinely embarrassed by his actions. After all, she had been under the impression that Vinny Mickelson was incapable of being embarrassed given his reputation around school.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Vinny,¡± she assured him. ¡°I understand. I¡¯m sure you were panicked about losing something as valuable as that stone and I¡¯m sure you were pissed at Jay¡­rightfully so, even.¡±


    The beeping of the crosswalk sounded and the two began making their way across the street, keeping to the right to avoid those walking toward them.


    ¡°Maybe¡­but still,¡± he muttered. ¡°It was rude. So, I¡¯m hoping I can make it up to you.¡±


    ¡°Oh? How so?¡± she inquired curiously.


    He grinned slyly. ¡°I¡¯ll answer any questions you have to the best of my ability. Although, I will admit that I don¡¯t know much about that stone either, but still¡­¡±


    She laughed. ¡°Okay then. In that case, I¡¯ll bite. What do you know about the stone? I¡¯m curious.¡±


    He didn¡¯t even hesitate to begin filling her in on everything he and the Magic Club had learned about the gem. Apparently, Lilly and the club met a few weeks back to start experimenting with it and learned a few details relating to its effects on both the bodies and minds when under a swap. She listened intently, fascinated by both the existence of such a stone and by the effort the club put into learning about it. She even found that it all explained Lilly¡¯s weird behavior in the recent days.


    As they walked, Alice noticed Vinny glancing around at the shops nearby, particularly at the ice cream store they passed. The scents of dinner wafted through the air and Alice found herself oddly hungry despite having already eaten. If she hadn¡¯t been in such a hurry to get home, she might have asked Vinny if he wanted to get something to eat.


    ¡°That¡¯s so crazy,¡± she said once he finished his story.


    He shrugged casually. ¡°I know, but it¡¯s real. All this time, I thought Eric Reiner was crazy and yet he was right. It makes you wonder what else is out there. If a body switching stone exists then what else is there?¡± He smiled, suddenly looking a bit distant. ¡°The world suddenly became a whole lot more interesting.¡±


    Alice nodded, realizing that he was right. The existence of the stone made it far more likely that there was magic of other types somewhere out there. It completely turned her perception of the world upside down.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s insane.¡±


    Then, a question occurred to her and, despite how embarrassing it might have been, she decided to ask it.


    ¡°So? Who have you swapped bodies with?¡± she asked. ¡°You ever been a girl, Vinny?¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡± He shook his head and seemed to be trying not to laugh. ¡°As if Lilly or Liz would ever willingly let a guy like me into their bodies. Nope. I¡¯ve only ever swapped with Eric.¡±


    Alice smirked. ¡°I guess that makes sense. Can¡¯t say I¡¯d ever want a guy inside my bod¡ªer, I just realized how weird that sounds.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you get used to it,¡± he replied. ¡°The first few days after we discovered the gem¡¯s power, there were so many times where if we¡¯d been overheard, people would think we were setting up an orgy or something.¡±


    The girl couldn¡¯t help but burst out laughing. ¡°I imagine so. God, this is all so weird.¡±


    ¡°Agreed, my friend,¡± he said.


    The conversation slowly died down as they reached the less crowded parts of downtown Wilham. Alice took a left into one of the adjacent neighborhoods and Vinny walked with her. Gradually, the conversation shifted away from the gem and they just started talking about anything. Vinny talked about school and some of the Magic Club¡¯s misadventures and Alice told him about herself and her cross country stories. By the time they were forced to go their separate ways, Alice realized that she had unfairly judged Vinny Mickelson before today. She had been under the impression that he was a weirdo that would be too much for her, but the truth was that he was a genuinely fun and charismatic guy. When she eventually got home, she found herself wanting to hang out with him again.


    Well, at least I got his number, she thought cheerfully, feeling strangely giddy at the thought of giving him a call.


    Maybe¡­this wasn¡¯t all that bad of a day, after all.

 Chapter 16- What the Future Could Hold

    Chapter XVI


    Unlike the previous days of the week, Lilly Harper made her way toward the library on that early Friday morning with a feeling of determination. The situation with Jay had stressed her out quite a bit, but now that it was resolved, she was prepared to deal with Brad the way she had initially intended to. She was going to use the stone to swap bodies with him and take the test in his place. Her earlier fear had been settled down by both Jay¡¯s rational reaction to the stone and Eric¡¯s confidence that the plan would work. She simply had to hope that Brad had as cool of a head as Jay wound up having.


    Lilly rounded a corner and found herself just down the hall from the library. Much like the previous mornings of tutoring, there weren¡¯t any students in the halls so she made it to the doors without any problems. When she pushed them open, the room was relatively empty aside from the old librarian and Brad sitting at their usual desk in the corner.


    Good, he¡¯s already here, she thought with anticipation. Then let¡¯s get this show on the road.


    The large boy looked up at her arrival and smiled before giving her a half hearted wave. Unlike the previous days, Lilly smiled back as she approached the desk, wanting to seem as comforting as she could be. She wasn¡¯t exactly sure why she suddenly had such a burst of confidence but she was determined to take advantage of it.


    Though if I had to guess, it probably has to do with Jay, she realized.


    Even though she had known that she should have been furious at Jay for stealing the stone, she actually found herself relieved to have finally talked things out with him. She was forced to face the fact that he wasn¡¯t as obnoxious or irritating as she had initially believed. He had simply been worried about her and she had been pushing him away the whole time. Even if his actions had been idiotic, his heart had been in the right place. So talking it out with him and being able to set everything straight lifted a weight from her shoulders that she hadn¡¯t even been fully aware of.


    That was most likely the main reason she found herself confident enough to face Brad the way she intended to. The stone was currently in her skirt pocket and so, she was ready to go through with her albeit slightly insane plan.


    ¡°Morning, Lilly,¡± Brad greeted as she took her seat across from him.


    ¡°Morning, Brad,¡± she replied.


    He must¡¯ve already noticed the shift in her mood because he was looking at her a little hesitantly.


    ¡°A-are you okay?¡± he inquired with a cocked eyebrow. ¡°Did something happen?¡±


    The girl nodded firmly, forcing as confident a smile as she could, wanting to mimic the way Vinny and Eric always grinned when she talked to them. However, she got the feeling that all it accomplished was confusing Brad even more since she wasn¡¯t one who typically smiled in such a fashion.


    ¡°Yeah, you could say that,¡± she replied. ¡°In fact, I think I¡¯ve found a way for you to pass this test today.¡±


    The boy frowned with obvious skepticism. ¡°Oh really? Well, I hate to break it to you, Lilly, but I doubt anything¡¯s gonna work at this point. I¡¯ve done my best but math just isn¡¯t my thing.¡±


    ¡°Maybe not,¡± she said. ¡°But it is my thing, apparently.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, thanks. Rub it in a little harder, why don¡¯t you?¡±


    She brushed his comment aside and pressed on. ¡°What I mean is that I¡¯ll just take the test for you. I¡¯ll most likely ace it again and then you¡¯ll be good to go.¡±


    At that, the boy seemed to go from confused to irritated as he scoffed at her. ¡°Look, do you really gotta kick me while I¡¯m down? I¡¯ve had a hell of a week so I¡¯d appreciate it if you wouldn¡¯t screw with me. If you don¡¯t want to tutor this morning then just say so.¡±


    Lilly knew she should¡¯ve probably come into the conversation a bit more blunt but also couldn¡¯t help having a little fun with him.


    God, maybe the club¡¯s rubbing off on me, she suddenly realized. I¡¯m not sure how I feel about that.


    Deciding that she should get to the point, she stopped smiling and instead faced him with as serious of an expression as she could muster.


    ¡°I¡¯m not joking, Brad,¡± she replied sternly. ¡°I¡¯ll take the test in your place. I have a surefire way of getting away with it so that nobody will ever know I did it. As long as you¡¯re not opposed to a bit of¡­academic dishonesty.¡±


    Brad went to scowl again but, seeming suddenly taken off guard by her serious expression, he refrained. The boy then sighed.


    ¡°Whatever. Fine. I¡¯ll listen. What genius plan do you have that¡¯ll get me to pass this test, huh? How are you going to get away with taking it for me?¡±


    Lilly glanced over her shoulder to see the librarian still at the front desk, reading a book. She didn¡¯t seem to be paying them any sort of attention but Lilly decided it might be better to be as safe as possible.


    ¡°Follow me,¡± she whispered to Brad before getting to her feet and heading deeper into the library, past various lines of bookshelves until reaching the back of the room.


    The big boy wordlessly obliged, following behind her as she ducked behind the furthest shelf where there wasn¡¯t any sign of other students. Once she was certain they were alone, she turned back to face him, reaching into her skirt pocket as she did so.


    He¡¯s already skeptical so it¡¯s probably best to just be quick about this. Trying to explain it first would just piss him off. Starting off with the demonstration is probably the better choice.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s going¡ª?¡±


    Before Brad could finish his sentence, Lilly pulled the gem from her pocket and pressed it against his forehead. He never even had a chance to react before the world of white engulfed her. Having swapped numerous times already, Lilly no longer panicked at the phenomena and remained perfectly calm until returning back to the library. When she did so, she was met with the now strangely familiar sight of looking upon her own face.


    She didn¡¯t even have time to register the sensations of being in Brad¡¯s body before she reached out and placed her now much larger right hand over Brad¡¯s mouth, preventing him from crying out in shock. She then used her left hand to catch the stone as he released his hold on it. His eyes were wide as he looked at his own face and Lilly could tell that his mind was racing just based on how fast his eyes were moving as he took in the scene before him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic, Brad,¡± she whispered. ¡°Everything¡¯s perfectly fine. This is reversible. You¡¯re in my body and I¡¯m in yours. It¡¯s as simple as that.¡±


    In reality, she knew it wasn¡¯t simple in the slightest but she knew pointing that out and trying to explain it would both waste time and only confuse him more. It was best to keep Brad as calm as she possibly could.


    ¡°Now, promise you¡¯ll hear me out?¡± she asked.


    Despite the obvious panic he was going through, Brad still managed to nod. Trusting that he wasn¡¯t lying, Lilly removed her hand from his mouth and took a step back.


    ¡°W-what the fuck, Lilly?¡± Brad uttered. ¡°H-how¡­w-what¡­?¡±


    Lilly laughed softly, realizing that he was going through the same attempts to understand it as she had a back at the start. Since she had a feeling that she knew what he wanted to ask, she decided to save him the trouble of finding his words and started to explain.


    She lifted her left hand up and showed him the gem.


    ¡°Magic,¡± she said simply. ¡°Compliments of the Magic Club. This thing causes two people to swap bodies whenever they¡¯re both touching it.¡±


    He stared dumbfounded at the stone. ¡°M-Magic? You mean¡­are you trying to tell me that dumb fucking club isn¡¯t full of it?!¡±


    Well, at least not as of two weeks ago, she thought to herself. However, once again, she kept it to herself, deciding it would probably be in the club¡¯s best interests if Brad thought they¡¯d always had magic.


    ¡°Nope,¡± she said. ¡°Believe it or not, they aren¡¯t completely crazy. Eric said I could use this stone to help with your test later so I figured, since I was a really trashy tutor and just wound up wasting your time, I¡¯d make it up to you by taking the test for you.¡±


    Brad opened his mouth to reply but still seemed unable to process everything. Luckily, his focus was more set on the stone rather than his current body so he hadn¡¯t made any moves to touch anything she didn¡¯t want him touching. She figured she owed that to the adjustments the gem did on the brain whenever a swap occurred.


    ¡°But¡­I don¡¯t get it?¡± he stuttered finally. ¡°Why me? Why would Eric Reiner ever want to help me? I mean¡­is this really something he trusts me with?¡±


    Lilly nodded. ¡°Oddly enough, he does. Now that doesn¡¯t mean the others do. Vinny was very much against it, but Eric left the decision to me and I decided to trust you with both my body and this secret. Don¡¯t let me down, yeah? Gotta prove Vinny wrong, after all.¡±


    Brad shook his head in exasperation. ¡°Fucking hell. And so you want to switch before fifth period and you¡¯ll take my test?¡±


    ¡°Basically,¡± she said. ¡°Since I don¡¯t have to do the retake, you can just sit around doing homework or whatever. Oh, and also,¡± she added, ¡°this is a one time deal. I¡¯m not going to do this for every test! Just this one since I promised I¡¯d help you and¡­well, my quote-unquote teaching was abysmal.¡±


    ¡°N-no, you were fine, Lilly,¡± he assured. ¡°Really, I appreciate everything. And I wouldn¡¯t want you to cheat every time either. This¡­is more than I could¡¯ve asked for.¡± Brad smiled, the tone in his voice sounding purely genuine. ¡°Thank you. I mean it. And I swear to god, I won¡¯t tell a soul about this. I¡¯ll take this secret to my grave.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± she said with a laugh. ¡°Then I guess we have a deal, yeah? I pass your test and you keep this secret?¡±


    She stuck out her hand and Brad immediately went to shake it. Lilly couldn¡¯t help but to smirk at the feeling of how small her hand was when in his.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Man, I didn¡¯t realize how much bigger Brad was when compared to Eric and Vinny, she realized, looking down at her significantly broader chest. Those two need to put on some muscle.


    ¡°So then¡­should we switch back now?¡± Brad asked hesitantly. ¡°I mean, you said it was reversible, right? Or is there, like, a time limit or something?¡±


    Lilly shook her head. ¡°Nope, not as far as I know. We can switch back now. All you have to do is meet me at lunch right before fifth period so we can swap for the test. Sound good?¡±


    She held the stone out as she asked the question.


    Brad nodded firmly. ¡°Absolutely. Thanks again, Lilly.¡±


    He then placed his hand overtop the stone.


    But nothing happened. Lilly wasn¡¯t engulfed in the world of white nor did she find herself back in her normal body.


    What the hell? Why didn¡¯t it work?!


    She saw Brad open his mouth to speak but, before he could say anything, Lilly suddenly found herself submerged in the formless realm once again. The panic that something had gone wrong dissipated and after a moment, she was back in her own body, putting everything as it should be.


    ¡°That was odd,¡± Brad mumbled as he looked down at his now normal body. ¡°What was with the delay? It didn¡¯t do that the first time.¡±


    Lilly furrowed her brow in confusion as she stared at the stone clutched between her fingers. In all the times she had used the stone, there was never any sort of delay.


    Damn¡­only makes me realize how little we truly know about this thing. Is its power limited or something? Is that why it was delayed? Or is it something else? Maybe there is actually a time limit and it¡¯s just so short that we never noticed?


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what that was?¡± she admitted. ¡°But I guess I¡¯ll just ask Eric in first period.¡±


    Not like he¡¯ll know either but Brad doesn¡¯t need to know that. It¡¯s probably better for him to think Eric knows everything.


    ¡°Yeah, Reiner,¡± Brad grumbled. ¡°Man, don¡¯t I feel like a real dumbshit now. Does that mean that every time he threatened to attack me with his magic, he wasn¡¯t lying?¡±


    Lilly quickly shook her head, knowing that giving Brad that impression would be giving Eric and Vinny too much power over him.


    ¡°Oh, no,¡± she assured him. ¡°They can¡¯t hurt you. Most of the time, Eric¡¯s just making things up. Don¡¯t worry about them.¡±


    Brad grimaced. ¡°Still. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s willing to help me given how much he seemed to hate me. I guess I owe the guy an apology.¡±


    ¡°Yes, an apology would be quite welcome, dear Fischer.¡±


    Both Lilly and Brad jumped at the sudden third voice as they turned around to see Eric standing a few feet behind them, just at the edge of the bookshelf. He was grinning mischievously and it was immediately clear to her that he had overhead a significant part of the conversation.


    ¡°Eavesdropping much?¡± Lilly grumbled, eyeing the boy with part irritation at part exasperation.


    Eric shrugged. ¡°Well, I was in the neighborhood and thought I¡¯d drop by. Anyway, back to that apology. I will gracefully accept it, Mr. Fischer, if you bow your head and declare before me how wrong you were for claiming that I was full of falsehoods.¡±


    Brad eyed Eric with a look of disgust that told Lilly that, regardless of Eric¡¯s willingness to lend them the gem, their relationship was never going to be a friendly one.


    ¡°Like hell, Reiner!¡± Brad snapped. ¡°Look, I¡¯ll admit that I was apparently wrong about magic but that¡¯s as far as I¡¯ll go! You¡¯re still annoying as shit!¡±


    Eric clicked his tongue as he enjoyed his moment of superiority. ¡°That¡¯s not what it sounded like a few moments ago. You were saying something about you being a dumbshit and owing me an apology?¡±


    ¡°Fuck off!¡± Brad growled. ¡°Look, thanks for lending us the gem but that¡¯s as much as you¡¯re getting from me! Now stop being a creepy little eavesdropping fuck and get lost!¡±


    The lankier boy laughed in what was obviously a fake maniacal laugh. ¡°Oh I would be nicer to me if I were you! After all, it would take a mere snap of my fingers to wipe you from the face of the earth! After all, now that you know my secret, I may have to kill you!¡±


    ¡°Eric, stop messing with him,¡± Lilly interrupted.


    The boy sighed. ¡°Fine. As the mistress commands. You¡¯re lucky, Fischer. You¡¯ll live to see another day.¡±


    Brad grimaced, glancing back at Lilly with a cocked eyebrow. ¡°How do you stand him?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°It doesn¡¯t take as long as you¡¯d think to get used to him.¡±


    ¡°Well, good luck, Lilly,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Anyway, I think I¡¯ll take off. I need to walk around for a bit and try to process everything. I¡¯ll see you guys in first period.¡±


    ¡°Okay, see you,¡± she replied with a smile.


    Brad turned and walked past Eric, hardly sparing even a glance at him as he moved by.


    ¡°And don¡¯t forget,¡± Eric called after him. ¡°Tell anybody and I¡¯ll cast a spell on you that¡¯ll make your balls fall off!¡±


    ¡°Shove it, Reiner,¡± he snapped back, earning them both a ¡°shhh¡± from the librarian.


    Lilly and Eric watched him go for a moment, neither speaking as they fell into their individual thoughts. However, the silence only lasted a minute at most before Eric broke it.


    ¡°So, everything seemed to go alright then,¡± he muttered. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like Fischer has any intention of telling anybody about the stone. So, I think we¡¯re in the clear.¡±


    Lilly frowned, eyeing the boy suspiciously.


    ¡°I mean, I guess. But I still don¡¯t see how you can be so confident about it,¡± she replied. ¡°I mean, you and him didn¡¯t seem like you¡¯d ever get along so¡­why did you trust him with a secret like this? It makes no sense.¡±


    Much like when he first suggested the idea, Eric merely shrugged, as if it weren¡¯t really all that weird.


    ¡°To be honest, it¡¯s hard to explain,¡± he replied. ¡°Even the other club members don¡¯t really take it all that seriously but¡­I have this sixth sense, if you will. I can just look at somebody and know that they¡¯re somebody I can trust. Fischer might be a bit prickly but I can feel more than anything that he¡¯s a good guy at heart. I truly believe we can trust him with this secret.¡±


    As Eric spoke, she didn¡¯t sense any of his usual performance. Instead, his words sounded genuine and she realized that, whether his sense truly existed or not, he wholeheartedly believed that it did.


    ¡°So¡­¡± she began hesitantly. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind my asking, what do you sense when you look at me?¡±


    It was an awkward question and she immediately regretted asking it but, much to her surprise, Eric didn¡¯t bat an eye as he turned and smiled down at her.


    ¡°You¡¯re one of the purest people I¡¯ve ever come across,¡± he replied. ¡°I would trust you with my life, Lilly Harper.¡±


    His words were so direct and ridiculous that she almost laughed, but she was stopped yet again by the sincerity with which he spoke them. She could only chuckle in embarrassment.


    ¡°Uh, I think your sense is a bit off,¡± she stuttered. ¡°You¡¯re giving me way too much credit. I¡¯m nothing special, Eric. I¡¯m just¡­me.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± he said. ¡°Because I think ¡®just you¡¯ is more special that you¡¯re giving yourself credit for.¡±


    This time, she didn¡¯t have a response for him and, before she knew it, he was walking past her, beckoning for her to follow him.


    ¡°Come on, my friend,¡± he continued. ¡°Let¡¯s go for a walk. We¡¯ve still got plenty of time before school starts.¡±


    For a moment, she stared after him, almost in awe of him. He was such a unique person that Lilly couldn¡¯t help but wonder what she might see and experience if she did stay beside him. It was nothing like how Eric described his sixth sense, but she had a feeling that if she stayed close to Eric Reiner, her life would take even crazier turns than it had already. There was still a part of her that was hesitant since she had always been one to go about her normal life alone, perfectly content. Yet even so, she couldn¡¯t help but to follow after his beckoning, walking side by side with him as they left the library and headed out into the halls.


    ***


    Damien Clark couldn¡¯t help but to narrow his eyes in a mixture of irritation and nervousness as he listened to the excited tone of Brad Fischer a few seats behind him as the larger boy talked with his buddies. Evidently, he had gotten a fairly high ¡°B¡± on the math retake which, according to his friends, was one of the highest math grades he had ever received. Normally this wouldn¡¯t be something that Damien would pay any attention to and, if he did, he would have been happy for the guy for doing well in a subject he struggled with. The problem was that the ¡°B¡± wasn¡¯t a result of his own skill but rather through somebody else¡¯s.


    Damien glanced across the classroom to where Lilly Harper was sitting, chatting with Eric and Vinny. The three were joking around and it was clear that Lilly was growing more comfortable around them by the day, something he did find a certain level of joy in. The problem was that he was now realizing that she was almost dangerously similar to the two boys in the risks she was willing to take.


    The fact of the matter was that, without Damien¡¯s knowledge, a lot had taken place and he only got wind of it once it had all ended. Without even running the idea by him, Lilly and Eric went through with a plan to help Brad Fischer pass his retake by having Lilly use the gem to swap with him and take the test in his place. Even ignoring the ethical problems of doing what they did, it had been a huge risk to tell somebody as potentially dangerous as Brad Fischer about the stone¡¯s existence, let alone allowing him to experience its power firsthand. Damien was of the mindset that it was smartest to tell the fewest people about the gem as humanly possible¡ªa task that was proving far more difficult than it should have been.


    In addition to the situation with Brad, Lilly and Vinny also revealed to the rest of the club about an incident revolving around two students from their grade: Alice Mendez and Jay Brooks. According to them, after stealing the stone from Lilly, Jay and Alice accidentally swapped bodies and in doing so, caused Vinny and Lilly to scramble to prevent everything from getting worse.


    With the two incidents combined, it now meant that there were three people outside their group who knew about the stone and its properties.


    God damn it, Damien thought irritably as he turned to stare blankly at his own graded retake on his desk. So much happened¡­and all without me knowing. What are we supposed to do now? How do we know for sure that those three are people we can trust?!


    He clenched his teeth when suddenly, his paper was swiped off his desk. He looked up in surprise to see his girlfriend sit down on the surface and stare at his test with a smirk.


    ¡°An A, huh?¡± Liz mused. ¡°Yup, that¡¯s more like you. I was getting a little worried. It¡¯s not like you to get a B.¡±


    Damien sighed, always amazed by how easily she could calm his nerves just by being near him.


    ¡°Yeah, well, I had a lot on my mind,¡± he replied grimly. ¡°Oddly enough, math wasn¡¯t my biggest issue at the time.¡±


    Liz chuckled, handing the test back to him before sliding back onto her feet.


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± she said. Then, most likely noticing his sour mood, she cocked her head in curiosity. ¡°You doing okay?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m fine, I guess. I¡¯m just a little on edge though after everything that apparently went down last week.¡±


    ¡°Oh honestly,¡± Liz grumbled. ¡°We really missed all the fun, didn¡¯t we. I never thought Lilly of all people would be at the center of the chaos while we¡¯re chilling on the sidelines.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s more like them than I think even she knows,¡± Damien said. ¡°And while obviously I trust them all, I really wish they wouldn¡¯t treat that stone like it¡¯s some sort of toy.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Liz asked. ¡°I mean, I know the whole Brad situation was questionable, but they couldn¡¯t have prevented Jay and Alice from getting involved. Hell, if Lilly hadn¡¯t begged me not to, I¡¯d be kicking the shit outta that curly haired loser myself.¡±


    Liz narrowed her eyes, glancing to the back of the class where Jay Brooks was sitting alone, reading a book.


    ¡°I know that wasn¡¯t their fault,¡± Damien admitted. ¡°But I don¡¯t think we should take this Brad thing so lightly. Eric and Lilly were far too quick to rely on the stone. This isn¡¯t something we should use as a crutch to solve problems as benign as a test!¡±


    The bespectacled girl seemed to consider his point for a moment. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. They were a little quick to give in and bring Brad in on the secret. But Eric did say he was relying on his sense.¡±


    Damien snorted. ¡°As if that means anything.¡±


    ¡°Well, maybe it does, maybe it doesn¡¯t,¡± Liz muttered. ¡°But at the end of the day, this club wouldn¡¯t exist without it so there¡¯s at least some merit to it.¡±


    The boy sighed. ¡°I guess so. I just¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re scared,¡± she finished for him. ¡°You¡¯re scared of that stone and you¡¯re scared of what it¡¯s existence could mean.¡±


    Damien scowled, irritated by how easily she could read him. ¡°Yeah, I am. We don¡¯t know the first thing about that gem and we don¡¯t even know where it came from. It terrifies me, Liz. I really do think we should just hurl it into the ocean.¡±


    The girl frowned, turning to glance back to where Lilly and the guys were hanging out.


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡± she whispered. ¡°But you know Eric won¡¯t ever part with the stone¡­no matter what you say.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± he growled. ¡°That¡¯s¡­what worries me the most.¡±

 Chapter 17- In the Presence of a King

    Chapter XVII


    It was rare that the rides to the upper floors of the Citadel were as smooth as they currently were. Normally the lift would lurch and drop every once in a while as the magic user controlling it attempted to keep it steady. Even when her longtime partner, Nigreos, attempted to raise it, he would have occasional trouble. Album, herself, had never even attempted it since her skill with wind magic was so weak that she knew she couldn¡¯t have ever managed to lift it even if she were the only passenger. So, to be riding it so smoothly with not one but three passengers was an experience she knew would be a rare one.


    Album stood on the lift with her hands folded behind her back. Beside her, even the ever prideful Nigreos remained silent and patient, and she knew it was out of respect. After all, the third person on the lift and the one currently controlling it was none other than the eldest princess of Ijiria and the most powerful woman in the country. Her name was Anna-Piura Iiji, and just like every other time she had been in the presence of the princess, Album felt tense as she did her best to keep her mind clear and her emotions in check. Their history was a complicated one, and it was an issue she had no interest in ever addressing.


    Album exhaled softly as she thought about Piura. Despite the fact that her status marked her as the rightful heir to the Ijirian throne, she had given up that role to her younger brother, Reigious. Instead, she acted as one of the commanding officers of the Ijirian military and already had a very famous reputation both within Ijiria and throughout the rest of the world. She had fought in the many skirmishes between Ijiria and the neighboring kingdom of Trovia in the north, and had also been one of the leading figures in stamping out the uprisings in the southern city of Krato many years back. Despite the princess¡¯s weak control over combat magic, Album couldn¡¯t say with certainty that she would win in a fight against the royal daughter.


    Being in her presence only solidified that belief as she had a powerful aura about her that set Album¡¯s instincts off. Piura was currently dressed in her gold and green commander¡¯s military attire as well as her officer¡¯s peaked cap. Like the rest of the royal family, Piura¡¯s long straight hair was emerald green and, though Album couldn¡¯t currently see them, she knew her eyes were a deep blue.


    ¡°Ortumo,¡± Piura said calmly, putting a stop to the wind magic propelling the lift.


    It gradually came to a halt, stopping only once they¡¯d reached the top floor of the Citadel¡ªthe floor that housed both the royal quarters and the throne room.


    ¡°Follow me,¡± she ordered without ever once looking back as she stepped off the lift and into the corridor beyond.


    Nigreos followed after her wordlessly and Album did the same. It wasn¡¯t often that the Master of Light made her way to the royal floor of the Citadel, but it looked just as she remembered it. Unlike the silver and white lower floors, these corridors were a golden color with a green carpet. There were no windows on the walls so the only light in the corridor came from the fire lamps hanging from the ceiling. Instead, the walls were lined with paintings of kings and queens long dead with suits of emerald armor standing between each picture, holding the pummels of their swords with the blades facing downwards.


    Album only spared the armor brief glances before turning her attention back to the task at hand. Piura led them down what seemed like a maze of hallways, each looking no different from the next. They seemed to go on forever but Album knew that wasn¡¯t the case. She could sense the overwhelming power of illusion magic cast over the upper floor to make it so that no intruder would be able to find their way without a guide. Even she and Nigreos wouldn¡¯t know where to go without Piura. The only ones who did know were the royal family and top members of the High Council.


    Which only begs the question, Album thought to herself, How did Abi¡¯s children get to the vaults without a guide? How did they bypass the illusion?


    However, she quickly pushed the question from her thoughts. She and Nigreos had already thoroughly discussed the implications of what the attack on the citadel could mean. There was no doubt that somebody gave the Children of Reiner the means of bypassing the illusion which meant that there had to be a traitor somewhere within the building. In addition, most of the Masters believed that the traitor must be on the council. The Master of Fire, Nakoma Taurus, was currently leading the investigation alongside Ryokumo, but so far, they hadn¡¯t learned a thing.


    ¡°Here we are,¡± Piura announced, returning Album from her thoughts.


    The three of them had come to large, golden doors that Album knew was the entrance to the throne room. Piura folded her arms across her chest and indicated the door with a nod of her head.


    ¡°You may now speak with my father,¡± she told them. ¡°But I would request that you be quick about it. I¡¯m sure I don¡¯t need to tell you that His Majesty tires quite easily.¡±


    Nigreos politely bowed his head. ¡°Of course, princess. We should only be a few minutes. Your guidance is much appreciated.¡±


    Album remained silent but still followed her partner¡¯s lead and bowed her head. Then, after smoothing out his suit, Nigreos reached for the doors and pushed them open. Album followed alongside him as the two stepped into the Ijirian Throne Room.


    Unlike the rest of the top floor, the throne room wasn¡¯t a bright gold or anything even close. In fact, it was so different from the rest of the Citadel that Album was once again taken aback by the overwhelming shift in mana levels between the corridor and the room. It was so powerful that it made her own mana react in panic and that feeling spread all throughout her body. However, she refused to let the discomfort show on her face and she knew Nigreos was doing the same.


    Before the two Masters was a long silver platform about fifty yards long leading to the center of the room with a drop on either side. When Album looked over the railing, she could see a black, writhing material churning about below. The entire room was made of a black metal known as sensium which, despite being classified as a metal, was often seen in a state jumping between a solid and a liquid. The ceiling, the walls, and even most of the floor below the platform was made of the material and all of it churned in its liquid-solid state.


    Nigreos continued down the platform and Album did the same, trying desperately to calm her nerves in such a mana-dense place.


    At the end of the platform, in the center of the room, was a square box about ten feet tall and ten feet wide. It was constructed of a pure and transparent material known as liquet crystal which allowed them to see the being living within. In the center of the box, hanging from the top, was the form of a shirtless man whose body only extended down to his mid-torso. His emerald green hair hung down to his back in tatters and his beard was untrimmed and prickly. Below where his body ended was where the black mass of sensium started. It formed what looked like human hips and legs but, instead of ending at his feet, the sensium continued on to the bottom of the box and even below, combining with the metal in the rest of the room.


    Much like in the case of Nigreos¡¯s right hand, sensium was often used as a material to replace limbs due to its compatibility with human nerve cells. In essence, it allowed the user to control it like a part of their own body and they could even feel it like their normal limbs.


    So every drop of sensium in this room is a part of him, she thought in a mixture of fear and awe, having seen it before but still finding it hard to believe. This room is him.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Nigreos said, bending down on his knee and bowing his head before Markreas Iiji, the Ijirian king.


    Album did the same, following her partner¡¯s lead.


    The man in the box began to mumble something but Album couldn¡¯t make out what it was he said. Nigreos didn¡¯t respond either but, moments later, the king repeated himself, this time sounding clearer despite the raspiness of his voice.


    ¡°Rise,¡± he said. ¡°Then state your names and the purpose of coming before me.¡±


    The two Masters immediately did as they were commanded, pushing themselves to their feet to face their leader. When Album once again looked upon his face, she saw that he was missing an eye but the one he did have was as dark of a blue as his childrens.


    ¡°My name is Nigreos Noctis,¡± her partner began. ¡°I¡¯m the Citadel¡¯s Master of Darkness.¡±


    ¡°And I am Album Luz,¡± she said. ¡°I am the Citadel¡¯s Master of Light.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t the first time the two Masters had interacted with the king. In fact, it was far from it. But ever since Markreas was almost killed, and his body confined to this box, his memory from before was quite damaged, and the king often struggled to remember important details of his past. Because of this, his son, Reigious, was the one essentially running Ijiria, and Markreas was a king more in name only.


    Markreas furrowed his brow, his lip twisting into a half smile.


    ¡°Noctis and Luz?¡± he muttered. ¡°Ah, yes. My son has told me quite a bit about you two. You¡¯re very powerful mages and more importantly, you¡¯re loyal. Two very good traits to have.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, your Majesty,¡± Nigreos said with another bow of his head. ¡°Your words flatter us.¡±


    The king¡¯s smile then faded and his expression became as blank as it was before. ¡°Now, if it¡¯s you two here then I imagine this visit has to do with that raid on the Citadel? Have you finally reclaimed the Assassination Gem?¡±


    Nigreos shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we haven¡¯t yet. However, we have a lead on where it might be and so, Album and I have come to request your permission to use a realm dagger to jump into a magicless world.¡±


    Markreas cocked an eyebrow at Nigreos¡¯s words. ¡°A magicless world? Hmm¡­and why is that? Please, fill me in on everything you have learned, Noctis. Do not leave anything out.¡±


    The Master of Darkness nodded firmly. ¡°Of course. In that case, I must ask if you were already told of the events leading to the loss of the stone?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Anna told me everything,¡± the king confirmed. ¡°The thief used an illegal realm dagger to escape into another world but we weren¡¯t able to figure out which one it was.¡±


    ¡°Well, we know where it is now,¡± Nigreos replied. ¡°In the last few weeks, the QuaerBasim has picked up numerous high mana events taking place in a nonmagical world that can only be attributed to the gem. After all, only the Ijirian relics are so mana dense that they can be used in such quick succession within a world like that.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± the king rasped. ¡°If the Basim indeed picked up signals such as you describe then the stone must be there. Which world was it detected in, Noctis?¡±


    Nigreos hesitated for a moment before replying. ¡°Well¡­that would be Omaruo, Your Majesty.¡±


    The king¡¯s brow instantly tightened. ¡°Omaruo?¡± he said slowly. ¡°Reiner.¡±


    The king¡¯s conflicted emotions could be felt throughout the whole room. Album felt her body go cold as she watched the writhing masses of sensium begin to bubble more violently across the ceiling, almost like a pulse.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Nigreos said. ¡°The stone was detected in Abi¡¯s Haven and was activated by what we believe to be an very powerful mage. However, I do not think it¡¯s something we need worry about. As I previously stated, if you grant Album and I permission to go to Omaruo, we can personally reclaim the stone in no time at all.¡±


    ¡°Can you?¡± Markreas growled. ¡°And what of this supposed magic user? Do you think the two of you can handle them?¡±


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Nigreos nodded firmly. ¡°Absolutely. If they don¡¯t know we¡¯re coming, we can make our move against them before they even know they¡¯re being hunted.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Markreas cocked his head to one side and regarded Nigreos for a moment. ¡°Both of you. Stand still.¡±


    Album and Nigreos both stood straighter just as the ceiling above them began to churn. Album watched with bated breath as the sensium took on the form of two human hands that stretched down from the ceiling and toward the two of them. The Master of Light tensed up as one of the hands reached out and wrapped its cold fingers around her neck while the other did the same to Nigreos. She could feel it interacting with her internal mana and it only made her want to hurl.


    ¡°I see,¡± Markreas whispered. ¡°You are powerful indeed. Fine.¡±


    As quickly as they arrived, the two hands released their grip on the Masters before receding back up into the mass of the ceiling.


    ¡°You have my permission,¡± the king continued. ¡°You may go to Omaruo to reclaim the stone and you have permission to use whatever magic you deem necessary to do so. In addition¡­if any denizens of that world have come into contact with the stone¡­¡± He paused for a moment, as if the conversation was wearing him down. ¡°¡­then do as the law commands and erase them.¡±


    Nigreos and Album both bowed down to him.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty,¡± Nigreos replied. ¡°We won¡¯t let you down.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t expect you will,¡± Markreas grunted. ¡°Now, you are dismissed. Let me rest.¡±


    Taking their cue to leave, Nigreos and Album both turned on their heels and began making their way back along the platform and toward the throne room¡¯s doors. Album was grateful that they were finally permitted to leave as even spending the few minutes in that room as she did had mentally exhausted her. When the two Masters pushed open the doors and went out into the hall beyond, it felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s all worked out, I take it?¡± Piura asked calmly once the doors had shut behind them.


    ¡°It is,¡± Nigreos confirmed. ¡°Once everything is in order, Album and I will go to Omaruo and reclaim the gem.¡±


    The princess nodded firmly. ¡°Good. It¡¯ll be best to put all this business behind us as fast as we can.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Nigreos replied. ¡°We¡¯ll do our best, my lady.¡±


    Piura eyed them both for a moment longer before silently turning and making her way back in the direction they had come. Album and Nigreos followed after her.


    The trip back to the lift didn¡¯t feel as long as the trip to the throne room and before she knew it, they were once again riding down to the Citadel¡¯s lower floors. Piura took them to the residential floor and, after thanking her once again for guiding them to meet with the king, they bid her goodbye and got off the platform. Piura then wordlessly continued her descent down the shaft and vanished from sight.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad that¡¯s all worked out,¡± Nigreos muttered, his exhaustion now showing with the princess¡¯s departure. ¡°I don¡¯t imagine the Council will be terribly efficient at getting us a dagger so now all we do is wait.¡±


    The man once again began walking down the corridor and Album followed his lead. She could tell that he was stressed about the whole situation despite his confident front before the royal family and she knew exactly why. After checking to make sure she didn¡¯t sense anybody nearby, Album spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t tell the king about Eric Reiner,¡± she said softly. ¡°You know how dangerous it is to keep secrets from a man like him.¡±


    Nigreos scoffed. ¡°We¡¯ve been over this. I will not break my promise to Abi. If her son truly is wrapped up in this mess then we will deal with it as discreetly as possible.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Album grunted. ¡°I still find it so amusing, Nigreos. After everything you did to Abi, you draw the line at breaking a mere promise?¡±


    The man glanced down at her with a dangerous glare in his eyes, but she refused to show any sign of backing down.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of everything I did to her that I won¡¯t break this promise,¡± he whispered. He then scoffed. ¡°And don¡¯t make it sound like you¡¯re blameless in the matter.¡±


    Album shrugged, unbothered by his words. ¡°I¡¯m not. However, I¡¯m well aware that she brought it on herself. Our hands were forced. There¡¯s no point in letting it hang over us. And if Eric Reiner forces our hands as well¡­¡± She looked directly into her partner¡¯s eyes. ¡°Then we¡¯ll kill him, too.¡±


    ***


    After parting ways with Nigreos, Album made her way down the rather empty residential corridors. The silver and white hallways were normally quite packed but that particular day was a day of rest and so, most would be in their lodgings or out in the city spending time with family and friends. Only a handful of mages and council members would be working that day. Normally, Album wasn¡¯t one of them but, given that she no longer had family or friends with which to spend the day with, losing it bothered her very little. Now that the meeting with the king was over, she intended to return to her room to relax and clear her mind. She wanted an afternoon of peace to prepare for the upcoming mission to Omaruo.


    Yet, as she rounded the corner that would take her to her rooms, she realized that it was easier said than done.


    ¡°Album, my friend. There you are!¡±


    Standing right outside her door, his back leaning up against the wall and his finger toying with his silver curled mustache was the Master of Wind, Ryokumo Caeli.


    She immediately narrowed her eyes, her guard raised as it always did whenever she was in the man¡¯s presence.


    ¡°Come now,¡± Ryokumo said before she had a chance to speak. ¡°What¡¯s with the sour look? Is that any way to greet an old friend of yours?¡±


    ¡°What do you want, Caeli?¡± she asked softly.


    The silver haired Sukonese man merely sighed. ¡°To talk. That¡¯s all. May I come in for just a few minutes?¡±


    As much as she wanted to turn him away on the spot, she also knew it wouldn¡¯t do her any good to treat him poorly. Despite his eccentric appearance, he was still a Master of the Citadel and, even if she no longer cared for him, Nigreos still respected him.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she said curtly. ¡°But make it brief.¡±


    Ryokumo chuckled dryly. ¡°Worry not. I wouldn¡¯t want to long remain in the company of a woman who clearly dislikes me.¡±


    Album ignored his remark as she walked past him and placed her hand against the door.


    ¡°Pateno,¡± she whispered, sending her own personal mana flowing into the door to unlock it.


    The residential doors in the Citadel were charmed so that only those who owned the rooms could unlock them. Not even Nigreos could get into her room without her permission. Once she heard the click of the door unlocking, she pushed it open and headed inside with Ryokumo right behind her. The door opened directly into her main living room which consisted of a single couch facing a crystal table and a desk in the opposite corner. The hallway that led back into her room was directly behind the couch and there was no place to store food since the Citadel had numerous places to eat.


    Wanting to deal with Ryokumo as fast as possible, Album walked immediately toward the couch, taking her seat and folding her pale hands atop her lap as she eyed her guest. She made no move to invite him to take a seat on the couch so instead, Ryokumo remained standing as he glanced around the room with a cocked eyebrow.


    ¡°It¡¯s as dull of a place as I remember it,¡± he mused.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Album asked sharply, ignoring his comment.


    The Master of Wind laughed softly before glancing down at her. ¡°How¡¯d the meeting with the king go? Did he grant you permission?¡±


    She narrowed her eyes, knowing that question wasn¡¯t the reason he was there. After all, idle chatter was better suited between him and Nigreos. However, she decided to appease him for the time being, knowing that his question must have some point.


    ¡°He did,¡± she replied simply. ¡°Nigreos and I shall go to Omaruo and reclaim the Assassination Gem. You have our thanks for getting us a meeting with the Council.¡±


    The last part was a mere pleasantry as she held no real gratitude toward him. Yet, it was a simple fact that getting a meeting with the High Council wasn¡¯t an easy thing to accomplish and nobody was allowed to bring a request before the king without first going through them.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he replied casually. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever I can to help you. After all, I¡¯ve got a bit of a personal stake in this matter myself. I¡¯m sure Eric Reiner intrigues me every bit as much as he intrigues you.¡±


    Album shrugged. ¡°I disagree. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything interesting about him at all. Merely having Abigail¡¯s blood does not mean he¡¯s involved in this. The gem could have simply been claimed by a mage from another world with no connections to Reiner.¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­but I doubt it,¡± Ryokumo muttered. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if Nigreos told you or not but I looked into those readings on the Basim. They were all coming from the same place¡­a quaint little seaside town the locals call Wilham. Sounds a tad familiar, does it not?¡±


    Album scoffed, having already heard the information from her partner. ¡°And? That town is one of Omaruo¡¯s gateways. It¡¯s not unlikely at all that somebody else could have entered the realm and taken up residence there. I think it¡¯s dangerous to jump to conclusions.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Keep telling yourself that,¡± the Master replied. ¡°Well, regardless, I suppose I should get to the point. As you know, I¡¯ve been helping Nakoma interrogate the prisoners from the Citadel raid as well as with his investigation into this potential traitor.¡±


    Album silently nodded, impatiently motioning for him to go on.


    ¡°Well, quite simply, it¡¯s been a damned headache,¡± the man growled. ¡°Thanks to your erasure of that Pine fellow, not a damn one of our prisoners can tell us a thing about him.¡±


    ¡°To be expected,¡± Album replied sharply. ¡°But I did what I had to. Allowing him to escape into an unknown world where we couldn¡¯t follow was too risky.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand,¡± Ryokumo said with a grin. ¡°I¡¯m not disrespecting your decision. I¡¯m simply stating a fact. But regardless, the prisoners have refused to tell us anything.¡±


    ¡°And the traitor?¡± Album pressed. ¡°Any news on that front?¡±


    The man sighed and for a moment, she could see that he was truly worn out by the situation.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± he muttered. ¡°Not a damn thing. The prisoners won¡¯t even admit that a traitor exists. Then comes the fact that there are only a handful of people who can even act as guides through the royal floor. Which is what brings me to my presence here.¡±


    Album sat up straighter, thankful to have finally gotten to the point.


    ¡°I need you to confirm something for me,¡± he continued. ¡°Aside from Rista Pine, did you erase anybody else during the Citadel raid?¡±


    The woman snorted as she leaned back in her chair, disappointed that his question was as boring as it was.


    ¡°One or two,¡± she admitted. ¡°But none that were anything more than Children of Reiner. Why?¡±


    Ryokumo scowled. ¡°Why do you think, Album? I¡¯m saying that it¡¯s almost like this traitor doesn¡¯t exist! As if they were wiped from reality¡­erased.¡±


    ¡°No. That¡¯s impossible,¡± she stated dismissively. ¡°Nobody I erased could have been guides for the royal floor. So unless Nadia is keeping secrets, the traitor should still be at large.¡±


    The man quickly shook his head. ¡°No. I¡¯ve already confirmed that Nadia was down south during the raid.¡± He clenched his teeth, turning to look down at the crystal table for a moment before sighing. ¡°Look. Is there any way that there could be another eraser in this building aside from you and Nadia?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± she said firmly, not even taking a second to consider his question. ¡°Becoming an eraser is not an easy task, Caeli, nor is refraining from going insane once you¡¯ve wiped away as many as I have. There are probably only a few dozen of us in Ijiria and we can sense when the others are nearby. If there were another eraser within this city, I would know.¡±


    Ryokumo eyed her for a moment, his hands clasped behind his back as if trying to gauge whether she was lying or not. She met his probing head on, refusing him to gather even a glimpse of her inner feelings.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help but be suspicious of you then,¡± he growled, his tone becoming cold. ¡°I have gaps in my memory, Album. I¡¯ve forgotten something¡­someone. I know I have. So if there truly are no other erasers then¡­¡±


    Album met his icy stare with a challenging glare of her own.


    ¡°Don¡¯t test me, Caeli,¡± she snapped. ¡°If this is about the disappearance of the Angel then¡ª¡±


    ¡°Somebody took it,¡± he interrupted. ¡°Or I gave it to somebody. I don¡¯t remember but¡­I know something was erased. And¡­¡±


    Album tensed up, centering her mana around her hand on the chance that the fury she sensed in him would be unleashed.


    ¡°¡­if you did take something from me,¡± he continued. ¡°You will regret it.¡±


    She scoffed. ¡°Are you threatening me, Caeli?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m threatening the eraser who took my memories,¡± he replied. ¡°So only you know if I¡¯m threatening you or not.¡±


    With that, Ryokumo turned and began making his way to the door.


    ¡°Consider my words, Album,¡± he called over his shoulder. ¡°And heed my warning.¡±


    She watched him leave, never once moving from her spot on the couch until she could no longer feel his presence even out in the corridor. Though, knowing he was a master of distortion magic, she realized that didn¡¯t mean he was gone.


    He¡¯s getting more bold by the day, she thought. He¡¯s always been clever¡­too clever. He knows I¡¯m lying to him¡­but he can¡¯t prove it. And if he can¡¯t prove it then he won¡¯t act.


    She sighed. I just hope he never does. This is for his own good. It always has been, and unfortunately, he¡¯ll never realize that. He¡¯s the last one. If we lose him then Nigreos and I will truly have lost everything.


    Album clenched her fists, feeling a small wave of emotion crack through the barriers she always had put up, and for just a moment, a nostalgic feeling began to torment her.


    So¡­please, Kumo. Don¡¯t stick your nose into this matter any further. You¡¯ll regret it, if you do.

 Chapter 18- An Ideal Time for Romance

    Chapter XVIII


    The months that followed the resolution to the situation with Brad were, much to Lilly¡¯s surprise, rather normal. Despite Vinny¡¯s insistence that telling Brad about the gem was a bad idea, the football player kept his word and hadn¡¯t told a soul about its existence. In addition, he never once asked for them to use the stone to help him cheat a second time. Instead, he asked Lilly to help him find a better tutor and Alice wound up recommending Ellie to help him out. Ever since, while Brad¡¯s grades hadn¡¯t dramatically improved, he was certainly no longer in danger of failing. And, on occasion, he and Lilly would meet back up in the library to study together.


    As for Jay and Alice, the strained relationship Lilly had with them at the beginning of the school year was gradually becoming more relaxed and genuine. In addition, both were keeping the stone secret as well. They even accompanied Lilly to the clubroom a few times after cross country practice ended. Then there was the fact that Alice and Vinny seemed to be getting closer by the day, something Lilly and the rest of the club found baffling.


    With all of the tension worked out, life at West Wilham was becoming strangely peaceful despite the presence of actual magic in the club. Cross country ended in November and so, after killing it in sections, the season ended with their team in high spirits and, with a lot more free time on her hands, Lilly had taken to going to the club nearly every day after sixth period, something that would have been inconceivable for her just a mere few months prior.


    Luckily, there were no more major incidents regarding the stone after Jay¡¯s theft nor did they use it for any more risky plans. Instead, they¡¯d continued with various experiments in the clubroom to learn more about it. Combined with the lag in Lilly¡¯s swap with Brad and the accounts of Jay and Alice, they decided to test if there was actually a time limit after using it. Sure enough, there was a couple of minutes after swapping that the gem was inactive, something they couldn¡¯t exactly explain.


    Not like we can actually explain much anyway though, she mused.


    Damien still refused to use the stone and Jay didn¡¯t seem particularly interested in trying it again. Liz made it clear she wouldn¡¯t swap with any of the boys, but she and Lilly had given it a shot a handful of times just for fun. Alice even got in on it at one point when Liz wanted to test what would happen if multiple people tried to touch the stone at once, and that experiment only ended up with them getting randomly shuffled around.


    God, so much has happened in one measly semester, Lilly realized. And now here we are, at Christmas, with finals looming and my life couldn¡¯t be any weirder.


    The girl couldn¡¯t help but to smile as she glanced over at the fake Christmas tree in the corner of the apartment, sparkling in various colors, the light reflecting off of a plethora of ornaments. There was holiday music playing in the background, giving the room a very cozy vibe.


    ¡°Lilly? What¡¯s taking so long? It¡¯s your turn!¡±


    She laughed softly, turning her attention away from the tree and to the little girl sitting on the opposite end of the table from her, holding a deck of cards and frowning in clear impatience.


    ¡°Right, right! Sorry, Natalie,¡± she replied, as she quickly considered the cards in her own hand. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡±


    The game they were playing was as simple as getting her hand down to zero by matching either the suit or number of the card to the one on the pile. There were a few cards that could enable her to either skip her opponent or make her draw but unfortunately, her hand was full of nothing but numbers. When she glanced at the pile in the center of the table, she saw that she could either play a spade or a seven.


    She shrugged, not having any clever moves and simply opted to play a six of spades.


    ¡°Six. Spades,¡± she announced, placing her card on the pile.


    Natalie grinned excitedly and it was immediately clear to Lilly that the girl had something mischievous up her sleeves. The little girl slowly felt along the top corners of each card to check which was which. The specific deck they were using had dots and shapes in the corners so that she could feel which number and suit they were. Once her fingers stopped on a certain card, she smiled slyly and held it out.


    ¡°Sorry, Lilly,¡± she said with very little remorse. ¡°You¡¯re gonna have to draw.¡±


    Lilly sighed, taking Natalie¡¯s card and placing it down on the pile. It was a ¡°plus 3¡±.


    ¡°Man, and here I was getting close to victory,¡± she mused, drawing three cards to bring her total number up to eight. However, she noticed that she drew a ¡°wild plus 5¡± and couldn¡¯t help but to laugh. ¡°Oh but you¡¯re gonna regret that, Nat¡¯, because now you have to draw five.¡±


    Lilly placed the card on the pile as Natalie frowned.


    ¡°Aw! You¡¯re so mean!¡±


    The little girl reluctantly reached toward the draw pile and pulled five cards, bringing her up to seven. They were now back to the number they¡¯d initially started with and were tied.


    ¡°Alright, what¡¯s the suit?¡± Natalie pouted.


    Lilly considered her question, glancing back down at her hand. It was mostly made of clubs so that¡¯s what she decided to go with.


    ¡°Clubs,¡± she replied.


    Natalie¡¯s pouting increased. ¡°Clubs?! Why clubs?!¡±


    ¡°Cause I have clubs,¡± Lilly said simply, enjoying teasing the little girl more than she probably should have.


    Natalie sighed then reached for the draw deck once again, pulling a two of clubs on her second turn. Lilly regarded her own hand to decide what her next move should be, and was about to play her turn when a sudden Christmas tune interrupted her thoughts not from the stereo but from on the table beside her. She glanced down to see her phone vibrating.


    Oh that¡¯s right. I forgot I changed my ringtone, she thought with a chuckle. Although I never thought I¡¯d actually get a call. Usually the club just texts me.


    She reached out and flipped her phone over to see who was calling and found herself surprised by the name at the top of her screen.


    Alice? She¡¯s calling me?


    ¡°You can get that if you want,¡± Natalie said cheerfully. ¡°I can wait.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thanks. I¡¯ll be quick then.¡±


    Lilly grabbed the phone, got to her feet, and went to the front door so she could step out into the hall for some privacy. There wasn¡¯t anybody out and about so, once she was sure she was alone, she answered the call. She knew she was being slightly paranoid, but she wasn¡¯t one who liked talking on the phone within earshot of anybody.


    ¡°Hey, Alice,¡± she greeted pleasantly. ¡°What¡¯s up? Everything okay?¡±


    ¡°Oh my god, absolutely! Everything¡¯s great! I¡¯m so happy!¡±


    Lilly was instantly taken aback by the girl¡¯s insanely enthusiastic tone and couldn¡¯t help but to cringe. She might have decided to be a better friend to Alice and Jay but that didn¡¯t mean she was completely used to them yet.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­great,¡± she stuttered. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry! I should calm down. I¡¯m just really happy!¡± Alice repeated.


    Lilly gave her a moment to calm herself as she leaned up against the wall and glanced around to make sure she was still alone.


    ¡°Okay, I think I¡¯m good,¡± Alice finally said. ¡°Sorry about that. I just really wanted to tell somebody and I couldn¡¯t get a hold of Ellie and Jay probably wouldn¡¯t care so I figured I¡¯d call you!¡±


    Lilly cocked an eyebrow, surprised that she was even Alice¡¯s third choice. She had always believed her to be a popular girl but as it turned out, Jay and Ellie seemed to be her only close friends.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s fine,¡± Lilly assured her, trying to sound as cheerful as possible. ¡°So what¡¯s the good news? Did you win the lottery or something?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing like that,¡± Alice said. ¡°Actually¡­it¡¯s about Vinny.¡±


    Lilly frowned. ¡°Vinny?¡±


    What could Vinny have possibly done to make her this excited?


    ¡°What about him?¡± she pressed.


    Alice giggled in a way that greatly resembled a stereotypical schoolgirl before replying. ¡°Well¡­just this morning, he called me up and asked me out on a date! We¡¯re going to the Main Street Christmas tree lighting next weekend!¡±


    Lilly could hardly contain her shock.


    ¡°He¡­asked you out?! Like¡­boyfriend-girlfriend stuff?!¡±


    ¡°What else?¡± Alice teased. ¡°Yeah! I don¡¯t think I told you, but I¡¯ve had a bit of a crush on him ever since¡­well, that day but I wasn¡¯t sure how he felt so I didn¡¯t want to make the first move. But now he did so I don¡¯t have to worry anymore!¡±


    Well, shows what I know, I guess, she thought to herself.


    She had noticed Vinny and Alice hanging out recently but she figured they were just friends. She never even entertained the possibility that either could have stronger feelings for each other.


    Especially considering how strange Vinny can be, it¡¯s crazy to think that a girl like Alice could fall for him.


    ¡°I mean, I¡¯m happy for you,¡± Lilly said after a moment. ¡°I honestly am, Alice. As odd as Vinny is, he¡¯s a good guy¡­however, I do need to ask, but, aren¡¯t you a little worried about how that¡¯ll look to the rest of the school? Vinny isn¡¯t exactly respected by anybody, you know?¡±


    She didn¡¯t want to come across as rude or to burst Alice¡¯s bubble, but at the same time, she couldn¡¯t help but worry about that. She knew better than most just how negatively an association with the Magic Club could affect someone. Just hanging out with them like she had been in the recent months had been enough to alienate her from much of the class. She¡¯d been dealing with weird looks from the rest of the student body, and as far as she could tell, she was officially lumped in with the others as being a magic nut. Brad even confirmed for her that the rest of his buddies all considered her a weirdo now. Even knowing magic existed, she still found it hard to accept that she was being viewed as an outcast. She couldn¡¯t imagine what dating one of them might do to someone¡¯s reputation.


    But Alice simply laughed and brushed her worries aside.


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t care,¡± she said, ¡°I think people are too quick to judge him. And it¡¯s not like it matters what they think. I¡¯ve got friends and I know you guys won¡¯t judge me so it¡¯s all good.¡±


    Lilly sighed, baffled by how easily somebody could just brush that aside. ¡°I guess that¡¯s fair. As long as you¡¯re happy and not worried about it then I¡¯m rooting for you guys. So congrats.¡±


    Alice giggled again. ¡°Thanks. And don¡¯t worry! Your time will come, too!¡±


    Lilly cocked an eyebrow. ¡°My time? What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°You know, when you get a boyfriend,¡± the other girl clarified. ¡°Or do you already have one and just aren¡¯t telling us?¡±


    Lilly snorted. ¡°Not at all. And I wouldn¡¯t get your hopes up. I don¡¯t date.¡±


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°Oh please,¡± Alice laughed. ¡°It¡¯s not that you don¡¯t date. You just haven¡¯t found the right person yet! Oh, I know! Why don¡¯t you ask Eric out? He¡¯s single and you guys seem to get along well.¡±


    ¡°Eric?¡± The girl shook her head. ¡°Not likely.¡±


    ¡°Oh whatever. You¡¯re no fun.¡± Alice went silent for a moment. ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll let you go. I¡¯ll see you at school tomorrow, Lilly!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you too. See you.¡±


    ¡°Bye!¡±


    When the call ended, Lilly removed the phone from her ear and looked down at it, her thoughts fixated on what Alice had said, but she quickly forced herself to forget about it, knowing there was no point thinking about something that made no sense.


    Me and Eric, huh? Yeah, like that would ever happen. I couldn¡¯t ever fall for anybody¡­let alone Eric Reiner.


    She told herself that, yet a part of her couldn¡¯t help but to entertain the thought, if only for a moment. She imagined them walking together, holding hands and being close with each other. With Christmas at the end of the month, it was a season where going on a date would be fun. It was only when she realized her cheeks were turning red that she quickly turned her thoughts elsewhere and rushed back into the apartment, wanting to finish the game.


    ***


    Renee returned home a little after nine and so, Lilly bid goodbye to the Hills and left, taking the elevator back up to her apartment¡¯s floor. It was Sunday so she would be getting up early the next morning to go to school. Therefore, she wanted to get home and finish up some last minute homework before she went to bed. If she didn¡¯t, she knew she¡¯d be forced to hurry it out at lunch and she really wasn¡¯t in the mood to waste a break period on homework.


    The elevator arrived on her floor and she made her way toward her apartment¡¯s front door. She pulled her keys from the pocket of her dark red jacket and unlocked the door and when she stepped inside, she was greeted with the smell of cookies and knew her mother had probably made dessert for the family.


    Awesome. Mom¡¯s cookies are the best. I could really go for one right about now.


    She slid her shoes off in the entryway when she suddenly stopped, her body freezing as she listened to the conversation taking place inside. She could hear her father¡¯s voice as he spoke to somebody but, much to her surprise, it wasn¡¯t her mother or sister he was talking to. Instead, the person replying was somebody Lilly knew but would never have expected to hear in her house.


    How in the hell¡­?


    She hurriedly pushed her shoes into the corner and hurried out towards the living area. When she did, she was greeted with the sight she both expected and utterly dreaded.


    Sitting at the dining table was her father and across from him was Eric Reiner, dressed not in his uniform but in comfortable looking blue sweatpants and a dark black shirt with a blue jacket on over it.  There was a plate of green and red frosted sugar cookies in the middle of the table and the two were snacking on them as they spoke. The Christmas tree in the background casted colorful light over the room, giving it a very festive feel. However, it was such a surreal sight that Lilly just stood there for a moment, staring at the two in bewilderment.


    How on earth did Eric figure out where I live?!


    Both looked up when they noticed her presence, smiling as they noticed her.


    ¡°Ah, sweetheart,¡± her father greeted. ¡°Welcome home. Would you like a cookie?¡±


    Lilly opened her mouth to reply but couldn¡¯t seem to get the words out. When she looked around the room, she didn¡¯t find any sign of her mother but she did see Alexa on the couch, her phone in hand. However, her older sister was looking at her with a cocked eyebrow, as if curious to see how she would react to Eric¡¯s presence.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± she finally stuttered. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll take a cookie.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re very tasty,¡± Eric commented. ¡°Your mother is quite an exceptional cook.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, thanks,¡± Lilly muttered, taking the offered cookie from her father. It was in the shape of an ornament with red frosting, her favorite color. ¡°So¡­what are you doing here, Eric?¡±


    The boy grinned cheerfully, leaning back in the chair as he helped himself to another cookie. ¡°You forgot your math workbook in the clubroom on Friday. Since I was in the area, I figured I¡¯d drop by to return it.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­thanks,¡± she murmured, still trying to figure out how he even knew where she lived to do so.


    ¡°You never mentioned you were in a club,¡± Alexa said from the couch, eyeing Lilly with clear suspicion. ¡°I thought you said club¡¯s were stupid.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Well, she¡¯s not technically in the club,¡± Eric interrupted. ¡°She¡¯s more of an honorary member. She does drop in quite often though.¡±


    ¡°Right, I meant to ask,¡± her father began, ¡°but what does your club do? I¡¯m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that my daughter actually has friends, let alone is in a club. I want all the juicy details, Mr. Reiner.¡±


    Lilly immediately looked to Eric, silently pleading with him to make something up. However, the boy clearly didn¡¯t notice as his grin widened at her father¡¯s question.


    ¡°That is to be expected,¡± he replied. ¡°After all, we are a secret society.¡±


    Her father laughed. ¡°Secret? You mentioned that earlier. You mind letting me in on the secret? I promise I won¡¯t tell a soul. I happen to be a master secret keeper, you know?¡±


    Lilly could tell her father was enjoying Eric¡¯s unique personality and she desperately wanted to get them both to shut up, but all she could do was stand there in silence as she watched one of the most embarrassing scenes of her life unfold before her eyes.


    ¡°I can tell,¡± Eric said. ¡°You seem like a man I can trust, Mr. Harper. Very well. I shall tell you what we are up to.¡±


    The man grinned. ¡°Thank you. I won¡¯t let you down!¡±


    ¡°I would think not, for you see, we are the Magical and Other Anomalies Investigation Team!¡± Eric said, spreading his arms out for dramatic effect and nearly dropping his half eaten cookie. ¡°Our job is to search out magical anomalies and find the cause so that they won¡¯t harm the mortal world. Your daughter has been a great help in our most recent case: the stone of doom!¡±


    I want to die! Lilly inwardly shrieked. Kill me! Right now! I don¡¯t want to watch another second of this!


    She could see Alexa looking over her shoulder at Eric in part bafflement and part irritation while their father simply enjoyed the show.


    ¡°Ah, I see,¡± he replied. ¡°So you guys are pretty important then. Wouldn¡¯t want the mortal world harmed, after all.¡±


    ¡°No, we wouldn¡¯t,¡± Eric agreed.


    Her father chuckled and glanced up at Lilly slyly. ¡°Well, sweetheart, I¡¯m impressed. You better take good care of the mortal world. I¡¯ll be disappointed if something happens to it.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help but to glare at him despite knowing it was the reaction he was going for.


    ¡°Also, eat your cookie,¡± he said, pointing toward the treat till in her hand. ¡°I hear it¡¯s good for mortal world saving.¡±


    Lilly grit her teeth before reaching up and taking a bite of it. It was as good as she expected it would be, but it didn¡¯t improve her mood too much.


    ¡°Eric,¡± she grumbled through a mouthful of cookie. ¡°Can we talk outside?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely!¡± he replied, getting to his feet.


    She motioned for him to follow her before walking across the room and heading toward the sliding glass door that would lead to their balcony. The night was chilly when they stepped out onto the old wooden surface. Christmas lights were wrapped around the railing so they had plenty of multi-colored illumination. The sky was so cloudy that they could see neither the moon nor any stars. Lilly pulled her jacket tighter around her body and glanced over her shoulder as Eric slid the door shut behind him. She expected him to immediately smile in satisfaction so she was surprised when he merely scratched the back of his head and laughed guiltily.


    ¡°Too far?¡± he asked.


    Lilly rolled her eyes yet, despite her earlier irritation, she suddenly found herself laughing.


    ¡°What is wrong with you?¡± she said between laughs. ¡°What kind of person shows up to someone¡¯s house unannounced and then acts like a maniac in front of their family? Did you really have to add the part about saving the mortal world?¡±


    Eric joined in her laughter as the two wandered to the railing, placing their arms on its surface as they looked out over the street below. There were lit-up wreaths on the various streetlights and some of the nearby stores still had their own decorations turned on.


    ¡°Apologies, Lilly,¡± Eric said after a moment. ¡°But to be honest, I was kind of hurt when I arrived here today only to realize your family didn¡¯t have a clue who I was. Were we that much of an embarrassing secret to you?¡±


    His tone was lighthearted but she could tell that he wasn¡¯t joking either. The reason she never talked to her family about the club was simply because she was embarrassed to bring it up. She couldn¡¯t exactly tell them about the stone and so, she didn¡¯t want them thinking she was in the club for something stupid. It was hard enough for her to keep Alexa off her back with how everybody in her grade had decided she was now a Magic Club member.


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± she grumbled. ¡°And it¡¯s not that I was embarrassed by you guys. I just¡ª¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t want any outsiders getting suspicious of our investigations,¡± he interrupted, grinning down at her.


    She shrugged. ¡°Yeah, I guess so.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s understandable,¡± Eric stated matter-of-factly. ¡°But I think you need not worry on that front. I have now sworn your father to secrecy. Like he said, he won¡¯t tell a soul.¡±


    ¡°Suuuuure,¡± she grumbled. ¡°Whatever you say, Eric.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a cool guy, your father,¡± the boy went on. ¡°Before you got here, he was telling me all about his high school golf days. Very fascinating, it was.¡±


    Lilly groaned, covering her face in her hands. ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me. He made you sit through that?¡±


    ¡°Sit through that?!¡± Eric asked incredulously. ¡°You make it sound like a bad thing! I loved every second of it! Especially the story about how he accidentally drove a cart into the lake.¡±


    Lilly sighed dejectedly. Honestly¡­I mean it¡­kill me now.


    ¡°Well at least you enjoyed it,¡± she grumbled. ¡°I¡¯ve heard those stories nearly a million times at this point.¡± She then cocked an eyebrow, realizing they were getting too far away from the question she dragged him out there to ask in the first place. ¡°So really, why are you here? Were you really just dropping off my book or did you need to talk about something?¡±


    The boy shook his head. ¡°Nope. I was just bringing the book back. Like I said, I was in the area and thought I¡¯d drop by. I would¡¯ve called first, but I thought it¡¯d be fun to surprise you.¡±


    ¡°Surprise me?¡± She narrowed her eyes at him. ¡°And was it supposed to be a good surprise or a bad surprise?¡±


    He frowned in confusion. ¡°Well, a good one, I¡¯d hope.¡±


    She stared at him for a moment, realizing that he genuinely thought she¡¯d be happy to see him.


    And¡­I guess he¡¯s not totally wrong, she internally admitted, realizing she was enjoying hanging out with him.


    ¡°So how¡¯d you know where I live?¡± she asked, turning the conversation elsewhere. ¡°I¡¯ve never told anybody.¡±


    He laughed hesitantly. ¡°W-well¡­to be perfectly honest with you¡­I just kinda¡­knew?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± she asked. ¡°And that means what exactly?¡±


    ¡°Well, I was walking down this way with Vinny the other day and, when I saw this building, I just thought, ¡®oh, Lilly lives there¡¯.¡± He frowned, as if considering his words for a moment. ¡°I¡¯d never seen you go in or anything. It was a surreal feeling. Then, when I got here today, I kinda just followed my instincts to your apartment.¡±


    Lilly listened to him without interrupting, her eyes narrowed as she processed what he was saying. It didn¡¯t take a rocket scientist to understand what had happened.


    ¡°The stone,¡± she whispered. ¡°It must¡¯ve done something.¡±


    Eric nodded. ¡°I was thinking as much. But since it wasn¡¯t a conscious thing, I don¡¯t know how to test it. I asked Vinny if he ever experienced something similar but he said he hadn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡± she began, ¡°it has to do with how frequently you¡¯ve swapped with someone?¡±


    Since Eric and Lilly were the only ones in the club willing or allowed to swap cross-gender, they did so whenever they wanted to test certain hypotheses. Due to that, they tended to swap more often than most other combinations.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± Eric muttered. ¡°Like, there¡¯s some cross-contamination of memories. I wonder¡­if you saw my house, would you know it was mine? And what does this tell us?¡±


    Lilly sighed. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know. Developments like this just give me headaches.¡±


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll run it by Damien tomorrow,¡± he said. ¡°He tends to handle explanations better than any of the rest of us.¡±


    ¡°Okay, sounds good,¡± she replied.


    For a moment, the two stood in silence, staring down at the empty street below. It was a strange feeling for Lilly. Despite her early opposition to getting involved with the club, she found the silence to be comfortable. She enjoyed Eric¡¯s presence and was glad that he was there with her even after he embarrassed her with her father.


    God, what¡¯s happening to me? she mused.


    ¡°Hey, Lilly?¡± Eric began after a moment.


    ¡°Mm? Yeah?¡±


    The boy turned away from the street and looked at her, smiling cheerfully.


    ¡°There¡¯s an annual Christmas tree lighting next Saturday on Main Street,¡± he said. ¡°Would you want to go with me?¡±


    Her eyes went wide at his question and she struggled to keep her shock from showing. She couldn¡¯t help but to recall her earlier conversation with Alice.


    The Christmas tree lighting? Isn¡¯t that where Vinny¡¯s taking Alice on their date? Does that mean he¡¯s¡­asking me out?


    ¡°You might not have heard,¡± he went on, ¡°but Vinny asked Alice to go with him and since Damien and Liz tend to go together, I¡¯m kinda on my own. It seems this season is an ideal time for romantic endeavors and unfortunately, I¡¯ve been left behind. So, as long as you''re not busy, I thought maybe we could go?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± she stuttered. ¡°You mean¡­like as a couple or¡­as friends?¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Friends. I¡¯m not confident enough to ask a girl like you on a date.¡±


    She nodded, trying to calm her suddenly beating heart.


    Of course it¡¯s just as friends. Eric wouldn¡¯t ever ask me out but¡­why do I feel kinda disappointed?


    ¡°Well¡­¡± She considered his question for a moment longer before once again surprising herself. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll go. I¡¯m not busy on Saturday.¡±


    The boy smiled. ¡°Awesome. In that case, I can¡¯t wait.¡±


    Lilly returned his smile as they once again returned to that comfortable silence. Then, as she was thinking about heading back inside, Eric spoke again.


    ¡°Ah, and so our first snow finally arrives.¡±


    The moment he finished speaking, snowflakes began landing on the railing and on her hands. When she looked up, she could see flakes flowing down from the clouds, illuminated by the balcony¡¯s lights. It was a serene image and one that put Lilly¡¯s mind at ease.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always liked the snow,¡± Eric said. ¡°It¡¯s peaceful.¡±


    Lilly nodded, extending her hand so that some flakes would land in her palm.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she whispered. ¡°It really is.¡±

 Chapter 19- Holiday Cheer

    Chapter XIX


    Despite it going completely against her normal routine, Lilly Harper found herself constantly glancing in her bedroom¡¯s mirror to make sure she looked okay before pacing around once again. Normally, she couldn¡¯t care less about how she looked and would only spend a few minutes making sure she was at least presentable before going out so it completely threw her off guard to find herself suddenly anxious about whether she looked okay or not. She had already combed her hair multiple times that night and even put on an old Christmas colored hairpin, thinking it made her look a little bit cute. In addition, she had tried tying her hair up in various styles but had wound up hating all of them, resulting in her leaving it hanging down to her shoulders like it always did.


    God, what the hell is wrong with me?! It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going out with some big shot CEO or something! I¡¯m going on a friendly outing with Eric Reiner of all people! He¡¯s not going to give a damn about how I look!


    Yet even consciously knowing that, it didn¡¯t change the fact that she was still unusually anxious about her appearance. When Eric had first asked her to go to the Christmas tree lighting with him the previous week, she had been excited but otherwise didn¡¯t see it as anything special. In fact, Eric had explicitly said they weren¡¯t going on a date. Yet, as the days went by and Saturday got closer, she started getting a bit nervous about it and, come twenty minutes until they were supposed to leave, she was a nervous wreck. She had never felt that way before and so she had no idea how to combat it. Instead, all she could do was pace around the small room, occasionally glancing in the mirror again.


    Clothing wise, she had opted to wear jeans paired with a black shirt and her red jacket which she knew wasn¡¯t the cutest thing she could have worn but, since she wasn¡¯t somebody who typically gave a damn about fashion in the first place, it was the best she could come up with on such short notice.


    Well, whatever, she thought with a huff. It really shouldn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s not like Eric pays attention to clothes anyway.


    ¡°For god¡¯s sake, who are you and what have you done with my sister?¡±


    At the sound of Alexa¡¯s voice, Lilly turned away from the mirror to see her sister standing in the doorway to their bedroom, leaning up against the frame with a clearly bewildered look on her face.


    Lilly scowled, sticking her gloved hands into her jacket pockets. ¡°And what do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°What do you think I mean?¡± Alexa asked incredulously. ¡°My little sister, who has never once willingly left the house outside of cross country in her life, all of a sudden is going to a Christmas tree lighting with a boy nobody knew existed. Then I walk into our room to see her pacing about like a panicked schoolgirl going on a date with her crush. I¡¯m starting to suspect aliens replaced you with a terrible clone or something.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Lilly grumbled. ¡°Laugh it up, why don¡¯t you. And it¡¯s not a date.¡±


    Alexa snorted. ¡°That I believe. What I also believe, however, is that you wish it were.¡±


    ¡°Not in the slightest,¡± she retorted. ¡°Eric and I are just friends and that¡¯s never going to change. The guy¡¯s insane, after all.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯ve heard.¡± Alexa then straightened her posture and walked into the room, folding her arms across her chest as she regarded her little sister. ¡°In fact, I thought I had heard the name Eric Reiner around school once or twice so I asked my friends about him and apparently he and the rest of his ¡®Magic Club¡¯ are infamous for believing in, well,  magic. So, Sis, how on earth did somebody like you end up hanging around with them?¡±


    You wouldn¡¯t believe me if I told you, she internally mused.


    She wasn¡¯t terribly surprised that Alexa was able to get information about Eric and the others. She was right in that the club was fairly infamous at West Wilham so it wouldn¡¯t have taken her much effort to investigate him, something Lilly had known would happen from the moment Eric turned up at their house the previous week.


    She instead simply shrugged. ¡°Good question. I¡¯m still not sure. I am just a clone, after all. Maybe ask the aliens.¡±


    Alexa scowled. ¡°I¡¯m being serious, Lilly. I mean, don¡¯t get me wrong here. I¡¯m thrilled that you¡¯ve made some friends and that you¡¯re actually going out but...it¡¯s just such a drastic change in so little time that I¡¯m a bit curious, is all. I mean, what about Eric and that club was so appealing that it even got through your lethargic personality?¡±


    The younger girl stared at her sister for a moment, not sure how she could respond in a way that would get Alexa off her back about the whole situation. Aside from just coming out and revealing the gem to her, which Lilly was very much against, there wasn¡¯t any real explanation that would suffice. So, instead, Lilly decided just to smile and shrug.


    ¡°Well, Sis, I guess it was just magic,¡± she said.


    Alexa rolled her eyes. ¡°Whatever. Don¡¯t tell me then. Keep your secrets.¡±


    With that, her older sister turned and began making her way to the door before stopping and turning her head once more.


    ¡°Have fun at the lighting,¡± she said curtly, then turned back and left the room.


    Part of Lilly did feel bad that she couldn¡¯t tell her sister the truth but she also knew that she wasn¡¯t obliged to do so. Alexa didn¡¯t need to know about the stone and so, she could be curious all she wanted but Lilly wouldn¡¯t ever indulge that curiosity. Even though she knew telling Brad about the gem had been far less risky as opposed to telling Alexa, Lilly simply didn¡¯t want her family getting dragged into it. The stone had nothing to do with her and she planned to keep it that way.


    Lilly sighed, then turned and grabbed her phone from the top of her bed and slid it into the back pocket of her jeans. Then, with one last look at herself in the mirror, she turned and walked out into the hallway. Her parents and sister were sitting in the living room when she passed by so she said goodbye and hurried to the front door, though she didn¡¯t miss the sly grin from her father on the way out. Normally, he would have made some comment about her going on a date to mess with her but, instead, he and her mother merely waved and told her to be home before ten. She couldn¡¯t help but suspect that they, much like her sister, thought she was actually going on a date, and so, were refraining from teasing.


    Well, I guess if that¡¯s what it takes to get out of here quickly then I guess I¡¯ll wait to correct them until I get home.


    Lilly stopped by the front door to put her winter boots on then went through the front door and out into the hallway. There was nobody around so she was able to get to the elevator without having to socialize with any of their neighbors. She and Eric had decided to meet in the lobby and walk to main street from there but since she was heading down a bit earlier than she needed to, she expected to have to wait a little longer for him. Therefore, she was surprised when the doors opened and she immediately noticed him standing by the front desk, chatting with the night receptionist, Mr. Esteban.


    ¡°Yes, in fact, I would even check to make sure there are no dark spirits infesting it,¡± Eric was cheerfully saying to an exasperated looking Esteban. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of a few occasions where spirits take up residence in the attics of unsuspecting victims. In fact, they might be the source of the plumbing problems as well.¡±


    Oh, you¡¯ve gotta be kidding! How is he able to go up to random people like this?


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Esteban murmured. ¡°Well, I appreciate the advice, kid.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t mention it,¡± Eric replied with a chuckle. ¡°I only wish I had the necessary talismans to help in its extermination, but alas, I¡¯ve never been able to get my hands on any. They¡¯re quite rare, you see.¡±


    Esteban only seemed to be partially listening when he glanced over and saw Lilly standing just outside the elevator, staring at the two of them in a mix of bewilderment and embarrassment. Eric followed his gaze and, upon seeing Lilly, smiled even wider.


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re here early,¡± he greeted with a laugh.


    Lilly nodded awkwardly, noticing the cocked eyebrow Esteban had as he looked between the two.


    ¡°Um, yeah,¡± she stuttered. ¡°I thought I¡¯d come down a little early. I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re already here though.¡±


    Eric shrugged. ¡°Eh, I didn¡¯t feel like hanging around at home so I thought I¡¯d just head over. Luckily, I had Mr. Esteban here to keep me company.¡±


    The receptionist, who had already turned back to work on his computer, merely grunted in acknowledgment of his name.


    ¡°But anyway, you ready to go?¡± Eric continued.


    She quickly nodded, wanting to rescue Esteban as fast as she could since she could tell the man just wanted to get back to doing his job.


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s get going,¡± she replied, walking forward to start heading toward the front doors of the building.


    Eric immediately moved to follow after her, calling back over his shoulder, ¡°Take care, Mr. Esteban. I hope you get that plumbing problem dealt with.¡±


    The man didn¡¯t even grunt this time as Lilly and Eric both walked through the doors and headed out into the chilly December night. They took a left in the direction of mainstreet and Lilly immediately noticed a group of friends on the other side of the road, chatting excitedly. She realized they were probably also heading to the Christmas tree lighting, recalling that Eric had said it was a pretty big and traditional event for the town. She couldn¡¯t help but to tense up at the thought of so many people being there and part of her wished she had just turned Eric down. However, the other part was oddly excited to hang out with him and get to see the lights and decorations that she heard were pretty famous as well.


    ¡°Your building¡¯s receptionist is a pretty nice dude,¡± Eric said cheerfully as they walked. ¡°If not terribly talkative.¡±


    Lilly glanced up at him and smirked. ¡°Well, it¡¯s possible that he is actually talkative and just didn¡¯t want to talk to the random kid who walked up to him, yammering about dark spirits or whatever.¡±


    ¡°Nah, that can¡¯t be it,¡± Eric replied wryly. ¡°After all, I was only trying to help him with his plumbing problems.¡±


    The girl cocked an eyebrow. ¡°How did you even know he was having plumbing problems? I doubt he told you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, he didn¡¯t. I just heard him on the phone with his wife when I walked in,¡± Eric explained. ¡°Thought I¡¯d give him some advice. When I was younger, my mother once told me that dark spirits tended to be the cause of household problems. Apparently they¡¯re a mischievous bunch.¡±


    Lilly stared back at him in bewilderment, finding herself uncertain how serious he actually was.


    He¡¯s joking, she tried to convince herself. I think¡­


    However, wanting to change the subject away from her building¡¯s receptionist and his plumbing problems, Lilly decided to steer the discussion somewhere else¡ªto something she had been meaning to ask him for quite a while.


    ¡°You mentioned your mother,¡± she said. ¡°Are you guys close? I mean, you hardly ever talk about your family and, now that you¡¯ve met mine, I think it¡¯s only fair that you tell me about yours.¡±


    For a moment, she noticed Eric¡¯s smile wavering and part of her feared she shouldn¡¯t have brought it up. But, before she could apologize, he returned to his usual self and replied.


    ¡°Yes, we were very close,¡± he responded softly.


    She immediately cringed and wished she hadn¡¯t asked the question.


    ¡°Were?¡± she repeated. ¡°So¡­?¡±


    ¡°Well, you see¡­¡± he began hesitantly, ¡°when I was around seven years old, she went out one day and never came home.¡±


    Lilly exhaled softly, realizing now why Eric was so reserved about his personal life.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that,¡± she whispered. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have brought it up.¡±


    He merely brushed her apology away with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s not like she was killed or anything. She¡¯s just¡­somewhere else. Someday¡­she¡¯ll come home. When she¡¯s ready. I¡¯m certain of it.¡±


    There was a glimmer in his eyes that told her he genuinely believed that his mother would, in fact, return. Though, considering that she had been gone for almost a decade, Lilly found the possibility unlikely. However, she refrained from saying so and instead nodded along with him, determined not to press the conversation any further.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m excited to see the lights,¡± she said awkwardly in her attempt to change the subject. ¡°I do love Christmas.¡±


    ¡°As do I,¡± he replied. ¡°Such a festive time of year.¡± Then, as if remembering something, he turned to her and smiled warmly. ¡°By the way, I like your hairpin. I¡¯ve never seen you wear anything in your hair and I must say, it looks very cute. Good choice of festive colors too.¡±


    She almost tripped over her feet at the sudden compliment and, despite the cold, she felt her cheeks start to burn.


    He actually noticed?!


    She did everything in her power to keep from letting him see her pathetic reaction as she mumbled a quick ¡°thanks¡±. It was then that she realized all her earlier nervousness had vanished the moment she saw him.


    If only it could have stayed that way, she silently complained.


    Eric didn¡¯t appear to notice anything as he rambled on about why Christmas was the best holiday and Lilly silently followed beside him, oddly content just listening to him talk.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ***


    ¡°There they are,¡± Damien greeted with a wave. ¡°Glad you guys could make it.¡±


    ¡°I hope Eric didn¡¯t talk your ear off the whole time, Lilly,¡± Liz added with her typical grin.


    Lilly couldn¡¯t help but to smile as she and Eric walked up to the couple, both of whom were wearing ugly Christmas sweaters and Santa hats, while holding steaming cups from the coffee shop they were standing just outside of. Liz even had a Santa beard around her mouth that Lilly couldn¡¯t help but to smirk at. The crowd was mostly centered around the street so the sidewalks weren¡¯t terribly crowded. Lilly and Eric broke free from the large group of people gathered on the road and made their way toward their friends.


    ¡°Talk her ear off?¡± Eric growled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dream of doing such a thing!¡±


    Liz cocked an eyebrow as she reached up to stroke her beard. ¡°Oh really? Right¡­of course. What¡¯s wrong with me? Why would Eric Reiner of all people yammer on about nonsense for hours on end. That surely doesn¡¯t sound like him.¡±


    Having gotten used to it, Lilly found Liz¡¯s snarky remarks oddly amusing and she even found herself laughing softly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Liz,¡± she assured. ¡°Eric was fine.¡±


    The tall boy laughed smugly. ¡°See, dear Liz? Now, apologize for offending me!¡±


    ¡°Ha! I would never,¡± Liz snorted. ¡°She¡¯s probably just being nice. Wouldn¡¯t want to insult her date, after all.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a date!¡± Both replied in unison and Lilly instantly cringed at their almost identical response.


    It was now Liz¡¯s turn to grin smugly at them and even Damien seemed to be holding back a laugh of his own.


    Jeez, does the whole club really think we¡¯re going on a date? Please let at least Vinny have some sense!


    Though, the moment she thought it, she realized just how ridiculous the thought was, for Vinny Mickelson was often the most chaotic of the four. It was then that she remembered that he and Alice would be there, so she briefly glanced around for any sign of them. While she couldn¡¯t make out anybody that looked like them, she was able to properly take Main Street in for the first time and she begrudgingly admitted that it lived up to the hype.


    Every store on each side of the street had some form of Christmas decorations whether it be a tree in the window, icicle lights hanging from the roof, or even candy cane lights on the windowsill. In addition, almost everybody in the crowd was wearing an ugly holiday sweater and/or a hat. It almost made her feel underdressed even though she knew she wouldn¡¯t have been caught dead wearing a Santa hat or an ugly sweater in public.


    The crowds were all centered around a giant, nearly twenty foot tall Christmas Tree in the middle of Main Street. Though it wasn¡¯t lit yet, Lilly could see the elaborate decorations all across its branches, as well as the massive star on the top. She could only imagine just how beautiful it would be fully lit.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m gonna head inside and grab some mochas,¡± Eric said, bringing her out of her thoughts. ¡°You want a white chocolate, Lilly?¡±


    She looked back at him in surprise. ¡°Uh, yeah, thanks but¡­how did you know that¡¯s what I usually get?¡±


    The boy grinned. ¡°I heard you talking to Liz about it the other day. Never forget, dear friend, that in the clubroom, my ears hear all.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s his way of saying he¡¯s a chronic eavesdropper,¡± Liz interrupted.


    Eric briefly eyed the girl with obvious distaste before turning back to Lilly.


    ¡°Though, if you want something else, that¡¯s fine, too,¡± he added.


    She quickly shook her head and returned his smile. ¡°No, white chocolate would be great. Thanks. Here, let me get you some money.¡±


    Just as she was about to reach into her pocket for her wallet, Eric quickly put his hand up and clicked his tongue.


    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± he said. ¡°Tonight, you are my guest and so, I shall be the one to pay. No arguments allowed.¡±


    ¡°Uh, guest?¡± Liz cocked an eyebrow. ¡°I think you mispronounced ¡®date¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Shut!¡± Eric commanded, before he turned on his heel and went into the quaint little coffee shop, leaving Lilly staring after him once again in bafflement.


    I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever get used to him, she told herself. But at the same time, I can¡¯t say he isn¡¯t charming in his own weird way.


    ¡°Well, I gotta say,¡± Liz began, her earlier joking tone suddenly turning more casual as she looked over at Lilly. ¡°I¡¯m honestly happy you came, Lil¡¯. I know you hate going out anywhere so I imagine Eric must¡¯ve really twisted your arm to get you out here.¡±


    Lilly chuckled softly.


    Even she knew that should have been the case. Just months earlier, she would never have fathomed leaving the house to go to something as benign and crowded as the tree lighting. The fact that, not only did Eric not have to convince her, but all he did was simply ask was baffling to her. It really put into perspective how much the Magic Club was changing her.


    And I¡¯m not even that upset about it. After all, I¡¯m having fun, aren¡¯t I? The time I¡¯m spending with them up in the clubroom have been some of the happiest days of my life. I have friends¡ªpeople who care about me and who I¡¯m realizing I care about, too. And maybe¡­


    She slowly turned her head to look through the window of the coffee shop to see Eric standing in line. He must¡¯ve realized she was staring since he glanced back and grinned cheerfully back at her.


    ¡­I could actually have something more than just simple friendship.


    ¡°Twisted my arm?¡± she whispered. ¡°No. I wouldn¡¯t say that. To be honest¡­I just thought it would be fun.¡±


    Liz and Damien both eyed her wryly and she was sure they could see through to what she was actually feeling. But, unlike moments earlier, they didn¡¯t tease her about anything.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here,¡± Damien said. ¡°And I know he is, too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d hope so,¡± she replied, returning their grins with one of her own. ¡°He did invite me, after all.¡±


    Damien laughed at her comment and shrugged. ¡°Fair point.¡±


    After a few more moments of waiting, Eric emerged with two steaming mochas and handed her one. Then, together, the four of them moved off to find a spot in the crowd so they could watch the tree lighting.


    ***


    Hand in hand, Alice Mendez stood with Vinny Mickelson in the crowds surrounding the enormous Christmas tree in the center of town square. It wasn¡¯t illuminated just yet but she knew it would be soon and, once it was, it would be an absolutely beautiful sight. She had come to the event every year since she was born and it still never ceased to amaze her at how stunning the tree could be. She used to go with her family, then when she hit middle school she started going with friends, but that year, she was with Vinny on their first date together.


    Ever since the night she found out about The Switch, Alice had been unable to keep Vinny from her thoughts for very long. The way he spoke and the confidence with which he carried himself were far from how the rumors around school portrayed him. He was funny, and clever, and just an all around nice guy. Despite not knowing him very long, he treated her like a good friend.


    After she and Jay learned the truth about the stone, she found herself drawn to the Magic Clubroom to hang out with Vinny. That was especially true when cross country ended and she had more free time after school.


    They also began talking more in the few classes they had together, which she knew had been drawing the curiosity of the student body. It was as Lilly had said on the phone: the Magic Club was infamous in their grade. The names Eric Reiner, Vinny Mickelson, Elizabeth Tao, and Damien Clark were known by almost everybody and they were individuals that were said to be best avoided. They were supposed to be obnoxious, creepy losers who believed in magic.


    But nobody really understands them, she had realized. Sure, they¡¯re a bit out there but that isn¡¯t really a bad thing. And I mean, magic does exist so it¡¯s not like they were wrong.


    Alice spared a glance up at Vinny, who was grinning broadly as he looked at the tree, as if in childlike anticipation of it lighting up.


    She smiled, too, finding the warmth of his hand in hers comforting. To her, it didn¡¯t matter if she got lumped in with the club. For all of high school, Jay had been her only close friend and she knew he wouldn¡¯t think less of her for wanting to date Vinny. Now, she was actually becoming close with Lilly and even found the other three club members to be strangely fun. So, she didn¡¯t really care what the rest of the school thought.


    At the end of the day, she was happier than she had been in a while and that was all that mattered.


    ¡°I¡¯m really glad we got to do this,¡± she said softly.


    The boy beside her turned his head at the sound of her voice and laughed merrily. ¡°Definitely. I always thought this event would be perfect for a date so I knew once there was a girl I liked, I¡¯d have no choice but to ask her to come with me.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m happy that girl was me,¡± she replied. ¡°And you¡¯re right. It is a pretty romantic event.¡±


    ¡°If not for the hoards of people,¡± Vinny added with a glance at those crowded around them. ¡°Maybe after this, we ought to stop for a coffee or something. Find somewhere a tad more private.¡±


    Alice nodded. ¡°I¡¯d like that. It sounds fun. And I think I know a good place to¡­¡±


    She trailed off as she noticed a few snowflakes begin to slowly fall down in front of her. When she looked up, she realized that it had begun to snow, the delicate puffs of white swaying in the soft breeze. Despite the chill, she couldn¡¯t help but to feel cozy, bundled up in her coat with Vinny by her side.


    She slowly turned her free hand up so her palm faced skyward and watched as a few flakes settled onto her skin, melting away within seconds due to her body heat.


    ¡°The snow¡¯s pretty, isn¡¯t it?¡± she said happily before lowering her hand back down to her side.


    ¡°Pretty?¡± Vinny muttered with a dubious look. ¡°I dunno about that. I¡¯d probably go with cold or depressing myself.¡±


    She rolled her eyes and laughed. ¡°Oh don¡¯t be like that. It¡¯s not depressing. It¡¯s fun.¡±


    ¡°Fun? Really?¡± The tone of his voice seemed to be a teasing challenge for her to prove what was actually fun about the weather.


    ¡°Yeah, fun!¡± she stated. ¡°I mean, haven¡¯t you ever had a snowball fight or built a snowman or¡­made a snow fort?¡±


    ¡°No, no, and no.¡± He answered each of her questions with a shake of his head. ¡°That sounds like what the protagonists of a terrible holiday romance flick would do.¡±


    She felt herself turn slightly red since it was exactly those types of movies that she had been thinking about.


    ¡°Oh, whatever,¡± she huffed. ¡°Be that way then. But I promise you, with me, you¡¯ll have to learn to like it. In fact, the minute there¡¯s enough snow, you and I are going to build a snowman!¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°Okay, sure.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    She had expected him to complain or refuse so his immediate response threw her off.


    ¡°What?¡± he asked with a sly grin. ¡°Thought I¡¯d say no to a fun afternoon with you just cause I don¡¯t like the snow? Have more faith in me, Alice my dear.¡±


    ¡°Uh, well¡­shut up.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t contain her smile and so, she merely stuttered over her words as she tried to respond. Not wanting to look him in the eyes due to her own embarrassment, she looked away into the crowd. However, she immediately wished she hadn¡¯t as her heart suddenly felt like it skipped a beat.


    There was a girl her age further into the crowd staring directly at her and, when she turned her head that direction, Alice found herself looking into the girl¡¯s eyes. Instantly, the girl turned away, leaving Alice feeling suddenly sick to her stomach.


    ¡°You know her?¡±


    She felt even worse at Vinny¡¯s question, having hoped he hadn¡¯t seen the brief visual exchange with the girl.


    ¡°Uh, a bit,¡± Alice replied, turning to look back up at Vinny¡¯s inquisitive features. ¡°She and I were¡­friends when we were smaller.¡±


    His expression turned from one of confusion to one of bafflement.


    ¡°Friends? You¡­with Rina Davens?¡± he asked bewildered.


    Alice instantly tensed even more. She had hoped Vinny either wouldn¡¯t have recognized her or wouldn¡¯t have known who she was. Clearly, she had been unlucky on both fronts.


    ¡°Um¡­yeah, a long time ago,¡± Alice admitted, reaching up to brush some snowflakes from her hair.


    Vinny snorted. ¡°Was she less of a bitch back then?¡±


    As much as she hated hearing Vinny talk that way about somebody she once considered a friend, she knew it was probably deserved.


    ¡°So you know her?¡± Alice asked hesitantly.


    ¡°Do I?¡± the boy scowled. ¡°I was in a group with her for a project back in Sophomore year and the entire time, she looked at me like I was scum of the earth. She thought she was the queen of the damn world and did her best to push the work onto me and the other poor soul stuck with us.¡±


    Alice cringed. ¡°Yeah¡­I guess I can see that. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t apologize,¡± he immediately replied. ¡°Not like it was your fault. And anyway, I got her back. I made the shittiest presentation that class has ever seen and got us an ¡®F¡¯ on the assignment. That sure taught her.¡±


    Alice looked up at him, stunned. ¡°What? How does that teach her? What about you? What about the other guy?¡±


    Vinny merely shrugged like intentionally flunking a presentation wasn¡¯t a big deal.


    ¡°Relax. It was a photo class so I had almost a 100. Flunking that only dropped me to, like, 95 or something. And the other guy was high on every drug imaginable for most of the time so I doubt he even noticed. But I heard it was enough to drop Rina¡¯s class grade to an ¡®F¡¯ and she wound up failing the whole thing.¡±


    Alice sighed, finding herself consistently more surprised with each new detail she learned about Vinny. She was starting to realize just how clever he could be, if not a bit vindictive.


    ¡°She¡¯s left me alone since, though,¡± he mused. ¡°Never would have thought somebody as honest and sweet as you would have ever been friends with her.¡±


    Alice shrugged. ¡°She¡­was different back then. She used to be real close with Jay and¡­me.¡±


    She hesitated for a moment before deciding to omit her name. It wasn¡¯t something she wanted to discuss with Vinny, especially not at an event as fun as the lighting. She feared he had noticed the brief second of hesitation but, much to her surprise, before he could say anything, the entire crowd began counting down.


    ¡°Ten¡­nine¡­eight¡­¡±


    ¡°Oops, didn¡¯t realize we were already starting,¡± Vinny said with a laugh.


    Alice smiled, thankful to be given an out from the conversation and, with Vinny, she joined in the countdown.


    ¡°Three¡­two¡­one¡­zero!¡±


    The moment they cheered the last number, the massive tree before them seemed to explode in various colored lights, going from the bottom and all the way to the star at the top. Some twinkled and some were solid, the light shining off the strings of silver and gold garland. As she had expected, it was a stunningly beautiful sight and one that made her hold her breath in awe. The snow gradually falling around the tree added to the serene feeling of the sight and for a moment, Alice was able to forget Rina and her past. All that mattered was that she was there with Vinny.


    And she was happy.


    ***


    With her first date with Vinny over, the following Sunday seemed to pass by in a blink and, before she knew it, she was back at school, ready for another week to get through. She was happy that winter break was just two weeks away but at the same time, that meant finals were also two weeks away and she was not ready to put up with that. She was studying like crazy and she was still struggling in math. Luckily, Ellie has been tutoring Brad Fischer by Lilly¡¯s request and so, Alice had joined in on a few sessions for help.


    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe you¡¯re dating Vinny Mickelson of all people,¡± Jay was saying as they ascended the stairs to the third floor of the school.


    ¡°And what¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Alice demanded, eyeing her childhood friend with an inquisitive stare.


    He put his hands up in defense. ¡°I¡¯m not insulting you or anything. I just never would have pegged a guy like him as being your type. He¡¯s odd as hell¡­not to mention a bit scary.¡±


    ¡°Of course you¡¯d think he¡¯s scary,¡± she snapped. ¡°I still don¡¯t think he forgives you for stealing that stone from Lilly. I¡¯m not even sure I do.¡±


    Jay frowned. ¡°Why not?! Lilly forgives me and I already did what Mickelson demanded! What gives?!¡±


    Alice couldn¡¯t help but to smirk at the memory of Vinny¡¯s punishment. The blonde boy had said he would only be forgiven if he was given free reign of Jay¡¯s body for one hour. Jay had begrudgingly agreed when Alice supported Vinny¡¯s idea. She could still remember the shock on Jay¡¯s, or technically Vinny¡¯s, face when Vinny walked straight up to a senior girl and asked her out, only to be met with a look of utter disgust.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Alice said. ¡°Fair enough. You did pay your dues, after all. But regardless, I like Vinny. I think he¡¯s a sweet guy.¡±


    Jay snorted. ¡°Sweet? Sadistic, how about?¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    They rounded a corner into the hall where their lockers were when they both came to a sudden stop. They usually got to school pretty early in the morning so the halls were relatively empty. But that morning, there were about ten people gathered around the spot where Alice¡¯s locker was.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± Jay muttered. ¡°What¡¯s up with them?¡±


    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know¡­¡± Alice replied.


    It was then that one of the girls in the crowd turned around and noticed them. Alice immediately realized it was Ellie but, before she could say anything, the other girl beat her to it.


    ¡°Alice!¡± She exclaimed. ¡°I swear, none of us know what happened! We just found it this way.¡±


    The other students turned to look at Ellie¡¯s words, parting enough to give Alice and Jay a good look at what had happened. Alice immediately went cold as she and Jay rushed forward to get a better look, ignoring the uncomfortable looks from the other students.


    Alice¡¯s locker looked as if it had been pried open and her textbooks were laying on the ground in front of it, pages torn out and scattered about. The few notebooks she left there were in similar conditions. What then caught her attention were the few words written across the inner side of the locker door in dark ink.


    Kill yourself slut.

 Chapter 20- The Pain I Brought Her

    Chapter XX


    The table was silent as Jay finished explaining what had happened. Not a single one of them spoke, each most likely fled into their own thoughts as they took the information in. Damien could hardly believe what he was hearing yet at the same time, part of him was unsurprised. After all, he knew as a fact that this incident didn¡¯t happen so soon after Alice started dating Vinny by coincidence and he knew the others were well aware of that as well. It was obvious that they were the cause of this sudden act of harassment against Alice Mendez.


    He could hear the sounds of students chatting and laughing at other tables in the courtyard, but their upbeat and happy tones almost seemed to mock them as they went about their normal, benign lives. The courtyard was covered in a thin layer of snow from Saturday night that, under normal circumstances, he would¡¯ve thought was pretty. But on that morning, it was almost eerie.


    Beside him, he felt Liz grab his arm though neither turned to look at each other. Her presence was enough to calm him down for the moment and allow him to think straight. Instead, he turned and looked across the table at Vinny. The blonde boy¡¯s features were still, displaying no emotion in the slightest. It was rare for his charming and borderline obnoxious grin to not be showing so his expression was all it took for Damien to know that Vinny was furious.


    And why would he not be? Damien asked himself bitterly. Vinny has more reason than the rest of us to be utterly pissed, even putting aside the fact that Alice is his girlfriend.


    Damien clenched his teeth, praying that Vinny would be able to keep his emotions in check and refrain from doing anything rash.


    He then turned to gauge the reactions of the others at the table. Jay looked as if he were fighting back tears though he seemed to be trying desperately not to let anybody notice. Lilly and Liz both looked unsettled, their brows furrowed while they tried to make sense of it all. As for Eric, he was merely gazing down at his gloved hands folded atop the table¡¯s surface, his eyes narrowed. Alice wasn¡¯t present since, according to Jay, Ellie Kaylyn had taken her to the office to get a teacher or the principal.


    Part of Damien wanted to break the painfully long silence but he didn¡¯t know what to say. They all knew why this had happened and they knew it likely wasn¡¯t a one time thing. As far as he knew, there was nobody with any motivation to go after Alice specifically and Jay had agreed. For all they knew, Alice wasn¡¯t the only target. If it was done out of a hatred for the Magic Club as a whole then they could all be in danger of getting their lockers smashed. Damien considered himself lucky that he didn¡¯t have anything particularly valuable in his own but he didn¡¯t know for certain if that applied to everybody.


    Just as Damien was considering warning the others about his fears, Vinny suddenly pushed himself to his feet, grabbed his backpack, and turned to leave.


    ¡°Vinny?¡± Damien immediately called out. ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    The boy stopped for a moment and glanced back at him with a stern expression. ¡°Class. Where else? We¡¯re not gonna get anywhere just sitting here and school¡¯s gonna start soon.¡±


    ¡°Are you¡­are you okay?¡± he stuttered, but instantly regretted it when Vinny narrowed his eyes and scoffed.


    ¡°Okay? Like hell I am,¡± he hissed. ¡°Let¡¯s not pretend like we don¡¯t know why this happened. Some scumfuck got wind that Alice and I were dating and, since I¡¯m such a fucking loser to everyone in this damn school, they went after her. Knowing that, how the hell could I be okay?¡±


    Damien saw out of the corner of his eye that Lilly and Jay were staring at Vinny in shock, most likely at his uncharacteristically furious tone. But Damien and the other club members weren¡¯t surprised at all. Anybody who knew anything about Vinny¡¯s past would have expected a reaction like this.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know that for sure,¡± Damien responded calmly, despite having made the exact same guess.


    ¡°Then why do that?¡± Vinny snapped, raising his voice enough that those at the nearby tables glanced over at him. He lowered his tone before continuing. ¡°Why else would somebody do that to her? They called her a damn slut and told her to kill herself. I¡­¡±


    He trailed off and seemed to fall back into thought, as if he were trying to think of some other reason somebody would attack Alice the way they did. Damien didn¡¯t say anything more, knowing that it would be best to let Vinny cool off for a bit. Then, after a moment, the boy turned and began walking toward the direction of the main school building.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with him,¡± Eric said softly, getting to his own feet and collecting his own things. ¡°You coming, Lilly?¡±


    The girl looked up at her name before silently nodding. She grabbed her own pack and joined Eric before heading after Vinny. Damien watched them go, wishing he had first period with Vinny so he could keep a better eye on him but he trusted Lilly and Eric to take care of him.


    ¡°I¡­think I should go, too,¡± Jay grumbled.


    He uttered a soft ¡°see ya¡± and followed in the same direction as the others, leaving Damien and Liz the only ones left sitting at the table. He groaned and put his face in his gloved hands.


    ¡°Do you¡­really think there could be another reason?¡± Liz asked softly. ¡°Like, honestly.¡±


    Damien sighed and reluctantly shook his head. ¡°No. I don¡¯t. I was just¡­ I guess, I was just hoping I could comfort him or something. But¡­I mean, we all know that the other students at this school think we¡¯re a bunch of clinically insane maniacs and whether I like it or not, the only thing keeping people from going after us all this time is my damned reputation.¡±


    Liz shook her head and grimaced. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t that apply to Alice? I mean¡­if people think she¡¯s associated with you then¡­¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes in thought. He could think of a few people, mainly the sporty types, that he knew wanted to go after them. However, Vinny took that to a different level. Unlike Damien and Liz, Vinny often intentionally antagonized people, going out of his way to piss them off because he knew they wouldn¡¯t retaliate. Eric did the same but not to the same extent. So the level of hatred for Vinny was higher and more extreme than the way the others were seen. In fact, he wouldn¡¯t even say the rest of the club was ¡°hated¡± as much as disliked and thought lesser of. So, with Vinny now dating a girl that didn¡¯t have that big of a social circle while also having a weak connection to Damien, he wouldn¡¯t be surprised if, to get to Vinny and not rouse Damien¡¯s fury, they went after Alice instead.


    ¡°I think¡­if whoever did this is going after Vinny, then they¡¯re gonna make it look like this has nothing to do with the club. After all, if it isn¡¯t perceived as an attack against the club then they probably hope I won¡¯t bat an eye at it.¡±


    Liz smirked sadly. ¡°And yet, if it is the case, you sniffed them out pretty quickly.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he whispered. ¡°Because I¡¯m not the monster they think I am. Not anymore. They could¡¯ve gone after Vinny directly and I never would have retaliated in the way they think I would.¡±


    Liz nodded as she tightened her grip around his arm. ¡°So? What do we do?¡±


    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know,¡± he admitted. ¡°Even if we knew who did it, it¡¯s not like we could do anything to them except tell a teacher¡­but that doesn¡¯t always solve anything. For the time being, we should keep Vinny reigned in. Don¡¯t want him getting himself in trouble. That won¡¯t help Alice at all.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Liz replied. ¡°I just¡­wish we could do more. This isn¡¯t going to go well with him. Vinny despises bullying¡­probably more than most. If he does find out who¡¯s behind this¡­who knows what he would do.¡±


    Damien looked down at his hands and clenched them together, fearing what could happen if Vinny lost his temper.


    What am I supposed to do?


    ***


    It had been a long time since he felt as much fury as he did that morning. When he was younger, Vinny often imagined himself standing up against those who would do harm to innocent people like he was some super hero. But the problem was that, in his fantasies, he never acted like an actual hero. Whenever he would imagine himself confronting a bully, it would always end with him beating them so bad that they died. He wanted nothing more than to kill people like that and he never had a problem with that feeling. He believed that those who would bully and hurt others would deserve what they got in the end. People like that didn¡¯t deserve to exist. However, he had never been the strong type. Even when he was young, Vinny was smaller than other guys in his grade and he wasn¡¯t one who had much muscle. In fact, his arms were like a scarecrow¡¯s with how thin they were. So, no matter how badly he wanted to hurt them, he never had the strength to do so. He spent much of his younger years so angry and he could never do anything about it.


    Meeting Eric Reiner saved him in many ways. Eric offered him a place to belong and served as somebody to vent his anger to. The boy never judged him, but would always insist that he shouldn¡¯t stoop to the level of a bully. He acted as a source of reason for him and as time went on, Vinny found that he didn¡¯t like being angry. He enjoyed laughing and messing around with Eric and Damien, and eventually with Liz, too, when Eric befriended her. Eric helped him put his feelings behind him and so, he told himself that he would just live life cheerful. It would be better for him just to smile and joke and not take the words of assholes seriously. However, that didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t still despise people like those that used to pick on him. Whenever he would see somebody getting made fun of or harassed, he would feel parts of his old fury rising up within him and he always struggled to ignore it. Usually, he was successful.


    But this time, he knew he couldn¡¯t just stand by and do nothing.


    Alice Mendez was now his girlfriend and he genuinely cared for her. They had bonded in a special way since the night she learned about The Switch and that bond had only continued to grow. So to learn about what happened to her locker and what was written on it, he felt his anger returning with such power that he felt almost sick. He wasn¡¯t an idiot, after all. He knew he wasn¡¯t well regarded among the student body and that normally didn¡¯t bother him, but now, he was almost certain that what happened to Alice was less a shot at her than one at him. Somebody had probably seen them at the Christmas tree lighting and realized they were dating so they got the bright idea to go after her. He was certain that was what happened.


    It can¡¯t be a coincidence. What other reason would somebody do something so drastic to her out of nowhere if not because of me? He clenched his fists at his side. God damn it! Why? Am I really hated so much that they would take it out on somebody who¡¯s never done anything wrong?! I swear to god...I won¡¯t stand for something like this!


    He could feel some students glancing his way and then quickly turning away almost out of fright. He knew he probably looked furious and unhinged but there was nothing he could do about that.


    He knew Eric and Lilly were following close behind him but neither made any move to walk with him. Lilly was probably unsettled by how he was acting and he truly regretted that she had to see the side of him he thought was kept at bay. Eric, however, almost certainly understood why he was feeling and acting the way he was.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Vinny glanced up to realize he had already made it to the second floor with Kentz¡¯s classroom just ahead. He sighed, not feeling up to dealing with school and wishing he could just run to the office to check on Alice, but he prayed she would already be in class. He took a deep breath, muttered a ¡°good morning¡± to Kentz, and walked into the classroom. He immediately gritted his teeth as he heard the voices Brad¡¯s gang off to his left but, instead of antagonizing them like he usually did, he instead turned to look in the direction of Alice¡¯s desk.


    Unfortunately, she was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Why the long face, Mickelson?¡±


    At the sound of Evan Wright¡¯s voice, Vinny couldn¡¯t help but to tense up. Ever since Lilly had helped Brad out with the test, the group had been less confrontational with them. In fact, Vinny had been the one to start most of their squabbles in the recent days. So he had hoped Evan would have just let him go on his way in peace. However, when he realized that Brad wasn¡¯t among them, he realized that was most likely why Evan decided to call out to him on that day in particular.


    Vinny glanced over at the football player with his slightly curled up hair and his ever-present sneer just as Eric and Lilly walked in behind him. Barely able to refrain from saying anything back, Vinny turned and walked toward his desk at the front of the classroom before dropping his bag under his desk and plopping down in his chair.


    ¡°What? Got nothing to say to us today, jackass?¡± Evan continued. ¡°You finally learn to keep your dumbshit mouth shut?¡±


    Just ignore him, Vinny urged himself, feeling his hands shaking on his desk. If I get into it with him today, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to control myself. It¡¯s better to just stay calm.


    He saw Eric take a seat beside him while Lilly crossed the room to where she usually sat behind Alice. Vinny merely reached down and unzipped his backpack so he could remove his English textbook when he suddenly heard Lilly gasp. He frowned, raising his head to glance back at her where she was standing beside Alice¡¯s desk, her eyes wide and her hands over her mouth. A sudden feeling of dread washed over him but before he could ask what was wrong, Evan spoke again.


    ¡°Oh yeah, that¡¯s right,¡± he sneered. ¡°Seems someone has it out for poor Mendez. First her locker and now her desk. I wonder what the bitch did to deserve it.¡±


    Vinny jumped to his feet, ignoring Evan¡¯s laughter as he maneuvered around the mostly empty desks to where Alice usually sat. When he saw what had horrified Lilly, he felt somehow sicker. Alice¡¯s desk was covered in horrible profanity written in permanent marker.


    Fucking slut


    Go kill yourself


    Worthless bitch


    As he read through the various curses written about Alice across the desk, Vinny felt as if he could pass out. He could hardly process what he was looking at and for a moment, he wanted to think that he was hallucinating. He just couldn¡¯t understand why this had to be happening. Alice was a genuine and nice girl who just kept to herself and never did anything that would warrant graffitiing her desk with such horrible words. There was no reason to do something like that to her and the thought that it could very well be because of him made him want to smash the desk as hard as he could. He was barely able to constrain his rage.


    ¡°Why?¡± Lilly uttered beside him. ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡±


    Vinny slowly backed away from the desk. I swear to god...whoever is doing this is going to fucking get it. I¡¯m going to make them pay!¡±


    He was about to head toward the whiteboard to grab a rag so he could try to wipe it off when he stopped and stared straight ahead. Evan had gotten to his feet and was standing a few desks away, his head raised so that he was looking down his nose at Vinny. Two of his buddies were behind him and all three looked as if they were both ready and willing to fight him if Vinny did anything they deemed disrespectful.


    ¡°Move, Wright,¡± he whispered. ¡°Get out of my way.¡±


    Evan snorted, glancing over Vinny¡¯s shoulder and toward the defiled desk. ¡°Honestly, you almost have to feel bad for the girl. Though, it¡¯s not like she didn¡¯t bring it on herself.¡±


    Vinny clenched his fists, knowing that Evan was only saying that to get a reaction out of him. He could see Eric rising from his desk, his expression one of warning him not to take the bait. Yet, even knowing what Evan was doing, he still couldn¡¯t bring himself to stand by and let the boy say such things about his Alice.


    ¡°How do you figure?¡± he hissed.


    Evan smirked. ¡°How do I figure? Well, it¡¯s almost like you aren¡¯t part of the reason. The girl is a total slut, after all. First she spends her time fucking that little shit, Brooks, and now she¡¯s moved on to you. Clearly the bitch just gets off on the biggest dumbasses in the school. Though, I guess that¡¯ll make Reiner happy. Maybe he¡¯ll be able to get some of her pussy. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s tired of just riding pretty boys.¡±


    Vinny could feel his body shaking and he could see Evan and the other boys tense up, as if ready for him to lunge at them. He wanted so badly to reach out and throttle Evan then and there¡ªmake him regret ever saying anything like that again. Judging by the cocky look on his face, he wouldn¡¯t have even been surprised if Evan was the one who drew on the desk in the first place. If he could have gotten away with it, Vinny would have broken his nose right then and there and it took every ounce of his self-control not to do so. He knew if he fought Evan, he would only get his ass kicked and then wind up suspended from school, something that wouldn¡¯t benefit anybody. So, instead he merely scoffed and went around the desk to his right so he could get to the whiteboard.


    ¡°Wow. Won¡¯t even stick up for his supposed girlfriend,¡± Evan called after him. ¡°Clearly she really is only a whore to him. How sad.¡±


    I want to kill him! I want to kill him so badly!


    ¡°Evan!¡±


    At the sound of a voice from the door, they all turned to see Brad standing in the doorway, looking between him and Vinny with a furrowed brow.


    ¡°What the hell¡¯s going on here?¡± the big boy demanded.


    Vinny ignored him, wanting nothing to do with Brad Fischer at that moment and continued toward the white board.


    ¡°Oh, nothing much,¡± Evan replied casually. ¡°It just looks like somebody drew all over Mendez¡¯s desk. And after what happened to her locker¡­¡±


    Brad¡¯s eyes went wide as he stared directly at his friend. ¡°Drew on her¡­?¡±


    Without saying another word, he stalked into the classroom and walked to where Lilly still stood beside the desk so he could get a better look at it. Brad immediately exhaled sharply as he took the whole thing in.


    ¡°What the hell? What is this?¡± he uttered.


    Evan scoffed, annoyed that Brad didn¡¯t immediately join in on his teasing. It seemed he had expected his larger friend to be as spiteful as him and, for a moment, Vinny found he had a small amount of respect for Brad despite their past relationship with each other.


    When Vinny reached the whiteboard, he reached out and grabbed a dirty green rag hanging on the wall beside it. Then, without looking at anybody else in the room, he grabbed the spray bottle from the teacher¡¯s desk and walked back toward the desk to start cleaning it off. But the permanent marker wasn¡¯t going to be removed so easily and, after trying for nearly ten minutes, the bell rang, with very little of the graffiti removed.


    What was both lucky and unlucky was that Alice Mendez never came to class that day, so she never had to see it, but at the same time, Vinny never got his chance to talk to her.


    ***


    Alice had gone home before school even started on recommendation of her counselor, something Jay found out from Ellie in their third period. Apparently, they were going to try and figure out who was behind what happened to her locker and her desk and deal with them, but Jay knew the school wasn¡¯t actually going to be able to do anything. Bullies were never just ¡°dealt with¡±. If the school tried to get involved, Jay feared that it might only piss off whoever was behind it more, leading to the harassment getting increasingly worse. It only put into perspective how little could be done. How was he supposed to help Alice when he neither knew who was doing it or even had the ability to do anything if he did. He lived to take care of her, his best friend, and he was now utterly failing to do so. He was so furious at himself that he could hardly focus in any of his classes. The day just droned on for what felt like forever before the bell announcing sixth period¡¯s end finally rang out.


    Jay said nothing to any of his classmates, which wasn¡¯t unusual for him, but he could tell that they had been shooting him looks all throughout the day. What happened to Alice seemed to spread like wildfire and he had a feeling that it wasn''t an accident. Everybody in their grade seemed to know what happened to her and, since he was well known for being her best friend, and was even suspected of being her boyfriend, that naturally drew attention to him, too.


    Jay sighed, walking down the corridor until he came to his own locker. He didn¡¯t even spare a glance at Alice¡¯s, knowing that it had been emptied out and left open since the door was busted. The school¡¯s janitor had already wiped off the writing, which Jay was grateful for. However, seeing it open and empty gave him an almost foreboding feeling that unsettled his stomach.


    I need to do something, he told himself. But what? How does somebody like me fix this?


    He recalled what Vinny had said that morning in the courtyard and how certain he seemed to be that Alice was targeted because she was dating him. He couldn¡¯t help but agree, knowing that it was almost too coincidental to not have something to do with each other. He knew he should feel furious if it was, in fact, Vinny¡¯s fault that it was happening to her, but he found he couldn¡¯t. He still lived so that he could make sure Alice was happy. She was his life and so, how could he be furious at a boy who had seemed to make her happier than she had been in years. In fact, he considered himself to be in Vinny¡¯s debt. He and Lilly were there for her now and it was becoming clear that she might not need him anymore. It was both a happy and saddening thought.


    Jay slowly reached out and opened his locker so he could collect what books he needed for homework that day. He was running almost on autopilot, barely processing what he was doing and, before he realized it, he was zipping up his backpack and closing his locker door. He wasn¡¯t sure where he was going to go after school. Cross country was over and Alice most likely wasn¡¯t working. Part of him considered going over to Alice¡¯s house to check on her but, at the same time, he wasn¡¯t sure what he would say. He had no means of comforting her and he didn¡¯t want her to know how worried he was. At the same time, he really didn¡¯t want to go home. His dad was working from home that day and so, he knew he would only go home once it was too late to stay out in town.


    However, just as he was about to turn around and start making his way from the school, he heard somebody call out to him.


    ¡°Hey, Brooks!¡±


    He stopped in his tracks and glanced over his shoulder to see Matt Briggs, one of the stars of the cross country team, making his way toward him. Jay instantly cringed, having never particularly liked the boy. His cocky attitude always put Jay off and he tended to tease him to the point that it sometimes made him want to avoid the boy all together. Yet, when he noticed the almost worried expression on the boy¡¯s handsome features, Jay decided to stop and listen to him.


    ¡°Yeah? What is it?¡± he called back.


    When Matt finally drew up alongside him, he glanced around, as if to make sure none of the other students at their lockers or loitering in the hall were paying them any attention. When he finally spoke, his voice was lowered to a whisper.


    ¡°Look, man, I¡¯m gonna tell you something, but I need you to keep it between us. Don¡¯t tell a soul I told you this,¡± he said.


    Jay cocked an eyebrow at his almost comical request but, curious to know what had Matt so worked up, Jay simply nodded.


    ¡°Alright, sure,¡± he muttered. ¡°What is it? Is this about Alice?¡±


    When Matt instantly nodded, Jay felt his stomach tighten. He would take any information he could get that might help him protect his best friend, even from somebody he didn¡¯t really like. He then motioned for the boy to explain himself.


    ¡°Look,¡± Matt began softly, ¡°This morning at basketball practice, I was talking with Evan Wright and Steven McCormick. You know them?¡±


    Jay nodded. Of course he knew them. Evan Wright was well known around the school for being somebody who often enjoyed fighting and had even been suspended for it a few times. He was put on academic probation in their freshmen year for decking one of the senior boys on the football team. Jay hated him and had spent much of high school trying to avoid him.


    ¡°Well, Wright was talking about how Mickelson started dating Alice. Apparently, somebody saw them holding hands at the tree lighting the other night and snapped a picture to send to Evan and the guys. Wright was going on about how they could get at Mickelson or whatever and¡­¡± Matt seemed to hesitate as he reached up and scratched the back of his head. ¡°Well, the way they were talking made it seem like they planned to do something to Alice. It¡¯s just...I think Evan might be the one behind this.¡±


    Jay exhaled softly. The minute Matt brought the boy up, Jay couldn¡¯t help but fear that¡¯s where the conversion was headed. If Evan was really the one who broke into Alice¡¯s locker and defiled her desk then there truly wasn¡¯t anything he could do. If he even looked at the football player the wrong way then he knew he could get his ass beat.


    Jay took a deep breath. ¡°Do you...know who saw them? I mean, like, the one who took the picture in the first place?¡±


    Matt grimaced before nodding. ¡°Yeah...you know Rina Davens, right? That really cute girl who¡¯s friends with Charlotte Banks?¡±


    What?!


    Jay¡¯s body instantly went cold.


    R-Rina¡¯s¡­


    ¡­the one who started this?

 Chapter 21- A Tranquil Moment In The Park

    Chapter XXI


    Lilly¡¯s world seemed to be spinning as she sat in the Magic Club¡¯s room, tapping her foot against the ground as she impatiently stared at the door. She could hardly believe that the events of that day had actually happened. She had always been under the impression that smashing lockers and defiling desks were just things that happened in terrible high school dramas. She never thought something like that would actually happen in real life, let alone to a girl she considered a good friend. Her heart had been beating so hard all day that she found herself struggling to get through her classes. After all, the very reason she had always preferred to be alone had been to avoid drawing attention to herself and to stay out of situations such as these. Now, it was very possible this was happening to Alice simply because she associated herself with the club. If that truly was the case then it wasn¡¯t unlikely that something similar could happen to her, too, and that thought terrified her.


    It¡¯s just not fair, she thought furiously. Why should somebody be bullied just for getting close with someone? The club isn¡¯t bad! What¡¯s wrong with being a little bit weird? I mean, they¡¯re nice, and compassionate, and they¡¯ve helped me numerous times since meeting them despite hardly knowing me. They don¡¯t deserve this and neither does Alice!


    She glanced over her shoulder to see the other members of the club in various spots around the room. Damien was sitting quietly at the table in the back, typing away on his laptop like he often did. Liz was lounging in a desk close to him, her headphones around her ears and her eyes closed. Eric was sitting behind Lilly, staring down at the orange stone laying on the wooden surface before him, something that was common for the tall boy. There was no sign of Jay or Vinny. Both had gone home without a word and Lilly couldn¡¯t help but to feel nervous about that.


    The anger in Vinny¡¯s eyes that morning unsettled her. The blonde boy was someone who had always been upbeat and cheerful, with a smile on his face and a joke always on the tip of his tongue. The only time he had ever shown any sort of anger was when Eric first proposed letting Brad use the stone, but even then, he had seemed more irritated than angry. The way he acted that morning made her wonder if there was something about him that he hadn¡¯t told her about. Part of her had considered asking one of the other members but she also didn¡¯t want to pry into business that wasn¡¯t her own.


    She finally turned back to stare down at the surface of the desk she was sitting at, her hands folded atop it. She wanted to do something about it but she didn¡¯t know what she could do. She wasn¡¯t anything special. She was just a single, normal person. Even if she knew exactly who was behind the incidents, she knew she wouldn¡¯t have the courage to do anything about it. Even after all the time she spent with the club, she still wanted to refrain from drawing more attention than necessary. Already, she was feeling slightly overwhelmed just by having that association with them. If she added anything more onto that, she wasn¡¯t sure she could handle it.


    But I don¡¯t want to leave Alice to deal with this alone, she thought. I made the choice to be her friend and I meant it when I said I wanted to be. What kind of friend would just sit by and allow this to happen?


    Knock. Knock. Knock.


    She raised her head to glance at the door, thankful that he was finally there.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Eric called out.


    Seconds later, the door was pushed open and the large form of Bradley Fischer walked in, a disgruntled look on his face. Lilly glanced over her shoulder to see both Damien and Liz slightly tense at the big boy¡¯s presence in the clubroom. She knew they still weren¡¯t his greatest fan but, thankfully, neither complained when she told them she had invited Brad to the room to talk. However, since she knew the others preferred to keep their distance, she knew the role of leading the conversation would be on her. Even Brad refrained from looking at the others, choosing instead to look only at her as he closed the door behind him.


    ¡°Alright, Lilly, I¡¯m here,¡± he said, albeit reluctantly. ¡°And I don¡¯t mean to be rude but is this going to be quick? I¡¯m gonna get hell from the guys if they know I came in here.¡±


    Lilly smiled, understanding his position and grateful that he came to help her regardless. Back when he received his grade for the test, Brad had told her that he owed her one and, if she were to ever need a favor, she could ask him. So, she intended to cash in on that favor so that she could do anything to help Alice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Brad,¡± she assured him. ¡°It won¡¯t be long. I just...wanted to ask you for a favor.¡±


    He sighed, seeming to understand that she was taking him up on his offer to pay her back. She even suspected that he knew more or less what she intended to ask of him. Yet, despite that, she could see in his eyes that he would keep his promise and do whatever she needed.


    ¡°Alright,¡± he said after a moment. ¡°Go ahead. Whatever you need.¡±


    Her smile widened and she hoped that by seeing how willing he was to help that Damien and Liz would feel a little more respect for the him. After all, ever since their tutoring sessions, Brad had become almost like an older brother to her and she found she truly did respect him. It was why she felt so confident turning to him for help. He was one of the few people she would trust with something like this.


    ¡°It¡¯s about what happened to Alice this morning,¡± she said.


    There wasn¡¯t even a hint of surprise in his features. ¡°I figured as much. And I do have to say that I have no idea what went on there. I had nothing to do with it.¡±


    ¡°And I don¡¯t think you did,¡± she told him. ¡°However, while I can¡¯t speak for the locker incident since it happened before school, the desk thing bothers me. Remember how Mrs. Kentz seemed shocked to see what happened to it? While it¡¯s possible she didn¡¯t notice before she went out to her usual post outside the classroom, part of me wonders if it wasn¡¯t there until after she left.¡±


    Brad closed his eyes and exhaled softly. He knew what she was getting at and she could tell that he had considered the possibility, too. When he didn¡¯t say anything in response, she continued.


    ¡°You were studying with Ellie this morning, right?¡± Lilly asked. ¡°That¡¯s why you didn¡¯t get to class until right before the bell?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s why.¡±


    ¡°Then...do you think it¡¯s possible that Evan or one of the other guys did that to her desk?¡±


    She didn¡¯t beat around the bush despite the fact that she was directly accusing his friends of being behind the graffiti. Part of her worried that he might get mad at her but, thankfully, he simply nodded once again.


    ¡°It...unfortunately wouldn¡¯t surprise me,¡± he replied. ¡°Evan...hates Mickelson almost to a disturbing degree. I wouldn¡¯t put it past him to target Alice just to get under his skin.¡±


    ¡°I was thinking along those lines, too,¡± she said. ¡°Plus, when he was making fun of the situation this morning, he almost seemed too proud of himself...like he was the one who did it and he wanted Vinny to know that. Has he...said anything to you that might¡¯ve made it seem like he did this?¡±


    Brad slowly shook his head. ¡°I haven¡¯t talked to him much today so I can¡¯t really be sure.¡±


    ¡°Okay then,¡± Lilly muttered, feeling her resolve strengthening as the conversation continued. ¡°Then...here¡¯s what I need help with. Can you talk to him? You don¡¯t have to directly accuse him or anything. Just see if you can tell if he did this or not. I...need to know...for Alice¡¯s sake, I need to know who did this to her.¡±


    Brad¡¯s lips tightened and he seemed to consider her request for a moment. ¡°And? If he is behind this? What are you going to do?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°I...don¡¯t know yet. That¡¯s the honest truth, Brad.¡±


    The big boy glanced away for a moment then reluctantly nodded. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll talk to him and see what I can learn. Just...promise me one thing, Lilly. Don¡¯t get yourself hurt. I don¡¯t want anything to happen to you.¡±


    She could tell by the tone of his voice that he was genuinely worried about her. Brad seemed as if he did think Evan was behind the desk defiling and he knew the boy was a bit unstable. Lilly knew that if she did try to talk to Evan herself, there wasn¡¯t any guarantee that he wouldn¡¯t lash out in some form. In fact, it was likely that Lilly would get herself dragged into the bullying with Alice, something that would only make the situation worse. She knew there was very little she could actually do to help, but that didn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯t going to find some way to try.


    ¡°I promise,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡±


    That seemed to satisfy him and some of the tension in his body eased up. He then glanced around the room at the silent club members, who were watching the interaction unfold. For a moment, Brad stared directly at Damien, as if considering something, before turning and facing Lilly once more.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can,¡± he said. ¡°But I have to go now. I¡¯ll fill you in on the situation first chance I get, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay. Thanks, Brad.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡±


    With that, he turned and walked from the room, leaving Lilly and the club members staring after him for a few moments. She was grateful that he was so quick to accept her request despite his obvious desire not to get into any problems with Evan. She exhaled softly before turning and looking back over her shoulder to gauge the reactions of the others. Eric seemed relieved while Damien and Liz looked still conflicted by the situation.


    ¡°We can trust him, right?¡± Liz asked softly, eyeing Lilly with a look that told her that the girl¡¯s fears hadn¡¯t been eased by the talk with Brad. ¡°I mean, you don¡¯t think he would try to cover Evan¡¯s ass, do you?¡±


    Lilly firmly shook her head. ¡°Not at all. I trust him completely. He¡¯ll be honest with us. I promise.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Eric chimed in. ¡°Fischer won¡¯t lie to us.¡±


    Liz only looked partially comforted by the sincerity of their words while Damien only seemed more conflicted as he turned his attention from Lilly to Eric.


    ¡°Is that what your sense is telling you, Eric?¡± he asked hesitantly.


    The taller boy smirked, eyeing his old friend wryly. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t believe in my sense.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Damien grunted. ¡°But I know you do...and I¡¯m just curious.¡±


    Eric laughed almost to himself before responding. ¡°Yes, Damien. My sense tells me that we can trust Brad on this matter. However, even if my sense weren¡¯t telling me so, I would still trust him for the simple fact that Lilly does. In my mind, her word is good enough for me.¡±


    Lilly still couldn¡¯t help but to find herself surprised by his words. No matter how often he said it, she could never truly understand how he could put so much faith in her. It was flattering as much as it was confusing.


    Damien sighed, leaning back in his chair and shrugging. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll trust her.¡±


    ¡°I guess...I¡¯ll do the same,¡± Liz muttered.


    The agreement of the other two only added to Lilly¡¯s sense of surprise. It felt strange to her for them to trust her so unconditionally. To her, it didn¡¯t seem like she had ever done anything to earn that trust and at the end of the day, they had only known her for a brief four months. All she could think of was that it was simply how the club was. They believed in her simply because they liked her and wanted to. It made her that much more determined not to let them down.


    Alright, Brad,¡± she thought. You got this. I believe in you.


    ***


    The sight of Brad Fischer walking down the hall sent another wave of irritation flowing through Evan¡¯s body but, for the sake of not causing problems with the other guys, he refrained from showing too much of his annoyance. The truth of the matter was that, despite Brad¡¯s impression that they were friends, Evan truly couldn¡¯t stand him. He didn¡¯t have a backbone and always seemed to be opposed to doing anything even remotely fun. The big boy had been shooting him glances all day which was enough proof for Evan to determine that Brad already suspected him of being involved with what was happening to Vinny¡¯s girlfriend. Knowing how much of a stick in the mud Brad could be, there was no doubt in his mind that he was about to be chewed out.


    But whatever, he thought irritably. Fischer can say whatever the hell he wants. I don¡¯t have to listen to a cowardly fuck like him.


    ¡°Evan!¡± Brad called out. ¡°Can we talk a moment?¡±


    Reluctantly, deciding that it would be best to get Brad off his back as fast as he could, Evan turned and leaned up against the wall of lockers. However, he refrained from looking his teammate¡¯s way, instead staring straight ahead through the windows across from him. It was getting dark out which told Evan that, could he have seen the horizon though the dark gray clouds, he would have been able to see the sun setting. Even though basketball practice had been that morning, Evan had stayed to do some drills with his friends out on the track. He had changed back into his uniform and was going to get some stuff from his locker when he noticed Brad approaching.


    God, I don¡¯t want to fucking deal with this asshole, right now!


    ¡°The fuck do you want, Fischer?¡± Evan growled as Brad walked up to stand beside him. ¡°And if this is about Mickelson¡¯s dumb bitch of a girlfriend then I don¡¯t want to fucking hear it.¡±


    When Evan turned his attention away from the windows to look at Brad, he found the taller boy staring back in clear surprise, which only told him that he¡¯d been right on the mark. However, unsurprisingly, Brad recollected himself fairly quickly and replied firmly.


    ¡°Then you are the one doing this,¡± he stated sharply.


    Evan scoffed, clenching his fists down at his sides. ¡°What¡¯s it to you? It¡¯s not like it¡¯s any of your fucking buisness so why don¡¯t you stop sticking your nose into every little thing I do and fuck off, Fischer.¡±


    Normally, it didn¡¯t take too long for Brad to back down. Evan knew the boy preferred to avoid a fight at all costs and so, all he had to do was get in his face and Brad would back off. So, he was thrown off guard when the boy instead took a step forward, rising to full height as if to warn him not to do anything to piss him off.


    ¡°Leave her alone, Evan,¡± he growled. ¡°Alice didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡±


    His surprise lasted only a moment before fury spread through every part of his body. Evan pushed himself off the wall and stood up straighter as well, though he was still a head shorter than the boy before him. Though, that didn¡¯t deter him as, if it was a fight Brad wanted then it was a fight he would get. There wasn¡¯t anybody in the hall so there wouldn¡¯t be anybody to get in his way.


    Maybe kicking Brad¡¯s ass is what he needs to get out of my business, Evan thought with a sneer.


    ¡°Oh? Poor little Mendez didn¡¯t do anything wrong?¡± he hissed. ¡°And again, what¡¯s it to you? I didn¡¯t know you were so cozy with the bitch. What? She fucking you, too, Fischer?¡±


    ¡°Screw off,¡± Brad snapped back. ¡°I hardly know the girl but that doesn''t matter. You¡¯ve taken it one step too far this time, Evan. Busting open her locker...drawing all that horrible shit on her desk...it¡¯s disgusting and frankly, you should be ashamed!¡±


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Evan rolled his eyes in annoyance. ¡°And you¡¯re just assuming I¡¯m the one behind the whole thing. I may have fucked with her desk but I didn¡¯t do anything to her locker. You can thank little Miss. Davens for that. So why don¡¯t you go interrogate her and see how McCormick likes you getting in his girlfriend¡¯s face.¡±


    Evan took pleasure in the look of surprise that crossed his opponent¡¯s features. ¡°Davens? You mean Rina? She busted the locker? Why?¡±


    ¡°Why else?¡± Evan hissed, starting to enjoy the confrontation. ¡°Because Mendez is a fucking slut, sucking the dicks of losers like Brooks and Mickelson. And now I¡¯m really starting to think she¡¯s got her lips around your cock, too.¡±


    He expected Brad to finally stay true to his cowardly personality and back down but, instead, his features only hardened, as if he was determined to say what he wanted to say.


    ¡°Is this about Mickelson? Brad breathed. ¡°Are you and Rina fucking with Alice because of Mickelson?¡±


    Evan snorted. ¡°Can¡¯t speak for Davens, but of course I am. You think I care who Alice Mendez fucks? All I know is that she¡¯s dating that scumfuck and he gets utterly pissed if anybody even breathes on her. It¡¯s perfect, isn''t it? You should be thrilled by this! We finally have a way to get under Mickelson¡¯s skin without getting involved with Clark! Not like I¡¯d care if that motherfucker decided to go after me but I know all the rest of you are pussies when it comes to him.¡±


    Brad shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I don¡¯t like Vinny Mickelson, but this...this is ridiculous. For one, I am not going to stand by and let you go after a girl and secondly, you¡¯d be stupid not to be terrified of Damien Clark! The fucker almost killed somebody for god¡¯s sake! And if you think he won¡¯t be pissed that you¡¯re going after his best friend''s girl then you¡¯ve got another thing coming!¡±


    ¡°Then let him!¡± Evan snarled. ¡°I¡¯ll kick Clark¡¯s ass! I¡¯m not afraid of that piece of shit! Those rumors are probably exaggerated to hell and back anyway! And as for you, I don¡¯t care if you won¡¯t stand for it. I¡¯ll kick the shit out of you, too, if you make me!¡±


    For a second, the rage in Brad¡¯s eyes was so intense that Evan almost expected him to throw a punch and was ready and willing to take him down if that¡¯s what he had to do. In fact, part of him was tempted to hit him first, break his nose, and send him crumpling to the ground. He knew it would feel satisfying after all the shit he put up with around Brad. However, his excitement at the prospect of a fight was completely dashed when a third voice sounded out across the hall.


    ¡°Everything okay, boys?¡±


    Evan scowled, turning to glance over his shoulder to see one of the school¡¯s history teachers, Mr. Alexander, walking down the hall, carrying a few books under his arm.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Brad growled. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    With that, the boy turned and stalked past Evan, leaving him standing there, furious that his chance to take on Brad had been taken away from him. But he decided he shouldn¡¯t let it bother him. After all, if Brad was serious about getting in his way and defending Vinny Mickelson then he was sure he would get a chance to take him on eventually. All he had to do was be patient.


    ¡°Mr. Wright?¡± Mr. Alexander asked. ¡°Are we okay?¡±


    Evan snorted and shrugged.


    ¡°All good, Mr. Alexander.¡±


    Then, without looking back, Evan stalked down the hallway, instantly reaching his hand into the pocket of his uniform to pull out his phone. Clearly, the magic fuckers had somehow gotten into Brad¡¯s head and turned his fellow teammate against him. So, he decided he would make them squirm a little bit as payback for getting in his way. He had gotten Alice Mendez¡¯s phone number from Rina so he decided it was time to put it to good use. He quickly typed out a message and pushed send, finding himself in a slightly better mood knowing it would only piss Vinny Mickelson off even more.


    ***


    When school let out, the snow began falling on the small town of Wilham once again. Similarly to the previous Saturday, it wasn¡¯t a hard snowfall but rather a calm and almost peaceful one. However, to Vinny, all it served to do was put him more on edge as he made his way down one of the neighborhoods just a few miles from the school. His backpack was slung over his shoulder but, since he had opted to leave most of his textbooks at school, it wasn¡¯t very heavy. The hood of his winter coat was pulled up over his head and he was wearing gloves and yet, he could still feel the biting chill of the evening air on his skin. He shivered, his boots crunching in the light blanket of snow that covered the sidewalk he was on.


    The houses around him had their fronts decorated with icicle lights and wreaths hung on their doors. There were snowmen and reindeer that were lit up placed on their lawn and glowing candy canes along the edges. One house with its window open even gave Vinny a view of a rather large Christmas tree within. It was such a festive mood and yet, he felt like it was all a world away. Families would be spending time together and enjoying the season within the warmth of those homes and there he was, walking alone out in the cold.


    I want to celebrate. I honestly do. I love the holidays but...with everything going on, I just can¡¯t get myself to calm down. Something needs to be done about this! I can¡¯t just leave Alice to deal with the consequences of associating herself with me. I have to do something but...what?


    His thoughts shifted back to his near fight with Evan that morning, causing his stomach to tighten just by thinking of it. He still wasn¡¯t sure whether Evan¡¯s taunts were because he knew Vinny was pissed off about the situation or because the boy had something to do with it. He wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Evan was behind it but, without any proof to go off of, there was nothing he could do. However, he was certain of one thing.


    If Evan is the one behind this...then he¡¯s going to fucking regret it.


    Vinny shook his head and rounded a corner, finding himself facing a street with houses along its right side and a small park along its left. There was a large stretch of grass where families could play catch or have a picnic and, just beyond that, there was a little park with a play structure, a seesaw, and a swingset. The boy couldn¡¯t help but feel partially relieved when he saw the lone girl on one of the swings as she swayed back and forth at a slow pace. He chuckled softly and stepped up onto the grass to begin making his way over to her.


    ¡°Enjoying the swings, are we?¡± he called out to her as he approached.


    She dug her feet into the bark below her, drawing the swing to a stop before glancing over her shoulder to look at him with a smile that almost seemed as if the cheer was forced.


    ¡°Hey, Vinny,¡± Alice greeted. ¡°Glad you could make it.¡±


    ¡°Of course I could,¡± he replied casually, stepping around her so he could approach the other swing. He brushed off the clumps of snow then plopped himself down into it, grabbing the chains with his hands before beginning to push his feet out to get momentum. All the while, Alice watched him as if amused.


    ¡°What?¡± he asked wryly. ¡°Can I not swing?¡±


    She giggled softly before shrugging. ¡°No, of course you can. I just thought it was funny how at home you look on it.¡±


    He cocked an eyebrow at her comment. ¡°And what¡¯s that supposed to mean? Are you saying I remind you of a child? I seem to recall you were the one who decided to swing first.¡±


    ¡°Very true,¡± she conceded. ¡°So I guess that makes both of us children. We¡¯re perfect for each other.¡±


    With that, the conversation came to a close, leaving the two swinging side by side, the cold air making Vinny even more uncomfortable as he went faster. However, he found that the motion was oddly calming and, for the first time that day, he found himself feeling less overwhelmed by anger.


    Though, that might be more due to the fact that Alice is here with me, he realized, sparing a look at the girl out of the corner of his eye.


    From the side, he noticed once again just how cute she was. Her brown hair was long and silky with flakes of snow dotting parts of it, her cheeks were slightly red from the cold, and her eyes were a deep brown. Paired with her red beanie and her pink and black winter coat and he found himself unable to look away. It only made him that much more horrified that anybody would ever want to cause her harm. She truly was just an innocent girl going about her life without hurting anybody. Even after the horrid day she had just had, she was still able to joke with him and to smile, even if he could tell it was somewhat forced.


    ¡°I¡¯m...sorry we couldn¡¯t meet at my place,¡± she suddenly said, pulling him from his thoughts, ¡°but I really don¡¯t think that I need to be bringing a guy over that my parents have never met after everything that happened today. They¡¯re kinda overprotective so it¡¯ll just worry them even more. I know you don¡¯t like the snow.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s no big deal. Just getting to talk to you after everything that happened today is good enough. Even if there was a goddamn blizzard, I¡¯d still have trudged my way to this park.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please,¡± she murmured. ¡°You know you could have just called me?¡±


    ¡°Not a chance,¡± he stated. ¡°I needed to see you...to make sure you¡¯re okay in person. I mean, after all...this is partially my¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say it,¡± she interrupted sharply. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear anything about this being your fault, Vinny, because it isn¡¯t. I don¡¯t want you beating yourself up over this.¡±


    The blonde boy sighed, turning away from her so he could look up into the dark clouds in the sky above. ¡°Then why would something like this happen, Alice? What possible reason could anybody have to go after you like this aside from your association with me.¡±


    ¡°It could be anything,¡± she replied. ¡°Maybe I just offended somebody and I didn¡¯t realize it.¡±


    He snorted. ¡°Like hell that¡¯s why. I¡¯ve told you before, but I know there¡¯s a lot of people at that school who would love to go after me...and I genuinely believe they would if they weren¡¯t so afraid of Damien. Whether he likes it or not, people don¡¯t want to risk setting him off¡­¡±


    Alice sighed. ¡°Honestly, I feel bad for him. After getting to know him a little, it¡¯s obvious that those rumors aren¡¯t true. It¡¯s not fair that has to follow him around but...I¡¯m glad it does keep people off of you guys.¡±


    Vinny couldn''t help but to grimace at her words, knowing that the rumors did, in fact, have some truth to them. However, for Damien¡¯s sake, he refrained from correcting her, allowing her to continue on.


    ¡°But anyway, I don¡¯t want you guys worrying about me,¡± she said. ¡°I can handle myself. Whoever has a problem with me...I¡¯ll just deal with it.¡±


    Vinny immediately shook his head. ¡°Not a chance in hell, Alice. Whether you like it or not, I¡¯m going to do everything I can to nip this situation in the bud. Take it from me...it doesn¡¯t take much for something like this to spiral out of control and for somebody to get seriously hurt.¡±


    The girl frowned as she turned to look at him. ¡°You...say that like you have experience.¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± he said firmly.


    Vinny never would have imagined himself ever willingly telling anybody about his past. The only ones who truly understood what he had gone through were Eric and Damien¡ªthe ones who essentially saved him from it. Even Liz only knew a little about it since she joined their group after him. To Lilly and anybody else he met in high school, they would only know the upbeat and cheerful person he had tried to become and that was how he wanted it to stay. He didn¡¯t want anybody to ever know what he used to be like. Yet, as he faced Alice after everything that had transpired that day, he found that he couldn¡¯t not confide in her. He wanted her to understand why he wanted to help her so badly. He needed her to understand.


    Alice seemed to look at him in surprise. ¡°What happened...if you don¡¯t mind my asking?¡±


    He took a deep breath and began to explain.


    ¡°When I was just starting middle school, I was really insistent upon redesigning myself and being one of the cool kids,¡± he said softly. ¡°I wanted to fit in with the cool crowd and be somebody that others could look at and think was awesome. In hindsight, I realize how utterly arrogant and stupid I was but it was what I wanted. So, I joined the flag football team thinking that was all I had to do to be cool. The problem was, I¡¯m kind of a small guy and I was even more so back then, so...you can imagine what I looked like to the others on the team.¡±


    Alice exhaled softly but didn¡¯t speak. She seemed to not want to interrupt him and instead simply stared at him in clear interest, as if she genuinely wanted to know about what he was telling her. There didn¡¯t seem to be any judgment in her eyes and that gave him the strength he needed to go on.


    ¡°Cause I was so small, I was easy prey to get my ass picked on,¡± he continued. ¡°The big kids on the team were never openly violent but they always seemed to be trying to get me into trouble. They talked me into doing so many stupid ass things...most I don¡¯t even want to talk about. But let''s just say I was so desperate to be a part of their crowd that I shoved a stink bomb into a teacher¡¯s desk. Got suspended for a week for that one.¡±


    He took another deep breath, cringing at what was one of his most hated memories.


    ¡°I got suspended so many times in seventh grade because of these assholes,¡± he whispered, though still loud enough to be heard over the squeaking of the swings. ¡°I got a reputation, you know? Everybody knew I was the dumbass getting into trouble and everybody thought I was just some attention whore. By eighth grade, I started wising up to my supposed friends¡¯ shit. I knew they were trying to get me in trouble and so, I started challenging them more directly. Suffice to say, every time I got into a fight, I got my ass kicked and, due to my reputation, everybody always thought it was my fault. I just got angrier and angrier. I wanted to see these guys get what they deserved.¡±


    He laughed to himself as the memories came flooding back.


    ¡°What got me to really snap was so pathetic,¡± he admitted. ¡°All they did was take a measly little pencil from me but...I needed it for something that I don¡¯t even remember anymore and...I just couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I jumped the kid and beat the shit out of him right there in the middle of class. I don¡¯t think he saw it coming so...it was and is the only fight I¡¯ve ever won. For that one¡­¡± He sighed. ¡°I¡¯m lucky I didn¡¯t get expelled. Hell, I almost did.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m...sorry,¡± Alice whispered, finally bringing herself to speak. ¡°That sounds horrible.¡±


    He nodded, trying his hardest to act like none of it bothered him anymore but he knew that wasn¡¯t true. There were still days he found himself thinking back on middle school and how terrible life was back then. It only made him that much more grateful for the club.


    ¡°I...despise bullying,¡± he muttered. ¡°The thought that people will pick on and go after others, belittling them and making them feel utterly worthless...I can¡¯t fathom why somebody would ever do that outside of just being evil. That¡¯s why I have no intention of just sitting by and putting up with this. Whoever is doing this to you...is going to stop. One way or another, they¡¯ll stop.¡±


    Alice managed a smile but he could tell it was almost more forced than her earlier ones.


    ¡°Just...don¡¯t get yourself in trouble, okay?¡± she asked. ¡°I don¡¯t want you getting hurt because of me.¡±


    He grinned confidently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, Alice. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    I have a plan, he thought to himself. As long as I can figure out who¡¯s behind this, I think I have a way to stop them. So, all I need to do is identify the bastard doing this and we should be okay.


    ¡°Hey, Vinny?¡± Alice said softly. ¡°W-what...happened after you almost got expelled? I mean, you¡¯re nothing like how you say you used to be. What changed? How did you get past it all?¡±


    The boy couldn¡¯t help but to laugh at the one good memory he had of that era of his life.


    ¡°This tall, lanky jackass approached me about a week after my suspension ended,¡± he replied. ¡°I was sitting by myself in the hallways, eating lunch alone, and he walked right up and sat his ass down next to me. He had this dopey grin on his face and I thought he was going to be just an annoying shit. So I told him to fuck off and he simply laughed. Then he said something...that I won¡¯t ever forget.¡±


    Alice was smiling and he knew that it was obvious to her who he was talking about.


    ¡°What¡¯d he say?¡± she asked.


    ¡°He said, ¡®You don¡¯t seem like a bad guy but you¡¯re always in trouble. It¡¯s not your fault, is it?¡¯¡± Vinny rolled his eyes in exasperation at the memory, realizing that his old friend hadn¡¯t changed much over the years. ¡°I was shocked, you see? This dumbass was smiling at me like we were best friends. Over the course of the next few weeks, he kept on meeting me in that hallway for lunch and I gradually warmed up to him despite his nonsensical ramblings about magic and witchcraft and the like. Then in high school, he invited me to join a club all about that stuff and...well, you know the rest. Best decision of my life, to be honest.¡±


    Alice giggled sweetly as she looked down at the ground. ¡°And? You sayhis name or are you just going to keep being vague?¡±


    Vinny sighed, knowing she just wanted to hear him say it.


    ¡°Eric Reiner, who else?¡± he replied with a soft laugh. ¡°He¡¯s a persistent bastard, that¡¯s for sure.¡±


    Alice nodded as she slowed the push of her legs, bringing the swing to a slower pace.


    ¡°Yeah, I can imagine,¡± she said. ¡°Even only knowing him for a short time, I can tell that he¡¯s the kinda guy who wouldn¡¯t leave somebody out to dry.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s exactly him,¡± Vinny grumbled. ¡°The guy does everything he can if there¡¯s somebody that needs him, no matter how much of an asshole the person is. He claims he has some secret sixth sense that allows him to, and I quote, ¡®discern their true nature¡¯. I¡¯m not sure how much I actually believe him but, then again, after seeing The Switch in action, who¡¯s to say really.¡±


    Alice chuckled, turning her head to gaze out at the silent park. When Vinny followed her stare, he saw two squirrels scampering around in the snow before running up the side of a nearby tree.


    ¡°It¡¯s still so strange,¡± she whispered. ¡°Magic. I just can¡¯t wrap my head around it even after having experienced it. Honestly, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Eric did have some magical ability or something. Might explain why he was always so into the supernatural.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s all thanks to his mother,¡± Vinny told her.


    Alice frowned. ¡°His mother? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Well, you see,¡± he began, part of him wondering if he shouldn¡¯t tell her for Eric¡¯s sake but then recalling that his old friend wouldn¡¯t be embarrassed in the slightest. ¡°He says his mother was from another world...one where magic is common and not the mythical concept it is here.¡±


    Alice seemed to barely restrain a giggle. ¡°Really? And why would he think that?¡±


    ¡°Well, because she told him she was, that¡¯s why,¡± Vinny said. ¡°And she¡ª¡±


    Before he could finish, there was what sounded like a bell coming from the pocket of Alice¡¯s jacket. She seemed to jump in surprise before reaching into her pocket to grab her phone. Vinny paused in his story to let her check it but, when her eyes went wide, he felt a pit forming in his stomach.


    ¡°What?¡± he instantly demanded. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Without speaking a word, she slowly handed him the phone just before glancing around the park as if terrified they were being watched. He was confused at what could have her so paranoid but, when he looked down at her phone¡¯s screen, anger instantly rushed through him so intensely that, had the sender been present, he probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to hold himself back.


    On her phone was a single message.


    I¡¯m gonna fuckin kill you, slut.

 Chapter 22- The Club Divided

    Chapter XXII


    It had been nearly three years since Jay had spoken to Rina Davens and he truly believed he would never do so again. Rina had made it clear that she wanted nothing to do with them anymore and Jay knew they had no choice but to go their separate ways. After everything that went down between them, he expected he would go the rest of his life without facing her. He knew that their friendship ending had taken its toll on Alice but, unfortunately, there had been nothing he could have done to remedy the situation. So, from eighth grade on, Jay and Alice pretended like Rina didn¡¯t exist and she did the same to them. They didn¡¯t even say ¡°hi¡± to each other when they passed in the halls. To anybody that didn¡¯t know their history together, they wouldn¡¯t even look like acquaintances and that was the way it should have stayed.


    And yet, there Jay stood, leaning up against a wall behind the school, watching as his former friend made her way toward him with an obvious look of discomfort and irritation. He still couldn¡¯t believe what Matt said was true. Despite their past, it made no sense that Rina would be behind what was happening to Alice. Yet, at the same time, Matt had seemed genuinely concerned and Jay didn¡¯t think he was lying. So, he knew the only way to get to the bottom of it would be to finally talk to Rina directly. He needed to hear her side of the story and see how well it matched up with what Matt had said. However, that was far easier said than done.


    What he was essentially doing was going to a friend he had last been on bad terms with to accuse her of bashing open Alice¡¯s locker.Not to mention, he found out from Vinny on Tuesday morning that somebody had started sending her death threats from an unknown number. At first, Jay couldn¡¯t bring himself to approach Rina so, like the coward he knew he was, he put it off. First it was one day, then two, and now it was after school on the Thursday after Alice was first targeted, finally having worked up the courage to do something. After all, there was no getting out of it now. After the death threats, Alice had been too scared to return to school since and, according to Lilly, Brad Fischer had spoken to Evan Wright only to learn exactly what Matt had claimed: Rina and Evan were the ones behind what was happening. That was a fact that was now harder to deny. If he wanted to do what he always claimed he lived to do and protect Alice then he had no choice but to finally confront Rina Davens. After all, Vinny had made it clear that if Jay didn¡¯t do something first then he would, and there was no way he could let that happen. He was the one that needed to talk to Rina, not anybody from the club.


    He glanced to either side of him, cringing at the dumpsters he was standing between. He wished he could have spoken to her elsewhere but he knew this was the only place in the school he was likely to get any privacy at least until later in the afternoon when most clubs let out, but he knew Rina would have gone home by then so he knew it was now or never.


    ¡°Alright, Jay,¡± Rina said softly as she stopped a few yards in front of him, her arms folded under her chest and her expression one of utter disgust. ¡°I¡¯m here. So say whatever you want to say so I can go home.¡±


    For a moment, he couldn¡¯t help but take her in. He hadn¡¯t truly looked at her since they were in the seventh grade and so, his mental image of her more or less remained as what she looked like back then but now, he could see that there was very little of his old friend left. Her long black hair was wavy and smooth, she wore so much makeup that her face almost looked fake. It was a surreal sight and part of him wished he had continued to avert his eyes from her.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Rina,¡± he replied, trying to conceal the nervousness in his voice. ¡°How¡¯ve you been?¡±


    She snorted and narrowed her eyes. ¡°Shut up, Jay. I know that you don¡¯t give a damn about how I¡¯ve been. I¡¯m sure you have a reason for calling me out here so just get to it or I¡¯m turning around and leaving. You¡¯re lucky I even bothered coming out here in the first place so don¡¯t waste my time.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help but to cringe at the sharpness of her tone. ¡°Good to know you still hate my guts. Even after all these years, you¡¯re still pissed at me?¡±


    ¡°Of course I am,¡± she spat. ¡°You think I could just get over what you did? You think I could just forget it like it didn¡¯t matter? I swear to god, Jay, I hope it¡¯s still killing you. I hope it¡¯s eating you up inside.¡±


    Jay tried to swallow his emotions down and refrain from breaking eye contact with the girl. Part of him wanted to tell her that she had nothing to worry about¡ªthat what happened to Audrey Moore was still destroying him to that day. There were countless nights he spent wide awake, replaying that infamous moment over in his head, recognizing everything he could have done to prevent what happened but not doing a damn thing, forcing himself to stand by and watch helplessly. Of course he hadn¡¯t forgotten. He didn¡¯t think he would until the day he died and he knew that was the way it should be. Rina had every right to hate him. Alice did, too. However, Rina had no reason to take any anger out on Alice. He would accept attacks against him but not against her.


    ¡°You¡¯re as pleasant as I remember,¡± he growled, trying not to show her his inner turmoil.


    Rina scoffed. ¡°Fuck off and get to the point. What do you want?¡±


    Jay took a deep breath, prepared himself for what he knew he had to do, and stared Rina dead in the eyes when next he spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb with me. You and I both know what I want. After all, like hell it¡¯s a coincidence that I call you out here now of all times after ignoring you for three years. I assume you heard about what happened to Alice?¡±


    Rina narrowed her eyes once again and Jay didn¡¯t miss the flash of nervousness that crossed her features. Just that brief look was enough for Jay to believe that what Brad and Matt said was true. Even if Rina wasn¡¯t the one who personally went through with the attacks, she was aware of who did.


    ¡°Of course I have,¡± she hissed. ¡°Nobody in our grade hasn¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Well, you see, Rina, I¡¯ve heard rumors that it was actually you who was behind what happened to Alice¡¯s locker.¡± He took pleasure in the look of surprise that followed his words. ¡°What do you make of that?¡±


    The stunned expression vanished almost as quickly as it appeared, being replaced by a look of pure rage and hatred.


    ¡°How dare you!¡± she snarled. ¡°Are you accusing me of doing all that to Alice?!¡±


    He stood up straighter, narrowing his own eyes in response to her challenging tone. ¡°That¡¯s right, I am. But at the same time, I thought I owed it to you to talk to you first before I go to the principal. I wanted to know what you had to say for yourself.¡±


    ¡°T-the...principal?¡± she stuttered, the panic clearly setting in as she realized he was serious. ¡°With what proof? What fucking proof do you have that I did this? I have nothing to do with what happened to Alice! I don¡¯t know who you heard that from but they¡¯re a fucking liar!¡±


    ¡°Evan Wright,¡± he said simply.


    Her eyes went wide at the name and he quickly continued before she had the chance to reply.


    ¡°I heard it from Evan Wright,¡± he repeated. ¡°Apparently, he was bragging about what you guys did loud enough for people to hear him.¡±


    ¡°He¡­?¡± Rina clenched her teeth in obvious fury, though Jay couldn¡¯t tell whether it was directed at him, at Evan, or at the both of them.


    ¡°Look, Rina,¡± Jay pressed on. ¡°If this has to do with what happened to Audrey then leave Alice out of it! Go fuck up my locker! Go draw all over my desk! Take it out on me! I¡¯m the one who deserves it! But not Alice! Alice did nothing wrong and I¡¯m not going to stand by while you and that shithead hurt her!¡±


    He had hoped his words would reach Rina. He knew deep down that she wasn¡¯t a bad person. When they were friends, she had been sweet and loving and an all around amazing girl. If she had stooped to doing something like what happened to the locker then he was certain that it had to be either her emotions clouding her judgment or somebody else pressuring her into doing it. If he could just reach that part of her that he remembered so well then maybe he could convince her to stop tormenting Alice. But, much to his surprise, Rina didn¡¯t back down.


    ¡°Don¡¯t act like Alice was blameless,¡± she uttered. ¡°After all, she chose you even after everything. When I called you out, Alice sided with you despite what you did to Audrey. She acted like I was the one in the wrong. You don¡¯t think she has this coming? In my mind, both of you are awful.¡±


    He had wanted to go into the conversation with a cool head but, hearing those words leave her mouth, he found that he just couldn¡¯t contain his anger.


    ¡°Don¡¯t act all high and mighty,¡± he snapped. ¡°Sure, I fucked up! I know that! I fucking know that! Alice does, too! Even if she won¡¯t say it, she knows it was my fault! But you...do you really think Audrey would want you doing something like this to Alice?! Do you think she¡¯s looking down on you right now and thinking that you¡¯re doing the right thing! Like hell she is! She loved us¡ªall of us!¡±


    ¡°Y-you¡­¡± Rina stuttered.


    She looked to be on the verge of tears and Jay prayed that he had actually gotten through to her. But, just when it seemed like she might actually see reason, somebody else called out to him.


    ¡°The fuck¡¯s going on over here, Brooks?¡±


    Jay felt his body go cold as he turned to his right to see Steven McCormick and Evan Wright walking toward them. He knew they were both football players and that McCormick was currently dating Rina. Both had a significant height advantage over him and he could tell just from their furious expressions that they had overheard part of the conversation. He wanted to turn and run but found that his feet wouldn¡¯t move.


    ¡°Don¡¯t just stare at me with that dumbass expression,¡± McCormick continued. ¡°I asked you a question.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Jay stammered, sparing a glance over his shoulder to see the fence leading to the track blocking his path. He knew that if he wasn''t such a pathetic piece of shit then he could just sprint over and hop the fence but he knew there was no way he would be able to get over it even if he didn¡¯t have the two football players chasing after him. ¡°It¡¯s not...your buisne¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Stevie, thank god you¡¯re here,¡± Rina suddenly cried out, rushing away from Jay and toward the red-headed boy. ¡°He was being really creepy! He kept trying to touch me even though I told him not to and I¡­ I was really scared!¡±


    Jay''s eyes went wide as he stared at his old friend in horror.


    What...the hell?


    Both Wright and McCormick turned to look at him, somehow seeming more furious than they had been when they arrived.


    ¡°N-No!¡± he quickly protested, taking an involuntary step back. ¡°She¡¯s lying! I didn¡¯t do anything like that!¡±


    ¡°So first, you try to molest my girlfriend,¡± McCormick growled. ¡°And then you call her a liar? I¡¯m about to fucking kill you, Brooks.¡±


    I should run! I should do something! I¡¯m about to get my ass beat! Rina, she¡­


    But he still couldn¡¯t move. He couldn¡¯t process the fact that this was reality. Rina had left him out to dry and was behind everything happening to Alice. She had turned on them in every sense of the word. He had thought he could get through to her and save Alice from any further torment but now he realized that he had completely misjudged the situation. As usual, he was an utter failure. He couldn''t save his best friend and now, he was going to get his ass kicked. For a moment, he looked at Rina, but she wouldn¡¯t even turn her head his way. Instead, she was clutching her boyfriend¡¯s arm, her face buried in his chest.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare fucking look at her!¡± McCormick snarled, gently pulling his arm from Rina¡¯s grip so he could take a step toward her. ¡°You¡¯ve gotta lot of nerve, Brooks. You¡¯re gonna regret ever going near her!¡±


    ¡°Fuckin¡¯ loser,¡± Wright spat, a wide grin on his face like he was excited for what was to come.


    However, before either could make a move to charge him or Jay could run away, another newcomer¡¯s voice rang out.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on back here?¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    At the sound of his voice, Jay felt some hope return to his body as he realized he might not be totally screwed. Both football players and even Rina turned around to see Damien Clark approaching them, his hands casually in the pockets of his uniform and a curious expression on his face. Jay noticed McCormick and Rina tense up but Wright only seemed to get more excited.


    ¡°Clark?¡± McCormick growled. ¡°The fuck do you want?¡±


    Damien shrugged, never once looking away from the tall boy. ¡°I was actually looking for Jay. He said he¡¯d help me out with something after class ends but he was late so I thought I¡¯d look for him. So, unfortunately for you two, you¡¯ll have to pass on kicking his ass today. He¡¯s busy.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Wright spat. ¡°And we¡¯re just supposed to listen to you? What kind of arrogant prick do you think you are?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call myself arrogant,¡± Damien replied. ¡°Confident, how about? I¡¯m confident that, if I was forced to fight you both, I would win. Now, if either of you would like to test that theory then by all means, I¡¯m down. Just don¡¯t come crying to me when you¡¯re in the hospital with a cracked skull.¡±


    Despite knowing Damien was putting on an act and playing off his violent reputation, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a shiver run down his spine. There was something in the way he said it that unsettled Jay...almost as if he truly did believe he wouldn¡¯t lose in a fight against them. Knowing how hungry McCormick and Wright seemed to be for a fight, part of him expected both to take Damien up on his challenge. So, he was surprised when McCormick simply scoffed.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± he snapped. ¡°Take the stupid little shit. See if I care.¡± He then glanced down at his girlfriend and whispered, ¡°Come on, Rina.¡±


    Wright looked over at McCormick, clearly pissed that his friend was backing down so easily. Yet, despite his obvious desire to fight, the boy followed as McCormick led Rina past Damien and began making his way back toward the courtyard. Jay exhaled a breath of relief as he realized that he just barely avoided getting his ass kicked.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± he uttered. ¡°I owe you one.¡±


    Damien merely shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Lilly¡¯s who you should really be thanking. She¡¯s the one who asked me to keep an eye on you just in case things went south.¡±


    Jay couldn¡¯t help but to smile.


    Lilly. Of course it was Lilly.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Damien said with a nod of his head. ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the clubroom. I¡¯m sure the others are curious to know what happened.¡±


    Feeling a twinge of guilt that he hadn''t been able to do anything more than nearly confirm that Rina was behind everything, he reluctantly followed after the boy as they made their way back toward the main school building.


    ***


    Vinny could only pace around the clubroom as he listened to Jay explain what went down between himself and Rina Davens. Overall, the curly-haired boy had only really been able to determine with almost certainty that Rina actually was behind the whole locker incident, which matched up with what Brad had told them back on Tuesday morning. That being the case, Vinny was now confident enough to say that Rina and Evan were the ones targeting Alice and that was good enough for him. He didn¡¯t know which of them were behind the death threats but he now at least knew who he would have to go after if he wanted to make them stop. Luckily, Alice had remained home from school all week so there hadn¡¯t been any more chances for the two of them to go after her outside of the messages. So, Vinny had urged her to block any numbers that texted her. For the time being, she was safe. However, that didn¡¯t mean they had all the time in the world. Alice couldn¡¯t stay home forever and Vinny knew that the moment she came back, Rina and Evan would do something else to her. He had to act soon and now, he knew exactly what it was he needed to do.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan?¡± Liz asked, breaking the silence hanging over the clubroom.


    They were all scattered, sitting at various desks around the room with Damien at his normal spot at the back table. When Jay had finished his story, they had all retreated into their thoughts to figure out what to do next. They all knew something needed to be done to help Alice but Vinny had a hunch that they wouldn¡¯t agree on what that something was. His assumption was confirmed by what was said next.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing much we can do,¡± Damien replied. ¡°All we can do is tell a teacher, maybe Mr. Lowe, and hope for the best. Or maybe even go to the police and show them the messages. That¡¯s all we can do for Alice at this point.¡±


    Despite the rationale behind Damien¡¯s words, Vinny couldn¡¯t help but to scoff at them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid, Damien,¡± he growled. ¡°You know full well that won¡¯t do a damn thing. Trust me...adults are utterly worthless when it comes to this sort of thing.¡±


    He could see Lilly and Jay both looking at him with obvious discomfort but, despite knowing he was probably unsettling them a bit, he found that he didn¡¯t care. Instead, he made sure to face Damien, knowing his old friend was almost certainly going to be his biggest obstacle to overcome if he wanted to get his way.


    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s true,¡± Damien conceded. ¡°But like I said, it¡¯s our only option and it¡¯s far better than doing nothing. We have evidence that Alice has been receiving death threats. The cops won¡¯t just ignore that. And please, Vinny. I get that you¡¯re on edge but you don¡¯t have to talk to me like that.¡±


    The blonde boy shook his head, knowing it was a bad idea to lose his temper but finding himself unable to keep his emotions in check.


    ¡°Oh like hell! You think the police would bother with some random cyber bullying?!¡± he snapped. ¡°Shit like that is so common these days that they¡¯d probably just brush it off as a bad joke!¡±


    ¡°And maybe they won¡¯t!¡± Damien replied calmly. ¡°But that''s all we can do.¡±


    ¡°All we can do?!¡± Vinny exclaimed incredulously. ¡°And what rock have you been hiding under these past few months?! We¡¯ve got more options than anybody, all because of what Eric has in his pocket! Let¡¯s not act like I¡¯m the only one who thought about this! We all know it¡¯s what we have to do! I¡¯m just clearly the only one with the balls to say it!¡±


    Lilly, Eric, and Jay all looked away from him, a good indicator that he wasn¡¯t wrong. They absolutely had considered the idea at least once. Liz kept a straight face, betraying nothing of what she thought on the subject while Damien didn¡¯t even hesitate to shake his head firmly.


    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± he said sharply. ¡°Using that stone is not an option.¡±


    Vinny cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Oh yeah? Well, I hate to break it to you, but just because you¡¯re scared of it doesn¡¯t mean I am. I¡¯ll gladly use The Switch on whoever the hell I have to if it means sparing Alice from whatever shit Evan and Rina would do to her.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about being afraid, Vinny,¡± Damien said. ¡°Using the stone to help Brad on a test is one thing, but here? There¡¯s no scenario where using it is a good idea.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t true in the slightest,¡± Vinny growled. ¡°If we use it to steal either Rina or Evan¡¯s bodies then we could¡ª!¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Damien shouted, rising to his feet and clearly startling Lilly and Jay. ¡°We are not going to steal somebody¡¯s body! Not under any circumstances is that a good idea! I¡¯ve said it before and I¡¯ll say it again. This stone is not a toy. We can¡¯t just use it to solve every problem we have! We don¡¯t have a damn clue what it is or where it came from! We don¡¯t know who owned it first! We don¡¯t know what else could be out there! We know nothing! Which is why I think we should both refrain from telling anybody about it and from using it unless absolutely necessary. What are you gonna do with Evan and Rina when the plan is over? Now they know about our stone. What then?¡±


    Vinny scoffed. ¡°Who cares? If they told anybody then they¡¯d be seen as crazy¡­ That¡¯s a win in my book.¡±


    ¡°Vinny,¡± Lilly said, speaking for the first time in a while. ¡°That¡¯s¡­what Eric said when he proposed helping Brad and you were firmly against it.¡±


    ¡°And?¡± he asked, turning to look directly at the girl. ¡°That was a situation where the reward of helping Fischer wasn¡¯t worth the risk. This is different. Alice¡¯s safety is at stake here, Lilly. Trust me! Incidents like this can get out of hand so easily¡­ So we have to do something? Or what? Are you saying you¡¯re willing to use the stone for Brad fucking Fischer over Alice?¡±


    ¡°Vinny,¡± Eric interrupted. ¡°That¡¯s enough. You know what Lilly means.¡±


    Vinny turned to look between Lilly, Eric, and Damien, seeing the same expressions of hesitance in each of their features. Liz was the only member of the club who had both remained silent and was still unreadable. However, the fact that she hadn¡¯t spoken up in his favor told him where she stood on the matter.


    ¡°So? Is that how it is?¡± he asked softly. ¡°You¡¯re all against it?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Eric began weakly.


    ¡°Think about it, Eric,¡± Vinny pressed. ¡°Can we really just sit back and let Alice take this when we have the means of helping her. I know this is eating away at you! I know you hate to stand by and let people get hurt! So, do something! Give me the stone and I promise I¡¯ll fix everything myself!¡±


    Vinny extended his hand, looking at Eric and only Eric. But his old friend wouldn¡¯t look back, choosing instead to stare down at the ground. The others were all looking at him with their breath held and it was clear that everybody knew the final decision was Eric¡¯s to make. Vinny just had to pray that the boy understood what needed to be done.


    ¡°Liz, Jay, Lilly,¡± Eric said after a moment. ¡°I know where Vinny and Damien stand. What about you guys?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Lilly uttered, ¡°...don¡¯t know. I want to help Alice but...I¡¯m afraid of what would happen if we tried going after Rina and Evan with the stone. Damien¡¯s right. They might be smart enough not to tell anybody, but then...if they were to steal it...we¡¯d be in even bigger trouble than we already are. I don¡¯t know if the risk is worth it.¡±


    Damn you, Lilly, Vinny thought furiously. I see how it is. Fischer over Alice, huh? Fine. Be that way.


    ¡°As for me,¡± Jay chimed in, ¡°I don¡¯t know either. Both options have their problems but...I can¡¯t just leave Alice hanging. Mickelson¡¯s right. The stone...might be the best option.¡±


    Well, at least Jay has some sense. Who would have thought he¡¯d be the only one on my side in this mess.


    ¡°And Liz?¡± Eric muttered. ¡°You¡¯ve been quiet the whole time. What are you thinking?¡±


    Vinny turned to look at the bespectacled girl with a look that begged her to take his side but, unfortunately, she only disappointed him.


    ¡°It¡¯s your call, Eric,¡± she replied. ¡°It¡¯s not my stone. You do what you think is best.¡±


    Eric sighed, leaning back in his chair to stare up at the ceiling, his brow furrowed in intense concentration. Everybody in the room was looking at him, waiting for him to make the final decision and decide what to do. Finally, he shook his head, leaned forward, and spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Vinny,¡± he said. ¡°This...just isn¡¯t a situation where I can just give you the stone.¡±


    Vinny clenched his teeth, seeing the looks of relief on the faces of Damien and Lilly.


    ¡°But Eric,¡± Vinny pressed. ¡°We can¡¯t just do nothing! We can''t sit by and wait!¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯t,¡± Eric replied firmly. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you to sit by and do nothing. I¡¯m telling you that I¡¯m not giving you the gem. Those are two different things. If it means that much to you then figure it out. I¡¯ll help you where I can. After all, I don¡¯t want anything to happen to Alice either. Now¡­¡± The boy got to his feet and stretched. ¡°I have to go to the bathroom. Club is out for today so why doesn¡¯t everybody take the day to relax for a bit, yeah?¡±


    Vinny clenched his fists, dropping down into a chair and putting his face in his hands as Eric abruptly moved to leave. The others didn¡¯t choose to remain behind for long either. When Eric returned, Liz, Damien, and Lilly gathered their things and left the clubroom, leaving Vinny and Jay alone in the room. The curly-haired boy seemed to take that as his cue to leave but, just as he was getting up, Vinny called out to him.


    ¡°Listen, Brooks,¡± Vinny said. ¡°Could you stay a moment?¡±


    Jay stopped and glanced back at him, albeit quite hesitantly. The two of them had never particularly gotten along and so, it was only natural that the other boy would be weary around him. However, for the time being, they both agreed that something needed to be done for Alice¡¯s sake. Therefore, as far as Vinny was concerned, they were on the same side.


    ¡°What is it, Mickelson?¡± he asked meekly.


    ¡°This Rina Davens,¡± he replied. ¡°You and Alice have both told me that you guys used to be friends but, after hearing about how ready she was to lie to her boyfriend about you, I can only imagine what went down between you guys. You kept beating around the bush when you talked about it. So? What happened between you guys and Rina.¡±


    Jay grimaced, clearly uncomfortable by the conversation, which only confirmed Vinny¡¯s suspicions that there was something he was keeping to himself.


    ¡°Look,¡± Jay grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s a long story and one I don¡¯t want to share...especially not with you. It doesn¡¯t matter what happened. All that matters is that Rina chose what she wanted to...and that clearly doesn¡¯t involve me.¡±


    Vinny sighed. He really wanted to push Jay for information but it was obvious that the boy wasn¡¯t going to give it no matter what. Whatever happened between Rina, Alice, and Jay was something he would have to put on the side for the time being. Instead, he needed to figure out a way to deal with Rina and Evan without the stone.


    ¡°Well, fine then,¡± Vinny grumbled. ¡°Have a nice night. See you tomorrow.¡±


    Jay nodded and was about to turn and head toward the door when it was suddenly pushed open. Both boys looked up in surprise but, when Vinny saw Liz walk through the doorway, he figured she must have left something behind and returned for it. Yet, instead of walking toward where she had been sitting, she instead made a b-line for his desk. He sat up straighter, confused as to what she wanted but, before he could say anything, she reached forward and placed something on the desk before him.


    His eyes went wide.


    Right there, on the surface of the desk, sat the little orange stone that should have currently been with Eric.


    ¡°Here you go, Vinny,¡± Liz said softly. ¡°Do what needs to be done.¡±

 Chapter 23- What Must Be Done

    Chapter XXIII


    Vinny could hardly believe what he was looking at. The whole scene was so preposterous that part of him wanted to ensure that the Liz Tao standing before him wasn¡¯t an imposter. However, having known the girl as long as he had, he could tell by the determined look in her eyes that there was no discrepancy between her mind and her soul. It truly was the real Elizabeth Tao who had just placed The Switch on his desk despite Eric¡¯s choice to refrain from giving it to him. Behind Liz, Vinny could see Jay gaping at her with his mouth hanging partially open.


    ¡°Do what needs to be done,¡± she had said, completely contradicting her earlier decision to stand by whatever Eric decided to do. Not to mention that by doing what she had just done, she was essentially going against Damien¡¯s wishes, something she rarely did since it wasn¡¯t often they disagreed on anything. Despite Vinny¡¯s desperation to get his hands on the stone, he felt a pit forming in his stomach and, instead of celebrating and thanking her, he instead asked her a question.


    ¡°Have you gone crazy?¡± he whispered.


    Liz chuckled weakly. ¡°Maybe. It really does look that way, doesn¡¯t it? But I thought this through. I want to help Alice.¡±


    ¡°And Damien?¡± Vinny inquired. ¡°You do realize he¡¯s going to be furious about this, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing I have him under my siren¡¯s song, yeah?¡± she joked, but the boy failed to see the typical mischievous glimmer in her eyes when she said it. Her features then turned serious as she continued. ¡°I love Damien. I really do. But that doesn''t mean I¡¯m just going to blindly follow him. He¡¯s cautious and that¡¯s something I think this club needs, but...in this instance, I think he¡¯s letting his fear of the stone get in the way of doing what we have to.¡±


    For a moment, Vinny and Liz looked into each other¡¯s eyes, the blonde boy trying to see into her mind to figure out just what was going through her head. Then, realizing the absurdity of what was happening, he couldn¡¯t help but to laugh.


    ¡°Well, what do you know?¡± he teased. ¡°Who would have ever thought you and I would be on the same side, eh, dear Liz?¡±


    She smirked. ¡°Yeah, I really have lost my mind. Why would I ever think taking your side was the smart move?¡±


    Vinny leaned back in his chair and looked past her to where Jay was still staring in astonishment at the two of them. When Liz noticed his gaze shift, she glanced over her shoulder to give the boy a wry grin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look so surprised,¡± she said. ¡°After all, this is a page out of your book, if I¡¯m not mistaken. Or do you no longer like the idea of swiping the stone out of somebody¡¯s backpack?¡±


    ¡°W-well, I¡­¡± he stuttered. ¡°Well, last I checked, the penalty for stone theft was giving away your body for one hour. You sure you can handle that, Tao?¡±


    Despite trying to make a joke, there was no sense of humor in Jay¡¯s tone. It was almost as if the joke was just his way of trying to process what was going on. Regardless, Liz still laughed and put her hands on her hips as she eyed Jay.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m fine with that,¡± she declared. ¡°These boys are all talk. They wouldn¡¯t actually do anything bad to an innocent young girl such as myself. Worst I¡¯ll get is a good ol¡¯ slap on the wrist and I¡¯ll be home free.¡±


    Vinny frowned, knowing she was intentionally downplaying the likely repercussions of what she did. There was a sense of trust among the club members, but especially between Liz and Damien. By stealing the gem from Eric, Liz had gone against that trust and it wasn¡¯t going to be something she could just fix. It would take a lot of time and even then, there was no guarantee she would ever be able to reclaim the complete trust she always had. So, it only begged the question¡­


    ¡°Why do this, Liz?¡± Vinny asked, staring down at the smooth orange surface of The Switch. ¡°You know it¡¯s not as simple as that. What do you gain by helping me? I mean, you hardly know Alice. What reason is there to do this for her?¡±


    The bespectacled girl turned her attention back to Vinny, the humorous mood leaving her features as she turned serious yet again.


    ¡°Use your head, Vin¡¯,¡± she said. ¡°Just think about it for a minute, why don¡¯t you? Alice is being targeted because of her connection to you. There¡¯s no doubt in my mind now that we¡¯ve gotten a confession out of Evan. Alice is being bullied because she¡¯s dating you.¡±


    Despite already having deduced that much, the blunt way in which Liz stated it still sent a wave of nausea running through his system. She was right, after all. Alice had been targeted by Evan because he hated Vinny and saw her as a convenient way to make him suffer.


    ¡°So, how could I not feel a sense of camaraderie with her?¡± Liz continued. ¡°After all, I¡¯m dating a member of the Magic Club, who happens to also be the infamous Damien Clark. While nobody¡¯s ever smashed my locker or drawn on my desk, I am an outcast. So I know a bit about what Alice must be going through.¡±


    Vinny couldn¡¯t help but to stare at her in surprise. She had never once told him that it weighed on her at all. Liz always seemed to be like him and Eric¡ªsomebody who didn¡¯t give a damn how they were perceived and would do as they pleased regardless of how they looked. But now, from the tone of her voice, it was clear to him that he misjudged her. She had been better at hiding her feelings than he thought. From the way she spoke, he could tell that her status as a school outcast wasn¡¯t something she had brushed aside.


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t change anything,¡± Liz whispered. ¡°Like I said, I love Damien. I wouldn¡¯t give him up even if it was to be loved by everybody in the world. That doesn¡¯t mean it doesn¡¯t bother me, though. If people started treating me the way Alice is being treated, I¡¯m not sure how well I¡¯d handle it. I don¡¯t want Alice to have to go through that. I want her to be happy and, even though we argue and tease each other as much as we do, I want you to be happy, too. You are my friend, Vinny. One of my best ones, in fact.¡± Her expression then hardened into one of strong determination. ¡°So do it. Help Alice. Do what you can. You do have a plan, right?¡±


    The blonde boy couldn¡¯t help but to grin, fascinated by the side of Liz that he had never seen before. The genuine emotion in her voice was something he was grateful to have heard. Even after spending as much time as he had with her, he found there were still aspects of Liz Tao he hadn¡¯t noticed.


    ¡°Of course I do,¡± he stated confidently.


    She smirked in satisfaction. ¡°Good. Though, I will say that I don¡¯t want to know what. Giving you the gem is the best I can do for you. I won¡¯t get involved with the plan. Is that okay?¡±


    Vinny nodded firmly. ¡°Of course! You¡¯ve already done more for me than I ever could have asked for! I won¡¯t let you down. Or Alice for that matter.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t think so,¡± she replied. ¡°Now, once Eric realizes the gem is gone, they¡¯ll come back here looking for us so, I¡¯d recommend getting the hell out of here as fast as you can. You probably have until tomorrow morning at the latest before you¡¯ll have no choice but to return it so get it done tonight.¡±


    ¡°Right!¡±


    Vinny jumped to his feet and grabbed his backpack, sliding The Switch into his pants pocket in the process. Liz casually took a seat atop the surface of his desk and smugly watched as he rushed toward the door.


    ¡°Come on, Brooks,¡± Vinny ordered, snapping the boy out of his silent contemplation.


    Jay looked up in surprise. ¡°Huh? Me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you,¡± Vinny replied with a laugh. ¡°You said you wanted to help Alice, right? Well, Liz already made it clear she won¡¯t help me past this so I still need an assistant for the plan. That job falls to you. Now, get moving!¡±


    Jay opened and closed his mouth as he tried to figure out what he was supposed to do. ¡°B-but¡­? Hold on just a second! What is it you actually plan to do?!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± Vinny replied excitedly. ¡°But I¡¯m confident it¡¯ll be enough to get those bastards off of Alice¡¯s back. You do want to help her, don¡¯t you?¡±


    For a moment, Jay simply stared at Vinny with a look that seemed to be a mix between caution and awe. The boy sighed, turning to look down at the ground.


    ¡°You...really care for Alice, don¡¯t you? You really are prepared to do whatever it takes, the consequences be damned,¡± he whispered, almost more to himself than to the boy across from him.


    Vinny nodded firmly. ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯ve got the confidence to do it,¡± Jay muttered. ¡°You...really are the type of person she needs.¡± The boy then raised his head and looked him directly in the eyes, seeming almost on the verge of tears, though Vinny didn¡¯t make any move to point that out. ¡°Thank you, Mickelson. I mean it.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Vinny replied. ¡°Now, let¡¯s be off, dear Brooks! We¡¯ve got a couple of assholes to fuck.¡±


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Jay rolled his eyes, probably at the way Vinny phrased it, before collecting his things and following him from the room. Liz made no move to leave but that didn¡¯t surprise Vinny. Most likely, she intended to wait for the others to come back. He didn¡¯t know what she would say to them but he trusted that she wouldn¡¯t have acted without first considering the consequences. Elizabeth Tao knew what she was getting herself into so Vinny would trust that she knew what to do.


    For him, all he had to do was focus on saving Alice¡ªregardless of what he had to do.


    Regardless of who he had to hurt.


    ***


    Damien sighed, leaning his body against the wall as he gazed through the window on the third floor of the school and out onto the snow-covered courtyard below. The weather had cleared up after a few days of snow but it was still overcast and dreary. He found it to be an ominously depressing sight and he couldn¡¯t help but to feel a twinge of guilt flash through him once again. The horrified and hurt look on Vinny¡¯s face when Damien opposed him was something that he knew would be hard to push from his mind. At the end of the day, he wished that, more than anything, he could have looked his friend in the eyes and told him to do what he could for Alice. The girl was hurting and, as Vinny said, they had the means to help her. By choosing not to use the gem, they could potentially be choosing to leave her out to dry.


    Vinny knew that.


    Damien knew that.


    They all knew that.


    But even knowing, it didn¡¯t change the fact that what Damien said to the others was what he truly believed. Using the gem was something that should be avoided and especially using it on people who didn¡¯t know of its existence. Had he been aware of the idea before it happened, he would have stood his ground against helping Brad Fischer pass his test. It was such a meaningless and benign problem that magic shouldn¡¯t have been used to solve it. Eric, Lilly, and Vinny seemed to overlook the fact that what they had wasn¡¯t some toy they could be using however they wanted. They didn¡¯t know a damn thing about it. The stone was a complete enigma and it truly did terrify him.


    Four and a half months had already passed since Eric first found the gem and there had still been no discoveries about where it came from, whose it was, or why it was in that cave. Eric seemed confident that there was nothing to fear, but Damien knew he was basing that confidence off of his mother¡¯s old fantastical stories about magical worlds the likes of which were only supposed to exist in fairy tales. Eric Reiner saw the world through rose-colored glasses and so, he continuously refrained from believing that the stone could be dangerous. He saw it as a method with which he could help others and, as honorable as it was, it was foolish.


    It was because he felt this way that Damien was relieved that Eric took his side in the argument with Vinny, though he wasn¡¯t stupid enough to think it was because they shared the same values. The real reason Eric didn¡¯t hand the stone to Vinny was simply because they all knew their friend was acting primarily on emotion. If he had the stone, there was no telling what he might do to Rina and Evan.


    Vinny Mickelson despised bullying and Damien understood why. After all, Vinny didn¡¯t used to be the upbeat and joking boy that he was now. In the past, he was an angry and quick-to-violence person who had lost much of his faith in humanity. He saw people as evil and he never had any problems standing up to them, sometimes even losing his cool when he did. That personality had, thankfully, started to vanish with time until there was almost no trace of it left. But, with everything that was transpiring with Alice, parts of that old persona were showing again. It was something Eric was probably afraid of and that was why he opted to refrain from using the gem. In fact, Damien wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Eric intended to make a move himself, or even with the help of Lilly, who he knew was also desperate to do something for her friend.


    Damien glanced over his shoulder to see the two of them standing beside the lockers, talking in hushed tones as they collected their things. Liz had already gone home so it was just the three of them left. Damien had considered leaving as well but, after thinking things through, decided there was more he wanted to discuss with them.


    ¡°Hey, Eric,¡± he called out, drawing the attention of the two of them.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± the taller boy replied. ¡°What is it, Damien?¡±


    He swallowed, knowing that by asking what he wanted to ask, it would essentially be him admitting that he didn¡¯t trust Eric, but he still couldn¡¯t help himself. The fact of the matter was that he didn¡¯t trust him.


    ¡°Look, man,¡± he began, ¡°I was just¡­wondering if you could give me the stone, at least until this all blows over?¡±


    He saw Lilly¡¯s expression shift to one of surprise but Eric hardly reacted. All he did was smile in a way that was almost sad.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m going to do something?¡± he asked with a soft smile. ¡°You think I¡¯m going to use the stone to help Alice?¡±


    Damien nodded, not averting his eyes from his friend¡¯s, wanting to at least do him the respect of facing him as he spoke.


    ¡°I do,¡± he stated. ¡°And I¡¯m standing firmly by my statement that I don¡¯t want it used. I don¡¯t want you guys to get hurt and I really don¡¯t want Rina and Evan getting involved in this mess. It¡¯s a disaster waiting to happen.¡±


    ¡°But Damien,¡± Lilly started to protest. ¡°Eric already said he wasn¡¯t going to use it. Do you think he¡¯s lying?¡±


    The boy sighed, eyeing Eric for a moment longer but, when Eric simply chuckled, he turned his attention to Lilly.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s possible,¡± he admitted. ¡°I¡¯ve known Eric for a very long time, Lilly, and so I know that he would go to the ends of the earth to help those in need and honestly, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a completely bad thing. As it is, this club wouldn¡¯t exist if Eric wasn¡¯t the type to hold out his hand to help people. So, I know Eric isn¡¯t going to just stand by and let Alice take this. He won¡¯t give the stone to Vinny but that doesn''t mean he doesn¡¯t intend to use it.¡±


    Lilly was staring at him, clearly conflicted, before turning to look up at Eric.


    ¡°A-and¡­? Are you...planning to use it?¡± she stuttered.


    Eric smirked and shrugged, speaking instead to Damien. ¡°I appreciate all the compliments, my friend, but I do have to disappoint you here. I have no intention of using the stone. There¡¯s nothing I can do for her, whether I like it or not. At the end of the day, Vinny¡¯s the only one with the mindset to use that stone on either Davens or Wright.¡±


    Damien didn¡¯t think he was lying and the way Eric spoke sounded genuine.


    ¡°So then¡­?¡± Damien began, ¡°Would you give it to me? Will you do me that much just to ease my mind?¡±


    His old friend seemed to hesitate for a moment, making him wonder if he had misjudged Eric and the boy was lying. However, after a second of thought, he simply sighed, slid his backpack from his shoulder, and unzipped the front pocket. Lilly still seemed conflicted on the matter but she didn¡¯t protest any further. The two of them waited as Eric rummaged around in the pocket, his expression turning all of a sudden confused, sending a chill down Damien¡¯s spine.


    ¡°Eric?¡± he pressed. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°The gem,¡± he muttered. ¡°It¡¯s...not here. I...could¡¯ve sworn I put it in this pocket.¡±


    Damien and Lilly both exhaled sharply, their eyes widening in horror.


    ¡°You mean it¡¯s gone?¡± she exclaimed.


    Eric dropped his backpack to the floor and began rummaging through the other pockets, but Damien had the unnerving feeling that it was futile. Something in his gut told him that the stone had been stolen once again, and that the culprit was either Vinny or Jay, the ones who were in support of using it. Damien cursed, turning on his heel and sprinting back in the direction of the club, the realization that if either did steal it then they would try to run as soon as possible. He heard the other two call after him, but he ignored them, determined not to let them get away with stealing from Eric. When the door came into view, he wasted no time pulling it open and storming inside.


    ¡°Vinny?¡± he snapped furiously.


    However, upon taking in the room, he couldn¡¯t help but to exhale sharply.


    No¡­ No, don¡¯t tell me¡­ It couldn¡¯t be! She¡­


    The room was empty with the exception of a single girl sitting atop the desk Vinny had been sitting at, a sad smile on her face as they looked into each other¡¯s eyes. He didn¡¯t even have to ask to know what this meant. He could tell just by her expression that it wasn¡¯t Vinny or even Jay that stole the stone but the girl sitting before him. There was no sign of the gem and, despite knowing it could be in her pockets, his instincts told him that it was already gone.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Damien,¡± Liz whispered softly.


    He clenched his teeth, knowing that Vinny and Jay might still be in the school. Shoving down the unbridled fury and pain that was now coursing through him, he slowly turned, said nothing to his girlfriend, and sprinted in the direction of the staircase.


    ***


    Yeah...that¡¯s about what I expected, Liz thought weakly. But damn...I still wasn¡¯t ready for it.


    The horrified look of betrayal in Damien¡¯s eyes was something she knew she would never forget. He hadn¡¯t even said a word to her before turning around to pursue Vinny and Jay though she knew that it was futile. There had been a good five minutes between the boys leaving and Damien¡¯s arrival. Once they got out of the school, Damien wouldn¡¯t have any way of finding them. Even if he waited for Vinny at his house, by the time he returned, the plan would be over. There was no longer anything Damien could do to stop Vinny and she knew her boyfriend knew that. Yet, true to his nature, he was still going to try. It was one of the things she loved and respected about him. She hoped he would be able to forgive her once it was all over but she knew that thinking was selfish. She betrayed him and he knew that.


    But I couldn¡¯t just leave Alice hanging, Liz thought. I understand Damien¡¯s worries but he¡¯s never experienced what it¡¯s like to be in Alice¡¯s and my situations. To be hated by others simply because of who you care about, to have to endure the social rejection it comes with every day.


    Liz struggled with it, even if she wouldn¡¯t allow the others to see it. Damien in particular would blame himself if he understood what their relationship did to her.


    And yet, what happens to me is nothing compared to what has happened and what could happen to Alice if this is left unchecked. We need to act quickly. Damien knows it but he can¡¯t get past his fear of the gem, something I understand. I can¡¯t say I¡¯m not afraid of what its existence could mean. He¡¯s not wrong...but I don¡¯t think I¡¯m wrong either.


    After a few moments, the door to the clubroom was pushed open and Eric and Lilly rushed in, the former looking tired, as if he had just sprinted there. When they saw Liz sitting there, waiting for them, Lilly looked back in surprise. Eric, however, remained completely neutral.


    ¡°L-Liz?¡± Lilly stuttered. ¡°What are you doing here? I thought you went home? Where¡¯s Vinny? I¡­?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s gone out to deal with Davens and Wright,¡± Liz answered, eyeing Eric as she said it. ¡°He¡¯s going to use the stone to put this whole situation behind us.¡±


    Lilly¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°You mean¡­? He actually did steal it?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Liz said with a shake of her head. ¡°I did.¡±


    The girl¡¯s shock only increased with those simple words but, not wanting to listen to her protests, Liz immediately continued.


    ¡°Damien¡¯s already gone after them,¡± she told her. ¡°But Vinny and Jay have a significant headstart. He might need your speed, Lilly.¡±


    Her friend just stood there in silence, as if struggling to process what had happened, before taking a sudden step back. Doing as Liz expected her to, Lilly¡¯ features filled with determination as she turned and sprinted back through the door, leaving Liz and Eric alone in the room. The boy sighed and turned his back so as to follow after her but stopped in his tracks when Liz called after her.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a situation where I can just give you the stone,¡± Liz said, reiterating what Eric had told Vinny earlier in the clubroom. ¡°That¡¯s a very curious way of phrasing that, freindo.¡±


    Eric didn¡¯t even turn his head when he responded. ¡°I fail to see your point, dear Liz.¡±


    The girl shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°My point? Who really knows. Although, I will say that you ought to be more responsible, Reiner. Zipping your backpack pockets up is a good habit to get into. Things can fall out when they¡¯re left open.¡±


    ¡°Noted.¡±


    That was the only word Eric spoke before proceeding forward and leaving her once again alone in the room However, Liz couldn¡¯t help but to laugh.


    Eric, you bastard. I expect your help cleaning this mess up when this is all said and done with.

 Chapter 24 Part 1- Itching for a Fight

    Chapter XXIV Part I


    Every day after school since football season ended, Evan Wright would go out to the track with his football buddies and do some exercise drills. Even though he had basketball practice in the morning, he still liked to do the extra work to keep his body as strong and fit as it was. He took pride in the way he looked and the extra drills after school was exactly what he wanted to keep himself fit and even perhaps improve his body. After all, not only had his appearance attracted plenty of girls in the past, but it also kept other guys from standing up to them. They all knew he was better than them and that, if they tried to take him on, they¡¯d get their ass beat. The thought made him recall the look of fear on the face of Jay Brooks nearly an hour and a half earlier when he and Steven had cornered the boy. After all, there wasn¡¯t a single doubt in anybody¡¯s mind that Brooks wouldn¡¯t have been able to take even one of them, let alone both. Had Damien Clark not arrived and scared Steven off, the curly-haired shit would have probably wound up crying on the concrete for making his move on Rina.


    Evan scoffed, glancing over his shoulder to where Steven was gathering some of his things from the bleachers. He was waiting for his friend by the gate so they could take their usual route home but part of him just felt like ditching him. He still couldn¡¯t get over how much of a coward Steven was when confronted by Clark. Evan knew the rumors about him were all exaggerations that everybody took far too seriously. All it would take was one chance to beat the shit out of the fuck to show everybody that Damien Clark wasn¡¯t anybody they had to fear. Even with Brooks around, Evan was certain they could have taken them both if Steven hadn¡¯t run with his tail between his legs.


    Finally, the tall, broad-shouldered red-head turned and descended the bleachers before landing on the snow-covered track and making his way over to the iron fence and the school¡¯s gate where Evan was standing.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get out of here,¡± Steven grunted. ¡°I gotta get home and do that fuckin¡¯ history essay.¡±


    Evan scoffed, as they walked out onto the street of the neighborhood, eyeing his friend irritably. ¡°You¡¯re actually going to do that? Man, fuck that. I¡¯m not wasting my time on some stupid-ass paper. Who cares about all that unification shit.¡±


    He expected the other boy to agree with him but, as he had been doing lately, Steven instead frowned.


    ¡°I mean, I hear you, dude, but like, it is kinda interesting,¡± he replied. ¡°I mean, you can¡¯t deny that it¡¯s impressive how only a handful of people could unify an entire continent. I think if you actually read the book then you might enjoy some of it.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± Evan snapped. ¡°So what? You¡¯re a goddamn book nerd now? Give me a break. Don¡¯t tell me you give a fuck about grades now, too? ¡°


    Steven shook his head. ¡°As if, man. I¡¯m not any good at school. I¡¯m going to fail anyway, but I¡¯m just sayin¡¯ that it¡¯s not all bad.¡±


    ¡°Sure, whatever,¡± he growled. ¡°Next thing you know, you¡¯re going to be going to Fischer¡¯s stupid fucking tutor, too, huh? Gonna become a pussy like him?¡±


    Steven snorted, sticking his hands in his pockets as he looked around at the decorated houses on either side of them, their footsteps crunching in the blanket of snow that covered the sidewalk.


    ¡°Dude, shut up,¡± Steven spat.


    Even though Steven might deny it, Evan knew that Brad¡¯s recent interest in class was starting to rub off on not just him, but the whole team. Ever since he started studying with Ellie Kaylyn from the soccer team, some of the other football guys had begun putting more effort into school, leaving Evan as the only one left who still knew classes to be the waste of time that they actually were. If his parents weren¡¯t such controlling maniacs then he knew he probably wouldn¡¯t bother even showing up. If he could slip around his ridiculously strict father then he absolutely would. However, his old man had eyes like a hawk and so, he hadn¡¯t found a way to sneak out without him knowing.


    ¡°So,¡± Evan hissed, wanting to change the subject to what he actually wanted to talk about. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe Clark made you piss your pants, Steven. I¡¯ve never seen you run like that before.¡±


    Steven immediately turned a glare upon him, one Evan met with a challenging look of his own.


    ¡°I already told you, Even,¡± he snarled. ¡°I am not getting wrapped up with Damien Clark. Brooks wasn¡¯t worth it. He¡¯s just a pathetic little weasel! Like hell I¡¯m going to fight Clark for an ugly little shit like him!¡±


    ¡°Why not?!¡± Evan demanded. ¡°I was there! We could¡¯ve ganged up on his ass and left him bloody on the ground where people like him belong. I can¡¯t fucking believe how many of you supposed ¡®tough guys¡¯ shit yourselves over that lousy little bastard! Where¡¯s your fuckin¡¯ pride.¡±


    Steven scowled, turning away from Evan. ¡°You didn¡¯t go to middle school with us, Evan. You don¡¯t know Damien Clark. He coulda taken us, no fucking problem. I¡¯ve seen him throw down with more and win and that was five damn years ago! I am not about to find out how much he¡¯s improved since then! So get over yourself and leave Clark alone.¡±


    With that, the red haired boy increased his pace without even a ¡°see ya¡± and rounded a corner that would take him a different path home. Evan watched after him in disgust, finding himself tempted just to go and track Clark down for the sole purpose of kicking his ass and showing everybody how utterly stupid they all were. However, he knew that he should just leave it be for the time being. If he got his ass suspended, or even arrested, then he would have hell to pay with his father. He might be okay breaking the rules but he was determined never to get caught. That was the only thing keeping him from taking Clark on.


    Evan sighed, noticing a small pathway between two houses that he knew would be a shortcut to his house through the woods that encircled the western side of Wilham. It was his normal route and, since the sun was already setting and, combined with the overcast sky, would make it hard to see soon, he figured he needed to hurry home. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he made his way toward the dirt path and began following it into the mass of trees beyond. The snow crunched even louder under his feet since the path was one less traveled on and thus, was still mostly covered in white powder. The trees spread out on either side of him with pale streetlamps already activated and casting some light upon the road. Normally, Steven would have gone with him but, given their argument, he was perfectly fine walking on his own. He didn¡¯t want to have to keep listening to Steven whining about how scary Clark was.


    The only sound came from his feet in the otherwise silent woods so he simply focussed on the soft footsteps, letting his mind wander as he did. It was because he was paying some attention to the sounds of his steps that he immediately noticed a second set just up ahead. Evan scowled, figuring it was someone who lived nearby out for a walk so he raised his head to glare at them as a warning to leave him alone when he suddenly stopped in surprise.


    ¡°Good afternoon, dear Evan,¡± Vinny Mickelson called out, a wicked grin on his face. The blonde boy was standing nearly thirty yards ahead of him, firmly in his way.


    Evan couldn''t help but to smirk. He¡¯d been itching for a fight all day and now, there Mickelson was, standing before him in a part of the woods where they were the only ones around. It was like the boy was begging to get his ass beat, something Evan was absolutely willing to take him up on.


    ¡°The fuck you want, Mickelson?¡± Evan spat.


    The other boy shrugged, glancing around as if to ensure they were alone.


    ¡°Good question,¡± he replied. ¡°Well, I suppose there¡¯s a lot I want. I want money. I want A¡¯s. Oh, and I¡¯d like to see you drop down on one knee and kiss my boot like the little shit-stain you are.¡±


    Evan couldn¡¯t help but to laugh mirthlessly.


    He really is challenging me. Good.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Evan growled. ¡°Well then, come and fuckin¡¯ make me, why don¡¯t you? You think you¡¯re invincible just because you¡¯re buddies with Clark? You think you can walk right up to me and say whatever the fuck you want? Well, I¡¯m not scared of Clark and I¡¯m absolutely not scared of a wimp like you. So why don¡¯t you¡ª!¡±


    Without warning, Mickelson pulled his hand back and threw something directly at him. The boy jumped to the side despite whatever it was flying way past his head. When Evan turned back to look, he saw a little acorn laying in the snow. He gritted his teeth and was about to turn and charge his opponent when he realized that Mickelson had already begun sprinting off the path and into the trees.


    ¡°Oh like hell you¡¯re gonna get away!¡±


    Evan took off after him, knowing full well that Mickelson wouldn¡¯t be able to outrun him. He was on the football team and the other boy looked like he had never played a sport in his life with how scrawny he was. He could see Mickelson just up ahead, dodging and weaving through trees as he tried to make his escape, but Evan was quickly gaining ground on him. Within a minute, he would almost assuredly be right on top of him. Evan¡¯s predictions seemed to be almost spot on as, after nearly thirty seconds, Mickelson was barely ten yards away. However, something happened that he hadn¡¯t expected.


    Just up ahead, Evan could make out a rickety old wooden house that Mickelson was obviously making a b-line for. He didn¡¯t know what it was or why the boy would be trying to go there but he knew that, even if the whole Magic Club was there to ambush him, it wouldn¡¯t matter. He¡¯d beat the shit out of all of them without a second thought. In fact, part of him hoped Mickelson was leading him to an ambush so he could do just that. Part of his suspicion was confirmed when the blonde boy turned and bounded up a decaying porch and toward the shack¡¯s front door, which he immediately ran into. Evan was only seconds behind him, jumping over the two steps of the porch and stalking through the doorway.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    There was a small entry hall just in front of him that probably led into a main room just ahead. There was no sign of Mickelson so, unless he jumped out of a window, he should be just up ahead. When Evan dashed forward and into the next room, he found the boy waiting for him, leaning up against the opposite wall, out of breath. Evan expected there to be something waiting for him but the room was empty of both people and furniture, with the exception of one wooden chair just beside Mickelson. What Evan was most weary of was a small hallway to his right that he knew could have others waiting within. Otherwise, it was obvious the shack was abandoned.


    ¡°Thought you could fuckin¡¯ run?¡± Evan hissed. ¡°Like hell, you little shit. I¡¯m so gonna kill you now. You¡¯re going to regret ever being born.¡±


    He expected Mickelson to show at least some fear but, having appeared to have caught his breath, the boy merely smiled.


    ¡°Oh really?¡± he asked. ¡°Me? I¡¯m gonna regret being born? I seriously doubt it. In fact, I think you¡¯re the one who¡¯s going to regret it.¡±


    Evan snorted, hearing the sound of footsteps coming from the hallway as if Mickelson¡¯s words had been the cue to enter. When he turned to look, he found himself almost disappointed. Rather than being somebody like Clark, the one who walked out of the hallway was none other than the boy from earlier, Jay Brooks.


    ¡°Hey there, Wright,¡± Brooks said, with a slight shake to his voice. ¡°Good to see you again. It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    Evan eyed the newcomer with a cocked eyebrow. ¡°And? Am I supposed to be intimidated by a fucker who looks like a little girl? Is this loser really all you have for backup, Mickelson? I could take you both with my eyes closed!¡±


    The blonde boy shrugged. ¡°Then, by all means, do it.¡±


    With that, Brooks sprung forward, his first clenched in preparation of attacking Evan. At the same time, Mickelson darted forward as well, both preparing to converge on him at once. While he didn¡¯t think either posed much of a threat, he decided to prepare for Brooks first since he was closer. So, he turned to meet him head on, bringing his arms up to block the oncoming blow. However, he found himself surprised when, rather than throwing a punch, Brooks spread his arms wide and wrapped them around him as if trying to give him a hug. Evan reacted quickly, pulling his fist up to shove it into Brooks¡¯ gut but, just as he was about to, he saw Mickelson¡¯s fist fly toward his face from the left. He lunged forward, trying to shove Brooks and avoid Mickelson but, just as he was about to, something unexpected happened.


    The entire world vanished and he was enveloped in a sea of white.


    What the fuck?! What¡¯s happening?!


    He tried to move but found himself without a body, suspended in the senseless world. Just as the panic and confusion were about to set in completely, he found himself once again standing in the cabin. He blinked, his vision slightly blurry, as he tried to get his bearings but, before he could even try to process what happened, he felt an excruciating pain shoot through his head and before he knew it, he was laying on the ground.


    ¡°Wha¡ª!¡± he sputtered.


    He tried to react but was suddenly grabbed by the collar of his uniform and hurled upwards. Before he knew it, he was sitting on a wooden surface that he could only assume was the chair.


    ¡°Now!¡± he heard someone call.


    He opened his mouth to speak but, before he could say anything, something sticky was pressed over it, preventing him from making any sound aside from muffled grunts. Then, deciding he should try and move, he tried to get up but was shoved back into the chair as his arms were yanked back behind it. He felt a painful sensation against his wrists and suddenly, he found them bound together and he knew his hands had been tied together.


    What the fuck?! What¡¯s happening?! What did Mickelson do?!


    As the pain gradually began to lessen, his vision got more defined, giving him the chance he needed to gather his bearings. However, when he finally looked up at the two boys before him, his eyes went wide. What he was staring at was utterly impossible. It couldn¡¯t have been real and part of him wondered if he had a concussion that was causing him to hallucinate.


    ¡°I promise that you aren¡¯t hallucinating,¡± the boy before him said, as if reading his mind. ¡°This is as real as anything else. After all, Wright, we have always said we have magic. Now, you¡¯re just getting to see it with your own eyes. Lucky you.¡±


    Standing there, in front of Jay Brooks, was himself, eyeing him with a look so smug that a part of him knew what it was that must have happened. But he couldn¡¯t fathom it being real. After all, it was absurd. The Magic Club was a bunch of psych ward patients allowed to run freely around the school. They couldn¡¯t have been telling the truth.


    ¡°Brooks,¡± his body said. ¡°Get our guest a mirror.¡±


    Brooks sighed, reaching into the pocket of his pants to produce a small, circular hand mirror that he immediately held up to Evan¡¯s face. And what he saw made his blood go cold.


    The face in the mirror wasn¡¯t his. It was Mickelson¡¯s.


    Through some impossible method, Vinny Mickelson stole his body.


    ***


    For a while, Evan struggled helplessly to get out of the chair but, to Jay¡¯s relief, the rope they had picked up from the hardware store on their way there was strong enough to keep him in place for the time being despite how relatively cheap it was. In addition, he wouldn¡¯t be able to call for help due to the duct tape Vinny had placed over his mouth so, even if they hadn¡¯t been in the middle of the woods, nobody would have heard him. Then there was the fact that Vinny wasn''t a physical threat so, by sticking Evan in his body, it diminished the boy¡¯s strength by a significant amount. Overall, Evan had fallen into their trap so easily that Jay might have found it funny had he not been feeling like he was about to throw up.


    He glanced over his shoulder to see Vinny in Evan¡¯s body, on the phone talking to Rina in the corner of the room. While Vinny didn¡¯t talk exactly like Evan, it was close enough that anybody unaware of the gem¡¯s existence wouldn¡¯t be able to tell that he wasn¡¯t who he claimed to be. Until Vinny put the next step of his plan into action, Rina Davens would be clueless. Yet, it was that next step that made Jay want to curl up in the corner and die. It was such a horrible thing to do to her that he wanted to convince Vinny not to. Regardless of what Rina had done, she was still someone he had once considered a friend, and he wasn¡¯t sure he could live with what was about to happen in his conscience. But when he expressed his worries to Vinny, the boy had given him a stern look and said,


    ¡°You need to push those feelings aside, Brooks. Think about what Rina is willing to do to Alice. Think about how, not two hours ago, she accused you of trying to molest her right in front of her boyfriend, knowing full well that he would beat your ass. The only reason you¡¯re okay is because Damien was watching over you. Otherwise, you¡¯d have a black eye or something worse right now. Don¡¯t forget that.¡±


    As Vinny¡¯s words replayed in his mind, Jay couldn¡¯t help but to grind his teeth in frustration. He knew that the boy was right and that he shouldn¡¯t feel bad but, after hearing what Vinny intended to do to her, he just couldn¡¯t bring himself to accept it. He was about to be an accomplice in something terrible but, now, he was too deep into the plan to back out. After buying what they needed from the nearby hardware store, they had successfully lured Evan to the shack and stolen his body. Now, the boy would be unable to stop them and they could deal with Rina, assuming she took the bait. Soon, Alice would be okay and the problem would be resolved. He just had to bite his tongue and endure it.


    But how am I supposed to just endure this? he asked himself once again. And to do it all here...in this place.


    He looked away from Vinny and turned his attention to the rickety old house. He hadn¡¯t been there in years and he had tried his best not to think about it. It was a place from his past that no longer held anything happy for him to come to. When they were younger, it was where he, Alice, Rina, and Audrey would sneak off to play. It was a hideout of sorts and he could recall so many days where they would sneak into the abandoned house to play. When Vinny asked if he knew of anywhere secluded, his thoughts had come to this place¡ªa place he hadn¡¯t visited since before everything fell apart.


    And now...in our hideout, I¡¯m plotting to help Vinny do something horrible to Rina. God...no matter what I do, I¡¯m always utterly pathetic. Why am I even having second thoughts? Rina shouldn¡¯t mean anything to me anymore. I should hate her. If I have to hurt her to protect Alice then I should be willing to do so. So why? Why can¡¯t I accept this?


    He looked back over at Vinny, seeing the determination in his eyes.


    He¡¯s the one Alice needs. Not me. Mickelson is willing to go to hell for her. I can¡¯t even betray somebody hurting Alice. Maybe...she¡¯ll be better off with him. Maybe she doesn¡¯t need me anymore...if she ever really did.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll see you in a moment,¡± Vinny said before pocketing the phone and looking back at Jay with a smug smirk that was fitting on Evan¡¯s features. ¡°She said she¡¯s home alone and will be for most of the night. We¡¯re good to go, Brooks.¡±


    He swallowed nervously, having partly hoped that something would stand in the way of Vinny¡¯s plan.


    ¡°Great,¡± he replied weakly. ¡°Then are you taking off?¡±


    Vinny nodded, glancing past Jay to where Evan was now sitting quietly in the chair, staring down at ground as if still in utter shock.


    ¡°I am,¡± the boy said firmly. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with Rina and we can put this whole mess behind us. All you need to do is keep an eye on Evan until I get back.¡±


    Jay nodded. ¡°And then? What are you going to do with him after this is over? I understand how you¡¯re going to manipulate Rina, but Wright won¡¯t be so easy.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I disagree.¡± Vinny then moved past him and walked up to where Evan was sitting stuck in the wooden chair. The big boy slowly raised his head, his eyes narrowed in such intense hatred that, had he not been bound, Jay wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if he tried to murder Vinny. ¡°You still conscious, Wright?¡±


    Evan didn¡¯t make any indication that he had heard Vinny but, based on his glare, it was clear to them both that he was listening. So, Vinny continued.


    ¡°I hope you understand what this means,¡± he said. ¡°Everybody at school laughs at us, mocks us, belittles us...all because we believe in magic. They all think we¡¯re a bunch of dumbasses but, what do you know? We actually tell the truth and now, you know we aren¡¯t just talk. All it takes is a snap of my finger and your body is mine, and...unfortunately for you, nobody would ever believe you if you told them. So, do yourself a favor and keep this quiet. As long as you leave Alice and everybody else in our club alone, including Brooks, then we won¡¯t have a problem.¡± The expression in Vinny¡¯s eyes then turned harsher as his tone darkened. ¡°And if you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll just steal your body and ruin your life in ways you could never even imagine. Is that clear?¡±


    For a second, Jay thought he saw a flash of fear in Evan¡¯s eyes as he looked up at himself. Part of the plan was to ensure that Evan never saw the gem so they could lead him to think that they could just swap with him as they pleased. That way, Evan would be completely ignorant about how the power works, allowing them to manipulate him however they pleased.


    ¡°Good,¡± Vinny said, before turning and looking back at Jay. ¡°Keep an eye on him, Brooks. I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    With that sharp goodbye, Vinny stalked past him and out of the room, making his way toward the door of the shack, leaving Jay alone with Evan Wright. Now that Vinny was gone, Jay knew there would never be any going back. He was consigned to forever have this weighing over him and there was nothing he could do.


    Without even looking at Evan, Jay turned and made his way into the hallway leading to the singular room in the back of the shack. He knew it was irresponsible to put Evan out of his sight but he couldn¡¯t help it. He couldn¡¯t allow the other boy to see him break.


    Losing all control over his emotions, Jay Brooks collapsed to the ground and began crying silently, feeling the tears flowing down his cheeks before he had the chance to stop them.


    I¡¯m such a loser¡­

 Chapter 24 Part 2- His Tainted Heart

    Chapter XXIV Part II


    When Vinny pulled the car into Rina¡¯s driveway, he couldn¡¯t help but to marvel at how plain her house was. There were no decorations for the holiday hung outside and the color scheme was just a simple white and gray. If it wasn¡¯t his destination, he would never have paid it a single thought. There weren¡¯t any cars in the driveway, convincing him that Rina hadn¡¯t lied on the phone that her parents really weren¡¯t home. He would have plenty of privacy to break her and leave her so terrified of him that she would never even think about going near Alice again. To him, Rina Davens was utterly pathetic¡ªa waste of space in their quaint little town. At least Evan was upfront about it. Vinny might despise the guy, but he could at least respect the fact that he owned up to his actions. Rina was a guilty, lying little bitch who denied all involvement and tried to set her boyfriend on Jay after lying about him. She was a coward and a bully and so, he had no qualms about what he was about to do. Those feelings were only intensified by the knowledge that she used to be Alice¡¯s friend. She betrayed Alice, so she was bringing it on herself.


    Vinny grimaced, once again noticing just how uncomfortable he felt in Evan¡¯s body. Initially, he had believed it was just a psychological reaction to being in the body of somebody he hated so much, however, he was now realizing that wasn¡¯t the case. There was something wrong with Evan physically, and Vinny wasn¡¯t sure why that was or what was causing it. Had he not been in such a rush, he might have tried to figure out what was wrong, but he had more important matters to deal with.


    Glancing once more in the rearview mirror of Evan¡¯s car to make sure he looked like everything was normal, he then pushed open the door and stepped out into the snow. Rina lived on the opposite side of town, closer to the coast, so he had been forced to go to Evan¡¯s house and swipe his car, finding himself lucky that the boy¡¯s keys were in his bag. Confident that everything would go as planned, Vinny closed the car door and made his way up the driveway and to the house¡¯s porch. He rapped his knuckles on the door a few times and then stepped back, sticking his hands in the pockets of his uniform so he could wrap his left fingers around The Switch. Moments later, the door opened.


    He did everything he could not to scowl. Rina stood before him, still dressed in her school uniform with her hair tied up in a ponytail, smiling like she was happy to see him. It was such a jarring expression since she had only ever sneered and scowled at him in the past. Just the fact that she was happy to see a scumfuck like Evan Wright was enough to convince him that she was pathetic.


    ¡°Hey, Evan,¡± she greeted, albeit a little hesitant. ¡°Come on in.¡±


    ¡°Sup,¡± he grunted, mimicking Evan¡¯s usual tone. ¡°How¡¯s it goin¡¯, Rina?¡±


    When he walked into her house, he found the entry room to be as bland as the rest of the house. Aside from a few pictures hanging on the wall depicting a young Rina and her family, there was hardly any decor at all.


    ¡°It¡¯s going okay,¡± she replied, a brief flash of nervousness going across her features. ¡°Um, I guess you probably wanted to talk about the whole thing with Jay earlier but, I swear to god that I didn¡¯t believe him when he said you were talking about me.¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah, sure,¡± Vinny replied, deciding just to go along with her so as to not arouse suspicion.


    The girl moved to lead him further into the house and he went to follow when suddenly, his eyes were drawn to one of the pictures on the wall. It displayed four young children in swimsuits at some public pool. The kids were all around six years old and yet he found that he instantly recognized three of them. It was Jay, Rina, Alice, and some other girl that Vinny had never heard any of them mention.


    Fucking bitch, he thought with a pang of fury. You have the gall to go after Alice while still keeping a picture of her up in your house? How disgusting can you be?


    He turned and followed after Rina, making a mental note to ask Jay about the third girl when he got a chance. Rina¡¯s main living room was nothing special either. There were two couches and a television mounted to the wall with a kitchen connected to the opposite side. At the very least, there was a Christmas tree up in the corner, though the decorations on it were boring white lights and a few bulbs. He didn¡¯t even see any stockings hanging anywhere.


    I can¡¯t tell if she celebrates Christmas or not, he thought.


    ¡°So?¡± Rina asked softly, turning back to face him. ¡°You want to sit down or¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine,¡± he interrupted, clutching the gem in his pocket as he prepared to make his move. He slowly took a step toward her, knowing he would need to cross the few feet to her in an instant before she could react. ¡°Actually, Rina...I¡¯m not here to talk about Brooks.¡±


    She cocked her head in surprise. ¡°What do you mean? What else would you be¡­?¡±


    He didn¡¯t let her finish before he pushed off the ground with his right foot, darting toward her and, before she could react, he placed his right hand over her eyes and used his left hand to press the gem into her hand. As he expected, he was immediately thrown into the formless world of white but, having swapped plenty of times in the past four months, he was used to it. He was prepared for when he returned to Rina¡¯s living room to find his vision dark from Evan¡¯s hand over his eyes. He reacted instantly, yanking the stone from her grip and shoving it into his skirt pocket. Then, without even taking the time to think about his new body, he grabbed Rina¡¯s shoulders and jammed his knee into her stomach. The girl, now in Evan¡¯s body, immediately dropped to the ground with a grunt, her hand falling from Vinny¡¯s face and giving him the chance to get his bearings.


    He was now where Rina had been standing moments earlier and, once he looked down at his body, he knew as a fact that the swap had been a success. Even having prepared himself mentally for it, having now actually experienced what it felt like to swap bodies with a girl, he realized just how strange of a feeling it actually was. His body was far smaller and lighter while his skin felt softer. He was no longer wearing pants but a short skirt that went down to his knees. However, knowing he had other matters to attend to, he forced the foreign feelings from his mind and turned to look down at Rina, groaning on the ground as she clutched her stomach.


    ¡°Look up,¡± he commanded, the higher octave of his voice throwing him off for just a brief second. ¡°Look at me, Davens.¡±


    ¡°Ev¡­ Wha?¡±


    Seeming to be trying to breathe, Rina lifted her head and stared up at him. The look of horror and surprise was very similar to the one he had received from Evan nearly a half hour earlier and he took as much joy in it this time as he did the first. Vinny couldn¡¯t help but to laugh as she wordlessly opened and closed her mouth.


    ¡°You¡¯re not hallucinating,¡± he said sharply. ¡°Nor is this a dream. What you¡¯re looking at is your own body, which I stole. And if you look down, you¡¯ll see that you¡¯re in Evan¡¯s body. It¡¯s all very much real.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± she sputtered.


    However, upon hearing her own voice, Rina¡¯s hand immediately went to her throat. When she strained to look down at her body, Vinny could only imagine the terror going through her mind. She was, after all, in the body of a disgusting human being.


    ¡°For the record, I¡¯m not Evan Wright,¡± Vinny continued. ¡°I¡¯m somebody else, though I¡¯m not telling you who. Although, given that I¡¯ve just used magic on you, it shouldn¡¯t be hard to narrow down the list of suspects.¡±


    At his words, her head snapped up again, her eyes wide as his words processed in her mind. The pain from getting kneed in the gut seemed to have eased up as her next words came out far clearer than before.


    ¡°The Magic Club?¡± she breathed.


    Vinny laughed mirthlessly. ¡°Bingo. Again though, you don¡¯t need to know which member I am. Just that I¡¯m one of them. And with that in mind, it¡¯s probably clear what I want.¡±


    There was recognition in her eyes. Even as she tried desperately to understand what he was doing, she was still able to piece together the reason he was there to torment her.


    ¡°Alice¡­¡± she stuttered. ¡°This is about Alice, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Obviously.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stop!¡± she shrieked desperately, pressing her head down into the ground as if trying to bow to him. ¡°I swear to god, I¡¯ll stop! I won¡¯t go near Alice ever again! I promise! I didn¡¯t want to hurt her in the first place, but Evan...he convinced me to do it! He said she deserved it and that it would hurt Vinny Mickelson, too! He told me it would be funny to see them so panicked and angry! I knew Alice wasn¡¯t bad, but...I just¡­ I wanted to¡­¡±


    Vinny stared down at her with a wicked smile on his face. He genuinely believed her. The tone of her voice made it sound like she couldn¡¯t be lying. It was too full of fear. Her account of what Evan said was something that didn¡¯t surprise him. She really was a pathetic pawn in it all, but that didn¡¯t change anything. She still did it and the fact that she knew it was wrong made her even worse. She went after an old friend of hers knowing full well it was wrong. Yet, looking at her, he couldn¡¯t help but to laugh once more. After all, he was watching the body of Evan Wright groveling before him, desperate and scared. How could he not feel on top of the world?


    ¡°I won¡¯t...hurt Alice again. I promise! Just don¡¯t leave me stuck like this!¡± she pleaded. ¡°I promise¡­¡±


    Vinny narrowed his eyes and clicked his tongue. ¡°Well, of course you say that now when I¡¯ve already got your body. But who¡¯s to say you keep that promise once I¡¯ve left? Who¡¯s to say you¡¯re not lying through your teeth just to get me to go away?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not! I promise!¡± she insisted.


    Most of him believed her, but he knew he couldn¡¯t take any risks. He needed confirmation that she would stay as far away from Alice and the others no matter what. So, even though he knew the other members would be furious if they found out what he intended to do, he was determined to do it anyway.


    What they don¡¯t know can¡¯t hurt them.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Keeping his eyes fixated on her, he reached one of his hands into the pocket without the stone and took hold of her phone. When he pulled it out, he found that it was password protected but also had a fingerprint lock.


    Well, good thing that¡¯s not a problem for me.


    He pressed his thumb against it, scowling at his long, painted red nail, and unlocked the phone before booting up her camera. When he didn¡¯t speak, she slowly raised her head to stare at him, her brow furrowed.


    ¡°Wha-what are you doing?¡± she uttered.


    He glanced down at her and smirked. Then, he set the phone down on the top of the couch and reached both hands up to the tie of her uniform, undoing it and pulling it off in one swift motion.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± she protested weakly.


    Again, he ignored her, sliding free of his light gray blazer before immediately going for the top buttons of his white dress shirt.


    ¡°Hold on a second, what are you doing?¡± Rina repeated.


    Vinny shrugged, then glanced back down at her with a cocky grin.


    ¡°Well, I thought I¡¯d take a few pictures,¡± he replied casually. ¡°That way, I always have something on me I can send out if you decide to go back on your promise.¡±


    ¡°Wait, no!¡± she shouted, slowly rising to her feet.


    Not bothering to hesitate, knowing that he could do whatever he pleased as long as she didn¡¯t know who he was, he sent her toppling back to the ground with a swift kick to her nose. Her head snapped backwards and she hit the carpet with a cry of pain. Since she was in Evan¡¯s body and he was in hers, he was significantly weaker than her now. If she tried to stop him, she would probably be able to. Therefore, it was in his best interests to keep her on the ground where she could only groan.


    ¡°You¡­ Please,¡± she uttered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I really...am.¡±


    For a second, as she looked up at him with those wide, pitiful eyes, he felt a twinge of guilt despite having already convinced himself that he was doing what he needed to do. But, he could only shake his head. He needed something that would keep Rina away from the club. If he didn¡¯t do something horrible enough to scare her out of her wits then he was wasting his time.


    Yeah, I¡¯m a monster. I¡¯ve known this for years. Being with Eric let me forget it for a time, but it¡¯s still in my nature. To protect the people I care about from scum like her, I¡¯ll throw myself into hell without batting an eye. I know the others would never like this, but that¡¯s why I¡¯m the one who has to do it.


    ¡°It was just one locker!¡± she suddenly shrieked when he didn¡¯t respond. ¡°I busted one locker! Evan ruined the desk! I don¡¯t...I don¡¯t deserve this! Please!¡±


    That time, he couldn¡¯t help but to turn a furious glare upon her.


    ¡°Just one locker?¡± he breathed. ¡°And the death threats you¡¯ve been sending her? What about those?¡±


    Her eyes somehow grew even wider at his words. ¡°Death threats? I¡­? No! I didn¡¯t! I¡­¡±


    ¡°So you didn¡¯t write ¡®kill yourself, slut¡¯ on her locker?¡± he growled.


    ¡°I¡­¡± He could see the pain in her eyes as she fell silent and he reveled in it.


    ¡°I thought so.¡±


    She just sat there, still, staring down at the ground and seeming like she was trying not to cry as he removed her clothes and stripped down to nothing. As each second passed, he expected her to try and stop him, but she seemed far too terrified to act. Instead, she remained motionless as he took the pictures he needed. When he finished, he sent them to his phone, deleted the message, and then tossed Rina¡¯s phone across the room.


    ¡°There,¡± he said simply. ¡°I have them now. If you so much as breathe on Alice or any of the club members, I¡¯ll send those out to the entire damn school. We¡¯ll see who everybody thinks is a slut then. We¡¯ll see how funny it is to be the one being sneered and laughed at. You hear me?¡±


    She nodded meekly. ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Good. Then we¡¯re done here,¡± he whispered. ¡°Close your eyes right now.¡±


    She flinched at his order but, much to his pleasure, she did as he ordered. He didn¡¯t bother putting her clothes back on. Instead, he reached into her skirt pocket and removed the gem before walking over to where she still crouched and pressing it against her neck. The world of white reclaimed his mind for those brief few seconds and, before he knew it, he was the one crouched on the ground. He could feel tears formed in his eyes as he quickly reached up and yanked the stone from Rina¡¯s hand before she knew what had happened. When he rose, she had already jumped away from him, trying desperately to cover what she could with her hands.


    ¡°Glad we¡¯ve come to an understanding,¡± he growled, before turning and walking back toward the front entrance. She never spoke another word nor did he want her to. He wanted her to quietly think about the situation she had gotten herself in.


    When he arrived back in the car, he sat down in the driver''s seat and sighed, irritated by the return of that uncomfortable sensation now that he was back as Evan. He furrowed his brow and, rather than getting ready to meet back up with Jay and reclaim his own body, he looked around the car. He recalled Eric saying something about the gem giving the user some implicit knowledge that belonged to the body rather than the consciousness. He was hoping it was something he might be able to use on command and, much to his surprise, he found himself drawn to a locked glove compartment just underneath the passenger''s side. Allowing his instincts to take him where he needed, he took his keys from his pocket and inserted one of the smallest ones into the keyhole. Both surprisingly and unsurprisingly, it popped open with ease and, laying inside, was something that he found himself staring at for a moment.


    There was something tucked deep in the back, probably put there by Evan to hide from his parents.


    It was then that he realized he was laughing. There was something so amusing to him about the fact that the gem led him right where he needed to be, like it was guiding him to his goal. It was almost too perfect.


    Oh Evan...you¡¯re so fucked.


    ***


    The previous day had been so stressful for Lilly that she found herself utterly exhausted on the following morning when she arrived at school. She, Eric, and Damien had spent much of the afternoon searching for Vinny but, after a few hours of looking, they were forced to stop because of how dark it got. They tried calling him numerous times but he never answered nor did he reply to the barrage of texts they sent his way. Jay had been ignoring them, too, and so, they did their best to think of places they might have gone. Damien went to Vinny¡¯s house to look for him while Eric and Lilly checked Ralph¡¯s Diner where Alice worked and Vinny now frequented. Yet, no matter how much they tried, they still came up short and Lilly was forced to return home having to accept that they would just have to talk to Vinny the following morning in first period.


    Having reached no resolution to the problem, Lilly spent most of the night stressing over what Vinny could possibly be doing with the stone to Rina and Evan. She knew he intended to use it against them in an effort to stop them from going after Alice, but she had no idea what he was actually going to do. In the past, she might have been calmer about the situation and trusted Vinny¡¯s judgment but, in the past few days, she had begun to see a darker side of him that she never knew existed and it made her worry about what he might be capable of.


    Then there was the situation with Liz to consider. Despite Eric and Damien both making it clear that they did not want to use the stone to solve the problem, she ignored them, stole it, and gave it to Vinny anyway. Damien refused to talk about it during their hunt but she could tell it was eating away at him. He must have been certain that Liz was on his side so Lilly could only imagine what internal conflicts he was going through. Even she couldn¡¯t say for certain what she thought of Liz¡¯s actions. The only thing she knew for certain was that, like Vinny, she thought she was doing the right thing. Whatever Vinny and Liz did, it was with the intention of helping Alice get through this.


    Lilly sighed, returning from her thoughts and to the present where she was sitting at the desk beside Eric in Mrs. Kentz¡¯s classroom. School wasn¡¯t going to start for another twenty minutes, but she knew Vinny liked to show up early. He could arrive at any minute and both were prepared to demand to know what happened when he finally entered that room. What made her anxiety even worse was that, when she looked around, there was no sign of Alice or even Evan in the back corner where Brad and his friends were sitting. The boy always showed up with Brad and the others so his absence given the previous day¡¯s circumstances was unsettling. She couldn¡¯t help but to tap her foot in impatience.


    ¡°Do not worry, Lilly,¡± Eric said softly, his eyes focused on the surface of his desk. ¡°Everything is going to be fine. Vinny will show up. We just have to wait.¡±


    She grimaced, leaning back in the seat but never taking her attention off the door.


    ¡°How can you be so calm about this, Eric?¡± she asked. ¡°Vinny stole the gem and ran. Who knows what he did to Evan or Rina. I mean, we know we can¡¯t trust them. If he used the stone on either of them then we now have to put up with the fact that they¡¯ll know and could probably be coming after us for revenge. How are we supposed to deal with that?¡±


    The boy shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll come to that. Vinny might have stolen the stone but he¡¯s not a fool. He¡¯ll cover his bases. I can¡¯t say for certain what he did but I trust him enough to believe that it won¡¯t be stupid.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too laid back,¡± she grumbled. ¡°Does anything ever worry you?¡±


    He laughed. ¡°Of course it does. I¡¯m only human, after all. The only difference between you and me is that I¡¯m better at hiding my fear than you are¡ªa skill that is not necessarily something I should brag about.¡±


    She frowned, wondering what could possibly bother somebody as confident and cheerful as him but, before she could ask him anything, the door swung open. She instantly sat up, desperately hoping it would be Vinny walking into the room. Yet, when she saw the two who were entering, she exhaled in surprise. Vinny was walking hand-in-hand with Alice who, despite everything that had been going on, was smiling.


    Lilly could hear Eric sit up and fold his hands across the desk and she figured he was waiting for the two to make their way over. Lilly knew she should rely on Eric and let him deal with it so she looked at him to gauge what he might do, when she found herself taken aback for the second time in only a few seconds. Eric¡¯s eyes were wide and his mouth was hanging open slightly as he regarded the two. It was such a stark shift from his casual tone mere seconds earlier that Lilly feared she was missing something.


    ¡°Eric?¡± she whispered.


    But he ignored her, instead jumping to his feet and facing Vinny with a fearful expression. When Lilly managed to look away from him and to the newcomers, she saw Alice heading toward her normal desk while Vinny was making his way toward Eric. Neither boy said anything to the other. Eric still seemed too stunned to talk while Vinny didn¡¯t seem to have any interest in doing so. The blonde boy merely reached into the pocket of his uniform and produced the small, orange gemstone. Then, he placed it on the desk¡¯s surface, nodded to the two of them, and made his way toward where Alice was already taking her seat in the corner of the room. Both Lilly and Eric watched him move away but neither made any move to stop him. Eric swiftly scooped up the gem and pocketed before any of the boys in the back noticed it.


    ¡°Eric,¡± Lilly said, in a sharper tone. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Without replying, the boy flopped down into the chair and exhaled softly, looking suddenly exhausted, his brow furrowed as if his mind was working into overdrive.


    ¡°What did he do?¡± he uttered.


    Lilly clenched her teeth, leaning forward and lowering her voice.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± she urged. ¡°What happened? What changed?¡±


    Eric clenched his fists. ¡°My sense.¡±


    ¡°What about it?!¡± she demanded, recalling the supposed ¡°sixth sense¡± Eric had described to her a few months back.


    ¡°It¡¯s...shifted,¡± he replied weakly. ¡°Vinny...isn¡¯t pure anymore. He did something...to taint himself. He...did something horrible enough to cause my sense to register him as a potential risk. He¡­¡±


    As Eric continued to mumble, Lilly couldn¡¯t help but feel a pit forming in her stomach. Despite the seemingly exaggerated way he was describing it, she could tell that he wasn¡¯t screwing around. While she had never known what to make of Eric¡¯s supposed sixth sense, she knew that he trusted in it unconditionally. So, for him to say that it was now registering Vinny as a possible risk, it meant he believed Vinny had done something he hadn''t predicted¡ªsomething bad.


    Lilly slowly turned her head to look back at Vinny, who was chatting cheerfully with Alice as if nothing had changed. She narrowed her eyes, unable to sense anything off about him but finding herself taking Eric oddly seriously.


    ¡°Vinny,¡± Eric breathed, so softly that Lilly almost couldn¡¯t hear him. ¡°What did you do¡­to Evan and Rina?¡±

 Chapter 25- Alone in the Cold

    Chapter XXV


    Alice could sense the stares of her fellow students as she walked down the halls, holding the hand of her boyfriend, but she did her best to try and ignore them. She knew that rumors surrounding what happened to her had spread around the school so she was fairly confident that they were surprised to see her back so suddenly. At first, she had intended to stay home through the week despite having finals just around the corner. She had wanted to let it blow over and she knew her parents had been talking with the school and trying to work something out. However, when she received the call from Vinny the previous night telling her to come back the next day, she decided to trust him and do so. He had seemed adamant that she was now safe and that she shouldn¡¯t need to worry anymore. So, despite how on edge her parents were, she told them that she wanted to try going back so she didn¡¯t miss any more school and they reluctantly obliged.


    When she arrived at school that morning, she met up with Vinny in the courtyard and he proceeded to explain everything he and the rest of the club had learned during her absence and, frankly, it had made her want to break into tears. Rina had been one of the ones responsible for it and had even personally defiled her locker. Despite knowing they hadn¡¯t been friends in years and that Rina probably still resented her, she never thought her old friend would stoop to that level. Vinny also told her that it was more or less as they expected¡ªthat Evan and Rina were more going after him than her. However, he assured her that he had taken care of the situation and that they wouldn¡¯t go near her again, though he remained quite vague on what he actually did to put a stop to them. Yet, she was grateful nonetheless to know that Vinny cared about her that much to spend all week trying to protect her. It was a good feeling to know that she had people that were looking out for her.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll see you later,¡± Vinny said with a grin.


    She smiled up at him and nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll talk to you tonight, Vinny. Have fun at the club.¡±


    She noticed a brief flash of hesitation in his eyes but, before she could question him, he merely chuckled and pulled her into a quick hug. Then, he waved her goodbye and began making his way toward the staircase that would lead him up to the third floor. She watched him go for a moment, suddenly feeling a little nervous. She had noticed the club members giving Vinny weird looks all throughout the day and not once did they try to talk to him. There seemed to be an odd distance between them, and Alice feared that, if she wasn¡¯t just imagining things, something happened while she was gone. She couldn¡¯t help but worry that if there was a problem among them then it was caused because of her and that was something she wanted. She didn¡¯t want to become a wedge between Vinny and the others.


    Alice sighed, straightening her backpack and turning to continue toward the staircase so she could go down to the first floor. She had a shift at Ralph¡¯s that day so, despite wanting to go to the clubroom with him and thank the others for their help, she had no choice but to begin making her way toward the school¡¯s front entrance. Although, she did take some pleasure knowing that she wouldn¡¯t have to walk home alone.


    When she arrived out in the courtyard, she smiled when she saw Jay sitting at one of the tables, idly watching the crowds of students trying to make their way home. She hadn¡¯t seen him for much of the day since she hadn¡¯t been able to find him at lunch, and he had left class before she got the chance to talk to him. Vinny had told her that he had been a huge help in dealing with Rina and Evan and so she knew she needed to personally thank him.


    When he saw her approaching, he raised his head slightly but, much to her surprise, he didn¡¯t smile nor did he even wave. Instead, he seemed almost uncomfortable and she immediately sensed that something was wrong with him. It made her feel like he might have been avoiding her all day on purpose.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he greeted softly, rising to his feet.


    ¡°Hi, Jay,¡± she replied, trying to hide her suspicions and not wanting to call him on anything just yet. ¡°Where¡¯ve you been all day? I really wanted to talk to you.¡±


    He grimaced, shoving his pockets into his uniform pants as he did so.


    ¡°Uh, I¡¯ve been around,¡± he muttered. ¡°Just busy with stuff. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back though. I was really worried about you, Alice.¡±


    She forced a smile despite becoming more certain that something was wrong with every word he said.


    ¡°Well, I did want to tell you that I really appreciated what you did for me,¡± she told him, taking note of the brief flinch at her words. ¡°Vinny told me you backed him up and I know that couldn¡¯t have been easy for you given everything that...happened with Rina. So thank you, Jay. I owe you one.¡±


    He swallowed nervously. ¡°Uh, no, you don¡¯t owe me anything,¡± he stuttered. ¡°And uh, did Mickelson tell you anything about how he dealt with the problem?¡±


    Jay was eyeing her with his breath held and she found herself wondering what Vinny could have done. If her boyfriend was unwilling to get into details and Jay was as nervous as he was, she couldn¡¯t help but to feel that something bad had happened.


    ¡°No,¡± she replied, her tone turning slightly more serious. ¡°Why? Is it something I shouldn¡¯t know about?¡±


    Jay quickly shook his head. ¡°Uh, no, of course not. I was just curious, is all. It¡¯s just...um, since you and Rina were friends, I told him it might be better not to give you all the details, you know? We did have to do some arm twisting to get her to back down.¡±


    ¡°Arm twisting like what?¡± she pressed.


    She recalled seeing Vinny approach Eric in first period for a brief moment and so, she had been under the impression that the club did something with The Switch in order to stop Rina and Evan, though she had no proof of that. Although she had no way to know how they used that stone to their advantage, she was pretty confident that it was used. That was even further backed up by the fact that neither Rina nor Evan had been at school that day. Most likely, the reveal of magic had shaken them up. So, Jay¡¯s nervous demeanor put her on edge.


    What did they do with that thing? she asked herself.


    ¡°Uh, well,¡± Jay said weakly. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you about it later. Anyway, I have to go.¡±


    Throwing her completely through a loop, Jay grabbed his bag from off the bench beside him and turned to leave, looking anxious to get away from her as fast as he could.


    ¡°Wait, Jay!¡± she quickly protested. ¡°Where are you going? Aren¡¯t we going to Ralph¡¯s?¡±


    He stopped in his tracks and slowly glanced over his shoulder. ¡°Uh, sorry, Alice. I can¡¯t. I have to, uh, study for finals, you know? I¡¯m way too busy right now.¡±


    ¡°Uh, but¡ª!¡±


    She tried to protest further, but Jay wasted no time turning and hurrying off toward the front gates, leaving her standing there alone, staring after him. She had been really excited to walk to work with him like they always did so seeing him so eager to get away from her made her stomach twist up in a knot.


    What was wrong with him? Did I do something to him?


    She slowly turned and looked back at the school building, specifically up at the third floor windows. Her thoughts shifted to the members of the magic club and the magical little stone that had gotten her caught up with them in the first place. At first, she had been content just trusting in her boyfriend, but after speaking with Jay, she couldn¡¯t help but to feel a little doubt. After all, she knew her old friend was absolutely lying to her when he claimed that what happened to Rina and Evan wasn¡¯t a big deal. So if Jay was lying to her, then she did have a reason to press Vinny for details.


    Or maybe...I could talk to Rina myself.¡±


    ***


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Jay felt like he was about to puke as he rushed down the neighborhoods and away from both the school and downtown as fast as he could. Just being in Alice¡¯s presence was enough to make him so overwhelmingly guilty that he hated himself. After all, if Alice knew what Vinny did to Rina, and what he helped Vinny do, then she would hate them both. After all, Vinny stole Rina¡¯s body and then took nude pictures of her right in front of her, and against her will. It was evil. It was cruel. Yet, it was Vinny¡¯s way of ensuring that Rina would be so terrified of them that she would never hurt Alice again. It was the price of saving Alice and was now the burden Jay had to bear.


    He knew he should just be honest with Alice and confess what they did, but he knew that would be the last straw. Alice would be so revolted by them that she would leave both him and Vinny, which he couldn¡¯t allow to happen. Vinny was willing to do whatever he needed to in order to protect Alice¡ªthings Jay couldn¡¯t do. Vinny was the person she needed, whether she liked it or not and so, Jay couldn¡¯t allow her to cut ties with him. He needed her to have Vinny.


    But me? She doesn¡¯t need me anymore. With Vinny, Lilly, and the club by her side, I no longer need to be there for her. She can finally leave me behind like the baggage I am. Finally, after all this time, she can be free of me.


    That¡¯s the way it was supposed to be.


    ***


    As much as he felt guilty lying to her, Vinny did what needed to be done. Naturally, he had no interest in going to the clubroom considering the events of the previous day. Even if Liz hadn¡¯t told him that she intended to skip out to give Damien his space, he still probably wouldn¡¯t have gone. He went against the wishes of Lilly, Eric, and Damien and so, knew there was no reason to go to the clubroom with them there. Liz had the right idea. It would be best to give them their space. However, he didn¡¯t want Alice to realize that there was tension in the club. If she did, she might blame herself for what happened and he didn¡¯t want that. Instead, Vinny decided that he would patch things up behind her back and then, she would never have to know what went on while she was gone. All she would know was that Rina and Evan were dealt with. So, instead of being on the third floor of the school building, he was walking down the same forest path he had jumped Evan on the day before.


    As he had expected, neither Rina nor Evan came to school that day, probably because of how scared they were of him. It was something he reveled in, glad to know they were both suffering for what they did. He still had the nude pictures of Rina on his phone and was prepared to follow through with his threat if she did anything. However, he had no intention of looking at them since that would be a betrayal to Alice. So, they were tucked carefully away in his phone¡¯s hidden folder where he wouldn¡¯t have to see them.


    Well, what¡¯s done is done. Once I work things out with the club, everything can go back to normal. We can put this whole mess behind us.


    However, just as the words went through his mind, Vinny stopped, his eyes wide. Moments later, his expression turned stern and he knew that there was no way he could turn and leave. He was going to stand his ground no matter what.


    ¡°So, did you sprint out here to get ahead of me?¡± Vinny asked, masking his anger in the facade of a joking tone.


    Damien narrowed his eyes, pushing himself off of the tree he had been leaning on to face Vinny directly, standing a few yards down the path.


    ¡°You avoided us all day,¡± he stated.


    Vinny smirked. ¡°That I did, dear Damien. After all, I¡¯m smart enough to know when somebody is pissed at me. Though I will admit, your anger is fair. However, if you¡¯re out here looking for an apology then you won¡¯t get one. I did the right thing.¡±


    ¡°An apology, huh?¡± Damien growled. ¡°You think I want an apology? Don¡¯t get me wrong, Vinny. I know exactly who stole the stone and it wasn¡¯t you.¡±


    ¡°So Liz told you,¡± the blonde boy replied. ¡°Must¡¯ve been quite the surprise to find out that the two of you weren¡¯t in it together.¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about Liz. That¡¯s a personal matter that we¡¯ll deal with privately. No, I want to know what you did to Rina and Evan. Eric said he and Lilly didn¡¯t know and when I talked to Jay, the guy looked so sick that I thought he was going to throw up.¡±


    Vinny scowled. That guy better keep his mouth shut! I don¡¯t need the rest of the club on my ass because of this. I know they wouldn¡¯t approve of the photos and I don¡¯t need them telling me that on a daily basis!


    ¡°So I know,¡± Damien continued, taking a few steps forward as if trying to intimidate him. ¡°Just from Jay¡¯s reaction, I know you did something that you don¡¯t want us knowing about. I want to know what it was. I want to know what you did to Rina and Evan.¡±


    Vinny merely shrugged, not feeling threatened in the slightest. ¡°Who cares? All that matters is that neither of them are going to hurt Alice again. It¡¯s over, Damien, and I¡¯m the one who fixed it. I gave the stone back when I was done. How I did it all doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s the result we should be talking about.¡±


    ¡°Like hell, Vinny!¡± Damien snapped. ¡°The method does matter! Who gives a shit about what you accomplished if it meant you had to do something terrible to get there!¡±


    For a moment, the blonde boy feared Damien did know what he did to Rina and was simply trying to get him to willingly admit it. However, he quickly realized that Damien was just making assumptions based on how Jay must¡¯ve reacted when they talked. So, he decided to keep playing it cool and refused to back down.


    ¡°And tell me, friendo,¡± Vinny growled. ¡°Do you trust me so little that you think I would do something bad?¡±


    Damien scoffed, taking a few more steps toward him so they were both within arm¡¯s length. ¡°Don¡¯t put words in my mouth, Vinny. Of course I don¡¯t think you¡¯re some scumbag. However, I know you. And because I know you, I know how passionately angry you can get when it comes to bullying. If you think somebody deserves to be punished then I know you have no qualms about punishing them yourself...regardless of what that punishment is.¡±


    ¡°And what?¡± Vinny growled. ¡°Are you saying Rina and Evan deserved to be treated with respect? Are you saying they didn¡¯t deserve to be hurt if it meant helping Alice? Because they certainly didn¡¯t care about her well being.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m saying,¡± he snapped. ¡°The problem should never be dealt with by stooping to the level of bad people! Don¡¯t become like them in an effort to stop them!¡¯


    ¡°Like hell that¡¯s how it works!¡± Vinny retorted. ¡°Those who take the high road are doomed to get walked all over, tormented, and treated like shit! I would know! I tried doing that and the bullying only got worse! Trust me, Damien! If I had taken the high road, Alice would still be getting those death threats from Evan and Rina! By giving them a taste of their own medicine, I helped her! Who would I have helped by doing what you¡¯re suggesting?¡±


    ¡°Maybe nobody,¡± Damien admitted. ¡°But it¡¯s better than becoming like them. No matter the circumstances, you can¡¯t become like them.¡±


    Vinny scoffed. He knew he shouldn¡¯t have said what he did next yet, at that moment, he found Damien¡¯s words so painfully stupid that he couldn¡¯t help himself.


    ¡°That¡¯s rich coming from the infamous Damien Clark,¡± he snarled.


    The sudden look of hurt on his friend¡¯s face gave him pause, but Vinny quickly pushed it back down, shoving past Damien so he could continue on his way home.


    ¡°I¡¯m not telling you a damn thing so don¡¯t bother asking,¡± Vinny called back.


    He partially expected Damien to come rushing after him, demanding to know what he did but, thankfully, he stayed right where he was, never speaking another word to him. That was something Vinny was okay with. They were never going to agree on the circumstances surrounding Alice but, to him, it didn¡¯t matter. His plan worked and Alice was safe.


    That was all that mattered to him...


    ...Damien be damned.


    ***


    Even after Vinny was long gone, Damien still stood on that pathway in silence, staring blankly at the dirt path below him. Vinny¡¯s words were all echoing in his head, making him sick to his stomach, but what really stuck with him was what his friend said right before leaving.


    ¡°That¡¯s rich coming from the infamous Damien Clark!¡±


    Those words had given him a moment of hesitation as he realized the truth in them. He was berating and lecturing his friend about stooping to the levels of Evan and Rina to stop them when he was once the type of person who may have stooped even lower. Even if that was long in the past, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder that, if Eric hadn¡¯t extended a hand to him, would he have wound up even worse than Vinny? Could there have been a version of him that might have supported what Vinny wanted to do?


    I mean, after all, even Liz believed in Vinny enough to go behind my back, he told himself. Was I wrong? I didn¡¯t think so but...both Liz and Vinny thought I was and they took steps to make sure they could act without me getting in the way. I can¡¯t help but wonder if I made the wrong choice or not.


    He sighed, knowing that despite his hesitation, he wouldn¡¯t have changed his answer even if he could relive that conversation the previous afternoon. Regardless of his feelings about Alice, the gem was still an unknown entity that he knew they should fear. He knew that refraining from using it as often as possible was the right idea yet, he also knew there was some truth to Vinny¡¯s words. If Vinny hadn¡¯t acted, Alice would still be in a bad situation.


    But...what did he do? How did he use the stone to so thoroughly clean this mess up? What did he do that would have Jay so unsettled?


    He clenched his teeth, wishing he could call up Liz and ask her for advice but, for the first time in a few years, that wasn¡¯t an option. Instead, he was left standing in the cold, in the middle of the woods, alone with his thoughts for a long while after that.

 Chapter 26- The Night Market

    Chapter XXVI


    With the day of the mission to Omaruo fast approaching, Nigreos Noctis was becoming more and more anxious to get it all dealt with. Each day was filled with thoughts of what he would do when he got there and how he would handle the reclamation of the Assassination Gem. Ever since the QuaerBasim first detected magical outbursts in Omaruo a few months prior, they had become more common. It seemed as if whoever had the gemstone was using it at least once a week, sometimes more. For what, Nigreos couldn¡¯t be sure. The constant repetitions almost made it seem like a child was treating it as a toy which didn¡¯t match up with the intensity of some of the readings. It was almost a certainty that a powerful magic user was using its abilities at least some of the time.


    The Master of Darkness grimaced. And how old would Eric Reiner be right about now? The one time I ever met him, he seemed no older than six. That would put him at school age.


    Nigreos couldn¡¯t help but to clench his teeth. He wanted to believe that Abi¡¯s son wasn¡¯t involved in the situation with the relic but, given the world it was detected in and the strength of some of the readings, it seemed more and more likely with each passing day.


    And what am I supposed to do if Eric Reiner is behind this? King Markreas ordered us to erase anybody who came into contact with the stone. Does that include Reiner? And if so¡­can I really bring myself to stand aside and allow the boy to be erased?


    As the thought went through his mind, the final words of Abigail Reiner returned to him, sounding so clear she may as well have been speaking them in that moment. They caused him pain, and he knew he would never be able to forget them.


    I made her a promise. I looked her in the eyes as she lay there dying in my arms and I swore on my life that I would keep that promise. Can I so easily ignore her last words in a situation like this?


    The Master shook his head and forced himself to stop thinking about it. Until the High Council went through the ridiculously long process of getting everything in order for them to jump worlds, he could do nothing but wait. However, having no certainties regarding the upcoming mission, he had decided to speak to an acquaintance of his. There was something he had been considering for the past few weeks and, after thinking it over, he decided to go through with it.


    So, that afternoon after it had gotten dark, he donned his black cloak and made his way through the gates of the Citadel and out into the streets of Erika. His destination was the Night Market just to the south of the Citadel where his associate had a shop set up that sold a variety of magical trinkets and talismans that were mostly for normal household use. However, unbeknownst to most, he also dabbled in the black market, something Nigreos had become aware of some time ago and had decided that, rather than turning the man over to the authorities, he might be able to use him to his advantage.


    The Master passed through the various neighborhood streets that stood between the Citadel and the Market without any problems. The few people still out and about were either going to or coming from the Market and he was sure that seeing a lone, cloaked man like him wandering the roads at night would easily dissuade anybody from approaching him. In addition, his cloak was charmed so that, if anybody looked under his hood, they would only see a mass of darkness, even if the red lights of the street lamps shone directly upon him. Recognizing him would be impossible.


    Despite being one of the Masters of the Citadel, Nigreos wasn¡¯t arrogant enough to believe that nobody would risk attacking him due to his status. In fact, he believed his status and the rumors surrounding him would only cause those bold enough to confront him. While he wasn¡¯t concerned about his own safety, he certainly wanted to refrain from causing a stir, especially when he was going behind the Citadel¡¯s back like he currently was. It would be best to get in and out.


    Finally, Nigreos emerged from the neighborhoods and found himself on Market Street. The difference between the quiet neighborhoods and the bustling market were like night and day. He could hear merchants shouting out, urging shoppers to consider their wares or to pick their food for dinner. Smells of various exotic dishes wafted through the air. The streets and sidewalks were both relatively crowded with people from all over Ijiria and even from outside the country. The Ijirian Market was, after all, famous around the world. There were many who longed to visit it. When Nigreos had first laid eyes upon it, he had been in awe. Now, however, he merely scowled at how loud and overwhelming it all was.


    He pressed forward, immediately blending into the crowd. He made sure to be aware of his surroundings, not wanting to be stopped by any of the patrolling Erikan Guards despite knowing that all he would have to do was reveal his identity and they would leave him be. However, he would avoid that situation if he could. Luckily, he didn¡¯t find it to be terribly likely. There were always strange sorts that came to the Market to the point that a cloaked man without a face almost seemed relatively normal. Just a glance around confirmed that for him.


    A few yards ahead of him, he could see a clothing shop run by a light-skinned and blonde Trovian man who had a third eye just below his nose, most likely a consequence of failed biological magic. The third eye was unsettling and it was most likely the reason the stall didn¡¯t seem terribly popular.


    Removing his attention from him, Nigreos then noticed a man in a black top hat and a suit similar to the one he normally wore. Sitting atop his hat was a glemlin, a small, hairless animal with sharp teeth and a pointed nose that was well known for hunting smaller prey. It was often kept around as pets to ward away household pests. However, what stood out the most was the pair of glasses on the creature¡¯s head, which made it seem like something out of a circus.


    Nigreos grimaced, feeling more uncomfortable as he looked around so he was thankful when his destination finally came into view. Unlike the stalls that he had been passing, this was one of the few shops in that part of the market. Most of the buildings were further down. However the owner had once told him that he built his there because the competition would be weaker and thus, the amount of money he spent on the shop¡¯s construction would be well worth it.


    Nigreos broke free of the crowd and began walking toward it. He barely spared a glance up at the wooden sign hanging from the roof reading ¡°Tannath¡¯s Talisman Tavern¡± in dark writing. The Master reached for the door and pushed it open before stepping inside the shop.


    The interior was just as he remembered it. In fact, he wasn¡¯t even sure it had changed at all since his last visit nearly six months prior. Upon entering, he was greeted with the sight of an average tavern. There were tables situated around the room at which sat a variety of shoppers having dinner or getting a drink. There was even a man passed out on the ground in the corner. Serving girls were walking around with trays of food and there was a stocky man at the bar talking with some of the customers.


    ¡°Hello, sir,¡± greeted a rather busty serving girl who approached him with her back bent forward as if to tempt him into looking her over. Her very tight and revealing uniform was something he was sure was an intentional choice by the store¡¯s owner. ¡°How can I help you?¡±


    As always, he found himself amused by how confident the servers were. Despite the charm on his cloak, she showed no hesitation approaching him though he supposed that sort of attitude came with the territory.


    ¡°I want to speak with Mr. Tannath. Is he in?¡± Nigreos asked, keeping his eyes firmly directed at hers.


    The woman smiled wryly and nodded. ¡°Yes, sir, though I do think he¡¯s quite busy. I¡¯m not sure he¡¯ll have the time to speak with you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Nigreos replied casually. ¡°He will. Just tell him the Black Night is here to speak with him.¡±


    The girl frowned in a purposefully childish way before nodding and hurrying through a doorway in the back. Nigreos remained by the door, sensing the untrusting stares from the tavern¡¯s patrons but refraining from showing any indication that he noticed them. Moments later, the girl returned with an almost curious look on her face.


    ¡°Mr. Tannath said he¡¯ll speak with you,¡± she chirped. ¡°If you follow that hall¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know where he is, thanks,¡± Nigreos replied before stepping past her and making his way toward the doorway she had just indicated.


    Just beyond was a small hallway that led to the back of the building where it split both left and right. He knew the part of the shop that sold magical wares was to the right and the left would take him to a staircase leading to the top floor. Nigreos went left, arriving at the creaky wooden staircase moments later. He slowly ascended, sensing the waves of mana that circulated throughout the building. It was strong but, compared to the Ijirian Throne Room, it was nothing.


    He made an immediate right at the top and maneuvered his way through the floor¡¯s various halls. There were hardly any decorations and he found that to be unsurprising given the efficient nature of the man he was going to meet. Any potential decorations would have already been sold off. When Nigreos arrived at the closed door that was his destination, it looked no different than the other doors he passed. Nevertheless, he knew it was the right one so he reached for the doorknob and pushed it open.


    ¡°Ah, hey!¡±


    The exclamation from the man within came immediately as he entered the room and he could tell why. Despite having already alerted the man to his presence, he clearly hadn¡¯t been ready. Sitting in a velvet couch to Nigreos¡¯s left was the individual he had come to speak with, a well known merchant named Nuvo Tannath. And atop his lap, her arms wrapped around him, was one of his serving girls, completely naked. Upon seeing Nigreos, the girl jumped off of the merchant and backed away fearfully, twisting her body as if to hide herself from him.


    ¡°You ever heard of knocking?¡± Nuvo growled irritably.


    ¡°I already told you I was coming,¡± Nigreos replied curtly. ¡°Perhaps you should have sent your whores away faster.¡±


    The merchant scowled. ¡°I¡¯d hoped you¡¯d get lost on your way up¡­give me more time to finish.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time to get lost,¡± the Master replied sharply. ¡°Now, send your girl out and let¡¯s get to business.¡±


    Nuvo sighed, reached for a silk robe that had been laying on the ground and tossed it across the room to the girl.


    ¡°Sorry, love,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ll have to pick this up another time. I need privacy.¡±


    Still staring at Nigreos in fear, the girl quickly slid the robe on and rushed past, exiting the room and leaving the two men alone. Nuvo got to his feet and crossed the room to his desk only to sit back down in his chair, fiddling with the documents strewn atop it.


    Nigreos looked the man over for a moment. He was a very overweight man with a bald head and thick brown beard. If not for the intelligent look in his eyes, Nigreos would never have perceived him as being anything more than a rich fool of a man.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotten fatter,¡± Nigreos growled, reaching up to remove his cowl so that the man before him could see his face.


    ¡°I¡¯ve gotten richer,¡± he replied. ¡°The shop is doing better than ever. In fact, I just made quite the deal with one of my best clients today. Should bring in a shitload of coin by the end of the week. Now, if only somebody hadn¡¯t chosen to pop in today and I might¡¯ve been able to call it the best day of the year.¡±


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Nigreos snorted. ¡°Oh, I think you¡¯ll still be able to. After all, I¡¯m here to purchase something from you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m worried about,¡± Nuvo snapped. ¡°If you came to me of all people then there¡¯s no doubt you want something you can¡¯t procure elsewhere.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re correct there,¡± the Master admitted. ¡°And I hope you realize that I¡¯m willing to pay you handsomely for it.¡±


    The merchant leaned back in his chair and sighed. ¡°Well, then out with it. The fuck do you want from me, Master Noctis? If I have it, I¡¯ll consider your offer.¡±


    Nigreos remained silent for a moment, wanting to give Nuvo a chance to imagine what he might want before replying.


    ¡°I need to get my hands on a nerich,¡± he said simply.


    True to his craft, Nuvo didn¡¯t reveal any of what he was thinking inside. His face was still and unreadable. Yet even so, Nigreos could see the hint of surprise that flashed across his eyes.


    ¡°A nerich, eh?¡± he grunted. ¡°And what makes you think I¡¯d have something like that?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t,¡± Nigreos replied firmly. ¡°I can sense it, Nuvo. A creature like that reeks of dark magic¡­and I happen to be the Master of that particular field. I could sense it just by passing your shop.¡±


    The merchant narrowed his eyes. ¡°And why would you want a creature like that?¡±


    ¡°Not your business,¡± Nigreos stated. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to you what I do with it. What matters is how much I pay, correct?¡±


    Nuvo slowly rose to his feet once again, folding his hands together behind his back.


    ¡°And how much are you willing to offer?¡± he inquired.


    ¡°One thousand¡­¡± the Master answered. ¡°¡­sayus.¡±


    This time, Nuvo¡¯s eyes went wide though Nigreos suspected it wasn¡¯t by accident.


    ¡°A thousand sayus? How desperate are you, Noctis?!¡± he exclaimed.


    A sayu was the most valuable type of coin in Ijiria. The poorest class could only hope to make one of them a month if even that. It was a coin often used solely by the rich and powerful when buying rare and priceless items. The Council had given Nigreos and Album full use of the royal treasury to prepare for their mission and originally, he hadn¡¯t thought it necessary. However, it was Album who urged that they take some protective measures on the rare chance that whatever mage they encountered in Omaruo was too much for them to handle. Therefore, after thinking it through, he decided to approach Nuvo with the deal. After all, any dark mage worth their shit knew how powerful a well used nerich could be.


    ¡°Desperate?¡± Nigreos parroted with a smirk. ¡°I¡¯m not desperate at all. It¡¯s quite the rare item¡­especially seeing as it¡¯s illegal in Ijiria. You probably own the only one within two hundred miles of the city. So, it¡¯s only natural that I pay what it¡¯s worth, yes?¡±


    Nuvo reached up to scratch his beard, his eyes twinkling in an obvious intrigue that Nigreos was sure he didn¡¯t care to hide.


    ¡°And do you have the coin on you?¡± he asked sternly.


    Nigreos nodded. ¡°I do. And you can have it up front if you provide me with what I want.¡±


    ¡°Ah, fucking hell, Noctis,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Fine. Don¡¯t suppose I could say no to you even if I wanted to. Come along.¡±


    The man waddled toward the door, motioning for Nigreos to follow after him. The Master pulled his hood back over his head, reactivated the charm, then followed after his business associate with a smug grin. Nuvo understood what position he was in. Denying Nigreos what he wanted could very well end him up in jail. If the Master dropped even a hint about his black market dealings to the Captain of the Guard then the entire shop would be seized. Nigreos followed him down the hall before turning toward the stairs leading back down. As they walked, the Master heard a chittering sound coming from the rafters and looked up in curiosity.


    ¡°Ah, ignore that,¡± Nuvo grunted. ¡°Got a bit of a problem with dark spirits. I keep killing the little shits, but they just keep coming back. Haven¡¯t been able to find their nest yet.¡±


    Nigreos smirked, knowing how irritating a dark spirit infestation could be. His thoughts briefly flashed back to the glemlin he had seen out in the market and smirked.


    ¡°You ever consider adopting a glemlin?¡± he suggested as they reached the bottom of the stairs. ¡°I hear they¡¯re great for dealing with pests of the sort.¡±


    Nuvo snorted. ¡°Like hell I¡¯d ever want one of those little rats running around my shop. My uncle used to have one and it would shit all over the house. Did a nasty one in his shoes one day and that was the last straw before the old guy stepped on its fucking neck.¡±


    They proceeded down the hallway and passed the corridor that would lead back to the tavern, heading instead for Nuvo¡¯s main shop for his wares. When they finally arrived, they found the place empty, which wasn¡¯t surprising. Nuvo closed his main shop around sundown.


    The room was quite large with a counter separating the area for customers from the area where Nuvo kept his more expensive merchandise. Some of his stuff was kept under the counter but Nigreos knew most of it was in a separate room behind the store.


    ¡°Give me a moment,¡± Nuvo said before disappearing through the doorway behind the counter.


    Nigreos stood patiently as he waited for the man to return. As he looked around, he found that there were mostly household talismans on the shelves for display. A simple glance around the room would make him seem no different than any other merchant. Moments later, Nuvo emerged from the back room, an unnerved look on his face, before placing something down on the counter.


    ¡°Here you go, Noctis,¡± he grunted. ¡°I hope it¡¯s to your liking.¡±


    Nigreos knew without having to look that it was exactly what he had requested. The strength of the dark mana emanating from it was enough to convince him of that. The item was a small, liquet canister about eight inches tall and six inches wide. Inside, he could see a small creature skittering about. Its body was a black circle about the size of his fingertip with long spindly legs sticking out. He called it a creature but it wasn¡¯t technically alive. It was an amalgamation of dark mana that acted at random unless commanded by a strong enough user of dark magic.


    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine what you need the bloody thing for,¡± Nuvo growled. ¡°But it¡¯s yours, Noctis. Hell, I doubt there are very many who could actually control the damned thing.¡±


    Nigreos leaned forward to look closer at it. The nerich instantly reacted to his own dark mana as it rushed toward him, desperately trying to escape the canister to get at him.


    ¡°And is it guaranteed to work?¡± Nigreos asked softly.


    Nuvo scoffed. ¡°Of course not. Nothing is ever guaranteed. That thing will work on most but not everybody. If the target has a strong enough willpower, they might be able to overcome it. You, for example, would never be contained by its spell.¡±


    Nigreos smirked. ¡°Well, you really are being honest. I would¡¯ve thought you¡¯d invent some lie to convince me that it would work unconditionally.¡±


    ¡°Not with you,¡± the other man growled. ¡°You¡¯re too clever for that. And I¡¯m no fool. You probably know more about that thing than I.¡±


    ¡°Perfect,¡± he replied, reaching out and taking the canister before sliding it into the pocket of his pants. Then, before Nuvo could protest, he tossed a rather large leather pouch of coins onto the counter. ¡°That should do it.¡±


    Nuvo grimaced. ¡°I suppose it should.¡±


    ¡°A pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Tannath,¡± Nigreos said as he began making his way toward the door.


    ¡°And you, Master Noctis.¡±


    Leaving Nuvo behind, Nigreos made his way back toward the tavern, anxious to get back to the Citadel as fast as he could. He was confident that his trip was worth it and that the nerich would provide them with a strong enough force to use against the mage in Omaruo. Nuvo had said that it wouldn¡¯t be able to control everybody but, aside from the mage, he was certain it could handle anybody in a magicless realm and he had no intentions of using it on the mage.


    When he went through the door and back outside, he found the market just as crowded and busy as when he first arrived. Deciding he didn¡¯t want to push through the crowd again, he made his way past the stalls and toward the back alleys that would take him around the market. It would be a longer route but it would be more isolated. Slowly, making no indication that he was in a rush, he walked down the dimly lit roads.


    He couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of disgust as he walked. The last time he had come this direction had been the night of the Citadel attack when he had gone in pursuit of Rista Pine. Even after so much time had passed, he still couldn¡¯t help but feel furious at himself for allowing Pine to escape. He had been a mere boy and, despite his skill with wind magic, had been someone Nigreos should have been able to dispatch with ease.


    So why couldn¡¯t I? Why did I decide to go easy on him?


    He asked himself that question so often despite having an idea of the answer. Even Album had come to the same conclusion though she didn¡¯t refrain from telling him exactly what she thought. At the end of the day, the reason he tried to spare Rista Pine was because he was a Child of Reiner. When he looked into Pine¡¯s eyes, he saw a look of determination that he knew had been put there by Abi. The memory of his old friend had made him desperate to find a way to convince Pine to stand down.


    God, no wonder Album¡¯s so furious with me. Even after everything Abi did, I still can¡¯t forget her. I can¡¯t forget all of that time we spent together!


    He clenched his teeth. And if I couldn¡¯t bring myself to take down one of Abi¡¯s orphans, how can I expect to face down her biological son?


    In that moment, he recalled how Album had so mercilessly erased Rista Pine without a second thought. To her, stopping Pine was her duty and she refused to let her emotions get in her way. Nigreos knew he should be more like her and yet, he also knew that it wasn¡¯t necessarily Album¡¯s decision to be so emotionless. There was no denying that she had changed significantly since their early days.


    If I can¡¯t bring myself to strike down Eric Reiner should it be necessary then Album won¡¯t hesitate to step in and do it in my place. I know this¡­


    So I just have to pray that the boy¡­that Abi¡¯s son, has nothing to do with this.


    Just as the thought went through his head, Nigreos came to a sudden stop. Slowly, the Master turned and slowly looked around the empty neighborhood street that he had been walking down. Though the streetlights were dim, he couldn¡¯t see any sign of people despite the sudden alert from his instincts that he was being watched. He narrowed his eyes, slowly bringing his mana to the tips of his fingers so he would be ready to be attacked on a moment''s notice.


    I sense four...no, five people. They¡¯re all around me. However, I can¡¯t tell if they¡¯re hostile or not. They shouldn¡¯t know who I am so if anybody¡¯s watching me, they probably think I¡¯m just an average traveler. Maybe I can use that to my advantage and test the waters a little bit.


    ¡°Who¡¯s out there?¡± he called. ¡°I sense you. Come on! Show yourselves!¡±


    For another moment, the street remained eerily quiet. Then, all at once, five figures came into view as if popping out of thin air. He immediately knew they had been using distortion magic to conceal their presences and that was why he hadn¡¯t been able to see them. Two of them were standing on the roofs of the houses on either side of him, the other two were nearly twenty yards behind him, and the last was standing thirty yards straight ahead of him. All were wearing cloaks and all had longswords gripped in their hands.


    Their distortion was too good, Nigreos internally remarked. These people aren¡¯t mere thieves. No...this is something else.¡±


    ¡°Who are you and why are you watching me?¡± Nigreos demanded.


    The one who responded was the figure ahead of him, who he quickly realized was female.


    ¡°Well met, Nigreos Noctis,¡± she replied.


    He kept his surprise from showing despite his features still being concealed. What? She knows who I am? How? Are they powerful enough to sense my mana? If so then...who are they?


    ¡°If you know who I am,¡± he began cautiously, ¡°then you should know how foolish you are for drawing swords in my presence and following me.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± she called back. ¡°Although, then again, we do outnumber you five to one. Sure...maybe you¡¯re a Master, but you¡¯re still one man. I don¡¯t think we¡¯re the ones who should be afraid.¡±


    She¡¯s confident, I¡¯ll give her that, he mused. But that doesn¡¯t make her any less of an idiot. I¡¯m not in any danger. Perhaps if the sun had been up, I may have had a problem but in my element, they could have ten more people and they still wouldn¡¯t walk away alive.


    ¡°Outnumber me?¡± he replied. ¡°Then I take it, you intend to fight me? This should be obvious even to a child, but assaulting a Master of Ijiria is punishable by death.¡±


    She laughed mirthlessly. ¡°Only if we get caught, which we don¡¯t plan to.¡±


    Nigreos could sense those behind him steadily drawing closer as if preparing to strike him at any moment. He could hear it in the woman¡¯s tone of voice that they all fully intended to try and kill him. It was a bold move seeing as how close he was to the Night Market.


    Damn it. I really just wanted to get home. I didn¡¯t need this tonight. He sighed. Whatever, let¡¯s get this done with.


    ¡°And what reason would you have to want to harm me?¡± he called over to her. ¡°As far as I¡¯m aware, we¡¯ve never met. Perhaps you could have been polite enough to at least introduce yourselves before threatening me.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°Our names don¡¯t matter to you. All that matters is that you die, Master of Darkness! You will pay for what you¡¯ve done to our brothers and sisters! Now¡­ Proto!¡±


    ¡°Proto!¡±


    Just as the woman called out her incarnation, the other four did the same. All at once, the hooded figures launched from their spots and began soaring in his direction, weapons raised to cut him down. However, despite knowing he wouldn¡¯t be dying that night, Nigreos felt a sense of dread wash over him.


    Their brothers and sisters? Then...these people are¡­


    Children of Reiner.

 Chapter 27- The Strength of Shadow

    Chapter XXVII


    Album Luz calmly made her way down the darkened silver halls of the Ijirian Citadel, her hands folded behind her back and her strides long. It was late enough that most of those working in the Citadel had long since retired to their chambers for the night and so the few people she passed were those who had finished their work later than most. However, none made any move to speak to her and she refrained from greeting them. Album had no interest in benign interactions with anybody. She cared little for them and preferred to simply get her task completed so she, too, could return to her chambers and rest. After all, she now realized just how big of a morning she was going to have the following day.


    It¡¯s a good thing Nigreos finally decided to speak to that merchant friend of his. This would have been his last chance, she thought.


    Just mere minutes after her partner departed for the market, Album received a summons to go to the offices of the Elder of the High Council and, given the current circumstances, it didn¡¯t take a genius to know what they wanted with her. She knew that, after all of their patient waiting, they were finally being given the realm dagger they had requested in order to go to Omaruo and retrieve the Assassination Gem. In her opinion, the Council had taken far longer than they should have and now, she just hoped they could be as quick about retrieving the stone as possible.


    Though...if our suspicions prove to be correct, that may not be easy.


    Her biggest concern regarding the mission wasn¡¯t that they would be incapable of finding the stone or even being too weak to reclaim it. She knew that, with hers and Nigreos¡¯s powers combined, retrieving the stone should be simple child¡¯s play. However, what she worried about most was whether or not Nigreos would approach the situation with his full power. She knew that if Eric Reiner was truly in possession of the stone, then it was likely he would hold back. In any other circumstance, Nigreos Noctis could be truly merciless. She had seen him in action before and his power was terrifyingly strong. Should he use his full strength then Reiner and the others wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. The problem was that, when it came to Reiner, Nigreos was still too hung up on Abigail.


    He needs to separate himself from that, she thought irritably. What¡¯s done is done. Abigail Reiner is dead and has been for two years now. This child...while he may be hers, we have no connection to him. He¡¯s a boy who never should have been born in the first place. Abigail never should have left Ijiria and she certainly never should have gotten herself knocked up by a magicless man.


    Album sighed. I know he promised to keep Ijiria from ever learning of Eric Reiner¡¯s existence, but now, it might not matter. There is no need to hesitate. We should deal with this problem like we would with any other¡­


    With that last thought, she stopped before the double golden doors of the Council Elder¡¯s offices. She reached forward and pulled the doors open before stepping inside the anteroom. The interior was decorated with numerous paintings of the various council elders of Ijiria¡¯s history hung around the silver walls. The floor had a velvet carpet and there were a few armchairs circled around a dark oak table in the right corner for visitors to wait in. In addition, there was a reception desk in the opposite corner though the man who usually sat there was nowhere to be seen. So, she instead walked straight toward the door in the back left corner and rapped her knuckles against it a few times.


    ¡°Ah, yes? Come in,¡± came the call of an aged and raspy voice from the other side of the door.


    Album reached forward and pulled the door open before stepping into the Council Elder¡¯s office. The room was nowhere near as extravagant as the rest of the Citadel. In contrast to the Citadel¡¯s love for constructing rooms out of precious metals and gemstones, the elder¡¯s office seemed more humble, looking more befitting of an average merchant than the head of King Markreas¡¯s royal council. The walls were painted a dark red and the oak desk the elder worked at was old and worn. The man sitting at the desk was old as well, with wrinkled skin and a neatly trimmed white beard. His dark brown eyes were calm and always gave Album the impression of a man full of wisdom. Similar to the style of the room, he was dressed modestly in a dark green robe as he sat writing upon his parchment.


    The Council Elder, Solomon Orland, looked up at her entrance and smiled, as if greeting a close friend of his despite the two having rarely talked in the past. Album preferred keeping to herself and allowing Nigreos to deal with the fools in the council. She had very little respect for them. After all, it was no secret to her that they were a bunch of greedy idiots who would sooner sacrifice Ijiria to the flames of hell if it meant it furthered their own ambitions. The one exception to that rule was the man before her. She knew from both Nigreos and her own few experiences with him that Orland truly cared about aiding the king in the governing of the country and wanted Ijiria to prosper. So, she found herself grateful to be summoned to speak with him as opposed to other council members.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Master Luz,¡± Orland greeted, setting his quill down on the desk as he looked up at her. ¡°My apologies for the late summons, but Master Noctis requested that I get the dagger to you at the first chance I had.¡±


    Album nodded. ¡°Of course. It¡¯s no problem at all, Elder. I share the same sentiment as my partner. The sooner the better.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I agree,¡± the old man replied as he slowly got to his feet. ¡°Considering the circumstances, it would be best to get this done as fast as we can. My apologies that it took so long but the other council members didn¡¯t seem to be as anxious to hurry as I was.¡±


    The man grabbed his wooden cane that was leaning up against his desk and began hobbling over to the bookshelf to the right.


    ¡°What was wrong, if you don¡¯t mind my asking?¡± she said. ¡°I would have assumed they would want to reclaim the relic as quickly as possible. Who knows what could be happening in Omaruo while we sit around doing nothing.¡±


    She watched Orland grimace as he reached up to grab something wrapped in a dark red cloth that had been laying on the top shelf. Based on its length and width, she knew with certainty that it was the dagger she had come to retrieve.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t agree more,¡± he muttered. ¡°However, it was not the operation itself that the council was opposing. Rather, it was who should be the ones to go to Omaruo that we spent far too long debating.¡±


    Album narrowed her eyes. Both she and Nigreos had feared a situation such as this, but that didn¡¯t make her any less furious to have it confirmed by the elder himself.


    ¡°They were worried about sending those who already failed to reclaim it,¡± Orland continued. ¡°They were urging that we send Master Taurus instead.¡±


    The Master of Light scoffed. ¡°So after all our years of service to this country, we make one mistake and they lose all faith in us? Pathetic. I hope they realize that Nigreos and I weren¡¯t the only ones who failed to stop the raid on the Citadel. If Rista Pine had never escaped the building to begin with, Nigreos and I wouldn¡¯t have had to confront him in the first place. They should consider themselves lucky that we managed to intercept him at all.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re complaining to the wrong man,¡± he said softly. ¡°I¡¯ve been on this council for a very long time, Master Luz, and trust me when I say that I know of your accomplishments. If anybody can reclaim the stone then it¡¯s you. I made sure the others knew as much.¡±


    Album forced back the irritation she was feeling and bowed her head to the man. ¡°Thank you, Elder. Your faith is appreciated.¡±


    ¡°Of course, dear,¡± he replied. ¡°Now, let''s get on with this. I don¡¯t want to take up any more of your time. After all, you¡¯ve got an important job ahead of you.¡±


    Orland then untied the string around the dagger and pulled the fabric from atop it, revealing the beautiful talisman beneath. Within the leather sheath, she couldn¡¯t see the blade itself, but the golden pommel and red leather hilt were well cared for and the gemstones adorning it sparkled softly in the dim lighting of the room. The elder held the realm dagger out and Album gratefully took it, feeling its weight in her hands as she studied it.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always found those to be fascinating,¡± Orland said. ¡°The ability to travel to other worlds and explore the vastness of the multiverse is truly a blessing. And yet, even with it, we can only ever bear witness to our minuscule little pocket. If only the method of crafting them wasn¡¯t lost. Perhaps then, we may have been able to explore even more¡­ Though, that¡¯s not to say I don¡¯t understand why the real forgers left us like they did.¡±


    Album exhaled softly. ¡°I suppose so. But to me...I don¡¯t have any interest in other realms. I care only for my own. Why should I ever want to leave when my duty is here.¡±


    After all, nothing good comes from leaving this world, she thought to herself, feeling a twinge of sadness that she quickly suppressed.


    Orland eyed her for a moment and Album could tell that he was thinking back to the past just as she was. However, he didn¡¯t say anything more and instead smiled once again.


    ¡°You may head back to your quarters now,¡± he said. ¡°Good luck in Omaruo. And give Master Noctis my best.¡±


    Album once again bowed to the old man. ¡°I will. Have a good evening, Elder.¡±


    ¡°And you, Master.¡±


    She then turned and departed the room, making her way back out into the Citadel¡¯s corridors beyond the offices. As she walked, she fixed the dagger¡¯s sheath to her belt and increased her pace, wanting to get back as quickly as she could. She hoped Nigreos would return from the market soon so they could start planning their next move.


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    It¡¯s beginning, she thought. It¡¯s time to go to Omaruo. I just hope it¡¯ll be as simple as reclaiming the stone and returning. Omaruo is a magicless realm. Even if there is some sorcerer in possession of the relic and even if it is Eric Reiner, this mission should be easy. Get in and out. Leave no trace of the stone¡¯s presence. Erase all who came into contact with it. It¡¯s nothing complicated and it¡¯s pointless to complicate it ourselves.


    As Album rounded a corner, she sensed a sudden presence in the corridor and when she looked up, a man in a cloak was walking toward her. The cowl was pulled over his face, but she recognized him almost immediately based on the power that he exuded. He was no taller than three feet¡ªa halfling. There was only one halfling in the Citadel who would be walking around in such attire and she wanted nothing more than to pass him by without speaking a word. So, she turned away and proceeded forward. However, just as she passed him, she heard him whisper something under his breath.


    ¡°Conflicted, are we, Luz?¡±


    She came to a sudden halt though she refused to turn back to look at him.


    ¡°How many times have I told you, Seiras?¡± she growled. ¡°Stay out of my head.¡±


    The little Master laughed softly and she could hear that ever present touch of insanity in tone. ¡°Always so calm and composed on the outside. Yet, inside, something¡¯s bothering you. Almost like...there¡¯s something in Omaruo that scares you.¡±


    Album clenched her teeth and proceeded forward, knowing it would be best to get as far away from him as she possibly could. If he hadn¡¯t been another Master, she would have ripped open his throat then and there.


    ¡°Suppress it all you want, Album,¡± he called after her. ¡°But you can¡¯t escape your feelings no matter how far down you push them! Try as you will, but you¡¯ll always be just as human as the rest of us!¡±


    She scoffed and rounded the corner, his presence fading from her senses moments later.


    Shut up, you fool. You don¡¯t know a thing about me...so don¡¯t pretend like you do.


    ***


    ¡°Coreas,¡± Nigreos uttered under his breath just as the five Children of Reiner closed in on him.


    Immediately, the shadows engulfing the street began to move, forming into tendrils of darkness that lurched towards the attackers.


    ¡°Pull back! Watch for the shadows!¡± the woman shouted.


    The five Children quickly bolted back, putting distance between themselves and the shadows. However, this was what Nigreos was banking on. Using the mana in his body, he turned the tendrils of shadow not on his attackers, but on the streetlamps surrounding the road. His power increased as light decreased, the complete antithesis of Album, so if he took out the only light sources in the neighborhood then he truly would be unstoppable. The Child must have realized her mistake as he heard her suddenly cry out.


    ¡°No! Don¡¯t let him take out the lights!¡±


    But unfortunately for them, they were already too late. The tendrils smashed through the glass of each streetlamp, extinguishing the fire magic within and bathing the neighborhood in darkness. The only exception was the moonlight coming from the crescent up above, but Nigreos knew it wouldn¡¯t make much of a difference. His confidence was only bolstered by his ability to see clearly in the dark while they would be as good as blind.


    The Master shook his head. So sloppy. This is clearly nothing more than a desperate act of revenge. If they thought they could take down the Master of Darkness at night then they¡¯re utter fools¡ªfools that I refuse to believe Abi ever trained. Rista Pine was a talented warrior and a man worthy of calling himself a Child of Reiner. These people are a stain on her memory.


    He could hear the woman calling out orders once again and could see two of the hooded Children darting toward him, propelled by their wind magic, as if hoping to make another desperate strike. He scoffed, extending his hand toward the two men while watching the other three moving in to attack him from behind.


    ¡°Devare,¡± he whispered.


    As the incantation left his mouth, the shadows engulfing the street immediately wrapped around the two closest children. They began to cry out but only a brief sound escaped their lips before the shadows began entering their body. He sent the darkness through every orifice, filling them up with shadow and bringing them to a halt midair. They were gagging and desperately trying to breathe as they flailed their arms and legs, but it was futile. He ended their lives with the whisper of a single word.


    ¡°Morita.¡±


    All at once, the shadows within their body expanded outwards, ripping through their skin and pulling their bodies apart in a mere seconds. The two Children exploded in a spray of flesh, blood, and bone, their death so sudden that they probably never even realized what had happened.


    ¡°Cal! Orin!¡± he heard the woman shriek. ¡°What happened?!¡±


    When he looked back over his shoulder, he could see the other two men back up on the rooftops, most likely having opted to pull back at the sudden silence of their friends. The woman remained further down the street, clearly hoping to keep her distance. Nigreos took some amusement at the panicked look on her face, like she was genuinely surprised that her attack was failing as miserably as it was.


    What a pathetic fool, he mused.


    Then, hoping to have a word with her before he departed, Nigreos snapped his fingers and uttered another spell. Up on the roofs, the shadows once again formed tendrils, though these had sharp points at the end. He snapped his fingers and the blades of shadow shot toward the two children, severing their heads from their shoulders in two clean cuts. Their bodies toppled to the ground, lending on the concrete in still heaps, their blood turning the ground red. The woman clearly heard the sounds as she called out the names of her allies once more.


    ¡°Loir! Karda!¡±


    The hands holding her longsword were visibly shaking and she sounded utterly terrified. Nigreos smirked, using his connection to the darkness to become one with it, his body fading into the shadows and without even taking a step, he reformed himself mere inches away from her.


    ¡°Do you see how much of a fool you are now?¡± he asked.


    She seemed to react on instinct, surprised by his sudden closeness to her, and she swung her sword up to cut him. But it was a pointless endeavor. With a mere flick of his wrist, the shadows surrounding her sharpened and severed both of her hands from the wrists. The sword fell to the ground with a clang and she went to shriek but, not wanting to draw any unwanted attention, Nigreos quickly sent the shadows into her body, using them to block off her voice. Her eyes were wide in terror and pain and she must have realized that her death could be drawing near. Yet, despite that, she still looked at him with utter hatred, as if wanting to try and show even a modicum of strength before him.


    ¡°Your friends are dead,¡± he said. ¡°I killed each one in a matter of seconds. Is it clear, now, that your attempt on my life was utterly ridiculous? I am the Master of Darkness. A mere child like yourself could never hope to even scratch me.¡±


    Naturally, she could make no reply, and he realized that perhaps he had gone a bit too far in cutting her hands off. Of course, he didn¡¯t care about harming her, but the pain she was experiencing would make it hard for her to hold a conversation with him.


    Well, I suppose it can¡¯t be helped. I really should get out of here before the guards show up. I really don¡¯t feel like telling anybody why I was out here.


    His thoughts briefly shifted to the canister containing the nerich in his pocket.


    Well, at least to satisfy my curiosity, I should at least see what her deal is.


    Deciding there was no longer any point in talking to her, Nigreos decided to be quick. He reached his hand out and placed it against her forehead. He wasn¡¯t in the position to do a proper mind connection, but he could at least probe the surface level just to get an idea about who she was. For all he knew, he could learn a bit more about how the vault containing the relics had been broken into, a mystery still being investigated by both the Council and the Masters.


    The moment his fingers touched her sweaty forehead, images began appearing in his mind. He could see a teen girl with dark red hair and green eyes smiling and laughing with a group of kids her age. She looked happy and he could only imagine that it was her life under Abi¡¯s care. However, he did feel as if her memories were off, as if something had been removed, though it didn¡¯t take a genius to understand what might have happened.


    ¡°Arisa Kirisan,¡± he whispered, identifying it as the woman¡¯s, or rather girl¡¯s, name.


    Her glazed eyes briefly widened at his speaking of her name, but she didn¡¯t seem to have the energy to do much else. The lack of oxygen was probably driving her close to losing consciousness. Satisfied at having confirmed her identity as a Child of Reiner, Nigreos was about to pull out of her mind and finish her off when another image appeared in his head¡ªone that caused him to stop. It was just a brief moment, but he could see her standing in the Vault of the Relics.


    Wait! She was there?!


    ¡°Dormira, he whispered and the girl fell instantly unconscious, slumping to the ground as he allowed the shadows to escape her body. Nigreos stood there and gaped at her, realizing the weight of what that meant.


    Damn it. If she was in the vault then she could know something about how they got past the illusion magic guarding it. It would be utterly idiotic to kill her now.


    Nigreos shook his head. He¡¯d wanted to refrain from telling anybody that he had left the Citadel that night, but now he had no choice. He had to bring this girl back for interrogation.


    I guess...I¡¯ll just have to come up with some explanation. I don¡¯t have a choice at this point.


    ***


    Album Luz stood quietly in the main room of her living quarters as she gazed through the window and down at the lights of the city sprawled out around the Citadel. Just moments before, she had returned from the elder¡¯s offices to find that Nigreos still hadn¡¯t returned. He had promised to meet her in her quarters so now, all she could do was wait. The realm dagger was still strapped to her hip and its weight felt like more of a burden than anything. No matter what she did, she couldn¡¯t take her thoughts away from their mission. And now, as much as she hated to admit it, she kept thinking back to her brief encounter with the halfling in the corridors.


    ¡°Always so calm and composed on the outside. Yet, inside, something¡¯s bothering you. Almost like...there¡¯s something in Omaruo that scares you.¡±


    ¡°Suppress it all you want, Album, but you can¡¯t escape your feelings now matter how far down you push them! Try as you will, but you¡¯ll always be just as human as the rest of us!¡±


    She clicked her tongue in irritation. She knew that man had only said those words to get in her head, but she couldn¡¯t stop herself from thinking about it.


    I¡¯m not bothered by anything, she told herself. I¡¯m not the one conflicted about this mission! Nigreos is the one who can¡¯t allow himself to see past Abigail Reiner. I¡¯m ready to do what has to be done. If erasing Eric and those around him is what we need to do then it¡¯s what I¡¯ll do! There¡¯s no question about that!


    The Master of Light slowly placed her hand upon the dagger¡¯s hilt and closed her eyes. For a moment, she just felt the flow of mana through the weapon, sensing the amazing amount of power coursing through it.


    Yeah...I¡¯m not conflicted about anything. I¡¯m ready to go to Omaruo and get back that relic. We can make up for our failure to contain Pine and reclaim it. We must focus only on our duty. Even if Eric Reiner is involved, we can¡¯t let our emotions get the better of us. The job must be completed.


    No matter the cost.

 Chapter 28- A Fractured Paradise

    Chapter XXVIII


    When the elevator doors slid open, Elizabeth Tao stepped out into the hallway. It was her first time in the building and she wanted to make sure she knew where she was going so she quickly scanned the doors on either side of the corridor, specifically at the golden numbers beside them. She briefly recalled which apartment number she was looking for before seeing it a few doors down on her left. Grinning, she proceeded forward and trotted on over before knocking her gloved fist against its wooden surface a few times. The girl then stepped back and waited until she heard the sound of it unlocking, followed by it swinging open to reveal her good friend on the other side.


    ¡°Morning, Lilly,¡± Liz greeted cheerfully. ¡°Happy Saturday.¡±


    The other girl smiled warmly. ¡°Morning, Liz. Happy Saturday to you, too.¡± She then stepped aside and motioned for her to enter. ¡°Glad you could make it. Come on in.¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course I could make it,¡± Liz said wryly, stepping past Lilly and into the hallway before kneeling down to start undoing the laces on her boots. ¡°I never thought the day would come when you would willingly tell me where you live, let alone invite me over. It¡¯s a special occasion.¡±


    Lilly shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it special. I just wanted to talk for a bit.¡±


    ¡°But you cared about me so much that it had to be in person, yeah?¡± Liz countered. ¡°It¡¯s not like you couldn¡¯t have called.¡±


    Lilly cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Would you have preferred me to?¡±


    Setting her boots off to the side, Liz stood up and grinned. ¡°Of course not! You and I never hang out one-on-one! It¡¯s time we had some girl talk!¡±


    Lilly grimaced as the two of them walked further into the apartment. When they reached the main room, Liz found herself unsurprised that it was empty. She knew there was no way she would have ever been invited over if Lilly¡¯s family were home.


    ¡°I don¡¯t do girl talk,¡± Lilly grumbled. ¡°I couldn¡¯t even tell you what that meant.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you know,¡± Liz began, ¡°like talking about boys and clothes and¡­other stereotypical girl things.¡±


    Lilly eyed her skeptically. ¡°It¡¯s starting to sound like you don¡¯t know what it means either.¡±


    The bespectacled girl laughed guiltily and looked away, fiddling with the headphones around her neck. ¡°Well¡­what do you expect? I¡¯ve spent my high school years surrounded by boys! You think Eric and Vinny ever talk about girl stuff?¡±


    ¡°Fair point,¡± Lilly admitted, moving around the kitchen counter and toward a kettle that was sitting on a lit burner. ¡°By the way, you want some hot chocolate?¡±


    ¡°Oh do I?!¡± Liz cheered excitedly.


    Lilly already seemed slightly overwhelmed by her peppy attitude so Liz decided she ought to start toning it down a bit. She stood by and watched the other girl get some mugs out of the cabinets. For a moment, Liz found herself strangely elated as she observed Lilly. While she had been mainly teasing, she hadn¡¯t been lying when she said that she spent all her time with boys, so it was nice to be invited over to a girl¡¯s house. She hadn¡¯t ever had any close female friends so she was especially grateful for Lilly, even if she wasn¡¯t the most cheerful of girls.


    ¡°You know,¡± Liz said softly. ¡°I really appreciate you inviting me over. I was worried that¡­after what happened, you¡¯d hate me.¡±


    Lilly glanced up from the mugs and looked at her in surprise. ¡°Hate you? Of course not. Why would I hate you for that?¡±


    ¡°I dunno,¡± she admitted. ¡°I guess¡­I just wasn¡¯t sure what you¡¯d think. I went behind your guys¡¯ backs. I stole the gem. I just¡­¡±


    Lilly turned the stove off then reached for the kettle of boiling water. ¡°Have you been thinking about this all break?¡±


    Liz nodded bashfully. ¡°Well, a bit, yeah.¡±


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you call me?¡± the other girl asked. ¡°We could¡¯ve cleared that up quickly, you know?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No. I figured it would be better to let you guys have your space. So¡­when you called yesterday, I was really happy. I am sorry about it all. I never wanted to betray you guys or anything.¡±


    The other girl returned the kettle to the stove and picked up one of the mugs before holding it out for Liz, who took it gratefully.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t betray us,¡± Lilly assured her. ¡°You did what you thought was best for Alice. We all know that. Even Damien does, although I¡¯m sure you guys have already talked that over.¡±


    Liz bit her lip and glanced away. ¡°Well¡­¡±


    ¡°Liz? Have you and Damien worked it out?¡± she asked, her tone sounding somewhat nervous.


    Well, it¡¯s not like I gain anything by lying.


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. Actually, I haven¡¯t spoken to him since that meeting in the clubroom before I stole the stone.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Liz cringed at her friend¡¯s exclamation and decided not to elaborate further.


    ¡°Jeez,¡± Lilly grumbled. ¡°Okay, well, come with me. Let¡¯s go outside and sit down. We¡¯ll talk more out there.¡±


    Liz nodded and silently followed the girl across the sitting area and toward the sliding glass door on the other side of the room. She pulled it open to admit them to the balcony where there were two wicker chairs with blue cushions placed between a small glass table. The air was chilly but she knew the hot chocolate would warm her up pretty quick. Lilly motioned for Liz to take a seat and she obliged. When she took a sip of her drink, she felt some of the tension in her body ease up.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Lilly began after drinking some of her own hot chocolate. ¡°So let me get this straight. You haven¡¯t talked to Damien since the week before finals? You went past Christmas, New Years, and almost the entire winter break with nothing?¡±


    Liz felt her cheeks burn from embarrassment. ¡°W-well, when you say it like that, I sound really pathetic.¡±


    ¡°You both do,¡± Lilly growled, rolling her eyes. ¡°God, I figured you guys would have this all patched up by now. You always seemed like the ideal couple.¡±


    Liz shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not that surprising. He¡¯s probably really hurt. He expected me to back him up and instead¡­I betrayed him and gave Vinny the stone. It¡¯s no wonder he doesn¡¯t want anything to do with me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. I might not have known you guys that long but there¡¯s no way Damien wants nothing to do with you. He¡¯s probably just as torn up about it all as you are.¡± She paused for a moment as she stared down at her drink. ¡°Though I do have to ask... Why didn¡¯t you at least say you didn¡¯t agree with him during the meeting? I mean, you might have been able to convince him.¡±


    Liz shook her head. ¡°No, I couldn¡¯t have. That room was so tense. I¡¯ve never seen Vinny and Damien go at it like that. I just¡­couldn¡¯t bring myself to interject and take Vinny¡¯s side. So¡­instead, I was a coward. I went behind his back.¡±


    Lilly sighed and leaned back in her chair. ¡°Can I ask why? Why did you take Vinny¡¯s side? I would¡¯ve thought you to have a similar mindset to Damien.¡±


    ¡°I normally do,¡± the bespectacled girl admitted. ¡°But¡­I kinda know how Alice felt. While I¡¯ve never experienced something quite like that, I¡¯ve always been a bit of an outcast. Thing is, I¡¯m the only girl in a club everybody would rather avoid. People think I¡¯m weird¡­and they¡¯re not wrong, but¡­I go through school constantly looked at as some kind of freak. I figure you probably know something of what I mean.¡±


    The other girl nodded. ¡°Yeah. I can¡¯t say I don¡¯t get weird looks now and then. Though, Brad does keep a lot of people off my back. I guess I can see what you mean though. You didn¡¯t want Alice to suffer anything worse.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Liz replied. ¡°It¡¯s sometimes a bit overwhelming for me. I couldn¡¯t imagine dealing with what Evan and Rina were putting her through. I just¡­couldn¡¯t stand by and do nothing.¡±


    ¡°And I think Damien would understand that,¡± Lilly said. ¡°Look, Liz, I didn¡¯t just invite you here today for the hell of it. Eric¡¯s worried about you guys¡­ He¡¯s afraid that the situation with Alice is going to rip the club apart and he doesn¡¯t want that. I don¡¯t want that either.¡±


    Liz couldn¡¯t help but to smile at the sincerity in Lilly¡¯s tone. It was so strange to hear the girl say something like that. It made her realize that, despite her personality, Lilly really did care about them. It once again made her feel warm inside.


    ¡°Seeing as you and Damien haven¡¯t even started to patch things up,¡± Lilly continued, ¡°I want to help get the ball rolling. This club is not falling apart over this, you hear me?¡±


    ¡°Loud and clear, Captain Harper,¡± she replied with a joking grin and a quick salute. ¡°And I¡¯m open to any advice you got.¡±


    Lilly snorted at the nickname but didn¡¯t seem like it annoyed her. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not really rocket science. Talk to him. He¡¯s your boyfriend, for crying out loud. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll understand where you¡¯re coming from.¡±


    ¡°Maybe but¡­¡± Liz frowned. ¡°Damien can be stubborn. He¡¯s afraid of that gem. I know he is. Right now, he¡¯s desperate to get away from it and to go back to the way things used to be. The magic scares him. I think¡­regardless of how I feel, he won¡¯t ever accept that using the stone was a good idea.¡±


    ¡°Maybe so,¡± Lilly muttered. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean talking to him won¡¯t at least help clear the air a bit.¡±


    Liz sighed, realizing she¡¯d been totally ignoring her drink. She took another few sips as she thought the situation over. She did have an idea that might be able to help bridge the gap between her and Damien. It was something she had considered a few times over the course of winter break but had always decided to ignore. However, talking with Lilly, part of her wondered if it might be the only way to truly fix everything.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°You know, this subject is depressing,¡± Liz said, forcing cheer back into her voice. ¡°I¡¯d rather talk about something more fun. Like, how about your relationship with Eric? He ask you out yet?¡±


    Liz took satisfaction in the sight of Lilly turning beet red as she choked up her sip of hot chocolate.


    ¡°As if!¡± she sputtered. ¡°We aren¡¯t going to date! Why are you guys so hung up over this!¡±


    Liz grinned. ¡°Cause I think you¡¯d look cute together. And I mean, it¡¯s not like you don¡¯t know each other intimately. You¡¯ve been in his body before! Can¡¯t get much closer than that, can you?¡±


    The other girl frantically looked over her shoulder as if fearing her family was about to pop out of thin air.


    ¡°It¡¯s completely platonic,¡± Lilly snapped. ¡°Our body swapping is for experimenting and experimenting alone!¡±


    Liz cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Oh please? So you¡¯re telling me that whenever you¡¯ve swapped bodies with him, you¡¯ve never had the urge to just whip it out? You¡¯ve never wanted to see what it feels like to just¡­give it a spin?¡±


    It was actually impressive to Liz how red Lilly¡¯s face could become in the face of her teasing.


    ¡°Give it a¡­spin? N-no!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°As if!¡±


    Liz couldn¡¯t help but to laugh, knowing she should tone it down but wanting to keep pushing. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re missing a great chance here! Not many girls can say they¡¯ve ever been a boy before. This is uncharted territory and you¡¯re our best pioneer!¡±


    ¡°Sh-shut up!¡±


    Lilly leaned back in her chair and seemed to be trying desperately to calm herself down. Liz couldn¡¯t help but marvel at how cute she was when she was flustered. If not for her association with the club and her otherwise distant attitude, she could have probably gotten herself a date easily. She was really pretty and there was no doubt in Liz¡¯s mind that Lilly didn¡¯t even realize it.


    ¡°But in all seriousness,¡± Liz said after a moment. ¡°What¡¯s it like to be a boy? I was only Eric for a few seconds so I never got much of a chance to really think about it.¡±


    Lilly grimaced, as if desperately wanting the conversation to turn elsewhere. ¡°Why not just swap with Eric or Vinny and see for yourself? Why do I need to explain it?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that,¡± Liz told her. ¡°I do have a boyfriend¡­I think. What kind of girlfriend would I be if I swapped bodies with another dude?¡±


    Lilly snorted. ¡°Fair enough, I guess. Didn¡¯t really think about that.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Liz pressed. ¡°What is it like?¡±


    The other girl, still a nice shade of red, turned to stare up at the sky, as if considering the best way to answer the question.


    ¡°Honestly, Liz,¡± she muttered. ¡°I can¡¯t really put it into words. It¡¯s different, obviously, but the gem screws with your head to make everything feel normal. It¡¯s really something you¡¯d just have to experience for yourself.¡±


    Liz smiled, taking another sip of her drink.


    Experience for myself, huh? Yeah¡­maybe I¡¯ll do just that.


    ***


    Winter break passed by in a weird blur for Vinny to the point that he couldn¡¯t remember much of it. For the first time since he met them, he had gone most of the two weeks without speaking to a single member of the club. Eric, Liz, and Lilly sent him texts wishing him a merry Christmas and a happy New Year and he said the same back to them but that was the extent of their interactions. Damien never spoke to him at all, but that was to be expected after their last interaction the week before finals. Ever since, the two had been avoiding each other.


    Not like there¡¯s much I can do about that. If Damien won¡¯t forgive me then that¡¯s just how it¡¯s going to be. I did the right thing, after all. Three weeks have passed and Alice hasn¡¯t received a single death threat nor did anything happen when she came back to school. Rina and Evan are dealt with and that¡¯s what matters.


    He couldn¡¯t help but to smirk at the memory of the news he had seen on social media a few weeks back. There were rumors circulating around the school that Evan Wright had been put under arrest for the possession of illegal drugs after an anonymous source tipped off the cops, though nothing had been confirmed. Vinny, however, knew the truth.


    I got him, Vinny thought with satisfaction. After everything he put us through, I won in the end. The fucker should have never tried to pick a fight with me.


    As for Rina, she hadn¡¯t gone near Alice once since it all ended. She was still probably terrified that Vinny would send those pictures out and so, that should keep her from doing anything further. Everything had been dealt with and so, he knew Damien would come around eventually. He did the right thing, after all. Alice was safe.


    He smiled at the thought of his girlfriend. She was the only one he had spent time with over break and he felt like they were only getting closer in the aftermath of all that had happened. The only thing she seemed upset about was that Jay had been acting somewhat reserved and unresponsive. She said she had tried getting ahold of him a few times and he only responded once and didn¡¯t really take up much of a conversation.


    He¡¯s probably just tired, Vinny thought. Either that or he¡¯s letting the whole Rina thing bother him more than he should.


    The blonde boy leaned back, resting his head against his living room couch as he stared up at the ceiling. He was feeling strangely tired as well, but he supposed it was probably due to all of the stress he had been under. Even after so many days had passed, he still couldn¡¯t help but to feel furious whenever he thought about what Evan and Rina did.


    ¡°Hey, Vinny?¡±


    At the sound of his sister¡¯s voice, he glanced over his shoulder to see her coming down the stairs. Eric and Damien always claimed they looked alike but, aside from the fact that their hair was blonde and their eyes were blue, he didn¡¯t really see much resemblance.


    ¡°Yeah? What¡¯s up, Mia?¡± he called back.


    ¡°Have you seen my phone?¡± she asked. ¡°I thought I left it in my room but I can¡¯t find it anywhere.¡±


    Vinny cocked an eyebrow and smiled slyly. ¡°Oh? I didn¡¯t know you were even capable of losing it. I was under the impression that it was glued to your body.¡±


    She rolled her eyes but laughed nonetheless. ¡°Shut up. Have you seen it or not?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t,¡± he replied. ¡°Did you check the mantle? You¡¯ve left it there a few times.¡±


    ¡°Oh, good idea! Thanks!¡±


    With that, Mia went to run into the next room over when the sound of the doorbell rang through the house. Vinny frowned, wondering if his sister had invited a friend over but when he looked at her, she was staring back with an inquisitive expression.


    ¡°Is that for you?¡± she asked.


    He shook his head. ¡°No. I¡¯m not expecting anyone. It must be a package or something. You mind getting it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure.¡±


    With a chipper skip in her step, Mia went around the corner and into the other room. Vinny returned to his comfortable position of leaning his head back but his relaxation was ruined by his sister¡¯s sudden call.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s Eric!¡±


    He instantly sat up, his brow furrowed in surprise.


    Eric? Why the hell is he here?


    He almost called back to tell Mia to pretend like they weren¡¯t home but he could already hear the door opening, telling him he wasn¡¯t quick enough.


    ¡°Mornin¡¯, Eric!¡± Mia greeted cheerfully.


    ¡°Ah, good morning, Mini Mickelson,¡± came the reply from his old friend. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the sudden intrusion but I was in the area and thought I¡¯d stop by. Is your brother home?¡±


    ¡°Yup! He¡¯s just in the other room! Come on in!¡±


    As he listened to the exchange, he felt his stomach tense up. He had intentionally avoided talking to Eric for fear of how mad his friend might be. Even if Liz was the one to steal the stone, he had still gone behind Eric¡¯s back and used it despite being told not to. He knew Eric had every right to be furious and if he had decided to come by, it was possible that he was ready to confront him. However, when Eric walked into the room, Vinny was surprised to find him grinning like normal.


    ¡°Vinny, my friend!¡± he greeted. ¡°Happy January! The new year is finally upon us¡±


    The blonde boy eyed Eric nervously but forced a smile. ¡°Y-yeah. Happy January to you, too, dude. What¡¯s up?¡±


    Eric shrugged. ¡°Nothing much. I just thought I¡¯d stop by so we could talk. That okay with you?¡±


    ¡°Uh, sure,¡± Vinny stuttered. ¡°You want to head upstairs then?¡±


    ¡°Sounds perfect.¡±


    With that, Vinny reluctantly pushed himself to his feet and headed toward the staircase with Eric following right behind, whistling a merry tune as he did so. The boy was acting so normal that Vinny almost wondered if he¡¯d somehow forgotten about the whole Rina/Evan situation. However, he quickly realized that wasn¡¯t the case. Eric was probably just putting on a front so as to not make Mia suspicious.


    When they arrived on the top floor, Vinny crossed the hall and walked toward his room before opening the door and stepping aside so Eric could enter. Once Vinny had followed behind him, he closed the door so they could have some privacy. His room wasn¡¯t anything special, consisting of his bed on one side and his desk on the opposite corner. Sunlight was streaming in through the window behind the desk, keeping the room well lit without having to turn on the light.


    Eric casually walked over and leaned his hands on the windowsill, seeming content just staring out at the neighborhood below. Vinny wasn¡¯t sure what to say and so, had intended to let his friend start the conversation. Yet Eric said nothing, just continuing to gaze silently out the window. The silence was suffocating and with each passing second, Vinny found himself wanting to break it and just ask Eric what he wanted. However, before he could, the boy finally spoke.


    ¡°I heard from Damien that Evan was supposedly arrested for drug possession,¡± he said. ¡°Your doing, I assume?¡±


    Vinny grimaced at the casual tone of Eric¡¯s voice before nodding. ¡°Obviously. I¡¯d noticed that his body seemed oddly uncomfortable and so, after searching his car, I found his hidden stash. So, I did what any good citizen would do and I told the cops.¡±


    ¡°Good. He deserved as much,¡± Eric replied. ¡°The boy was clearly unstable. Perhaps this will be a good lesson for him.¡±


    Vinny narrowed his eyes. He still couldn¡¯t sense any anger in Eric. Instead, he was talking like nothing bad had happened at all. It was so like Eric and yet every time he acted like that, Vinny was surprised. Ever since they met, his taller friend had always been one to act cheerful no matter the circumstances. It was that personality that Vinny had wanted to mimic.


    ¡°So, be honest with me, Eric,¡± Vinny began after a moment. ¡°Are you mad?¡±


    ¡°Mad?¡± His friend softly repeated the word. ¡°What would I have to be mad about?¡±


    Vinny frowned. ¡°What? What else? You told us not to use the gem and I did it anyway. I went behind your back and ignored you. You can¡¯t tell me you aren¡¯t at least a little angry!¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say angry,¡± Eric murmured. ¡°After all, it worked out in the end, did it not? Alice is safe, Evan is gone for the moment, and Rina¡­well, I¡¯m not quite sure what you did but she seems to be kept in line. What did you do, if you don¡¯t mind my asking?¡±


    Vinny immediately tensed up. It was no secret to him that Eric would never approve of his methods of keeping Rina in check. If he found out about the pictures of her he kept as blackmail then there was no doubt he would force him to delete them¡ªsomething he couldn¡¯t do. They were his only method of keeping Rina from seeking revenge. It was the only way to keep her quiet and protect everybody.


    ¡°Nothing all that interesting,¡± Vinny lied. ¡°I just used the stone to steal Evan¡¯s body and, as him, convinced Rina to back down.¡±


    ¡°Did you now?¡±


    Eric¡¯s back was still to him so Vinny couldn¡¯t see his face and his tone was so unreadable that it was nearly impossible to tell if his friend believed him or not.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s good then,¡± Eric continued. ¡°That means the problem truly was solved. Nothing to worry about anymore, yes? Then I hope you and Damien intend to make up.¡±


    He outwardly cringed at that. He knew it would no longer be so easy to put everything behind them. Damien was convinced that Vinny did something terrible to stop the bullying and wouldn¡¯t be satisfied until he came clean¡ªsomething he had no intention of doing. The only way any of the other members would find out what happened was if Jay told them but Vinny trusted that he would keep his mouth shut. After all, Jay was an accomplice in it all. He wouldn¡¯t want it getting out either.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± Vinny replied. ¡°But if Damien doesn¡¯t want to then I can¡¯t make him.¡±


    Eric chuckled softly. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry about that. It¡¯ll take more than a little disagreement to shatter the powerful Magical and Other Anomalies Investigation Team! We won¡¯t be so easily defeated by darkness. Correct, Vinny?¡±


    With that, he finally turned around, a determined expression on his face.


    ¡°You, Damien, Liz,¡± he went on, ¡°you¡¯re too close to crumble because of this. So pick yourselves up and let¡¯s all meet at the clubroom Monday afternoon. Bring Alice with you as well. We¡¯ll have a party to start our second semester as juniors, yeah?¡±


    Vinny forced himself to smile but, internally, he couldn¡¯t help but to feel slightly sick.


    It¡¯s not going to be that easy. He¡¯s being too idealistic. He doesn¡¯t realize how much effort it¡¯s going to take to get through this. I appreciate the thought though. Eric¡­always has our happiness as his biggest priority.


    Vinny grinned. ¡°Thank you, Eric. I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±

 Chapter 29- Mediating the Drama

    Chapter XXIX


    Liz wound up leaving Lilly¡¯s place a little later than she had expected and so, she hadn¡¯t been gone before Alexa returned. Given how suspicious her sister had been of her in the past few weeks, Lilly had been determined to keep the Magic Club from interacting with her family any more than they already had. It was why she invited Liz over while everybody was gone. However, unlike when Eric had visited, Liz was very polite to Alexa and the two seemed to get along for the brief moments they interacted. Although, Lilly didn¡¯t miss the few looks her sister gave her during the conversation. For that reason, she made sure to go out for a walk after Liz left so she wouldn¡¯t have to endure her sister¡¯s questioning.


    While she was out, she called Eric to see how his conversation with Vinny went but, apparently, he hadn¡¯t been able to figure out what he did to Rina that would cause his sense to shift so drastically. However, both of them had managed to convince Liz and Vinny to try and fix the relationships that had been damaged. Liz seemed like she truly wanted to make peace with Damien and Vinny hadn¡¯t opposed it either. Now, all they needed to do was speak with Damien himself, something Eric had volunteered to do.


    This is all so strange, she thought. When I first met them, they seemed like such a close group. To think I¡¯d be helping them put themselves back together.


    Lilly sighed, glancing up at the darkening sky as she walked down the street and toward her apartment building. The street lamps had already turned on and the air was getting colder by the minute. She was anxious to get back home to enjoy the heated interior of their apartment. When she made it into the lobby, she smiled at the rush of warmth that greeted her. She briefly greeted Mr. Esteban as she headed toward the elevator.


    I just hope Mom and Dad are already home. Otherwise, I¡¯m sure Alexa will be all over me about Liz coming by.


    Unfortunately, her prayers were ignored when she walked through her front door to see only her sister¡¯s shoes waiting beside the wall. Lilly silently cursed her luck as she kneeled down to untie her laces. She could only cringe more at the sound of Alexa¡¯s footsteps approaching from the living room.


    ¡°Where¡¯ve you been all day?¡± she asked, an accusatory tone to her voice.


    Despite knowing she had been actively avoiding her sister and that Alexa was right to be irritated, Lilly couldn¡¯t help but to get a bit defensive.


    ¡°I went for a walk,¡± she growled. ¡°I¡¯m allowed to do that, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    She slid her shoes off and slid past Alexa into the living room. She instantly walked toward the kitchen, feeling her stomach grumbling in anticipation of dinner.


    ¡°What¡¯s been up with you lately?¡± Alexa snapped. ¡°You¡¯ve been acting so¡­weird.¡±


    Lilly cocked an eyebrow as she pulled open the fridge and reached for the leftover pizza from the night before.


    ¡°Weird how?¡± she grumbled.


    Alexa scowled. ¡°Oh don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t know what I mean. What was with that girl earlier? Not that I care if you invite friends over but she¡¯s another one of those magic weirdos, isn¡¯t she? You still haven¡¯t even told me what your deal is with them.¡±


    Lilly couldn¡¯t help but grimace as she put the pizza into the microwave. She hadn¡¯t heard her sister sound this pissed at her since they were younger. As they got older, they stopped bickering as often but now, it was clear that Lilly keeping as many secrets as she had been was irritating Alexa more than she realized. The only problem was that she couldn¡¯t tell her about the stone and so, there was no easy lie to explain her involvement with the club that would satisfy the older girl. With each passing day, her sister was getting on her case more and more.


    And the whole Alice debacle didn¡¯t help that, Lilly thought irritably.


    Everybody at the school knew that the club had been involved in the drama with Alice since her relationship with Vinny had spread like wildfire. Those rumors had gone even crazier once they were mixed with the ones revolving around Evan Wright. Almost everybody suspected a club member of being the anonymous tipper. Since Lilly was pretty much accepted as being one of them now, she was lumped into that mess. Alexa spent most of the winter break badgering her for details about Evan and Alice but Lilly just kept dodging her questions.


    I really do wish I didn¡¯t have to lie but¡­I¡¯m not getting her involved with the stone.


    ¡°My deal with them?¡± she muttered, staring at her pizza as it spun inside the microwave. ¡°I really don¡¯t know what you want me to say. I¡¯m friends with them cause I am. Eric, Liz, and the others were nice to me. That¡¯s all there is to it.¡±


    ¡°And they don¡¯t annoy the hell out of you?¡± Alexa pressed. ¡°You¡¯re somebody who used to get pissed at me if I tapped my food too loud. If even half of what I hear about them is true then you should avoid them like the plague!¡±


    One would think, she mused.


    Lilly shook her head. ¡°They aren¡¯t as bad as people say.¡±


    ¡°Oh really? So was I the only one listening to Eric Reiner talk Dad¡¯s ear off about the quote-unquote ¡®mortal realm¡¯ back before Christmas? That¡¯s not strange or annoying to you?!¡±


    The younger girl exhaled softly.


    ¡°Listen, Alexa, why does it even matter?¡± she asked, glancing over her shoulder. ¡°Who cares if I¡¯m hanging out with them? What harm is it doing to you?¡±


    For a moment, Alexa¡¯s irritation diminished, replaced by a look of hurt.


    ¡°W-well,¡± she stuttered. ¡°I¡¯m just worried about you, is all. I mean, I spent years trying to get you to break out of your shell and you dug your heels in and refused. Then, without me even realizing, you¡¯re all of a sudden best buddies with the weirdest kids in school and going to a club and going out with people¡­it¡¯s so sudden that I can¡¯t help but worry that something happened. That¡¯s all.¡±


    Lilly glanced back to stare at the microwave just as it beeped to let her know her food was ready. She subconsciously reached up to open it as she thought her sister¡¯s words over.


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t worry,¡± she replied softly. ¡°Cause I¡¯m fine. They¡¯re my friends and that¡¯s all.¡±


    Alexa snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, huh? How can I not worry after hearing all of those rumors about your friends and that football guy? You still won¡¯t explain that.¡±


    ¡°Cause there¡¯s nothing to explain,¡± Lilly snapped, shutting the microwave door and stalking around the counter so she could sit at the table. ¡°We had nothing to do with his supposed arrest and what happened between him and Alice is private. That¡¯s it.¡±


    For a moment, she prepared herself for more questions but, luckily, Alexa simply shook her head and scoffed. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll stop bothering you then,¡± she growled before turning and walking into the hallway, leaving her alone at the dining table staring down at her leftover pizza.


    I appreciate her concern but I wish she would just lay off me. I can¡¯t tell her about the stone. I don¡¯t need her getting involved with that¡­especially after everything that happened with Evan and Rina.


    She sighed, feeling her stomach grumble again as she reached for her pizza. Yet, before she could even lift it to her mouth, her peace and quiet was interrupted by the ringing of her phone. She cocked an eyebrow, placing the food back down on her plate then reaching into her pocket to check who was calling. She fully intended to ignore whoever it was until after dinner but, when she saw the caller ID, she couldn¡¯t help but to stare in surprise. Despite her hunger, she pressed the answer button and placed it to her ear.


    ¡°Damien, hey,¡± she greeted. ¡°This is a surprise. What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Hey, Lilly,¡± he replied, the tone of his voice making him sound tired. ¡°Sorry to suddenly call you? Are you free to chat?¡±


    She spared a brief glance at her pizza, feeling her stomach grumbling as she did so, but decided dinner could wait. With everything going on, she wanted to talk with him.


    ¡°Yup,¡± she said. ¡°Why? Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing new. Actually, I was wondering if I could get your advice about something?¡±


    She frowned. ¡°My advice? Well, I¡¯ll do what I can but I have to warn you¡­I¡¯m not really one who¡¯s good at giving advice so¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t be like that,¡± he said with a soft chuckle. ¡°You¡¯re a bigger help than you¡¯d think. Have more confidence.¡±


    He was so blunt about it that she couldn¡¯t help but to blush a little. ¡°O-okay. Well, I¡¯ll do my best. What¡¯d you need advice with?¡±


    Damien hesitated for a moment, as if taking a chance to gather his thoughts, before resounding. ¡°Well, it¡¯s actually about the whole situation with Liz.¡±


    Liz? Perfect! If she¡¯s what he needs help with then maybe I can try and steer this in a way that¡¯ll help the two get past this.


    ¡°Oh, well, I might be able to help you there,¡± she said. ¡°Liz was actually here earlier.¡±


    ¡°Y-you¡­? So you¡¯ve talked to her?¡±


    Lilly grinned, clearly hearing how desperate he sounded to get some news about her.


    ¡°I did. And she told me that the two of you haven¡¯t spoken once since that whole incident.¡± She snorted. ¡°What¡¯s up with that? You two are supposed to be the smart ones in the club so why haven¡¯t you done the obvious and talked?¡±


    ¡°W-well¡­¡± For a second, he sounded like he was going to get defensive, but his voice quickly petered out into one of shame. ¡°Yeah, okay. I hear you. You¡¯re not wrong. I just¡­ How am I supposed to approach her after that?¡±


    ¡°By walking to her house and knocking on her door. That¡¯s how.¡±


    ¡°You know what I mean,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Liz and I¡­have never been in a situation like this. I started dating her pretty soon after she joined the group and we¡¯ve rarely ever fought. I always thought we saw eye-to-eye and so¡­when I saw her sitting in that clubroom alone¡­I knew she had taken the gem and given it to Vinny. I knew without having to ask that she hadn¡¯t agreed with me and so¡­she went behind our backs.¡± He exhaled softly and she could tell that he was struggling to say the words. ¡°It hurt me. It hurt me a lot. It made me wonder if¡­maybe I was wrong? Was I doing the wrong thing by opposing Vinny?¡±


    Lilly glanced up at the ceiling, realizing in that moment just how torn up Damien was. She had never heard him sound so defeated and conflicted. Liz stealing the stone really threw him through a loop and, even after three weeks, he still didn¡¯t know what to do.


    ¡°Honestly, Damien, I can¡¯t answer that,¡± Lilly said. ¡°I don¡¯t disagree with your caution. I¡¯ll be the first to admit that I haven¡¯t always been as careful as I should be with that thing. But at the same time, I didn¡¯t want to just leave Alice to deal with it alone. I was torn up and even now, after it¡¯s all over, I don¡¯t know what the right answer was. Maybe you were wrong, maybe you weren¡¯t. But answering that isn¡¯t something I can do.¡±


    She took a deep breath, recalling everything Liz had told her earlier in the day.


    ¡°But I can say this,¡± she continued. ¡°Talk to her. I mean that. If you¡¯re hurt, tell her. If you want to know why she did it, ask her. When I spoke to her today, I could tell that she missed you. She wants you back as much as it sounds like you want her.¡±


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    For a while, Damien was silent. Lilly didn¡¯t say anything either, content to let him think everything over. When he finally did speak, he sounded exhausted once again.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s exactly what Eric said earlier,¡± he said with a soft laugh. ¡°It¡¯s that easy, huh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s that easy,¡± Lilly replied.


    ¡°Well, fair enough. I guess I know what I have to do. I¡¯ll talk to her on Monday and see if we can work something out. Thanks, Lilly.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°Of course. Glad I could help, Damien.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll let you get back to your night. I¡¯ll see you on Monday. Bye.¡±


    ¡°See you.¡±


    The call ended and Lilly set her phone down onto the table beside her now lukewarm leftover pizza. She couldn¡¯t help but to feel a small sense of satisfaction knowing that she was able to help. Damien had become a really close friend of hers and she hated hearing him sound so depressed.


    We¡¯re going to fix this. The club isn¡¯t allowed to fall apart. I finally found a place to fit in. I¡¯m not about to lose it to something like this.


    ***


    The first day of school after winter break came sooner than Alice would have liked but, at the same time, it also felt like a certain weight was being lifted off her shoulders. Ever since she returned to school in the aftermath of her locker incident, something had felt off to her. Vinny had explained Rina¡¯s involvement with Evan in the whole situation and that he had dealt with the problem. To her, that had meant that The Switch had been used and, when she heard the rumors that Evan had been arrested, her theory was essentially confirmed. However, no matter how many times she asked, Vinny wouldn¡¯t tell her what he actually did to them. He would only dodge the questions or act like it wasn¡¯t important. Normally, she would have just trusted him and left the topic alone. What was keeping her so hung up on it was Jay.


    For the past month, Jay had been acting off. For the last week before break, he avoided her and wouldn¡¯t answer her calls and texts. Then, when break started, he never once came to visit her at the diner to the point that Monica asked if they¡¯d gotten into a fight. The one time they spoke, he seemed shaken up and it seemed as if he was scared that she knew about what Vinny did. It was Jay¡¯s reaction that made her suspicious.


    So, if Vinny wasn¡¯t going to answer her questions then she knew she would have to do what she had been planning since before break. She would have to swallow her fear and approach Rina Davens for the first time in years. It wasn¡¯t something she wanted to do at all given both how they last parted ways and what Rina had done to her at the end of the previous semester but she knew she had no choice. If Jay and Vinny refused to answer her questions then Rina was her only option.


    She had given Lilly a call about it before Christmas but the girl hadn¡¯t really told her much. All she said was that Vinny and Jay never told the others what their plans were. She said they only found out they were going to do anything about it after they had lost the opportunity to prevent it. To Alice, the entire situation seemed strange and she was determined to get to the bottom of it.


    When she walked through the school gates and into the courtyard, she could immediately sense some of the students looking her way. With the news of Evan¡¯s arrest, rumors and theories about how it happened were spreading and she was at the center of them all. It was common knowledge at West Wilham that he had been the one behind what happened to her locker and so, most believed her to be involved with it. Others took it even further and built upon the already existing rumors about Damien Clark, saying it was his revenge on Evan for attacking her. However, nobody seemed to be linking Rina to the incident so, for now, she had gotten away clean.


    Alice crossed the snow-covered courtyard and walked through the main entrance. She knew that Rina had first period on the second floor because she had seen the girl talking with her friends outside room 2-11, the classroom next door to Mrs. Kentz¡¯s room. She could only hope that Rina would already be there when she arrived. When Alice arrived atop the staircase, she didn¡¯t see Rina outside the room so she prayed the girl would already be in the room. Room 2-11¡¯s door was wide open so all she needed to do was pass it by to get a good view of who was inside. Sure enough, sitting in the middle of the room, talking to two other popular girls, was Rina Davens.


    So she is here, Alice thought. Then there¡¯s no getting out of this now. I have to talk to her. I have to know what happened last month.


    Taking a deep breath, Alice approached the doorway and looked over at her old friend. Rina glanced up at her and immediately, her eyes went wide as if she were terrified. That reaction alone was enough to convince her that Vinny and Jay had done something they were trying to hide. When Rina¡¯s friends turned to look at her, both scowled in disgust but Alice ignored them.


    ¡°Hey, Rina,¡± she called out. ¡°Can you step outside a moment? I was wondering if we could talk?¡±


    The girl turned pale and seemed as if she was ready to get up and run. So, instead, it was one of the others, a girl Alice recognized as Charlotte Banks, who responded.


    ¡°What do you need her for?¡± she asked haughtily.


    Alice simply smiled back, ignoring the girl¡¯s harsh tone.


    ¡°I just wanted to ask her a question about something¡­out of this world,¡± she replied.


    Rina¡¯s eyes somehow widened further at that and Alice knew she both knew about the stone and knew that¡¯s what she was referring to.


    ¡°God, she really is a magic freak,¡± Charlotte said with a cocky laugh. ¡°If Rina doesn¡¯t want to talk to you then she doesn¡¯t have to.¡±


    Alice nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± Then, she looked at Rina once again, ignoring her friends. ¡°So, Rina? Can we talk?¡±


    The other girl glanced away but, luckily, she managed a nod, much to the surprise of the others. Rina got to her feet and walked over to where Alice was standing and, aking that as her cue to go, she turned and began making her way down the hall with her old friend in tow. When she noticed a spot between the lockers where there was a drinking fountain, she stopped and moved to stand beside it. Rina reluctantly followed. She still looked terrified and she was looking over her shoulder as if not wanting to be seen with her.


    ¡°S-so?¡± Rina stuttered after a moment. ¡°W-what did you¡­need?¡±


    Alice frowned. What on earth is wrong with her? I mean, I knew this would be awkward given everything we¡¯ve been through but I never imagined she¡¯d be so scared.


    ¡°I just wanted to talk,¡± Alice replied. ¡°With all that¡¯s happened, I thought it was time I stop being a coward and just approach you. We did used to be friends, after all, right?¡±


    Rina swallowed. ¡°Um, I mean, I guess but¡­I thought I wasn¡¯t supposed to go near you?¡±


    ¡°Go near me?¡± Alice asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Did Vinny threaten her or something?


    The other girl clenched her teeth and took a step back, sparing another few glances over her shoulder.


    ¡°Look, I get it! I¡¯m sorry!¡± she hurriedly said. ¡°I won¡¯t do anything to you ever again! So please, just leave me alone! I already swore not to do anything else! Just please let me go!¡±


    She sounded so desperate that, despite what Rina did to her, she couldn¡¯t help but feel bad for her. Whatever Vinny and Jay did had really shaken her up. In fact, now that Alice had a good look at her face, it was obvious something was wrong. She looked utterly exhausted.


    ¡°Rina¡­?¡± Alice began softly. ¡°Did they use their magic on you?¡±


    Her question was vague enough that if she was wrong and Vinny hadn¡¯t used The Switch then Rina wouldn¡¯t know what she was talking about. Yet, Alice didn¡¯t miss the flicker of recognition in the other girl''s eyes. It was her final confirmation. That stone had been used on her and it was the reason for her current terror.


    ¡°Please,¡± Rina whimpered. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Then, before Alice could protest, she turned and rushed off, leaving her standing beside the drinking fountain alone, staring after her in shock.


    What was that? Now I¡¯m really worried. They did something¡­but what?


    She shook her head, deciding it might be best to try and confront Vinny again, as she turned and was about to begin making her way toward Mrs. Kentz¡¯s classroom. However, before she could even take a step, somebody called out to her.


    ¡°Alice?¡±


    She immediately turned around, having wanted to hear that voice all through break, but when she did, she found herself staring wide-eyed. Jay was standing beside the lockers, looking somehow more worn out than Rina had. His hair looked as if he hadn¡¯t brushed it since waking up, his eyelids looked heavy, and his skin was pale.


    ¡°Jay,¡± she said. ¡°Where¡¯ve you been? I¡¯ve been trying to get a hold of you the whole break. And why do you look so¡­exhausted?¡±


    He quickly shook his head. ¡°Uh, sorry about that. I¡¯ve been busy, is all. And I just stayed up too late last night.¡±


    He¡¯s lying, she thought. She had known him almost all her life and so, she could always tell whenever he was trying to hide something from her. This was one of those moments where she just knew that what he said wasn¡¯t the truth. Something was wrong with him and he didn¡¯t want her to know what that was.


    ¡°Enough about me,¡± he continued before she could speak. ¡°That was Rina, wasn¡¯t it? Why were you talking to her?¡±


    Alice narrowed her eyes, irritated by his accusatory tone. ¡°Am I not allowed to talk to her?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not¡­what I meant,¡± he grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­after what she did, why would you want to?¡±


    ¡°I want to because of what she did,¡± she replied. ¡°You and Vinny still won¡¯t tell me what happened to her! Vinny¡¯s been dodging my questions and you haven¡¯t spoken to me once. Obviously I¡¯m gonna get suspicious. I know you guys used the stone¡­but I don¡¯t know what you did with it.¡±


    His eyes went wide and she could tell that he was afraid she would find out.


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Save it, Jay,¡± she interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid. I know something happened and I want to know what. Rina looked terrified of me. She said she wasn¡¯t supposed to talk to me. I want to know why! What did you do? What did Vinny do?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not¡­¡± he uttered. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    She scowled. ¡°Oh don¡¯t give me that! I know when you¡¯re lying, Jay! And I¡¯m certain you¡¯re lying to me right now! I want to know why!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± His voice seemed to be getting weaker with each sentence he spoke. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alice. I can¡¯t tell you. Vinny didn¡¯t want it hanging over you so¡­for your sake, I won¡¯t answer you.¡±


    For a moment, she just stared at him. That, at least, was the truth. Whatever happened, they weren¡¯t keeping it secret for some malicious intent. They were just trying to protect her. However, that didn¡¯t excuse lying to her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need protection,¡± she snapped. ¡°I¡¯m perfectly capable of handling whatever you did. I just need to know. Rina¡­was my friend, too, Jay.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± he whispered. ¡°That¡¯s why I won¡¯t tell you.¡±


    Then, with that, he turned and walked off into the crowd, leaving her once again standing alone. Part of her wanted to call out to him and demand he come back but another part knew it would be futile. Jay made it clear that he wouldn¡¯t tell her a thing no matter what. If she wanted answers, she¡¯d have to get them elsewhere.


    Well, Vinny. I know you¡¯re just trying to protect me but¡­it¡¯s time you stop hiding what happened.


    I have to know.


    ***


    After her call with Damien, Lilly found herself feeling a little more confident that the club might be able to move past the incident and return to normalcy. Damien and Liz both clearly wanted to make up and so, if they could do that, all that would be left was to get Vinny and Damien to set their differences aside. According to Eric, Vinny said he¡¯d try to fix things so, hopefully, everything would be back to normal within a few days. That thought took some of the stress off her as she went into her second semester as a junior. Since it was only the start, her classes were relatively laid back and so, it felt like she made it to lunch faster than usual.


    She made her way up that stairs and toward the third floor. Ever since October, she had been eating lunch in the clubroom with the other club members, as well as Alice and Jay on occasion. Back during finals week, only Eric and Damien had been there but this time, she hoped all seven of them would come. Yet, when she walked through the door of Mr. Lowe¡¯s classroom and looked around, she saw only Eric sitting in their usual spot in the back corner.


    Lilly sighed. Well, hopefully the others are just later than usual.


    Aside from Eric, there was one other group of senior girls sitting on the opposite side of the room and Lilly could sense their eyes watching her as she made her way toward Eric. Mr. Lowe glanced up at her from his computer but said nothing. Over the course of her time with the club, she had never spoken a single word to their club advisor. According to Eric, Mr. Lowe was an advisor in name only. He essentially just left them to do whatever they wanted and only facilitated them for events like club rush or the spring festival.


    ¡°Afternoon, dear Lilly,¡± Eric greeted as she took her seat at the desk in front of him.


    She then turned it around so the two would face each other before pushing the desks together. Eric seemed cheerful enough but she could tell from how he kept glancing toward the door that he was impatient for the others to arrive.


    ¡°So? Are they coming?¡± she asked, curious to know if he¡¯d heard anything from them.


    But Eric simply shrugged. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not sure. Damien said he¡¯d come but Vinny said it would depend. I guess he was thinking about going to the courtyard with Alice so¡­¡±


    Lilly grimaced, having hoped Vinny and Damien might be able to start working things out at lunch rather than waiting until club later in the day.


    ¡°And Liz?¡± she muttered. ¡°What about her?¡±


    ¡°Dunno,¡± he replied. ¡°I haven¡¯t spoken to her. Did she sound like she¡¯d be coming when you guys talked yesterday?¡±


    Lilly nodded. ¡°I think so, but I¡¯m not sure. At the very least, by the time she left, it seemed like she¡¯d come to a decision about something. Like I said, she¡¯s pretty determined to fix things with Damien and¡­it sounds like he is, too.¡±


    She had told Eric all about her call with Damien that morning during first period. The news that he seemed ready to talk to her had put Eric in a good mood and so, they were both waiting in anticipation for something to happen.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m rooting for them,¡± Eric said. ¡°And¡­ Oh, speak of the devil.¡±


    Noticing him suddenly looking over her shoulder, Lilly turned back and couldn¡¯t help but exhale in relief. Liz was walking across the room, toward them. There was no sign of Damien but just the fact that she was here meant that they were making progress. Liz had a determined look in her eyes as she stopped in front of them.


    Then, much to Lilly¡¯s surprise, she stuck out her hand and stared directly at Eric.


    ¡°Eric Reiner, I have a request!¡± she declared.


    Lilly cocked an eyebrow as she looked at Eric, wondering if he knew anything about this. However, he looked just as taken aback as her.


    ¡°A request, huh?¡± he replied, a slight smile on his lips. ¡°And what exactly can I do for you, Miss Tao?¡±


    Liz grinned confidently.


    ¡°Give me the stone!¡±

 Chapter 30- Her Siren Song

    Chapter XXX


    Lilly exhaled sharply as she stared up at the bespectacled girl standing confidently before her.


    T-the stone? She wants Eric to give her the stone?!


    It was such a ridiculous request that Lilly found herself unable to speak. As much as she had forgiven Liz for taking the stone back before break, that didn¡¯t mean it was something they should just forget. Regardless of her reasoning, Liz still went behind their backs and stole from them. So how could she ever think Eric would just give it to her? Lilly had never seen the boy get truly mad at anybody but, in that moment, she felt he had every right to turn Liz¡¯s request down without so much as a thought. So, she glanced over at him, curious as to his expression, only to find him regarding her with a look of interest.


    ¡°The gem?¡± he said softly. ¡°That¡¯s what you want from me?¡±


    Liz nodded firmly, as if her request was perfectly normal. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I want from you. I want you to lend me the stone until tomorrow afternoon. If you do, I promise I¡¯ll have the situation with Damien all worked out.¡±


    Lilly furrowed her brow. She was failing to see how Liz was connecting those dots and couldn¡¯t help but to look to Eric once more. Yet he still didn¡¯t seem the least bit bothered by the whole thing. Instead, he was looking more and more amused by the second.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± he asked. ¡°And if you wouldn¡¯t mind my asking, how exactly is the stone going to fix this mess? Last I checked, it was the reason for it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Liz conceded. ¡°It was the reason and I¡¯m certain it can be the solution as well. However, I think I¡¯d rather keep my plan to myself, if you wouldn¡¯t mind. It¡¯s a little personal.¡±


    Lilly couldn¡¯t help but to regard Liz in astonishment.


    ¡°A bit bold of you, don¡¯t you think?¡± Lilly said sternly. ¡°I mean, stealing the stone got you into this mess so how can you expect Eric to give it back for you to fix it? I am rooting for you, Liz, but don¡¯t you think this is a little inconsiderate?¡±


    The other girl eyed her for a moment, a sly look in her eyes as she smiled. ¡°Inconsiderate, huh? Well, you know what I consider inconsiderate, Lilly? I¡¯d say pushing the responsibilities onto your friend and then leaving her out to dry is a bit inconsiderate.¡±


    Lilly cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Uh, I mean, sure but¡­I don¡¯t see your point.¡±


    ¡°Eric?¡± Liz said, turning to look back at him. ¡°Don¡¯t you agree? Don¡¯t you think you owe me some help in fixing a problem you got me into?¡±


    Eric chuckled. ¡°Is that how you¡¯re playing this, dear Liz? You plan to guilt me into giving you what you want?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I plan to do,¡± she replied firmly.


    Lilly couldn¡¯t help but to look between the two of them. She realized then that their words had a deeper meaning than she had realized.


    ¡°Eric?¡± Lilly asked. ¡°What¡¯s she talking about? How on earth is this situation your fault?¡±


    The boy glanced away with a guilty expression while Liz just sighed in exasperation.


    ¡°Well, I should apologize, Lilly,¡± she said. ¡°I figured he would¡¯ve at least told you.¡±


    Lilly clenched her teeth in growing irritation. ¡°Tell me what? What am I missing here?¡±


    ¡°Well, you see,¡± Liz began, ¡°because Eric feared what would happen if he went against the majority¡¯s wishes, he instead set everything up so that I could steal the stone, if I wanted to. He left his backpack unzipped when he went to the bathroom and gave me a look that made it clear what he wanted.¡±


    Lilly couldn¡¯t help but to gape at her in surprise. ¡°Eric¡­set this up? You mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yup,¡± the other girl said. ¡°Eric figured that if the stone was stolen then everything was out of his control. He knew he couldn¡¯t just give Vinny the stone but he refused to leave Alice to suffer. So, he set it up so that I had the option to take the burden instead.¡±


    Baffled by this new information, Lilly rounded on Eric, more furious that he kept it a secret as opposed to what he did. ¡°Eric?! Why didn¡¯t you tell me that?!¡±


    He chuckled nervously. ¡°Well, dear Lilly, I was admittedly afraid that you¡¯d think I was a tad cowardly for putting the ball in Liz¡¯s court.¡±


    ¡°Well obviously,¡± she growled. ¡°How could you just have her do this just so you could get out of dealing with the consequences?!¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t get me wrong,¡± Liz interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m still my own person. Eric may have set the situation up but I still chose to go through with it. He didn¡¯t make me do anything and I¡¯m the only one to blame for the situation with Damien.¡±


    Lilly glanced up at her in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re okay with this?¡±


    ¡°I am. However, at the same time, that doesn¡¯t mean he doesn¡¯t owe me one for helping him. Therefore, I¡¯ve determined that we shall be even if he loans me the stone until tomorrow afternoon.¡±


    Lilly couldn¡¯t help but to sigh in exasperation. She didn¡¯t even know what to think about it all. With Eric having confessed to pushing the burden of saving Alice onto Liz, she couldn¡¯t exactly deny that Liz¡¯s request suddenly seemed reasonable, especially if the girl intended to use it to somehow make amends with Damien. Since it was Eric¡¯s decision to make, she waited silently for him to speak.


    ¡°I guess I can¡¯t argue with that,¡± Eric said after a moment. ¡°In that case, I leave this in your care, dear Liz.¡±


    He then reached into his pocket and produced the stone before setting onto his desk. Their friend grinned happily as she swiped it from the surface so she could pocket it.


    ¡°I thank you, dear Reiner,¡± she replied wryly. ¡°I won¡¯t let you down. By this time tomorrow, everything between Damien and I should be water under the bridge.¡±


    Then, with that said, Liz spun on her heel and took off. Lilly frowned, having hoped the girl would spend lunch with them but also realizing that she would probably continue to avoid Damien until her plan was set in motion.


    ¡°I wonder what she plans to do,¡± Lilly said softly.


    Eric chuckled. ¡°Is it not obvious? Though I¡¯ll be damned if she actually convinces him to go through with it.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t mean¡­?¡±


    Lilly turned a dubious expression his way but he only continued to laugh.


    ¡°I do,¡± he confirmed. ¡°And Liz seems rather confident so I suppose we¡¯ll have to wait and see. The situation with Damien is in her hands now, where it belongs, leaving us to handle Vinny.¡±


    The girl couldn¡¯t help but grimace, realizing something after their conversation with Liz.


    ¡°You¡¯re blaming yourself, aren¡¯t you?¡± she muttered. ¡°Because you allowed Liz to steal the stone and help Vinny, you¡¯re blaming yourself for what he did. Am I right?¡±


    For a moment, Eric was silent, as if he were pondering her question. Then, he nodded.


    ¡°I am. I should have listened to you and Damien. You guys were right, after all. I knew how unstable Vinny was but, because I couldn¡¯t allow myself to not help Alice, I went ahead and gave up the stone anyway. Now, Vinny¡¯s heart has been tainted and it¡¯s all my fault.¡±


    ¡°Then we fix it,¡± Lilly replied firmly. ¡°Liz is making up with Damien. That means it¡¯s our job to find out what Vinny did to Rina and Evan. We can¡¯t help him until we know.¡±


    Eric frowned. ¡°And how do we do that? Vinny won¡¯t ever tell us.¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have to.¡± Lilly grinned. ¡°Cause there¡¯s someone else who knows¡­someone much easier to talk to.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Jay Brooks?¡±


    Lilly nodded. ¡°Jay Brooks.¡±


    ***


    Damien grimaced at the biting cold of the afternoon air as he made his way home. January had gotten even colder than December, though it hadn¡¯t snowed since the day after New Years. He wasn¡¯t the biggest fan of the cold and he was constantly counting down the days until summer finally returned. Though he knew that was still a long way off so he simply had to persevere. In addition to the chill, the sun also set much earlier so, despite having left school earlier than normal, it was already sundown.


    I still can¡¯t believe Eric canceled club, he thought to himself. He said we were supposed to have some party today. After all his calls and texts begging me to make up with Liz and Vinny, I never would have thought he would have canceled on me. Damien grimaced. Although, that might not be a bad thing.


    Despite his decision to finally work up the courage to approach Liz, after seeing her in class that day, he found himself hesitating once again. They had been friends for so long and they had been dating for most of that time. She was the one he should have been most comfortable around, so he hated how hard it was for him to talk to her. He missed her so much yet he couldn¡¯t help but avoid her. He still couldn¡¯t get the image of her sitting on that desk waiting for him out of his mind. It had been the moment that he realized Vinny hadn¡¯t stolen the stone.


    God, I need to stop this, he berated himself. It¡¯s Liz. She¡¯s my girlfriend. I love her. So I need to stop being such a loser and try to fix this. I can¡¯t avoid her forever nor do I want to.


    He groaned and turned the corner onto his street, his gloved hands shoved into his uniform pockets. He tried to push all thoughts of her from his mind but it was no use. All through the break, he had been thinking of Liz and trying to find some way to fix their relationship. He didn¡¯t want to let a disagreement over that stone drive them apart. He refused to let that happen.


    So I just need to talk to her. Yeah! Tomorrow, I¡¯ll just bite the bullet and go up to her like always. That''s how I¡¯ll¡­


    His thoughts trailed off and he came to a sudden stop. He was staring off to his left at his house where Liz Tao was casually sitting on his front porch, looking at her phone. He blinked a few times just to make sure he wasn¡¯t seeing things but sure enough, she was right there.


    What the hell¡­is she doing here?


    Part of him immediately wanted to flee but the other part knew that Liz wouldn¡¯t have come to his house without a reason. As afraid as he was of talking to her after all that had happened, he couldn¡¯t help but be curious as to what she wanted. He realized that he was being given a prime opportunity to do what he¡¯d been trying to force himself to do and talk to her. Struggling to calm his beating heart, Damien began walking once again. Moments later, Liz looked up from her phone in his direction. He couldn¡¯t help but internally cringe, fearing what expression he might see on her face. So, some of the tension left his body when she smiled her usual bright grin. It was so familiar to him that it almost felt like nothing had changed between them.


    ¡°Good afternoon,¡± she greeted cheerfully, getting to her feet.


    He forced a smile of his own as he walked up the porch, unsure of how to handle her sudden appearance. ¡°Uh, yeah. Good afternoon, Liz. W-what¡¯s up?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°Well, it¡¯s been a while so I thought I¡¯d pay you a visit. That okay with you?¡±


    What¡¯s going on with her? She¡¯s acting like nothing happened. Is she really that unbothered by this all?! Have I been making a big deal out of nothing? But¡­no. If it wasn¡¯t bothering her then surely she would have reached out by now. She waited three weeks so¡­


    Trying to hide his inner turmoil and, despite desperately wanting to escape the situation, he nodded. ¡°S-sure. Come on in, I guess.¡±


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Awesome!¡± she chirped.


    Not wanting to stand out in the cold any longer, Damien pulled out his keys and unlocked the front door before holding it open so Liz could go inside first. He followed after her, grateful to finally be inside the warm interior of his home. The building was dark and quiet since both of his parents worked relatively late on weekdays. Normally, Damien would be getting home from club around the time they¡¯d be getting home but, since he spent much of his time in his room, they didn¡¯t interact much. He had been thinking about doing some homework downstairs while he had the place to himself, but now it didn¡¯t seem like that would be happening.


    He walked through the dining room with Liz in tow and entered the kitchen. He flipped on the lights and glanced off to the family room on his right, deciding he and Liz could talk in there. He wasn¡¯t sure what she wanted but he knew that this was his chance to try and make things right. He didn¡¯t intend to blow it.


    ¡°You want anything?¡± he asked softly. ¡°Water or food or something?¡±


    Liz shook her head. ¡°No thanks. I¡¯m good.¡±


    ¡°Cool.¡±


    God, this is so damn awkward.


    ¡°Well, we can talk in the family room if you want,¡± he muttered.


    She nodded. ¡°Sounds great.¡±


    Swallowing his nerves, Damien walked toward his dad¡¯s old leather armchair and took a seat while Liz casually sat down on the couch to his right, her cheerful grin still present. It was such an odd attitude given the situation that he couldn¡¯t help but to suspect that she had something up her sleeve.


    ¡°So,¡± he began hesitantly. ¡°What brings you by so suddenly?¡±


    Liz chuckled. ¡°I told you. I wanted to visit you. I mean, you didn¡¯t even call me once over the whole break. Not even to wish me a merry Christmas! What kind of a boyfriend are you?¡±


    ¡°W-well,¡± he grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s not like you called me either. And can you blame me after everything that happened? Hell, I wasn¡¯t even sure you wanted to talk to me.¡±


    She frowned. ¡°I always want to talk to you. I wouldn¡¯t be dating you if I didn¡¯t.¡±


    For a moment, he found himself staring at her, baffled. He genuinely couldn¡¯t tell if she was messing with him or not. Was she actually mad that he didn¡¯t call her Christmas? Despite knowing he had every right to be mad at her given what she did, he suddenly found himself feeling guilty that he didn¡¯t even do something as simple as wish his girlfriend a ¡°merry Christmas¡±.


    ¡°So,¡± Liz suddenly continued. ¡°On a scale of one to ten, how mad at me are you?¡±


    Just as he was trying to get his thoughts together, her question threw him through another mental loop.


    How mad am I? Hell, I don¡¯t have a clue! I don¡¯t even know if I am mad! I know I should be. She stole the stone from Eric after we all decided not to use it for Alice. She betrayed us. I should be furious, but I¡¯m not cause I don¡¯t even know for sure if she did the wrong thing. I guess¡­what I¡¯m feeling is¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m not mad,¡± he replied softly. ¡°I¡¯m just hurt. Why didn¡¯t you talk to me? Did you think I¡¯d be mad that you disagreed with me or something? Is that how you see me?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. I know as a fact that you would have respected my viewpoint and would have heard me out no matter how much you disagreed.¡±


    Her answer was instant. She didn¡¯t beat around the bush or sugarcoat anything. She simply stated exactly how she felt. Yet it didn¡¯t answer his question.


    ¡°So why then?¡± he asked. ¡°Why hide it from me? Why go behind my back? Why steal from Eric? What was going through your head, Liz?¡±


    The girl smiled softly and shook her head. ¡°I wanted to talk to you. I really did but¡­I just couldn¡¯t. I¡­was afraid.¡±


    He furrowed his brow. ¡°Afraid of what? If you knew I wouldn¡¯t judge you then¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain,¡± she interrupted. ¡°You see, throughout the whole thing, I was desperate to help Alice. I needed to help her. I spent those nights just laying awake, desperately trying to figure out what I could do for her.¡±


    ¡°You¡­?¡± he whispered. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me? It never seemed like any of it was getting to you. Hell, you didn¡¯t even look tired.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a bad actor, am I? I didn¡¯t want you guys worrying about me since you already had so much on your plates. Between Vinny getting all stressed and everybody worrying about Alice¡­I thought it was better just to keep quiet.¡±


    ¡°I would¡¯ve listened to you,¡± he instantly said. ¡°If you were hurting, I would¡¯ve wanted to know why. I still do, if you¡¯ll tell me.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s the problem,¡± she said. ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell you why. And because I was bottling it all up, when you and Vinny clashed over the stone, I¡­saw a chance to act. I knew Vinny was unstable but I also trusted that he could help her. But now, looking back, I wish I hadn¡¯t been so impulsive. I wish I could have done things differently.¡±


    Damien sighed, his thoughts briefly flashing back to his argument with Vinny out on that forest path a few weeks back. ¡°Yeah. I wish I¡¯d handled some of it differently, too.¡±


    ¡°And with that said,¡± Liz continued, ¡°I think I¡¯m ready to be honest with you. A chance has presented itself and I think I¡¯m ready. I want you to understand why I was so desperate to help Alice.¡±


    Damien sat up a bit straighter in anticipation. ¡°So you¡¯re going to tell me?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Her smile was oddly sly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that. Instead, I think it¡¯s better to say that I¡¯m going to show you.¡±


    Damien frowned and was about to ask what she meant when she suddenly reached into the pocket of her coat. What she pulled out left him sitting there stunned and speechless.


    You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me. Not again! Why that damned thing again?!


    Clutched in Liz¡¯s hand was Eric¡¯s gem.


    ¡°Now don¡¯t get the wrong idea,¡± Liz said. ¡°I didn¡¯t steal it this time. Eric gave this to me of his own free will¡­though I won¡¯t deny that I begged just a teensy bit.¡±


    Damien clenched his teeth. ¡°Why do you have that? What the hell could you possibly need that for?!¡±


    Liz didn¡¯t seem bothered by his irritation in the slightest. Instead, she only continued to grin. ¡°Well what do you think?¡± she asked. ¡°We¡¯re going to switch bodies. What else?¡±


    ¡°Switch¡­?¡±


    He tried to speak but found that his voice failed him. Was she actually seriously suggesting that they swap bodies? He could hardly believe it. He¡¯d been so upfront about how against using the stone he was so he couldn¡¯t help but think she was joking. However he knew her well enough to be able to tell a joke from a serious suggestion and the look in her eyes told him that she meant it.


    ¡°No,¡± he flatly refused. ¡°I won¡¯t. That thing  was the source of some of this mess. Why would I ever consider using it.¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m asking you to,¡± she replied. ¡°As your girlfriend, I¡¯m asking you to trust me. If you do this, everything will be clear. I promise.¡±


    Damien shook his head. ¡°And why can¡¯t you just tell me? Why do you need that thing to get your point across?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need it, but I don¡¯t think I can explain it to you better. If you see what I want you to, I think it¡¯ll be more effective. And the only way you can see it is if you¡¯re me. Please, Damien. Just once. After this, I¡¯ll never ask you to use it again. I swear.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± He paused for a moment, desperately trying to gather his thoughts. ¡°For the sake of argument, what would you even have me do?¡±


    She chuckled, as if him asking that question meant she was convincing him. ¡°Tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll meet you here and we¡¯ll swap bodies. Then, we¡¯ll head to school as each other and go through the day. We¡¯ll swap back after school lets out. That¡¯s my plan.¡±


    Damien raised his eyebrows. ¡°The whole day? You want to swap the whole day? Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a bit risky? What if somebody noticed that something was off? I¡¯m not exactly good at mimicking you¡­not that I¡¯ve actually tried.¡±


    ¡°Oh who cares,¡± Liz replied with a wave of her hand. ¡°Everybody thinks we¡¯re weird anyway. No one will bat an eye if we¡¯re behaving a little off.¡±


    Fair point, he silently conceded.


    ¡°And what about¡­other issues. I mean, you¡¯re a girl! Don¡¯t you think it would be weird to switch bodies with me all day?¡±


    She cocked an eyebrow. ¡°So? Eric and Lilly swap all the time. Who cares? You¡¯re my boyfriend, after all. Sounds like fun to me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not¡­¡±


    Why am I even entertaining this?! It¡¯s ridiculous! I swore I wouldn¡¯t use the stone! I don¡¯t want to, but¡­ He exhaled softly. Liz says I¡¯ll only be able to really understand her if I do this. I don¡¯t want to use the stone but¡­I want to understand her. It¡¯s been tearing me apart inside all break. I want to know why she did what she did. If this is the only way to understand then¡­do I really have a choice?


    He glanced up at her as she smiled sweetly at him. He cared about her more than he could put into words. She was the first girl he ever fell for and she was there for him in a way few people ever had been. He didn¡¯t want to lose the relationship they had over a situation like this.


    ¡°Damien, I promise you won¡¯t regret it,¡± Liz assured him. ¡°One day. Then never again if you don¡¯t want to. I¡¯m not saying that what I did wasn¡¯t wrong. It was. It was so wrong. But I need you to understand my reasoning. Please?¡±


    He stared into her dark brown eyes and found himself encapsulated by her beauty. Every logic center in his brain was telling him not to but despite that, he knew he didn¡¯t have a choice. How could he turn her away? He wanted her back and if this was the way to get her back then it was a small price to pay. He just needed to swallow his fear of the stone for one day.


    It¡¯ll make me look like a hypocrite to the others though. I¡¯ve spent so much time telling them it¡¯s not a toy and that they shouldn¡¯t just use it like one. If I did do this, wouldn''t I be going against everything I stood for?


    ¡°The others¡­¡± he began but was instantly cut off.


    ¡°Eric gave me the stone. Knowing him, I¡¯m sure he understands what I want to do. He¡¯ll explain everything to Lilly and Vinny. Nobody will judge you, Damien.¡±


    ¡°But if I use it now¡­after refusing to use it for Alice¡­¡± he whispered. ¡°What kind of asshole does that make me?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make you one,¡± Liz stated. ¡°You didn¡¯t want to use it then because you were scared of how Vinny was acting and because you knew the consequences could be dangerous by getting Rina and Evan involved. But here? There¡¯s no consequences. We¡¯re safe. Using it once isn¡¯t going to hurt you. We know this.¡±


    ¡°Safe, huh?¡±


    She makes a good point but¡­can I really do it? I want to do what Liz wants. I want to understand her. But is it worth using the stone?


    Yet, even as he asked himself that question, he knew deep down that he couldn¡¯t turn her away. After agonizing over what to do all through break, Liz was providing him with an answer.


    He couldn¡¯t just ignore it.


    ***


    Damien¡¯s parents normally left before he had gotten out of the shower so he knew they¡¯d have privacy to use the stone once Liz arrived. He still couldn¡¯t believe he had allowed her to talk him into going along with her plan. To think that he was actually going to use the stone after four months of refusing to was insane to him. Part of him considered texting Liz and backing out but every time he did, he stopped himself, remembering that he was agreeing to this for Liz¡¯s sake. It was all for her. He couldn¡¯t forget that.


    Jeez, maybe Eric and Vinny are right. Maybe she does have me under some siren song.


    He smirked, glancing once more at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He was already dressed in his uniform and ready for school but he kept finding himself anxiously making sure that he hadn¡¯t missed anything. He was giving his body over to Liz for the entirety of the school day so he wanted to make sure he didn¡¯t forget anything.


    Although I don¡¯t even know why it matters, he thought. This is Liz, after all. She probably wouldn¡¯t judge me for anything anyway.


    Knock Knock Knock.


    At the sound of the door, Damien sighed, prepared himself for the insane day he was about to have, and turned to leave the bathroom. He headed down the hall, swiped his backpack from the door handle of his room and made his way to the front door, all the while trying to steady his rapidly beating heart. When he opened the door, he was greeted with the same cheerful smile he always looked forward to seeing.


    ¡°Mornin¡¯, Damien,¡± Liz greeted cheerfully, her hand already held out with the gem in her palm. ¡°You ready?¡±


    He swallowed nervously. ¡°So just like that? You don¡¯t even want to come in first? You just want to switch?¡±


    ¡°Yup,¡± she said. ¡°No point in waiting, right? Might as well get this party started!¡±


    He eyed her for a moment longer before lowering his stare to the stone that had caused him so much stress over the last few months. It was glittering in the morning light and, aside from looking pretty, didn¡¯t seem to be anything out of this world. Yet it was the magic Eric always sought. If he touched its surface, he would become Elizabeth Tao through means he could only explain as magic. Its entire existence contradicted his logical view of the world and it only served to broach so many questions that it terrified him. They knew nothing about it. They didn¡¯t know what it was or where it came from. It was an unknown variable in every sense of the word. And here he was, about to use it.


    I¡¯ve gone insane, he told himself. Just the fact that I agreed to this means I¡¯ve lost it. But I have to do it.


    Without speaking another word, Damien held his breath, reached out, and placed his palm upon the surface of the gemstone. What happened next shouldn¡¯t have surprised him. Eric, Vinny, and Lilly all talked about the formless world of white that they saw whenever they swapped bodies. He hadn¡¯t expected it to be anything too crazy and yet, once he found himself there, he couldn¡¯t help but to panic for a moment. Not having a body made him feel suddenly claustrophobic and he could feel his anxiety start to set in. But it ended in an instant and before he knew it, he could feel again. His vision was somewhat blurry but he knew he didn¡¯t have to see to know it had worked. He could already feel how different his sensations were. After a few seconds, his vision became clearer and he instantly noted that he was looking through a pair of glasses.


    And beyond that glass was himself, or rather Liz, standing just before him.


    ¡°Man, I know I¡¯ve done this before but damn. I forgot how weird it is,¡± Liz said with a chuckle. ¡°Oh, right, my voice is different now! This is so cool!¡±


    Damien wasn¡¯t even sure how he was supposed to react. Just seeing his body getting all excited over his voice was enough to make him feel like he was imagining everything. It was such a surreal sight, not to mention he was forced to look up at himself due to their height difference. Liz was already putting her hands on her chest and looking her body over. Part of him wanted to do the same but the other part was still processing everything. However, after a moment, he decided there was no avoiding it and so, he looked down.


    The first thing he noticed was the gem still clutched in his now much smaller hand. There were strands of black hair hanging in his vision and Liz¡¯s headphones were strapped around his neck. Their uniforms were identical from the waist up but below he was now wearing a skirt and black leggings that gave him pause. He also took note of the drastic differences between the genders of their bodies but that was something he decided to try and ignore for the time being.


    ¡°Well, this should be fun!¡± she chirped, grinning like a little kid. ¡°You ready to go to school, Liz?¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes. ¡°Uh, sure.¡± He instantly reacted to the higher pitch of his voice but quickly cleared his throat and continued. ¡°And I hope you¡¯ve actually got a good impression of me,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Cause I don¡¯t need you running around in my body, acting all bouncy like that.¡±


    Liz grinned slyly. ¡°Why not? Maybe showing a more cheerful side will make people less afraid of you.¡±


    ¡°I doubt it. Hell, it¡¯ll probably scare them more.¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± She then held out her hand, her smile losing its slyness and returning to its earlier cheer. ¡°So? You ready to go?¡±


    For a moment, he looked down at her hand, marveling at the strange feelings he was experiencing once again. Then, he sighed, slid the gem into his skirt pocket, and took her hand.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said. ¡°This should be a hell of a day.¡±

 Chapter 31- Doesnt Know Its Me

    Chapter XXXI


    For the time being, Lilly and Eric were content trusting in Liz to work everything out with Damien herself, which meant that they could focus their attention solely on Vinny. Even after Eric¡¯s visit to his house, the blonde boy had still been relatively distant with the club and was mainly spending his time with Alice, so they weren¡¯t yet sure how to go about working everything out with him. Regardless of the consequences it entailed, Vinny had been able to put an end to the bullying. With Evan not showing up at school for the time being and Rina having backed down, it was clear that whatever Vinny did had been effective. The problem was that they couldn¡¯t even begin to guess what it was he did. Vinny wouldn¡¯t tell them and even Liz had admitted to not knowing anything about his plans after he left the clubroom that afternoon. That meant that their first course of action should be to find out what Vinny did and act from there and, since he clearly had no desire to just give that information up, they instead chose to go at a different angle.


    Jay Brooks was the only other person who had been a part of Vinny¡¯s plan to help Alice and it was painfully obvious that he knew something. Damien had spoken with him the day after Liz stole the stone and he had explained how unnerved the boy had been. Lilly hadn¡¯t talked with Jay once since that afternoon in the clubroom and she couldn¡¯t be sure of what was going on with him, so she decided that she would talk to him herself. She wanted to try and gauge Jay¡¯s stance on the situation and decide what to do from there.


    That was why she stood alone against the wall of the second floor hallway, her arms folded across her chest as she watched students passing her by. She had texted him to meet her there so they could talk before first period. Eric had opted to stay out of it and leave the discussion to her since she was closer to Jay and she was grateful for that. She had a feeling that it would be easier to talk to him if it was just the two of them. Despite the rocky start to their relationship, Lilly did feel as if the two of them had become closer over the last few months. She now had no problem admitting to herself that she truly cared for him and considered him a friend. If something was bothering him, she wanted to help him get past it and, if she could learn what Vinny did in the process then that was perfect.


    She glanced off to her left and smiled at the sight of Jay slowly making his way toward her. There was a nervous look on his face and she could already tell that he was anxious. She wanted to make him feel comfortable with her and at the same time, she wanted to see what she could learn.


    ¡°Morning, Jay,¡± she greeted, doing her best to look as cheerful as she could. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡±


    The boy refused to look directly at her and instead stared down at the ground, which was plenty to tell her that he was struggling with something. There were bags under his eyes and his hair was sticking out at odd angles. She even noticed his tie wasn''t straight.


    What the hell? Why¡¯s he look so ragged? This couldn¡¯t be all because of Vinny, could it?


    ¡°Uh, I¡¯m fine, I guess,¡± he muttered. ¡°So, what did you want, Lilly? It¡¯s kinda odd for you to call me to talk to you. Did something...bad happen again?¡±


    He looked as if there was something in particular that he was scared of her knowing and she could only assume it had to do with the Rina/Evan situation. She quickly shook her head, wanting to reassure him that he had nothing to worry about.


    ¡°No, nothing. I just wanted to check in on you, is all. You¡¯ve seemed kinda out of it lately and honestly, I¡¯m a bit worried about you. Is there something wrong cause if so, I¡¯ll listen. You can talk to me, you know?¡±


    For a brief moment, his eyes flickered up to look at her before returning to the ground.


    ¡°Wrong? Nah, I¡¯m fine,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯m just tired. I need to stop staying up so late and get back into a school schedule.¡±


    He¡¯s lying. He¡¯s so obvious that I doubt even he thinks I believe him. There¡¯s something wrong and it¡¯s more than just a lack of sleep. He¡¯s exactly like Damien described, so I can only assume this is related to Vinny. So what happened? Would he tell me if I asked because I kinda doubt it. But then how do I get him to open up to me? Should I just be blunt? Would that work?


    ¡°So, is that all?¡± Jay mumbled.


    Lilly narrowed her eyes, feeling like she really should press the issue but deciding that it might be better to hold off and talk with Eric first. He was far better at dealing with people than she was so she figured it would be best to formulate some plan. She had confirmed that what Damien told them was true. Now that they knew this, they could figure out a plan from there.


    ¡°I guess so,¡± she finally responded. ¡°Although, I do have one favor to ask.¡±


    He raised his eyebrows and glanced up at her once more. ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Come by the clubroom this afternoon. You haven¡¯t been by in a while and we miss you. Eric and I are the only ones who¡¯ll be there today so it¡¯d be nice to have company.¡±


    Jay instantly went to shake his head. ¡°I-I don¡¯t think I can¡ª¡±


    ¡°Please?¡± she interrupted. ¡°For me, Jay?¡±


    ¡°Um...well¡­¡± The boy stumbled over his words for a moment before sighing in clear reluctance. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll stop by for a little while. That okay?¡±


    She nodded firmly. ¡°That¡¯s perfect. I¡¯ll see you then.¡±


    ¡°Yeah...you, too, Lilly.¡±


    With that, he hurriedly turned around and started making his way back in the direction he had come. He was so quick about it that it was clear to her that he had been desperate to get away from her. Every action of his was putting her on edge and she hated seeing him like that. She hoped that she could find a way to help him deal with whatever was bothering him but, until she knew what that was, she wouldn¡¯t be able to do a thing.


    Lilly swallowed nervously before taking a deep breath and turning to start making her way toward Mrs. Kentz¡¯s classroom. She wanted to speak to Eric before class started so she could get his opinion on the whole thing. After all of that, she desperately wanted to talk about it and hear what he had to say. Everything about Jay was stressing her out, so she quickened her pace. When she reached the classroom, she greeted her teacher at her normal spot beside the door then headed inside. She immediately noticed Eric sitting alone at his desk and he looked up when he saw her. However, before either could call out to the other, somebody else spoke.


    ¡°Oh, Lilly!¡±


    She frowned, turning to her left to see Brad getting to his feet. Taken by surprise at the clearly uncomfortable expression on his face, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if something was wrong.


    ¡°Could I talk to you for a moment,¡± he quickly added.


    Lilly glanced briefly at Eric but he didn¡¯t seem to be in a particular rush to discuss Jay so she turned back to Brad and nodded.


    ¡°Sure,¡± she replied.


    She had expected him to start heading toward the door but instead, he made his way toward the opposite corner of the classroom. Lilly followed after him, taking note of the suspicious looks she was getting from Brad¡¯s group of friends. However, at this point, she was used to getting strange looks from them so she instead turned her focus solely on Brad. Based on how tense he was, it didn¡¯t take her long to deduce what it was he wanted to talk about.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± she asked softly once they were away from the others in the room. ¡°Is everything okay?¡±


    Brad swallowed, glancing once more over her shoulder at his friends before replying. ¡°I¡¯m¡­not sure, to be honest. I actually wanted to talk to you yesterday, but never got the chance. It¡¯s¡­about Evan.¡±


    Yeah, I figured.


    It had occurred to her over break that she had never told him what went down between Evan Wright and the Magic Club. Yet, every time since that she considered talking to him, she realized that she wouldn¡¯t even know what to say. After all, she didn¡¯t even fully know what happened. The sudden rumors about Evan were probably as surprising to her as it was to him.


    ¡°I had a feeling,¡± she said with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Brad. I should¡¯ve talked to you sooner but, to be honest, I¡¯ve been busy trying to figure it out myself.¡±


    He went to reply before furrowing his brow in confusion. ¡°What do you mean? I figured you guys were behind what happened to him.¡±


    Lilly shrugged. ¡°We were and we weren¡¯t. In fact, Eric and I had nothing to do with it but¡­it¡¯s a long story.¡±


    ¡°Then can you tell me?¡± Brad pressed. ¡°I need to know what happened. For better or for worse, Evan was my friend. He hasn¡¯t answered my calls and now I¡¯m hearing all these rumors that he might have been arrested or expelled and¡­this is right after I told you guys he was involved with Mendez¡­ It¡¯s just been weighing on me so¡­please?¡±


    Lilly bit her lip in thought. Part of her wanted to try and get out of telling him but she also understood where he was coming from. He did them a big favor by talking to Evan and so, he deserved to know what happened¡ªor at least what she knew.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you the quick version then,¡± she said.


    He nodded. ¡°Thank you. That¡¯s all I ask.¡±


    Lilly took a second to gather her thoughts before explaining. ¡°The short of it is that after you told us about Rina and Evan, the club was at odds on whether to use the stone to help her or not.¡±


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    She noticed a brief look in his eyes that told her he had suspected as much. However, since he didn¡¯t interrupt, she decided to continue.


    ¡°Vinny wanted to use it, Damien was against it, and Eric and I were kinda in the middle. After talking it out, we decided not to use it and to deal with it some other way. That should have been the end of it but¡­Liz stole the stone and gave it to Vinny.¡±


    Brad¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°They stole it?!¡±


    ¡°They did,¡± she confirmed. ¡°After that, I don¡¯t have a clue what happened. Vinny left school before we knew it was gone and we couldn¡¯t find him. The next day, after it was all over, he gave the stone back and refused to tell us what he did. Eric and I only found out about Evan over break.¡±


    The boy¡¯s eyes narrowed as he glanced around and Lilly got the feeling he was looking to see if Vinny were there. ¡°So Mickelson did it?¡± he growled. ¡°And you still don¡¯t know what he did?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t. Eric and I have been trying to figure it out but so far, we¡¯ve got nothing. I do promise to tell you once we get it worked out though.¡±


    Brad clenched his teeth in obvious irritation. ¡°Fair enough. I¡¯m sorry about all that. I never would have thought Mickelson would stoop to that level.¡±


    ¡°Neither did I,¡± she muttered.


    He seemed to stare off into space for a moment, as if considering all she had told him, before grimacing and beginning to head back to his friends. ¡°Thanks, Lilly. I appreciate you telling me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, no problem.¡±


    For a moment, she stared down at the ground, wishing she could have given him something better before taking a deep breath and turning to head toward Eric¡¯s desk. He didn¡¯t say anything as she took a seat in the spot beside him and sighed. When she looked over at him, he seemed to also be deep in his own thoughts. It took him a second before he looked up and turned his attention toward her.


    ¡°What did Fischer want?¡± he asked. ¡°Was everything alright?¡±


    Lilly shrugged. ¡°Yeah, everything¡¯s fine. In fact, he wanted the same thing we did: to find out what the hell happened to Evan.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that makes sense. We probably should have talked to him sooner, huh?¡±


    ¡°Probably,¡± she grunted. ¡°Not like we had much to tell him, though


    ¡°Well, hopefully that¡¯ll change soon,¡± he replied. ¡°And speaking of, were you able to get anything interesting out of Brooks?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°Nope. Nothing there either. Although I can say that Damien was right. It¡¯s obvious that something¡¯s bothering him. Whatever happened with Vinny, I think it¡¯s weighing on him.¡±


    Eric frowned. ¡°Not surprising, unfortunately. If what Vinny did tainted his heart as much as it seems it did, it¡¯s no wonder it¡¯s affecting Brooks. Especially considering the personal stake he had in it all.¡±


    ¡°So what do we do?¡± Lilly asked. ¡°I told Jay to come by the clubroom later but¡­I honestly don¡¯t think he¡¯s going to tell us much.¡±


    Much to her surprise, Eric smiled as if he didn¡¯t think they were at a loss. ¡°Well¡­I guess that just means it¡¯s my turn to speak with him,¡± he said. ¡°If he¡¯s coming by the clubroom, I¡¯ll just have to have a little chat with Mr. Brooks.¡±


    The way Eric said it was so confident that she couldn¡¯t help but believe that he¡¯d actually find a way. Despite his odd quirks, he was somebody she trusted. If Eric said he could help Jay then she was comfortable believing he could. After all, that was just who Eric Reiner was.


    ***


    On the walk to school, Damien was overwhelmed by a vast array of new feelings and sensations. Just moving his body had a completely different feel to it and, despite already having an idea of how the stone worked, he couldn¡¯t get over how little that affected his ability to walk. Even though his center of gravity had shifted and he was significantly shorter than he had been, he was still able to move as if he¡¯d been born in that body. In addition to that, he was very aware of his longer hair. He always preferred to keep his own quite short so trying to deal with Liz¡¯s getting in his eyes due to the wind was already proving to be a pain in the ass.


    Beside him, Liz seemed perfectly happy and didn¡¯t show any signs of discomfort or irritation. Rather she looked to be enjoying getting to experience the morning as him. She was grinning the whole time and he could only pray that she would lose the smile by the time they got to school. He couldn¡¯t imagine what people would think if they saw him walking around with as cheerful a grin as she had.


    My god, this is so weird. I¡¯m next to myself! Frickin hell! I mean, I accepted the fact that the stone was magic months ago, but to actually experience it is a completely different matter. And I¡¯m supposed to stay like this all day?!


    There was still a small part of him that wanted to take the gem from his pocket and switch back, but he forced himself not to. At this point, he was determined to see what Liz wanted him to see. He wanted to fix their relationship and he truly believed this was the way to do so.


    Finally, after what felt like a much longer walk than usual, the two of them arrived at the school¡¯s front gates. They were later than usual so there wasn¡¯t as large of a crowd heading into the courtyard. Most were already heading to class or were within the building.


    ¡°Here we are,¡± Liz said slyly. ¡°Are you ready, dear girlfriend of mine?¡±


    Damien cringed at the words coming from his own mouth. ¡°Please stop roleplaying. This is weird enough as it is.¡±


    ¡°Ah, come on,¡± she replied with a playful elbow jab. ¡°Have a bit of fun, dude. Might as well enjoy yourself, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Sure, fun,¡± he grunted, continuing forward and through the gates leading into the courtyard. ¡°If that¡¯s what you think this is.¡±


    She laughed. ¡°Of course I think this is fun! I¡¯m my boyfriend, after all. I never thought you¡¯d actually swap with me and I doubt you ever will again so I have to take full advantage of today!¡±


    He eyed her suspiciously. He had a feeling she was just teasing him but a part of him did fear what she intended to do with his body. He was putting a lot of trust in her by agreeing to the swap, something he knew he should¡¯ve been more against after her theft of the stone, so he couldn¡¯t help but be a bit on edge. Though, he was certain that if she did anything, it would only be mildly embarrassing. Liz wasn¡¯t the type of person who would actually do something to hurt him.


    And I know that, he thought. Which is why I know that her theft of the stone wasn¡¯t done to hurt me. She had her reasons and, hopefully, I¡¯ll know by the end of today.


    ¡°Well,¡± Liz began as they made their way into the school building. ¡°I guess this is where we part ways. Don¡¯t forget to look at the text I sent you if you forget where to sit.¡±


    Damien grimaced, recalling the intricate message she had sent him the previous night with details of her classes, seats, and assignments for the day. He had done the same for her so he was hoping they wouldn¡¯t have any trouble living the other¡¯s life for a little while.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got it all down,¡± he assured her.


    Liz smiled. ¡°Alright then! See you in third period, Liz!¡±


    He rolled his eyes but couldn¡¯t help but chuckle a bit. ¡°Yeah, you, too, Damien.¡±


    For a moment, he stood by and watched her turn and head down the corridor. His first period was Geography in room 1-14 so she would be remaining on the bottom floor. As for Liz, her first class was History in room 2-3 so he would have to go up to the second floor. Part of him felt a little nervous since he knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to completely act like Liz. He didn¡¯t even know how she acted when not around Magic Club members. He didn¡¯t want to act strange and embarrass her so he was determined to do his best to pretend to be her.


    He took a deep breath, looked over his uniform to make sure he looked okay, then made his way toward the staircase. There were students all around him but none seemed to be paying him much attention. It was something he was grateful for since he normally received a bunch of glances that were either fearful or distrusting.


    Nobody¡¯s looking at me, he thought. They aren¡¯t staring like I¡¯m some maniac about to punch one of them.


    He didn¡¯t approve of using the gem and he would forever stand by that opinion. However, for the time being, he couldn¡¯t say he wasn¡¯t happy to not have to be the feared Damien Clark just for a few hours. He knew Liz wasn¡¯t exactly well liked either, but maybe he would be able to actually interact with his classmates for once. If he was going to be stuck like this all day, maybe he should just embrace it for a bit and just be Liz Tao.


    He arrived at the top of the stairs and turned down the hall leading to Liz¡¯s first period when he suddenly came to a stop. The door to the boy¡¯s bathroom on his left had opened and out walked Vinny, stopping once he noticed him. Damien instantly prepared himself for a potential confrontation but Vinny simply smiled and waved.


    ¡°Morning, Liz,¡± he greeted.


    Damien barely suppressed his surprise as he returned to his senses.


    Right, of course he wouldn¡¯t know about the body swap. He thinks I¡¯m Liz right now! Shit! If I¡¯m not careful, he¡¯ll realize I¡¯m not who I appear to be and I sure as hell can¡¯t let Vinny of all people know I used the stone!


    Damien hurriedly collected himself, hoping to get out of the conversation as quickly as possible. He hadn¡¯t spoken to Vinny since their conversation out in the woods and he wasn¡¯t ready to face him again.


    ¡°M-morning, Vinny,¡± he replied. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I guess. Still dealing with everything, but what can you do at this point, yeah?¡± The boy shrugged. ¡°How¡¯ve you been? Have you worked everything out with Damien yet?¡±


    Damien nearly flinched at the mention of his name. ¡°Um¡­I think so. We¡¯ve¡­almost got everything put behind us, and I like to think that we¡¯ll be able to fix everything.¡±


    Vinny nodded, smiling sadly. ¡°Well, I¡¯m rooting for you. I¡¯d hate the thought that you helping me could be the cause of your relationship breaking. But I think if you¡¯re just honest with Damien, he¡¯ll understand. I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll blame you. He¡¯s just not that kinda guy.¡±


    There was genuine emotion in his voice and Damien could tell that Vinny wasn¡¯t lying. He truly wanted them to get back together despite all of their arguing. It was good to know that his friend still cared about him regardless of their disagreements. But, his words made Damien hesitate. He knew he should bring a quick end to the conversation. He knew it was rude to pretend to be Liz and try to get him to talk, yet Damien found himself speaking anyway.


    ¡°And what about you?¡± he asked. ¡°If you think Damien wouldn¡¯t blame me then¡­why do you think he¡¯d blame you? Are you¡­mad at him?¡±


    Vinny shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯m not mad at him at all. I understand where he¡¯s coming from, but¡­he just frustrates me, is all. I know that no matter my reasoning, he¡¯ll never accept what I did and I know that he won¡¯t forgive me unless I tell him. I¡¯m at a standstill. Either way, he¡¯s going to be pissed and there¡¯s nothing I can do to prevent that.¡±


    Damien narrowed his eyes. But what is it he did that he thinks would piss me off so much? Liz told me that even she doesn¡¯t know what Vinny did. What is he hiding? What did he do?


    ¡°Well¡­it¡¯s still worth trying, I think,¡± he replied, trying to hide his inner turmoil. ¡°Who knows? Maybe Damien won¡¯t be pissed if you just tell him the truth.¡±


    ¡°No, he will be,¡± Vinny muttered. ¡°You don¡¯t know what I did, Liz. If you did, I couldn¡¯t even say for sure that you wouldn¡¯t be pissed. Damien¡­would definitely hate me.¡±


    Hate him? So even he can admit that whatever he did was wrong? Then why is he standing by it so firmly?


    ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± Damien began carefully. ¡°Do you think that what you did was the best way to help Alice?¡±


    Vinny didn¡¯t even hesitate. ¡°Yes. I do. Rina and Evan won¡¯t go near her again. She¡¯s safe.¡±


    Before he could reply, the bell signaling five minutes until class began rang out through the hall.


    Vinny sighed and shrugged. ¡°Oh well. Guess I¡¯ve gotta go. I wish you luck with Damien though. I¡¯m rooting for you, Liz.¡±


    With a weak smile, Vinny waved him goodbye and made his way past him. Damien watched him go, feeling mildly guilty for lying to Vinny and pretending to be Liz, but also glad to have gotten to speak to him even just for a little.


    Whatever he did¡­no matter how bad, it wasn¡¯t malicious. He was truly only thinking of helping Alice. I just wish¡­I knew what it was he¡¯s hiding.

 Chapter 32- The World Through Her Eyes

    Chapter XXXII


    Vinny¡¯s words weighed on his mind even after leaving him behind and making his way toward Liz¡¯s first period classroom. Her teacher was a woman named Mrs. Lee, whom Damien had for world history the year prior. He knew what she was like and he knew how she taught so he wasn¡¯t too worried about bullshitting his way through the class. It was the teachers he didn¡¯t know that he was more cautious of. Of course, he knew he was being paranoid since nobody in their right mind would ever suspect him of being anyone other than Liz, but that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t going to try not to embarrass her.


    He took a deep breath, recalled where she said her seat was, and pulled open the door. Since the warning bell had already gone off, most students were already in their seats. Normally, this would mean Damien would be subject to a bunch of looks or glares, but hardly anybody even acknowledged his arrival. There were a few people who eyed him for a moment, but that was the extent of it.


    God, this is so weird¡ªto actually be somebody else¡­I just can¡¯t get over how odd this feels.


    Not wanting to act suspicious, he stopped looking around and instead made his way toward the second row of desks, taking his seat at the one in the back of the classroom. Unsurprisingly, nobody bothered talking to him or even to wish him a good morning. She might not have it as bad as him, but she was still certainly an outcast. He couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit bad knowing that it was her association with the club that put her in that social position to begin with.


    Well, I hope she¡¯s doing alright. I¡¯ve never really told her how often people glare at me so I hope it¡¯s not making her too uncomfortable.


    He had given her a warning but she had brushed it off like it wasn¡¯t a big deal. Although, he knew Liz was good at hiding her feelings so for all he knew, she might not be as prepared to deal with it as she claimed to be. He subconsciously moved his hand to Liz¡¯s backpack laying under the desk where he was currently hiding the gem.


    If something happens, we can always swap back.


    At the sound of the bell, some of the chatter in the classroom died down as Mrs. Lee got up from her desk in the front corner of the room. She looked just as Damien remembered her. She was tall for a woman with long, straight blonde hair and a comforting smile that gave her almost a motherly appearance. She had always been relatively nice to Damien and so, he still had a certain fondness for her. At the very least, he was excited to get to spend one more day in her class.


    ¡°Alright, good morning everybody,¡± she greeted. ¡°I hope you all had a lovely Monday afternoon. If you would pass your homework forward, that would be great. Then we can get on with the day.¡±


    Recalling that Liz told him they had an analysis assignment due that morning, Damien quickly pulled her binder from her backpack and found it in the front folder. The girl in front of him glanced back at him, an uncomfortable look on her face as she waited for him to pass the paper forward. He quickly pulled it from the binder and gave it to the girl, who wordlessly turned and passed it on. At the front, Mrs. Lee collected all the stacks and placed them on her desk before turning to face the students once again.


    ¡°Alright, thank you, everybody,¡± she said cheerfully. ¡°Now, today is going to just be a work day for you all to get into your groups and get started on your biography projects.¡±


    Damien immediately felt his heart skip a beat.


    Projects? Groups?! What the hell? Liz didn¡¯t tell me anything about this! Does she even have a group?!


    Most of the students were grinning at their friends as if excited to hurry along and join up. He subtly glanced around the room to see if anybody was looking at him but there wasn¡¯t a single person.


    Well damn. What now? If I ask Lee who my group is, Liz¡¯ll look like an idiot!


    Just as he was getting increasingly more panicked, Mrs. Lee glanced his way and smiled. ¡°Is there anybody in here that has less than four in their groups?¡± the teacher asked.


    Damien looked up in surprise as a group of girls raised their hands.


    ¡°Perfect,¡± Mrs. Lee said. ¡°In that case, Miss Tao, you can join Miss Tavares¡¯s group.¡±


    Damien could clearly see the three girls suddenly look back at him with obvious expressions of nervousness and apprehension. He couldn¡¯t help but to clench his teeth at the thought that they would find it so repulsive to be in the same group as his girlfriend. They were already judging her based on rumors and he would bet anything that they¡¯d never even spoken to her. Despite his anger, Damien smiled at them but none of them returned it.


    ¡°Now, don¡¯t forget,¡± Lee went on, ¡°Your presentations are next Monday and I¡¯m only giving you today and tomorrow to work in class. Don¡¯t waste this time goofing off or you¡¯ll be spending the weekend cramming. Nobody wants that, right? I¡¯m sure you¡¯d all prefer to spend your weekends sleeping.¡±


    Damien smirked, knowing that regardless of what she said, most students would probably just spend the period talking with their friends. He knew Eric and Vinny had gotten themselves into a few stressful situations by wasting class time and having to rush their projects the night before it was due.


    ¡°Alright, get into groups,¡± Lee said. ¡°Let¡¯s get to work.¡±


    Damien sighed as everybody got to their feet and began to join up with their friends. He wasn¡¯t sure why Liz omitted the fact that she had a history project, but he figured there was nothing he could do about it now. He would just have to go with the flow and hope he didn¡¯t mess up. While Lee had been talking, he¡¯d managed to find the rubric for the assignment in Liz¡¯s binder so he had a decent idea of what to do.


    He quickly gathered Liz¡¯s things and walked over to the left side of the room where the three girls in his group had already joined up. Since he didn¡¯t interact with anybody outside of the club, he didn¡¯t know two of their names. The only one he recognized was Julia Tavares and he only knew that was her name because Mrs. Lee had said her last name. All three glanced up at him again, still looking a bit nervous, though nobody said anything.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he greeted, trying to break the awkward silence as he took one of the empty seats behind them.


    However his effort was futile since none of them actually responded to him. Instead, they just looked at their rubric sheets and he could tell they were just pretending to read them to get out of talking to him. This time, he didn¡¯t bother suppressing his scowl as he eyed the three of them irritably.


    Honestly, I get that we¡¯re a bunch of weirdos but do they really need to be so rude? At least pretend like you don¡¯t care so we can get this damn project done. He noticed the three girls glancing at each other, probably thinking they were more subtle than they actually were. Alright, how would Liz deal with this? She must¡¯ve had some sort of plan¡­but what? I wish she would¡¯ve just told me! Why wouldn¡¯t she?


    For a second, he considered Liz and the way she typically acted. Since they had been dating for most of their high school years, he¡¯d come to know her pretty well and so, he knew she wasn¡¯t absentminded enough to simply forget. At the same time, she wouldn¡¯t have thrown him into the situation for the fun of it. She kept this from him for a reason. So what was it?


    Could it be¡­that she wants me to do something about this? he wondered. Does this group project somehow relate to the whole thing? Is this what I¡¯m supposed to experience by being her?


    The girls in the group were still fidgeting and seemingly hoping that one of the others would be the first to speak. It was such an awkward situation that even Damien was starting to feel uncomfortable so, hoping that he was doing what Liz wanted him to, he broke the silence.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he said, his tone neutral enough not to sound antagonistic while also not seeming in any way happy. ¡°I¡¯m just gonna be blunt with you guys. Did I do something to you?¡±


    All three of them tensed up at the sound of his voice and once again looked to each other for a response. Luckily, this time, one of them got up the nerve to actually say something.


    ¡°Um, no, of course not,¡± she muttered.


    Damien cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Then why are we just sitting here in silence? I don¡¯t happen to want to have to work on this over the weekend so why don¡¯t we get started?¡±


    All three cringed and for a second, Damien saw a bit of fear in their eyes. It was a familiar look¡ªthe very one students always directed his way. However, he had no idea why they¡¯d be looking at Liz in such a way. What was so frightening about her?


    ¡°Uh, okay,¡± Julia stuttered. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s get started. Um¡­¡±


    The girl looked down at her own copy of the rubric and started biting her lip, as if trying to find a place to start.


    Oh, for the love of¡­


    ¡°How about starting with figuring out who we¡¯re actually going to report on?¡± he asked. ¡°It says it has to be somebody from the seventeenth century so did you guys have somebody in mind?¡± They all silently shook their heads and so, Damien just forced himself not to roll his eyes as he continued. ¡°Then how about Hugh Creed? The author of ¡®The Five Colors of Meckingham?¡¯ That sound good to you guys?¡±


    Again, they all shrugged and muttered ¡°sure¡±, making it painfully obvious that they were just letting him take the lead. He wasn¡¯t even sure they knew who Hugh Creed was and he wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if they had ever heard of the poem he mentioned. Creed was a very influential poet when he lived but Damien only knew a few people who had ever read his works. His poems weren¡¯t as well known anymore and the only reason Damien knew of him was because of his poetry phase from freshman year.


    ¡°Perfect,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Cool, we¡¯ll do that. Creed it is.¡±


    I¡¯m doing you people a favor, he thought bitterly. Mrs. Lee¡¯s going to be so impressed that you guys picked such a unique option. However, as he thought it, he realized that he wasn¡¯t actually going to be working on the project and he didn¡¯t think Liz had ever read any of Creed¡¯s work. Well, I guess I¡¯ll just have to help her.


    He turned his attention back to the rubric to start reading the requirements for the presentation. Before he could get through the first point, though, Julia spoke.


    ¡°Um, Tao?¡± she muttered.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Damien replied without looking up.


    ¡°A-are you mad?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help but turn and stare at her in confusion. All three of them were looking at him as if in anticipation of his answer.


    What the hell? Does Liz get mad often? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever even seen her seriously glare at anyone. I mean, what kind of question was that?


    But before he replied, one of the other girls continued.


    ¡°We¡¯re sorry for being so rude,¡± she said. ¡°So¡­please don¡¯t tell your boyfriend.¡±


    Damien frowned. ¡°Tell my¡­? What? Why would I¡­?¡±


    It was then that it clicked for him. Those looks of fear and hesitance weren¡¯t directed at Liz Tao specifically. They weren¡¯t afraid of her. They were afraid of him¡­and they were terrified that she would tell him to go after them. As always, those looks of fear were directed at Damien Clark.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    He suddenly felt his stomach churn and for a moment, he feared he might be sick. He understood what it was Liz wanted him to see. She wanted him to understand just how she was perceived around the school. She wasn¡¯t just a member of the Magic Club. She was the girlfriend of the infamous Damien Clark. She was seen as somebody who could tell him who to attack, as if she was his puppet master of sorts. She was someone who they should tiptoe around for fear of what she might have Damien do to them.


    That was how Elizabeth Tao was perceived.


    Because of this, they would avoid her and keep their distance. It would keep her from forming any relationships outside of the club. Vinny, Eric, and himself were all she had and there was no way to change that.


    And it was his fault.


    They weren¡¯t afraid of her.


    They were afraid of him¡­as always.


    ***


    Damien¡¯s hypothesis only continued to be confirmed as the day went on. In second period, he carefully watched the way students acted around him. They kept their distance when he walked by, they refused to look directly at him and when they did, it was anger or irritation. Nobody talked to him unless they couldn¡¯t avoid it and when they did, they didn¡¯t say much. The only class he shared with Liz was third period but they never got a chance to talk since she had arrived to class late. Fourth period was the same and finally, when lunch arrived, Damien felt mentally exhausted.


    So this is how it is, huh? I never knew. Liz never told me what her life was like. And of course she didn¡¯t. She knows this is all because of our relationship. It¡¯s¡­the same as what was happening to Alice. No wonder¡­she felt the need to help her.


    As he walked through the halls, he kept off to the side so as not to get in anybody¡¯s way. It was his normal habit and, even though he was being stared at far less than when he had his own body, he was now more aware of the nature of why they didn¡¯t look his way. He kept his head low as he walked down the stairs and to the first floor. He and Liz made plans to meet up in the courtyard that afternoon to talk and now, he realized why that was.


    When he arrived out in the snow-covered courtyard, he glanced around until he saw himself, or rather Liz, sitting at one of the tables on the opposite side of the lawn, eating the lunch he¡¯d packed for her. He exhaled softly before making his way across the lawn. When she saw him heading her way, she raised a hand in greeting and grinned.


    ¡°Howdy, friendo,¡± she said. ¡°Looking beautiful as always!¡±


    He raised his eyebrows, knowing she was essentially just complimenting herself, as he wiped the snow from the bench and took a seat across the table from her.


    ¡°Yeah, thanks,¡± he muttered.


    Liz laughed, looking as if she were having the time of her life. He was glad she was enjoying herself, and while he normally wouldn¡¯t have gotten right to the point, he found himself unable to hold back.


    ¡°So, I appreciate you not telling me about first period¡¯s project,¡± he grumbled. ¡°That was quite a surprise.¡±


    She chuckled, rubbing the back of her head guiltily. ¡°Yeah, sorry about that. I just thought it¡¯d be better if it were a surprise.¡±


    ¡°Meaning?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­who¡¯s in my group?¡± she asked.


    He frowned, trying to remember the girls names but failing once again. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know. One of them was Tavares but I don¡¯t know the other two.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Julia,¡± Liz chirped. ¡°Yeah, I know her. She¡¯s always seemed relatively nice.¡±


    Really? That¡¯s what you consider nice?


    He found that didn¡¯t help the sick feeling in his stomach at all.


    ¡°How¡¯d they treat you?¡± Liz continued, sounding more serious than before.


    Damien snorted. ¡°They hardly said anything, awkwardly looking around or at each other and, when I did start taking the lead, they looked scared of me. Turns out they really didn¡¯t want you reporting back to me and setting me on them like you¡¯re some beset master.¡±


    The sad look on Liz¡¯s face confirmed for him that he was correct in assuming that¡¯s what the point of their swap had been. She had wanted him to see that.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± he asked softly. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just tell me that¡¯s how people were looking at you? I¡¯ve never had a damn clue that¡­I was isolating you like that!¡±


    Liz shrugged, looking right at him with a smile. ¡°Because at the end of the day, it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± she said simply. ¡°Because there¡¯s nothing you can do about it. It¡¯s just how life is¡­and how it''s going to be.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°Why date me then? If we weren¡¯t together, maybe you wouldn¡¯t be¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± she interrupted sharply. ¡°That should be obvious, Damien. I¡¯m dating you because I care about you¡­more than I care about my reputation. I wouldn¡¯t trade you for a damn one of them.¡±


    She meant it. He could tell just by the sound of her voice that she truly meant what she was telling him. He couldn¡¯t deny it even if he wanted to. Despite the situation, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a little better to know just how much she cared about him.


    ¡°Then¡­what was the point of all this?¡± he asked. ¡°Why did we have to switch? Why not just tell me?¡±


    At that she shrugged once more. ¡°I guess I could¡¯ve told you but¡­I think it¡¯s easier to understand by experiencing it. I wanted you to know what a day as me was like so you could feel what I feel. That way¡­you can see why I was so desperate to help Alice.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because you know how it feels,¡± he answered, ¡°to be judged and hated because of who you care about.¡±


    Liz nodded. ¡°It is. That¡¯s one reason, at least. After all, she had it far worse than I ever did. I understood Alice and so¡­I needed to help her. Vinny was right¡­letting that spiral out of control would have been bad¡­especially when we had a chance to fix it. But I knew I couldn¡¯t convince you to use the stone¡ª¡±


    ¡°My current state begs to differ,¡± he said wryly, motioning to his body with a wave of his hand. ¡°It seems like I am under a siren song to an extent.¡±


    She laughed softly, glancing around to make sure nobody was paying them any attention. ¡°Yeah, but that was different. Using the stone on Evan and Rina had risks. This doesn¡¯t.¡±


    He nodded, conceding her point as he motioned for her to continue.


    ¡°Again¡­going behind your back was wrong,¡± she said. ¡°And I can¡¯t stress how sorry I am. I acted in the moment. I did what I thought I had to do and¡­after looking back on it, I know I was wrong to lie. I should¡¯ve just told the truth in that meeting but¡­¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t want to have to explain everything,¡± he finished. ¡°You knew I¡¯d catch on to the fact that you had reasons you didn¡¯t want to tell me.¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± she admitted. ¡°I know you too well, after all.¡±


    He sighed. ¡°And why hide it? Did you not trust me or¡­?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even say that. Of course I trust you. I hid it from you¡­because I knew you¡¯d blame yourself,¡± she replied. ¡°I knew that if I talked about it, you¡¯d blame yourself for bringing it on me¡­ I didn¡¯t want that hanging over you. I still don¡¯t but¡­you deserved to know why I did what I did. There was no longer any hiding it¡­if I didn¡¯t want to lose you.¡±


    Damien glanced down at the table, considering everything she said and all he had experienced thus far that day. He still didn¡¯t know how he was supposed to feel about Liz¡¯s theft of the stone but, after everything, he found he couldn¡¯t hold it against her. He couldn¡¯t be mad. He knew why she did it and she already made it clear how sorry she was. As long as she didn¡¯t go behind his back again and talked to him instead, he would put it behind him. He wanted her back. Those weeks without her were painfully long.


    ¡°I understand,¡± he said. ¡°I really do. And I don¡¯t want to lose you.¡±


    She smiled bashfully. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°So, shall we put this all behind us and move on?¡± he suggested. ¡°I think we¡¯ve both learned something from this mess.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°I¡¯d like that. And also,¡± she quickly added. ¡°We can swap back now. You¡¯ve¡­seen what I wanted you to so if you want, you can take your body back.¡±


    Despite his earlier discomfort with both using the stone and being in a body that wasn¡¯t his own, he found the thought of switching back in that moment odd. Surprising himself, he shook his head.


    ¡°One day was the deal, yeah?¡± he asked wryly. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t want to toss in the towel so close to the end, right?¡±


    She looked at him in surprise for a moment before rolling her eyes and laughing.


    ¡°No, I guess we wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ***


    For reasons still unknown to him, Eric had canceled the previous day¡¯s club activities despite having initially talked about having a party. When Vinny asked if he was moving it to the following day, Eric had told him that he was canceling club for the remainder of the week and that he would get back to him when he had the rescheduled date. At first, Vinny had been concerned since Eric rarely ever canceled club. Even when almost all the members were absent, he still went and spent his afternoon in the room. So, Vinny couldn¡¯t help but fear that something had happened. After everything that went down between them the last time they were all gathered in the clubroom, he was afraid that it was all taking more of a toll on Eric than the boy was letting on.


    I hope he¡¯s okay, he thought. Maybe I should talk to him again? After all, he seems the most content not prying into what happened to Rina.


    Vinny sighed, taking a bite of his sandwich as he looked up across the table to where Alice was quietly sitting. She¡¯d seemed pretty out of it since the previous day and, since she kept brushing it off as being tired from the first days back, Vinny was content to let her relax. They were eating out in the courtyard where the chattering of students could be heard from the tables all around them. He shivered a bit, missing the warm interior of the clubroom and wondering if he should¡¯ve just chosen to eat inside.


    Damn, I really should just pull myself together. Eric and Liz are right. I should just talk to Damien again and see where his head lies. Even if I can¡¯t tell him the truth, maybe I can find some other way to smooth this over so we can go back to normal.


    For a moment, he even considered going to Lilly and seeing what she thought of the matter. The two of them hadn¡¯t talked since the last club meeting so he didn¡¯t have any clue what she thought about everything. The only reason he hadn¡¯t yet was because every time he saw her, she was with Eric. The two seemed inseparable all of a sudden and he really didn¡¯t want to ask her to talk to him alone with Eric around. He knew it would make it seem like he didn¡¯t trust Eric, which was far from the truth.


    Ah, like hell that¡¯s an excuse. I could always just text her but¡­well, who knows. Maybe she¡¯d tell Eric if I did. God, this is getting ridiculous. These people are my best friends.


    He thought back to what Liz had said to him earlier that morning when he asked about Damien. She¡¯d told him to just go and talk with Damien¡ªsimilar advice to what Eric had said to him. However, each time he thought about talking to Damien, he couldn¡¯t help but to think back to their last conversation out in the woods. Their ideals were too different. He couldn¡¯t help but to wonder if they¡¯d ever be able to come to an agreement.


    So what do I do? Should I talk to him¡­or wait for him to come to me?


    ¡°Hey, Vinny?¡± Alice said suddenly, shaking him from his thoughts.


    ¡°Mmm?¡± he grunted. ¡°Yeah?¡±


    She glanced sideways for a moment, as if thinking about something, before replying. ¡°I was just wondering if you¡¯re okay? You were staring off into space with this weird look like something was bothering you.¡±


    Damn, was I that obvious?


    He shook his head, not wanting her to suspect that there were any issues surrounding the resolution to her bullying. He didn¡¯t want her feeling like she caused the club to start falling apart.


    ¡°Nope, just thinking,¡± he replied. ¡°I was trying to figure out why Eric canceled the party. I was really looking forward to it.¡±


    Not technically a lie. I was trying to figure that out, after all.


    She nodded. ¡°Yeah, that was weird. I know I haven¡¯t known him long but that didn¡¯t seem like something he would do unless he had no choice. Something must¡¯ve come up.¡±


    ¡°But what?¡± Vinny wondered. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s the start of a new semester so I can¡¯t imagine he has studying to do. I mean, if he had a doctor''s appointment or something, he¡¯d just shut it down for a day even if he didn¡¯t leave everything to Damien or Lilly, but it¡¯s completely unheard of for him to shut down for a whole week.¡±


    Alice frowned. ¡°You think¡­it has anything to do with¡­you know¡­?¡±


    Evan and Rina? Honestly, maybe. For all I know, Eric¡¯s conducting some investigation into the whole matter. Not like Rina would tell him anything though. She¡¯s probably scared shitless of him now. Although, Jay¡­


    Vinny couldn¡¯t help but cringe a little. Jay had been acting off ever since the night they used the stone and he knew Damien had already picked up on it. With how good Eric was with people, it wouldn¡¯t be too unthinkable for him to find some way to make Jay confess.


    He better not, Vinny thought irritably. Maybe I should talk to him again just to make sure he stays quiet.


    Vinny sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Like I said, it¡¯s all dealt with. There¡¯s nothing more to look into.¡±


    For a moment, he noticed a hint of suspicion in her eyes but she didn¡¯t say anything. Instead she just nodded and went back to her food. He could tell that she didn¡¯t fully accept the fact that he kept dodging her questions about the whole matter but he didn¡¯t want her to know about what happened. It wasn¡¯t something she needed to know and so, he would keep avoiding the subject until it was all behind them.


    But to put it behind me, I first need to make things right with Damien. But how do I¡­?


    His thoughts went blank as he noticed two students walking hand in hand past the tables and toward the main school building. They were talking and laughing like they didn¡¯t have a care in the world. Normally, this wouldn¡¯t have surprised him. It was a common sight for him, but he hadn¡¯t expected to see it so soon.


    Damien¡­Liz¡­ She told me they hadn¡¯t made up yet. When did they¡­? He exhaled softly. There I have it. Liz wanted to fix the issue and so she did. I don¡¯t have an excuse anymore. I have to talk to Damien. I have to fix this.

 Chapter 33- A Misguided Soul

    Chapter XXXIII


    It was another slow day for Lilly and she desperately wanted it to be over as fast as possible. In anticipation for their later conversation with Jay in the clubroom, she once again struggled to focus on class. She knew that if she wanted to get her head in gear then she needed to put the whole Evan/Rina dilemma behind her. It had taken up far too much of her time and she just wanted everything to go back to the way it used to be. She enjoyed heading up to the clubroom after school and hanging out with the club members. With each day that passed, she felt like she was truly beginning to belong with them, and she realized that she was forming some of the first real friendships she¡¯d ever had. She never thought she¡¯d feel that way, but she didn¡¯t want to lose it.


    She glanced over her shoulder to stare across the empty classroom to where Eric was standing by the window, staring down at something below. He was most likely considering the most efficient way to handle Jay when he arrived. Given his clearly disturbed state, they didn¡¯t want to make him feel uncomfortable, but at the same time, they needed to know what he and Vinny were hiding. They couldn¡¯t allow him to keep it from them any longer.


    And honestly, he¡¯ll probably feel better if he gets it off his chest, she thought. Maybe he just needs to talk to somebody. I really am worried about him.


    After everything they¡¯d been through, Lilly could say with confidence that she considered Jay to be her friend. He was strange and awkward, but she had come to realize that he cared about her. Even if it spawned from her reminding him of an old friend of his, she could tell that he genuinely considered her somebody he trusted. She didn¡¯t want to betray that. She made a promise to herself the night he took the stone to be a good friend to him¡ªto start over and put their earlier troubles aside. She still intended to stay true to that.


    ¡°Well then¡­¡±


    She glanced back at Eric when she heard him mutter under his breath and, when she did, she found him smiling down at his phone.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± she asked, sitting up straighter at the potential of good news.


    Eric didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, he walked across the room then placed his phone down on her desk with the screen facing upwards. When she turned to look, she couldn¡¯t help but to smile as well. It was a picture of Liz and Damien standing side by side, grinning, with peace signs held up. She also noticed Liz holding the stone in her other hand with the text below the photo reading: ¡°I¡¯ll give you the gem back tomorrow. Thanks a bunch!¡± followed by a winky face.


    ¡°So whatever she did worked, huh?¡± Lilly mused.


    Eric smirked. ¡°It would seem so. Only thing is, if my hunch was correct and she did indeed swap bodies with him then I can¡¯t imagine how she managed to convince him.¡±


    Lilly shrugged. ¡°She probably just put on a pouty face and begged. Damien always seems weak when it comes to Liz.¡±


    ¡°Ah, the siren song,¡± Eric replied. ¡°Yes, Vinny and I have always said she¡¯s got him under a spell. But I suppose I can¡¯t complain this time. I¡¯m glad to see them together again.¡±


    ¡°I think it was inevitable. Those two were two close to break up because of this. Not to mention it was blatantly obvious to everybody that they both hated being apart.¡±


    Eric nodded, picking his phone back up and pocketing it once again. ¡°Yes, they¡¯re quite adorable. I¡¯m happy they¡¯re together. I think they¡¯re good for each other.¡±


    She smiled, feeling a little of her stress relieved at the thought that one of their problems had finally been resolved. Now all that was left was to learn what happened to Rina and Evan and to bring Damien and Vinny back together.


    ¡°Truly,¡± Eric continued. ¡°They are an ideal couple fueled by the magic of love. I strive to have a relationship like theirs when my time comes.¡±


    She looked up at him in surprise to see him staring up at the ceiling, smiling in a way that was so innocent it reminded her of a child. She couldn¡¯t help but find herself suddenly drawn to him. She just wanted to look at him and enjoy his presence. In the past, it was rare for them to spend so much time together but, in recent days, she realized that they had been alone quite often. It was unfortunately a result of the club¡¯s split, but she found she was grateful nonetheless.


    In the next moment, she began speaking without even thinking.


    ¡°Is there anybody? You would want a relationship with, I mean?¡±


    Wait, why the hell did I ask that?! That¡¯s none of my business! What an utterly embarrassing thing to say!


    She quickly went to apologize but Eric spoke before she could.


    ¡°Yes, there is.¡±


    His casual tone threw her off. He didn¡¯t seem bothered by the question at all and he answered as if he was fine talking about it. Yet, for some reason, she found herself kind of sad by his answer.


    ¡°Oh?¡± she muttered. ¡°Want to tell me who or¡­no?¡±


    I really need to shut up. This isn¡¯t my business! Why do I even care?!


    He chuckled softly. ¡°No offense to you, dear Lilly, but I think I¡¯ll keep it to myself for the time being. A man can¡¯t show all of his cards, after all. When I¡¯m ready¡­I¡¯ll make sure to let you know.¡±


    When he¡¯s ready? Honestly, why do I even want to know? I¡¯m not the type of person to care about who dates who! Jeez!


    She went to apologize for being so rude and once again, she was interrupted. This time, though, it wasn¡¯t by Eric but rather by the door to the clubroom suddenly opening. When both turned to look in that direction, they found Jay poking his head in, looking as nervous as he had that morning.


    ¡°Brooks, my friend,¡± Eric called out. ¡°Welcome, welcome!¡±


    Jay begrudgingly stepped inside, looking at Eric with clear caution, as if not wanting to go anywhere near him. Instead, he turned to glance at Lilly.


    ¡°Uh, hey guys,¡± he muttered. ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late. Mickelson¡­wanted to talk to me about something.¡±


    Vinny did? Lilly¡¯s guard was instantly up. Was it about Evan and Rina? But why talk to Jay about that now?


    ¡°Ah, Vinny,¡± Eric replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you two ever talked. What about, if you don¡¯t mind my asking?¡±


    Jay hesitated, clearly realizing his mistake in bringing up Vinny at all. He seemed nothing like his usual self and he hardly even seemed to be fully with them. It almost seemed like he was deep in his own thoughts.


    ¡°Um, nothing,¡± he whispered. ¡°It was¡­uh, homework¡ªabout homework.¡±


    Eric nodded. ¡°Homework¡­a student''s worst nightmare. Well I hope you got everything worked out okay.¡±


    Jay shrugged and looked once again at Lilly. ¡°So¡­did you guys have anything planned or¡­? I mean, did you need me here for something?¡±


    Lilly had intended to play it safe and try to make Jay feel more comfortable before confronting him about Vinny but, much to her surprise, it seemed Eric had come to a completely different conclusion.


    ¡°Actually, I did want to talk to you about something,¡± he replied.


    Jay visibly cringed and Lilly saw him inch back toward the door. When he didn¡¯t say anything more, Eric continued.


    ¡°As I¡¯m sure you know, Vinny hasn¡¯t exactly been forthcoming as to what he did to resolve the unfortunate situation with Wright and Davens. He refuses to tell me what went down and so, I was wondering if you might be able to shed some light on the matter.¡±


    As Eric spoke, Jay became visibly paler and she could see him subtly shaking. Lilly slowly got to her feet, wanting to try and calm him as fast as she could but he sputtered out a response before she did.


    ¡°I-I-I don¡¯t know anything! He didn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°Please, Brooks,¡± Eric interrupted. ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me.¡±


    Jay went silent and even Lilly found herself looking at Eric in confusion. The way he spoke was casual but there was a certain strength to him. He wasn¡¯t demanding anything. He was simply calling it as it was in the normal bluntness that Eric had. There was none of the subtlety that Lilly had intended for.


    ¡°I consider you a good person, Jay,¡± Eric said. ¡°I truly do. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re hiding this for any malicious reason and I think it¡¯s clear to everybody that you feel guilty about what happened. I understand the desire to keep it bottled up and I want to apologize for bringing this on you. However, the simple fact is that I can¡¯t stand by and do nothing any longer.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Jay breathed but quickly went quiet.


    Lilly desperately wanted to intervene but there was a part of her that warned her not to. Her instincts told her that Eric¡¯s approach would work and that he knew what he was doing. He was holding himself with a confidence that left her speechless. Instead, she decided to help Jay by looking at him with as comforting an expression as she could.


    ¡°Vinny is one of my best friends,¡± Eric explained. ¡°I¡¯ve known him since middle school and I care about him like a brother. And because I know him, I know why he would do anything in his power to help Mendez. I respect that about him. It¡¯s a good trait to have. But at the same time, he can go overboard on his crusade for his perceived justice¡­as I believe he did this time.¡±


    Jay¡¯s features tightened, confirming Eric¡¯s assumption.


    ¡°Please,¡± Eric pressed. ¡°I will not force you to tell me anything. If you choose not to then you can turn and leave and I won¡¯t stop you. But I have to know what Vinny did. I bear some of the responsibility and for my own peace of mind, I have to know. And I truly think that if you get it off your chest, you may feel better, too.¡±


    When Eric finished speaking, the room went silent, leaving Lilly to hold her breath as she waited to see how Jay would react. Eric laid it all out for him and there was nothing more to say. If Jay refused then there wasn¡¯t any way to get him to talk without threatening him¡ªsomething neither Lilly nor Eric would ever consider. Finally, after a moment, Jay muttered something so softly Lilly couldn¡¯t make it out.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± Eric said.


    ¡°It won¡¯t,¡± he repeated, slightly louder.  His voice was shaking. ¡°It won¡¯t make me feel better, Reiner. If I tell you¡­you¡¯ll look at me like I¡¯m disgusting. What I helped him do to Rina¡­I can¡¯t take it back.¡±


    This time, Lilly managed to find the words to say before Eric could reply and she was glad she did. It was something she needed to say to him.


    ¡°That¡¯s wrong,¡± she said firmly. ¡°I would never think you¡¯re disgusting nor would Eric. I promise you, Jay. I will not blame you for whatever happened. I promise you!¡±


    He looked up at her with wide eyes before frantically shaking his head. ¡°N-no! You don¡¯t understand!¡±


    ¡°Then explain it,¡± she retorted. ¡°Explain so I do, Jay. Please do that much.¡±


    There were tears forming in his eyes and she could tell he was close to giving in. So, she smiled, wanting him to know that she wasn¡¯t lying to him. For a second, they looked into each other¡¯s eyes and she could see him desperately trying to figure out what to do. So she never looked away. Eric remained quiet and left the floor to her and, after a moment, Jay finally gave in.


    ¡°He¡­used the stone to steal Rina¡¯s body and took pictures of her naked to use as blackmail!¡±


    He said it all in a single breath, as if desperate to get it out before he could reconsider and, when he did, Lilly and Eric were left staring as they processed what he had said.


    ¡°He¡­¡± she stuttered. ¡°¡­did what?¡±


    ¡°He took pictures of her naked,¡± Jay repeated, crying freely now. ¡°He still has them. He told me that terrifying her enough that she stayed away from Alice was the only way! So he showed her our power and told her that he¡¯d send those photos out if she ever went near Alice again! I wanted to stop him! I swear! But I couldn¡¯t! I couldn¡¯t do it! I let him terrify her and defile her¡­and I did nothing!¡±


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Lilly took a deep breath as she took in everything Jay was telling her.


    Vinny did that?! No wonder Eric said his sense shifted! To do something like that to a girl¡­even after what she did, I¡­ But even as she thought it, she couldn¡¯t help but have a sliver of doubt in the back of her head. It did work, after all. Rina hadn¡¯t gone near Alice since before Christmas. Alice was safe. But was it worth it? Was doing something like that to her worth it? I¡­can¡¯t really say¡­


    ¡°Thank you, Brooks,¡± Eric said softly. ¡°I appreciate it.¡±


    And with that, he took off past the sobbing Jay and out into the hallway. She had no idea where he was headed, but she knew she had no choice but to follow him. Whatever Eric intended to do, she wanted to be present for. She sprinted after him, but stopped briefly beside Jay to put a hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered. ¡°And you¡¯re not disgusting. This weight¡­is Vinny¡¯s to carry.¡±


    And with that, despite wanting to stay behind and comfort him, she took off after Eric.


    ***


    Once the end of the school day arrived, Damien and Liz officially swapped back into their normal bodies. The feeling of being in the formless world was just as jarring as the first time and he was thankful that he wouldn¡¯t have to experience it again any time soon. When they were back to normal, they sent Eric a text letting him know and began their walk home. Damien suggested giving the stone to Eric before leaving but Liz said that he¡¯d asked her to wait until the following morning, claiming that he had something important to deal with and didn¡¯t want to be distracted.


    So, Damien took Liz¡¯s hand in his and they walked through the school gates and out into the surrounding neighborhoods. The sky had become overcast during fifth period and Damien had a feeling it was going to either rain or snow soon. It was chilly out so he kept his jacket zipped up. The two didn¡¯t talk as they walked. Instead, they opted just to enjoy each other¡¯s company. They¡¯d already said everything that needed saying. Now, he just wanted to enjoy having Liz at his side again. Her presence gave him a sense of calm that he hadn¡¯t felt in weeks. He felt better and now, he was determined to face Vinny once again. He could see the light at the end of the tunnel and knew that they had the chance to make everything right again. The club was close to being whole once more.


    I don¡¯t know what he did, Damien thought. But after our talk this morning when he thought I was Liz, I know how he feels about it. I can make this right. I¡¯m close and, after today, I think I can do it.


    He glanced down at her, finding the girl staring up at the sky, seeming lost in thought. Her free hand was tucked into her skirt pocket where the infamous stone lay. Part of him briefly considered asking her about how she convinced Eric to hand it over then recalled that it was Eric and he probably did so without even hesitating. That was just how he was. If he believed giving Liz the stone would help them then he would do so, no questions asked.


    Still though, I don¡¯t like the damn thing, he thought. Even after experiencing it myself¡­no, especially after experiencing it, I¡¯m afraid of it. There really is no denying what it is but¡­where did it come from. What was its purpose? Who created it? Even after a whole semester, we still haven¡¯t answered a single question. Hell¡­if I didn¡¯t want to piss off Eric, I¡¯d take that stone and get rid of it. But I can¡¯t do that. The only way to be free of it is if Eric parts with it himself. It has to be his choice or else¡­he¡¯ll never truly let it go. He took a deep breath. I have no choice. I¡¯m in this until the end whether I like it or not. I want to be by Eric¡¯s side until we finish this¡­I just hope it¡¯ll be a peaceful ending.


    Even as he thought it, he knew he was being optimistic. That bad feeling in the back of his mind persisted, telling him that it wasn¡¯t going to be as easy as he wanted it to be.


    After another fifteen minutes of walking, the two of them finally reached Damien¡¯s house. Naturally, there was no sign of his parents¡¯ cars so he knew he¡¯d have the house to himself once again.


    ¡°Want me to stay?¡± Liz asked, as if reading his mind.


    He smiled. ¡°I would, if you¡¯re up to it.¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m up to it. We have an entire break¡¯s worth of time to make up! Let¡¯s get in there and have a late Christmas celebration or something!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, of course. In that case¡ª¡±


    He was cut off by the sudden ringing of a phone from Liz¡¯s bag. She looked back in confusion as she slid it from the side pocket to check the caller.


    ¡°It¡¯s Eric,¡± she muttered. ¡°That¡¯s odd. I thought he said he was busy.¡±


    Damien smirked. ¡°I wonder what he wants.¡±


    Liz frowned, answering the phone and putting it on speaker so Damien could hear. ¡°Hey, Rein¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Liz, quickly!¡± Eric interrupted her, surprising both of them with how insistent he sounded. ¡°I need you to do me a favor! Do you know where Rina Davens might be right now!¡±


    Damien stared down at the phone, stunned. What the hell? What¡¯s going on?


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Liz stuttered. ¡°Well, I assume she¡¯d be down at the track with her boyfriend. Why? Did something else happen?¡±


    ¡°Thanks!¡± Eric replied. ¡°I¡¯ll explain it all later. I promise.¡±


    And with that, he hung up, leaving them standing in silence as they tried to process the bizarre call.


    ¡°Rina?¡± Liz whispered. ¡°Why would Eric be looking for Rina?¡±


    Damien shook his head. ¡°No idea. You don¡¯t think she did something to Alice again, do you?¡±


    ¡°I hope not,¡± she replied softly. ¡°But this only makes me more curious to know what Eric¡¯s been up to today.¡±


    Damien sighed, suddenly feeling his stress returning ever so slightly. ¡°Yeah, same.¡±


    ***


    She felt bad about leaving Jay behind, but Lilly knew she had to follow after Eric. There was a look of determination in his eyes that told her he had a plan. She hadn¡¯t been sure of what it was until he pulled out his phone and called Liz to ask where Rina was. It was then that it clicked for her¡ªEric wanted to talk to Rina himself. Lilly wasn¡¯t sure how well that would go, especially considering what they just learned, but she agreed that it was something they needed to try. However, not knowing Eric¡¯s intentions in speaking with her, she decided it would be best to remain quiet and allow him to take the lead.


    When the two reached the bottom floor, they turned and began heading around to the back end of the school that led out toward the sports fields. The track and the football field were on the opposite side from the courtyard so they had a relatively long trip to make and they couldn¡¯t even be sure they¡¯d find Rina there. For all they knew, she¡¯d already gone home. When they reached the school¡¯s southern exit, the two hurried out onto the path that led toward the field. There weren¡¯t many students out since school had ended nearly thirty minutes prior so there wasn¡¯t anybody to give them weird looks at how quickly they were walking. The path led up to a gate that opened up into the top of the bleachers overlooking the field. Lilly immediately noticed a group of boys doing drills around the track and, spotting Brad, she realized it was probably the baseball team doing their conditioning.


    Eric stopped at the gate and scanned the bleachers before they both noticed the familiar girl sitting alone on one of the seats near the top. She seemed to be texting on her phone, but she looked up every once in a while to watch the boys working. Lilly had never officially met Rina Davens, but she knew what she looked like. It was her.


    ¡°She is here,¡± Eric muttered.


    Lilly nodded. ¡°So what¡¯s the plan? You know that if what Jay said is true¡­she won¡¯t want to talk to us.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± he replied. ¡°But I have to speak to her. Especially if Brooks was telling the truth and I¡¯m pretty confident he was.¡±


    ¡°Is there something you want to know?¡± she pressed. ¡°Cause I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much else to learn. Jay¡¯s story fills all the blanks.¡±


    Eric shook his head. ¡°No. Nothing. This¡­is for something else.¡±


    She was about to ask what he meant when the boy took a breath and proceeded down the stone steps and toward the girl. Lilly hesitated for a second before quietly following behind him, deciding just to stand back to see how it played out. Rina¡¯s back was to them so she didn¡¯t immediately notice them approaching. But when she did, her eyes went wide and she looked ready to jump to her feet and bolt. It almost seemed like she was about to when Eric quickly held up his hand and stopped walking.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t run,¡± he said calmly. ¡°I¡¯m not here to hurt you, Davens. I just want to talk for a moment.¡±


    Rina hesitantly glanced down at the track, probably hoping her boyfriend or one of the other guys would come help her, before meekly nodding.


    ¡°O-okay,¡± she uttered. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Eric took another slow breath and then responded in a comforting and gentle tone.


    ¡°I wanted to apologize for what happened to you,¡± he said. ¡°For what one of my club members did to you and your body.¡±


    Rina bit her lip and narrowed her eyes, seeming still on guard for some sort of trick or prank. ¡°A-apologize?¡± she parroted.


    Eric nodded firmly. ¡°Yes. Apologize. I did not ever intend for something like that to happen. In fact, when I allowed them to use our magic, I was under the impression that they wouldn¡¯t do anything too bad. I thought they¡¯d just spook you a bit, but it seems I misjudged the situation and I misjudged my club mates. For that, I am very sorry.¡±


    This time, Rina seemed to let her guard down a bit as she first looked at Eric in bewilderment and then to Lilly as if expecting her to say something. But even she was speechless. Eric was apologizing to the girl who tormented Alice not even a month ago. Part of her wanted to get furious that he would ever apologize to someone like her, but then again, she also knew that no matter what Rina did, he would never approve of Vinny¡¯s decision. Eric Reiner loved to help others, but it was never at the cost of his morality.


    Damn you, Eric. I really should be letting you have it for this but¡­I understand where you¡¯re coming from. It¡¯s because of this that¡­I¡¯ve grown to care about you the way I do¡­ Though it¡¯s not like I even understand how exactly I feel about you.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Rina began weakly, ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have the pictures deleted as soon as I can,¡± Eric assured her. ¡°And I shall ensure that our powers are never used on you ever again. You have my word.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± The girl continued to struggle to find her words as she frantically looked away. ¡°W-why? Why do that? You don¡¯t have any reason to trust me. After what I did to Alice¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, Davens,¡± Eric replied. ¡°I don¡¯t trust you¡­nor have I forgotten what you and Wright did to Mendez. I do not like you in the slightest. But regardless, I do not approve of what was done to you. I don¡¯t care what you¡¯ve done, I do not want what happened to you to be a representation of my club. I will delete those pictures and hope you and us can officially go our separate ways and never speak to each other again.¡±


    Rina simply stared up at him, tears forming in her eyes. ¡°W-well¡­thank you.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Eric said. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll leave you be. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want to be in my presence any longer than necessary. I appreciate you listening to me.¡±


    With that, baffling both girls, Eric turned and began making his way in the direction they came. Rina stared after him for a moment before turning toward Lilly questioningly.


    ¡°What¡­ is the deal with you people?¡± Rina managed to ask.


    Lilly considered the question, glanced back at Eric¡¯s receding form and couldn¡¯t help but smirk. Her reply was perhaps cheesy but it felt right in that moment and it served to tease the girl a bit. ¡°We¡¯re the Magic Club,¡± she responded. ¡°Nothing more, nothing less.¡±


    Finding some joy in Rina¡¯s confused look, Lilly turned on her heel and hurried after Eric, who had stopped up at the gate to wait for her. When she jogged up to his side, the two headed back onto the path that led toward the school.


    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot, you know that?¡± Lilly grumbled.


    Eric chuckled. ¡°How so, dear Lilly?¡±


    ¡°How do you think?¡± she retorted. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you just apologized to her. I mean, I get your reasoning and all but¡­after everything she did¡­¡±


    ¡°She suffered enough,¡± he replied. ¡°She smashed a locker, we took nude pictures of her, we¡¯re all even now, I think.¡±


    Lilly cocked an eyebrow. ¡°And the death threats?¡±


    ¡°Wright¡¯s doing, I think,¡± Eric answered. ¡°One look at her was enough to know she wasn¡¯t the ringleader of that whole debacle. I think she was being strung along because of her history with Mendez.¡±


    Lilly snorted, always in awe of the confidence he had in everything he said. ¡°And how could you possibly know that? Don¡¯t tell me your sense doesn¡¯t have a problem with her.¡± She said it more as a joke but when he turned a grin her way, she stared at him in bewilderment. ¡°Oh don¡¯t tell me¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not evil,¡± he stated. ¡°Or at least she doesn¡¯t seem to be. Misguided sounds like the right term, in fact.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Lilly stuttered. ¡°How does that make any sense? Are you trying to tell me that Rina isn¡¯t bad but Vinny is?¡±


    Eric shrugged. ¡°If I have to guess, it comes down to regret. The primary difference between Rina and Vinny is that Rina regrets what she did to Alice and Vinny fully believes that what he did was right. That¡¯s what I¡¯ve gathered from this.¡±


    Lilly sighed, once again opting to take him seriously for the sake of conversation. ¡°Okay¡­so what you¡¯re saying is that if we can get Vinny to regret what he did¡­¡±


    ¡°Then everything should go back to normal,¡± Eric answered. ¡°That¡¯s my plan.¡±


    ¡°Great,¡± she muttered. ¡°And how do we go about doing that? I doubt it¡¯s as simple as just talking to him.¡±


    Eric shrugged again. ¡°Dunno. But for now, I need to call Liz back and explain the situation. Then we should probably check on Brooks.¡±


    Right¡­Jay. She recalled the sight of him breaking down in the clubroom and instantly felt guilty for leaving him there. I hope he¡¯s alright.


    ***


    Damien sat at his kitchen table, staring off into space as he processed everything he and Liz had heard from Eric that afternoon. His parents still weren¡¯t home and wouldn¡¯t be until late so the house was silent. He still couldn¡¯t fathom that Vinny could bring himself to blackmail Rina the way he did. Everything Eric revealed put the pieces together for him. He understood why Jay was so torn up over it, he understood why Vinny expected him to hate him, and he understood why Vinny kept it all to himself. Now, Damien didn¡¯t know what to think.


    Do I hate him for this? No, I don¡¯t think so. At the end of the day, he did what he did for Alice and that¡¯s something I can¡¯t ignore. However, there had to be other ways of handling it. I get that he was desperate to solve the problem but this¡­ I can¡¯t support this. Vinny¡¯s intentions were right but his actions were wrong. He¡¯s right. I can¡¯t accept this.


    Damien sighed and leaned back in his chair.


    So what now? Where does the club go from here?


    He recalled what Eric had said on the phone.


    ¡°We need to talk to him. That¡¯s the first step. What we¡¯ll say and how he¡¯ll respond is up in the air but I¡¯m confident that we can get through to him. We have to convince him that he was in the wrong.¡±


    Easier said than done, Eric, he mused.


    He no longer had any idea how Vinny would react, but he was confident that talking to him was the right call. The only thing was that the problem still lay between Vinny and himself. Their differing ideals regarding the stone had led to the events that fractured the club and so, Damien had a feeling that he would have to be the one to fix it. He needed to talk to Vinny, face to face.


    The boy glanced over at the microwave clock and realized that it was a little after seven. There was still plenty of time left that night.


    Well¡­there¡¯s no reason to wait, is there? I¡¯ve got nothing better to do.


    With that thought crossing his mind, Damien Clark got to his feet, grabbed his jacket, and departed his house.

 Chapter 34- To You, Audrey Moore

    Chapter XXXIV


    It wasn¡¯t often that Damien went out at night, but he knew this had to be one of the few occasions when he did. It had started to rain a few hours prior and so he wore his dark gray raincoat with the hood pulled over his head to protect him from the chill. The puddles on the ground reflected the pale lights of the street lamps and the sound of raindrops muffled his footsteps against the sidewalk. There wasn¡¯t a single other person out since he was sure there were very few as stupid as he was. Yet, there he was, walking down Vinny¡¯s street on the way to his house. Eric had told him that they would all confront Vinny together, but Damien didn¡¯t want that. It was their disagreement that sparked such dissent among the group and so, he wanted to talk to his old friend alone and see what they could work out. However, if Vinny refused to hear him out, then Damien intended to back off and go with Eric¡¯s plan. Yet he didn¡¯t think that would happen. Even if he disagreed, Vinny would at least allow him to say his piece.


    Damien was tired after the long day he¡¯d had but he was ready to keep going until their club was finally back to the way it was supposed to be.They were the Magic Club and, as ridiculous as he used to think it was, he still loved them. He even found himself caring greatly for Lilly now despite the short time knowing her.


    So I¡¯m not going to back down. I will get through to Vinny whether he wants me to or not!


    When Vinny¡¯s house came into view, Damien quickened his pace, anxious to get out of the rain and into someplace warm and dry. He hoped he wasn¡¯t just turned away at the door or else he¡¯d have to trek the ten minutes back home, something he was not looking forward to. The boy stepped up onto the patio and rang the doorbell, waiting for one of Vinny¡¯s parents to open it. He was surprised when the person who answered the door wasn¡¯t either of his parents or even Vinny. It was instead his little sister, Mia.


    ¡°Hey, Damien,¡± she greeted curiously. ¡°What are you doing here so late? Vinny didn¡¯t tell me you were coming by?¡±


    Damien chuckled guiltily. ¡°Ah, I actually didn¡¯t check with him first. I hope I¡¯m not interrupting anything.¡±


    Mia shook her head. ¡°Our parents are out at some company party so it¡¯s been pretty boring. Come on in.¡±


    He nodded his thanks and stepped inside then kneeled down to undo the laces on his boots. Once he¡¯d placed them by the door, he took his coat off and put it on their rack.


    ¡°Vinny¡¯s upstairs in his room,¡± Mia told him as she made her way from the entry room and back into the living room.


    Damien exhaled softly, mentally preparing himself for the conversation ahead, then followed after Mia. He made his way through the house and up the stairs to the second floor, hanging an immediate right. Vinny¡¯s room was at the end of the hall with the door closed. He slowly approached, took another breath, then knocked a few times.


    ¡°Hmm? What is it, Mia?¡± came Vinny¡¯s response.


    ¡°Can I come in, Vinny?¡± he called back. ¡°I wanted to talk to you.¡±


    There was a pause in which Vinny probably attempted to process that it wasn¡¯t his sister at the door. Then there was the sound of footsteps and the door opened to reveal a very surprised looking boy.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Vinny asked softly.


    Damien snorted. ¡°Nice to see you, too. Like I said, I was wondering if we could talk?¡±


    ¡°And you couldn¡¯t just call? Instead you chose to walk all the way over here in the damned rain? What could be so important that you¡ª?¡±


    ¡°I know about the pictures,¡± Damien replied, cutting him off. ¡°The ones you have of Rina.¡±


    Vinny took a step back, his features tensing at the sudden revelation. Damien knew being blunt could end the conversation immediately, but he also had no interest in beating around the bush. He wanted to talk to Vinny about what went down during his night with the stone and so he decided to just make that clear to him.


    ¡°How do you¡­?¡± Vinny uttered. Then, as if coming to a decision, he stepped aside and motioned for him to enter. ¡°Come in.¡±


    Damien obliged, entering Vinny¡¯s relatively small room. There was a bed on the left wall beside his closet and a desk across from it that, based on how the chair was pushed out, was where Vinny had been sitting before he arrived. The homework on the table confirmed that.


    His old friend closed the door behind him and turned around, lowering his voice as if trying to hide its shaking.


    ¡°How the hell do you know about that?¡± he growled. ¡°Was it Brooks? Did he tell you?¡±


    Damien shook his head, determined not to tell him anything about Jay¡¯s involvement in his acquisition of the information. ¡°No. Eric and Lilly told me and they didn¡¯t say how they figured it out,¡± he lied. ¡°All I know is that you stole Rina¡¯s body and took nude pictures of her to use as blackmail.¡±


    Vinny clenched his teeth, narrowing his eyes as he stared at the carpet. It was clear that he was struggling to find his voice and figure out how to respond. He probably thought he had more time before they were onto him. Damien didn¡¯t say anything, content to allow him to gather his thoughts. It wasn¡¯t an interrogation, after all. It was just a simple conversation among friends.


    ¡°So what?¡± Vinny said after a moment. ¡°Yeah¡­I did that. And you know what? Nothing¡¯s happened to Alice since. No more death threats. No more vandalism. Nothing. I fixed it and all it cost were a couple of pictures.¡±


    Damien nodded, conceding the point. ¡°That¡¯s true, I¡¯ll admit. It did work. But are you really okay with that? Are you really okay with what you did to her?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Vinny replied firmly. ¡°Rina had it coming. She would¡¯ve continued harassing Alice for who knows how long! She didn¡¯t see anything wrong with it! She and Evan just attacked her! What was the endgame, huh? Were they just gonna keep harassing her until they got bored or were they going to keep it up until she killed herself?!¡±


    Damien didn¡¯t immediately reply. Everything Vinny said made sense. For all they knew, Rina and Evan would have continued harassing Alice to the point of suicide. There were plenty of examples of bullying leading to that tragic end. Even Vinny had once admitted to considering it before Eric came along. He understood his friend¡¯s mindset throughout the whole thing. He had from the beginning.


    But does that make attacking Rina right? Does that make what he did right?


    ¡°Look,¡± Vinny began once it was clear Damien wasn¡¯t ready to speak. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve looked at the pictures. I just have them ready in case Rina ever tries something again.¡±


    Damien believed him. Vinny didn¡¯t do to Rina what he did for any sick sexual pleasure. It was all to help Alice. He truly believed that. But¡­


    ¡°Vinny¡­you stole a high school girl¡¯s body, stripped her naked in front of her, and took pictures of it to post online if she didn¡¯t do what you said. Does that honesty sound okay to you? Do you really think you sound like the good guy here?¡±


    Vinny scoffed. ¡°Not if you just consider the actions themselves, Damien. But you have to think about the circumstances! I did it for Alice! I don¡¯t give a damn about being the ¡®good guy¡¯ if it means all that shit was shut down!¡±


    ¡°And tell me this,¡± he countered, ¡°what would Alice think if she found out what you did?¡±


    The other boy¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°You haven¡¯t¡­?¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t. I¡¯m just asking out of curiosity. What do you suppose she would think?¡±


    Vinny hesitated. ¡°She¡­ I¡­¡± For a moment, there was a flash of fear in his eyes, but it lasted only a second before his determination returned. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. She might not approve of it but in the end, it succeeded. She¡¯s safe. That¡¯s what matters. How many fucking times do I have to say that?¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re okay stooping to Rina¡¯s level if it means stopping her?¡± Damien asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vinny growled. ¡°I¡¯ll go to her level or maybe even lower if it means helping someone. I know that¡¯s not something you¡¯ll ever understand, but nothing will ever get done up on your high road. You gotta fight fire with fire and all that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Damien conceded. ¡°I won¡¯t ever understand it. I don¡¯t think doing something evil is justified even if it¡¯s to help someone. Tell me. Would you murder someone just because they did?¡±


    Vinny shrugged. ¡°If it means stopping them from hurting or killing somebody else then¡­maybe.¡±


    Damien sighed. ¡°So, I take it that no matter what I say, you won¡¯t be deleting those pictures?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Alright then. I guess there¡¯s no other point to being here then. But Vinny, I want to ask one more thing.¡±


    The blonde boy grimaced. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Have you considered how what you¡¯ve done has affected everybody around you?¡± he asked. ¡°And I¡¯m not talking about Rina. I mean the club and Jay and maybe even Alice.¡±


    Vinny frowned. ¡°W-what do you¡­? It helped them! It got Evan and Rina off our asses!¡±


    ¡°It did,¡± Damien admitted. ¡°But you know what else it¡¯s done? It¡¯s made Eric and Lilly worry about you. Eric, especially, has seemed stressed as all hell the past few weeks. Liz and I are worried, too. The club hasn¡¯t all been together since that night. And Jay¡­¡± Damien shook his head. ¡°Looks like what you guys did is really hurting him.¡±


    Vinny turned away, refusing now to look him in the eyes. ¡°They¡¯ll get over it. It¡¯s just cause it¡¯s fresh in their minds. Soon enough, it¡¯ll be so far in the past that nobody will give a damn anymore.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Damien muttered.


    I¡¯m not so sure about that. I think this is going to have a longer lasting impact than he realizes. But he won¡¯t listen to me. He¡¯s certain that what he did was the right move.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be going,¡± he added, turning and making his way toward the door. But just before he could leave, Vinny spoke again.


    ¡°Are you going to tell Alice?¡±


    Damien shrugged without looking back. ¡°I won¡¯t. But Liz, Lilly, Eric¡­ I can¡¯t speak for them. And I won¡¯t stop them if they do.¡±


    With that, Damien pushed through the door and began heading back outside. When he made it downstairs, Mia was confused as to why he was leaving so quickly so he made up a story about Vinny forgetting a textbook at school being the reason he stopped by. Damien then put his boots and rain jacket back on and headed out.


    His conversation with Vinny didn¡¯t go the way he¡¯d hoped it would but he had a feeling he at least put a seed of doubt in his friend¡¯s head. Now, it would be up to Eric to make things right, as he often did. However, Damien had a feeling that the only way for Vinny to come to his senses would be for something to happen to prove him wrong. At this point, simply talking to him might not be enough.


    But the problem is, if something did happen, I¡¯m terrified of what that could be and how it would affect everything.


    ***


    Vinny Mickelson was livid. After Damien¡¯s late visit the previous night, he now knew that the entirety of the club had found out about his blackmailing. He knew both Eric and Damien would never approve of the way he handled things and, while he couldn¡¯t be sure of how Lilly had reacted, he had seen enough similarities to Eric in her to guess that she would take his side. As for Liz, after apparently having made peace with Damien, she would almost certainly be with him. She had opposed her boyfriend once for Vinny and he had a feeling she wouldn¡¯t do so again.


    Damien had made his intent clear: he wanted Vinny to delete the photos and move on from the entire mess. However, even though he was confident that he had terrified Rina enough so that she would never do anything to them again, he still couldn¡¯t bring himself to get rid of the pictures. They were his only way to keep Alice safe. If Rina ever got wind that he wouldn¡¯t go through with his threats, she might be bold enough to try and get revenge either on him or Alice.


    Damn it! This was exactly what I was trying to avoid! Why now?! Just as I was hoping we could start putting this all behind us! Vinny clenched his teeth, having known who told Eric from the moment Damien revealed everything to him. Fucking hell, Brooks! Why couldn¡¯t you have just kept quiet! Nobody would have ever found out the truth if not for you!


    He had been afraid of Jay telling the others from the start but had hoped he would have the brains to keep it to himself. However, he realized now that he had expected too much. He should have known that Jay would crumble the minute he was confronted. If Vinny had to guess, it was probably Lilly who got through to him considering how highly the boy seemed to regard her.


    So what now? Vinny asked himself.


    It was the morning after Damien¡¯s visit and he was walking up the stairs to the third floor of the school. He still had roughly twenty minutes until first period started but he knew he couldn¡¯t just go to class.


    Eric and Lilly are going to be there waiting, he thought bitterly. Alice is probably already there, too. Are they going to tell her? Is she going to find out what I did to Rina? Vinny shook his head. I can¡¯t just go to class. I don¡¯t want to talk to them¡­not until I¡¯ve gathered my thoughts. For now¡­there¡¯s something else I need to do.


    When he arrived on the third floor, he took a left and began heading in the direction of the lockers. He could only hope that the person he wanted to talk to would be there. Of course, there was no guarantee and since he didn¡¯t know the boy¡¯s first period, if he missed him, he¡¯d have to wait until later. Luckily, however, luck was on his side as he spotted Jay standing by his open locker, staring off into space.


    Vinny took a deep breath, wanting to keep his irritation in check, before approaching the boy. ¡°Hey, Brooks!¡± he called out, startling the boy.


    Jay immediately slammed his locket shut and spun around, looking at Vinny with wide eyes and an almost pleading stare. It was enough to cause Vinny to stop, not wanting to scare the clearly shaken up guy.


    ¡°W-what?¡± the blonde boy stuttered. ¡°Are you okay, dude?¡±


    Jay hurriedly nodded, leaning against the lockers and glancing around, probably checking if Alice was with him. ¡°W-what is it, Mickelson?¡± Jay choked out.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Vinny sighed, suddenly feeling bad for being angry at all. Jay seemed to be having a hard time with something and so, it would be best to tone his irritation down. ¡°Look, I just wanted to ask if you told Lilly or Eric about what we¡­did?¡±


    Unfortunately, his calm approach did very little to ease Jay¡¯s discomfort. In fact, his words alone seemed enough to cause him to step back in fear. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he immediately replied. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it. Lilly and Reiner called me to the clubroom and kept begging me to tell them. I just¡­I just couldn¡¯t lie to them. I couldn¡¯t keep dodging questions. I couldn¡¯t do it¡­¡±


    Vinny sighed, running a hand through his hair as he considered Jay¡¯s response. ¡°I get that,¡± he grunted. ¡°But have you considered what this could mean? If they tell Alice, what do you think¡¯s going to happen?¡±


    Jay went pale and slowly shook his head. ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know. I¡­¡±


    ¡°Look, Brooks,¡± Vinny grumbled. ¡°What¡¯s done is done. Not much more we can do now. I¡¯ll deal with the problem so just stop worrying about it. I¡¯ll make sure Alice doesn¡¯t find out.¡±


    Jay nodded meekly. ¡°Okay, sure.¡±


    ¡°Then that¡¯s that. I just wanted to check in with you and see what happened. I¡¯ll leave you alone, now.¡±


    Bidding Jay goodbye, Vinny went to leave but before he could take even a step, he felt a hand grip his shoulder. When he turned back to look, he found that Jay had reached out to stop him.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Vinny asked, confused.


    Jay looked exhausted and when he spoke, his voice was soft. ¡°You¡¯re gonna look out for Alice, right?¡±


    Vinny frowned at the strange question. ¡°Of course I am. Why?¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Jay uttered. ¡°That¡¯s good. Please do that, Mickelson. Take care of her. Don¡¯t let her get hurt.¡±


    With that, Jay released his grip on his shoulder and stepped away, leaving Vinny to stare at him in utter bafflement.


    ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± Vinny replied. ¡°Alright then.¡±


    That was odd, he thought as he began walking away. Why would he even need to ask that? Why wouldn¡¯t I be taking care of Alice? That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been doing all this for. That¡¯s why I¡¯m in this stupid situation to begin with!


    Vinny sighed, glancing out the window to his left and out over the courtyard. It was still raining and so the only students in sight were the ones coming into the school. The scattering of tables were all empty and wet. From where Vinny walked, it appeared a dreary sight.


    Winter¡¯s really kicking now, isn¡¯t it. It¡¯s just cold all the time. I can¡¯t wait for summer so we can enjoy the heat again. Maybe¡­if we get this all worked out, we could all go to the pier. I haven¡¯t been there in a while.


    The image of the four club members, as well as Lilly, Alice, and Jay all heading to the pier caused him to smile. They¡¯d never taken a trip all together. In fact, Vinny rarely saw Lilly and Jay outside of school.


    Yeah, we¡¯ll figure something out. This whole debacle isn¡¯t going to be the end of the club. When summer comes, it¡¯ll be like nothing ever happened. That¡¯s what I want. That¡¯s what I¡¯m going to make happen.


    ¡°Mickelson!¡±


    Just as those thoughts were crossing his mind, he was pulled back to reality by the call of his name. Vinny came to a halt, his eyes narrowed as he stared ahead to find Brad Fischer approaching. Vinny couldn¡¯t help but to snort, wondering what he could possibly want.


    ¡°Yeah? What¡¯s up, Fischer?¡± he called back, trying to conceal his dislike for the boy so as to avoid a confrontation.


    Brad stopped a few feet in front of him then glanced around at the students looking their way, seeming curious about what the boy could want with him.


    ¡°Come with me,¡± he said. ¡°I want to ask you something real quick.¡±


    As much as Vinny wanted to just ignore him and walk away, part of him was curious so, he simply shrugged and followed after him. Brad led him back in the direction he had come from and, soon enough, Vinny realized where they were probably heading. His suspicions were confirmed when they arrived at the open doors of the library and headed inside. The room was fairly empty since most students had already gone to class and Brad led them to the even emptier back section of the room. Once it was apparent that nobody else  was around, Brad finally spoke.


    ¡°I wanted to talk to you about Evan.¡±.


    Vinny¡¯s guard was instantly up. ¡°Why? What about him?¡±


    Brad snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb, Mickelson. Lilly already told me you used the stone to get back at him for everything with Mendez.¡±


    Vinny exhaled sharply. Lilly did what?! Why the hell would she tell him about all of that?! How much does she trust this piece of shit?!


    He narrowed his eyes. ¡°And what if I did? Are you gonna kick my ass for dealing with a problem?¡±


    Brad scoffed. ¡°Tone it down. I¡¯m not here to argue with you. I just¡­ For my own peace of mind, I need you to answer a question for me. Please?¡±


    ¡°A question, huh?¡± Vinny considered it, fuming from the revelation that Brad knew anything about what he did, but tried to shove his feelings deep inside so he could address the problem. ¡°Fine. Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Brad replied. ¡°Look, all I want to know is¡­did you plant those drugs in his car? Or were they already there? That¡¯s it.¡±


    Ah, so that¡¯s what¡¯s got him so worked up. He now understood what it was Brad was looking for. He was afraid that Vinny framed Evan for something he didn¡¯t do. So even after everything he did, you¡¯re still worried about the fucker, huh? You¡¯re a piece of shit, Fischer.


    But despite Vinny¡¯s foul mood, he still chose to answer honestly. After all, there was no reason to lie. ¡°I found them. His body felt really weird, like it was craving something, and so I looked around and found his stash. So, I turned him in. Simple as that.¡±


    Brad¡¯s eyes narrowed and Vinny got the feeling that he was trying to tell if he was lying. After a moment, the big boy sighed and nodded. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s all I wanted to know,¡± he muttered. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    And that was all. Brad then pushed past him and began making his way from the library. Thrown off by the abrupt end to their conversation, part of him wanted to call out and stop the boy. However, he opted to stay quiet and let him leave. He was honest and told Brad what he wanted to know. That was good enough for him. And, with only a few minutes left until class, he had successfully stalled long enough to get out of talking to Eric and Lilly.


    ***


    Despite having come to the decision that it may be best to talk with Vinny once more about Rina, Alice decided to put it off for one more day. Her boyfriend seemed to be more on edge than normal that afternoon and so, she opted to push it off until the following morning. For the time being, she would leave things be and try to figure it all out on her own. So, when the end of the school day arrived, Alice bid Vinny goodbye and made her way to Ralph¡¯s Diner for her afternoon shift. When she walked into the building, she greeted her coworkers, checked in, and got ready to begin serving.


    She had expected it to be a rather uneventful shift. It had been nearly five weeks since Jay last accompanied her to the diner and now, even Monica and the others were starting to suspect that something had happened between them. Monica had even approached her after work one night to ask if they¡¯d gotten into a fight and Alice had to assure her that they hadn¡¯t.


    And it wasn¡¯t even a lie.


    Nothing had happened between her and Jay yet her old friend had been avoiding her ever since she went back to school. She had no idea why. She suspected it was related to the problem with Rina, but she couldn¡¯t be sure of anything. Jay had spoken to her once Monday morning and that had been it. Ever since, he had refused to look her way in class and hadn¡¯t given her a chance to approach him.


    So, she was absolutely stunned when she heard the sound of the diner¡¯s door opening and looked up from the table she was wiping down to see Jay standing in the entrance. She exhaled sharply and stood up straighter as Monica exclaimed in surprise.


    ¡°Brooks! It¡¯s so good to see you! Where¡¯ve you been, man?!¡±


    Jay immediately glanced Alice¡¯s way and she could tell that he looked as exhausted as he had the last time they talked. If Monica noticed, she made no move to mention it.


    ¡°I was in the mood for an omelette,¡± he replied.


    Monica grinned. ¡°Awesome! To your usual spot then!¡±


    The blonde hostess beckoned for Jay to follow her as she led him toward his table by the window adjacent to the parking lot. Monica winked at her as they passed, indicating that she expected Alice to wait on Jay¡¯s table. When Jay was seated, Monica turned and headed back to her spot at the front, leaving Alice to hesitantly approach the table.


    ¡°So, you actually stopped by,¡± she said softly. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Jay.¡±


    He looked up at her and clearly forced his smile. ¡°I-I figured it had been a while so¡­I thought I¡¯d stop by. Everything going alright with you?¡±


    ¡°I guess so,¡± she lied, knowing that she was getting more stressed by the day, but not wanting to tell him that. ¡°You want your usual Meirion omelette then?¡±


    Jay nodded. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯d be fine, thanks.¡±


    ¡°Awesome,¡± Alice muttered. ¡°I¡¯m¡­sure Monica already put your order in, but I¡¯ll go make sure.¡±


    Using that as an excuse to escape the awkward conversation, Alice turned and began heading toward the bar and the window to the kitchen so she could give Jay¡¯s order to the chefs. However, before she could, Monica motioned her over with a wave of her hand. Alice sighed, following the girl around the corner out of Jay¡¯s sight to where there was only a single elderly couple seated in a booth. They passed the couple by and went into the restroom where they could have privacy. The minute Monica was sure the stalls were alone, she turned and gave Alice an inquisitive look.


    ¡°So? What¡¯s wrong with Jay?¡± she asked. ¡°He looks like he hasn¡¯t eaten in days. Is he okay?¡±


    Alice frowned, not sure how to respond to her friend without getting into all the drama with the Magic Club and the bullying incidents. So, she just forced a smile, nodded, and lied through her teeth. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s fine. He¡¯s just been really busy. Um¡­he¡¯s having some family troubles right now, but he¡¯s hanging in there.¡±


    Monica narrowed her eyes and Alice could tell that she didn¡¯t fully believe her. ¡°Well, as long as he¡¯s okay,¡± she muttered. ¡°Let him know I¡¯ll pay for his meal, though. He looks like he could use a treat. I¡¯ll buy him dessert if he wants that, too.¡±


    Alice forced a smile. ¡°Thanks, Monica. I¡¯m sure he¡¯d be grateful for that.¡±


    ¡°No problem, Al¡¯,¡± she replied. ¡°And let me know if there''s anything I can do to help. I¡¯m here for him if he needs it.¡±


    Thanking her friend once more for being so sweet, the two girls left the bathroom and went back out into the main area. From there, Alice stopped by Jay¡¯s table to give him his drink and, once it was cooked, she brought him his dinner. He wasn¡¯t very talkative and he seemed like he was deep in thought the whole time so Alice didn¡¯t bother him. Every time she looked his way, he was staring out the window. At some point after his arrival, the rain had started to fall and he seemed entranced by the sight.


    What am I supposed to do? Something¡¯s wrong with him but I don¡¯t know what. I wish he would just be honest with me.


    The thought went through her mind as she was bringing a family of four their check when she heard the sound of the door opening. She glanced over out of curiosity and, for the second time that day, was thrown off by the appearance of a familiar face.


    ¡°Hello, welcome to Ralph¡¯s Diner,¡± Monica greeted. ¡°Just a table for one?¡±


    Eric Reiner grinned. ¡°That would be great, thanks.¡±


    Alice quickly handed the father the check before turning to stare at Eric, baffled. When he noticed her looking, he waved cheerfully and continued to grin in his typical, laid back way. She was surprised to find no sign of Lilly or the other club members. It was rare for her to see him all by himself. She watched Monica lead him to his seat, told one of her coworkers that she would take care of him, and approached his table.


    ¡°Hey, Eric,¡± she greeted. ¡°How¡¯s it going? Didn¡¯t expect to see you here today.¡±


    Eric shrugged. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve heard from Vinny that this place is pretty good and so, I thought I¡¯d stop by and check it out. Very cozy, I must say. It¡¯s a quaint little place.¡±


    ¡°Er, yeah, I suppose so,¡± she replied. ¡°Could I get you something to drink or¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll just have a soda,¡± he said. ¡°Surprise me on the type, if you will.¡±


    She nodded slowly. ¡°Okay. Will do.¡±


    Every time she spoke with him, she never really knew what to say. He had such a strange way of talking and it didn¡¯t sound like anybody she¡¯d ever met. Combined with his possession of The Switch and she couldn¡¯t help but be a bit intimidated by him. It still baffled her that the Lilly Harper she met at the beginning of school could have ever become friends with him. Alice sighed and went to get the boy his soda. At the same time, she couldn¡¯t help but glance in Jay¡¯s direction to see him staring at Eric. In return, Eric looked back and waved at him.


    Jay doesn¡¯t look too happy to see him. Hell, he almost looks scared. I wonder if something else happened.


    Just as the thought crossed her mind, Eric got to his feet and crossed the diner to where Jay sat. He then leaned down and began saying something to him but Alice was too far away to hear what it was. After a moment, Jay meekly nodded and Eric went back to his seat. Alice was about to head over and ask Jay what that was about when the boy slowly got to his feet and made his way toward her.


    ¡°Hey, Alice,¡± he stuttered.


    She frowned, regarding him hesitantly. ¡°Yeah? What¡¯s u¡ª?!¡±


    Before she could finish what she was saying, Jay stepped forward and threw his arms around her, pulling her into a hug. She was so stunned she couldn¡¯t even react. They were in full view of the diner¡¯s few customers as well as her coworkers so part of her wanted to push him off and berate him for doing something like that so suddenly. When she noticed him shaking, however, she found herself unable to push him off.


    ¡°Jay?¡± she uttered.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he breathed. ¡°You¡¯ve meant the world to me, Alice. I love you. You¡¯re my best friend and you always will be.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡­?¡±


    He then released her and, before she could recollect herself, he turned and hurried toward the front door and left the diner, leaving her staring after him in shock.


    What on earth was that all of a sudden? Why did he just¡­?


    She glanced over at Monica, who was staring at her with a cocked eyebrow. She knew the patrons were looking at her but she was too embarrassed to look back at any of them. The only one she briefly glanced at was Eric, who was staring out the window at the receding back of Jay. Wanting something to do to get herself moving, Alice turned and walked over to Jay¡¯s table to collect his dishes. Yet, when she stopped beside it, she felt her stomach churn. He had left his payment for the meal on the table beside his omelette, which only had a single bite taken out of it.


    He hardly ate his food? Why? Wasn¡¯t he hungry?


    She suddenly had a really bad feeling and turned around to consider going after him when she noticed something else strange.


    The table where Eric Reiner had been sitting was empty.


    ***


    The rain continued to pour as Jay made his way from Ralph¡¯s all the way back to his apartment building. However, he found that he didn¡¯t mind the cold all that much. In fact, his constant shivering seemed almost pleasant and part of him just wanted to stop in the middle of the road and allow himself to get more and more drenched. Yet, despite that feeling, Jay pressed on until he reached his building. He walked through the dry lobby without once looking up at the receptionist and rode the elevator all the way to the fourth floor where his apartment was. When he got inside, the place was, as expected, empty.


    Good. I¡¯m glad they¡¯re not home. I really didn¡¯t want to see them again.


    Jay didn¡¯t bother removing his shoes or coat as he walked into the empty family room. For a minute, he just looked around at the place he despised so passionately. He¡¯d lived in this apartment all his life but it wasn¡¯t his home. If anywhere could be considered a home for him, it was at Alice¡¯s side.


    But she doesn¡¯t need me anymore. She¡¯s got Mickelson and Lilly¡­ She can finally be free of me. And now¡­there¡¯s no point in staying behind. I¡¯ve done what I needed. Alice won¡¯t be alone anymore.


    Jay turned and headed down the hall, ignoring the closed door to his parents room and poking his head into his bedroom. It was a bland place with a bland bed. He didn¡¯t even have a desk or anywhere to sit at. Slowly, he reached into the inner pocket of his coat, produced a folded up piece of paper, and placed it on his pillow.


    There you go, he thought. Maybe you¡¯ll actually acknowledge my existence when you read that. Or hell¡­maybe not. I don¡¯t think I really care.


    With his goodbye note in place, Jay turned back around and headed to the living room once more. He didn¡¯t remain there for long though. Instead, he pulled open the sliding glass door and walked out into the balcony. The rain had begun falling even harder and the droplets felt cool against his skin and hair. When he looked up, he saw the sky covered completely by dark gray clouds. The forecast said it would snow later that night. It would probably be beautiful.


    Alice loves the snow, he remarked. I hope she enjoys it.


    Tears came to his eyes as he thought about his lifelong best friend. He cared about her more than anybody in the world. Despite how worthless and miserable he was, she had never once left his side. He was grateful to have gotten to know her and to have had her as his friend. She gave him a purpose and a reason to keep living when he considered ending it so many times. She was the single light he had in the past few years.


    I appreciate everything you did for me, Alice.


    Not wanting to lose his resolve to finally go through with it, Jay put his hands on the balcony railing and pulled his leg up onto it. Its surface was slick but that didn¡¯t bother him. Slowly, he raised himself up until both feet were planted firmly on it. Then, he stood up to full height so he could look out over the street four stories below him. There wasn¡¯t a soul in sight. Nobody was there to see him.


    The way he wanted it to be.


    Take care of her Mickelson. Take care of her, Lilly. I¡¯ve done everything I can but this is all just too much for me. I can¡¯t keep going like this. Everything I do always seems to be wrong. I¡¯m pathetic. I can¡¯t do anything right.


    And now¡­after what I helped do to Rina¡­


    How I failed Audrey¡­


    I don¡¯t deserve to live. I can¡¯t keep going anymore. It¡¯s too much! It¡¯s too much, dammit!


    For a moment, he stared blankly down at the concrete below him. He felt bad for whoever was going to find him. Part of him had considered finding a way to do it privately but instead, he decided to be selfish. He wanted the last thing he saw to be the beautiful dark sky and the rain. He didn¡¯t want to die in that place he was supposed to call home. He wanted to be outside.


    It was his last wish.


    I love you, Alice.


    I¡¯m sorry I had to do this but¡­


    You¡¯re better off without me.


    Then, he leaned forward and his foot slipped from the railing. He felt the rush as his body plunged over the side and the ground started to come ever closer. He closed his eyes and braced for the end.


    I¡¯m coming to you, Audrey. After all this time, I¡¯ll see you again.


    ¡°Ventus!¡±


    That shout was the last thing Jay heard before his body slammed into the ground and everything went dark.

 Chapter 35- Arrival in Omaruo

    Chapter XXXV


    Nigreos Noctis glanced around his living quarters once more, ensuring that he could still sense every security measure put in place. Even though he didn¡¯t have much that would be worth stealing and that it was highly unlikely anybody in the Citadel would dare break into the quarters of a Master, he still couldn¡¯t help but be cautious. He didn¡¯t know how long the mission to Omaruo would take. For all he knew, he¡¯d be back in a day or perhaps it would be months before he and Album returned to Ijiria. Then there was the matter of the time zone shifts. Time in Omaruo passed twice as fast as in Ijiria, so a two days spent there would only be one in his homerealm.


    Nigreos reached down to the realm dagger sheathed at his hip, given to him by Album the previous night when he had returned from Nuvo¡¯s. It wasn¡¯t his first time in possession of a realm dagger nor was this his first mission across worlds. In fact, it wasn¡¯t even his first time jumping to Omaruo. However, the circumstances surrounding this current mission were enough to cause the simple weight of the dagger to make him sick. The time had finally come and he still wasn¡¯t sure whether Eric Reiner was their enemy or not. He could only hope that the boy had nothing to do with it and that they would never again cross paths. As long as the one in possession of the Assassanation Gem was unrelated to Abi then Nigreos was certain the mission could be finished swiftly and efficiently. He and Album were some of the most powerful mages in Ijiria. Taking care of a rogue sorcerer should be simple. In addition, the presence of the nerich purchased from Nuvo, tucked away in the pocket of his suit, assured him even more.


    Well, I guess I¡¯ve stalled long enough. Album¡¯s gonna get impatient if I take too long.


    Nigreos turned and made his way toward his front door but, just as he was reaching for the knob, he felt a sudden presence just outside. He hesitated for only a moment before recognizing who it was and, with a brief smirk, pushed it open. There, standing just to the left of the door, leaning up against the wall, was Master of Wind and his old friend, Ryokumo Caeli, eyeing him with a sly look.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± the man said. ¡°I was so tempted to distort myself but, since I know you don¡¯t like me creeping up on you, I decided to do you a favor just this once and allow you to sense my presence. It is a special day, after all.¡±


    Nigreos rolled his eyes but found himself happy to have his old friend there. He wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d be able to say goodbye before leaving but, evidently, Ryokumo had gotten wind of their departure.


    ¡°Sure, thanks,¡± Nigreos grumbled. ¡°Thanks for not being an ass.¡±


    The other man laughed, falling into stride alongside him as they began walking down the silver and white corridor. It was still early in the morning and the sun had yet to rise so the only illumination came from the red torches hanging on either side of the hall. Their footsteps clicked against the marble floor, echoing down the empty corridor


    ¡°So, the day has finally arrived,¡± Ryokumo mused. ¡°Are you excited, Nigreos?¡±


    ¡°Excited?¡± He snorted. ¡°Sure, I¡¯m excited to finally put this whole mess behind us. We¡¯re lucky the whole attack has been so carefully kept under wraps, but there¡¯s only so long we can keep rumors from getting out.¡±


    ¡°Well, with any luck it shouldn¡¯t take long, yes?¡± Ryokumo replied.


    ¡°Yeah, with luck. But we¡¯ve never had much of that, have we?¡±


    His fellow Master laughed bitterly. ¡°All too true. In that case, I suppose you should start preparing for a nightmare of a mission.¡± The man then furrowed his brow then turned to look at him. ¡°By the way, I heard from Nakoma that you brought back a Child of Reiner last night, but he didn¡¯t say how you came across her. What¡¯s the story there?¡±


    Nigreos grimaced, not feeling in the mood to even think about his unfortunate turn of events following his departure from Nuvo¡¯s. After neutralizing the four Children accompanying her, Nigreos had taken Arisa Kirisan back to the front gates of the Citadel. After explaining the situation to some of the guards, all the while making up a vague excuse about how he had gone into the Night Market to browse the shops, he had taken the woman down to the dungeons then gone to inform Nakoma Taurus, who was heading the interrogation of the Children. He could tell that the Master of Fire had been dubious about why he had gone to the market but, since Nigreos wanted to keep his possession of the nerich to himself, he had kept the truth hidden. After such a long night, he really didn¡¯t want to discuss it again with Ryokumo.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing special,¡± Nigreos replied. ¡°I went out to the market and got jumped by some overconfident stragglers from the attack. So, I did my job and took them down. Figured their leader might be helpful to the investigation.¡±


    Ryokumo nodded. ¡°Yes, I heard she was one of the ones who entered the Vault. Quite a find, though I didn¡¯t realize you enjoyed partaking in shopping.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well, I needed some time to myself to wind down,¡± he lied. ¡°Too much on my mind these days.¡±


    ¡°Understandably so.¡±


    When they reached the end of the hallway, Ryokumo summoned the silver disk to their level. The two men stepped on and the Master of Wind uttered another ¡°Ortumo¡± to begin descending. Nigreos folded his hands behind his back and stared forward at the wall as the various floors passed them by.


    ¡°Nigreos,¡± Ryokumo said after a moment. ¡°You know, I¡¯ve been giving it a lot of thought and I want to ask you for a favor.¡±


    He glanced sidelong at his friend, a brow raised in curiosity. ¡°A favor? Well, if it¡¯s within my power¡­¡±


    Ryokumo nodded, seemed to consider what to say, then sighed. ¡°If Eric Reiner truly is behind this then, despite what King Markreas commanded, you shouldn¡¯t erase him. Instead...I think you should bring him back to Ijiria.¡±


    ¡°Bring him¡­?¡± Nigreos furrowed his brow. ¡°What are you talking about? How the hell would that help anything. I¡¯d show him a lot more mercy than the king or the council.¡±


    Ryokumo shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s true. Despite Abi¡¯s past, there was still a time when she was beloved by almost everyone she met. The people of this Citadel have not forgotten that nor has the king, I think. She was one of the greatest healers this city has ever seen and there are many who owe her their lives. King Markreas is still in her debt and I¡¯m sure even a man as harsh as him won¡¯t easily forget that.¡±


    Nigreos frowned. ¡°And? Obviously I know all that, but how does it pertain to Eric?¡±


    ¡°Well, for one, he¡¯s her son,¡± Ryokumo pointed out. ¡°If you could convince Eric Reiner to stand before the king and pledge his allegiance to Ijiria, I do believe that His Majesty would allow him to remain in the Citadel. Abi saved the king¡¯s son and he can spare hers. It¡¯ll be as simple as that. Then, we won¡¯t have to erase Eric, we can return him to his true homeland, and everything will be okay.¡±


    Nigreos considered his words for a moment, wondering if perhaps he was right. Was there a way to spare Eric and preserve his final promise to Abi? However, just as the thought passed through his mind, he reluctantly discarded it.


    ¡°But Eric Reiner won¡¯t pledge allegiance to us,¡± he said simply. ¡°The King has commanded that we erase anybody who came in contact with that stone. That¡¯s not something he¡¯s just going to overlook. Even erasing can''t always take away emotions. His hatred for us will remain and he will fight us until the end.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Ryokumo admitted. ¡°And if that happens, then we have him erased like originally planned. But I want you to try, Nigreos. Try and bring him here...and perhaps we can save him.¡±


    The disk slowed to a stop as they arrived on their designated floor, Ryokumo¡¯s words echoing through his mind. At the end of the day, sparing Abi¡¯s son was something he wanted to accomplish. If there was even a possibility of doing so, no matter how slim, then he wanted to try.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± Nigreos said softly as he stepped off the disk and into the corridor beyond.


    Ryokumo followed silently behind him as the two made their way down the halls. Their destination was the ¡°Gateway¡±, a room used for official trips made into other worlds. It also happened to be the entryway into Ijiria. Each world in the multiverse had a handful of designated spots where reality connected to other realities. One could travel between worlds from any point, but they would always arrive in one of those spots no matter where they jumped from. The capital city of Erika, as well as the Citadel, was constructed where it was purely because of the location of Ijiria¡¯s entry point. That way, if anybody tried to jump to Ijiria from another world, they would arrive in the middle of the most fortified building in their world.


    Nigreos and Ryokumo stopped in front of the double doors of silver that led into the Gateway, both taking a moment to gather their thoughts, before the former reached forward and pushed them open. It was just as Nigreos remembered it with its obsidian walls and floor. There was no furniture nor were there any decorations or windows. It was a room that was designed to keep any intruders locked in should they try to jump worlds. The doors they entered through were designed to only be opened by those who knew the correct combination of spells.


    ¡°You certainly took your time.¡±


    At the sound of her voice, Nigreos turned to his right to see his partner, Album Luz, standing with her arms folded across her chest and a large bag slung over her shoulder. Part of him wanted to snap at her and explain that he was just making sure everything was in order and the only reason he didn''t was because of the other presence in the room. Just beside Album, standing tall and confident, was the daughter of the king, Anna-Piura Iiji. Despite the fact that any member of the council could have done so, Piura had insisted on overseeing the jump to Omaruo and so, there she stood, as imposing and awe-inspiring as ever.


    ¡°Apologies, Album,¡± Ryokumo replied before Nigreos could. ¡°I kept him a little longer than necessary. But we¡¯re here now.¡± He then turned and bowed toward Piura. ¡°And it¡¯s a pleasure to see you again, my princess.¡±


    The woman nodded, bowing her head slightly in return. ¡°And you, Caeli. Come to see them off, have you?¡±


    ¡°I have,¡± Ryokumo said. ¡°I hope that is okay with you?¡±


    ¡°I have no problems with it,¡± Piura replied. ¡°Now, we should begin. I have other things to attend to today so, Master Noctis, are you ready?¡±


    Nigreos nodded, reaching down to his side to unsheath the realm dagger granted to him. It was a beautiful blade, finely crafted by a blacksmith long dead. Its hilt was wrapped in red leather with different colored gemstones adorning it. Just below the golden pommel was a small, ruby button and above was a blade glittering bright and bluish-green. It had been forged from one of the rarest materials in the world. Powerful amounts of mana flowed through it and Nigreos could sense it all interacting with the dark mana in his body.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m ready,¡± he said.


    Piura looked then to Album and she nodded as well.


    ¡°Alright then,¡± the princess began, ¡°you may activate the dagger. And remember, unless this mission takes months, it won¡¯t recharge its mana supply in Omaruo before it¡¯s time for your return. Once the problem has been dealt with and the stone reclaimed, send a signal and we shall have the gateway opened from our end.¡±


    Nigreos and Album both were already aware of the plans but he knew the princess liked to be thorough. She wanted nothing more to go wrong and so, he listened silently as she informed them of what it was they were expected to do.


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    ¡°Reclaim the stone,¡± she continued, ¡°and wipe any traces of our magic from that world. Spare no one. Make it seem as if this never happened. Is that understood? Noctis? Luz?¡±


    ¡°Understood, my princess,¡± both replied together.


    Piura nodded. ¡°Good. In that case, you may begin.¡±


    Nigreos took a deep breath and turned around, pressing his finger lightly over the ruby button. Then, having prepared himself for the mission to begin, he pushed the button, activating the powers of the dagger. Yellow mana erupted from the pommel, enveloping the blade as it did so. Nigreos then lunged forward and sliced the dagger through the air, making a cut in reality itself. The world around the incision began to warp as the cut expanded into an oval-shaped portal of yellow, the mana swirling within.


    ¡°Luck be with the both of you,¡± Ryokumo said. ¡°Take care.¡±


    ¡°And you,¡± Nigreos called back.


    Album said nothing, instead staring silently into the portal. The two Masters exchanged a brief glance before stalking forward together. He could feel the eyes of Ryokumo and the princess behind him, watching them leave and Nigreos prayed that the next time he saw them, everything would have worked out for the better.


    With Album by his side, Nigreos stepped into the portal and allowed the mana to overtake him. For a moment, it felt like he had been submerged in an endless ocean of water. He couldn¡¯t breathe and his limbs felt heavy, as if gravity had become stronger. However, the surreal feeling lasted only a second before Nigreos felt himself emerging from the portal. He placed his foot down and pushed forward, suddenly feeling the bite of the wind and the cold feeling of raindrops hitting his skin. The sound of waves greeted his ears though it wasn''t a calm sound. When his eyes adjusted, he found himself standing on a beach staring out at a raging ocean before him. The sky was covered by dark gray clouds and it was clear they had arrived in the middle of a storm. At his side, Album was staring up, her eyes narrowed.


    ¡°It¡¯s winter, I believe,¡± she said. ¡°Late December, early January.¡±


    Nigreos nodded before glancing back over his shoulder to where the portal still swirled. With another press of the button, the gateway gradually closed until there wasn¡¯t even a trace of it left save for the minor residue of mana that remained behind. He had no need to get his bearings since he¡¯d taken the trip before. Omaruo¡¯s gateway opened out on a secluded beach a few miles from the coastal town of Wilham. However, before he even had a chance to truly look around, his eyes went wide. A few dozen yards down the beach, there was a man huddled in the sand over a modest little fire, staring at them, stunned. Judging from his unkempt hair and beard, as well as his dirty clothes, it was clear he was a homeless man.


    ¡°Damn it,¡± he uttered.


    Album followed his stare and sighed in irritation. The man slowly got to his feet and looked ready to turn and run, but the Master of Light was far faster to react.


    ¡°Lumina,¡± she whispered.


    A second later, Album shot across the beach in a flash of white light. Before the man could do anything, Album was upon him, her hand shoved through his chest and a look of utter horror on his face. Nigreos couldn¡¯t hear the word she spoke next but, when the man started crumbling into dust, he knew what she had done. The man¡¯s body collapsed to the sand in front of Album and, moments later, there wasn¡¯t a trace left of him. It all happened in mere seconds. With her task done, Album turned and walked back across the beach.


    Nigreos shook his head. It was unfortunate, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. They couldn¡¯t allow anybody from that world to know of their existence and they certainly couldn¡¯t let anybody see their magic. Nigreos quickly looked around the beach but, thankfully, there wasn¡¯t another soul in sight. He had hoped there wouldn¡¯t be anybody at Omaruo¡¯s entry point.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s hope that¡¯s not any indication of our luck here,¡± he growled as his partner walked up alongside him..


    ¡°I already sense something,¡± Album said, her stare now shifted to the stone staircase leading down to the beach behind them, the erasure of the man not seeming to faze her at all. ¡°A powerful mana source...though in this world, it is hard to say whether it is caused by the stone or something else.¡±


    Nigreos furrowed his brow, focussing on detecting what it was she sensed. Since there was a drastic difference between the mana density of Ijiria and Omaruo, it took the Master only a few seconds of focus to find what he was looking for. There was indeed a strong sense of mana back in the direction of the town. Given the readings from the QuaerBasim, it was almost certainly being caused by the usage of the relic.


    ¡°Let¡¯s follow it,¡± Nigreos said. ¡°If it leads us to this sorcerer then perhaps we can wrap this up swiftly.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± she replied.


    ***


    With their destination set, the two Masters proceeded toward the stone staircase and made their way up onto a dirt path that Nigreos recalled would take them to Wilham. Album produced two black cloaks from her bag and they were quick to wrap them around themselves, pulling the cowls up so as to conceal their faces from anybody they came across. Despite knowing that two cloaked figures walking through town was sure to make some suspicious, it was better than letting any locals see their appearances. Nigreos¡¯s pitch black skin and Album¡¯s pale white were unique to users of their respective magics so it wouldn¡¯t be found anywhere in Omaruo. The cloaks were the preferable option to draw the least attention and they also served to keep them dry. Normally, he would have cast a spell to keep them warm but, given that his mana recharged far slower in magicless realms, he knew it would be foolish to waste it on as benign a reason as that.


    The path went on for nearly three miles and they encountered nobody before it came up alongside a road that led to town. They then followed it, keeping to the right so as not to get hit by the technology-powered vehicles that occasionally drove by. Luckily, it was also apparently a less common road and so, they only encountered a few before they arrived in Wilham. Now, the source of mana was even stronger and Nigreos knew they were getting close. He kept his own power centered around his fingers for quick use should the sorcerer ambush them. After all, if the person was as powerful as the Basim made them out to be then they would almost certainly have sensed their arrival. The sorcerer could very well be preparing to take them on and Nigreos was adamant about not allowing himself to lower his guard.


    The rain did them a favor, keeping the streets relatively empty and so, it was easy to keep aware of their surroundings. Since the center of the mana they sensed was coming from the western side of town, they intentionally avoided main street, keeping to the neighborhood roads. Everything was exactly as Nigreos remembered it and he couldn¡¯t help but to feel a twinge of guilt.


    The place forced him to think about Abi.


    They often called Omaruo Abi¡¯s Haven because it was the place she had considered her home. She left Ijiria behind and made a life for herself here. She had a family¡ªa husband and a son. Knowing her as long as he had, Nigreos knew how much this world meant to her. She even took on the surname ¡°Reiner¡±, the name of the magicless man she fell in love with. The name had no influence or prestige in Ijiria and yet, she had been insistent upon keeping it. Had she been able to, she almost certainly would have returned before her death.


    Nigreos thought back to the day he arrived for the first time in this quaint little town. It was the one and only time he ever met Abi¡¯s husband and son. Eric had been small at the time and he had only caught glimpses of the boy, but he had spoken to her husband directly. At the time, just looking at the man, he could only wonder what it was about him that made Abi fall for him. How could a woman from a world like Ijiria fall for someone as bland and boring as him? What could he do without magic? Nothing. And that was all he could do when Abi was taken away from this world.


    I wonder what he¡¯s up to now. Perhaps I should track him down and speak with him again. If I do as Ryokumo suggests and take Eric away from here, perhaps it would be a mercy to erase Scott Reiner before I go.


    ¡°We¡¯re getting close,¡± Album muttered under her breath.


    Nigreos could sense it, too. And soon enough, when they rounded a corner, they both instinctively knew that they had arrived at the right place. Before them was a school three stories high, standing tall over all of the houses that surrounded it. A large quantity of mana was emanating from it and so Nigreos knew that whatever they were looking for would be there. He suspected Eric Reiner of being of high school age so, if his suspicions were true, then this being their destination surprised him little.


    ¡°Be cautious,¡± Album warned. ¡°I believe it to currently be afternoon but that doesn¡¯t mean there won¡¯t be anybody within. We must avoid drawing attention.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Nigreos responded. ¡°I say we refrain from making contact with anyone for the time being. Instead, we should gather our bearings, see what we can learn, and then find a place to serve as a base. We¡¯ll go from there.¡±


    With a plan set, the two of them began approaching the front gates of the school. Nigreos could see a courtyard just beyond but there weren¡¯t any students in sight. Confident that there wouldn¡¯t be anybody to question them just yet, Nigreos stepped forward and, with Album at his side, stepped into the school.


    The moment he did, everything went dark.


    ***


    When Nigreos opened his eyes, his mind felt like it was in a haze. For a minute, he couldn¡¯t remember where he was or what was going on. It felt like he was laying on the ground but when he tried to move his head to look around, he found himself feeling overwhelmingly weak. Nevertheless, he forced himself to a sitting position and took in his surroundings. He frowned. He was sitting on the floor of what appeared to be an empty classroom. There were desks situated all around the room in rows and they faced a whiteboard at the front. There was no sign of any of the students or the teacher and the door to the classroom was wide open.


    What the hell? Where am I? What¡¯s going on?


    He hurriedly placed his palm against the ground and sent his mana through the building, hoping to sense for any sign of danger. However, he found that there didn¡¯t seem to be an immediate threat. Content that, for the time being, he was safe, he quickly wracked his brain to see what he could remember.


    Album and I made it to Omaruo...and were tracking that powerful source or mana. We got to that school and...when we went inside¡­


    His memory stopped there. He couldn''t recall anything of what happened after they went inside the school.


    Were we attacked? Did the sorcerer get the upper hand on us after all? There¡¯s no way! I would¡¯ve sensed him, especially in a place lacking in magic such as this. Clearly, I¡¯m still inside the school so what I should do is find Album and then try and figure out exactly what¡¯s going on.


    Nigreos fought against the fatigue weighing him down and, using the desk, pulled himself to his feet. After checking to make sure the canister containing the nerich was still tucked away within his pocket, he then brought his power to his fingers once again, ready to defend himself should the need arise. He knew there must be students or at least members of the staff in the building so he pulled his cowl back over his head before carefully stepping out into the hallway. Much to his surprise, he found nobody there either. There wasn¡¯t a soul in sight. Slowly, Nigreos crept forward, his footsteps against the linoleum floor echoing through the empty corridor. As he walked, he noticed the doors to each classroom wide open but, each time he poked his head in, he found them empty as well.


    What¡¯s going on? I don¡¯t understand this. Where the hell is everybody?


    When he came to a staircase leading down, he decided to head that way, hoping to maybe find the entrance. When he reached the next floor, it was more of the same. The hallway stretched out in both directions without any sign of human life.


    The classrooms on this floor were all empty as well. It almost seemed as if the students and staff had simply vanished into thin air. Everything was perfectly clean and taken care of. It looked as if it had been inhabited just that day. The only thing missing were the people.


    He rounded a corner and began quickening his pace, getting more panicked than he¡¯d liked to admit. He still couldn¡¯t sense Album anywhere so he didn¡¯t even know if she was inside the school. For all he knew, she was still out in the city. He went around another corner, checked all the classrooms, then turned again. It was only once he went around a fourth time that he stopped in sudden surprise.


    Wait¡­


    The number on the classroom he was standing beside had the numbers 2-13 painted on its door. But he knew that should be impossible since he had just checked 2-13 just moments before. In fact, if he was remembering right, he could have sworn that was the number on the classroom he had started out in. Getting a sinking feeling in his stomach as he started to understand what was happening, Nigreos broke out into a run and rounded the next corner only to find room 2-13 just before him once more.


    You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me! This can¡¯t be possible!


    He took off again, bounding down the staircase and moving to the next floor.


    Class 2-13 was right there a few doors down from the stairs.


    Nigreos continued running, finding the next staircase and heading back down, once again confronted with the same hallway.


    This school...from the outside, it looked as if it couldn¡¯t possibly be more than three stories! But I¡¯ve gone down the stairs four times and haven¡¯t once found a staircase leading up! This could only make sense if¡­!


    Nigreos turned and rushed toward the windows, wanting to look outside to see what was beyond. Sure enough, when he looked down, he could see the courtyard they had seen on their way in down below, making him appear to be on the second floor.


    This place¡­ I¡¯m in a pocket realm!


    Pocket worlds were realms that could be created by magic users. It was insanely advanced magic and even the most powerful sorcerers succeeded in making no more than a small town. Since time passed differently in those realms depending on how the creator set them up and so, they were often used as prisons to contain powerful criminals. In addition, no human beings in the multiverse had enough mana to support more than one pocket realm. If he was indeed trapped within one then it could potentially take him days to break out and that would only be considering how time passed where he was. For all he knew, months could pass in the world beyond.


    Damn it! How is this possible! Is the sorcerer so powerful that they both knew we were coming and set a trap for us of this magnitude!? But...there¡¯s no way Eric Reiner could have ever done this. There¡¯s no way a teenager could have the knowledge and experience to pull this off, let alone one who¡¯s lived in Omaruo his whole life! So...whether Eric Reiner is our target or not...one thing is for certain¡­


    Somebody else is responsible for this¡­

 Chapter 36- Cant Take It Back

    Chapter XXXVI


    Despite having a clear course of action on what to do next, Lilly and Eric found it far easier done than said. Eric had told her that all they needed to do was find some way to make Vinny regret what he did to Rina and that would remove the disturbing feeling Eric¡¯s sense was getting from him. The problem was that throughout the entire previous day, Vinny avoided them. He arrived at each class they shared right as the bell rang and left afterwards before either could approach him. At lunch, he was nowhere to be found and he naturally didn¡¯t come to club after school. However, on the bright side, Damien and Liz and both showed up for the first time since before break, so the room didn¡¯t feel as lonely as it had in recent days and it was at that meeting that Damien confessed to having visited Vinny the night before. After hearing how it unfolded, it quickly became apparent why they were being avoided. Vinny was now aware that they knew everything and made it clear to Damien that he didn¡¯t have any intention of standing down.


    So what now? Lilly thought as she made her way down the still damp neighborhood road on her way to school. If Vinny really won¡¯t listen to reason then how do we get through to him. Damien said it sounded like he was afraid of us telling Alice, but is that even a good idea? Would telling her accomplish anything aside from driving them apart and making him hate us?


    When she suggested the idea to Eric the previous afternoon, he had said he would think about it as well. There were a lot of risks to telling her but, at the same time, she had a right to know how it all went down. Rina was an old friend of hers and the whole bullying situation revolved around her. It wasn¡¯t fair to keep her out of the loop.


    Jeez! Why is everything so difficult?! Nothing ever has an easy answer, does it?


    She scowled, turning onto the next street and glancing up to see the school just up ahead. She saw the usual streams of students making their way through the gates and into the courtyard, chatting with their friends. Just looking at them made them all seem like they didn¡¯t have a single worry in their lives. They looked simple and happy and Lilly couldn¡¯t help but to feel a twinge of jealousy.


    I used to think I never wanted anything like that, she thought. I always told Alexa I was happier by myself. I didn¡¯t like people. I didn¡¯t want friends. At the time, I really believed that. But now, even after just a few months with the club, I realize how full of shit I actually was. I was just convincing myself I didn¡¯t want it because I didn¡¯t think I could get it, but once I did...I really was happy. After all this time, I finally have a place to belong and it¡¯s falling apart right in front of me. I can¡¯t let that happen! I need to figure something out! Think, Lilly! There has to be a way out of this!


    Her thoughts shifted to Jay and Alice, the first people at the school, and perhaps even ever, to actually seem to care about her. Despite how harshly she treated them, they stuck by her. They worried about her when she first used the stone. Jay stole it from her just because he was afraid something bad was happening to her. Now, even they seemed to be falling apart. What Vinny did was clearly affecting Jay and, the few times she spoke to Alice, even she seemed unsettled about something. She was losing everything and there was nothing she could do. All she¡¯d been doing was standing back and allowing Eric to take the lead because she didn¡¯t have a single idea of how she could help.


    I need to figure something out, she thought as she joined the flow of students and made her way into the courtyard of the school. There¡¯s gotta be something I can do for them!


    Even though the rain ended during the night, there were still very few students at the tables in the courtyard since the benches were all covered in water. She spared a brief glance around for Vinny even though she was relatively confident that he wouldn¡¯t be anywhere nearby. Unsurprisingly, she didn¡¯t see him so she simply turned and made her way into the school. Eric had asked her to meet him in the library before school so they could try and think things over so that was where she was headed. First, however, she intended to stop at her locker and drop a few of her textbooks off so she wouldn¡¯t have to lug them around all day. Lilly made her way up the stairs and to the third floor where both her locker and the library were located.


    She felt tired and part of her couldn¡¯t wait for the weekend to come. The first week back to school just kept droning on and it was still only Thursday morning. It gave her a headache just thinking about it and she snorted her irritation. When she arrived up on the top floor, she kept to the right beside the windows and stared down at the ground, not wanting to have to look at any of the students around her. She wasn¡¯t in the mood to put up with their stupid stares at her. When she made it to her locker, she sighed and reached up to start unlocking it. Due to being so tired, she messed up the combination twice, which only soured her mood even more. When she finally got it unlocked, she swung the door open with more force than she meant to, startling two freshmen girls a few lockers over. She muttered a brief ¡°sorry¡± before removing her textbooks from her bag. However, just as she was about to put them inside, she paused.


    The heck is that?


    Laying atop the only textbook left inside was a folded up sheet of paper. Trying to remember if she had forgotten a homework assignment there by accident, she reached in and took it out, replacing it with the textbooks in her hand. When she unfolded it, she couldn¡¯t help but furrow her brow in surprise. It wasn¡¯t an assignment nor was it even something she put there. It was a letter.


    Did somebody slide this through the slit or something? What even is this?


    Suddenly feeling a knot forming in her stomach, she began to read what was written.


    Lilly,


    I¡¯m not really sure how to say this so I¡¯m sorry if it sounds awkward. I wanted to say it in person but I just couldn¡¯t get myself to face you. I still haven''t changed at all. I¡¯m still a coward but, I at least owed it to you to leave something for you. I really did care about you. You were such a good friend to both me and Alice and I can never thank you enough.


    Lilly suddenly felt sick to her stomach. She could tell that the letter had been written by Jay but the way everything was being phrased made it sound like he was saying goodbye. Her heart began beating faster as she frantically continued to read.


    I know it¡¯s selfish of me but I wanted to ask you a favor. Stay by Alice for me. Be there for her. You¡¯re a good person and she needs you. I was never good enough for her but I trust you and Mickelson. I just can¡¯t keep going. It¡¯s too much for me.


    ¡°No,¡± she uttered under her breath. ¡°There¡¯s no way¡­¡±


    But I feel better knowing Alice has somebody like you. I know you¡¯re probably going to hate me after this and I deserve it. I¡¯m disgusting and pathetic but this is all I can do anymore. It¡¯s too much. But I want you to know that I really enjoyed hanging out with you this year. You mean a lot to me. Thank you and goodbye, Lilly. I¡¯m sorry.


    Jay.


    After reading that last line, Lilly felt the strength in her legs give out and she collapsed to the ground. Tears were pouring down her cheeks no matter how hard she tried to stop them. She just couldn¡¯t believe what she was reading. It had to be a prank. Jay and Alice were about to jump out from around the corner and reveal that they made it all up to screw with her. It had to be a joke. It had to be something like that. After all, there couldn¡¯t be any way Jay really was¡­


    You son of a bitch!


    She screamed the words in her mind. She knew it was real. She could tell. The letter must¡¯ve been put in her locker after she left for club the previous day so there was almost certainly nothing she could do anymore. If Jay actually went through with it then she was powerless to save him.


    ¡°Jay¡­¡± she uttered. ¡°No¡­ Please be okay¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t care that she was in the middle of the hallway or that there were people staring at her. None of them mattered to her. She didn¡¯t give a damn what any of them thought. For the first time in years, she completely broke down and began to cry there on the ground beside the lockers. She desperately wanted to do something but she couldn¡¯t get her legs to move. She didn¡¯t have the strength to pull herself to her feet.


    But...maybe he didn¡¯t go through with it! Maybe he came to his senses or¡­ Or what if he put this in here this morning! Maybe he hasn¡¯t done it yet! Maybe there¡¯s still a chance I can stop this! I have to do something! I have to stop him! I can¡¯t lose Jay! I don¡¯t want him to die!


    She grabbed the base of her locker and desperately tried to get to her feet. She could hear people muttering around her but there wasn¡¯t a single person who approached to help or ask what was wrong. The letter was still clutched in her free hand and she could feel it crumpling in her tight grasp.


    Where does he live?! she thought desperately. I need to go to him! I need to find him! I can¡¯t...lose him!


    But no matter how hard she tried to rise, she dropped back down to the floor.


    I should¡¯ve known! The signs were there! He¡¯s seemed so depressed these past few days! He looked exhausted, like he wasn''t eating or sleeping. He was avoiding everybody! There were signs there! Damn it! God fucking damn it! What kind of friend am I to not realize he needed help?!


    Suddenly she felt the presence of somebody behind her and, moments later, their arms were wrapped around her, turning her around and pulling her into a hug. She knew who it was without having to ask and, in that moment, she was beyond grateful that he was there. She pressed her face into his chest and continued to cry, feeling her body shaking with each breath.


    ¡°Eric¡­¡± she uttered.


    ¡°I know,¡± he whispered back. ¡°Let it out. I¡¯m here for you, Lilly.¡±


    The boy reached one of his hands down and gently removed the letter from her grasp, his free hand moving to rest against the back of her head. He read through it silently as she sobbed and after a moment, he laid it down beside her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he whispered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    She clutched him close to her, feeling a small amount of comfort in his touch. She couldn¡¯t help but to think about Alice and the other club members. Did they know? Did Jay leave them notes, too? At the very least, he must have left something for Alice. There was no way he wouldn¡¯t if he left a goodbye to her.


    ¡°Lilly? Eric? What¡¯s wrong? What happened?!¡±


    Lilly felt even sicker at the sound of the voice she dreaded, obviously ignorant of the entire situation. Alice didn¡¯t know yet. She wasn¡¯t aware of what happened.


    ¡°Mendez,¡± Eric said softly. ¡°Open your locker for me, would you?¡±


    ¡°Huh? W-why? What does¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Please?¡±


    Sounding startled by Eric¡¯s interruption, Lilly listened as Alice complied, stepping past her to where her own locker was located. Lilly clutched Eric tighter, dreading Alice opening it and the sound of her doing so was terrifying.


    ¡°What¡¯s¡­?¡± Alice muttered.


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    Eric exhaled softly. ¡°A folded piece of paper?¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah? How did you¡­?¡±


    Alice went silent and Lilly instinctively knew that she had unfolded it. There was no getting away from it now. She had been desperate to do something and yet, she had failed. If Jay truly had committed suicide then there wasn¡¯t any way they could ever go back to the way things were. He was supposed to be there. He was supposed to be by her side. They had started over! They had put everything behind them so they could be friends! He wasn¡¯t supposed to¡­


    ¡°No¡­this can¡¯t¡­¡± Alice sounded like she was choking back tears.


    She finished the letter.


    Listening as Alice broke down into tears was the last straw for Lilly. The sound of her friend crying, believing the boy she grew up with to have killed himself, was terrible. She wanted to break off from Eric and comfort her but she couldn¡¯t. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to move.


    She had failed them. There was nothing she could do for Alice anymore. She couldn¡¯t bring back the dead. She was powerless.


    I¡¯m sorry...I¡¯m so damn sorry¡­


    ***


    I need some space for a while. Just leave me alone for a bit, okay?


    Vinny read and reread the message over and over, his body shaking as he sat alone in the library, his head in his hands as he stared down at his phone. It was Alice¡¯s response after he tried to call her and she hadn''t picked up. It was all he needed to hear to know that she was blaming him for Jay¡¯s suicide. And he couldn¡¯t even say she was wrong. He started acting weird right after they went after Rina. Alice had clearly suspected that they were hiding something and now, Jay was probably dead. They still didn¡¯t know for sure if he had gone through with it but Vinny hadn¡¯t seen any sign of him at school that morning.


    God damn it, he thought, trying desperately to suppress the tears falling down his cheeks. Did I do this? Did what I did to Rina cause this to happen? I thought everything was okay! I thought we won! I saved Alice! I protected her! But¡­


    ¡°Have you considered how what you¡¯ve done has affected everybody?¡± Damien had said just the other night. ¡°And I¡¯m not talking about Rina. I mean the club and Jay and maybe even Alice¡­ It¡¯s made Eric and Lilly worry about you. Eric, especially, has seemed stressed over the whole thing. Liz and I are worried, too. The club hasn¡¯t all been together since that night. And Jay¡­Looks like what you guys did is really hurting him.¡±


    Vinny clenched his first in frustration. He had been so confident that what he did was right. It might not have been the most ethical decision he could have made but it was effective. Alice was safe. He helped her. Damien acted like the effects of what he did were going to last and Vinny had been absolutely confident that they wouldn¡¯t. He believed it would all blow over eventually and yet, here he sat, a goodbye letter from Jay in his pocket, realizing that what he did very well could have pushed a boy to kill himself. In his efforts to do anything to save Alice, he might be responsible for Jay¡¯s death. If the boy was dead, his blood would be on Vinny¡¯s hands.


    What the hell have I done? This is¡­ This isn¡¯t what was supposed to happen! Damn it! Fucking damn it! This isn¡¯t right! Why? Why¡­?


    Vinny sniffled, reaching into his uniform pocket to produce the letter he had found in his locker that morning. There wasn¡¯t an ounce of blame in the letter. In fact, Jay wrote it as if he were thanking him.


    You¡¯ll be better for Alice than I could ever be, Jay had written. You¡¯ll do what I couldn¡¯t do. So please be there for her. Protect her for me.


    Why didn¡¯t you blame me, Jay? This is my fault, isn¡¯t it?! You should have told me how horrible I was! You should have said I was wrong! I caused this, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t see it sooner! I could have done something! The club¡ªEric, Damien, they all said I needed to delete the photos and back down! If I had listened, would that have saved you?


    Vinny leaned back in his chair and exhaled softly, trying to suppress his emotions as best he could. How could he possibly face the other club members now? There was no doubt in his mind that Eric and Damien¡ªand probably even Lilly and Liz¡ªwould blame him for this. They all tried to warn him and he ignored them. They would probably hate him now. Even if Jay didn¡¯t blame him in the letter, the others would do so for him.


    Slowly, Vinny repocketed the letter and rose to his feet. First period would be starting soon and then he would have no choice but to face Eric, Lilly, and Alice. Even if they didn¡¯t speak to him, their looks would be enough. He wasn¡¯t even sure he could handle them. As he walked through the hallways, the students around him were all going about their mornings like nothing was different but Vinny knew that, if Jay really had killed himself, the news would soon spread all across the campus. Even if Jay wasn¡¯t terribly popular, this school would mourn. That was just the way of things. A high school might have its social hierarchies and its cliques and those who didn¡¯t fit in were shunned but, at the end of the day, there was a sense of camaraderie that nobody could deny. If a member of their school lost their life, people would feel it.


    Does Jay realize this? Vinny wondered. Does he realize how his death is going to affect this school? Hell, even if he doesn¡¯t, he must know that this would hurt Lilly and would utterly destroy Alice. How could he do that to them? And now, because of what I did, I can¡¯t be there for Alice. I can¡¯t do anything.


    He finally arrived at Mrs. Kentz¡¯s classroom but ignored her greeting as he made his way inside. He felt sick to his stomach, knowing that when he raised his head, he would see the looks of hatred from those he called his friends. But he knew he couldn¡¯t avoid it so, swallowing his fear, he looked up¡­


    ...and saw only Eric.


    He exhaled sharply, scanning the room for signs of Lilly and Alice but they weren¡¯t there. Only Brad and his gang sat in the back corner and Eric sat in his normal spot.


    ¡°They went home,¡± Eric called out.


    Vinny slowly turned to look at his old friend and was surprised yet again. There was no hatred in Eric¡¯s eyes. Instead, he looked like he was confused and in pain. Yet Vinny still couldn¡¯t help but feel terrible as there wasn¡¯t any sign of Eric¡¯s typical grin. Even on the worst days, Eric Reiner forced a smile and tried to be the one to lighten the mood. If even he was torn up then there really was no hope.


    ¡°W-what do you mean?¡± Vinny stuttered, wondering if he even had a right to speak to Eric.


    ¡°Lilly and Alice broke down,¡± Eric replied softly. ¡°Some students went to get a teacher and they were both led away, probably to the office. Lilly texted me a minute ago to tell me they were leaving. I assume by the look on your face that you understand why?¡±


    Part of him wanted to lie and shake his head but he decided he had lied enough, so instead, he meekly nodded and walked over to take his seat beside Eric. The other boy made no move to stop him since he seemed so deep in thought. Vinny was content allowing him to remain that way but, when Eric spoke next, he froze in surprise.


    ¡°Brooks isn¡¯t dead, you know?¡±


    Vinny abruptly turned to look his way. ¡°W-what? You mean he didn¡¯t¡ª?!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I said,¡± Eric corrected. ¡°He tried to kill himself but...he¡¯s not dead...yet. He¡¯s currently in the hospital, I believe.¡±


    ¡°How do you¡­?¡± Vinny frowned. ¡°How do you know that? It didn¡¯t even seem like Alice knew anything until this morning.¡±


    Eric clenched his fists together atop the desk. ¡°I¡­just do. I can¡¯t really explain it past that.¡±


    Vinny sighed, about to ask him if he was referring to his sense, but Eric continued before he got the chance. ¡°You...regret what you did to Rina, don¡¯t you? You understand now what Damien was talking about the other night.¡±


    Vinny exhaled sharply, shocked that Eric could read him so thoroughly when he thought he had been concealing his emotions better than that. ¡°How¡¯d you figure that out?¡± Vinny grumbled.


    Eric shrugged. ¡°I...could just tell.¡±


    ***


    Alice walked back in the direction of her home with LIlly at her side though neither said a word to the other. They were both content remaining silent and trying to process everything. Alice didn¡¯t even know what to do or say. She just moved on autopilot, heading home simply by recommendation of her councilor when it became apparent that she couldn''t stop herself from crying. Now, however, it felt like she¡¯d run her body dry. She still felt like crying but the tears would no longer come. Lilly had stopped as well and, whenever Alice glanced in her direction, the other girl was just staring blankly at the ground.


    How could this have happened? Alice asked herself for what felt like the millionth time that morning. I¡¯ve always said I know him better than anybody¡ªthat he couldn¡¯t hide anything from me! So how could I have overlooked something like this! I knew he was acting off but I never once considered that he might try to kill himself!


    She had already attempted to call Jay multiple times and he never once answered. With each passing minute, it felt like any hope that Jay was still alive dwindled. She desperately wanted to believe that it wasn¡¯t too late. She wanted so desperately to hear that call telling her that the notes were a joke and that he was perfectly fine but, she knew it wasn¡¯t that simple. This wasn¡¯t the kind of joke Jay would play and, even if for some reason he did, he wouldn¡¯t let it go on this long. He would have jumped out of hiding and revealed it to all as a prank.


    What kind of friend am I? She sniffled, feeling her emotion suddenly return. He was clearly hurting and all I did was accuse him of hiding things. He avoided me and I didn¡¯t once try to talk to him. Sure, I called him and all but I could have done more. When he didn¡¯t pick up, I could have gone to his apartment and, if he didn¡¯t answer the door, I could have waited there until he did. But all I did was complain that he was avoiding me. And now...I may never get to speak to him again. My childhood friend, the boy who¡¯s been by my side ever since I was a damn baby could be dead!


    She couldn¡¯t help but to think back to the afternoon before when Jay suddenly arrived at the diner and hugged her out of nowhere. Even then, despite having a bad feeling, she never brought herself to call him. Now she knew that was him saying goodbye. That hug was his goodbye to her and she didn¡¯t even realize it.


    That might be the last time I ever see him, she realized.


    Part of her briefly wondered where Eric had gone after leaving so abruptly but, given everything that had happened that morning, she found it didn¡¯t really matter.


    Just as she felt more tears forming in her eyes, her phone suddenly started buzzing. She exhaled sharply, wondering if it might actually be Jay but, when she pulled it from her skirt pocket, clearly startling Lilly, she felt both dread and relief. It wasn¡¯t Jay calling. Rather, it was his father, Kent Brooks. She had tried calling him a few times once Jay didn¡¯t answer but even he hadn¡¯t responded. The fact that he was calling, however, made her heart feel like it had stopped. She just had a feeling that this couldn¡¯t mean anything good. Taking a deep breath, Alice fought back the fear and answered it.


    ¡°Hi, Mr. Brooks?¡± she said.


    Lilly¡¯s eyes widened at the name but, thankfully, she remained quiet.


    ¡°Hey, Alice,¡± the man replied, sounding so exhausted that she feared he hadn¡¯t slept at all the night before. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for not answering your calls. I¡¯ve just...had a busy night. Did you hear¡­?¡±


    His voice trailed off and she knew he didn¡¯t want to speak the words aloud. So, understanding what it was he was asking, Alice forced herself to ask her question despite fearing what the answer could be. Nevertheless, she had to know what happened.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Jay?¡± she begged. ¡°Is he okay? Is he¡­?¡±


    Mr. Brooks sighed. ¡°He¡¯s...alive, for the time being.¡±


    A wave of relief washed over Alice and she found that there were tears left in her body as they began rolling down her cheeks. Lilly was clearly anxious to hear what was going on but, not wanting to interrupt Jay¡¯s father, she simply mouthed ¡°he¡¯s alive¡±. The other girl¡¯s shoulders seemed to relax just a tiny bit as Mr. Brooks continued.


    ¡°But his condition isn¡¯t great. He¡¯s unconscious right now and the doctors are doing everything they can to keep him alive. Carol and I aren¡¯t even allowed to see him right now so we¡¯re just waiting for some news.¡±


    Alice nodded, grateful that there was still some hope that Jay could survive. She hadn¡¯t lost him yet. ¡°And¡­¡± she began weakly, ¡°could you...tell me what happened to him? I mean, you don¡¯t have to if you don¡¯t want to, but¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Alice,¡± he replied in a soft and almost comforting tone. ¡°You¡¯re basically family, after all. You have a right to know as long as you truly want to.¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± she said firmly. ¡°Please¡­¡±


    The man took a deep breath to prepare for whatever he was about to say then began speaking as if having to force the words out. ¡°To be honest, it¡¯s a damn miracle that he¡¯s even alive. The doctors said that he should be dead because he...jumped from our balcony.¡±


    Her eyes widened in shock. ¡°Your balcony?! But you live on the fourth floor! If he hit the concrete from that high¡­¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± he muttered. ¡°The doctor we talked to was utterly baffled. Carol¡¯s hoping it¡¯s a sign that he¡¯s going to be okay, but...well, he didn¡¯t get out unscathed, obviously. He broke so many bones and his head...they think he has brain damage but they still need to run the appropriate tests and¡­¡±


    The man choked back his words and Alice realized how much it was affecting him. Kent Brooks was never the type of person to show any emotion. He was a hard man and for as long as Alice knew him, he was all about being strong and manly. It was an ideology that he always tried to push onto Jay and that Jay greatly resented. So, to hear him choking back tears just proved how destroyed this had him.


    And it makes sense, she thought. I know Jay was never close with his dad. If I didn¡¯t catch on that he wanted to kill himself then I doubt he did. This probably came out of left field.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Brooks,¡± Alice replied gratefully. ¡°I...I¡¯ll let you go now. I don¡¯t want to keep you. I just...needed to know if he was okay.¡±


    ¡°I understand, Alice, and I promise that the minute they allow visitors, I¡¯ll call you to come see him,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯d like that.¡±


    ¡°I would, too,¡± she uttered. ¡°Thanks. Keep me posted.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Goodbye, sweetheart.¡±


    ¡°Bye.¡±


    Taking another deep breath, Alice ended the call and lowered the phone from her ear. She could see in Lilly¡¯s eyes that she desperately wanted to know what was said, but she didn''t immediately speak, clearly allowing Alice to gather her thoughts. However, even though her mind was a jumble, she didn¡¯t want to keep Lilly in suspense so, she quickly began to reiterate everything Mr. Brooks had told her. Lilly listened without speaking but Alice could see the whirlwind of emotions in her eyes. When she finally finished, Lilly exhaled softly.


    ¡°So he¡¯s still alive,¡± she whispered. ¡°Thank god. He still has a chance.¡±


    Alice nodded meekly. ¡°Yeah. Mr. Brooks said I could visit as soon as they let us so I¡¯ll let you know when and you can come if you want to.¡±


    ¡°Definitely,¡± Lilly muttered. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely go with you.¡±


    For a moment, the two of them stood in silence and that was all it took for everything to overwhelm her again. Feeling suddenly weaker, Alice leaned forward and pulled Lilly into a hug and the girl embraced her back, allowing her to cry into her shoulder.


    ¡°I just can¡¯t believe this actually happened,¡± she sobbed. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Lilly nodded. ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry, Alice.¡±


    ¡°I just wish there was something I could do,¡± Alice whispered. ¡°I wish I could help him somehow but...all I can do is wait and pray that he doesn¡¯t die. I can¡¯t lose him. He¡¯s my best friend¡­ He¡¯s like my brother! I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    As she cried, Lilly continued to hug her and listen to her talk without once saying anything. The only time she spoke, she said, ¡°I wonder¡­¡± but, for some reason, she never finished her thought.

 Chapter 37- How Far Im Willing To Go

    Chapter XXXVII


    The weekend came and went with the only news about Jay¡¯s condition being that he hadn¡¯t yet woken up and the doctors were doing everything they could to keep him alive. Lilly was happy he was still alive but every time her phone buzzed at all, she was terrified that it would be the call or text from Alice telling her that Jay was gone. She barely slept at all over the weekend and she knew her parents could tell something was up though they didn¡¯t press her for details. As for Alexa, she was nice enough to give Lilly time to herself since she already knew what was going on. The news of Jay¡¯s attempted suicide had, by the end of Friday, spread to almost every student in the school. Of course, Lilly knew it would only be a matter of time before it got out but she had been really hoping that they could keep anybody from finding out. Classes were tense and even the teachers seemed to be kind of distant and emotional. When Lilly got back to school on Monday, there was an announcement that councilors had been brought in to talk to any students that wanted to and that they would be holding an assembly on the following morning. So, come Tuesday right after fourth period, the entire student body made their way to the auditorium to listen to what the principal had to say.


    Alice and Lilly both had fourth period chemistry together so they walked side by side as they followed the crowd of students down the halls. Eric, Damien, and Liz met up with them on the ground floor and the five of them went to the auditorium together. Vinny hadn¡¯t come to school that day but, even if he had, she was sure they wouldn¡¯t have seen him. The blonde boy was avoiding everybody and each of them knew why that was. Whether it was true or not, Vinny was blaming himself for Jay¡¯s suicide. While Lilly didn¡¯t think the events with Rina were the sole reason for this, she couldn¡¯t deny that it was likely a factor and so, for the time being, she was content leaving Vinny to figure things out on his own. Eric had already reported that his sense had corrected its perception of him and that the best thing to do would be to give him space.


    She found herself more and more grateful to have Eric as a friend with each passing day. The boy had ensured that he was there for her ever since Thursday morning. He would hold her when she wanted to cry and he would give words of consolation. When she didn¡¯t want to talk, he would let her sit in silence but he always made sure he was right beside her. They had met up for coffee both days over the weekend because Lilly had wanted to get out of the house and have some fresh air. Without Eric, she wasn¡¯t sure how well she¡¯d be handling everything. Even now, as they sat on the bleachers, surrounded by students and listening to the principal¡¯s speech, Eric was right by her side, allowing her to lean against him.


    She hardly listened to what the principal was saying. It was obvious that the entire point of the assembly was to make it look like the school was doing something.  The few times she did check in to the speech, he was going on about what to do if somebody feels depressed and that the councilors and teachers were there to talk if anybody needed it. What he was saying was nice but Lilly couldn¡¯t help but feel irritated by it all. After all, Jay had already tried to kill himself. As irrational as it was, she couldn¡¯t help but think this assembly was too little too late. Their stupid assembly couldn¡¯t do anything for Jay anymore. The damage was done and there wasn¡¯t anything they could do to change that.


    Although...I have been thinking...is it possible¡­


    She didn¡¯t finish the thought. Ever since Thursday morning, there had been an idea in her mind that she just couldn¡¯t shake. She didn¡¯t even know if it would work or what the potential repercussions could be but, not wanting to just sit back and do nothing, she couldn¡¯t help but to consider it.


    If I did that...could I make a difference? Could I¡­?


    ¡°Alright, you¡¯re all dismissed to go to lunch,¡± Principal Thompson said. ¡°Remember, go to the counseling office if you need to talk to somebody. Don¡¯t ever think you¡¯re alone. The school is here for you.¡±


    With that, the entire student body packed into the gym began to get up and leave at the same time. Not wanting to fight their way through that mess, Lilly, Alice, and the club members remained sitting until almost all of the crowd had filed out into the hallways. Once it was easier to move, they got to their feet and made their way toward the exits.


    ¡°I¡¯ll meet you guys up in the clubroom,¡± Damien called back. ¡°I left my lunch in fourth period.¡±


    ¡°Alright, see you in a minute,¡± Eric called back.


    Liz opted to go with him and so, the two of them split off and began heading in the opposite direction. Alice also softly excused herself and took off for the bathrooms, leaving Eric and Lilly to walk alone in silence. After sitting through the assembly, Lilly really didn¡¯t feel up to talking and Eric seemed to realize that because he merely stayed by her side, staring straight ahead. The two walked through the corridors and up the stairs, all the while getting hesitant glances from the students around them. This wasn¡¯t unusual for them given their reputation but in the past few days, the stares had been different. They weren¡¯t looks of irritation or disgust but rather ones of pity. Through Lilly¡¯s friendship with Jay, he had begun hanging out with the club members and so, he was branded one of them. Everybody knew that his attempted suicide was hurting them. Lilly was at least thankful that they stayed away and didn¡¯t bother them.


    She glanced once more up at Eric but he seemed to be deep in thought. He¡¯d been acting kind of weird since Thursday as well and, knowing him, he was probably thinking of ways he could have prevented it. That was who he was, after all. He loved to help people and now, he was forced to face the fact that there had been somebody in desperate need of help right in front of him and he hadn¡¯t realized. Now, there wasn¡¯t anything he could do. So, feeling the need to be closer to him, Lilly reached out and took his hand in hers. Normally she wasn¡¯t as bold but, desperately needing the comfort of his touch, she found that she didn¡¯t care how embarrassing it might be to hold his hand so suddenly. He seemed startled by her sudden move yet he didn¡¯t try to break away. Instead, he tightened his grip and pulled her closer so that their shoulders were touching. Just that small touch made a big difference for her.


    I¡¯m so grateful for him, she thought. I can¡¯t imagine how badly I¡¯d be handling this without him.


    They continued walking hand-in-hand all the way up to the third floor and were turning down the hall that led to the clubroom when a voice called out to them. Lilly instantly cringed, not wanting to talk to anybody at the moment but, recognizing the person, she knew it would be rude to not turn around. So she and Eric stopped and looked over their shoulder at the newcomer.


    ¡°Hey, Harper,¡± Matt Briggs greeted. ¡°Reiner.¡±


    Lilly hadn¡¯t spoken much with Matt since the cross country season mainly due to the fact that she had become one of the outcasts. Matt rarely made an effort to reach out to her and she was fairly content leaving it that way. So, if he was approaching her now, she knew as a fact that it was related to Jay. Part of her really wanted to tell him to leave her alone but, judging by the sullen expression on his face, he was hurting, too. She couldn¡¯t just blow him off. It wouldn¡¯t be right.


    ¡°Hey, Matt,¡± she muttered. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    The boy hesitated, running his fingers through his blonde hair as if trying to figure out how to begin. ¡°I...I don''t mean to bother you guys since I¡¯m sure you¡¯re all still processing this and all, but...I wanted to ask you something.¡±


    Lilly briefly glanced up at Eric, knowing he tended to handle people better than she did, but one look at his expression made it clear that he was leaving to talking to her. So, she turned back and nodded.


    ¡°Okay, sure. What¡¯s up?¡± she asked.


    Matt swallowed nervously, a drastically different demeanor from his normal confidence. ¡°Look, I know Brooks and I were never that close but...well, he¡¯s still a member of the team, you know? I¡¯ve been in cross country with him since middle school so I can¡¯t help but...want to do something for him so...I¡¯m just going around seeing if anybody would donate some money to help his family. I¡¯m gonna ask Alice if she can give it to them at the end of the week.¡±


    Lilly was taken aback. Matt had always been a decent guy, but he tended to seem like he didn¡¯t care too much about anything. He went with the flow and just enjoyed life so Lilly was surprised to see him stepping forward to do something for Jay. She could tell just by the trembling in his voice that Matt was being genuine.


    ¡°I¡­¡± she stuttered. ¡°I don¡¯t have any money on me right now, but...I can totally bring some tomorrow. Thank you, Matt.¡±


    The boy forced a weak smile and nodded. ¡°Yeah, no prob. Reiner?¡± He glanced over at the still silent Eric. ¡°You have anything you could donate?¡±


    The taller boy didn¡¯t even hesitate. Within moments, he had his wallet in his hand and was taking out a ten dollar bill. Matt stared in surprise as Eric handed it to him.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Eric said. ¡°I thank you for doing this, Briggs. You¡¯re a good guy.¡±


    Matt hesitated, clearly having expected him to shrug him off since he was one of the infamous Magic Club members. The boy quickly regained his composure and took the money from Eric gratefully.


    ¡°No, thank you, Reiner,¡± he replied.


    With that, Lilly suggested he talk to Damien and Liz as well and, despite his clear hesitance to go anywhere near them, he nodded anyway. He bid them goodbye and took off down the stairs, leaving the two of them to turn and continue on their way to the clubroom.


    ¡°If only Brooks could see,¡± Eric muttered, ¡°just how much he was loved. Briggs looked like he was in pain¡­ I don¡¯t think Brooks understood just how many people would be hurt by his death.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lilly whispered. ¡°I was thinking the same thing.¡±


    Eric¡¯s words weighed on her for a moment and she realized just how true they were. Alice was utterly heartbroken, Vinny was so distraught that he wasn¡¯t even at school, Damien and Liz looked like they didn¡¯t even know how to react to it, Eric was blaming himself for not noticing, and she, too, had cried herself to sleep multiple nights since. Then there were those not as close to him. Just looking at Matt and seeing what he was trying to do showed how much he respected and cared about Jay as a team member. Lilly hadn¡¯t spoken to Ellie much but Brad had said that she canceled their tutoring multiple times. The other cross country members all seemed distant. The list just kept going on. Even those who didn¡¯t know Jay were feeling the effects of having a fellow student who tried to kill themself.


    You just didn¡¯t get it, Jay, she thought. I don¡¯t know what was going through your mind but...if you could see the school right now...you¡¯d understand that what you did isn¡¯t just affecting you. You¡¯re more important to us than you realized!


    Lilly clenched her teeth. What would you think if you saw this? Would it change things? Would it give you a reason to keep living¡ªto be there for us all? Maybe¡­


    When Eric and Lilly finally arrived in the clubroom, they found it empty aside from Mr. Lowe at his desk, typing away on his computer. They passed him by and went to their regular lunchtime spot in the back corner. There they waited in silence, sitting side by side with their hands held together, as they waited for Damien and Liz. When the two finally arrived, they made their way over and took a seat in the desks in front of them. Both noticed them holding hands but neither said anything about it, something Lilly was grateful for.


    ¡°Sorry we¡¯re late,¡± Damien muttered. ¡°Some guy stopped us, asking us to donate some money to help Jay.¡±


    Lilly glanced up in surprise, having expected Matt to opt to avoid Damien and Liz. She found herself pleasantly surprised to know that he didn''t just write them off.


    ¡°And did you donate?¡± Eric asked as he stared out the window to his left.


    Damien shrugged. ¡°I gave him a few bucks. He seemed genuine enough.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, same,¡± Liz added softly.


    From there, the conversation petered out and the four just silently ate their lunches, leaving Lilly alone with her thoughts again. She just couldn¡¯t get what Eric said out of her mind. How would Jay feel if he realized how much he was missed? Would that give him what he needed to decide to live? After all, just because he survived doesn¡¯t mean he would suddenly decide he didn¡¯t want to die. If they wanted to truly help him then they needed to find some way to make him want to live.


    And Lilly thought she might have a way to do that.


    But is it really a good idea? How would that even work under these circumstances? Would he even be willing to entertain it? I don¡¯t know, but I just can¡¯t sit around and do nothing! One of my first real friends just tried to kill himself! Doesn¡¯t that mean I have to be there for him? So¡­?


    Her thoughts were interrupted by the buzzing of her phone, causing that familiar feeling of dread to wash over her. She had it sitting on the desktop beside her, its surface facing upwards so all she had to do was briefly glance it¡¯s way. When she saw it was a text from Alice, her stomach churned and she forced herself to reach out and grab her phone. Luckily, when she read the message, she felt a sense of relief.


    Jay¡¯s dad just called me. He says I can come visit them in the hospital today and I was wondering if you¡¯d like to come with? I don¡¯t think I can do it alone. I have a shift at the diner after school so I¡¯m heading over afterwards.


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Lilly exhaled softly. So they¡¯re finally letting her visit? That means I¡¯ll have an opportunity to¡­


    At that moment, the girl came to a decision. She decided that there wasn¡¯t any point in overthinking it. Given the circumstances, it was a far better idea to just go with her gut and act, especially if it meant helping her friend. She quickly typed in a response.


    Absolutely. Let me know what time you get off work and I¡¯ll meet you at the diner...


    Then, committed to her plan and not wanting to give herself any time to think it through any further, she put the phone down and looked up at the others. They were all staring at her, clearly worried that the text might have been more bad news. However, she figured that she could fill them in momentarily. She had other priorities for the moment. So, she turned to look at Eric and spoke before her brain could convince her not to.


    ¡°Eric, can I borrow the stone?¡± she asked firmly.


    All three of them looked at her for a moment, stunned. Both Damien and Liz looked like they wanted to say something but they seemed to be waiting for Eric to respond first. As for him, he was staring back at her with a curious expression. She was prepared to explain everything if she must but she would refuse to back down. If she had to spend the entire day trying to convince him then she would but she needed the gem. After a moment, Eric seemed to decide how to respond.


    ¡°You have a plan to help Brooks, yes?¡± he asked softly.


    Lilly nodded. ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Okay then.¡± Without anything more, baffling Damien and Liz further, Eric pulled the stone from his pocket and placed it on her desk. ¡°I trust you, Lilly. Good luck.¡±


    Wait...that was easy¡­ Why would he just give it to me without even asking what I was going to do with it?! Does he...really trust me that much?


    Lilly smiled back at him weakly and took the stone from the desk.


    ¡°Thanks, Eric,¡± she whispered. ¡°Really.¡±


    She then glanced across the desks at Damien and Liz. The bespecticled girl was smiling slyly but Damien clearly seemed on edge, as if desperately wanting to intervene and say something. So, Lilly merely cocked an eyebrow at him.


    ¡°Have something to say, Damien?¡± she asked, knowing how hard he tended to oppose using the stone.


    The boy sighed and shook his head. ¡°Even if I did...I can¡¯t really say anything after Liz and I swapped last week, can I?¡±


    Lilly smirked. ¡°Nope.¡±


    Alright, I can do this! I didn¡¯t think it would be that easy and I¡¯m grateful that they¡¯re going to trust me. Now, I just have to hope that everything works out the way I need it to. Soon enough, it¡¯ll be out of my hands.


    With that, Lilly began explaining just what she planned to do.


    ***


    The Wilham hospital was located just off of Main Street, nearly a half mile away from Ralph¡¯s Diner where Alice worked. The two girls met up a little after six and walked together to the hospital. All the preparations were in place for Lilly¡¯s plan and now all there was left to do was go through with it. All throughout the day, she refused to allow herself to think about it any further. She knew she just had to do it, for if she gave it any more thought then she feared she would get scared and back out. When she told the other club members about it, Damien and Liz looked at her like she was insane but, as she should have expected, Eric simply smiled and said he would do for her what she needed. She had yet to tell Alice since she knew the girl wouldn¡¯t approve of it so she figured that she¡¯d tell her at the last minute when she didn¡¯t have the opportunity to stop her anymore.


    ¡°Here we are,¡± Alice whispered, the apprehension and nervousness clear in the way her voice shook.


    The two walked through the parking lot and began heading toward the visitor¡¯s entrance. Alice had said that Jay¡¯s father would be waiting there for them to take them up to his son¡¯s room. Lilly had never met either of Jay¡¯s parents before and he never once spoke about them so she wasn¡¯t really sure what to expect. Therefore, she knew it would be smarter to let Alice take the lead. They made their way toward the front doors which were automatic so they slid open just as they walked inside. When they entered the lobby, Lilly immediately noticed Jay¡¯s father without having ever seen him. There was a man sitting in one of the nearby chairs that looked distinctly like an older version of Jay. They had the same tight, curly hair and dark brown eyes. Even their facial structures looked quite similar. She had no doubt that it was him.


    ¡°Mr. Brooks,¡± Alice called out as they made their way over to him.


    The man instantly looked up and, upon seeing the two of them, he smiled weakly. He didn¡¯t look like he had slept in days and, judging from his suit and tie, he was probably still going to work. He rose to his feet and walked over, immediately pulling Alice into a hug.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, sweetheart,¡± he muttered softly.


    ¡°Yeah, you, too,¡± she replied. Then, after breaking off the hug, she motioned toward Lilly. ¡°This is Lilly Harper. She¡¯s a really good friend of ours.¡±


    Lilly held out her hand and Mr. Brooks shook it firmly.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, sir,¡± she said.


    He forced another smile and responded. ¡°You, too, Miss Harper. I appreciate that you¡¯d come to visit. I¡¯m sure it would mean a lot to him.¡± Mr. Brooks then stood straighter and smoothed out his suit before motioning for them to follow him. ¡°Come on. I¡¯ll take you upstairs. We just have to get you girls checked in first.¡±


    They followed his lead and went to the hospital¡¯s front desk where they went through the process of getting visitor''s passes. Mr. Brooks explained who they were and why they were there, and once Alice and Lilly had shown their student ID¡¯s to confirm their identities, they were told they could go up as long as they had an adult with them. Once that had been dealt with, Mr. Brooks turned and led them down the hall to their left and toward the elevators. As they walked, Alice asked the man about Jay¡¯s condition and Lilly listened silently. Even after all the time with the club, she still wasn¡¯t the greatest at talking to new people and so, she was happy to stand back and allow Alice time to talk with Jay¡¯s father. When they made it to the third floor, the man took the lead once again and took them down a few hallways before they arrived in front of a door.


    ¡°Here we are,¡± Mr. Brooks muttered.


    He took a deep breath, probably preparing himself to go inside, then opened the door. Despite having known about Jay¡¯s condition, it still made her inhale sharply at the sight of him laying in a hospital bed, wires connected to him and a respirator over his mouth. He was still sleeping and if not for all the equipment, he might have looked peaceful. The beeping of the machines showing his heart rate made Lilly tense in fear that the sound might go constant at any moment. His broken limbs had casts on them and were being held up. There were also bandages wrapped around his head, most likely due to the head trauma Alice had told her about. Overall, it was a horrible sight and Lilly felt tears forming in her eyes yet again. A young nurse was standing beside him and looked up at their entrance.


    ¡°Hi, could we have just a few moments alone?¡± Mr. Brooks asked softly.


    The woman nodded sadly. ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    Once she had departed, the three of them walked inside, giving them an even clearer look at the boy.


    ¡°Jay,¡± Alice murmured, seeming to be in an even worse mental state than Lilly was.


    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe this happened,¡± Mr. Brooks whispered. Then, as if remembering why they were there, he cleared his throat and addressed them. ¡°I¡¯ll give you girls some alone time. I need to call my wife.¡±


    Both of them thanked him just before he turned and left the room, closing the door so that they could have privacy. Lilly was grateful that she didn¡¯t have to do anything to get him to leave and so, she knew now that she had made it to the moment she¡¯d been waiting for. If she were going to help Jay, now was the time to do it. She took a deep breath to mentally prepare herself, knowing that she could be putting herself in danger. However, for Jay, she knew it was worth it. She was going to step up this time and do what needed to be done. No matter how much effort it took, she was going to help her friend.


    ¡°My god,¡± Alice whispered as she approached him. She kept a small distance between them, as if not wanting to get too close to the hospital bed. ¡°This is just so surreal. Jay¡¯s always been by my side. I¡¯m not sure I ever told you, Lilly, but our fathers were best friends in high school and, since Jay and I were born barely a month apart, we¡¯ve essentially grown up together. He¡¯s the slightly older one and so, I¡¯ve never known a world without him.¡±


    Even though she addressed Lilly, the girl could tell that Alice was more talking to herself. So, she stayed quiet, content to listen to what she had to say.


    ¡°Jay¡¯s always had his quirks but that was just who he was and I loved that about him,¡± Alice continued. ¡°He¡¯s like a brother to me and...now, I might never talk to him again. He could...actually die at any moment. How could I have been so stupid? I always told myself I knew him better than anybody and that he could never hide anything from me! So how did I never realize he was suicidal?! What kind of blind fucking idiot was I?¡±


    ¡°He was good at hiding it,¡± Lilly replied weakly.


    Alice shook her head. ¡°That shouldn¡¯t matter! I should have recognized it! But I was so caught up in my relationship with Vinny, in that whole debacle with Rina, that I didn¡¯t pay Jay enough attention! The signs were there, damn it! And I misread them all.¡±


    Lilly glanced away from Alice and toward the bed where Jay was laying. Her right hand was in her skirt pocket, gripping the gem tightly as she built her determination.


    ¡°Alice...if you could talk to him right now, what would you say?¡± she asked.


    The other girl shrugged meekly. ¡°I don¡¯t really know, honestly. I¡¯d tell him what an idiot he was for trying to kill himself. I¡¯d shout at him for not thinking about everybody else. And...I¡¯d hug him and tell him that he means the world to me.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Lilly muttered. ¡°In that case, what if I told you I could give you the chance to turn things around? What if I said I could give you the chance to help him?¡±


    Alice glanced over her shoulder, her brow furrowing in confusion.


    ¡°W-what are you talking about, Lilly?¡± she inquired.


    Lilly smiled sadly, pulling her hand from her pocket and raising it up so that the other girl could clearly see the orange gem sparkling in the room¡¯s lighting. Alice¡¯s eyes went wide and it was clear she recognized it immediately.


    ¡°The...Switch?¡± she uttered. ¡°Why do you¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Eric gave it to me,¡± she interrupted. ¡°Because I told him I had a plan to help Jay...and I¡¯m going to need your help to do it.¡±


    Alice was obviously shaking and, after a moment, she slowly turned to look back at Jay then back to the stone. Naturally, since she knew what the stone did, she would know what it was Lilly intended to do. There were only so many possibilities, after all. So, before Alice could speak, Lilly put her plan into words.


    ¡°In just a moment, I¡¯m going to use the stone and swap bodies with Jay,¡± she said firmly. ¡°If Damien¡¯s hypothesis is right and nothing physical swaps then, regardless of how damaged his brain might be, if he uses mine as a catalyst for his soul, there shouldn¡¯t be anything wrong. He should be able to interact like normal while in my body.¡±


    As if finally processing everything that was going on, Alice suddenly shook her head in clear panic. ¡°What are you talking about?! You can¡¯t do that! Mr. Brooks said Jay¡¯s condition isn¡¯t stable! What happens if his body dies while you¡¯re in it?! You can¡¯t take a chance like that!¡±


    ¡°I can and I will!¡± Lilly retorted fiercely. ¡°I understand how risky it might be, Alice! How could I not? But¡­I¡¯m not going to stand by and do nothing! I¡¯m not going to die and neither is he! And maybe, when he wakes up in my body, the bastard will realize just how far his friends are willing to go for him!¡±


    ¡°Lilly¡ª!¡¯


    ¡°This isn¡¯t up for debate,¡± she snapped. ¡°The preparations are already made! I¡¯ve also made my decision! If you don¡¯t want to help me then that¡¯s fine but I¡¯m going through with it regardless of what you decide. Jay tried to kill himself! For what reason, none of us know! So let¡¯s ask the jackass and find out! Then, maybe we can help him!¡±


    Alice took a step back, clearly thrown off by Lilly¡¯s confident and determined attitude. Her eyes were frantically moving around as she processed what she was saying. Alice then swallowed nervously and looked once more at the sleeping Jay, tears in her eyes. Lilly could tell that she was considering it. She made it clear just how much she cared about Jay and how regretful she was that she hadn¡¯t been able to prevent his attempted suicide. Lilly was giving her a chance to change that so, regardless of the danger it might pose, she knew Alice couldn¡¯t just say no. Luckily, Lilly didn¡¯t plan on giving her a chance to stop her so, once Jay was in her body, Alice wouldn¡¯t be able to bring herself to do nothing.


    ¡°And Eric didn¡¯t try to stop you?¡± Alice asked softly.


    Lilly nodded. ¡°He didn¡¯t. He said he¡¯s leaving this in my hands.¡±


    The other girl sighed, absently reaching up to tug on a strand of her hair. ¡°And what do you need me to do once he¡¯s in your body? What¡¯s the plan here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already called my parents to let them know I¡¯m staying over at your place tonight,¡± she explained. ¡°What you¡¯ll do is you¡¯ll take Jay there and spend the night with him. Try to learn whatever you can and then, tomorrow, take him to school and let him see what effects his suicide has had. I want him to understand that he doesn¡¯t have the option to just disappear. Then, when school lets out, bring him back and return me to my body.¡±


    Alice listened without interrupting and, when Lilly finished explaining, she shook her head. ¡°And if it doesn¡¯t work? What if he still wants to die even after that.¡±


    ¡°Then we do it again!¡± Lilly stated. ¡°And we¡¯ll keep coming back every few days and stuffing his dumb ass into my body until he comes to his senses. I¡¯m not taking no for an answer from him. I might not be able to talk to him directly but you will and...I think you can do it, Alice¡ªer, actually no, I know you can do this!¡±


    The other girl sighed. ¡°And how do you know I can even bring a guest over tonight?¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­¡± Lilly hesitated.


    Shit, I didn¡¯t think about that¡­ I guess I just figured she would!


    ¡°Um...can you not?¡±


    Alice eyed her for a moment before sighing once more and breaking out into a soft laugh. ¡°No, I can. I was just curious how far you planned. You were starting to seem too confident and I started doubting if it was even you.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± she grumbled. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean? I can be confident.¡±


    Alice smiled. ¡°I guess so. You¡¯ve really changed, Lilly. Just the fact that you would do something like this for him¡­ I don¡¯t think you would have back in August.¡±


    She¡¯s right, she silently acknowledged. I wouldn¡¯t have done something like this back then. Hell, I wouldn¡¯t have even considered it. But¡­


    ¡°You and Jay are my friends,¡± Lilly said, clenching her fists down at her side. ¡°And I¡¯ll be damned if I let anything happen to either of you. You were there for me back before you even knew the gem existed. That...meant more to me than I think either of you realized. So, to thank you, I¡¯ll do this. We¡¯re going to help Jay, Alice!"

 Chapter 38- The Four Pieces

    Chapter XXXVIII


    When he slowly opened his eyes, the sun was shining through his blinds, illuminating his bedroom in a soft light. The sound of his ceiling fan spinning above him was calming and for a moment, he just wanted to lay in bed, enjoying the breeze on his body. After all, what better things did he have to be doing? It was still summer vacation and his parents were probably at work so he had no reason to leave his room. Yet, when his stomach grumbled in anticipation of breakfast, he grimaced.


    Well, I guess food is one reason to get out of bed, he reluctantly admitted.


    Gathering his energy, Jay Brooks reluctantly pushed himself to a sitting position and tried to rub the sleepiness from his eyes. He groaned, then swung his legs onto the ground and got to his feet. He opened his blinds to let more light in and briefly peeked out at the street below his apartment building. He didn¡¯t see anybody which wasn¡¯t that surprising given that the forecast said it would be in triple digits by the afternoon.


    Yup. I¡¯m staying inside today, that¡¯s for sure.


    On his way from his room, he turned his fan up to its highest setting then headed out into the hall. Unsurprisingly, he was correct in assuming his parents had already left for work. Not that he was bothered by that. He far preferred having the house to himself so it was all fine.


    Hearing his stomach grumble again, Jay walked to the pantry and pulled out his favorite cereal¡ªa fairly bland wheat based cereal that Alice always made fun of him for liking. She said it was boring but, since the really sugary brands always made him feel sick in the morning, he had grown to appreciate it. He grabbed the milk from the fridge on his way past then got a bowl from the pantry. Once he had his breakfast prepared, he plopped himself down at the kitchen table and began to eat.


    Can¡¯t go wrong with cereal first thing in the morning, he thought with satisfaction.


    He glanced briefly through the sliding glass door and out at the balcony, noticing that a blue bird had landed on the railing. Jay watched it for a second as it hopped around before jumping off and taking flight. He always enjoyed watching the birds whenever they landed on the balcony and had set some crumbs out for them a few times until his dad told him to stop feeding them. He said something about not feeding wild animals but Jay always saw the birds getting fed out at the park so he didn¡¯t see the problem. Of course, he didn¡¯t tell his dad that. He knew not to talk back to him.


    He swallowed his last bite and was about to pour himself another bowl when he suddenly heard a knock at the door. He looked up in surprise, having not been expecting any visitors. Part of him wanted to just ignore it but, when the person called out to him, he immediately knew that wasn¡¯t an option.


    ¡°Oi, Jay? You awake yet, you lazy bastard?¡±


    He sighed at the unnecessary addition of ¡°lazy bastard¡± but couldn¡¯t help smiling.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m awake!¡± he called back. ¡°Give me a sec!¡±


    He set the box of cereal back down on the table and got to his feet. For a second, he considered changing out of his tank top and pajama shorts he had slept in but, considering who was at the door, he¡¯d probably be judged more for making her wait than for what he was wearing. The boy smirked and walked toward his front door.


    ¡°Took you long enough. I¡¯m lucky I didn¡¯t go gray waiting for you to answer the door.¡±


    Before he could even offer her a good morning, she made one of her usual snarky comments then stalked past him like she owned the place. He cocked an eyebrow, shut the door, and turned around to see her already taking a seat at the dining table.


    ¡°Honestly, Audrey,¡± he muttered. ¡°You could stand to complain a little less, you know? I came as fast as I could! And it¡¯s not like you called ahead!¡±


    Grinning as if she didn¡¯t have a care in the world, Audrey Moore glanced back at him and shrugged. ¡°I figured you¡¯d appreciate the surprise,¡± she said. ¡°Who doesn¡¯t like a surprise visit from one of their bestest friends?¡±


    He snorted. ¡°Well you¡¯re lucky I¡¯m even awake. What was your plan if I¡¯d still been sleeping?¡±


    ¡°Bang on the door until you woke up,¡± she responded, showing no sign of guilt at the suggestion and seeming as if she wasn¡¯t joking. ¡°I can be loud if I wanna be.¡±


    He rolled his eyes and went to sit back down to continue his breakfast when she smiled an unusually sweet smile and batted her eyes a bit.


    ¡°Jay? Could you get me a bowl please?¡± she asked in a painfully fake sweet tone. ¡°I want some cereal, too.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you eat breakfast at your own house?¡± he grumbled.


    ¡°No. I wasn¡¯t hungry when I left, but I am hungry now so¡­¡± She grinned deviously, knowing he wasn¡¯t going to say no.


    And of course, he wasn¡¯t. Jay begrudgingly walked back to the cabinets and grabbed another bowl before walking back and placing it in front of his friend.


    ¡°Thanks!¡± she chirped, then grabbed the box of cereal and poured herself some.


    He watched her for a second, always amused by how outgoing and confident she was around her friends considering how much she hated interacting with everyone else. To anybody who didn¡¯t personally know her, she was just a shy and quiet girl. To Jay, she was a cinnamon roll of insanity and the contrast never ceased to amaze him.


    As he watched her cheerfully eating her cereal, he noticed that her typically shoulder-length brown hair was tied up in a ponytail, which was unusual for the girl. Normally she just wore it down so he couldn¡¯t help but be curious.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the hairstyle?¡± he asked.


    She glanced up at him and shook her head. ¡°What kind of question is that? Come on, Jay! When a girl changes her hair, you¡¯re supposed to compliment it, not question it!¡±


    He smirked. ¡°Yeah, well, consider answering my question as the price of breakfast.¡±


    Audrey sighed. ¡°Well, it¡¯s just hot today so I figured I¡¯d wear it up. Makes my neck feel cooler.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°And are you planning on going outside today or something?¡±


    He felt a sudden sense of fear that he shouldn¡¯t have asked that question when she started smiling like some sort of comic book villain.


    ¡°Well, Jay, I actually am,¡± she replied. ¡°And you are, too?¡±


    He narrowed his eyes. ¡°Am I now?¡±


    ¡°Yup! Rina texted me this morning and said she wanted to meet at the hideout to show us something so I came to get you,¡± Audrey explained.


    Jay scowled. ¡°And what¡¯s so important that she¡¯d drag us out into the woods on such a hot day?! Why can¡¯t it wait until it cools off next week?!¡±


    ¡°I dunno,¡± Audrey replied. ¡°But I¡¯m not gonna question Rina so here I am! And I¡¯m not taking no for an answer, so you¡¯re coming with me whether you like it or not!¡±


    The boy sighed. He really didn¡¯t want to leave the house but, knowing Audrey as well as he did, he knew there was no way to escape it. The girl would stay there pestering him all day anyway so, he figured he might as well bite the bullet and do what she wanted.


    ¡°Fine,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Then let me finish breakfast and get dressed.¡±


    She grinned smugly as the two went back to eating their cereal. Once he was finished, Audrey offered to put the dishes away while he went to put his clothes on. He opted to wear a light t-shirt and some swim shorts then headed to the bathroom so he could put as much sunscreen on as he needed to avoid getting burnt. When he finished, he headed back out into the front room to see Audrey laying on the couch.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± he said, always amused by how casually she made herself at home in his home.


    ¡°Awesome!¡± she said, bouncing to her feet. ¡°Then let¡¯s get going. Alice already texted me and said they¡¯re on their way to the hideout.¡±


    ¡°Great. Alright then, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Jay swiped the spare set of keys from the counter and the two headed toward the front door. Once they were out, he locked the door behind them before turning and walking down the hallway. They rode the elevator down to the lobby and passed through to the building¡¯s front entrance. The minute they went outside, Jay regretted agreeing to go with her.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s so damn hot,¡± he uttered. ¡°And it¡¯s only ten in the morning.¡±


    Audrey laughed. ¡°Ah, lighten up. It¡¯s not that bad!¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s only gonna get hotter from here.¡±


    She ignored him. ¡°Come on! Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Audrey grabbed his arm and began leading him down the sidewalk in the direction of the forest. The streets were mostly empty still with the exception of the rare group of high schoolers that were heading in the direction of the pier. Each time anybody passed, Jay noticed Audrey draw closer to him and lower her head, clearly not wanting to draw any attention. She really wasn¡¯t one who enjoyed interaction with others and it was a trait Jay found endearing. He knew that her shyness sometimes made her come across as harsh or bitchy so she had accidentally pissed off enough of their classmates. That, in turn, only made her more uncomfortable with others. It was a vicious cycle and Jay was glad that he and the girls could be there for her.


    And maybe she can get a fresh start in high school, he thought cheerfully. Maybe then she can break out of her shell.


    There were only three weeks of summer left until eighth grade started. Then, before they knew it, they¡¯d be high schoolers. All four of them planned to attend West Wilham High and so Jay knew they¡¯d all be together at least until graduation. By that time, he wanted to help Audrey show her confidence to others. She was an amazing friend to him and he wished their classmates could understand that.


    ¡°You know,¡± Audrey began, ¡°I¡¯m excited for next week¡¯s trip to the pier.¡±


    He grinned. She was referencing their annual end-of-summer pier trip where Alice¡¯s parents took all four of them down to the Wilham Pier for the day.


    ¡°Yeah, same,¡± he replied. ¡°Even though I live so close to it, I only ever go with you guys so I¡¯m definitely excited.¡±


    Audrey smiled slyly. ¡°Maybe this year, you and Rina won¡¯t be so scared of the ferris wheel.¡±


    ¡°Oh shut up,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Look, I just don¡¯t like heights, is all. But I¡¯ll definitely go this year¡­as long as we¡¯re on the outer carriages. I am not going on those hellish inner ones that move!¡±


    ¡°What?! But those are the fun ones! You gotta go on those!¡± she protested.


    ¡°Absolutely not!¡± he stated firmly. ¡°They¡¯re a death trap disguised as a ride. I¡¯m not getting myself killed on a ferris wheel!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being dramatic!¡±


    ¡°I know that.¡±


    Audrey rolled her eyes and laughed, shaking her head in exasperation. ¡°Oh Jay. What am I going to do with you?¡±


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    As they walked, they began talking about the pier and of their favorite things to do there. They passed through the nearby neighborhoods until they came to the path that led into the woods. Jay could already feel himself sweating intensely and he hoped that whatever Rina wanted to show them wouldn¡¯t take too long. They only followed the forest path a little ways before breaking off and heading into the trees. They¡¯d made this walk so many times that Jay knew where to go even without a path to lead them. After a while, their destination came into view¡ªa little, rundown house that looked more like a shack than anything.


    He and Alice had stumbled upon it back in fifth grade and, after figuring out that they could get inside via one of the windows, had been using it as their group¡¯s hideout ever since. Rina wasn¡¯t a big fan of it since she thought it was haunted but Jay thought it was strangely cozy despite its appearance. However, naturally, there was no working air conditioner so it would be unbearably hot inside.


    He and Audrey stepped up the front porch and the girl knocked once in the middle, twice in the top right corner, then three times in the middle again. It was their secret code they only used because they thought it was cool to have one. After a moment, they heard the sound of footsteps and then the door opened to reveal Rina¡¯s familiar features.


    ¡°There you guys are!¡± she greeted cheerfully. ¡°Come on! Get in here!¡±


    Jay and Audrey stepped into the entry hall with Rina leading them back to the main room.


    ¡°I like your hair, Audrey,¡± the girl said. ¡°We match today!¡±


    She indicated her own black hair, tied up in a similar ponytail to Audrey¡¯s, though that was the normal way Rina wore hers.


    ¡°It¡¯s too hot today to wear it down so I figured I¡¯d take a page outta your book,¡± she replied. ¡°And I gotta say, it¡¯s quite comfortable. Maybe I¡¯ll do this more often.¡±


    Rina nodded. ¡°You definitely should.¡±


    ¡°She should do what?¡±


    As they walked into the main room, Jay noticed Alice sitting against the wall, holding one of those battery-powered handheld fans up to her face. She was looking at them with her head cocked in curiosity.


    ¡°Keep her hair tied up like that,¡± Rina answered.


    Alice glanced back at Audrey and, seemingly realizing she had her hair up, smiled in agreement.


    ¡°Oh, yeah! It¡¯s really cute like that,¡± she said enthusiastically. ¡°And hey, maybe changing your hair up a bit is exactly what you need to get a boyfriend.¡±


    Audrey scowled, putting her hands on her hips as she regarded Alice. ¡°I¡¯ve said before, I don¡¯t date. Why would I ever want a boyfriend?¡±


    ¡°Cause it¡¯s fun,¡± Rina pointed out. ¡°Not like I¡¯ve ever had one though but it looks fun, at least!¡±


    Jay couldn¡¯t help but smirk as he watched the girls bicker. Although, he realized his mistake too late. He should have known better than to draw unwanted attention to himself.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny, Jay?¡± Rina inquired. ¡°Got something to add?¡±


    With all three girls now looking at him, the boy immediately felt the desire to back down. However, given his knack for being stubborn, he decided to just dig his heels in.


    ¡°Actually, I do,¡± he replied. ¡°I think it¡¯s amusing that you think dating has any real purpose in middle school. Sure, maybe she could boyfriend-hunt in high school but for now, it¡¯s not worth it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about the relationship,¡± Rina protested. ¡°It¡¯s just about the fun of dating!¡±


    Audrey smirked. ¡°If it¡¯s only for fun then it¡¯s not worth it. I have plenty of fun with you three. That¡¯s good enough for me.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Jay agreed.


    He and Audrey fist bumped and grinned in victory at Rina, who merely sighed and shrugged.


    ¡°Well, whatever. Be that way,¡± she huffed.


    ¡°Anyway, before I burst into flames from this awful heat, could you tell me why I¡¯ve been dragged out here,¡± Jay asked. ¡°This better be important because I was prepped and ready for a nice day of lounging around in my air-conditioned house.¡±


    ¡°Oh, stop whining,¡± Rina snapped. ¡°It¡¯s not that hot.¡±


    Jay cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Are you serious? It¡¯s almost eighty-five degrees and it¡¯s hardly eleven o¡¯clock!¡±


    ¡°Jay, catch!¡±


    At Alice¡¯s sudden words, he barely turned in time to see another handheld fan flying his way. He frantically reached out to grab it but wasn¡¯t fast enough to get a good grip on it. Luckily, before it could hit the ground, Audrey snatched it and handed it to him.


    ¡°That¡¯ll cool you down,¡± Alice said with a grin.


    ¡°T-thanks,¡± he stuttered. ¡°But I could use a better heads up next time. I almost dropped the damn thing.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t call it dropping if you never held it to begin with,¡± Rina chimed in.


    Jay scowled. ¡°Yeah, whatever. So why are we here?¡±


    At the question, all eyes turned expectantly to Rina. He had known that Audrey didn¡¯t have any idea what was up but, based on her curious expression, it seemed like Alice didn¡¯t either. Rina looked around at all of them, smiled, then turned to head into the back room.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± she said excitedly, before disappearing into the hall.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m definitely intrigued,¡± Audrey mused. ¡°Rina looks pretty pumped for whatever this is.¡±


    Alice nodded. ¡°I know. I¡¯m really curious now, too.¡±


    Jay took a seat beside Alice against the wall and activated his fan, feeling some relief from the heat due to the relatively meager breeze. Moments later, Rina returned with a little brown box.


    ¡°Here we go!¡± she said, taking a seat across from Alice and Jay.


    Seeming to take that as an indication to sit down, Audrey followed suit, plopping herself down beside Rina.


    ¡°So these just came in today,¡± Rina began, clearly anxious to show them whatever was in the box. ¡°And I know I probably should have just waited but I really didn¡¯t want to, so here we are!¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a very beautiful box. Definitely worth the trek out here to see,¡± Audrey said wryly.


    Rina glanced irritably at her. ¡°It¡¯s not the box I wanted to show you, idiot!¡±


    The other girl grinned, as if having both expected such a response while wanting to press her friend¡¯s buttons a bit, though it was clear Rina found it partially amusing. Audrey¡¯s joke seemed to help her gather her thoughts before she continued.


    ¡°Anyway, I used my allowance to have these made, like, four months ago, so I¡¯m happy they finally came in,¡± she said. ¡°So, here they are.¡±


    Taking another deep breath, Rina popped open the lid and revealed what lay beneath. Jay was taken by surprise as, it seemed, Audrey and Alice were. Laying nestled within were four silver necklaces with a quarter of a circle at the end of them. Each piece had one of their names inscribed and it was clear that they were all intended to connect together to form a whole medallion.


    ¡°Ooh, they¡¯re really pretty, Rina,¡± Alice said, awed.


    Rina grinned. ¡°I know, right? I know it¡¯s kinda cheesy or whatever but I thought it could be fun if we each had a piece. That way it could only be whole when we¡¯re all together.¡± She paused then and glanced hesitantly at Jay. ¡°Though, I know jewelry isn¡¯t really all that manly so I won¡¯t be offended if you never wear yours, Jay.¡±


    The boy smiled, keeping his stare firmly directed at the piece with his name on it. ¡°Well I¡¯m not that manly either so there¡¯s nothing to worry about, Rina. I think it¡¯s cool.¡±


    ¡°Can I touch it?¡± Audrey asked, looking excited to hold hers.


    Rina nodded. ¡°Of course! Go ahead!¡±


    All three of them reached forward and grabbed their designated necklace. Jay held his up by the chain so that the piece hung right before his eyes. There was a little pattern around the edge that resembled vines intertwined with each other. Below that was his name, ¡°Jay¡±, written in a curly and girlish font that he was certain Rina had picked herself.


    Yeah, jewelry isn¡¯t really my thing, but I¡¯m still gonna wear this. I like the thought of us all having one.


    ¡°Thank you, Rina,¡± Jay said finally. ¡°This is really cool.¡±


    Alice and Audrey both echoed his sentiment and Jay noticed Rina¡¯s cheeks turn a soft shade of red.


    ¡°Well, shall we put them together then?¡± Audrey suggested excitedly.


    They all nodded, holding their pieces out into the center of their circle so they could form the whole medallion. Naturally, they fit together perfectly, and Jay smiled at the sight of all of their names together.


    Alice.


    Rina.


    Audrey.


    Jay.


    They¡¯d been friends since they were tiny and he never wanted that to change. The three of them meant the world to him and he would do anything for them. Now, Rina had given them a symbol of their friendship and he would treasure that for the rest of his life.


    ***


    After departing their hideout, the four of them headed back to Alice¡¯s house to hang out. Since Alice was the only one with a close relationship with her parents, it was her house that they spent most of their time at. When they arrived, Alice¡¯s mother gave them popsicles to cool down with and they spent the day playing card games in her basement. Nothing special happened that day. In fact, it wasn¡¯t that different from any of the other days they spent just hanging out. But, for some reason, Jay knew it was a day he¡¯d remember forever. Just a calm, casual day playing games with his best friends.


    Once it started getting dark out, Jay, Rina, and Audrey bid Alice goodbye and began heading home. Rina lived in the opposite direction of Jay and Audrey so she split off first, leaving them to walk home alone in the same way they¡¯d arrived.


    ¡°Man, I don¡¯t want to go back,¡± Jay complained. ¡°God, I wish days like this could just last forever.¡±


    Audrey smirked. ¡°You¡¯re telling me, buddy. I¡¯m sure my dad will be nice and drunk when I get back.¡±


    She said it like it was a joke but Jay knew she wasn¡¯t lying. The truth of the matter was that her father probably was drunk, as he often was when he got home from work. He knew Audrey couldn''t stand her dad but, since her mother had passed when she was really young, he was the only family she had left. Even so, she spent most of her time anywhere but home and, when Jay¡¯s parents were at work, she would often come by his place to hang out.


    ¡°If my dad wasn¡¯t already home, I¡¯d invite you over,¡± he said softly.


    She shrugged. ¡°I appreciate it but I know I¡¯ll have an easier time with Dad the sooner I¡¯m back. Really though. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re always there for me, Jay. You¡¯re a good friend.¡±


    He smiled, thankful to know that he could be a shoulder for her to lean on. Audrey stretched her arms into the air and looked up at the sky. The sun was already below the horizon so there was a fair number of stars already visible.


    ¡°Man, what I wouldn¡¯t give to go up there some day,¡± she mused. ¡°Travel the stars and go to another world far away from here. Oh, but I¡¯d have you guys come, of course.¡±


    Jay chuckled. ¡°Well, I¡¯d totally be down and I¡¯m sure Rina would be, too. Not sure about Alice, though. I think she¡¯s too happy with life here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure she is,¡± Audrey said. She sighed, dropping her arms back down to her side, though her eyes stayed fixated on the sky. ¡°Do you think there¡¯s anything else out there? Like¡­something more interesting than boring ol¡¯ daily life.¡±


    Jay shrugged. ¡°Maybe. I guess I can¡¯t say for certain that there isn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Well, I hope there is,¡± she stated firmly. ¡°I think it would be a lot less boring that way.¡±


    For a moment, he just stared at her as she gazed up at the stars. There was a soft twinkle in her eyes and he could tell that she truly wished she could go somewhere exotic and fun. If he could take her there, he would. But unfortunately, he was just a normal person. There was nothing extraordinary about him and so, he could only be by her side there on Earth.


    ¡°Hey, Audrey?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    For a moment, he hesitated. ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a lot of cool places out there, but¡­don¡¯t give up on Earth just yet. It¡¯s not great, but it¡¯s not bad either.¡±


    Audrey chuckled and turned to him with a wry grin. She then opened her mouth to respond¡­


    ¡­and everything disappeared.


    What the hell?!


    All of a sudden, he was within a realm of white, one that seemed oddly familiar to him yet terribly foreign. He tried to look around, desperate to figure out what was happening and where Audrey had gone. But, after a second of panic, dread set over him as he realized how stupid his thoughts were.


    Oh, right. Why would I be looking for her? She died three years ago¡­


    Then, as suddenly as he was plunged into that world, everything returned. However, much to his surprise, he wasn¡¯t standing out in the streets of Wilham late at night on a summer evening. Instead, he was in a room and he could hear a beeping sound somewhere nearby. His vision was blurry and his memory was fuzzy, throwing him off for a moment.


    Where am I? What¡¯s happening? I don¡¯t understand!


    Yet, the moment his vision cleared and he saw what lay before him, his eyes went wide in horror. He was staring at himself, laying atop a hospital bed with machines hooked up to him to keep him alive. His limbs were wrapped in casts and he looked as if he was on the brink of death. That was when it all returned to him.


    He remembered Audrey¡¯s death, the collapse of their group, his high school years with Alice, their meeting Lilly and the Magic Club, followed by the bullying incident with Rina and Vinny¡¯s solution to it. Which also meant that he remembered why he was in the hospital.


    I jumped from the balcony. I committed suicide so¡­why am I here? Am I dead? I should be, but¡­no¡­why am I looking down at myself?


    Just as he asked himself the question, he recalled the formless world of white and immediately remembered the last time he¡¯d experienced that.


    The¡­stone?!


    He turned his head and there, clutched in a hand that was smaller than his own, was Eric Reiner¡¯s magic stone.


    If somebody used this then¡­that means I¡¯ve swapped bodies with somebody! But who?


    He frantically turned to look down and it was only then that he noticed the different sensations he was experiencing. He immediately realized that he was in a girl¡¯s body based on both the obvious physical differences and the female uniform he was wearing. His first thought was that he was currently Alice but, upon noticing the strands of shoulder-length hair in his peripheral vision, he knew that it was too short to be hers. That left only one option.


    Lilly¡­


    ¡°Jay?¡±


    At the sound of the voice, he jumped, having not realized he wasn¡¯t alone in the room. He recognized the voice and could tell how scared and hurt her tone was. He didn¡¯t want to turn around. He knew what was going on and desperately didn¡¯t want to accept it but he knew he had to.


    His suicide had failed.


    Lilly had swapped bodies with him.


    And behind him¡­


    He slowly turned around, his heart pounding in his chest, to find Alice standing there, staring at him with tears in her eyes.


    ¡°That is you, right Jay?¡± she whispered.


    He clenched his teeth.


    Damn it, Lilly! What the hell did you do?!

 Chapter 39- Heart to Heart

    Chapter XXXIX


    He wanted to protest but he found himself unable to do so as Alice grabbed his arm and began leading him from his hospital room and out into the hallway. She¡¯d taken the gemstone away from him so he no longer had any way to return Lilly to her body and now, all he could do was be at Alice¡¯s mercy. When they left the room, he was shocked to see his father waiting outside. He wanted to say something but, due to the fact that his dad currently perceived him as Lilly Harper, he knew there was nothing he could say. Alice quickly thanked him, bid him goodbye, and dragged Jay away.


    Dad¡¯s here? So, I did get his attention. I figured he would have just brushed this off considering how little he cared about me. And yet¡­were those tears I saw in his eyes? When they walked away, his father had kept his head low so he couldn¡¯t be certain but it did look as if he might have been crying. But¡­would Dad ever actually cry for me? No¡­I must¡¯ve been imagining it¡­ Maybe I was just hoping for it.


    ¡°Alice?¡± he finally managed to say, cringing at the sound of Lilly¡¯s voice coming from his mouth. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain later,¡± she growled. ¡°Just come with me.¡±


    He still wanted to protest but the mix of fury and fear in his best friend¡¯s voice gave him pause. He didn¡¯t know how long it had been since he jumped so it might have been days or weeks or even months. He¡¯d been unconscious since but, clearly, he hadn¡¯t died from the fall. Somehow, he survived.


    But how? I jumped from the fourth floor onto the pavement. I should be a goddamn stain on the street! How am I alive? What saved me?


    He wanted to ask Alice but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to speak the words. Her entire demeanor told him that she, and most likely Lilly, were fully aware of how he came to be in his current state. They would have already read the goodbye letters he left them and so, Alice knew he had tried to kill himself. She would be furious and rightfully so. He wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Lilly only swapped bodies with him so that Alice could let him have it. He deserved it, after all.


    So where are we going? Where is she taking me?


    Much to his surprise, she led him out to the hospital¡¯s front lobby and out through the front doors. When they made it outside, Jay was met with the biting chill of a winter night and the lights from the hospital parking lot. The weather alone was enough to confirm that it hadn¡¯t been too long since he jumped. It was at most March or April.


    They still didn¡¯t stop as Alice marched him through the parking lot and back toward Main Street. His apprehension only increased the farther they got from the hospital¡ªand especially from where Lilly currently lay, unconscious in his body. He couldn¡¯t just leave her there and run off in her body. He was trying to ignore the sensations for the time being but he still felt uncomfortable being her given the circumstances. He wanted to give her body back as soon as possible but Alice only continued to walk further and further away until they¡¯d left Main Street and were back in the nearby neighborhoods.


    These roads¡­ He felt his body tense up. I was just dreaming about these¡­ Or maybe I was just remembering it. I was here, walking with Audrey on the day Rina gave us our medallions. It feels like that was just yesterday but¡­


    His thoughts briefly shifted to the four pieces of the medallion that Rina had given them. He no longer had his since he threw it into the sea shortly after Audrey¡¯s death. After all, since there was no way they could ever all be together again, he figured there was no reason to hold onto it. He had no idea what became of Audrey¡¯s piece after she died nor did he know whether Alice and Rina kept theirs. He¡¯d never had any interest in knowing either. That medallion represented their friendship¡ªand that friendship had fallen apart. Didn¡¯t it make sense then for the medallion to remain separated?


    They continued on down the road with Jay feeling more insistent on demanding to know what was going on by the minute. Yet, just as he was preparing to ask, he realized where they were. It was Alice¡¯s street and just ahead on his right was her house. She was taking him directly toward it.


    I haven¡¯t been here in a while, he realized. I used to go here all the time but¡­ever since we split up, I just haven¡¯t felt right coming by. I know that bothered Alice a lot. Is that why she¡¯s taking me here?


    Alice walked right up to her porch and, using her free hand, she removed her keys from her backpack¡¯s side pocket and unlocked the door.


    ¡°I¡¯m home, Mom!¡± she called out as the two of them walked into her living room. ¡°And, uh, I¡¯ve brought a friend by.¡±


    Jay tensed up as Alice closed the door behind him and began taking her shoes off. She motioned for him to do the same and, despite still being desperate for some information, he obliged. He knelt down to begin untying the laces of Lilly¡¯s shoes just as somebody entered the room. When he looked up, he felt his stomach churn.


    Sofia Mendez, Alice¡¯s mother, looked like she hadn¡¯t changed at all. Her black hair was pulled back in a tight bun and she was just as short as he remembered. She even still wore the same stained white apron that he remembered her using whenever she would bake them desserts. He swallowed nervously, unsure of how to even face her given both everything that had changed over the years and the fact that he wasn¡¯t even currently Jay Brooks.


    ¡°Hey, sweetheart,¡± Mrs. Mendez greeted. ¡°And¡­?¡±


    She looked at Jay, clearly waiting for an introduction, and Alice hurriedly obliged.


    ¡°This is my friend from school, Lilly,¡± Alice said. ¡°She went with me to the hospital and I asked her to stay the night. Is that all right, Mom?¡±


    Stay the night?! He struggled to keep his surprise in check, not wanting to come across as suspicious in front of Alice¡¯s Mom. I¡¯m supposed to stay in Lilly¡¯s body overnight?! Just what the hell are these girls planning?! And I mean¡­I haven¡¯t stayed over at Alice¡¯s place in years! Is this even okay?


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s perfectly fine,¡± Mrs. Mendez replied. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Lilly.¡±


    ¡°Er¡­yeah, nice to meet you, too,¡± he managed to sputter.


    The older woman hesitated for a moment and looked as if she were holding back tears when she spoke. ¡°So? Any news on Jay? Is he¡­awake yet?¡±


    Alice shook her head. ¡°Nope. He¡¯s still asleep. It¡¯s not a pretty sight. The doctors still don¡¯t know when he¡¯ll wake up.¡±


    So I am in a coma, he realized. I could still die. But¡­Lilly¡¯s in my body right now! What would happen if¡­?


    He refused to finish that thought, terrified of the implications it presented. Instead, he merely forced his shoes off and got back to his feet, though he refused to look at Mrs. Mendez.


    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± the woman whispered. ¡°Well, keep me posted, Alice. And tell Mr. Brooks that my thoughts and prayers are with them right now. I hope Jay recovers soon.¡±


    Her voice was shaking and, when he did finally look up, tears were sliding down her cheeks. His eyes went wide.


    She looks so upset but¡­she hasn¡¯t seen me in years. She doesn¡¯t even know me anymore. I shouldn¡¯t matter this much to her. What the hell¡­?


    ¡°Yeah, me, too,¡± Alice whispered. ¡°Anyway, Lilly, let¡¯s head to my room. Come on.¡±


    She grabbed his wrist and led him into the house. He quickly thanked her mother on the way past and meekly followed Alice through the kitchen and toward the hall where the bedrooms were located. Despite how long it had been, he still vividly remembered where Alice¡¯s bedroom was and, when she took him inside, he was surprised to find that it hadn¡¯t changed much. Her bed was on the opposite side of the room, pushed into the corner with some of her cross country awards hanging on the wall to the left of it. She had a little desk in front of it with a vanity mirror above it. He briefly recalled watching Alice and Rina using it to play dress up back when they were younger.


    Alice closed the door behind them and exhaled softly, her eyes directed at the ground. Jay could tell she was gathering her thoughts and since he didn¡¯t want to interrupt her, he opted to remain silent. He still didn¡¯t have the faintest idea of what was going on. For some reason, Lilly had swapped bodies with him and now, Alice had taken him to her home. None of it was making sense and he desperately wanted her to explain it to him.


    ¡°Sit down,¡± Alice whispered, though her voice was firm. ¡°At the desk.¡±


    He silently obliged, deciding it was better for the time being to just listen to her. He immediately moved to the vanity and took a seat in the chair behind it only to begin waiting once again. However, he couldn¡¯t help but to glance at his reflection. Just as he had expected, it was Lilly¡¯s features that looked back. He couldn¡¯t help but tense at the image, finding it so strange to be looking at a reflection that wasn¡¯t his own. But, at the same time, after his dream, he couldn¡¯t help but to realize something else.


    Man, Lilly really does look a lot like Audrey.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Alice said after a moment, snapping him back to the issue at hand. The girl walked across the room and sat down on the bed before turning to face him. ¡°Explain yourself.¡±


    He hesitated, having both feared and expected that question. He had no idea how to answer her. How was he supposed to explain himself after attempting suicide? He tried to kill himself. That wasn¡¯t something he could just explain to her.


    ¡°I¡­¡± he stuttered. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say.¡±


    Alice flinched at his words. ¡°Why did you jump from that balcony? What was going through your mind?¡± She reiterated her question, keeping her tone so calm that he couldn¡¯t figure out exactly what she was thinking.


    What was going through my mind? I¡¯m useless. I failed to protect you. You don¡¯t need me. Nobody needs me. I¡¯m wasting my time bothering to live! But how am I supposed to tell you that?!


    ¡°I just¡­¡± He hesitated, but, knowing he could never get away with lying to her, he just told the truth. ¡°¡­didn¡¯t see any point in living anymore.¡±


    Alice nodded, her eyes narrowed as if considering his words. Then, just as he braced himself for her response, a burning pain erupted in his cheek and his head snapped sideways. For a moment, he was at a loss for words but, when he hesitantly looked back at Alice, he could see her body shaking with rage and he realized that she had slapped him.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t see any point in living?¡± she breathed. ¡°Are you fucking kidding me, Jay? What the hell are you talking about?!¡±


    Hearing her curse threw him through another mental loop and he knew she was more furious than she had ever been. After all, despite knowing her since he was a baby, he had never heard Alice Mendez drop the F-bomb.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± he stuttered, desperately trying to figure out what to say.


    ¡°No point to live?¡± she spat. ¡°Really? So what about me, huh?! Did you think I was just going to forget about you after you died?! Did you think I was just going to brush it all off and move on?!¡±


    He could tell that she wanted to shout at him and the only reason she wasn¡¯t was because she didn¡¯t want her mother to hear.


    ¡°Well?¡± she pressed.


    ¡°Uh, I¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°Well, you had Mickelson and Lilly so I¡­¡±


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    He went silent as her eyes widened. ¡°So? Sure, Vinny¡¯s a great boyfriend and Lilly¡¯s nice but they could never replace you, Jay! You¡¯ve been my best friend since we were babies! I¡¯ve only ever gone a handful of days where I didn¡¯t talk to you! You¡¯re like my little brother! Did you think you could just be casually replaced?! Is that what you really thought?!¡±


    He struggled to find a response. In fact, that was exactly what he thought. When he first met Lilly Harper, her resemblance to Audrey Moore made him believe that she could take his place at Alice¡¯s side. He had hoped that she could be the friend Alice needed¡ªthe friend he knew he couldn¡¯t be. When Vinny came along and stood by Alice, that had been a bonus. He had been so certain that Vinny and Lilly would be good enough to replace him.


    ¡°I did,¡± he finally admitted. ¡°I figured you could finally move on from me! I know I¡¯ve dragged you down, Alice! You know I¡¯ve only ever been a hindrance to you! Our friendship has always caused shit to spread about us and I know I put people off! Without me, I knew you could finally live a happier life!¡±


    Now it was her turn to stare at him dumbfounded. However, her shock lasted far shorter than his and, before he knew it, her fury had returned.


    ¡°And you think I cared?¡± she hissed. ¡°Jay, if I ever had a problem with you, I would have left! But I stayed by your side all these years! Why? Because I love you! You mean the world to me! You¡¯re my best friend! I wouldn¡¯t trade you for anybody! Not Vinny! Not Lilly! And not anybody else in this entire world!¡±


    No¡­ That¡¯s not¡­ She¡¯s just saying that! I know she is! She knows she¡¯s better off without me! It¡¯s just a damn fact! I¡¯m fucking worthless! I¡¯m just a nuisance to her!


    ¡°How can you say that?¡± he whispered. ¡°I¡¯ve only ever caused you trouble! Even if you ignore how I¡¯ve alienated you, I¡¯ve only ever been pathetic! Remember how I stole the stone from Lilly? And you don¡¯t even know what I helped do to Rina! I¡¯m disgusting! I¡¯m worthless! And I know you can see tha¡ª!¡±


    Despite having seen it coming this time, he failed to dodge as Alice slapped him across the cheek a second time. Now it was really stinging and he feared it would still be red when Lilly got her body back.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Alice hissed. ¡°Are you kidding me?! You¡¯re not worthless or pathetic! Sure, stealing the stone was questionable, but it brought me and Vinny together, didn¡¯t it? And regardless of what you did to Rina, it worked! Evan and Rina aren¡¯t hurting me anymore. Don¡¯t tell me you never thought about that!¡±


    He clenched his fists. ¡°Mickelson is the one who deserves credit for that. Not me! I was just his damn sidekick in that mess.¡±


    ¡°But you did help!¡± Alice retorted.


    ¡°And?!¡± He shook his head. ¡°Mickelson took the lead! Mickelson came up with the plan! Mickelson executed it while I just sat back and let him! You don¡¯t need me! You need him! I failed to protect you from Evan and Rina! I couldn¡¯t do anything, but he could!¡±


    ¡°Listen to me!¡± Alice growled. ¡°You¡¯re clearly not actually paying attention! I. Do. Not. Care! I don¡¯t care if Vinny took the lead! I don¡¯t care about any of that other shit! You wanted to help me and that means more than anything! I don¡¯t want to lose you! I can¡¯t!¡±


    Before he could respond, she jumped to her feet and walked toward the vanity. He watched nervously as she reached for one of the drawers and opened it. Seconds later, he was left speechless as she pulled up a familiar necklace and placed it on the desk before him. It was a quarter of a circle with the name ¡°Alice¡± inscribed in curly writing.


    ¡°The necklace,¡± he uttered. ¡°You still have it.¡±


    Alice looked at him, her voice shaking as she spoke. ¡°Of course I still have it! Even after all this time, this means the world to me. No matter what happens, even after everything we¡¯ve been through, you, Audrey, and Rina are people that I love. But Audrey¡¯s dead and Rina¡¯s abandoned us, yet you? You¡¯ve always been by my side. You¡¯ve stuck by me and been my shoulder to lean on when I¡¯ve needed it. You¡¯re the last one of us that I have. So how could you ever think of yourself as a nuisance? As worthless? You have so much worth to me¡­more than anybody.¡±


    ¡°But I shouldn¡¯t¡­¡± he breathed. ¡°Rina was right, Alice. I failed to save Audrey! She was right there! I watched it happen! I watched my friend die! It was because of me! I couldn¡¯t save her! So how can you show me this damned medallion and expect it to mean something?! I don¡¯t even have my piece anymore! It¡¯s gone.¡±


    Bam!


    Jay jumped at the sudden sound and his eyes went even wider. Alice had taken another piece of jewelry from the drawer and slammed it on the desk. It was identical to the one from before with the only difference being the band upon it.


    Jay.


    ¡°Stop talking like that,¡± she choked out. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. Rina¡¯s full of it! She¡¯s just trying to blame somebody for the loss of her friend but it¡¯s nobody¡¯s fault! We couldn¡¯t have done anything! Audrey wouldn¡¯t have wanted this! She wouldn¡¯t have wanted to see us like this!¡±


    ¡°How did you¡­?¡± he uttered, hardly processing her words as he stared at the necklace. ¡°I threw it in the ocean.¡±


    ¡°Did you think I was going to let that happen?¡± she whispered. ¡°When you left, I went after it. It took almost four hours but luckily the tide sent it back to the beach. And you know what?¡±


    Mimicking her earlier actions, she reached back into the drawer and produced a third necklace. He watched in utter shock as she placed it down beside the others.


    The name ¡°Audrey¡± was written on it.


    ¡°The only one I don¡¯t have is Rina¡¯s,¡± Alice said. ¡°But I¡¯ve kept the others with the hope that the three of us can put them together again. That can¡¯t happen if you¡¯re dead, Jay. Doesn¡¯t this prove to you how much you mean to me? I¡¯ve kept these for three fucking years because you three are and will always be my best friends. Even Rina but especially you.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± he sputtered.


    ¡°And I¡¯m not the only one who doesn¡¯t want to lose you,¡± Alice continued. ¡°You saw how hurt my mother was when we got here, right? And¡­while I don¡¯t know enough about your relationship with your father, I can at least tell he¡¯s torn up about this.¡±


    Dad¡­is actually hurt? But there¡¯s no way. He¡¯s never given me the time of day! He doesn¡¯t care about me! My death should be a weight off his damn shoulders!


    ¡°And you know who else cares?¡± Alice asked though instead of answering his question, she pointed toward the mirror.


    He slowly turned to look at his reflection, seeing Lilly¡¯s eyes staring back at him. There were tears pouring down his cheeks that he hadn¡¯t realized were there.


    ¡°Lilly,¡± he whispered.


    Alice nodded. ¡°Lilly cares so much about you that right now, she¡¯s inhabiting your nearly dead body because she wanted to give you the chance to see how much you matter. She could be risking her life right now¡­all for you.¡±


    ¡°But¡­why would she do that?¡± he asked meekly.


    ¡°Because you mean something to her, you dense idiot!¡± Alice hissed. ¡°After all your badgering, you actually got Lilly Harper to come around! And now, she¡¯s grown to care about you enough to use the stone on you! Don¡¯t you realize what that means? I¡¯m not the only one who would be devastated by your death! Lilly would be, too!¡± Alice clenched her fists. ¡°And who else? Well, seeing as Reiner gave Lilly the stone to do this in the first place, I¡¯d say he¡¯s pretty invested in this, too!¡±


    Reiner¡­ Lilly¡­ Are you guys really okay doing this? For somebody like me?


    For the first time in a long time, he suddenly found himself having doubts about whether he truly wouldn¡¯t be missed. He had always been certain that he could just disappear but now, he couldn¡¯t say that was the case.


    ¡°But¡­Rina,¡± he whimpered.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t know what you and Vinny did to her,¡± Alice snapped. ¡°Nobody¡¯s told me but¡­I want to know. And I assure you that I won¡¯t blame you for it, Jay. I¡¯ll forgive you. I promise.¡±


    Forgive¡­me? Do I even deserve that? Do I even deserve to be forgiven for helping Mickelson defile her like he did? Is that okay?


    Logic told him it wasn¡¯t and yet, he desperately wanted to believe that he could be forgiven. In that moment, he desperately needed to hear that it was okay¡ªthat he wasn¡¯t disgusting. And so, despite having held it in for so long, Jay suddenly found himself talking about what he and Vinny did. He couldn¡¯t help it. He completely broke down into tears and told Alice what she wanted to hear.


    He told her the truth.


    ***


    When Jay finished telling her all about Vinny¡¯s pictures of Rina, he completely broke down into tears and couldn¡¯t seem to recollect himself. So, Alice decided to stop pressing him for the time being. She could tell that her words had reached him at least to some extent. Instead, she pulled him into bed and laid down next to him, allowing him to rest his head on her shoulder as she hugged him close. He kept crying and occasionally he would utter things like ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± or ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do¡± but otherwise he said nothing. To comfort him, she stroked his, or rather Lilly¡¯s hair, and that seemed to calm him down a little.


    With how sudden Lilly¡¯s plan had been, Alice was still trying to process everything and now, after talking with Jay, she found she had a far better understanding of both what happened to Rina and why Jay tried to kill himself. She still couldn¡¯t believe she never picked up on any of the signs. All this time, he¡¯d seen himself as pathetic and unwanted and she had never realized that. Obviously he was wanted. She loved him and yet, she apparently never made that clear to him. In that sense, she felt that she failed him as a friend. She failed to see how much he was hurting and she failed to help him.


    It all seems to have started with Audrey¡¯s death, she realized. I knew he¡¯d never forget her but I thought he had already come to terms with it. I never would have imagined that he still blames himself.


    Alice sighed internally. Well, Lilly said that I need to take him to school tomorrow so I¡¯m gonna do just that. Though I have no idea where her backpack is or what her classes are. I guess I¡¯ll have to ask Eric in the morning. She didn¡¯t fully think this through, did she?


    Though she couldn¡¯t help but smile at the thought of Lilly. There might be some aspects of her plan that she could have thought through better but, at the end of the day, it didn¡¯t matter. What Lilly was willing to do for Jay was insane and it proved how much she cared about him. Even if her plan didn¡¯t work, Alice would be forever grateful that she tried.


    ¡°You and Jay are my friends and I¡¯ll be damned if I let anything happen to either of you!¡±


    Lilly¡¯s words from back in the hospital rang through her mind, as well as the determined tone in which she spoke them.


    She¡¯s so different these days. It really does feel as if the girl I met last fall is completely separate from the Lilly I know now. I¡¯m glad though. I¡¯m happy to be able to call Lilly Harper my friend.


    As Jay seemed to calm down a bit, his breathing steadied and he went silent. She had no idea what he could be thinking. After seeming so set on never telling her what happened to Rina, he had given in fairly quick. It had surprised her but she was grateful to finally know. Although she wasn¡¯t at all sure of what to think of it. Apparently Vinny had nude pictures of her that he was using as blackmail¡ªpictures he had procured by stealing her body and stripping down in front of her.


    God damn it. What am I even supposed to say about that? I mean, I want those pictures deleted. Regardless of what Rina did to me, she¡¯s still a former friend and I can¡¯t condone doing something like this but¡­it¡¯s not like Jay and Vinny did it for some malicious purpose. Both of them were just trying to help, even if their conclusion was morally flawed.


    Well whatever. I¡¯ll figure it out later. For now, I should probably get everything going. I need a shower. And I assume Lilly wouldn¡¯t want us sending her body to school without showering so¡­


    Even though she knew Jay wouldn¡¯t do anything bad to Lilly¡¯s body, she still wanted to respect the girl¡¯s privacy as much as possible. So, an idea came to mind.


    ¡°Alright, Jay,¡± she muttered. ¡°I think we should get ready for bed. We¡¯ve got a big day ahead of us tomorrow.¡±


    He slowly pushed himself up, his eyes puffy from crying, as he looked at her in surprise.


    ¡°W-what do you mean?¡± he mumbled.


    Alice smiled. ¡°Well, you didn¡¯t think this body swapping extravaganza was ending tonight, did you? Lilly wants me to take you to school tomorrow so get ready for that.¡±


    ¡°To school?!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°W-what do you¡­? Why?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± Alice replied casually. ¡°And there¡¯s somewhere I want to go tomorrow before school so we¡¯ll have to get up early so we won¡¯t have time to shower in the morning.¡±


    He grimaced, seeming to still be confused but having decided not to argue. ¡°Okay and?¡±


    ¡°And since I can¡¯t really let you shower in Lilly¡¯s body, I¡¯m gonna swap with you, shower for her, swap back, and shower for me. Okay?¡±


    Jay sighed, clearly understanding what she meant, and softly nodded. ¡°Yeah sure. Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Alice then slid The Switch from her skirt pocket and, once Jay nodded to show he was ready, she pressed it into his palm. She was then thrown into the formless world for the typical few seconds before returning to her bedroom. Now, however, she was staring at her own body and her eyes felt wet from Jay¡¯s crying.


    ¡°Alright,¡± she grunted, pushing herself to her feet, all the while marveling at the strangeness of Lilly¡¯s voice coming from her mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll go shower. Don¡¯t do anything weird to my body while I¡¯m gone.¡±


    She meant it as a joke to lighten the mood a bit but Jay nodded somberly as if taking it seriously. She sighed, getting to her feet and as she did so, something occurred to her.


    Wait, Lilly didn¡¯t send any clothes over or anything! Ugh! I guess I¡¯ll just hope she¡¯s close enough to my size and just use my own pajamas.


    Once again amused by how many gaps there were in the plan, Alice walked over to her dresser in her closet and pulled out some clothes. Then, With one last glance back at Jay, who was already laying silently in bed again, Alice headed out into the hall and toward the bathroom. Luckily, her mother hadn¡¯t come in to check on them since they had gotten kinda loud at the end. Alice was grateful that her mother always turned the television up louder than it needed to be.


    When she walked into the bathroom, she closed the door behind her and let out a sigh of relief. After the long day she¡¯d had, she was ready to unwind with a nice warm shower¡ªtwo of them, in fact. Alice then reached for the shower handle and turned it on. Then, just as she was about to begin undressing, she noticed her reflection in the mirror and couldn¡¯t help but smile at Lilly¡¯s face staring back.


    I hope she¡¯s okay, Alice thought, finding herself thinking of the girl still unconscious in Jay¡¯s body.


    Alice took a step toward the mirror and reached her hand out to touch its surface. Even though she knew it was just her reflection, she found herself comforted by the sight of Lilly¡¯s smile.


    ¡°Thank you, Lilly,¡± she whispered. ¡°I mean it. Thank you for everything.¡±

 Chapter 40- A Reason to Live

    Chapter XL


    The following morning, Jay once again found himself following after Alice in complete confusion. She had stated the previous night that there was somewhere she wanted to go before they went to school and so, she had gotten him up earlier than usual. He was still utterly exhausted. He might have been asleep for days but Lilly hadn¡¯t been and thus, her body felt groggy and sleep-deprived when Alice woke him up. The previous night had been long, after all.


    Once Alice had showered both of their bodies, she had kept Jay close and the two of them had fallen asleep side by side like they had when they were kids, though Jay found himself unable to doze off for what felt like hours. When the morning came, she took Lilly¡¯s body again to dress her in her uniform then returned it to Jay. Once they were both dressed for school, they had some quick breakfast and took off.


    He had no idea how he was supposed to pretend to be Lilly for an entire day, especially when he didn¡¯t even know what most of her classes were. In addition, he had no idea where Lilly¡¯s backpack was since she didn¡¯t have it on her when they switched. Luckily, Alice had decided to send Eric Reiner a text asking for some help, but even if they heard back from him, Jay had a hunch that his stomach wasn¡¯t going to settle.


    He sighed, knowing he had no option but to follow Alice to wherever she wanted to go. She still had the stone so he was essentially stuck as Lilly until Alice decided to swap them back.


    God, I don¡¯t want to go to school. Not after everything that¡¯s happened.


    He especially couldn¡¯t help but to think of Vinny. The night before, he had finally given in and told Alice the truth about what happened to Rina and she hadn¡¯t given him any idea of what she was thinking. If his information destroyed their relationship, he¡¯d never be able to forgive himself.


    Although, then again¡­


    ¡°I forgive you, Jay. Stop beating yourself up over this. It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    Until she said them, he hadn¡¯t realized just how desperately he wanted to hear Alice speak those words. Their conversation had given him a lot to think about. The reason he had been so comfortable in finally ending his miserable existence was because he had been under the impression that he was doing everybody a favor. But now, he was being forced to question if that was really the case. Alice had passionately said that she didn¡¯t want to live without him. She had shot down every argument he had and had insisted that even after everything, she still loved and cared about him more than she possibly could.


    Lilly Harper, the girl he always feared he was no more than a nuisance to, had lent him her body so he could speak to Alice, knowing full well that his body could die at any moment, potentially with her still in it. She wouldn¡¯t have done that if she didn¡¯t want him to live. Even Eric Reiner had lent Lilly the stone knowing what she planned to do.


    So why else would they do all this if not because they care? Was I wrong? Did I really misjudge everything this horribly?! Did my near-death really cause everybody this much pain?


    ¡°Ah, here we go.¡±


    At Alice¡¯s sudden murmur, he looked up in curiosity only to immediately realize where they were going. He¡¯d been looking at his feet the whole time so he hadn¡¯t noticed what neighborhood they were in. So, when he saw the pathway that led into the forest, his stomach churned all the more.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to the hideout?¡±


    Alice nodded. ¡°Yup. And you¡¯ll see why in just a moment.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t fathom what Alice wanted to show him and all he wanted to do was turn around and run. He didn¡¯t feel like he deserved to go to that place ever again after what he did there last time. But of course, he couldn¡¯t defy Alice. He had no choice but to simply follow behind her.


    Even after so much time, he still remembered the way like he had been there just yesterday. Alice split off from the path and headed into the woods and, after a little while of walking through foliage, they arrived just outside the old, abandoned building. Alice grinned excitedly and quickened her pace toward it with Jay begrudgingly behind her. The pair stepped up onto the porch and Alice reached for the door. It was still unlocked from when he and Vinny had used it so it opened with ease. From there, Alice pulled him inside.


    The interior was empty, as always, as they walked through the entry hall and to the main room where they used to always play. Just being there was enough to make him tense up at the recollection of both their attack on Evan and of all of his earlier, happier memories. The last time all four of them had been in this room had been just mere days before Audrey Moore passed away. It had been such a casual day that none of them ever realized it was their last.


    ¡°Alright, here we are,¡± Alice announced. ¡°Sit down, Jay.¡±


    Jay slowly obliged, taking a seat against the wall where she indicated. Once he was sitting, Alice lowered herself down to sit just in front of him, still smiling cheerfully, like this was any ordinary day. She inhaled softly, seeming to take in the dusty scent of the building. It was thicker than it used to be and yet, there was still a sense of nostalgia that he was sure was making Alice reminisce. Even Jay couldn¡¯t help but to think back on everything they¡¯d done there.


    ¡°Audrey¡¯s gone,¡± Alice finally said, startling Jay. ¡°Rina¡¯s abandoned us and even betrayed us in many ways. And you, Jay, could have died last week. If you had, I would have been the only person still visiting this place.¡±


    He frowned. ¡°You still¡­?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes,¡± she answered. ¡°It helps me to remember the good ol¡¯ days. There have been a few times where I come here, sit right where you are, and just look around. If I try hard enough, I can even see memories of us. Try it. Look around.¡±


    Jay nodded and turned away to look around the room. Despite his wanting to forget a lot of his past, he found that just looking made memories come back. He glanced to the corner and could see the four of them sitting in a circle, playing board games. When he looked elsewhere, he could see the many times Jay lifted one of the girls into his back so they could try and touch the ceiling. He recalled how they used to rush through the front door to go play tag in the surrounding woods. Jay and Alice were always the fastest and so, Audrey and Rina would gang up on them if they were ¡°it¡±.


    They were the good ol¡¯ days, he thought. That¡¯s for sure. What I wouldn¡¯t give to go back to them. But of course, that¡¯s never gonna happen. It¡¯s impossible. One of us is gone and she¡¯s never coming back, no matter how much we want her to.


    ¡°You see what I mean?¡± Alice asked after a moment.


    He nodded weakly. ¡°I do. I really miss them.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I do, too. Here, let me show you something.¡±


    She leaned forward and pointed at the corner to Jay¡¯s left. He frowned and followed her finger to the spot on the wall she was indicating and, when he saw what she wanted him to, he felt the sudden urge to cry. There was something carved into the wall and the moment he saw it, he was hit with a wave of memories. It was a heart Audrey had carved with ¡°Audrey+Jay¡± written inside.


    He could hear Audrey¡¯s voice echoing through his mind.


    ¡°Hear it now, Jay Brooks! One day, you and I are going to get married! Then, we¡¯ll never be alone again! We can have kids and then we¡¯ll be the best parents they could ask for!¡± We¡¯ll show our own parents how it¡¯s done!


    Audrey had made that declaration to him when they were ten years old right after carving the sign into the wall and he still believed she had meant it. Over the years that followed, she referenced their ¡°inevitable wedding¡± with a sly grin as if she were merely teasing him. However, he knew she had wanted that. He knew she¡¯d had a crush on him and he¡¯d never known how to deal with it. It was just another one of his regrets to add to his list.


    ¡°She never did realize you¡¯re gay, did she?¡± Alice asked with a bemused grin.


    Jay shook his head softly. ¡°No, she didn¡¯t. I mean, even I didn¡¯t figure that out until after she passed.¡±


    The girl laughed. ¡°Fair point. And honestly, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she suspected it. You were surrounded by girls and never once did you try and make a move on any of us.¡±


    Jay shrugged. ¡°You guys were my friends. Even if I was straight, I probably wouldn¡¯t have. I think she knew that, too.¡±


    ¡°But you know, I don¡¯t think it was an act or meant to tease you,¡± Alice said, putting words to his earlier thoughts. ¡°I really think she cared about you. Rina and I loved Audrey but she had a bond with you that was special even among us. She treasured that and I know it was how she felt right through to the end.¡±


    Jay clenched his teeth in an effort to fight back his tears and yet, he failed to hold them in. They just started rolling down his cheeks no matter how hard he tried to stop them. He was always so good at hiding his emotions but ever since waking up as Lilly, he¡¯d been struggling to keep them at bay. Everything had been happening so fast that he could hardly keep up.


    ¡°So¡­¡± Alice continued, placing a hand on his leg to comfort him. ¡°I know Audrey would be devastated if you killed yourself. If you go meet her in the afterlife too soon, she¡¯ll never forgive you. She wanted you to be happy, Jay. So do I. So¡­the next time you think about trying to kill yourself, I want you to first think about this place and the people you made memories with here. You got that? Because you¡¯re not alone. You¡¯ll never be alone.¡±


    Then, before he could choke out a response, Alice reached into her backpack and began rummaging in the pocket. For a second, he thought she was taking the gem out again but, when he saw what was in her hand, he realized what she was actually doing.


    ¡°Here. I want you to keep this with you,¡± Alice said, holding the necklace out to him.


    He hesitantly reached out and took it. When he read the name on it, his suspicions were confirmed. It wasn¡¯t his name written on the piece. It was Audrey¡¯s.


    ¡°When you get back to your body, Lilly will take care of it,¡± Alice explained. ¡°Then, when you¡¯re awake, she¡¯ll give it to you to wear. That way, you¡¯ll always have a piece of Audrey close to your heart. Then, when the time comes, you¡¯ll have it to reunite all the pieces again. Okay?¡±


    Jay closed his fingers around the necklace and used his free hand to wipe the tears from his eyes. Was I really this blind? I truly thought everybody could just forget me. What am I supposed to do now? Can I really keep pressing forward? Do I even have the right to do that?


    He looked down at the necklace laying in his palm, specifically at the name.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a lot of cool places out there but¡­don¡¯t give up on earth just yet. It¡¯s not great, but it¡¯s not bad either.¡±


    Those were the words he had spoken to Audrey at the end of his memory and to this day, he still vividly remembered that moment.


    Don¡¯t give up on Earth just yet, huh? Am I supposed to take my own advice?


    As he internally asked himself that question, he recalled Audrey¡¯s response to him. He had woken up before she had said it in the dream but he still remembered it, word for word.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. I know. Despite all the hell it¡¯s put me through, Earth does have its bright sides. After all, you¡¯re here, right? That¡¯s one thing it¡¯s got going for it!¡±


    He closed his fingers around the necklace as his eyes started watering up again. He knew he no longer had a choice. He couldn¡¯t die yet. He had to try to keep pressing on like he had all his life, if not for himself then for those around him.


    For Lilly.


    For Alice.


    And for Audrey, the girl who wasn¡¯t there anymore, who had moved on to a place he shouldn¡¯t follow her to. No matter how much he still wanted to escape his life, he had to try to find a way to get past this.


    He looked up to see Alice smiling at him. It was a warm and comforting smile, the one he had done so much to try and protect. He still needed to be there for her. She cared about him more than he had known and that wasn¡¯t something he could just throw aside.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he finally answered. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    ***


    When Alice and Jay finally walked through the courtyard¡¯s entrance, he immediately felt his nerves return. Now that he was at school, the task ahead of him to go through the day posing as Lilly was daunting. Even after Alice received a text from Eric informing her that he had Lilly¡¯s backpack and her class information, he still wasn¡¯t sure he could do it. After everything Lilly had done for him, he didn¡¯t want to do anything that might embarrass her or ruin her reputation more than her association with the Magic Club already had. Just as he thought his panic might begin to overwhelm him, he felt Alice take his hand and squeeze it. Her soft touch was enough to calm him down a bit and give him the opportunity he needed to take a deep breath.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    Alice led him to one of the empty courtyard tables and the two took their seats. Jay was thankful that the weather had been relatively dry in the past few days so the benches weren¡¯t wet.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll text Eric to see if he¡¯s at the clubroom yet,¡± Alice said, pulling her phone from her backpack pocket.


    Jay nodded, content to give her time to get everything worked out. As he did, he glanced back to the path to watch the flow of students making their way into the main school building. Part of him wondered if he¡¯d see any of the Magic Club since they were the only ones who would know he wasn¡¯t actually Lilly.


    Although, that might just be a good reason to avoid them. That would be awkward as hell.


    Part of him wondered if Vinny knew anything about it. He knew the boy had been fairly distant from the rest of the club since second semester started so it wasn¡¯t guaranteed that he knew anything about Lilly¡¯s crazy plan. In fact, after hearing about how Vinny had been absent from school the previous day, it wouldn¡¯t be too surprising if he was completely in the dark.


    He was just about to turn back to face Alice when he noticed a familiar person in the crowd. He couldn¡¯t help but cringe when the boy saw him and immediately made a b-line toward him and Alice. It was Matt Briggs from the cross country team¡ªa boy Jay hardly ever talked to and preferred to keep his distance from.


    What could he possibly want from us now?


    Jay then felt a bit surprised when the boy got closer and he realized just how worn out he looked. Normally, Matt was the type of guy to be constantly smiling and lighthearted so it was a rare sight for him to be so down.


    It couldn¡¯t possibly be because of¡­


    ¡°Morning guys,¡± he greeted.


    Alice looked up from his phone and smiled. ¡°Hey, Matt. What¡¯s up?¡±


    Jay merely nodded a greeting, deciding it would be safer to just let Alice take the lead of the conversation.


    The boy shrugged, sliding his backpack from his shoulder in the process. ¡°Well, I was gonna wait until the end of the week to give you this but, well, I got a lot more than I expected over the last two days,¡± he explained. ¡°So, I figured it might as well just give it to you now.¡±


    Jay glanced curiously at Alice but she didn¡¯t seem to understand either. When Matt produced an envelope from his backpack, he handed it to her. She hesitantly took it, looking at it with a frown.


    ¡°And this is?¡± she prompted.


    Matt smiled softly. ¡°I¡¯ve been running around the school collecting donations from anybody willing. It¡¯s for Jay¡¯s family to help with medical expenses and the like. Three hundred total.¡±


    Jay¡¯s eyes went wide and even Alice couldn¡¯t contain her shock. He¡­collected donations for me? But why?! Why would he do something like that? Matt hardly knows me!


    He was so thrown off that he couldn¡¯t find anything to say. Luckily, Alice recovered fast enough. ¡°T-thanks,¡± she stuttered. ¡°I¡­really appreciate that, Matt. I¡¯m sure both Jay and his family will be really grateful.¡±


    The boy exhaled softly, the exhaustion clear in his gestures. ¡°I hope so. I know I hardly ever talked to the guy but¡­at the end of the day, he¡¯s part of the team¡ªhas been for years. If we had lost him¡­well, it just wouldn¡¯t have been the same. A team can¡¯t function without all its players, yeah?¡±


    Jay swallowed, desperately trying to keep the tears from falling. Yet, even though he gave it his best, he still must¡¯ve let some of it show because Matt placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. When he looked up, the boy was smiling.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Harper,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve got faith that Brooks¡¯ll come back. The guy¡¯s tough.¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah, thanks,¡± he uttered, not wanting to give away that he wasn¡¯t who he appeared to be.


    ¡°How are you holding up, Mendez?¡± Matt asked. ¡°Cause if you need anything, just let me know. I¡¯ll do what I can to help.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m holding up decently,¡± she replied. ¡°I appreciate the offer, though. And again, thanks for this.¡± She indicated the envelope still in her hand. ¡°It means more than you could know.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± he said. ¡°Well, anyway, I¡¯ll get going. I just wanted to stop by. And also, Harper.¡± He looked back at Jay. ¡°Reiner already gave me your donation yesterday. He told me to let you know.¡±


    Jay meekly nodded his response.


    Reiner¡­ Of course he and Lilly donated. Damn¡­ How blind was I?


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll see you guys later,¡± Matt said. ¡°And don¡¯t forget. Track conditioning starts next week. I hope to see you both there.¡±


    Alice smiled. ¡°Of course you will. Neither of us could miss it.¡±


    The boy waved them goodbye and headed back toward the school, leaving Jay to stare after him through his tears. He couldn¡¯t believe that actually happened and it made him want to just sit there and cry for hours. The idea that Matt Briggs had done something like that for him was so strange that he couldn¡¯t help but think he was being tricked.


    But, he knew in his heart that wasn¡¯t the case.


    ¡°Well, what do you know?¡± Alice muttered, eyeing the envelope with interest. ¡°We haven¡¯t been on school grounds for longer than five minutes and you¡¯re already seeing how much you would be missed if you¡¯d died.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he whispered. ¡°I guess so.¡±


    Alice smirked. ¡°Well, guess you gotta get better so you can join track. A team can¡¯t function without all its players, after all.¡±


    Jay nodded at Alice¡¯s repetition of Matt¡¯s words.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± she continued. ¡°Eric¡¯s already in the clubroom so let¡¯s head up there to get Lilly¡¯s things. Come on.¡±


    Alice got to her feet and Jay did the same. Once again, he found himself following her toward the school¡¯s front entrance and into the hallways. Since the clubroom was on the third floor, they went directly for the staircase. As they walked, Jay¡¯s mind continued to race. His hand was in his pocket, gripping the necklace Alice had given him, and as he did so, a thought came to mind and he knew he couldn¡¯t ignore it.


    Back at the hideout, he made a promise to himself that he would do his best to turn his life around for Alice and he knew that there was something he needed to do if he wanted to even begin getting to that point. So, when they reached the second floor, Jay came to a sudden stop, surprising her.


    ¡°What is it?¡± she asked.


    He hesitated as he gathered his thoughts then came to his decision.


    ¡°Actually¡­could I meet you at Mrs. Kentz¡¯s class once you¡¯ve met with Reiner? There¡¯s something I need to do.¡±


    Part of him feared that being vague would only irritate her but, perhaps because she suspected what he wanted to do, Alice merely shrugged.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll meet you there in a minute,¡± she said and he didn¡¯t miss her wink as she turned and continued on, more or less confirming his suspicions.


    ¡°Thanks, Al¡¯,¡± he whispered, then turned and began making his way toward the classroom where he knew he would find the person he wanted to talk to. Luck seemed to be on his side since, right as he was approaching class 2-11, Rina Davens walked out. He came to a stop, having not expected her to so quickly appear and, when she noticed him staring, Rina paused.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± she stuttered. ¡°Yes?¡±


    Well, shit. I guess I¡¯m doing this whether I want to or not. No turning back now¡­


    ¡°Uh, hey,¡± he greeted awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯m¡­not sure if you know me but I¡¯m Lilly Harper and I¡¯m in the Magic Club.¡±


    Rina frowned though it wasn¡¯t with the fear he would have expected from dropping the club¡¯s name. Instead, she just seemed genuinely confused. ¡°Uh, yeah,¡± she said, narrowing her eyes in obvious suspicion. ¡°We¡¯ve met. You and Reiner talked to me the other day, remember?¡±


    Lilly talked to her?! Oh god, about what?!


    He quickly recomposed himself, knowing he could deal with that problem another time. ¡°Oh, right,¡± he said, trying to brush his mistake off as a joke. ¡°Uh, well, I was wondering if I could talk to you for a moment¡­about that thing we talked about the other day.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know for sure what Lilly and Rina might have talked about but he had to assume it related to him and Alice. Therefore, if that were the case, Rina would have to come with him for fear that Vinny¡¯s pictures would get out. Unsurprisingly, she hesitated then meekly nodded.


    ¡°O-okay. Sure.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    He turned and began making his way down the hall with Rina in tow. The girl didn¡¯t say anything and he could tell how nervous she was. The thought that he played a role in hurting her like this made him sick to his stomach. Regardless of what she had done to Alice and of all the hurtful things she said to him, Jay just couldn¡¯t justify what he helped Vinny do. To him, what they did was a betrayal to the necklace laying in his pocket that very moment.


    I can¡¯t change the past. I know that. But at the very least, I can try to make things right. Even if she doesn¡¯t want to accept it. Even if she continues to hate me, I at least need her to know how I feel. That¡¯s especially true given that I may never wake up again.


    When they reached the end of the hallway, Jay found that there weren¡¯t any other students around. Since the only thing there was the janitor¡¯s closet and class 2-1, which was used as a storage room, they would have privacy to talk.


    ¡°So, um¡­¡± Jay began, turning around to face Rina directly.


    The girl hung her head, refusing to look at him, as she fiddled with her fingers. He realized suddenly how tired she looked, an appearance that was oddly common in the recent days. Part of him couldn¡¯t help but wonder what she felt when she learned that he tried to kill himself. Was she sad? Happy? Conflicted? He knew she didn¡¯t like him anymore but did that mean she could so easily forget the old days? Did their past still mean something to her? After what she did to Alice, he really wasn¡¯t sure.


    ¡°Rina,¡± he said. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    She looked up in surprise, obviously not expecting a question like that from Lilly Harper. For a moment, she seemed like she was trying to gauge what his angle was but, perhaps deciding he was being genuine, she responded.


    ¡°What kind of question is that?¡± she whispered. ¡°I feel horrible. How could I not?¡±


    ¡°You referring to Jay?¡±


    She clenched her fists. ¡°Does it matter? What do you want, Harper? Is this about the pictures? Did you¡­¡± She swallowed nervously. ¡°Did you get rid of them?¡±


    Jay frowned. Lilly said she¡¯d get rid of them? I wonder if she did¡­though, judging from Vinny¡¯s absence, I¡¯d be surprised if that was the case.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he replied finally. ¡°I haven¡¯t asked yet.¡±


    She looked back up at him with a furrowed brow. ¡°So then¡­what did you want? I won¡¯t go near Alice again! I promise. Especially not after what¡­happened to Jay. So please! Just leave me alone!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not Lilly Harper.¡±


    He knew there was no longer a point in hiding it and so, he told Rina the truth. However, when her eyes went wide with utter terror, he realized what she might interpret that as and quickly added, ¡°But I¡¯m not the person who threatened you either.¡±


    Her lips were trembling. ¡°Then¡­who are you?¡±


    He exhaled softly, curious to know what her reaction would be, then spoke. ¡°It¡¯s me, Rina. It¡¯s Jay.¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡± she stuttered, taking a step back as she looked at him now with an expression of panic. ¡°Jay? What kind of cruel joke are you trying to pull here? That¡¯s not¡­¡±


    ¡°Lilly went to the hospital yesterday and swapped bodies with me,¡± he explained. ¡°She and Alice apparently wanted me to come to school and so, here I am. And I figured that, while I¡¯m here, I need to talk to you¡­ To apologize.¡±


    She put a hand over her mouth and leaned against the wall as she attempted to process what he was saying. Yet, when he said the word ¡°apologize¡± she stiffened up.


    ¡°Apologize?¡± she uttered. ¡°W-what? What for?¡±


    He smiled in a self-deprecating way. ¡°Well, as much as it hurts to admit it, I helped pull the incident with the pictures and that¡¯s not something I¡¯m proud of. It¡­really tore me up inside and it¡¯s¡­¡±


    He trailed off, suddenly struggling to find the right words to say. He had only come here on a whim, after all, so he was running more on instinct than logic. All he knew was that, at least for his own peace of mind, he needed to apologize.


    ¡°How¡­¡± Rina began softly, ¡°¡­do I even know you¡¯re telling the truth. How do I know you¡¯re actually Jay and not somebody else trying to screw with me! I mean¡­there¡¯s no way Jay would want to apologize! Not after what happened between us or after what I did to Alice¡­¡±


    He was taken aback by the tears that started forming in her eyes. It almost seemed like she actually regretted what happened. He had always suspected that Evan had been the primary perpetrator and looking at the sincere emotions Rina was displaying only served to confirm that. Even if it didn¡¯t excuse what she did, it did manage to calm him. So, he decided he would give her the proof she needed to know that he was who he claimed to be.


    ¡°Alright then,¡± he managed. ¡°Ask me anything and I¡¯ll prove that I¡¯m Jay.¡±


    Rina hesitated once more, her eyes probing into him. ¡°Why¡­doesn¡¯t my family celebrate Christmas?¡±


    Jay nodded, having expected that question. Back when they were younger, Jay and Audrey had gone to Rina¡¯s during the Christmas season to find her house barely decorated. Being kids, they¡¯d been surprised that their best friend didn¡¯t celebrate a holiday as fun as Christmas. When Rina explained to them, she made them swear to keep it to themselves and Jay had been determined to do so.


    ¡°Because,¡± he started, ¡°December was the month your older brother and mother passed away.¡±


    Rina exhaled sharply and he could see her whole body trembling now. When Rina was four, her mother had taken her older brother up the coast to visit some family. Rina had been sick at the time so her father remained home to care for her. But they never came back. They got into an accident on the way home and neither survived. When Jay heard the story, he¡¯d been horrified to know that Rina had lost half her family in such a way. Since Audrey had lost her mother, too, it had brought the two girls closer. Rina knew death and had lost those she cared about to it so it was understandable that Audrey¡¯s death had hit her the hardest.


    ¡°Jay¡­¡± Rina whispered. ¡°It really is you, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s me.¡±


    The girl shook her head, tears falling freely now. ¡°But¡­then I don¡¯t get it. Why would you ever want to apologize to me?! After everything I¡¯ve done to you and Alice, you should hate me!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t forgive what you did to Alice,¡± he said simply. ¡°But I can¡¯t hate you. And I can¡¯t accept what I helped do to you so,  I¡¯m really, really sorry, Rina. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t stop him. And, if Lilly hasn¡¯t already done so, I¡¯ll get rid of those pictures. I want to put the past behind us, where it belongs.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ Stop¡­¡± Rina whimpered. ¡°I don¡¯t deserve that. I don¡¯t¡­ Hate me, Jay!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Please!¡±


    He reached into his skirt pocket and wrapped his fingers around Audrey¡¯s necklace.


    ¡°You¡¯ll always have a piece of Audrey close to your heart. Then, when the time comes, you¡¯ll have it to reunite all the pieces again. Okay?¡±


    Alice¡¯s words in the hideout came back to him and with them, the emotion with which she said them. Alice had promised to be there for him and he knew now that he would always have her by his side. He hadn¡¯t been the burden he¡¯d believed himself to be. She wanted him to like himself despite how awful he thought he was. She wanted him to want to live for himself rather than for others.


    He believed this was the first step in doing that.


    ¡°Rina,¡± he said. ¡°Alice gave me something this morning to hang onto but, seeing as my body is still in a coma, I can¡¯t make much use of it until I wake up. So, I want you to hold onto it until I do. I think you need it more than me.¡±


    Before she could question his words, he removed the necklace from his pocket and held it out so that the piece of the medallion hung in her view. The moment she saw the name, she began to sob.


    ¡°Audrey,¡± she uttered.


    ¡°Take it. Keep it for me.¡±


    The girl hesitantly reached out and grasped the necklace. Then, she fell to her knees and began to cry. Jay knelt down beside her and placed his arms around her to comfort her. He didn¡¯t forgive her for attacking Alice and he didn¡¯t think he ever would. However, he couldn¡¯t just forget the past. Whether he liked it or not, Rina Davens was his childhood friend. He would never be able to truly leave her behind.


    He could never hate her.


    And just as he thought that, he heard her whimper something that only solidified everything Alice had told him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to die, Jay.¡±


    No matter what she said, she couldn¡¯t hate him either. He knew that now.


    By jumping from that balcony, he had truly made a terrible mistake.

 Chapter 41- Together Again

    Chapter XLI


    The first four periods of the day were quite stressful for Jay and there wasn¡¯t a single moment where he felt even remotely comfortable. He considered himself lucky that Lilly had made herself such an outcast at school. It made it so that nobody attempted to talk to him, which was good because he didn¡¯t have that great of a Lilly impression. He knew that Eric, Damien, and Liz all knew who he actually was but that didn¡¯t make the occasional grins they sent his way any less uncomfortable. Though, he did appreciate that they all seemed to be genuinely happy that he was there. They kept their distance though, seeming content to give him space to figure things out. He was grateful for that since his conversation with Rina had given him one more task to fulfill that day: finding Vinny Mickelson and convincing him to delete the photos of her. Since Lilly shared first period with Vinny, he¡¯d already confirmed that the boy had come to school and so, once fourth period ended and lunch began, Jay was determined to search him out and speak to him.


    Lilly and Alice had fourth period chemistry together so he was able to walk with her out into the halls of the third floor. Alice had most of her classes with Lilly so he had her by his side thus far to help with his stress. They were going to head to the courtyard to eat lunch but Alice needed to use the bathroom so they first made their way to the restrooms. To wait for her, Jay pulled off to the side and leaned up against the wall, letting out a brief sigh of relief at already being through most of the day. As he did, he couldn¡¯t help but to attempt to think up what exactly he would say to try and sway Vinny to delete the photos. It was a delicate subject and he only had that day to deal with it. If he failed, he would have to wait until he woke up to try again.


    I can¡¯t fail this, he told himself. For once, I need to stop being so pathetic and actually help someone! I promised Rina I¡¯d get rid of those damned pictures so I need to do that!


    ¡°Good afternoon, my friend.¡±


    Startled from his thoughts by the sudden voice, Jay turned to his left to see that Eric Reiner had come to stand beside him at some point. The tall boy looked even taller from Lilly¡¯s perspective as he smiled down at him.


    ¡°Uh, hey, Reiner,¡± he stuttered. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    Eric frowned. ¡°Hearing Lilly use my last name is kind of strange. Do you not think it¡¯s about time we stop being so formal, dear Jay?¡±


    Jay swallowed nervously, having always been slightly intimidated in the boy¡¯s presence and his current circumstances only made it all the weirder.  ¡°Um, I guess. So, what¡¯s up, Eric?¡±


    ¡°Much better,¡± Eric replied. ¡°Anyway, I just thought I¡¯d check up on you, is all. I trust Alice is taking good enough care of you but I still thought it was my job as your friend to check in. So, how are you feeling?¡±


    Jay shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m honestly not sure, but¡­I can say that I made a mistake. I acted too rashly. I shouldn¡¯t have jumped from the balcony. It was¡­stupid of me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was,¡± Eric readily agreed. ¡°You gave us all quite a scare. Lilly and Alice in particular have been spending much of the recent days in tears. I was even struggling to accept that it actually happened.¡±


    He¡¯s telling the truth, Jay thought. Eric actually considered me his friend even though I¡¯ve hardly ever talked to the guy. Hell¡­


    He couldn¡¯t help but recall the day he jumped when he went to Ralph¡¯s to say goodbye to Alice. Eric had shown up and, after being seated, had walked up to him and said something that he had forgotten about until that moment. ¡°Lilly and I will make things right with Rina. Rest easy, dear Brooks. You aren¡¯t to blame for this. It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    At the time, just knowing that Lilly and Eric were fixing his mistakes was enough to cause him to panic but now, looking back on it, he realized that Eric genuinely wanted to help him. He wasn¡¯t a burden to him. He was a friend.


    ¡°I appreciate that,¡± he replied. ¡°I really do. And¡­I¡¯m going to do my best. I¡¯ll wake up and¡­I¡¯ll come back to school. I promise.¡±


    Eric grinned. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. This place wouldn¡¯t be whole without you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and also,¡± Jay added, ¡°tell Lilly that I said ¡®thanks¡¯ next time you see her. I wish I could talk to her myself but¡­well, that¡¯s not really possible right now. I owe her a lot though. She¡¯s¡­a great person.¡±


    ¡°That she is,¡± Eric replied. ¡°And if you tried to tell her that, she¡¯d end up listing off her faults. The girl needs to have more confidence. She¡¯s a more amazing person than she gives herself credit for.¡±


    Jay laughed softly. ¡°Honestly.¡± Then, realizing that he was being given a great opportunity to get some information, he continued. ¡°Also, I was wondering but¡­did you and Lilly get rid of the pictures of Rina?¡±


    Eric immediately turned a wry smile his way and Jay knew that the boy was seeing right through him. He knew exactly why Jay wanted to know that. ¡°No, we have not. Unfortunately, a good friend of ours tried to take his own life and so, we¡¯ve not been in the right headspace.¡±


    Jay immediately cringed, feeling bad now that he realized just how much trouble he had caused.


    ¡°Though,¡± Eric continued, ¡°if I were to speak to Vinny about it, I¡¯d probably go to Mr. Alexander¡¯s classroom on this floor where he¡¯s eating lunch today. Too bad I¡¯m so busy or else I would.¡±


    Jay smirked. ¡°Yeah, Gotcha. Thanks, Eric.¡±


    ¡°No problem. And I think I¡¯ll take my leave. You clearly have some business to attend to. I¡¯ll see you when I see you.¡±


    He winked and turned to walk away, leaving Jay staring after him in admiration of his confidence. However, after taking only a few steps, Eric stopped and turned back, a hesitant look on his face.


    ¡°Jay?¡±


    He cocked an eyebrow in curiosity. ¡°Yeah?¡±


    Eric furrowed his brow, seeming to consider whether to ask the question or not. ¡°Just wondering but¡­do you remember anything strange happening on the day you jumped?¡±


    Jay frowned. ¡°Uh¡­not that I can think of. Why? What sort of things?¡±


    ¡°Ah, nothing,¡± Eric mumbled. ¡°T¡¯was a stupid question.¡±


    Before Jay could press him further, he turned back and began walking away for real that time. Instead, he simply watched the bit recede, confused by his words as always.


    ¡°Sorry that took so long,¡± Alice said as she walked up to him. ¡°That line was stupidly long.¡±


    Jay glanced back at her and shrugged. ¡°No problem. And actually, I was wondering if I could ask you something real quick.¡±


    Alice nodded. ¡°Yeah sure. About what?¡±


    He took a deep breath, knowing it was going to be a touchy subject for her, then asked his question. ¡°Have you talked to Vinny in the last couple of days? Like, do you know how he feels about everything going on?¡±


    Alice immediately hesitated. ¡°Uh, well, not really. I mean, I wasn¡¯t sure what to say to him. I¡¯d been under the impression that whatever he was hiding had been related to your suicide so I¡­was kinda mad.¡±


    ¡°And now?¡± Jay pressed.


    She shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know, honestly. After everything you told me, I don¡¯t know what to think.¡±


    I had a feeling. This means I¡¯m going to be going into this pretty blind to Vinny¡¯s current thoughts on everything. But I guess there¡¯s nothing I can do about that. I¡¯ll just have to go balls to the wall on this.


    ¡°Alright then,¡± he said. ¡°In that case, I¡¯m going to talk to him.¡±


    He expected Alice to show surprise but, similarly to Eric, she seemed to have expected him to say something along those lines. The girl sighed and glanced out the window across the hall.


    ¡°Yeah, I had a feeling that you¡¯d want to do that,¡± she admitted. ¡°And if that¡¯s what you want to do then I won¡¯t stop you. Do you want me to come with you or¡­?¡±


    ¡°Well, yes and no,¡± he replied.


    She cocked an eyebrow and turned back to stare dubiously at him. ¡°Meaning?¡±


    Well, might as well ask. Can¡¯t hurt, after all.


    ¡°I was wondering if you¡¯d lend me your body?¡±


    ***


    Contrary to his old habits, Vinny didn¡¯t leave Mr. Alexander¡¯s classroom to eat lunch that day. Back before December, he¡¯d always leave with Damien to head to the clubroom. Then, after they got into their argument, he would head out to the courtyard to eat with Alice. But now, he couldn¡¯t do either of those things. With the realization that his actions might have been one of the factors in Jay¡¯s suicide attempt, he was utterly furious with himself. Now Alice was avoiding him and he knew she was blaming him¡ªmaybe rightfully so.


    ¡°Have you considered how what you¡¯ve done has affected everybody around you? And I¡¯m not talking about Rina. I mean the club and Jay and maybe even Alice.¡±


    Those words kept replaying in his mind, tormenting him, reminding him of how full of himself he had gotten. Damien laid it out for him clear as day. Sure, what he did to Rina ended the bullying, but he failed to take into account how his solution might have negatively affected those around him. He knew Jay had been unsettled by it but he hadn¡¯t realized just how bad it was. He ripped the club apart and now, he didn¡¯t think there was any way to fix that.


    Does it matter if I saved Alice if my actions hurt her in the long run? Yeah, I got Rina off her back but was it at the cost of Jay¡¯s life? Fucking hell¡­ What have I done?


    He desperately wanted to do something to make things right but he didn¡¯t know what to do. Eric didn¡¯t seem to blame him but he couldn¡¯t say for certain about the others. Damien in particular probably wouldn¡¯t forgive him after this. The boy had warned him hardly a day before Jay tried to kill himself. He was probably pissed beyond belief.


    Liz and Lilly made no move to talk to him either nor had he gone anywhere near them. He was keeping to himself as often as possible and he preferred it that way for the time being. Trying to face them would be too hard until he heard some more concrete news about Jay.


    Vinny took a bite of his cheese sandwich and glanced up to look around the room. There were small groups of twos and threes scattered around, chatting and enjoying their break. He was the only one sitting by himself and he could feel their occasional glances his way. Even Mr. Alexander, who was currently sitting at his desk, looked up at Vinny every now and then, seeming like he wanted to say something.


    I hope they just leave me alone though. I really don¡¯t want to talk to anybody. I¡¯m not in the mood.


    Just as he thought that, he heard the door to the classroom opening and casually glanced to see who was coming. He nearly choked up his bread at the sight of Alice stepping into the room and looking directly at him.


    Shit! What¡¯s she doing here?! I thought she didn¡¯t want to talk to me!


    The girl smiled and he could tell that it wasn¡¯t the same cheerful one he knew but rather a sad smile. He could only fear the conversation to come. He had been dreading a text or call from her asking to break up since she told him to give her space. Even after everything, he still liked her and wanted their relationship to continue regardless of how unlikely that now seemed. He waited with his breath held as Alice walked over to his desk and sat down in the one in front of him. She then turned her body around so she was sitting in the chair backwards, facing him.


    ¡°Hey, Alice,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°Hey¡­Mickelson.¡±


    For a moment, he couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brow in confusion. Alice hadn¡¯t referred to him by his last name since that night at the diner. So why was she calling him that now? Was it her way of showing how their relationship had changed or¡­?


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    His body went cold as his eyes narrowed.


    Was this not Alice Mendez?


    ¡°Who are you?¡± he demanded softly, not wanting to draw attention to their table.


    The imposter chuckled meekly and shrugged. ¡°You don¡¯t need to get so intense, Mickelson. She willingly lent me her body. It¡¯s me, dude. Jay.¡±


    The words didn¡¯t immediately process in his mind and for a moment, he just wound up staring at the person calling themself Jay. So, when it did process, his mind went into overdrive trying to understand what was going on.


    ¡°Jay?¡± he whispered. ¡°W-what? I don¡¯t¡­? How¡­are you here? Is it even actually you?¡±


    He sputtered out questions, not sure how to react to this sudden turn of events. The only way Jay could be in Alice¡¯s body was if somebody else currently inhabited his comatose one so if he were here, did that mean Alice was there? And why would anybody ever swap with Jay given his current state? Did Eric allow something like that? Part of him wanted to doubt that this was even Jay but, having experience with The Switch, he knew the boy wasn¡¯t lying. He recognized the subtle mannerisms of Jay Brooks in the person before him.


    ¡°How?¡± he finally demanded. ¡°How are you here? Who swapped with you?¡±


    Jay smiled sadly. ¡°Glad you believe it¡¯s me. And don¡¯t worry about Alice. She¡¯s not in my body. As a matter of fact, Lilly¡¯s the one currently in the hospital.¡±


    ¡°L-Lilly?¡± he parroted.


    It was then that he realized more or less what had happened. Lilly and Eric were behind this. Those two were probably desperate to do something to help Jay and so, he could see why they would resort to using the gem. Though, it was surprising that Lilly was the one to go through with it.


    When Jay spoke next, he confirmed exactly what Vinny had deduced. Lilly used the stone to swap with Jay so that Alice could take him to school and try to learn why he jumped. Evidently, he would return to his body after the school day was over.


    ¡°So then,¡± Vinny said softly as he took in everything he was being told. ¡°Why are you in Alice¡¯s body now and not Lilly¡¯s?¡±


    Jay sighed. ¡°Because I thought you¡¯d find it easier to talk to me if I had her face.¡±


    Vinny grit his teeth. He hated to admit that Jay was probably right. It was surprisingly easy to talk to him while looking at Alice¡¯s features.


    ¡°And why did you want to talk to me?¡± Vinny asked. ¡°I imagine you¡¯re pretty pissed about everything with Rina. What reason would you have to ever bother coming to me?¡±


    Much to Vinny¡¯s surprise, Jay frowned. ¡°What do you mean? Why would I be pissed at you about Rina? I helped you, after all.¡±


    It was Vinny¡¯s turn to frown now. ¡°Yeah, but¡­it was obvious that you didn¡¯t want to help. I figured¡­er, admittedly I was afraid that the whole thing might¡¯ve been the breaking point for you. I mean¡­I thought it was my¡­¡±


    He couldn¡¯t bring himself to finish the sentence as he became choked up with emotion. At this, Jay lowered his eyes and softly shook his head.


    ¡°Is that what¡¯s been on your mind, Mickelson?¡± he asked. ¡°Because there¡¯s really nothing to worry about there. I jumped¡­for so many other reasons. I guess¡­the situation with Rina hurt so much because I knew she had to be stopped. She used to be a really good friend of mine and¡­we had to resort to that. It¡¯s not your fault. If anything, it¡¯s hers.¡±


    Vinny looked at Jay silently for a moment, trying to figure out if the boy was being honest or not but, when he looked back up at him, Vinny could see in his eyes that he meant what he said.


    He doesn¡¯t actually blame me? But¡­that¡¯s not¡­


    ¡°Then¡­¡± Vinny managed to choke out. ¡°Why did you want to talk to me? Why would you waste part of your one day here to talk to me?¡±


    ¡°Because I need a favor, Mickelson,¡± he responded. ¡°I need you to do something for me.¡±


    Vinny had a hunch of what the favor was even before Jay spoke next.


    ¡°I want you to delete the pictures of Rina. I know as a fact that she won¡¯t ever go after Alice again so they¡¯re unnecessary now. There¡¯s no point to them so it¡¯s time to get rid of them.¡±


    Vinny closed his eyes and inhaled slowly. He had already been toying with the idea of just getting rid of them. Damien had been adamant about him doing so and part of him had hoped that doing so might be able to bridge the gap between them. Now, with Jay sitting in front of him and asking him to do just that, he knew he couldn¡¯t say no. He couldn¡¯t ignore Jay¡¯s request.


    He released his held breath and reached into his pocket to produce his phone. Jay watched silently as he unlocked it and started up his photo app. However, he didn¡¯t open his hidden folder. Instead, he set the phone on the desk and slid it across to rest in front of Jay.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t look at them again,¡± he whispered. ¡°So¡­can you do it?¡±


    He feared Jay would think he was cowardly for pushing the job onto him but, surprising him once again, he merely smiled and took the phone. Jay tapped it a few times and after a moment, he slid the phone back across to Vinny.


    ¡°Done,¡± he said simply. ¡°The photos are gone.¡±


    Vinny lowered his eyes to look at the phone¡¯s screen. As Jay had said, the hidden folder was empty. They were gone for good and a weight had finally been lifted from his shoulders.


    ***


    Vinny felt oddly better going into fifth and sixth period. Since he and Lilly had fifth period calculus together, he saw Jay again when he arrived in the room. The boy gave him a subtle wink but otherwise didn¡¯t say a word. There was nothing more he had to say. Vinny knew what he needed to do next and there was nothing more Jay could do for him. Their brief talk at lunch had been the pick-me-up that he needed to finally face his problems and put an end to the mess that he helped create.


    ¡°Go talk to Clark and the others. Make things right again. When Lilly gets her body back, I want her to return to the Magic Club in its full form.¡±


    Those were Jay¡¯s last words to him before he left the classroom and Vinny had taken them to heart. He knew Eric didn¡¯t blame him and he had a feeling that Liz wouldn¡¯t either. That simply left Damien as the one he needed to face and so, that¡¯s what he would do. He would finally go to Damien and fix the gap that had been created between them. So, throughout fifth and sixth period, Vinny gathered his thoughts for what he wanted to say. Then, when sixth period ended, he got to his feet, collected his things, and rushed out the door.


    His destination was the Magic Clubroom. After nearly a month since his last visit, he was going to return and he fully intended to get there before the others. It was time to set things straight.


    When he arrived outside Mr. Lowe¡¯s class, he found that he had made it in time. The only person he could see through the open doorway was Mr. Lowe himself, who was getting his things together so he could go home. Vinny took a deep breath, mentally prepared himself, and stepped inside.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Mr. Lowe,¡± he greeted enthusiastically. ¡°Did ya miss me?¡±


    The balding man looked up and frowned. ¡°Mr. Mickelson? Well, what do you know? I was wondering when you¡¯d finally come back.¡±


    ¡°Yup,¡± Vinny replied. ¡°It¡¯s been a little while but I¡¯m back and I¡¯m here to stay. The club room¡¯s too quiet without me here, you know.¡±


    Lowe sighed. ¡°Yes¡­ Who would want a quiet club. Certainly not me.¡± His voice was tinted with the sarcasm Vinny always enjoyed. ¡°Well anyway, have a nice afternoon, Mr. Mickelson.¡±


    ¡°You, too, sir,¡± Vinny chirped back.


    Lowe shuffled from the room, leaving Vinny there all by himself. The blonde boy nodded to himself then dumped his stuff at one of the desks and sat on the surface of the one next to it. Naturally, Eric would be the first to arrive so he¡¯d have to wait a bit for Damien and Liz. He knew Lilly wouldn¡¯t be there that day but, if all went well, maybe they could spend the next afternoon together like they used to.


    However, he was confused as the clock continued to tick on and there was no sign of Eric. He was always the first to arrive by a long shot so it was odd that he was taking a while. In fact, it wasn¡¯t until ten minutes after his arrival that the door was finally opened. Yet, when it did, Vinny was surprised to find that it wasn¡¯t Eric who entered.


    Both newcomers froze as they noticed him sitting atop the desk and Vinny was forced to realize that it was time to make amends.


    ¡°Hey, Damien,¡± he greeted. ¡°Liz. It¡¯s been a little while since we¡¯ve talked up here so I thought I¡¯d pay a visit.¡±


    Liz was the first to recover from her shock as a wry smile spread across her face. Then, she glanced up at her boyfriend. ¡°Don¡¯t screw this up,¡± she teased. Then she turned on her heel and walked out the door, leaving Damien even more baffled than he already was.


    Thanks, Liz, Vinny silently said. I owe you one¡­again.


    Damien sighed as Liz shut the door behind her. He then turned and looked at Vinny, his features more relaxed than a moment prior. It seemed he was prepared for the oncoming conversation as well.


    ¡°So, did you know about what Lilly¡¯s up to today?¡± Vinny asked, deciding to start the conversation off casually.


    Damien nodded. ¡°Yeah. Unfortunately I couldn¡¯t do anything to stop her. I¡¯ve never seen that girl look so determined. I could tell that she would never have forgiven me if I¡¯d stood in her way.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s really changed, huh?¡± Vinny mused. ¡°Lilly Harper¡­ What an interesting person, eh?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a good friend,¡± Damien said. ¡°But I get the feeling you didn¡¯t finally come up here after all this time just to talk about Lilly. And I do know she never told you about the plan. So? Did you talk to Jay?¡±


    Vinny smirked. ¡°Yup. The bastard waltzed into Alexander¡¯s class during lunch wearing my girlfriend¡¯s face. Threw me through a loop. And he came to me with the same request that you had.¡±


    ¡°He wanted the pictures gone,¡± Damien said more as a statement than a question.


    ¡°He did.¡±


    ¡°And?¡± Damien pressed. ¡°Did you get rid of them?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡± Vinny saw a brief flash of surprise cross Damien¡¯s features and so, he continued before the other boy could respond. ¡°I will stand by what I said at my house last week,¡± he stated firmly. ¡°I don¡¯t regret doing what I did for Alice. Sitting back and doing nothing was not the answer. We had the ability to save her and so it is my firm belief that we should have. I wasn¡¯t wrong on that and I know we¡¯ll never see eye to eye there.¡±


    Damien nodded but he didn¡¯t interrupt, prompting Vinny to go on.


    ¡°However, you weren¡¯t wrong either. I fucked up, Damien. I didn¡¯t pay enough attention to how what I did was affecting those around me. I acted like I saved the day when the thing most precious to me¡ªthis club¡ªwas gone. And then, when I found out Jay tried to kill himself, I knew that what happened to Rina played a role. I wasn¡¯t blameless. And even when Jay came to me and assured me it didn¡¯t, I still couldn¡¯t help but wonder if maybe¡­had I handled things differently, I could have saved everyone.¡±


    Vinny exhaled softly. ¡°I deleted those pictures. For Jay and for you. I don¡¯t need them. I want the club to go back to the way it was. I want us to be friends again. So¡­¡± He slid from the desk and extended his hand. ¡°Can we fix this, Damien?¡±


    Damien gazed down at his outstretched hand for a second before smirking. Then, he reached out and gripped it firmly. ¡°That¡¯s all I¡¯ve wanted,¡± he replied. ¡°I miss the club, too, Vinny. As insane and ridiculous as you guys are, you¡¯re my family. And I¡¯m glad we can move forward from this.¡±


    With those words, a wave of relief washed over Vinny. He was being given the chance to go back to the way it used to be. He wanted to believe that Jay would come back to them and when he did, they could all go somewhere as a group. When summer arrived, he still wanted to go to the pier and have a good time with them all. That was his wish and he wanted to make it a reality.


    ¡°Well, I guess we should get Liz back in here,¡± Vinny said, releasing his hand from Damien¡¯s. ¡°Don¡¯t want her stuck out in the hall, now do we?¡±


    Damien chuckled. ¡°No, we don¡¯t.¡±


    He turned and went to open the door for his girlfriend but, when he did so, they were met with another surprise. Right outside the doorway, standing beside Liz, was Alice. For a second, Vinny wondered if Jay had come back to talk to him but one look at her assured him that this time, it was the real Alice Mendez.


    ¡°Mendez,¡± Damien said just as he began to grin. ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s your turn to talk to him. I¡¯ll wait out here with Liz.¡±


    Vinny immediately wanted to protest, fearing what she might need, but Damien was already walking through the door, trading spots with her.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said as she passed him and entered the room, allowing the door to close behind her.


    Vinny felt the relief from earlier instantly vanish as he found himself once again confronting somebody close to him. The problem was that he had planned to speak to Damien today and wait until the following day to figure things out with Alice. He wasn¡¯t prepared and he wasn¡¯t even sure what to say. And before he even opened his mouth to greet her, she said something that sent a chill down his spine.


    ¡°Jay told me everything about Rina.¡±


    He meekly nodded, having assumed as much. After Jay¡¯s attempted suicide, there was no way Alice would allow him to continue hiding it. And even if Jay didn¡¯t tell her, it was almost certain that Lilly or Eric would have. There was no longer any feasible way to keep it hidden from her.


    ¡°I deleted the pictures,¡± he replied softly.


    She walked forward and stopped only a couple yards in front of him. ¡°I know. Jay told me at lunch.¡±


    He swallowed nervously. ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°Tell me,¡± she interrupted, ¡°why you did that to Rina. What were your motivations?¡±


    He answered instantly. ¡°To do whatever I could to protect you. I might have hidden it from you because I knew you wouldn¡¯t approve but I never lied to you, Alice. I did everything I did to Evan and Rina because I believed it had the best chance of ending the bullying before it could get properly started. I wanted to protect you.¡±


    Alice smiled sadly, her eyes suddenly distant as if she were thinking of something. ¡°Protect me, huh? Well, I do appreciate the thought. And you¡¯re right that I don¡¯t approve of what you did to Rina but¡­that¡¯s all in the past now. The pictures are gone, Rina¡¯s leaving me alone, and Evan is probably still dealing with the police. It¡¯s over¡­for real now.¡±


    ¡°A-and?¡± Vinny pressed, scared to hear what could possibly come next.


    ¡°And I wanted to apologize for ignoring you all week,¡± she said. ¡°After what happened to Jay, my mind was so messed up, but¡­I still want to be with you as long as¡­you never pull anything like that again. You can look out for me but¡­not at someone¡¯s expense like that, regardless of what they did to me. Okay?¡±


    She¡­still wants me?!


    Just hearing those words made him want to jump with joy. He knew both she and Damien were being more lenient with him than he probably deserved but he was grateful nonetheless.


    ¡°I swear,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯ll never do anything like that again! I swear on my life!¡±


    Alice smiled that beautiful smile that made him feel warm inside. She walked forward and wrapped her arms around him. He happily embraced her back, thankful to feel her warmth again. He¡¯d missed her over the past few days.


    ¡°Good,¡± she whispered. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you meet me at the diner in an hour? I still have to return Jay to his body so once I¡¯m done there, are you free to meet up.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely!¡± he said. ¡°Once club activities are over, I¡¯ll be right there! And¡­¡±


    He then thought of Jay, knowing that it was likely he wouldn¡¯t see the boy again for quite some time. He had made sure to find him on his one day at the school to tell him not to blame himself. Jay¡¯s talk was what he needed to take the step towards fixing things with Damien so he owed him big time now.


    ¡°Tell Jay I said thanks,¡± he continued. ¡°And that I¡¯ll look out for you until he gets back.¡±


    Alice giggled. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll do that.¡±

 Chapter 42- How Shes Changed

    Chapter XLII


    The school day had finally come to an end and so, it was time for Jay to return Lilly to her body. They were lucky that his father never texted Alice to tell her that he took a turn for the worst so they knew that Lilly was just fine. He wished that he could talk to her directly and thank her for everything she did but, having decided that he didn¡¯t want Alice to have to spend any time in his comatose form, he knew he would just have to wait until he woke up to talk to Lilly. It wasn¡¯t until now that he realized just what a treasured friend he had in Lilly Harper.


    They rounded a corner and continued on their way to Jay¡¯s hospital room. His father was supposedly already there and he had given the hospital staff a heads up that they were coming again. Jay still wasn¡¯t sure what to think about his father. All his life, his dad had prioritized work and his own social life over his son and so, Jay had always believed that the man didn¡¯t give a damn about him. His mother treated him in a similar way. He¡¯d never had any relationship with his parents, so to hear how much time his father was spending at the hospital really confused him.


    Does he actually care about me? Did my near death actually make him feel something about me? Maybe¡­that¡¯s something I should try to figure out before I swap back.


    Alice gently reached up and placed her hand on his shoulder, probably understanding the mental state he was currently in. Even putting aside the contradictions in his father¡¯s actions, he was also scared of returning to his own body. There was still no guarantee that everything he¡¯d been through that day wasn¡¯t for nothing. He was beyond lucky to have survived his fall, but that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t going to die. His body was damaged and even if he didn¡¯t die in the coming days, he might just remain in a coma the rest of his life. He was terrified that this day might have been his last.


    But hey¡­if it is, I¡¯m happy that I was able to tie up loose ends and spend one last day at Alice¡¯s side. I¡¯m grateful for that, at least.


    But now, he didn¡¯t want to die. He wanted to wake from his coma and return to school so he could be with Alice and Lilly and the rest of the Magic Club. So he intended to fight for his life. He would do everything he could to survive and make it back to school.


    ¡°Here we are,¡± Alice said softly as they arrived at the closed door of his hospital bedroom. ¡°Your dad¡¯s inside so¡­I¡¯m gonna quickly head to the bathroom, ¡®kay?¡±


    She gave him an encouraging wink before turning and hurrying down the hall. He had asked her before they arrived if he could have a brief moment alone with his dad and she had readily accepted. Silently thanking his best friend, Jay took a deep breath and knocked on the door.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Jay reached for the handle and pushed the door open so he could step inside. The sight that greeted him immediately gave him pause. His father was sitting beside his bed, his hand gently pressed on his forehead, and a pained look in his eyes.


    ¡°Good afternoon,¡± the older man said softly. ¡°Where¡¯s Alice? Wasn¡¯t she with you?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­she went to the bathroom first,¡± he managed to say. ¡°She¡¯ll be here in a minute.¡±


    His father nodded. ¡°Okay then. Well, please take a seat, Miss¡­er, I¡¯m sorry but I don¡¯t actually remember your name.¡±


    Jay pulled up one of the chairs beside the wall and moved it to his body¡¯s bedside before taking his seat. ¡°Oh, um, that¡¯s fine,¡± he whispered. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve had a lot on your mind. My name¡¯s Lilly Harper.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ Miss Harper,¡± his dad muttered. ¡°Actually, if you don¡¯t mind me asking, how long have you known my son? I admittedly didn¡¯t have a close relationship with him so¡­I didn¡¯t know you existed until yesterday. I was under the impression that Alice was his only friend.¡±


    He struggled to hide his confusion at how regretful his father sounded. ¡°Uh¡­I haven¡¯t known him that long,¡± he replied. ¡°I actually just moved here this past fall. We were on cross country together and we kinda just hit it off.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help but internally smirk at how inaccurate that was but, naturally, there was no reason to go into depth about how his and Lilly¡¯s relationship actually came to be.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, cross country,¡± his father said. ¡°Jay¡¯s always liked running.¡±


    They fell into an awkward silence as Jay was forced to find some way to proceed with the conversation. He hadn¡¯t had a real conversation with his dad in a very long time and it was only made that much harder by the fact that he wasn¡¯t even himself at the moment. But he knew he couldn¡¯t back out. For his own peace of mind, he needed to understand his father.


    ¡°Mr. Brooks,¡± he began, ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be so nosy but¡­why didn¡¯t you and Jay have that close of a relationship. He never talks about his parents so I can¡¯t help but be curious.¡±


    His father let out a self deprecating chuckle and shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder he didn¡¯t. He didn¡¯t like us. I¡¯m painfully aware of that.¡±


    Jay internally cringed, knowing the man was referencing his goodbye letter to them. In it, the only thing he had written was ¡°I¡¯m sorry I was never good enough for you guys. I¡¯ll do you a favor and get out of your lives.¡± It was a letter written in anger and it was clear that it actually did impact his dad.


    ¡°You see,¡± the man continued, ¡°I was a terrible father.¡±


    Jay had to hold back his surprise. His father¡¯s statement was so blunt that it almost felt like it wasn¡¯t just his letter that brought the man to this realization.


    ¡°Ever since he was born, I never knew how to be a good parent. His mother was similar,¡± he explained. ¡°Both of us were always very work-oriented and admittedly, neither of us ever planned to be parents.¡±


    Jay nodded. He had always suspected that he hadn¡¯t been an intended birth so his father¡¯s words didn¡¯t surprise him in the slightest. What did surprise him was how easy it was to get him to say this to a girl he hardly knew.


    Maybe¡­he¡¯s just desperate to get this off his chest.


    ¡°I tried interacting with him when he was small, but work always got in the way and he never seemed to enjoy my company,¡± his dad went on. ¡°He started spending most of his time at my best friend¡¯s house¡ªAlice¡¯s mother. He seemed happier there and so, eventually, I just gave up. I figured that the best thing I could do for him was support him by working. So I backed off and left him on his own. I thought that¡¯s what he wanted but¡­it¡¯s obvious that I was just running from responsibility. He had every right to hate me.¡±


    Jay had always believed that his dad didn¡¯t give a damn about him and that¡¯s why he was always left alone. Part of him struggled to accept what the man was saying and yet, that look of pain in his eyes as he stared at his son¡¯s sleeping form was enough to give him doubt.


    ¡°Then, when he wakes up, change that,¡± Jay finally said. ¡°Be the dad he needed. Spend time with him and build that relationship.¡±


    His father smiled sadly. ¡°I¡­don¡¯t think he wants that anymore.¡±


    ¡°He does,¡± Jay said firmly. ¡°If you extend a hand to him, I¡¯m almost certain that he¡¯ll give you another chance. The same goes for Mo¡ªer, his mom. If you make it clear to him that you actually love him, he¡¯ll try.¡±


    The man slowly turned to look at him and, for a moment, it almost seemed like he had seen through him, like he realized that he wasn¡¯t who he claimed to be. But, of course, that couldn¡¯t be that case and instead, he just nodded.


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you say, Miss Harper, then I¡¯ll try,¡± he muttered.


    Just as he said that, the door slowly opened and Alice poked her head in.


    ¡°There you are, Alice,¡± the man greeted. ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll give you girls your privacy again.¡±


    His father excused himself and left the room, giving them the space they needed to return Jay to his proper body.


    ¡°So?¡± Alice prompted. ¡°Learn anything good?¡±


    Jay smiled softly. ¡°He¡¯s not the jackass I thought he was. I¡¯m not really sure what to think about him now but¡­I am happy to know he didn¡¯t hate me. That, at least, is comforting.¡±


    The girl moved across the room and took a seat in the chair where his father had been moments earlier. Both silently gazed at his unconscious body for a few moments before Alice spoke again.


    ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s time to get Lilly back,¡± she said. ¡°She¡¯ll be happy to know how successful her plan was.¡±


    Jay snorted. ¡°Yeah, and make sure to tell her never to do something so reckless again. It wouldn¡¯t have done me any good if she¡¯d died in my body.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I would have stopped her if I thought I could,¡± Alice admitted. ¡°But she didn¡¯t even tell me until we were here and once we were, I knew there was no preventing this. I¡¯ve never seen her look so determined.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a psychopath,¡± he grumbled.


    ¡°And that¡¯s why she fits in with the club so well,¡± Alice added. ¡°They¡¯re all maniacs that¡¯ll go through hell to help people. Except Damien, I guess, but he¡¯s the outlier there.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s for sure,¡± Jay laughed. His thoughts briefly shifted to the club members and, when they did, he suddenly recalled Eric¡¯s odd question earlier that day.


    ¡°Hey, Alice?¡± he began. ¡°Did you hear about anything strange happening on the day I jumped?¡±


    Alice frowned. ¡°Um, I mean aside from you surviving a four story fall onto concrete? Otherwise no. Why?¡±


    Jay furrowed his brow. He¡¯d been so caught up in pulling himself together that he hadn¡¯t given his ridiculous survival much thought. Could that have possibly been what Eric was referencing? It definitely was shocking that he survived at all.


    ¡°What did Eric do after I left the diner that day?¡± Jay asked.


    Alice shrugged. ¡°No idea. He left right after you did. I figured he followed after you to talk or something. I actually meant to ask you about that.¡±


    Jay shook his head. ¡°No. I never actually saw him. How about this then: how was I discovered? Like, who called the ambulance?¡±


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    ¡°Um, your dad said nobody knew,¡± she replied. ¡°It was an anonymous call.¡±


    Jay narrowed his eyes. Could it be¡­as strange as this sounds, could Eric have possibly followed me and seen me jump. And if so¡­did he save me somehow? I¡¯d say that¡¯s impossible but it¡¯s kinda hard to think anything is impossible when I¡¯m literally in someone else¡¯s body right now.


    ¡°So, why are you asking all this?¡± Alice inquired with a tilt of her head.


    He simply shrugged. ¡°Eric asked me if I¡¯d noticed anything weird that day but he didn¡¯t really explain what he meant. I was just trying to figure it out.¡±


    ¡°Really? That is weird, but then again, so is he.¡±


    Jay sighed. ¡°Well, whatever. Let¡¯s get this done. I¡¯m sure Lilly¡¯s ready to wake up.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure she is,¡± the girl muttered. ¡°Then I guess this is goodbye for a little while, huh?¡±


    Jay forced a smile. ¡°Hopefully not for too long though. I¡¯ll be back before you know it, safe and sound.¡±


    ¡°You better be.¡±


    He leaned forward and pulled the girl into a hug, savoring the warmth of her body, knowing that it could very well be the last time he ever hugged her.


    ¡°I love you, Al¡¯,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°I love you, too, Jay,¡± she replied, her voice shaking a bit. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon.¡±


    When he pulled back, he saw tears streaming down her cheeks as she reached into her pocket to produce the stone. Without saying anything more, she tossed it over to him and he quickly caught it. He could feel tears pouring down his own cheeks now.


    ¡°Alright,¡± he whispered, turning to face his body, the stone clutched in his hand. ¡°Thank you for everything, Alice. Goodbye for now.¡±


    And with that, he reached forward and lightly pressed the stone against his cheek. Like always, he was thrown into the formless world for a brief few seconds, before being consumed by unconsciousness.


    ***


    The first thing she noticed when her vision cleared were the tears in her eyes, remnants of Jay¡¯s final emotions just before he left her body. She slowly reached a finger up and wiped her eyes then turned to look down at the sleeping boy in front of her. It didn¡¯t look like anything had changed but she knew it must¡¯ve already been a day. It felt like she¡¯d just come out of a long sleep but her body felt awake. She sensed a presence in the chair beside her but she knew without a doubt who it was.


    ¡°So, did it work?¡± Lilly asked softly as she slid the gem into her pocket.


    When she turned to look, she found Alice crying as well, but the smile on her face told her all she needed to know.


    ¡°Yup,¡± Alice choked. ¡°I think so. Thanks to you, I was able to talk to him again and¡­he wants to try and move past this. It worked, Lilly. Thank you.¡±


    Lilly blinked away the last few tears and returned Alice¡¯s smile. She reached over and pulled the girl into a hug, wanting to give her a shoulder to cry on. Alice leaned her head into her and began to sob. For a while, the two of them just sat there as Lilly attempted to clear her mind. She desperately wanted to know all the details but she also didn¡¯t want to press Alice to talk until the girl was mentally prepared.


    ¡°Whenever you¡¯re ready,¡± she whispered. ¡°Tell me what happened.¡±


    And, once Alice had cried for a few more minutes, she pulled herself together and began to explain the events of the past day. She talked about her conversations with Jay without going too in depth¡ªmost likely to keep their privacy. She also explained their conversation with Matt Briggs that morning as well as the fact that Jay spoke to both Rina and Vinny before the day ended. Alice didn¡¯t know what they talked about but she said Jay seemed more lively afterwards. However, what Lilly didn¡¯t expect to hear was that Jay managed to convince Vinny to delete the pictures of Rina. In addition, when Alice went up to the clubroom to speak to him, she found him already talking to Damien.


    ¡°It actually seems like they¡¯re starting to move past it,¡± Alice said. ¡°The club might be putting itself back together.¡±


    Lilly let out a sigh of relief and leaned back in the chair, sparing an amused glance at the sleeping Jay. ¡°So the bastard fixed it all while I was sleeping, huh?¡± she muttered. ¡°Well good. I¡¯m glad he was able to do what he needed to. Now, maybe he¡¯ll think twice before trying something that utterly stupid again.¡±


    The sense of relief she felt was enormous now that she knew her plan had worked and that Alice had gotten through to him. The fact that Vinny and Damien might¡¯ve made amends was a bonus she never expected to have.


    I owe you one, Jay, she thought. You did what Eric and I couldn¡¯t. You got through to Vinny.


    ¡°Well, I guess I should probably get home,¡± Lilly said. ¡°I dropped that sleepover with you on my parents pretty last minute and I¡¯m sure Jay ignored any texts they might have sent. I¡¯m gonna have hell to pay later.¡±


    Alice nodded. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ve got a date with Vinny after this, but¡­I think I¡¯m gonna stay by Jay¡¯s side a little longer.¡±


    ¡°Good. I¡¯m sure he¡¯d like that.¡±


    Lilly got to her feet and glanced around for her backpack only to realize that Jay probably left it with Eric. She grimaced and went to head for the door when Alice suddenly spoke again.


    ¡°By the way, Jay said to tell you to stop being so reckless. He also said to tell you thanks.¡±


    Lilly glanced back at her and smirked. ¡°I¡¯ll stop being reckless when that idiot stops jumping off balconies. But¡­I¡¯m glad he¡¯s appreciative. I¡¯m thankful for him, too.¡±


    Alice smiled. ¡°I¡¯m glad he has you.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I can¡¯t not be there for my friend, yeah?¡±


    ¡°I guess so,¡± she whispered. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow, Lilly.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you, too.¡±


    Bidding Alice goodbye, Lilly pulled open the door and headed out into the hall. She had left her phone with her backpack so she¡¯d need to run back to school to get it from the clubroom. Knowing it would still probably be another half hour before she got home, she quickened her pace and hurried out of the hospital. Thankfully, she didn¡¯t run into Mr. Brooks since she wouldn¡¯t know what to say to him. Alice said Jay spoke to his father in her body but neither of them knew what he actually said. Running into him would have been potentially embarrassing.


    When she made it outside, she found that the sun was already setting and she was greeted with a cold afternoon. She shivered as she headed across the hospital parking lot and out onto the road that would lead back to school. She walked down Main Street, keeping her head low due to all of the people and, once she made it into the neighborhoods, she began to run, wanting to get back to school as fast as possible. She made it to the front gates within five minutes and slowed to a walk right as she was entering the school. She was so focused on getting back to the clubroom that she completely missed the person standing just beyond the gates.


    ¡°And so, she returns.¡±


    She jumped at the sudden voice, having believed the courtyard to be empty. However, she couldn¡¯t help but smile when she saw Eric standing there, grinning back at her.


    ¡°I figured you¡¯d come back to get your things,¡± he continued, ¡°and thought I¡¯d wait here to greet you.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Eric,¡± she replied, feeling her cheeks warm. She then reached into her pocket and pulled the stone out before tossing it over to him. ¡°And thanks for trusting me with that. It means a lot to me.¡±


    He caught it with ease and slipped it into his own pocket before moving up to stand beside her. ¡°Of course,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve told you before that I trust you, Lilly. You said you had a plan and so, I believed in it. And clearly I wasn¡¯t mistaken to do so. Did Mendez fill you in?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°She told me everything. She also said Vinny and Damien might¡¯ve made up?¡±


    Eric chuckled. ¡°It would seem so. They¡¯re up in the clubroom as we speak.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Eric¡¯s confirmation made another wave of relief wash over her. She had put the issue with Vinny on the back-burner until she resolved everything with Jay so it was amazing to know that he managed to fix it himself.


    Eric began to walk and she remained by his side as they crossed the courtyard and went into the main school building. ¡°You impressed me, Lilly,¡± Eric told her. ¡°The fact that you did something like that for Jay says a lot about the purity of your character. You once asked me what my sense told me about you and my answer was that you were one of the purest people I¡¯ve ever met. You proved that right today.¡±


    She laughed in embarrassment, always thrown off by his confidence in her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about all that,¡± she stuttered. ¡°I mean, Jay tried to kill himself, Eric. He tried to commit suicide and by some frickin¡¯ miracle, he survived. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s all that impressive that I wanted to help him. He¡¯s my friend, after all. I know as a fact that you and Vinny would have done the same.¡±


    Eric shook his head. ¡°Perhaps I would have done the same for one of the other club members. But Lilly, you¡¯ve known Jay for a little over six months and you risked your life for him. His body had every possibility of dying while you were inside him but you wanted to help him anyway. To me, that¡¯s purity.¡±


    ¡°W-well¡­¡±


    I really can¡¯t deal with him! Why does the way he talk throw me off so much! Is he so confident in that damn sense of his that he¡¯ll put me on this pedestal?


    But even as she asked herself that question, she knew that wasn¡¯t what he was doing. Eric Reiner believed in her not because of some ridiculous sense, but because he wanted to. He considered her his friend and because of that, he put his faith in her. Time and time again did he prove that. He trusted her when she wanted to help Brad on the test. They worked together when the club was falling apart and he confided in her when he didn¡¯t know what to do. He was there for her when Jay tried to kill himself and when she wanted to help him, Eric did everything in his power to aid her. Even now, as she returned to school after a day of being gone, he was there to greet her and walk with her.


    And this feeling I always have when I¡¯m with him. Despite his insane personality, I love being with him. I look forward to seeing him every day. His presence is enough to make me feel comfortable and loved. I¡¯ve never felt this way about anyone. Eric Reiner is special to me and even when I try to deny it, I know what this feeling is.


    She came to a sudden stop just as they arrived at the staircase. Eric frowned and glanced back at her.


    ¡°Are you okay, Lilly?¡±


    Even that look of concern tells me how much he cares, she thought. When I decided to go through with my plan to help Jay, I told myself not to overthink and just to do it. So¡­maybe that¡¯s what I should do. Stop thinking and just do it!


    ¡°Eric,¡± she began, looking him directly in the eyes. ¡°I like you.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°I like you, too, Lilly. You¡¯re an admirable person.¡±


    She sighed in exasperation. ¡°No, you idiot.¡±


    Then, deciding to stop thinking, Lilly closed the small distance between them, stood up on her toes, and lightly kissed him on the cheek. It was brief, but that second of contact with him sent a wave of warmth through her body. When she stepped back, his eyes were wide in a rare moment of shock.


    ¡°What I mean is that I like you,¡± she said. ¡°And I want to go out with you.¡±


    She could feel her heartbeat quickening as her brain caught up with her actions but she refused to look away as the embarrassment of what she was doing began to set in. Luckily though, she had nothing to worry about. Moments later, a wide grin spread across his face.


    ¡°I never would have thought you felt the same,¡± he said softly. ¡°I like you, too, Lilly. I¡¯d love to go out sometime.¡±


    Joy flooded through her system and she suddenly felt the desire to embrace him. This time, however, she held herself back and instead extended her hand to him.


    ¡°Then how about after we get my stuff, we go out and get some ice cream or something?¡± she suggested.


    The boy reached out and took her hand in his. ¡°That sounds great. Let¡¯s do that.¡±


    Hand in hand, the two proceeded up the stairs and all the while, she couldn¡¯t stop herself from grinning like an idiot. She figured she¡¯d just text her parents that she was fine and take the afternoon to go out with Eric. At that moment, there was nothing she wanted to do more. When they made it up to the clubroom, part of her considered releasing his hand before they went inside and it seemed he felt the same because he let go.


    Yeah, we should go on our date before telling the news to the others, she thought. We¡¯ll figure out when to tell them later.


    When Eric opened the door, the sight of Vinny, Liz, and Damien all sitting at the desk warned her heart even more.


    ¡°There they are!¡± Vinny called out. ¡°I was wondering when you guys would show up!¡±


    ¡°Glad to see you back, Lilly,¡± Liz added.


    Damien grinned. ¡°And I was wondering where you ran off to, Eric.¡±


    Eric stopped in the doorway and looked around the room, seeming to want to just take in the sight of the MOAIT back together again. Then, he turned to look at Vinny with a sly grin.


    ¡°Vinny, my friend,¡± he began. ¡°Do you remember in freshman year when you said you¡¯d bet fifty bucks that I¡¯d be single all through high school?¡±


    Vinny narrowed his eyes. ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    Eric grinned and then, much to the surprise of everybody in the room, Lilly included, he once again grabbed her hand, intertwining their fingers together.


    ¡°You owe me fifty bucks, friendo.¡±


    Lilly¡¯s face heated up all at once as the utterly stunned stares turned then her. Then, the room exploded into voices as all three of them began speaking at once. Lilly once again gave an exasperated sigh, and couldn¡¯t stop her earlier smile from returning to her face.


    Yup. Shouldn¡¯t have expected any less from Eric Reiner.

 Chapter 43- A Well Placed Trap

    Chapter XLIII


    Nigreos Noctis slowly rounded the corner, seeing the same hallway he¡¯d been walking down for the past three days. He was getting so sick of it that part of him wanted to unleash a burst of magic and blow one of the classrooms to pieces. The only reason he didn¡¯t was because he knew he couldn¡¯t afford to lose his composure. He still didn¡¯t know how much time was passing in the outside world and so every second he spent inside that pocket realm was precious. However he could feel his body getting weaker. He was still moving without water because he was using dark magic to sustain his body. That would only take him so far, though. Sooner or later, he¡¯d need a drink and if he didn¡¯t get out in time, then he was going to die there.


    I can¡¯t lose to this place. How embarrassing would it be to succumb to something like this? No¡­ I¡¯m going to get out of here!


    He still hadn¡¯t come across Album yet, but he knew it would be unlikely that he would. The maximum size for a pocket realm was around the size of a small city. Therefore, there was a top and a bottom to this place. At that point, Nigreos was almost certain that the structure of the pocket realm was the same hallway stacked on top of each other with the top and bottom potentially being a city¡¯s length apart. The chance of finding Album was slim. He knew it would be best to meet up with her on the outside and figure out how to proceed from there.


    And I¡¯m close. I can sense it so clearly now!


    The one downside to using a pocket world as a trap was that there was a known method of escape from the inside. One simply needed to know what to look for. The world was being held together by two mana ports which were communicating with each other on how to structure the world. Those ports would also be gaining their mana from whoever constructed the world and so, if they were found, he could use it to return to the outside. All he would need to do was collaborate with the mana signals so that they would send him back to Omaruo.


    And if these things are communicating with the world¡¯s creator then they¡¯re more mana dense than the rest of this place. For an Ijirian Master like myself, sensing the ports is easy.


    The only problem was that he sensed one of the mana sources below him but he didn¡¯t know how far down it was. He¡¯d been descending for three days with very little breaks and still hadn¡¯t found it. At this point, he was starting to suspect that it was at the very bottom.


    I just need to keep moving though. Take it slowly. Don¡¯t overexert yourself. Using unnecessary energy won¡¯t do you any good.


    He went down another flight of stairs and was greeted by the same sight once more. It was starting to take a toll on his mind but he forced himself to press on. He pushed his thoughts from his tedious walking to other things, hoping to keep his mind sharp. So, he once again considered the implications of the pocket realm¡¯s existence.


    Unless I¡¯m missing some crucial variable, it¡¯s impossible that Eric Reiner could have ever made this. No teenager in Ijiria is skilled enough to perform magic as advanced as this so I doubt a boy living in Omaruo could ever hope to be this skilled. There¡¯s no doubt in my mind that this was created by a powerful magic user. But if somebody like that exists here then is Eric Reiner not our target? Did somebody else get their hands on the Assassination Gem?


    He briefly considered the possibility that somebody from Ijiria came there ahead of them and created the pocket realm as a trap for them, but then quickly discarded the idea. There were only three realm daggers in the Citadel¡ªthe one Nigreos currently had, the one that Rista Pine used to escape with, and a third that was still in possession of the High Council. There was once a fourth one that had been King Markreas¡¯s, but that one had gone missing the night of the attack that put him in his current, near-death state. The Council kept close watch on the daggers so it was unlikely any of those were stolen, therefore the only possible conclusion would be that the pocket realm¡¯s creator used the missing dagger.


    But even that¡¯s hard to believe. This mission was supposed to be kept a secret from anybody outside the Masters, the Prince and Princess, and the High Council so the only way anybody could have known to lay a trap was if they were one of them¡­but there¡¯s no way that¡¯s possible. It¡¯s just too ridiculous! Nigreos clenched his teeth. But then what¡¯s the answer? What variable am I missing?


    He continued to descend the floors, feeling the mana port getting closer by the second. And then, finally, he reached the bottom of a flight of stairs and sensed the source suddenly shift from below him to just ahead..


    Yes! Finally!


    Using what energy he had left, Nigreos broke into a sprint, running past classrooms until he found the one the port was in. The Master yanked the door open and stalked inside and there, hovering over the student¡¯s desks, was a ball of pulsating white mana about the size of his head.


    There it is! After all this time, I can get the hell out of here!


    He sent his own power to his fingertips and walked past the desks to stand before the ball of power. Nigreos then took a deep breath, dreading the revelation of how much time had passed on the outside, and placed his fingers against the ball.


    ¡°Dimiitio,¡± he whispered.


    Despite being braced for what came next, he still found himself hit by a wave of nausea as the world began spinning and warping into a blurred mess. He could feel himself being sucked into the port, but he forced himself to bear through it all, knowing it wouldn¡¯t last long. The sensation only continued on for a handful of seconds, but it felt longer to him. This time, he was determined not to pass out and finally, when the world returned to normal, he was standing right outside the school¡¯s gates. Nigreos hurriedly took in his bearings, afraid of being seen by any of the locals. He was lucky. Based on the position of the sun on the horizon and the temperature around him, it was early evening. There weren¡¯t any students around the school and nobody had seen him reappear.


    Good. Now, I need to get moving. If Album already got out then she¡¯s probably waiting for me.


    He pulled his cowl up over his head and hurried into the silent neighborhoods surrounding the high school. He had no intention of attempting to get into the building another way as he was not about to chance getting stuck again. He still didn¡¯t know how long he had been in there so he wasn¡¯t sure how much time was wasted. Keeping his instincts sharp, Nigreos proceeded down the streets, hoping to use his abilities to sense Album¡¯s presence.


    However, the moment he attempted to do so, he was hit by the sudden realization that he had been bested. With no magic in Omaruo, it should have been ridiculously easy to locate a mage as strong as Album but, as he knew well, pocket realms took a huge amount of power to create and sustain. It was so dense that it would overwhelm any other sources of mana in the area and therefore, not only would he be unable to locate Album, but it would be next to impossible to find anybody who came into contact with the relic unless they were right beside each other.


    Hell¡­, he thought, feeling his body go cold. We¡¯ve been led right into a trap! It didn¡¯t matter whether we escaped that realm or not! Just by opening it once, we¡¯ve unleashed a ton of energy into this damn town! How in the hell are we supposed to find the stone now?!


    Their enemy was clever¡ªthat much he was beginning to realize. What he believed would be a quick trip to Omaruo to reclaim the stone was fast becoming a much more dangerous mission. Somebody was going after them and they had fallen right into their trap.


    Nigreos clenched his fists at his side. Then maybe it was a good thing I decided to go speak with Nuvo. That might make the difference between victory and defeat here.


    He raised his hand and placed it against the pocket of his suit where the nerich¡¯s canister was still tucked away. Given the brilliant trap that awaited them, it now seemed certain that he would have to use it, though he would need to do so in the most efficient way possible. They no longer had room for error.


    As he was deep in thought, he came to a sudden stop, having just barely sensed the small fluctuations in his senses, and couldn¡¯t help but smirk.


    I knew she¡¯d get out before me.


    Up ahead, leaning against one of the streetlights, was a woman in a white cloak, her pitch black eyes trained right on him. Her arms were folded under her chest as she regarded him for a moment before straightening her body and proceeding to walk toward him.


    ¡°Took you long enough, Nigreos,¡± Album called out. ¡°I was beginning to think I¡¯d be dealing with this mission alone.¡±


    The Master of Darkness snorted. ¡°Save the sarcasm, Album. How long have you been out? What do you know?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know much of anything, but I¡¯ll tell you what I do on the way. Come. Follow me.¡±


    ¡°On the way?¡± he muttered. ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    She turned and beckoned for him to follow her with a smug grin that irritated him. He had a nasty feeling that she would be lording her quicker escape from the pocket realm over him for quite some time. When it became clear that she didn¡¯t intend to explain herself yet, Nigreos sighed and begrudgingly followed after her. He couldn¡¯t imagine where she wanted to go and was only confused more when she turned left and headed through a gap between two houses that appeared to lead into a forest. The forest was quiet and Nigreos felt like the trees would provide cover if they happened across any Omaruans. With the sun completely below the horizon now, the only light on the path came from the few streetlights on either side of them.


    ¡°So,¡± Nigreos finally began once it was clear that they were alone. ¡°Fill me in, Album. What¡¯s going on? How long have you been out?¡±


    ¡°Hard to say,¡± she responded. ¡°Obviously, I can¡¯t just go up to somebody and ask but, based on the length of the days, the average weather temperatures, and the blossoms on the trees, I¡¯d say we¡¯re in late winter to early spring.¡±


    Nigreos could hardly contain his horror. ¡°What? Then that means...we were stuck in there for almost three months?¡±


    ¡°I believe so,¡± she confirmed. ¡°My guess is that within that realm, one day is roughly the equivalent to a month here. Am I correct to assume that you were in there for about three days?¡±


    ¡°I was,¡± he grunted. ¡°Yeah, almost three.¡±


    I can¡¯t believe it! So we¡¯ve lost nearly three months of time?! So then, considering the time ratio between here and Ijiria, that means it¡¯s been about a month and a half since we left from their perspective. Damn it¡­


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    ¡°So what else do you have?¡± he growled. ¡°Have you made any progress in either locating the relic or finding the sorcerer who crafted the pocket?¡±


    Album shook her head. ¡°No. I¡¯ve only been out for about a few days myself, and that pocket realm is so mana dense that it drowns out almost everything in this town. I could hardly sense you and you¡¯ve got a damn nerich in your pocket.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I noticed that,¡± he murmured. ¡°Have you then not located Eric Reiner?¡±


    ¡°I have not. He no longer lives at his old house and, obviously, I haven¡¯t been able to check the school.¡±


    Nigreos clenched his teeth. ¡°Do you think there¡¯s any way we could get in from another entrance? A window, maybe?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already tried that,¡± she responded. ¡°Getting within the school grounds from any point sends you back into the pocket. In fact, I¡¯ve broken out of there nearly five times already.¡±


    ¡°F-five?¡± he exclaimed. ¡°How the hell¡­?¡±


    She scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t act so surprised. Don¡¯t forget that I have a pocket realm of my own. I know how they work better than most and so, combined with my light magic, getting out of there is easy. You should be happy. I¡¯ve at least confirmed that we have no possible method of getting into the school.¡±


    He shook his head, irritated at how arrogant she could be, and turned the conversation to a different issue. ¡°And what of the students of this town?¡± he demanded. ¡°I imagine there¡¯s been an uproar with all of them getting swallowed by the realm?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she stated firmly. ¡°In fact, there isn¡¯t a single student that¡¯s vanished. The realm is designed to only react to us, I believe...or at least to any hostile presences that are attempting to get inside. My theory is that it¡¯s designed to protect the relic. If we can¡¯t get inside, we can¡¯t get it back.¡±


    As she said that, Album turned and deviated from the path, leading him further into the woods. He still didn¡¯t know where they were heading but he figured there were other matters to discuss first.


    ¡°But then the answer is simple,¡± he growled. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t react against students, then we use the nerich on one of them and send it inside to reclaim the stone.¡±


    Album nodded. ¡°I considered the idea, but there¡¯s always the possibility that it reacts to the creature as well. If it does, we¡¯d essentially be wasting our best asset right now.¡±


    ¡°Then what do you suggest?¡±


    ¡°Simple. We track down one of the targets and use it on them as opposed to a random student,¡± she replied. ¡°That way, even if the pocket realm reacts to it, we¡¯re at least getting one of the targets out of the way. It¡¯s less of a waste if things go south.¡±


    Nigreos scowled. Her arguments made sense and he could tell that she¡¯d already put a lot of thought into everything. He knew that the nerich could be the variable that would determine whether they won against the sorcerer or not. Wasting it would almost certainly spell defeat for them and, after having failed to prevent Rista Pine¡¯s escape, their reputations would be destroyed if they once again failed. They couldn¡¯t afford to take any unnecessary risks.


    ¡°Fine,¡± he grunted. ¡°Then the first thing we do should be to track down at least one of these targets. From there, we can use the nerich to get into the school. In addition, I say we take one of them captive so that we can find out just how many targets there are. We¡¯re completely blind at this point.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± she replied. ¡°However, I would make one suggestion. I think we should attempt to make contact with Eric Reiner.¡±


    He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. ¡°And how exactly do you propose we do that? I thought you already established that finding him is going to be a pain in the ass.¡±


    ¡°Mind magic,¡± she said simply.


    ¡°Mind¡­?¡±


    He exhaled softly. Mind magic, when at its more advanced levels, was one of the most dangerous classes of magic in existence. However, there were some more common spells that could be used even by those who didn¡¯t choose to specialize in it, and one of them was for communicating with others telepathically. Album wasn¡¯t strong enough in that particular field to do so, but Nigreos knew enough of the basics that, as long as Eric Reiner was actually in Wilham, it wouldn¡¯t be hard to reach out to him that way. The only problem was that he was no longer certain that Reiner was even involved. If their guess had been wrong and the boy was completely unrelated to the stone¡¯s theft then wouldn¡¯t it be better to avoid making contact with him.


    ¡°Album,¡± he growled. ¡°I know you¡¯re not stupid, so I imagine you have a reason for wanting to risk talking to him.¡±


    ¡°Of course I do,¡± she said. ¡°And that reason would be that I refuse to believe that Eric Reiner and a sorcerer powerful enough to create a pocket world coincidentally wound up in the same world in the same town. And even if they did, I¡¯m certain they would have made contact by this point. Reiner may not live in Ijiria but the ability to sense magic is innate. He would have noticed the sorcerer¡¯s presence and vice versa.¡±


    Nigreos nodded. ¡°So you think we can gain information by speaking to Reiner telepathically?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± With that, Album then came to a stop, prompting Nigreos to do the same. Before he could inquire as to what was wrong, she whispered, ¡°here we are.¡±


    The Master of Darkness cocked an eyebrow, seeing nothing in the surrounding forests that was of any significance. He was about to ask why she brought him there when she lightly placed her palm against his cheek and whispered, ¡°Revealaron¡±. He instantly recognized the spell as the one used to break distortion magic and, a few yards ahead of him, the air warped to reveal a run-down, old wooden house.


    ¡°I found this place yesterday,¡± she explained. ¡°It looked abandoned and it¡¯s in the middle of the forest. Seemed perfect for us to use as a base of operations.¡±


    He nodded his agreement. It would be unlikely that anybody would come looking for the house and, even if they did, Album¡¯s distortion magic would make it very hard for them to locate. Only the two of them would be able to find it with ease. Depending on the sorcerer''s proficiency in distorting, he may be able to recognize the spell but that would only be the case if he happened to stumble upon it.


    Nigreos grinned. And that¡¯s unlikely, of course. His damned pocket realm might screw with our senses so we can¡¯t find him, but it works the other way, too. He won¡¯t be able to locate us unless he¡¯s close by.


    Album and Nigreos proceeded forward, stepping up onto the porch. The Master of Light grabbed the door, uttered a spell to unlock it, and pulled it open to admit them to the entry hall beyond. It was a depressing place even in the interior, but Album was right in that it was perfect for what they needed. The main room of the house was empty of any furniture aside from a single chair that had been pushed into the corner.


    ¡°Alright, given our severe loss of time with that realm, I¡¯d prefer it if you could make contact with Reiner immediately,¡± Album said. ¡°Are you in strong enough condition to do so?¡±


    Nigreos nodded. He was exhausted from his time in the pocket, but the communication spell didn¡¯t take much of a toll on him. He could at least reach out to Reiner without issue. The man walked toward the chair and took his seat while Album moved to stand in the corner of the room, once again folding her arms as she watched him expectantly.


    Alright, let¡¯s make this quick.


    He closed his eyes and steadied his breathing, recalling everything he¡¯d been taught about mentally connecting with a target he didn¡¯t know the location of. However, he had an advantage when it came to Eric Reiner. He and Abi had connected many times in the past and so, he could recall the feeling of her mind vividly. Since Eric would have only inherited magical qualities from his mother, there wouldn¡¯t be any paternal signals interrupting him. If he simply sought out the mana signals of Abi, he would be able to connect to the boy.


    There should only be two signals in this town, he thought. One for the sorcerer and one for Reiner. Eric¡¯s should be the less powerful of the two so if I find¡­


    What the hell?


    He easily felt the familiar presence of Abi¡¯s mana within the town, but what gave him pause was the fact that he didn¡¯t sense a second one. That meant that Eric Reiner was the only other one with magical blood there.


    Then where the hell is the one who created the pocket? Is he not here? Or were we wrong? Did Eric make it? That shouldn¡¯t be possible, but¡­


    He quickly made the decision of what he should do. Choosing to just talk to Eric directly, he centered his attention on the boy¡¯s signal and intertwined his own magic with his. Within moments, he should be hearing Eric¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Agh!¡± he suddenly shouted.


    Without any warning, his head suddenly felt like it was splitting apart. There was a horrible shrieking in his ears and it felt like something was cutting him open from within the skull. He frantically cut the connection, desperately wanting to escape the pain, as he collapsed to the floor on his hands and knees and retched.


    ¡°Nigreos! Nigreos, what¡¯s happening?!¡±


    Album¡¯s voice seemed distant over the sound of the shrieking, but he could feel her presence over him. He coughed up the bile still in his throat and started breathing heavily as the pain gradually began to dull. He felt Album put her hands on his shoulders before muttering a word he hadn¡¯t been able to make out. However, based on the wave of calm that washed over him afterwards, he knew it had been some sort of healing spell. The shrieking vanished and the pain eased considerably, allowing him to push himself to a sitting position. When he looked up, Album was standing over him, eyeing him with concern.


    ¡°What happened?¡± she demanded. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a reaction like that from you.¡±


    Nigreos shook his head. ¡°I have no idea. The moment I tried to make the connection with the boy, this horrific pain shot through my head and it sounded like somebody was screaming. That¡¯s never happened before and I¡¯ve connected with dozens of people.¡±


    ¡°So you didn¡¯t even get a word in?¡± Album inquired.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± he confirmed. ¡°I can¡¯t even be certain that Reiner even knew I was connecting with him, though there¡¯s no way this was coincidental. Whatever happened, I think it was there to intentionally keep us out of his mind.¡±


    Album scoffed. ¡°What the hell is going on here? First the pocket realm and now this? Every move we¡¯ve made so far has been met with utter defeat. We lost three months, we can¡¯t locate anybody because of the mana density, and now we can¡¯t even make a mental connection! And for all we know, Reiner might not even be our target.¡±


    ¡°Actually,¡± Nigreos began, recalling the one piece of information he gained from that attempt. ¡°I did learn something. Eric Reiner is the only other person with magical blood in this city. I couldn¡¯t connect with anybody else.¡±


    The Master of Light regarded him for a moment with a dumbfounded stare that was rare for her these days, but after a moment, her hardened resolve returned and she simply folded her hands behind her back.


    ¡°So either Reiner is the one who made the pocket realm,¡± she said, ¡°or the sorcerer who did has left Wilham. I¡¯m hoping it¡¯s the latter option because if our primary enemy is gone, it¡¯ll make our job a lot easier. But, if Reiner is the owner of the pocket, then¡­¡±


    She left her thought unfinished and Nigreos was grateful for that. There was no need to state what they both knew. If Eric was the owner of the pocket then that made him both dangerously powerful and, due to his connection to Abi, somebody that Nigreos might not be able to strike down even if he had the chance. Ryokumo¡¯s words from before they left flashed through his mind.


    ¡°If Eric Reiner truly is behind this then, despite what King Markreas commanded, you shouldn¡¯t erase him. Instead...I think you should bring him back to Ijiria.¡±


    But if he did create the pocket then bringing somebody like him back could be disastrous for the country. After all, it was Nigreos who stopped Abi¡¯s rebellion and was responsible for her death. If Eric knew that and Nigreos brought him to Ijiria, he could potentially be bringing a huge calamity upon them.


    He clenched his fists in irritation.


    ¡°Album,¡± he muttered. ¡°I need some food, water, and rest. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll try to connect with Reiner again and I¡¯ll keep trying until we make some progress on figuring out what¡¯s actually going on here.¡±


    ¡°If you think you can do it, I won¡¯t stop you,¡± she replied. ¡°I stole some food from a nearby market. It¡¯s in the back room.¡±


    Nigreos nodded. ¡°Good. Thanks. I¡¯ll clean this up.¡±


    He indicated the vomit still on the floor with disgust. Album nodded silently once more before turning and making her way down the hallway behind him and into an adjacent room. He watched her go for a moment before putting his head in his hands and sighing in exhaustion.


    What...am I going to do?


    ***


    ¡°Eric? You okay?¡±


    When Lilly looked up from her homework, she saw that Eric had a pained look on his face and had a hand to his head. The boy looked across the caf¨¦ table at her and forced a smile.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine,¡± he assured her. ¡°Just a little headache, is all.¡±


    She narrowed her eyes in suspicion, seeing a bit of hesitance in her boyfriend¡¯s eyes that made her wonder if there was something else bothering him. But, deciding that if there was, he¡¯d tell her when he was ready, she simply smiled and returned her attention to the homework before her.

 Chapter 44- As The Months Have Passed

    Chapter XLIV


    As Lilly made her way up to the top floor of West Wilham High, she couldn¡¯t help but to smile. As much as she was really enjoying being on the track team, she always found herself excited when practice finally ended and she could rush up to the clubroom to spend the last half hour before Eric and the others left school. There was a skip in her step that Alice had recently been teasing her about, though she knew it was all in good fun. The fact of the matter was that she was happier than she had ever been in her life.


    She and Eric had now been dating for three months and the club remained peaceful ever since Vinny and Damien moved past their issues. The incident with Evan Wright and Rina Davens had happened in December and now, even though it was only April, it felt like an eternity ago. Each day since had been spent in bliss and Lilly realized she was smiling a lot more than she used to. Her time with the club was relaxing and part of her wished it would go on forever. She had feared that dating Eric would make their relationship awkward but, much to her own surprise, they fell into it all with ease and, even though they had yet to kiss, she knew she had grown closer to him than she had ever been with someone. He made her happy and she was sad it took her nearly six months with the club to realize what her feelings meant.


    In addition, there hadn¡¯t been any other incidents with the stone after her swap with Jay. Instead, they simply used it for fun, despite Damien still often urging them not to, yet he no longer seemed as nervous as he used to. The gem had simply become a part of their normal lives and it no longer seemed as foreign and scary as it once did.


    She smiled, reaching the top floor of the building and turning to walk in the direction of the clubroom. She had changed back into her school uniform and considered dropping her bag of workout clothes off at her locker before opting not to. She didn¡¯t want to waste time when she knew the others wouldn¡¯t care if she just dumped her bag somewhere in the room.


    As she walked, her mind continued to wander and she found herself suddenly thinking about the events of months earlier. There hadn¡¯t been any new developments since. Evan Wright had returned to school at the beginning of February, but had kept his distance from everyone except the football team. Vinny and Damien had both been prepared for some form of retribution, but it seemed Evan had no intention of going anywhere near them again. As for Rina, she had kept her promise and had stayed away from Alice and the club and they had avoided her. Alice had talked about trying to extend an olive branch to her old friend but Lilly had suggested giving it more time. Considering all the pain that both sides had gone through, it seemed best just to have space for a while. Alice had eventually agreed, stating that it may be best to wait until Jay came back to approach Rina.


    Jay¡­


    Lilly¡¯s thoughts briefly flashed to the boy and she felt a twinge of sadness. Even after all that time, he still hadn¡¯t woken up, though the doctors said he was currently stable. Alice went to visit him fairly often and, on occasion, Lilly borrowed the stone and went with her so that they could use her body as a catalyst to talk. Lilly hadn¡¯t spoken to him since before he jumped, though and that was because she never wanted Alice to lose a chance to talk to him. She figured she could just catch up with Jay when he finally woke up.


    And he will wake up, she thought firmly. I know he will. He¡¯s too strong to stay asleep forever. He¡¯ll come back eventually.


    She took a deep breath, not wanting to get emotional over him again, as she approached the closed door of the Magic Club. There was a time when she would have knocked before going inside but now, she casually pulled it open and walked inside.


    ¡°You shall be defeated, you blonde fiend!¡±


    ¡°You may tell yourself that, but you aren¡¯t convincing anybody! You know you are the one who is doomed, Eric Reiner!¡±


    The sound of Eric and Vinny¡¯s shouting made her chuckle to herself as she glanced across the room to see them sitting face-to-face at a pair of desks, seemingly engaged in a game she couldn¡¯t recall the name of, where each player had to get four pieces in a row on a checkered mat. They were so focused on the gameboard that neither noticed as she walked inside and set her clothes bag on a nearby desk. Instead, it was Liz who greeted her.


    ¡°Yo, Lilly,¡± she called out. ¡°Welcome to the show. I¡¯ll take your bets on who you think is gonna win.¡±


    Lilly glanced over to see Liz sitting at a desk close to the boys, apparently acting as the sole audience to their game. Damien was typing away on his computer in the back table, probably working on homework, though he did spare a second to give her a wave of hello. She returned it before walking over to take a seat at the desk beside Liz.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see,¡± she muttered, taking a look at the current state of the board.


    Eric was playing as blue and Vinny was black. It was quickly apparent that Vinny had the upper hand as there were a few spots where he already had three in a row while Eric was struggling just to get to three. However, one look at her boyfriend¡¯s composed features told her that he wasn¡¯t as backed into a corner as he may have appeared.


    ¡°What are you betting Liz?¡±


    The other girl smirked. ¡°I¡¯ve got five bucks on Vinny.¡±


    Lilly nodded. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll put ten bucks on Eric.¡±


    Liz looked at her in surprise, probably wondering if there was something she wasn¡¯t seeing. Meanwhile, Lilly just barely noticed a slight smile curl on Eric¡¯s lips and she knew her confidence in him had made him happy. Vinny, however, just laughed smugly.


    ¡°I understand wanting to support your boyfriend, dear Lilly,¡± he said, ¡°but you must know that he¡¯s as good as vanquished. I only need a few more moves and I¡¯ll have him groveling before me!¡±


    Lilly smirked as the blonde boy dropped one of his pieces onto the board. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll see, won¡¯t we, Vin¡¯?¡± she replied. ¡°But I¡¯ll just warn you that Eric isn¡¯t so easily vanquished. I don''t think the game¡¯s as decided as you hope it is.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m with her,¡± Damien suddenly called from the back of the room. ¡°I¡¯ll put ten bucks on Eric as well.¡±


    Lilly glanced back to see that Damien hadn¡¯t even turned around. He was simply expecting Eric to pull some comeback from out of his ass, as Lilly was. She could see Liz looking nervous as she analyzed the board in search of a way Eric could possibly best Vinny. When Eric reached forward and set a piece down, Liz¡¯s eyes went wide and Lilly had to suppress her own smug laughter. Both could now see what Eric had done. Even Vinny was staring down at it in horror.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve gotta be joking,¡± he grumbled.


    ¡°Told you,¡± Lilly teased.


    Eric had managed to get three in a row but, something Vinny hadn¡¯t realized until too late, there was an open slot on both sides of the row. Therefore, no matter if Vinny blocked him on the left or the right, Eric would win.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have let yourself get cocky, Vinny, my friend,¡± Eric said. ¡°Arrogance can be a person¡¯s greatest enemy and you were so focused on your own three¡¯s that you didn¡¯t pay attention to my twos and now, they shall be a great four the likes of which this realm is not prepared for!¡±


    Vinny scowled, begrudgingly placing his piece in a random corner of the map as if not wanting to give Eric the satisfaction of trying to futilely block him. Eric merely formalized his victory and placed the winning piece down.


    ¡°I win,¡± he said.


    ¡°Wow,¡± Liz muttered. ¡°Well, I guess I didn¡¯t give Reiner enough credit. I thought for sure he was going to get his ass royally kicked.¡±


    Vinny sighed. ¡°Yeah, same honestly.¡±


    ¡°I had a feeling,¡± Damien called over. ¡°Lilly sounded too confident so I figured there must be something you guys were missing.¡±


    Well, I didn¡¯t actually see what Eric was going for, but I was pretty sure he had something up his sleeve, she thought, though she made no move to correct Damien.


    She and Eric exchanged amused glances before the boy got to his feet and stretched his arms up into the air. ¡°Well,¡± he began, ¡°seeing as Lilly¡¯s here, we can begin! I will officially declare this the first meeting of the Magical and Other Anomalies Investigation Team for April of our junior year! Attendance is mandatory!¡±


    He spared a look at Damien as he said that last sentence. Damien sighed, closed his laptop, and turned his chair around so he could face the others. Liz and Vinny both smiled and straightened up, leading Lilly to realize there was something she was missing.


    ¡°And why exactly did you need me here?¡± she inquired. ¡°Is something going on that I wasn''t told about?¡±


    Eric grinned. ¡°Well, we couldn¡¯t exactly leave you out of this one! Official or not, you are a member of this club. As for the topic of this meeting, that would be the spring festival!¡±


    Ah, right. That¡¯s next week, isn¡¯t it?


    The spring festival was apparently a big deal for West Wilham High. Every year at the beginning of April, the school held a big, club-centered festival where the clubs of the school put together fun little attractions. It was open to the public so it was pretty beloved even outside of the school and it brought a lot of money in for funding. It spanned over three days, starting on a Wednesday and ending in a big, late-night celebration the following Friday. Lilly could tell that the school was hyped for it and even she found herself excited to see it all.


    ¡°Specifically,¡± Eric went on, ¡°we need to discuss what we are going to be doing for our club attraction this year! Unfortunately, Mr. Lowe has informed me that we can¡¯t do our usual one this time.¡±


    Damien snorted. ¡°Gee, I wonder why.¡±


    Lilly frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve actually been meaning to ask, but what did you guys do last year? And, for that matter, why can¡¯t you do it again?¡±


    ¡°Ah, well, you see,¡± Eric grumbled. ¡°Damien, I give you permission to explain it!¡±


    Lilly cocked an eyebrow in suspicion and glanced back at Damien, who looked exasperated by Eric. ¡°We did a dessert stand the last two years,¡± he explained. ¡°Liz and I are both pretty good cooks so we always made brownies and cupcakes and, since nobody likes us, we usually had a good chunk of them left over afterwards to take home. It was a win-win. We satisfy the club requirement of festival participation and get desserts out of it.¡±


    She nodded, understanding the logic behind it. ¡°And? That seems perfectly harmless. Why can¡¯t you do that again?¡±


    ¡°Well, simply put, we left Vinny alone with the portable oven we brought and he almost burnt the room down,¡± Liz said. ¡°Lowe was pissed so I guess we¡¯re banned from food this time.¡±


    ¡°In my defense,¡± Vinny interjected. ¡°That oven was faulty! The buttons were way too sensitive so how was I supposed to know I put an extra zero on the timer?!¡±


    ¡°You use your damn eyes, dude!¡± Liz retorted. ¡°Didn¡¯t you think it was taking it suspiciously long to cook?!¡±


    ¡°Well¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Anyway!¡± Damien interrupted before they wound up on one of their typical tangents. ¡°That¡¯s what happened, so, Eric, take the floor back please.¡±


    Vinny reluctantly remained silent as everybody turned once again to look at the club¡¯s leader. Seemingly pleased, Eric cleared his throat and continued. ¡°Well, like I said, we need a new food-unrelated attraction. So? Everybody, let¡¯s hear some ideas! What do we got for me?¡±


    Vinny immediately raised his hand and Lilly couldn¡¯t help but to think it was suspiciously fast. Part of her wanted to tell Eric to just decline him before hearing him out, but the blonde boy began talking before she could.


    ¡°An art exhibit!¡± he suggested.


    Eric tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Um...what?¡±


    ¡°An art exhibit!¡± Vinny repeated. ¡°We can paint a bunch of pictures and hang them around the clubroom for everybody to see!¡±


    Lilly frowned. ¡°A-am I missing something? Do you guys actually know how to paint cause I sure don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°No, we don¡¯t,¡± Liz growled. ¡°In fact, it¡¯s something almost all of us are terrible at. Damien¡¯s pretty good but it¡¯s not like we can just hoist all the work onto him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying we should,¡± Vinny corrected her. ¡°In fact, I think our inabilities will be the defining feature of our exhibit! We can call it ¡®The Shitiest Art Show You¡¯ll Ever See!¡¯ It¡¯ll be amazing!¡±


    ¡°I refuse¡±


    ¡°Same.¡±


    ¡°Yup.¡±


    Liz, Damien, and Lilly all agreed within seconds of each other, leaving Vinny to hang his head in his second defeat of the afternoon.


    Eric smiled in sympathy for him. ¡°Sorry, buddy, but you¡¯re overruled by the majority. Unfortunately though, none of us really have talent so, with food off the table, we might be stuck with a terrible attraction no matter what we do.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s got a point,¡± Liz mused. ¡°I mean, most clubs just do something that relates to their typical activities but, well, we don¡¯t really have those. We couldn¡¯t even do a magic show since none of us know sleight of hand.¡±


    Vinny shrugged, his sly grin returning once more. ¡°But we do have actual magic! Maybe we can charge a bunch of people to get the chance to swap bodies!¡±


    Damien scowled. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s not happening.¡±


    ¡°I know, I''m just joking,¡± Vinny replied. ¡°Though, maybe we¡¯re on the right track. We could always try something related to the supernatural. Maybe we make a scuffed up haunted house? Oh, or maybe we do a fortune telling booth! My sister has a crystal ball we could borrow!¡±


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Lilly narrowed her eyes. ¡°Why does your sister have a crystal ball?¡±


    ¡°Ah, that would be on me,¡± Eric said. ¡°It was a gift to her for her birthday. Mia always liked it when I would talk about magic so I thought it could be fun to teach her the awesome power of foresight!¡±


    Lilly couldn¡¯t help but laugh, knowing that was a very Eric-like thing to do and, if Mia Mickelson was anything like her brother then she probably really enjoyed the gift. It really did baffle her sometimes with how Eric came up with some of his ideas.


    Wait a moment¡­ Lilly sat up straighter, drawing the attention from the others in the room. Vinny might actually have come up with something good! Yeah, what were they thinking? Of course they have a talent!


    ¡°You know what?¡± she began, ¡°I think we should do a fortune telling booth.¡±


    Damien, Liz, and even Vinny all looked at her in surprise, but she noticed the intrigued expression on Eric¡¯s face.


    ¡°Wait, really?¡± Vinny asked. ¡°I was just throwing shit at the wall.¡±


    Damien nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m confused. Why is that a good idea?¡±


    ¡°Because,¡± she replied, ¡°you guys do have a talent and that¡¯s coming up with a bunch of bullshit on the spot. You¡¯re impressive as hell at improvising! So, you set up a fortune telling booth and, if anybody actually shows up, you can just BS some future for them and move on! It¡¯ll be easy!¡±


    ¡°Wait, she¡¯s got a point,¡± Liz said. ¡°And apparently we already have a crystal ball, so¡­¡±


    Vinny grinned, seeming satisfied that his idea might actually work. ¡°And honestly? I think it could be actually kinda fun to make up futures for people.¡±


    ¡°As long as you¡¯re not telling them anything rude,¡± Damien added.


    Vinny causally brushed his comment aside, seemingly already lost in thought about what sort of things he could say. Lilly glanced at Damien and Liz, who both looked like they were on board with the idea as well. So, satisfied that she had convinced them, she glanced at Eric for him to finalize the decision.


    The boy smiled cheerfully. ¡°Alright then! It¡¯s been decided! For this year¡¯s spring festival, the Magical and Other Anomalies Investigation Team will become fortune tellers!¡±


    ***


    It was around five-thirty when everybody left the clubroom and began making their way home. Eric had been satisfied with having an idea for the festival and had decided that they could talk more in depth about what they would do on the following day. For the time being, he wanted Vinny to make sure his sister was okay with lending them the crystal ball as well as actually running the idea by Mr. Lowe so that they could get their idea accepted. So, since Lilly had babysitting to do that night, she bid them all goodbye and hurried home to change out of her uniform and into more comfortable clothes. She talked briefly with her parents then headed down to the building¡¯s second floor where the Hills lived. She hadn¡¯t seen Natalie in a few weeks so she had been excited when Renee had called her the previous day, asking if she could come by after school. Lilly smiled as she walked up to their apartment¡¯s front door and knocked a few times. Renee answered moments later.


    ¡°Lilly, thank you for coming,¡± the woman greeted, motioning for her to come inside.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Lilly replied, following her into the apartment¡¯s main room. ¡°You know I love hanging out with Natalie. I¡¯m always happy to help out.¡±


    Renee smiled tiredly. She seemed more exhausted than usual and Lilly wondered if her job was getting stressful again. However, since she wasn¡¯t one to pry into other people¡¯s business, she didn¡¯t say anything about it.


    ¡°And we really appreciate that,¡± Renee said. ¡°Natalie always looks forward to your visits, too. I think she gets lonely being cooped up inside most of the time. You¡¯ve become like a big sister to her and I think that¡¯s really helping her.¡±


    Renee¡¯s words made Lilly¡¯s smile widen. She was happy to know that her friendship was helping the little girl. Since she was homeschooled and blind, Natalie didn¡¯t have a lot of opportunities to make friends. Renee took her places on weekends but, since her schedule was always so busy, it wasn¡¯t much. Natalie was a strong kid but she was still a kid nonetheless and so, it wasn¡¯t surprising that she got lonely. Lilly wished there was something more she could do for her but, since her visits were about all she was capable of, she was thrilled to know they made a difference.


    ¡°Oh, and by the way,¡± Renee continued, ¡°are you free this Sunday afternoon?¡±


    Lilly thought for a moment, recalled that she had the weekend free, and nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m free. You need me to come by and watch her again?¡±


    Renee shook her head. ¡°Actually, no. This Sunday is Natalie¡¯s birthday and I¡¯m having a little celebration for her. I just thought she¡¯d want you to be there.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll absolutely be there,¡± she said excitedly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t miss Natalie¡¯s birthday for the world. Just let me know what she wants so I can get her something. Can¡¯t come to a birthday without a gift, yeah?¡±


    Renee laughed softly. ¡°Thank you, Lilly, but I¡¯m not really sure. Every time I ask her, she tells me that she doesn¡¯t want anything. I know she¡¯s just saying that since we don¡¯t have a lot of money, but I can¡¯t not get her something. Maybe you could get her to tell you?¡±


    Yeah, that sounds like her.


    Even though the little girl had never explicitly stated it, Lilly always got the feeling that she considered herself a burden on her mother. Renee spent much of her time working from home and Lilly knew she didn¡¯t get off until real late most nights. Then, when she did, she spent her time homeschooling her daughter. As far as she knew, Renee rarely ever got time to relax and she always looked utterly exhausted whenever she saw her. Natalie was a very observant kid and it must¡¯ve been obvious to her that her mother worked as hard as she did for her. Lilly could only imagine how that affected her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± Lilly replied. ¡°I¡¯m sure I can figure something out.¡±


    Renee gave a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank you. Now, I¡¯ve gotta get going. I¡¯ll be back around nine, but I¡¯ll give you a call if anything comes up.¡±


    ¡°Okay, perfect,¡± Lilly said. ¡°I¡¯ll keep my phone close. Take care, Renee.¡±


    ¡°You, too, sweetheart.¡±


    The woman grabbed her purse from the kitchen counter and rushed out the door, leaving Lilly standing in the main room alone. Since she hadn¡¯t seen Natalie anywhere nearby, Lilly figured she must be in her bedroom, so she turned and headed down the hall in the back of the room, before coming to stand in front of one of the closed doors. She knocked a few times and called out.


    ¡°Natalie, I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    The girl¡¯s reply wasn¡¯t as enthusiastic as usual and Lilly immediately worried that something was wrong. She quickly opened the door and stepped inside. The room was just as vibrant as she remembered. The walls were painted a soft pink and the bed was covered in all sorts of stuffed animals. The desk across from her had papers strewn about it, probably all assignments that Renee left for Natalie to work on. Currently, she was sitting on her bed with her back to the door, leaning her arms against the windowsill. Her hair was rustling a bit from the breeze blowing inside and Lily figured she was just enjoying the cool touch. Natalie had told her a few times that the breeze calmed her down.


    ¡°Hey, Nat¡¯,¡± she greeted. ¡°How¡¯s it going? It¡¯s been a little while, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Natalie shrugged. ¡°Yeah, I guess so¡±


    What¡¯s the matter with her? She¡¯s usually so energetic. Did something happen?  I mean, I imagine Renee would have told me, so...is it something even she doesn¡¯t know about?


    ¡°Your mom told me your birthday¡¯s next Sunday,¡± Lilly said, hoping to start a conversation. ¡°Are you excited? You¡¯re turning eleven, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be eleven,¡± she mumbled. ¡°I guess that¡¯s cool.¡±


    Lilly sighed, deciding that she might as well just be direct and see where that gets her.


    ¡°Natalie, what¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked. ¡°Did something happen? You seem so kinda sad.¡±


    For a moment, Natalie was silent and she didn¡¯t move. Lilly was about to speak again when the little girl turned her head slightly, and said something so softly that she couldn¡¯t make out a single word.


    ¡°What was that?¡± she replied, taking a few more steps into the room to close part of the gap between them.


    ¡°Why...did I have to be born blind?¡± Natalie repeated. ¡°Why me? Did I do something wrong?¡±


    Lilly could hardly contain her shock and for a moment, she just stared at the girl, dumbfounded. She had no idea how she was supposed to respond to that but she knew that, for Natalie¡¯s sake, she couldn¡¯t just stand there in silence. So she hurriedly shook off her surprise and responded as firmly as she could.


    ¡°Of course you didn¡¯t! You did nothing wrong, Natalie. Don¡¯t talk like that. You¡¯re an amazing person. You just¡­wound up a little different from everybody else, but there¡¯s nothing wrong with that.¡±


    But despite her words, Natalie¡¯s pained expression didn¡¯t fade. In fact, it almost seemed as if what Lilly said only caused her more pain. ¡°B-but...then why?¡± she whispered. ¡°Why can¡¯t I see, Lilly? Everybody else gets to. I want to see the world, too. Mom reads me a lot of books and it¡¯s full of pretty descriptions, but I never know what to imagine. I¡¯ve never seen color. I don¡¯t know the difference between red and blue. They¡¯re just words to me.¡±


    Lilly opened her mouth to reply and was once again stuck speechless. Natalie was always so upbeat and positive that this was throwing her off. She sounded so serious that Lilly couldn¡¯t formulate a response.


    ¡°I want to see the world,¡± Natalie continued meekly. ¡°I want to be like everybody else. I know you and Mom both say that it¡¯s not something to be ashamed of or to worry about, but¡­I just wish I didn¡¯t have to be the different one.¡±


    Her words only confirmed the suspicions Lilly had always had, yet that didn¡¯t mean she was prepared to face them. The suddenness of it all made her certain that something must have happened in the recent days to cause Natalie to suddenly start talking like this.


    ¡°W-what brought this on all of a sudden?¡± Lilly managed to ask.


    Natalie shrugged once again. ¡°I dunno. It¡¯s just that...Mom sometimes puts shows on for me to listen to and the other day, there was this episode about a girl having a birthday party. I got all excited because mine was coming up, but...the girl in the show started talking about all the friends she was inviting over and how they were going to go to the beach and celebrate. I kept thinking that I really wanted that, but...I don¡¯t go to school so I don¡¯t have any friends. And the characters kept talking about the pretty sunset over the ocean at the end and...I¡¯ve never seen the sunset or even the ocean. I¡­¡±


    She went silent and lowered her head, sounding as if she had choked on her words. Lilly understood what was going through her mind. She was hearing all about how much fun others were having on TV and it made her realize what she didn¡¯t have. It was true that her lack of sight kept her from experiencing a lot of things that seeing people did, but Lilly hated the thought that it was affecting Natalie the way it was.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Lilly said. ¡°Listen to me, Nat¡¯. Sure, maybe you can¡¯t see the ocean or the sunset, but...I don¡¯t want you thinking that¡¯s a bad thing. You¡¯re unique. You¡¯re special.¡±


    Natalie shook her head. ¡°I know, but sometimes I don¡¯t want to be unique.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Lilly went silent, not knowing how to respond. She cursed herself for her inability to figure out what to say, knowing full well that the rest of the club would have known what to do.


    ¡°I¡¯m excited for my birthday,¡± Natalie said, ¡°but, I just keep thinking how it means I¡¯m getting older and I¡¯m missing out on so much. I¡¯m gonna be a middle schooler soon and...I¡¯ll still be stuck here. All the fun experiences I hear about and read about are things I want, but...I know it¡¯s never gonna happen. I just want to see the world like everybody else, even if its only for a little while. That¡¯s all I want.¡±


    As Natalie said those last few words, a thought flashed through Lilly¡¯s mind. It wasn¡¯t the first time she¡¯d come up with the idea, but in the past she had always decided against it, not wanting to get the poor girl caught up in the odd life of the Magic Club. However, at that moment, she couldn¡¯t help but genuinely consider it. After all, she had the power to give Natalie what she wanted. There was no way she could give her sight full time, but there was a way to grant her wish of seeing a sunset at the ocean.


    And it¡¯s not like Eric would say no. If I asked him to, he¡¯d go through with it without a second thought. All I¡¯d have to do was ask, and I could give Natalie something truly special for her birthday.


    ¡°Hey, Nat¡¯,¡± she began, knowing that she was going to do it whether it was right or not. ¡°Have you ever been to the Wilham Pier?¡±


    ***


    Alexa Harper stared up at the ceiling of her bedroom, lost in thought. Her sister still wasn¡¯t home from her babysitting job so she had the room to herself. It was silent with the exception of the distant sound of her parents watching television in the main room. Part of her considered joining them, but the other part was happier just sitting alone and thinking. She had been giving Lilly a lot of thought lately, though since it was obvious that she didn¡¯t want to be bothered, Alexa had been refraining from bringing any of it up. However, part of her still wondered if she was being a bad sister by doing so. So many changes were taking place in her little sister¡¯s life and so, Alexa couldn¡¯t help but be worried about her.


    But I guess I should stop being so scared, she berated herself. Lilly at least looks happy these days so I guess that¡¯s something good. It¡¯s just¡­


    Alexa had been thrown off by her sister¡¯s actions time and time again since the two of them moved to West Wilham High. First, her sudden association with the outcasts of the school, the Magic Club, was so unlike her. Lilly had always avoided people and especially strange or annoying people. The club should have been something she kept her distance from but, instead, they became her best friends. Then there was the debacle with that Alice Mendez girl during Christmas and the rumors circulating that the club got Evan Wright arrested, a claim that the football player had done nothing to confirm or dispute since his return to school. Lilly avoided the subject quite often so Alexa still wasn¡¯t sure what the truth was.


    And then there was that boy¡¯s suicide attempt¡­


    In January, a junior that Lilly was apparently close to tried to kill himself and he only barely survived, though Alexa had heard that he was still in a comatose state. When it happened, Lilly had been utterly distraught but, when Alexa tried to talk to her, she refused to open up. Days later, she went to a sudden sleepover with Mendez and when she came back, she seemed as cheerful as ever. After that, she heard from some of her friends that Lilly had begun dating Eric Reiner. Eric had dropped by the house a few times for dinner and it was immediately apparent that the eccentric boy made Lilly really happy.


    And I¡¯m glad she¡¯s happy. I really am. I just...feel like I don¡¯t know my sister anymore. She feels like she¡¯s a completely different person now. She¡¯s more upbeat, energetic, and social. She¡¯s everything I always urged her to be, but...it feels like this has only put a distance between us. And...I can¡¯t help but feel like she¡¯s hiding something. I don¡¯t know what, though.


    Alexa sighed just as she heard the sound of somebody knocking on the bedroom door. She looked up and frowned. ¡°Yeah? Come in.¡±


    When the door opened, her father poked his balding, bespectacled face into the room, smiling with his normal, laid-back grin. ¡°Hey, sweetie,¡± he greeted. ¡°Mom and I were thinking about having some ice cream tonight. You want any?¡±


    Alexa smiled back, realizing that a bowl of ice cream was probably exactly what she needed. ¡°You know what? I think I will. Thanks, Daddy.¡±


    The man winked. ¡°No problem. I thought it¡¯d be a nice treat.¡±


    He went to turn and head back into the hall, but Alexa suddenly spoke again, causing him to glance back at her.


    ¡°Hey, Dad?¡±


    ¡°Yes, ¡®Lexi?¡± he replied.


    Alexa hesitated, having called out to him on a whim. She wasn¡¯t even certain it was something she should ask him, but, knowing he wouldn¡¯t accept a ¡°nevermind¡±, she reluctantly continued. ¡°What do you think about how Lilly¡¯s been acting recently? I mean, like, how suddenly social she¡¯s been?¡±


    Her father grinned and shrugged. ¡°I think it¡¯s good for her. She was always a bit of a loner and I was worried that would affect her so I¡¯m happy to see that she¡¯s making friends and, well, while I¡¯m hesitant to allow either of my little girls to date, Mr. Reiner at least seems to care about her and she seems much more cheerful when he¡¯s around. So, can I really complain?¡±


    ¡°I guess so,¡± she muttered. ¡°I just...think it was a little sudden, is all. It kinda came out of the blue.¡±


    ¡°Well, I think that¡¯s to be expected,¡± he replied. ¡°After all, maybe all Lilly needed was a change of scenery. The move might have been good for her.¡±


    ¡°But...I mean, you¡¯ve met Eric,¡± Alexa pressed. ¡°He doesn''t seem like the type of person she could have ever gotten close with, let alone date. I mean, every time he¡¯s come over, he¡¯s rambled on about magic or...something like that.¡±


    Her father chuckled. ¡°Well, he¡¯s certainly strange, I¡¯ll admit that. However, you can¡¯t deny that he¡¯s an oddly charming young man. Perhaps Lilly simply appreciates his good qualities.¡±


    Alexa sighed again, understanding what her dad was saying, but still feeling like there was a piece of the puzzle they were both overlooking. There was a reason that Lilly got caught up with the club and she couldn¡¯t help but worry that it might have been something bad. Plus, her sudden good mood just days after her friend almost died seemed weird, not to mention all the rumors surrounding the club and Evan Wright. There were so many strange occurrences that part of Alexa just wanted to finally try to solve the riddle of that club. Who were they really? And what actually happened between them and Evan Wright? How much of it was Lilly involved in?


    ¡°Well, thanks, Dad,¡± Alexa murmured. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Of course I am. Your father is always right!¡±


    Debatable, but sure, let¡¯s go with that, she thought.


    ¡°And don¡¯t worry about your sister,¡± he added. ¡°I think Lilly is just fine. I¡¯ve never seen her as happy as she is now. It¡¯s something we should embrace.¡±


    Alexa frowned, unable to push away that nagging feeling in the back of her mind.


    ¡°S-sure. I suppose so.¡±

 Chapter 45- The Voice in Her Head

    Chapter XLV


    The day following her conversation with Natalie, Lilly found herself once again filled with determination. After leaving the Hills¡¯ apartment, she only became more convinced that she had to go through with her plan to give Natalie the gift of sight for her birthday. She knew she couldn¡¯t completely ease the girl¡¯s fears, but at the very least, it would allow her to see things she had never been able to see, if only for a little while. However, the plan would be dead in the water if Eric refused to lend her the gem, something that Lilly considered unlikely. Eric had never once turned down one of her requests and he didn¡¯t think he would this time.


    The real problem would be getting the idea past Damien, who still, to this day, opposed using the stone at all. In fact, each time Eric and Lilly swapped for fun, they knew they couldn¡¯t tell him or else they''d be subjected to another one of his ¡°stop using magic as a toy¡± lectures. Of course, she understood where Damien was coming from, but she still believed him to be a bit too paranoid. So, when she arrived in the clubroom at lunch and found only Liz and Eric at their usual spot, she felt a bit of relief.


    ¡°Hey, guys,¡± she greeted, approaching the two desks they sat at before pulling up one for herself to take a seat in. ¡°Where¡¯s Damien and Vinny? They running late?¡±


    Liz shook her head. ¡°No, they¡¯re not coming today. Their history class apparently has some big exam coming up and Mr. Alexander was offering lunchtime tutoring to prepare. Since Vinny hardly listens in that class, Damien made him go. But they¡¯ll be at club later.¡±


    ¡°Oh boy,¡± she muttered, imagining the look on Vinny¡¯s face as he lost his lunch freetime to more history lectures. ¡°Well, at least they¡¯ll be here later. Was Vinny able to get the crystal ball from his sister?¡±


    Eric nodded as he looked up from the math sheet he was working on. ¡°Yes, Mia was gracious enough to lend it to us for the festival.  And I spoke to Mr. Lowe this morning. He said he was okay with us doing a fortune telling booth.¡±


    Lilly glanced across the room to where the club advisor was sitting at his desk, typing on his computer. He briefly looked at them at the mention of his name but, as was normal, he said nothing and seemed to decide just to pretend they hadn¡¯t said anything.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad that¡¯s all worked out,¡± Lilly said. ¡°Fortune telling it is then.¡±


    ¡°Yes, and it should be fun,¡± Eric replied. ¡°At least for the five people who actually bother to stop by.¡±


    The boy laughed, then immediately winced as if in pain. He gently placed a hand against his forehead and grimaced.


    ¡°Having headaches again?¡± Lilly asked with concern.


    ¡°Yes, it would seem so,¡± Eric muttered. ¡°They¡¯re oddly sporadic though. They just happen at random and they usually don¡¯t last long. It¡¯s quite strange, actually. I¡¯ve never had anything like it. Not to mention¡­¡± He paused, furrowing his brow in consideration. ¡°Well, they don¡¯t feel like a normal headache, though I¡¯m not exactly sure how to explain what I mean by that.¡±


    ¡°You need anything?¡± Liz inquired. ¡°I¡¯ve got some water in my backpack if you want it.¡±


    Eric softly shook his head and forced a grin. ¡°Thank you, dear Liz, but I am fine. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll go away in just a moment.¡±


    Part of Lilly wanted to insist that he drink some water anyway, but she knew she¡¯d be wasting her breath. Eric could be a bit stubborn at times and he seemed too focussed on his homework. She knew he¡¯d just insist that he was fine and leave it at that. So, deciding that it would be best to change the topic, she quickly gathered her thoughts, preparing to propose using the stone on Natalie for her birthday that weekend.


    ¡°So, Eric,¡± she began, ¡°could I ask a favor?¡±


    He glanced up at her and tilted his head in curiosity. Liz, similarly, looked interested as well.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± the boy replied. ¡°If it¡¯s in my power, I¡¯ll do whatever you need.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help but smile, always grateful with how trusting Eric was with her. No matter how much time passed, she didn¡¯t think she would ever get over how amazing he was. There was a time when she wouldn¡¯t have even considered trying to propose her idea, but now, even if Eric did decline her, she knew he wouldn¡¯t judge her or ridicule her. If he did say no, she knew it would be with a perfectly valid reason. That was why she was able to press on with such confidence.


    ¡°So, you know about that girl I babysit sometimes, yeah?¡± she asked.


    Eric nodded. ¡°The blind one, correct? Natalie, was it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, her,¡± Lilly confirmed. ¡°You see, it¡¯s her birthday this weekend and I wanted to do something special for her. She¡¯s homeschooled and she doesn¡¯t have any friends so her mother was telling me that the two of them were going to have a small party for her. They invited me, too, but I just thought that, maybe, we could give her something that only we can.¡±


    She could see the bemused looks on both Eric¡¯s and Liz¡¯s faces as they listened to her talk. She knew it didn¡¯t take a genius to deduce what she was asking. After all, she was asking Eric specifically, so they probably already knew that her favor was related to the stone. However, neither interrupted her, and so she went on.


    ¡°The thing is,¡± Lilly, said, ¡°when I was talking to her last night, she was really down. The fact that she can¡¯t see has started bothering her more than she usually lets on. So...I want to do something to help. For her birthday...I want to give her just a few moments to see. She wanted to see a sunset over the beach...so that¡¯s what I want to show her.¡±


    When she finished, Eric had a broad grin on his face while Liz was laughing softly to herself. Lilly didn¡¯t want to come across as pushy so she didn¡¯t say anything more, content to give her boyfriend a moment to think. Yet, Eric was only quiet for a few seconds before he spoke.


    ¡°Alright then,¡± he said. ¡°Operation Give Natalie Sight For Her Birthday is approved.¡±


    Lilly smiled, grateful that he was onboard. ¡°Thanks, Eric! That means a lot!¡±


    ¡°You two,¡± Liz muttered to herself. ¡°You really were made for each other. Though, I don¡¯t mean that in a bad way. This would make the third person you helped with that stone, yeah,  Lil¡¯? You truly are a saint!¡±


    Lilly glanced over at her friend and rolled her eyes. ¡°Oh, shut up. I¡¯m not a saint. I just want to help Natalie. She¡¯s such a sweet girl and I want to give her something really special. We have magic so I say, why not?¡±


    ¡°So...you¡¯re not a saint because you want to help her?¡± Liz replied with a wry grin. ¡°Yeah, perfect logic there, friendo. That makes sense.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right, though,¡± Eric interrupted before Lilly could retort. ¡°First, you go out of your way to help Brad ace his test, then you risk your life to save Jay, and now you want to give Natalie a special birthday. I¡¯m starting to think your grouchy persona from the beginning of the year was all an act!¡±


    Eric and Liz burst out laughing at Lilly¡¯s expense and, despite being teased, Lilly couldn¡¯t help but to laugh with them. When they calmed down, Liz leaned back in her chair and eyed Lilly with intrigue.


    ¡°So? What¡¯s your plan? You just gonna drag the girl to the beach at sundown or do you have other things planned?¡±


    Lilly considered her question for a moment. ¡°Well, I was thinking I¡¯d take her to the pier first. You guys keep going on about how cool it is so I thought she¡¯d enjoy it. Apparently, she¡¯s never been.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to the pier without us?!¡± Liz exclaimed. ¡°Blasphemy, Lilly Harper! Your first time was supposed to be ours!¡±


    Lilly rolled her eyes once again. ¡°Oh, relax. I was gonna ask Eric to come with us, too, but if it¡¯s that big of a deal then by all means, come along.¡±


    ¡°Wait, really?¡± Liz asked, her joking tone from before fading into one of genuine surprise.


    ¡°Yeah, really,¡± she snapped. ¡°Like I said, Natalie doesn¡¯t have any friends and when I asked if she¡¯d come to the pier, she wanted to know if you guys were coming. I¡¯ve told her a lot about the legendary Magic Club. Though, I don¡¯t want to overwhelm her with a bunch of new people so it would just be you and Eric.¡±


    Eric chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m sure Damien won¡¯t care but Vinny will certainly be up in arms.¡±


    ¡°Well let him,¡± Lilly replied. ¡°This is important. I don¡¯t want to make Natalie uncomfortable. I¡¯ll just tell Vinny that we¡¯ll go once summer rolls around. That way, Alice can come with.¡± She smiled sadly then. ¡°And maybe even Jay, if we¡¯re lucky.¡±


    ¡°Well, the important thing is that I¡¯ll absolutely be there,¡± Liz said with a huff, puffing out her chest. ¡°And that¡¯s good because I¡¯m obviously the most entertaining of the members. Natalie¡¯s gonna love me.¡±


    Lilly sighed. Don¡¯t make me regret inviting you, Liz. Behave yourself, dammit!


    ¡°So Eric? Are you good to go with us? Natalie specifically requested you come, after all.¡±


    The boy grinned smugly. ¡°Well, if one of my fans has specifically requested me then I don¡¯t suppose I have the option to turn it down. Of course I¡¯ll be there. What day is it?¡±


    ¡°Saturday,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯m gonna pick her up and head over there at around ten in the morning. That work for you both?¡±


    They each gave a thumbs up, and with that, the first step of Lilly¡¯s plan was a success. Renee had already given her permission to take Natalie to the pier as long as she held her hand the whole way so everything was good to go.


    I hope this works, she thought.  I think giving her some time with sight might at least help her feel a bit better. And maybe getting to visit the pier will make her feel less like her blindness stops her from living in what she thinks is a ¡°normal life¡±.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Eric suddenly grunted, reaching a hand up to his head once more. ¡°Man, today''s headache is persistent. I figured it¡¯d go away by now.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to swap bodies for a bit?¡± Lilly suggested. ¡°That way you can finish your homework without having to put up with the pain.¡±


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The boy glanced over at her and forced another grin. ¡°I think I¡¯m¡ªah, damn!¡± As another spasm of pain seemed to shoot through him, Eric sighed sheepishly and nodded. ¡°On second thought, maybe just for a few minutes. Thanks, Lilly.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. I¡¯m glad I can help.¡±


    She waited as Eric reached into his backpack and produced the little orange stone from the front pocket and when he rose back up, he held the gem out to her. At this point, they¡¯d used it often enough that it didn¡¯t feel all that daunting to swap bodies anymore, and she was able to simply reach out and casually place her hand against its surface. Just as she had wished, she was yanked from her body and into the formless world. There was once a time when the place felt suffocating but there was now a comforting familiarity with it. The world felt almost warm and she enjoyed the few, brief seconds she spent there. After a moment, the world vanished¡­


    ...but when she opened her eyes, she wasn¡¯t sitting in the clubroom.


    W-wait¡­? Where am I?


    She frantically spun around, utterly confused, as she tried to take in her surroundings. There was nothing in sight for what looked like miles. Everywhere she looked, all she could see was utter darkness. Below her, above her, in every direction. It was almost as if the world had been completely eradicated and she was the only thing left.


    What¡¯s going on? What happened? Where¡¯s Eric?


    There weren¡¯t any people around either. Even when she looked down, she couldn¡¯t see her own body. She could feel it and move it so she knew this wasn¡¯t another formless world, but it certainly wasn¡¯t the real world.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    She jumped at the sound of the man¡¯s voice, frantically spinning around to find its source. It wasn¡¯t a voice she recognized and it sounded like it was coming from everywhere all at once. She didn¡¯t know who it was or where they were, but she was thrilled to know somebody else was there with her. She opened her mouth to speak and was grateful that she was able to.


    ¡°Um, Lilly Harper,¡± she quickly replied, desperate to get some answers. ¡°Who are you? Where are we?¡±


    ¡°Lilly...Harper?¡± the voice parroted. ¡°So you mean to tell me that I am not speaking to Eric Reiner?¡±


    Eric? What the hell?


    ¡°Y-you know Eric?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The man seemed to be considering something for a moment before he spoke again. ¡°No. I do not. I just intended to speak with him. However, I can¡¯t say this is a disappointment. So tell me, Miss Harper, did you try to swap bodies with Mr. Reiner?¡±


    Lilly exhaled sharply. ¡°You know about the stone? Wait, but...who are you? Where is this? I don¡¯t understand! Are you real? Am I hallucinating this?¡±


    ¡°Who I am is unimportant,¡± he said sharply. ¡°As for where we are, just consider it your mind. I am communicating with you from elsewhere. That¡¯s why you can¡¯t see me and it¡¯s why I can¡¯t see you. I take it this is novel information?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes¡­¡± she stuttered.


    We¡¯re in my mind? But...how? Who is this man? What does he know about the stone?


    ¡°I see,¡± he growled. ¡°Then I suppose it would be dangerous to allow you to retain your memories of this conversation. I don¡¯t want Reiner expecting us.¡±


    ¡°Expecting you?¡± Lilly felt a chill go down her body as she processed the voice¡¯s comment, and all of a sudden, she found herself on edge. ¡°Erase my memories? What are you¡­?¡±


    What¡¯s going on? The way he said that makes it sound like he plans to hurt Eric. I mean, if he was friendly then why wouldn¡¯t he want to announce his arrival?


    The warning¡¯s Damien had been preaching since they first found the stone rose to the surface of her mind and she suddenly felt terrified of the man.


    ¡°And am I right to assume you are a student at West Wilham High School?¡± he continued.


    ¡°Um, I¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t know what to do. Part of her wanted to tell him, hoping that cooperating with him would allow her to escape. However, if the voice was actually their enemy then it would be best not to tell him anything.


    ¡°Don¡¯t want to answer, do you?¡± he snapped. ¡°Fair enough. For being a magicless girl, I can at least respect your instincts. Then I don¡¯t suppose you would reveal how many of you actually used the stone, would you? Or perhaps even give me a name?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± she breathed. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can trust you. Who are you? I won¡¯t tell you anything unless you answer my questions first! Are you the original owner of the stone? Is this magic?¡±


    She heard him chuckle softly. ¡°Well, I guess it doesn¡¯t matter what I say. Fine, girl, you win. My name is Nigreos Noctis and I am the Master of Darkness at the Ijirian Citadel. And yes, I am using magic.¡±


    She exhaled softly. Nigreos...Noctis? Master of Darkness? What the hell is he talking about?


    ¡°As for the gem,¡± Nigreos continued, ¡°It belongs to Ijiria. I have come to reclaim it, simple as that. So, seeing as you have done nothing against us, we won¡¯t do anything to you as long as you peacefully return our relic.¡±


    ¡°Reclaim it?¡± she uttered. ¡°So you want the gem?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Nigreos confirmed. ¡°That¡¯s all we want. Ijiria has no need to harm you, Lilly Harper. So, tell us what we want to know. I want a list of people who used the stone so we can make sure it''s magic isn¡¯t negatively affecting them, and we want to know if you attend West Wilham.¡±


    What should I do? she thought desperately. If this man is telling the truth then Damien was right.


    Somebody was searching for the stone and it sounded like this man¡ªthis Nigreos Noctis¡ªcame from a place she had never even heard of. Should she trust him? Was there a reason to?


    ¡°You said the stone could negatively affect them?¡± Lilly asked. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s magic interacting with nonmagical organisms,¡± he responded. ¡°Who knows what it¡¯s done to them. It could potentially kill them, even. So, if you don¡¯t want to risk your friend¡¯s lives, I recommend you cooperate, Lilly Harper.¡±


    ¡°Their lives?¡± she exclaimed.


    Wait, we could die from this? I can¡¯t let that happen! Do I trust him?! Do I tell him what he wants to know? I don¡¯t know! I don¡¯t¡ª!


    Just as suddenly as she had arrived, Lilly suddenly found herself gone from that world and back in the formless one. For a second, her mind went completely blank, as if it had shut down. She stopped thinking and moments later, everything came back in a rush of sensations. Her thoughts began again, her sight returned, and she could feel her body. However, she found herself unable to move as she stared down at the floor of the clubroom where Eric was crouched on all fours.


    ¡°Mr. Reiner! Are you okay?¡±


    The sound of Mr. Lowe¡¯s voice was the first thing she heard as the man came bounding past her before kneeling down beside him. Eric slowly lifted his head, a weak smile on his face as he stared back at the teacher.


    ¡°Perfectly fine,¡± he grunted. ¡°Just got a tad lightheaded, is all.¡±


    Wait¡­ Lilly thought. Why am I still in my body? Didn¡¯t we just switch? I should be in Eric¡¯s body right now. What happened?


    She glanced around to realize that she was no longer sitting down. Instead, she was standing up beside Liz, who was looking back at her with a fearful expression. In her hand, she was now holding the stone


    ¡°Are you sure, Reiner?¡± Lowe pressed. ¡°Should I call your parents or¡­?¡±


    Eric shook his head, grabbing the desk to pull himself to his feet. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I appreciate the concern, Mr. Lowe. Honestly, I think I just need to drink some more water.¡±


    The man sighed and nodded. ¡°Alright. If you insist. However, if you fall again, I¡¯m sending you directly to the nurse¡¯s office.¡±


    ¡°Understood, sir.¡±


    Still looking a bit concerned, Lowe turned and went back to his desk, irritably snapping at the group of students that had gotten up to watch to sit back down. Eric took his seat again and Liz did the same. For a moment, she quickly tried to gather her thoughts before doing the same, and she was about to ask what happened when Liz beat her to it.


    ¡°Lilly, are you okay?¡± she hissed. ¡°What the hell happened to you?¡±


    She frowned. ¡°What do you mean? What happened with you guys? Why was Eric on the ground? Why didn¡¯t we swap? Did the stone malfunction or something?¡±


    Eric and Liz exchanged glances, which only served to confuse her further.


    ¡°Um, well, the thing is,¡± Eric began, ¡°we did swap, Lilly.¡±


    ¡°W-what? What are you talking about?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°Everything went fine on my end. I woke up in your body just like normal so I turned to you to say something and you were just staring into space with a blank look on your face. Liz and I both tried to get your attention but you just stayed quiet. Then, out of nowhere, you just fell out of your chair. I panicked, thinking something bad had happened, and used the stone again, hoping that it would do something. So I have to ask, what happened on your end?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± She hesitated. ¡°Nothing. I touched the stone and went into the formless world and, when I came back, I was still me.¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t remember the last five minutes at all?¡± Liz pressed.


    Lilly shook her head. ¡°Yeah. It feels like it¡¯s only been seconds.¡±


    Eric leaned back in his seat and furrowed his brow. ¡°That¡¯s strange. I wonder what caused it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, same,¡± she muttered.


    The girl sighed, feeling that her heartbeat was racing despite nothing having happened. Oddly enough, despite having no recollection of what happened while she was in Eric¡¯s body, she did have a feeling of what almost seemed like fear racing through her. However, no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn¡¯t figure out what it was she was terrified of.


    ***


    Nigreos Noctis raised his head, a broad grin on his face. Despite having once again failed to make contact with Eric Reiner, he didn¡¯t actually consider this attempt a failure. Even though she had been wrenched from Eric¡¯s body before he could truly question her, his conversation with Lilly Harper was worth the last week of torture trying to contact the boy. Not only did he now have a name to go on, but he knew as a fact that Eric Reiner possessed the relic. As daunting as his task now was, it was nice to now know who it was they were facing.


    ¡°So?¡± Album said. ¡°You didn¡¯t start shrieking and retching so am I correct to assume that you succeeded this time?¡±


    When he looked up, he found his partner leaning against the wall, arms folded, as she regarded him curiously. ¡°Yes and no,¡± he replied. ¡°I couldn¡¯t contact Reiner, but instead, I managed to speak to a girl named Lilly Harper who had been inhabiting his body.¡±


    Album cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Lilly Harper, huh? So then...Reiner does have the stone.¡±


    ¡°He does,¡± Nigreos growled. ¡°And this Harper girl is somebody we¡¯re going to have to erase. Unfortunately, I wasn''t able to get any information out of her though. Yet, this does intrigue me. It¡¯s odd that I was able to make contact with Eric¡¯s body only when somebody else¡¯s soul was present.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Album said. ¡°That is odd. So that must mean that whatever charm has been placed on him is limited only to his mind. As long as somebody else is within him, we can make contact. It only makes you wonder...was this defense mechanism put in place by him...or his mother?¡±


    Nigreos reached a hand up and rubbed his cheek. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. That¡¯s the problem. We might know that Reiner has the stone but we still can¡¯t be certain of his magical abilities. I still haven''t sensed the presence of another magical-blooded person so it¡¯s possible that the boy is the only magic user here. If that¡¯s the case, then he must have made the pocket realm¡­¡±


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t make sense either,¡± Album said. ¡°No teenager could ever do something that powerful. It¡¯s completely infeasible. There¡¯s a variable we¡¯re missing.¡±


    ¡°There is,¡± Nigreos agreed. ¡°And I can¡¯t even begin to guess what that variable is.¡±


    Album shrugged. ¡°Well, for now, you should rest.¡±


    ¡°Agreed. And then, we can follow this lead. Had she not been taken from his body, I do think Lilly Harper would have told us the names of those who used the gem. I lied and told her that the stone might be harming them. If she thinks her friends will die and that we can save them, she¡¯ll almost certainly tell us what we want to know.¡±


    Album smirked confidently. ¡°So you want to find Miss Harper?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied firmly. ¡°I want to find Lilly Harper.¡±

 Chapter 46- A World Of Color

    Chapter XLVI


    Trying to keep her mind clear so she could focus on the upcoming day, Lilly Harper took another deep breath and rode the elevator down to the second floor of her apartment building. Despite how busy the past week had been with festival prep and track practice, she was still fully committed to her plan to give Natalie her birthday surprise. She¡¯d spent a lot of time working out the specifics of how to go about it and even how to broach the subject of magic to Natalie in the first place. The only thing that still weighed on her mind was the incident in the clubroom that past Tuesday.


    After she strangely forgot what happened for the few moments she was in Eric¡¯s body, they had been trying to figure out what actually happened. However, they still weren¡¯t any closer to an answer than they had been when it first occurred. The gem had never done something like that before and, after testing it multiple times since with nothing happening again, they could only assume it was some sort of fluke. Eric¡¯s only theory was that it somehow related to his headaches, which had gone away since, but they couldn¡¯t even begin to guess what that correlation would be.


    It was because of this new unknown variable that Lilly was a bit anxious about the coming day. Yet, she also knew she couldn¡¯t just back out. It was important to her that she help Natalie and Eric had urged that they still go through with the plan. He had simply said, ¡°if anything happens, we pull Natalie from your body. Simple as that.¡±


    To her, it felt like he was being a little too laid-back about it but, since she had grown to just trust Eric when it came to matters of the gem, she decided just to agree and move on. So, there she was, stepping from the elevator and making her way to the Hill¡¯s apartment. Eric and Liz had already texted to tell her that they were in the lobby so all she had to do was get Natalie and they could be off.


    Well, I guess I just need to stop worrying so much. Today¡¯s going to be fun and, most importantly, it¡¯s about Natalie. Let¡¯s make this a birthday she¡¯ll always remember.


    When she reached the door, she knocked a few times and stepped back to wait. Moments later, Renee opened the door to greet her. ¡°Good morning, Lilly. Come on in. Natalie¡¯s almost ready.¡±


    ¡°Morning, Renee,¡± she replied, stepping past her and heading into the apartmant''s main room.


    The woman smiled. ¡°Thank you again for doing this. It means a lot to Natalie and it definitely means a lot to me. I appreciate it, Lilly.¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. I really should be thanking you for trusting me to take her to the pier.¡±


    ¡°Oh of course. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll take great care of her. And I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll have a lot of fun.¡± She chuckled. ¡°And it gives me plenty of time to go out and get some gifts. I was trying to find a good time so your idea was a lifesaver.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad,¡± Lilly said. ¡°It¡¯s good to know I can help you guys. And I¡¯ll have Natalie home just after sunset if that¡¯s alright?¡±


    Renee nodded. ¡°It¡¯s perfectly fine. And are you sure you don¡¯t need any money? Like I said the other day, I¡¯d be totally willing to pay for her ticket and meals.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Lilly brushed her worries aside and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve got it all taken care of.¡±


    Or more like Eric does, but I won¡¯t mention that.


    When she first thought up the idea to take Natalie to the pier, one of her primary issues had been figuring out how to pay for it. She had some money saved up from babysitting, but it wasn¡¯t nearly enough to pay for both her and Natalie. Luckily, Eric had said he¡¯d take care of it and had flat out refused when she tried to protest. He was also paying for Liz though she made no move to argue.


    Honestly, I¡¯ve never met Eric¡¯s father so I hardly know anything about his home life. Is his family rich or something?


    ¡°Well, if you insist,¡± Renee said after a moment. ¡°And it sounds like Natalie¡¯s coming.¡±


    The sound of footsteps coming from down the hall indicated that the little girl was ready. When she turned to look, she saw Natalie walking toward them, wearing a cute yellow shirt and black shorts. Lilly could still see some sunscreen on her arms and legs that hadn¡¯t been rubbed in well enough and she was holding a white cane in her right hand. The little girl was smiling like usual and Lilly was a little relieved to see that she seemed to be in relatively good spirits.


    ¡°Hey, Nat¡¯. You ready to go?¡±


    Natalie nodded. ¡°Yup! I¡¯m all ready!¡±


    ¡°Alright then,¡± Renee said. ¡°You girls have fun. Take pictures for me, would you? And let me know when you¡¯re on your way back.¡±


    She pulled her daughter into a quick goodbye hug, though Natalie seemed anxious to get going.


    ¡°I will,¡± Lilly replied. ¡°Thanks again.¡±


    ¡°Bye, Mom!¡±


    Bidding Renee goodbye, Lilly took Natalie¡¯s free hand and headed out into the hallway. She had intended to go slowly but, based on how quick the girl was walking, it appeared that she didn¡¯t need as much help as Lilly had assumed. The two got into the elevator and the older girl hit the button for the lobby.


    ¡°You excited?¡± Lilly asked, hoping to gauge Natalie¡¯s mood, wondering if she¡¯d just been putting up an act in front of her mother. Luckily, she seemed genuinely excited as she bounced up and down on her toes.


    ¡°Yup! I¡¯ve never been to the pier before but I¡¯ve always wanted to go,¡± she explained. ¡°I really want to ride the roller coaster! Oh, and also, I heard you could win stuffed animals there and I really want one of those!¡±


    Lilly grinned. ¡°Well, I can definitely take you on the roller coaster, assuming you¡¯re tall enough, and we can try our best to win a bear or something.¡±


    ¡°I think I want a bunny.¡±


    ¡°A bunny works, too.¡±


    Natalie was still excitedly bouncing when they reached the bottom and the elevator dinged as the doors slid open. She was so excited, in fact, that she went to walk out before they had fully slid open and just barely avoided running into them.


    Oh boy. I''m excited to hang out with her but I¡¯m already starting to wonder if I underestimated how hard watching a kid outside of a tiny apartment is.


    Lilly and Natalie headed out into the lobby and she immediately spotted Liz and Eric leaning up against the wall by the front doors. They raised their hands in greeting and Lilly waved back.


    ¡°Eric and Liz are here,¡± she whispered to Natalie, at which the girl¡¯s features lit up.


    ¡°Really?! Where? I wanna meet them!¡±


    She led her over to the two Magic Club members, who both looked equally as excited to meet Natalie as she seemed to be.


    ¡°Good day to you, young child,¡± Eric began.


    Oh boy, here we go.


    Though, despite cringing just a bit, Lilly couldn¡¯t help but to smile, knowing that Eric¡¯s unique personality would almost certainly mesh well with Natalie.


    ¡°My name is Eric Reiner, head of the Magical and Other Anomalies Investigation Team,¡± the boy continued. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.¡±


    Natalie giggled, holding her hand out for Eric to shake. ¡°Hi! I¡¯m Natalie! You¡¯re just as weird as Lilly said you were!¡±


    Eric frowned. ¡°Weird? I wouldn¡¯t describe myself as weird. I think I¡¯m perfectly normal.¡±


    ¡°Nope, you¡¯re weird,¡± Liz interjected, stepping closer so she could introduce herself. ¡°I¡¯m Liz. I¡¯m the coolest club member so I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll get along great.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Eric laughed mockingly. ¡°Cool? I wouldn¡¯t say you¡¯re the coolest one. In fact, I¡¯d put you in fourth place just over Vinny.¡±


    Liz snorted. ¡°Oh really? Please! You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± She then leaned closer to Natalie and whispered loud enough for Lilly and Eric to hear, ¡°don¡¯t listen to him. He¡¯s a bit insane. Most of what comes from his mouth is gibberish.¡±


    ¡°I protest!¡± Eric declared.


    ¡°And I say we get going!¡± Lilly hurriedly added, not wanting to get stuck in the lobby while Liz and Eric put on their typical MOAIT performance for Natalie. ¡°You guys can argue on the way. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Eric and Liz exchanged sly glances as Lilly took Natalie¡¯s hand once again.


    ¡°Okay, Mom!¡± Liz snarked, running up to walk beside Natalie.


    She was still laughing and Lilly knew she had made the right choice in inviting Eric and Liz along with them. Of course, she felt bad leaving Vinny and Damien out but, when she talked to them about it, both seemed to understand her reasoning, though Vinny did spend the day whining about it. She knew that when summer came, though, she would ensure that the entire club got to go to the pier together. But for the time being, Natalie was her priority.


    Eric drew up alongside her and tapped his pocket to indicate that the stone was with him. She nodded.


    Good. Then we¡¯re all set.


    ***


    The Wilham Pier was just as exciting Lilly had heard. Ever since she arrived in Wilham, if the pier was brought up then it was in a positive light. It was essentially a fairground by the ocean with food stalls, carnival games, and a handful of rides ranging from a rocket-themed roller coaster to the ferris wheel she had seen in the distance plenty of times before. The weather was nice and warm for an April afternoon so they didn¡¯t need any jackets. In addition, since it was still early spring, it wasn¡¯t too crowded. Lilly could easily imagine it being a nightmare in the middle of summer with the combination of heat and people.


    Yeah, going in summer might suck, actually, she mused, though she knew full well that if the club went over break then she would be there.


    When they arrived, Eric purchased the tickets and they headed out into the wooden platforms where most of the games and stalls were located. She could see places selling typical foods like funnel cakes and corn dogs, their scent making Lilly¡¯s stomach grumble despite her having eaten breakfast two hours earlier. Just ahead of them was a railing that they could lean on and look out over the sea. Liz immediately got to describing everything for Natalie, who was cheerfully listening to every detail and looking more and more excited by the minute.


    ¡°So, how shall we start this magnificent day?¡± Eric asked. ¡°Shall we attempt to beat one of these rigged games or would it be better to partake in a ride?¡±


    Lilly cocked an eyebrow. He¡¯s really bumping it up to one hundred today, isn¡¯t he?


    ¡°Oh, let¡¯s start with a game!¡± Natalie chirped. ¡°I really want to win a stuffed animal¡ªa bunny!¡±


    ¡°A bunny, huh?¡± Liz said, glancing around the area. ¡°Well, why don¡¯t we walk around and see what we can find?¡±


    The four of them then headed in the direction of the games, with the three magic club members glancing around for any sign of a stuffed rabbit of some kind. The stall owners called out at them as they passed, urging them to give their game a shot or to buy their food. It was slightly irritating but Lilly supposed that was just part of the fun. There were families and friends walking past them, carrying stuffed toys they won or food they had purchased. Lilly glanced ahead and saw a little boy carrying a three-scoop talk ice cream cone that she was certain he was going to drop at one point. Next to him, his mother was holding a blue balloon.


    ¡°I want a balloon,¡± Liz said suddenly, eyeing the same family Lilly had been looking at.


    ¡°Oh, me too!¡± Natalie agreed.


    Lilly cocked an eyebrow at Liz for a second only to see in her determined features that she was dead serious. She sighed, glanced around, and spotted a man up ahead with a cart of balloons.


    ¡°There¡¯s a stall ove¡ª!¡±


    She didn¡¯t even get to finish before Liz spotted the cart and took off running toward it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back!¡± she called over her shoulder.


    Lilly rolled her eyes and laughed. ¡°Are we sure she¡¯s not the one turning eleven tomorrow? I swear, I sometimes doubt she¡¯s actually a high schooler.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with wanting a balloon?¡± Eric inquired. ¡°I say you¡¯re never too old for balloons.¡±


    ¡°I agree!¡± Natalie chimed in. ¡°Balloons are the best!¡±


    I¡¯m really outnumbered here today.


    Moments later, Liz ran back holding two pink balloons in her hand. ¡°Here, Nat¡¯, I got you one,¡± she announced, handing one of the balloons to Natalie. ¡°Happy Birthday!¡±


    Natalie excitedly took the string in her hand and beamed. ¡°Thanks, Liz! You¡¯re the best!¡±


    The bespectacled girl immediately eyed Eric with a smug grin and raised her eyebrows in challenge. ¡°You hear that, Reiner?¡± she said. ¡°Who¡¯s the best? Me!¡±


    ¡°For now,¡± the boy retorted. ¡°But all you did was buy her a mere balloon. I, however, shall do you one better.¡±


    He then raised his arm and pointed at a game stall up ahead on the right. Lilly and Liz turned to look at where he indicated and both immediately saw the giant pink bunny sitting among the stuffed animal prizes.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna win her that bunny!¡± he declared.


    ¡°Bunny?!¡± Natalie exclaimed. ¡°You found one already?!¡±


    He laughed confidently. ¡°That I did, dear Natalie. And we¡¯re gonna win it, together! Come along, child!¡±


    Lilly released Natalie¡¯s hand so that Eric could take it and he began leading her toward the stall. Liz folded her arms across her chest and snorted in irritation.


    ¡°That bastard,¡± she muttered. ¡°He may have found the bunny but there¡¯s no way he wins! This battle isn¡¯t over yet!¡±


    ¡°Stop competing over Natalie, you moron.¡±


    ¡°Never!¡±


    With that shout, Liz rushed after the two and Lilly followed after them, barely suppressing a smile. When the two girls arrived at the stall, Eric had already shown their cards to the chubby man managing it. At the Wilham Pier, their tickets came with ten free game passes that could be used multiple times at one stall or at ten different stalls. The one that they were currently at was a classic ¡°pop the balloon¡± game where they had to throw darts at a wall of balloons.


    ¡°Pray tell, good sir,¡± Eric began, addressing the stall manager. ¡°What task must be completed to win the giant rabbit?¡±


    The man narrowed his eyes in confusion at Eric but responded nonetheless.


    ¡°You gotta hit all four of the star balloons,¡± he responded gruffly. ¡°Then you win one of the big ones.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Lilly glanced at the dartboard and saw that there were four purple balloons with a yellow star on them at different parts of the board. She knew popping four balloons would be hard in the first place but being precise like that would be next to impossible. In short, the game was essentially rigged.


    ¡°Aw, but how am I supposed to go for the stars when I can¡¯t even see them?¡± Natalie murmured.


    But Eric immediately put a comforting hand on her shoulder. ¡°Use your instincts, my young apprentice. Reach out with your soul and sense the balloons. Become one with the dart and strike your target true. You need no eyes when you have instinct!¡±


    Natalie laughed awkwardly and nodded, fingering one of her darts. Eric got two tickets so they had four darts each. All they needed to do was hit four star balloons. Yet, as impossible as it seemed, Lilly somehow suspected that Eric would pull it off.


    ¡°Now, dear Natalie!¡± he continued, much to the clear dismay of the manager. ¡°Raise your dart, and when I chant the magic word, throw it!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, okay,¡± she said, getting some enthusiasm back. She raised her dart up and Eric gently took her wrist and guided her in the direction of the balloon at the top right.


    ¡°Now, when I say the incantation, throw with all your might!¡±


    Natalie nodded firmly. ¡°Right!¡±


    ¡°Now¡­ Perkari!¡±


    Natalie immediately threw the dart at Eric¡¯s nonsensical word and, much to the surprise of Lilly, Liz, and especially the stall manager, the dart struck the star balloon, popping it with ease.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Eric cheered. ¡°You did it!¡±


    Natalie looked confused as she tilted her head. ¡°I did it? I actually popped it?!¡±


    ¡°Yes you did!¡± he replied excitedly. ¡°I told you! All you need to do is reach out with your mind and the world will go your way! Again!¡±


    Lilly realized her mouth was hanging open and she snapped it shut, glancing at Liz to see her staring in surprise.


    ¡°That was insanely lucky,¡± Liz mumbled.


    ¡°Tell me about it. I don¡¯t know how Eric pulls this stuff off.¡±


    ¡°Alright, raise,¡± Eric called out. ¡°And¡­ Perkari!¡±


    Natalie threw again, and she popped the targeted star balloon a second time.


    Okay¡­what?


    ¡°Two for two, dear Natalie!¡± Eric cheered.


    Natalie was jumping up and down with excitement now, her smile widening as she reached for her third dart. ¡°Are you watching, Lilly?!¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah, I¡¯m watching.¡±


    Lilly glanced Eric¡¯s way but he was already guiding Natalie¡¯s hand toward the third target. ¡°Alright¡­¡± the boy began, ¡°and¡­ Perkari!¡±


    The third balloon popped right before their eyes.


    You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me?! How is he doing this?! He didn¡¯t even give her advice! He just made some crap up!


    Lilly could see the stall manager sweating now as Natalie and Eric excitedly reached for the fourth dart. She couldn¡¯t help but sigh, knowing that trying to figure Eric out wasn¡¯t worth her time. He was always pulling weird stunts and whatever he did was working. Who was she to complain? At least Natalie was going to get her bunny. Then, much to the stall manager¡¯s clear dismay, Natalie threw her final dart and struck the last star balloon square in the center.


    ***


    ¡°How in the hell did you two actually do that?!¡± Liz exclaimed as they walked down the pier in the direction of the rides. ¡°I mean, honestly, I couldn¡¯t even win that game and I can actually see those damn balloons! How?!¡±


    It had been a good fifteen minutes since they departed the darts game and Liz had been going on about their performance since they did. All four of them were holding ice cream that Eric had bought them while the boy had Natalie¡¯s big pink bunny¡ªwhich was about as tall as the little girl¡ªpropped up on his back as they walked. He was being extra careful not to get ice cream on it as he glanced back at Liz with a smug grin rivaling her earlier one.


    ¡°What can I say, dear Liz,¡± he replied. ¡°Perhaps Natalie just has a knack for darts. And of course, my magical incantation definitely helped. It¡¯s never let me down before!¡±


    Liz rolled her eyes. ¡°Oh, stuff it with the magic nonsense. Really! How¡¯d you do it?! This is gonna bother me for weeks now if you don¡¯t tell me!¡±


    ¡°It was magic!¡± Natalie happily declared.


    ¡°That it was!¡± Eric agreed.


    Liz scowled, looking to Lilly for help, but all she could do was shrug and laugh.


    ¡°Honestly, it probably was magic,¡± Lilly said. ¡°This is Eric we¡¯re talking about.¡±


    The bespectacled girl shook her head in defeat. ¡°Oh, whatever. Fine!¡°


    Eric and Natalie laughed and Lilly found herself happy to see the little girl getting along with the two of them as well as she was. Of course, she knew Natalie would warm up to them eventually given Eric¡¯s very ¡°kid-friendly¡± personality as Vinny had once put it, but she hadn¡¯t expected them to get so close so quickly.


    I guess Eric just has a way with kids or something.


    She shrugged her thoughts off as they proceeded to find other things to do. While they enjoyed their ice cream, Eric took them to a plethora of other games where they could win various prizes though they didn¡¯t pull off anything as insane as what happened with the darts. Liz did however manage to win a small, stuffed bear at a ring toss game that she also gave to Natalie. At that point, Lilly began wondering if she should try to win something before reminding herself that she absolutely sucked at carnival games. There was a summer fair at her old town that Alexa and her dad had once dragged her to and each game she played had ended in horrible defeat.


    Though that was six years ago so maybe I¡¯ve improved since then. However, when she tried her hand at the ring toss game, she couldn¡¯t even land a single one on the bottles. Nope. I just suck.


    ¡°Okay, where to next?¡± Eric asked enthusiastically.


    ¡°The roller coaster!¡± Natalie quickly replied. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to ride it! I just hope I¡¯m tall enough¡­¡±


    Liz nodded. ¡°Alright! To the coaster we go! And don¡¯t worry, Natalie, if you aren¡¯t tall enough then we¡¯ll just smuggle you on!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    ¡°Uh, no!¡± Lilly intervened. ¡°We¡¯re not getting ourselves kicked out of the pier.¡±


    Liz casually brushed her protest aside. ¡°Of course not! We¡¯d have to get caught and I don¡¯t plan on that! Right, Eric?¡±


    ¡°Right!¡±


    Oh my god, I know they¡¯re joking, but still¡­it actually wouldn¡¯t surprise me if they did attempt to sneak Natalie onto the roller coaster.


    Luckily, when they got in line for the rocket-themed coaster, Natalie was just an inch taller than she needed to be so there was nothing to worry about. The line had about a thirty minute wait so Eric spent the whole time telling Natalie stories about some magical world. Lilly only half listened as her thoughts shifted once again to the stone.


    She knew there was nothing else to think about but she couldn¡¯t help but be nervous. It had been four months since anybody new had learned of the gem and she couldn¡¯t even be sure how Natalie would take it. Lilly had once proposed the concept of magic to Natalie back in the fall and at the time, she hadn¡¯t seemed open to it at all. However, when Lilly asked what she would do if magic did exist, Natalie¡¯s reply stayed vivid in her memory.


    ¡°I think I¡¯d want to fix my eyes. I know Mom says it isn¡¯t something to be fixed but¡­everybody always talks about the world and I¡¯ve never gotten to see any of it. I guess if I had magic¡­I¡¯d want to be able to see¡­even if it¡¯s just for a little while.¡±


    Lilly nodded to herself. Yeah, I can¡¯t fix her eyes but, the next best thing is to let her experience it just for a little. I think she¡¯ll be skeptical but, once we¡¯ve swapped, she¡¯ll be happy. I think this will be good for her. But first, I think I want to tell her about it all before we do it. I don¡¯t want it to come completely out of left field.


    When they finally reached the front of the line, Lilly was once again set on her decisions. As the other three stepped up into the rocket-shaped cart, Lilly remained behind with the giant rabbit and waited for them to get back. When they did, all three were going on about how fun it was and Natalie in particular had the widest grin on her face.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go again!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°This time, Lilly can come with us!¡±


    Lilly quickly shook her head. ¡°Oh, no, I¡¯m good. The line¡¯s too long, you know? Wouldn¡¯t want to wait in that again.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m good! I¡¯ll wait!¡± Natalie said, bouncing again. ¡°I just want to ride it again! It was awesome!¡±


    Eric and Liz both nodded in agreement.


    ¡°I¡¯m good to go again!¡±


    ¡°Me, too!¡±


    Well, I guess I¡¯m outnumbered. Whatever.


    However, Lilly soon wished she had just tried to convince them to go somewhere else as they wound up riding the roller coaster three more times after that, with Eric and Liz both taking turns watching the bunny. By the time the other three were ready to do something else, Lilly felt like she could puke at any moment.


    I¡¯ve learned something new today¡ªI hate roller coasters¡­


    ¡°Alright, how about we do the ferris wheel next?¡± Natalie suggested. ¡°I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s really cool!¡±


    Liz shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s fine but it¡¯s kinda boring. It¡¯s only really good for its view.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± The little girl shrugged. ¡°Well, I¡¯m okay with that. I still want to ride it.¡±


    ¡°Then how about this,¡± Eric interjected, ¡°since Liz doesn¡¯t care about it, she and I can go get us some lunch while you and Lilly go ride the wheel? That good?¡±


    Liz looked ready to protest despite not wanting to ride it but, when Eric winked at the two of them, she clamped her mouth shut in realization. ¡°I like that idea,¡± she said. ¡°Yeah, Eric and I can deal with food!¡±


    Natalie smiled. ¡°Okay! Let¡¯s do that! Come on, Lilly!¡±


    Before Lilly could even give her input, Natalie grabbed her hand and pulled to get her moving. Realizing that Eric was giving them a choice to speak alone, she mouthed a ¡°thank you¡± and led Natalie to the wheel. The whole time, the little girl continued to go on about how excited she was and how she was having fun. It made Lilly thankful to know that she was at least giving Natalie a fun day.


    When they arrived at the wheel, the wait was thankfully only ten minutes long and, before they knew it, they were being led into a purple cabin to take their seats opposite each other. The operator closed the door and soon enough, the wheel began to move. Lilly was thankful that the pier¡¯s wheel was roofed with windows since she really hated heights. Back in her hometown, the fair¡¯s ferris wheel was essentially a glorified basket that she could have easily fallen out of.


    Lilly turned to look out the window and, for a moment, she was awestruck by the view. She could see over the ocean to her right and across Wilham to her left. The sun was at its height in the sky and its light was sparkling across the blue surface of the sea. She could even see some fishing boats way out in the distance. The view was so amazing that part of her wished she could swap with Natalie right that second. Though, she knew it would be best to wait until later when the time was right.


    ¡°Liz is right, this is kinda boring,¡± Natalie mused. ¡°Is the view pretty, Lilly?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s really cool,¡± she replied. ¡°The ocean¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    The little girl sighed. ¡°I wish I could see it. I always hear how pretty the ocean is¡ªespecially how blue it is. Is blue a nice color?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it is. It¡¯s my favorite, actually.¡±


    Natalie laughed. ¡°Well then it¡¯s gotta be great if you like it.¡±


    For a moment, the cabin went quiet, giving Lilly a chance to gather her thoughts. She knew this ferris wheel ride was her only opportunity to broach the subject of magic before later so she knew she had to say something. Therefore, like she had been in recent days, she relied on her instincts and just spoke.


    ¡°Hey, Nat¡¯?¡± she began. ¡°What would you say if I told you I could show you the ocean?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Natalie tilted her head in confusion. ¡°What do you mean? That¡¯s not possible.¡±


    ¡°It is possible,¡± Lilly replied firmly. ¡°In fact, it¡¯s easy. All we¡¯d need is a bit of magic¡­something I have.¡±


    The other girl frowned, looking as if she were trying to figure out if Lilly was lying or not. ¡°Um¡­am I missing something? M-Magic? Is this one of those ¡®you just have to believe¡¯ speeches or something because, um, well¡­¡±


    Lilly shook her head. ¡°No. I¡¯m being serious. Last summer, Eric stumbled upon a stone that allows two people to swap bodies with each other. For the past few months, the club and I have been screwing around with it. It¡¯s real, Natalie. Magic is real and if we swap bodies, you can use my eyes to see the world.¡±


    She knew she probably sounded like she was losing her mind but she hoped Natalie could hear how serious she was in the tone of her voice. She could only convey her feelings through words so it had to be enough.


    ¡°A body swapping stone¡­¡± Natalie murmured. ¡°Lilly, that¡¯s a little too silly. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re trying to tell a joke or something but it¡¯s not really funny. Have you been reading too many books?¡±


    Lilly smirked. ¡°I haven¡¯t been reading any. I¡¯m serious. I can do it. And tonight, you¡¯ll see that I¡¯m not lying. I¡¯m going to show you the ocean at sunset for your birthday. I swear on my life that I can do it. Magic is real. And we have it.¡±


    The firmness of her tone must¡¯ve been enough at the end because Natalie¡¯s skeptical expression shifted into one of surprise. ¡°You¡¯re¡­telling the truth?¡± she stuttered. ¡°But, Lilly¡ª¡±


    ¡°I am. Unfortunately, body swapping is all we can do with it so I can¡¯t give you sight full time, but¡­¡± She paused, considering her next words. ¡°But I can give you enough time to take in all the colors. Then¡­you¡¯ll at least be able to imagine everything.¡±


    ¡°S-so¡­then?¡± Natalie furrowed her brow as she took in everything Lilly was saying. ¡°Did Eric use magic to win me the bunny earlier?¡±


    Lilly laughed. ¡°I don¡¯t think so, as far as I know. Like I said, the stone can only swap bodies. That¡¯s all we got.¡±


    The little girl set her hands on her lap, still looking conflicted. Lilly could tell she didn¡¯t want to get her hopes up over something so ridiculous sounding but at the same time, she was desperate for it to be true.


    ¡°Trust me, Natalie,¡± Lilly said. ¡°I would never lie to you. Eric can do it.¡±


    After a moment, the girl bit her lip and raised her head.


    ¡°Okay¡­I¡¯ll trust you, Lilly.¡±


    Those four words were all she needed to hear. Now, everything was set in place to give Natalie the best birthday possible.


    ***


    The rest of the day passed by rather quickly with Eric taking them to a few more games and Natalie begging to ride the roller coaster a few more times. Eric actually managed to win Natalie two more medium sized stuffed bears, much to Liz¡¯s obvious dismay, and Lilly couldn¡¯t help but to wonder what Renee would think when her daughter got home with an army of stuffed toys. It was seven o¡¯clock after they¡¯d eaten their dinners of cheap carnival pizza, they made their way from the pier with Eric in the lead. Evidently, he knew the perfect place to use the stone on Natalie.


    Lilly and Natalie walked hand-in-hand behind Eric with Liz behind them, carrying the giant bunny on her back and a plastic bag filled with the other toys, grumbling about having to do so. Eric was currently leading them down a dirt trail with a drop off to their left that went down to a beach. It was a nice spot to see the ocean, which stretched out for miles off toward the horizon. The sun was already getting low and Lilly was getting anxious to get to their destination so they could be there at the perfect time. She could tell from Natalie¡¯s grip that she was tense, too, as she waited to see if Lilly had been telling the truth.


    Well, here we go. Eric said we''re almost there so it¡¯s almost time. God, I hope this works. If the stone glitches out like it did the other day, I¡¯m gonna be devastated.


    ¡°And so we¡¯ve arrived,¡± Eric announced.


    He said this just as they came upon a set of natural stone steps leading down to the beach and the ocean shore. Lilly could see a cave off to the right and she immediately realized where they were.


    I remember Eric and Vinny talking about this place. That cave was where Eric first found the stone.


    ¡°So what am I supposed to do?¡± Natalie asked, her voice quivering a bit. ¡°How does the magic work?¡±


    Eric grinned, reaching into his pocket to produce the orange gemstone. ¡°Simple, my friend. I am currently holding a stone that, if you and Lilly touch at the same time, you¡¯ll swap bodies.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Natalie muttered. ¡°So¡­does it hurt? I mean, what does it feel like?¡±


    ¡°Eh, it¡¯s fine,¡± Liz responded. ¡°You¡¯ll be in this weird white world for a moment and then you¡¯ll be right back in our world, just in Lilly¡¯s body. The stone will help you adjust to the different height and all that.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Natalie repeated. ¡°So¡­do we just¡­do it?¡±


    Eric tossed the stone over to Lilly and chuckled. ¡°That you do. Whenever you girls are ready.¡±


    Lilly caught the stone and took a deep breath, looking to Natalie to see if she was good to go. The little girl released Lilly¡¯s hand and slowly held it out.


    ¡°A-alright¡­I¡¯m ready,¡± she whispered. ¡°Lilly?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s do this. Happy birthday, Natalie.¡±


    With that, Lilly reached forward and gently placed the stone into Natalie¡¯s outstretched palm.


    ***


    The first thing she noticed when the scary formless world vanished was the soft breeze on her cheeks. Her eyes were closed tightly and she was afraid to open them. She was terrified that when she did, it would be the same darkness that she¡¯d always been condemned to see. However, part of her knew that wasn¡¯t the case. Even setting aside that strange world where she couldn¡¯t feel her body, she knew that as insane as it was, Lilly¡¯s magic had worked. Her body felt different in a way that she couldn¡¯t describe. When she opened her eyes, she would be greeted by the same sights that everybody else got to see.


    And so, with her resolve gathered together, Natalie Hill opened her eyes.


    ¡°Oh my¡­¡±


    For a moment, she was speechless. The view before her was so absolutely stunning that she couldn¡¯t find any words to say.


    She was standing at the top of a hill overlooking the ocean. The sparkling red waves were washing up against the sandy beach. The sky was a shade of what she imagined were pink, red, and orange based off of the stories she had heard. Setting low on the horizon was the sun, its warmth comforting against her skin. She could see birds flying around near the beach, pecking at trash left behind by those who had recently been there. For a while, Natalie just stood there in silence, gazing at the beautiful scene before her. She was entranced by it and she never wanted to turn away. It was what she had always imagined famous paintings to look like but she knew they would never live up to the real thing.


    ¡°It¡¯s so pretty,¡± she finally uttered, feeling tears rolling down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them away, not wanting to allow her vision to blur and ruin the image. She wanted to burn it into her mind so she¡¯d never forget that scene.


    ¡°It truly is, isn¡¯t it?¡± came the sound of Eric¡¯s voice from behind her.


    As much as she didn¡¯t want to look away, she found she desperately wanted to see what the others looked like, so she wrenched her eyes away from the sunset and looked over her shoulder. Just one look and she couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    Eric was taller than she had imagined but his features were just as comforting and sweet as his voice had made her believe it was. He was smiling at her in a way that made her want to hug him but she restrained herself.


    To her left, she saw Liz grinning at her. The girl wore glasses that gave her a cute look and her long black hair was left hanging freely, the wind blowing it back in a majestic way. The giant pink bunny was on her back, its ears poking up over her head.


    Then, in the middle of the two, she saw herself standing before her, though she knew Lilly was currently within that body. She looked really small compared to the others and she couldn¡¯t help but accept that she wasn¡¯t as tall as she¡¯d hoped. Lilly was also smiling up at her, though her head wasn¡¯t aimed directly at her. It was then that Natalie remembered that she couldn¡¯t see her. So, Natalie stepped forward and placed a hand on Lilly¡¯s.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Natalie whispered, feeling her emotions begin to overwhelm her. ¡°This is¡­stunning, Lilly.¡±


    ¡°Happy Birthday, Nat¡¯,¡± she replied. ¡°I told you we had magic.¡±


    Natalie laughed and got to her feet, anxious to turn around and gaze at the sunset for a while longer. However, just as she was about to, Liz sprinted past her and bounded down the steps.


    ¡°Come on, Natalie!¡± she called back. ¡°Let¡¯s check out the beach, why don¡¯t we?¡±


    Natalie hesitated, really wanting to follow after Liz but not wanting to go too far from Lilly. But, when she looked back, Eric just smiled and motioned for her to follow.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of Lilly,¡± he said. ¡°Worry not, dear Natalie.¡±


    She felt more tears sliding down her cheeks.


    ¡°Thanks, Eric!¡± she said, then turned and took off down the steps.


    Just the feeling of running down the stones and hopping into the sand made her feel free. It was the most amazing feeling and she never wanted it to end. Yet, she knew that when it did, she would be forever grateful that she even got this opportunity. For as long as she lived, she would remember this day, this moment.


    And she would never forget just how beautiful and colorful the world really was.

 Chapter 47- Fortune Telling Extravaganza

    Chapter XLVII


    With Natalie¡¯s birthday trip to the pier wrapped up and successful, Lilly and Eric barely had any time to breathe before the West Wilham spring festival was upon them. Monday and Tuesday were both filled with excitement throughout the student body and it was clear that while the teachers were exasperated trying to get everybody to focus on class, they were excited, too. Lilly wasn¡¯t able to make it to the club either day because of track practice, but Eric said that preparations for their fortune telling booth were coming along nicely, though she wasn¡¯t sure exactly what he meant by ¡°preparations¡±. All they really needed was Vinny¡¯s crystal ball and they''d be good to go. After all, they all knew that they¡¯d be lucky to even get three customers so there was no point in putting in too much effort. Since sports teams didn¡¯t have to do anything for the festival, Lilly had planned to spend the three days with them, helping out wherever they needed. She was strangely excited for it all and was anxious to see what the other clubs had to offer.


    So, when Wednesday rolled around, Lilly got up earlier than usual, rushed through her morning routine, and headed out of her apartment to go to school. That morning, the weather was nice and cool, which she took as a good omen for the day to come. She even found herself skipping a bit as she made her way down the relatively empty streets.


    Lilly was still fairly surprised by the way the festival was set up. Three whole days had been set aside where they wouldn¡¯t have any classes and would simply spend the day at their booths or enjoying the festivities. Back at her old school, it would have been a stretch for them to give them even one day off for something like this, let alone three. It made her realize just how beloved the spring festival must be to the town.


    Though, I¡¯m not complaining. Three days off just to screw around in the clubroom sounds perfect to me.


    She smirked to herself as she rounded a corner and came upon the front gate of the school, which caused her to suddenly stop. The front gate was decked out with different colored balloons and a massive ¡°Welcome to the Spring Festival¡± sign hanging to the side of the gate. Just beyond the gates in the courtyard, she could already see groups of students and teachers setting up different stalls around the lawn. Most of the tables had been removed to give more room, which made the courtyard look oddly bigger than it normally did. In fact, it reminded her a bit of the pier and she couldn¡¯t help but smile at the recent memories.


    Well, here we are. Let¡¯s get this party started.


    She once again began walking as she moved through the gates and into the courtyard. It looked like most clubs had opted to set up outside rather than in their respective clubrooms, something the Magic Club had decided against since they didn¡¯t actually intend to try and get customers. Lilly walked down the path, glancing around at the various attractions. Most of them looked like they were food stalls and she even saw a sign indicating that one of the clubs would be making pancakes once the festival started. Just the thought of it made her a bit hungry since she had only eaten a small thing of yogurt before leaving her apartment.


    Well, I¡¯ll have to check everything out later, she thought to herself. See if I can find something to eat.


    She crossed the courtyard and entered the main school building, only to be greeted with another festive sight. She had seen the beginnings of the decorating when she left school the previous evening but now, seeing it complete, she felt her excitement increase. There were streamers and balloons hung over the walls, with some even lying on the ground. Posters of all different sizes were hung up, advertising various clubs and whatever attractions they were setting up. Naturally, she wouldn¡¯t find anything for the Magic Club since Mr. Lowe hadn¡¯t required that they actually make anything. Eric and the others really were committed to doing the bare minimum.


    She chuckled at the thought, then went up the stairs that would take her to the third floor. The top floor of the school wasn¡¯t as decorated as the bottom since most of the clubs that had their rooms up there had migrated down to the courtyard, but it was still far more colorful than it normally was. She turned and headed in the direction of the clubroom and once she reached it, she went inside, excited to meet up with the others and get the day started. Yet, when she went inside, she cocked an eyebrow at the strange yet unsurprising sight that greeted her.


    ¡°Ah, a young lady enters our lair!¡± Vinny said, lowering his voice as if trying to be spooky. ¡°Perhaps she seeks out forbidden knowledge?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she does,¡± Eric added, ¡°but is she aware of the price that comes with it?¡±


    For a moment, Lilly just stood in the doorway, taking a moment to process the state of the clubroom. Black curtains were hung over every window, blocking almost all natural light from entering the room. The only light that they had came from a variety of candles set around on the surfaces of a few of the desks. She was about to question whether they were allowed to have fire when a closer look revealed that they were all fake, electric candles. As for Eric and Vinny, the two of them were sitting behind four desks all pushed together with a black tablecloth thrown over it. The blue crystal ball was sitting right in front of them surrounded by more electric candles. To add to the strange atmosphere, they were both wearing black robes and pointed witch¡¯s hats, with their faces painted white and red contact lenses in their eyes.


    Welp, I guess I should have expected this. Though I didn¡¯t think they would get this committed to the whole thing.


    She glanced to the back table to see Damien and Liz staring back at her, looking amused by the whole situation. Lilly laughed and turned back to the two ¡°fortune tellers¡± at the table.


    ¡°So, this is what you guys have been up to all week, huh?¡± she asked. ¡°And is there even any point in bothering with this? You know nobody¡¯s gonna show up, right?¡±


    Vinny smirked smugly. ¡°Exactly! So, we might as well entertain ourselves somehow, right? Now, Miss Lilly Harper, do you want your fortune told or are you too scared of the unknown?¡±


    ¡°My fortune, huh?¡± She considered his offer and shrugged. ¡°Alright, knock yourself out, Vinny. What does my future have in store?¡±


    ¡°Ah, but are you prepared for the consequences of knowing your fate?¡± Eric asked. ¡°Knowledge of the future is not for the faint of heart. There have been many who were driven to insanity by knowing too much. Are you certain you can handle it?¡¯


    She snorted. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure. Now get on with it.¡±


    Vinny and Eric exchanged looks then leaned forward to stare intensely into the crystal ball. Lilly stood there in silence for a moment, waiting for one of them to say something but they made no move to speak. When she tried to urge them to hurry up, Vinny stuck a hand up and indicated for her to be quiet. She rolled her eyes and glanced at Damien and Liz for help but both shrugged as if to tell her to just deal with it. After a moment, Eric finally raised his head and looked directly at her.


    ¡°Ah yes,¡± he said, ¡°I see now. Yes, your future is full of love and prosperity. However, I would avoid the color purple for it is unlucky to you. I would recommend keeping your distance from plums for the time being.¡±


    Lilly raised her eyebrows. ¡°Really? That¡¯s all you got? Well, it¡¯s a good thing my family doesn¡¯t eat plums.¡±


    ¡°And also,¡± Vinny quickly interjected. ¡°You may be in for a surprise in the coming days! But whether it¡¯s good or bad remains to be seen! Your fate is in your hands, dear Lilly! Do not fumble with it or you will forever be condemned to hell!¡±


    ¡°Oh, fun,¡± she replied in monotone. ¡°Well fair enough.¡±


    Smirking at their ridiculous fortunes, Lilly walked further into the classroom and took her seat at one of the desks.


    ¡°So, what time does the festival start again?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Around nine is when the gates open for the public,¡± Damien replied. ¡°Then it goes all day til around sixish.¡±


    She nodded, then glanced at the wall clock in the corner of the room, which read that it was currently seven-thirty. They still had an hour and a half before the school opened the gates. She actually found herself wishing it would come faster. Just walking through the halls was enough to get her excited for the days to come. As she glanced around the room, she saw Eric and Vinny whispering to each other with sly looks on their faces that made it seem like they were coming up with more devious fortunes. The clubroom looked utterly ridiculous, as did they, but she couldn''t help but laugh softly to herself.


    It¡¯s always something stupid when I walk through that door, she mused. They¡¯re always keeping me on my toes. Today¡¯s gonna be fun. I can¡¯t wait.


    ***


    ¡°Ah, if it isn¡¯t Mr. Bradley Fischer, come to show his ugly face before our glory?!¡±


    At the sound of Vinny¡¯s voice, Lilly glanced up from the festival pamphlet she was reading to see Brad standing in the doorway, looking around the room in shock before turning an irritated eye on the blonde boy. For a moment, he looked like he wanted to comment on their stupid getup but he must have decided it wasn¡¯t worth it.


    ¡°Oh, shut up, Mickelson!¡± he snapped. ¡°If that¡¯s how you greet your damn customers then I¡¯m not surprised I¡¯m the only one here!¡±


    Vinny cocked an eyebrow. ¡°No, no, no! Of course I don¡¯t treat my customers like that! These words are reserved solely for you, my friend!¡±


    ¡°Frickin¡¯ hell,¡± Brad muttered. ¡°I knew I would, but I¡¯m already regretting dragging myself up here.¡±


    He then glanced over at Lilly, who was looking back at him with as apologetic a smile as she could muster. He had told her the day before that he¡¯d stop by the clubroom for a fortune just so they could get at least one customer but, when he said that, she hadn¡¯t been aware of how committed Eric and Vinny were going to be to the act. Whatever fortune they gave him probably wouldn¡¯t be flattering and part of her wanted to speak up and urge him to just turn and run. She glanced over her shoulder to Damien and Liz for help, but both were distracted reading their own festival pamphlet.


    Oh, boy. Well, good luck, Brad. I appreciate you coming by, she thought as she turned her attention back to the front of the room.


    ¡°And tell me, Fischer,¡± Vinny was saying. ¡°Why have you not brought Mr. Wright with you? I was absolutely dying to give him a little insight into his pathetic and sad future.¡±


    Brad snorted. ¡°Oh fuck off. Like hell Evan was gonna come anywhere near you guys after what you did to him¡ªthough that¡¯s not to say it wasn¡¯t deserved. But regardless, can you just give me my damn fortune so I can get the hell out of here?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, of course,¡± Eric said. ¡°In that case, please provide us with your ticket, my large friend.¡±


    Brad scoffed, reached into his back pocket, and produced one of his small, yellow tickets. The school sold those tickets to festival goers and they could be redeemed at any attraction whether it be food or entertainment and the managers of the attractions were allowed to decide how many tickets they would charge, within reason, of course. Students of the school got ten free tickets for the whole festival and would have to buy more if they wanted. After outvoting Vinny, who wanted to charge an absurd number for their fortunes, they opted just to charge one since they weren¡¯t really offering anything of value.


    When Brad had handed his ticket to Eric, the boy leaned back in his seat and grinned.


    ¡°Vinny! Let us stare into our mystical ball and see just what we can learn about the future of this big oaf!¡± he said.


    Much like they had earlier, the two boys leaned forward and gazed intently into the blue ball. Brad stared at them in seemingly disbelief before once again looking at Lilly with an eyebrow raised. However, she could only shrug and mouth, ¡°thanks for coming, Brad¡±, since she couldn¡¯t really explain why they were dressed like witches. She was prepared to wait a few moments for Eric and Vinny to come up with a fortune for Brad but, unlike earlier with her fortune, the two boys looked up almost immediately.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Ah, yes,¡± Vinny began, eyeing the bigger boy smugly. ¡°Well, this was to be expected of course, but your future is looking fairly grim.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I agree,¡± Eric added. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say but I¡¯m not sure you want us to tell you. It might put a damper on this fun festival for you.¡±


    Brad rolled his eyes. ¡°I honestly hate you both. Look, I gave you my damned ticket so just give me your stupid fortune so I can leave!¡±


    ¡°He seems angry,¡± Vinny mused. ¡°Well, that only makes sense seeing as his future is fairly depressing. But Mr. Fischer, would you still want to know if I told you that your death was drawing near?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Lilly interrupted before Brad could snap back at Vinny. ¡°Enough of you two. If you can¡¯t give nice fortunes then move aside. I¡¯ll do it myself.¡±


    She got to her feet and crossed the room to where the two boys were sitting, both looking up at her like children who had misbehaved.


    ¡°But, Lilly!¡± Vinny protested. ¡°We¡¯re the fortune tellers! A mere mortal could never hope to gaze into the ball of time!¡±


    Ignoring him, she reached out and swiped the crystal ball from the table and looked at it for a second. Then, just as she was about to make something up, Eric stood up and placed his pointed hat on her head.


    ¡°One cannot simply see into the future unless they wear the hat of foresight!¡± he declared. ¡°It is a requirement to access that which has not passed!¡±


    She sighed, then placed the ball back on the table before looking at Brad. He seemed to be barely suppressing a laugh and she was sure that she probably looked ridiculous with the hat on.


    ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re full of it,¡± she told him. ¡°You¡¯ve got a bright and happy future ahead of you. And...uh, it looks like your grades are gonna improve, too, so, good job in advance.¡±


    Brad chuckled and stuck his hands in his uniform¡¯s pockets as he regarded her for a moment. ¡°Well, cool, I guess.¡± He then shot an irritated look Vinny¡¯s way. ¡°See, that¡¯s worth a ticket, Mickelson. Oddly enough, it¡¯s bad for business if you tell your customers that they¡¯re gonna die! Maybe you should have Lilly take over your stupid fortune telling booth.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m good!¡± Lilly quickly said. ¡°I¡¯d really rather not.¡±


    Vinny nodded his agreement. ¡°Yes, of course! As I said, a mere mortal cannot be a fortune teller! She was only able to see your future because she wore the hat! However, the power of that hat is limited and would run out within mere minutes of use.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m leaving,¡± Brad muttered. ¡°Thanks for the fortune, Lilly.¡±


    She smiled meekly and nodded. ¡°Yeah, no problem. Thanks for coming, Brad. Sorry that they¡¯re such idiots.¡±


    ¡°Ha! Not something you should be apologizing for,¡± he called back. ¡°See you later.¡±


    ¡°See ya.¡±


    She watched Brad walk through the door and it was only once it closed behind him that she spun around and glared at the two of them only to find them laughing their asses off.


    ¡°You know, you could stand to be a bit nicer to him,¡± she reprimanded. ¡°He¡¯s not a bad guy and you both know it! I don¡¯t get why you always need to tease him! I mean, honestly, did you really have to go with the ¡®your death is coming¡¯ crap?¡±


    Vinny didn¡¯t seem bothered in the slightest and only continued to laugh. Eric, however, seemed to realize she was actually irritated since he recollected himself and sighed. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll admit, perhaps we went a little far. I apologize, Lilly. Although, I can¡¯t say it wasn¡¯t beneficial. It did result in you wearing the hat and I must say, you are absolutely adorable in it.¡±


    She went to retort but found herself suddenly turning red at his compliment. She looked away and snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t try to flatter me,¡± she mumbled. ¡°I¡¯m sure I look just as ridiculous in this as you two do.¡±


    ¡°I disagree, actually,¡± Liz chimed in from her spot beside Damien in the back of the room. ¡°I think you rock the witch¡¯s hat look, Lilly. You got this ¡®pretty but strange¡¯ vibe going.¡±


    Lilly cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Pretty but strange? Great. Yeah, I love looking strange. That¡¯s my favorite,¡± she added sarcastically.


    Liz and Eric began laughing with Vinny, who was still wheezing for some reason, and Lilly could only look to Damien for aid. However, he was still caught up in reading the festival pamphlet and didn¡¯t seem to be paying them even the slightest bit of attention. She sighed, deciding that she was condemned to be teased, and was about to head back to her desk when the door behind her opened. She figured it was Brad coming back for something but when she turned around, she exhaled sharply.


    ¡°A-Alexa?¡± she stuttered.


    Her older sister was standing in the doorway, staring at her with a surprised look, probably due to her stupid hat and the odd state of both the room and the two boys. For a moment, Lilly went cold. Alexa had never interacted with the club outside of the few times Eric had come by their apartment and she had been content to keep it that way. She knew Alexa was suspicious of the club still even though she hadn¡¯t brought them up since January.


    So what¡¯s she doing here now?! Don¡¯t tell me she wants a fortune?!


    ¡°Uh, hey, Lil¡¯,¡± she greeted awkwardly. ¡°Nice, um, hat.¡±


    Still dumbstruck, she didn¡¯t have an immediate response. Instead, it was Eric who replied for her as he walked forward and removed the hat from her head before placing it on his own. Then he spread his arms wide theatrically and grinned.


    ¡°Dear Harper, it¡¯s good to see you again!¡± he said. ¡°How may the Magical and Other Investigations Team be of service?¡±


    Alexa grimaced at Eric¡¯s odd demeanor. ¡°Uh, well, I heard you guys were doing fortunes and I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait, wait, wait, wait!¡± Vinny interrupted, getting to his feet. ¡°Your name is Harper? Are you the sister we¡¯ve heard so much about?!¡±


    Lilly glanced back to see that Vinny wasn¡¯t the only one who¡¯d straightened up. Liz was grinning with interest and Damien had even looked up from his reading.


    ¡°Uh, yeah,¡± Alexa stuttered. ¡°I¡¯m her sister. It¡¯s¡­nice to meet you guys.¡±


    ¡°Yes, nice to meet you, too!¡± Liz replied, jumping to her feet and sauntering across the room, much to Lilly¡¯s dismay. ¡°I¡¯m Liz Tao!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, hi,¡± Alexa said, eyeing Liz with obvious discomfort.


    Vinny was the next to get to his feet before giving an obnoxious bow which caused his hat to fall from his head. He quickly picked it up, straightened himself, and grinned. ¡°And I¡¯m Vinny Mickelson! I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard all about me! I am quite the character, after all.¡±


    Her sister glanced at Lilly with a look that essentially asked ¡°how do you stand these weirdos?¡± Lilly could only turn away, praying that Alexa would decide a fortune wasn¡¯t worth it and leave. Unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t what happened.


    ¡°Alright, stop with the intros and just give her the fortune,¡± Damien said. ¡°I¡¯m sure Lilly doesn¡¯t want you idiots scaring her sister away.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Vinny protested. ¡°What makes you think she¡¯d be scared of us?!¡±


    Liz nodded in agreement. ¡°Yeah! I mean, I can see her fleeing Vinny¡¯s ugly mug but I¡¯m frickin¡¯ adorable! I¡¯m sure she already loves me!¡±


    ¡°Oi! What ugly mug?!¡± Vinny shouted.


    Oh my god, shoot me! Why?! Why did Alexa need to stop by at all?!


    She turned to her sister and glared at her. Alexa looked back and returned the glare with one of her own, as if challenging her little sister to say something. Clearly, she didn¡¯t intend to leave without a fortune so Lilly quickly glanced at Eric and urged him to move it along with a nod of her head.


    ¡°Alright, silence!¡± Eric called out. ¡°We have a customer and so, we must provide her with a quality fortune telling experience befitting this club!¡± He then turned to Alexa and resumed smiling. ¡°Your ticket, please?¡±


    ¡°Oh, right.¡± Alexa reached into her purse at her hip and produced one of the yellow tickets then handed it to Eric.


    He took it gratefully then walked back to sit at the table, pulling Vinny down by the shoulder with him.


    ¡°Step forward, dear Harper!¡± Eric commanded. ¡°And then we shall predict your future! Do you have any questions you would like answered? Perhaps about a test you¡¯re worried about? Or maybe something bigger? Future children, maybe?¡±


    Lilly scowled, irritated that Eric was already putting far more effort in than he had with Brad. Alexa still seemed put off by it all but considered his question nonetheless. ¡°Um, I guess since I¡¯m graduating soon, what can you tell me about what college is going to be like?¡± Alexa asked.


    Eric nodded. ¡°Ah, yes, college. And where is it you intend to attend?¡±


    You¡¯re the fortune teller. Shouldn¡¯t you be able to look into the future and check? Lilly silently snarked but managed to keep her mouth shut.


    ¡°Oh, University of Alden up north,¡± Alexa replied. ¡°It¡¯s got a good political science program so¡­¡±


    ¡°Ooh, poli-sci, huh?¡± Vinny said. ¡°Interesting choice! Alright, Eric! Let¡¯s look into her future!¡±


    The two boys instantly went to stare at the ball once again, and Lilly could only pray that they come up with something quickly so Alexa could leave. She glanced once more at her sister, who was staring at Eric and Vinny with narrowed eyes, as if she were analyzing them.


    Or judging them, Lilly thought. Which is probably more likely.


    ¡°Ah, I see,¡± Eric finally said as he looked up from the ball. ¡°Yes, your future looks quite fortunate, my friend. You will do well in school and will have a wide variety of friends! In addition, I recommend frequenting coffee shops as you may very well run into ¡®the one¡¯.¡±


    He winked and Alexa¡¯s obvious discomfort only seemed to increase.


    ¡°G-great,¡± she stuttered. ¡°That¡¯s¡­good to know. Um, so, is that it?¡±


    ¡°Yup!¡± Vinny and Eric chirped together.


    Alexa frowned. ¡°Awesome. All right then, thanks¡­I think.¡±


    Seeming as anxious to leave as Lilly was, Alexa turned and left the room, never once speaking even a word to Lilly.


    ¡°Come back any time!¡± Liz called out but Alexa didn¡¯t respond.


    Once her sister was gone, Lilly walked over and plopped herself into one of the desks, thankful that her sister was finally gone.


    ¡°Well, that was fun,¡± Vinny said cheerfully. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to meet the famous Alexa Harper! I¡¯ve heard so much about her but she¡¯s never stopped by!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and I¡¯d prefer it stayed that way,¡± Lilly grumbled.


    Liz tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Why? Do you guys not get along or something? I mean, you didn¡¯t look that happy to see her.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I noticed that,¡± Damien agreed. ¡°Is everything alright, Lilly?¡±


    She sighed and shrugged. ¡°Yeah, everything¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just¡­Alexa isn¡¯t exactly this club¡¯s biggest fan. In fact, she¡¯s suspicious as hell of it and I¡¯m sure she stopped by just to check up on us.¡±


    ¡°Suspicious?!¡± Vinny exclaimed. ¡°Why, I¡¯m offended! What could possibly be suspicious about us?!¡±


    She knew he was being sarcastic but she responded nonetheless.


    ¡°Well, between the Evan incident and Jay¡¯s suicide, I¡¯m sure we look like we¡¯re up to a bunch of shady stuff,¡± Lilly mumbled. ¡°Not to mention, she was already questioning why I even hung out with you guys in the first place. After all, she doesn¡¯t know about the stone so me getting wrapped up with you guys seemed like it came out of nowhere from her perspective.¡±


    Damien nodded his agreement. ¡°I can see that.¡°


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Liz added. ¡°Lilly the Grouch would never have given us the time of day if the stone hadn¡¯t forced you to talk to us.¡±


    Lilly narrowed her eyes. ¡°That stupid nickname aside, you can see my issue here. Alexa¡¯s left me alone for the most part but I can tell my¡­er, changes have her a bit confused. So, if you four would do me a favor and avoid her, that¡¯d be great.¡±


    ¡°Aw, no!¡± Vinny whined. ¡°And here I was looking forward to making her my bestest friend!¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Lilly retorted. ¡°Don¡¯t bother my sister, Vinny.¡±


    The boy sighed in defeat, then glanced at Eric at his side, who was staring into space and being oddly quiet.


    ¡°Come on, Eric!¡± he urged. ¡°Rise up with me! This is outrageous!¡±


    At the sound of his name, Eric seemed to come to his senses. He looked at Vinny then turned to Lilly, his brow furrowed in thought. Then, all at once, he turned serious, jumped to his feet, and slammed his hand against the table.


    ¡°Yes! Vinny is right!¡± he declared theatrically. ¡°This is outrageous! I cannot stand for my girlfriend¡¯s sister to be suspicious of me! It is my duty as Lilly¡¯s boyfriend to earn the trust of her whole family and it is that task that I must accomplish! If Alexa Harper distrusts me then I simply need to change that!¡±


    For a moment, Lilly was stunned by his outburst. His features were stern and she couldn¡¯t tell if he was joking around or not. However, she couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes and laugh. Even if he was exaggerating a bit, she could at least tell that he was uncomfortable with the fact that her sister didn¡¯t like him.


    ¡°God damn it, Eric,¡± she muttered. ¡°Just don¡¯t embarrass me, alright?¡±


    He glanced her way and grinned.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t dream of it.¡±


    ***


    After departing the Magic Club¡¯s room, Alexa Harper hurried down the hallways, hoping to get as far from them as she could. She was embarrassed to have even gone there in the first place and it was clear that Lilly was pissed at her for doing so. Even now, she felt that she made a mistake by going up there. Yet, for some reason, she just felt the need to go. She had never met the other three members and, with the festival going on, it seemed like the perfect excuse to stop by. All she had to do was claim she wanted a fortune.


    Yet, she now regretted going at all. She only managed to irritate her sister and she was unsurprised by the fact that the other members were just as weird as she had heard¡ªthough she did have to admit that Damien seemed relatively laid-back, although knowing the rumors about him, she didn¡¯t want to let her guard down.


    God, she thought. I¡¯m just wasting my time. I¡¯m paranoid about nothing. Dad¡¯s right. Lilly¡¯s happy with the club and I should be satisfied with that. I don¡¯t know why it bothers me so much. She clenched her teeth. Damn it. I¡¯m just being a nuisance to Lilly. Honestly¡­I really should just leave her alone.


    I think that¡¯s what she wants at this point.

 Chapter 48- The Spring Festival

    Chapter XLVIII


    There was a soft breeze that afternoon as Album Luz stared down at the courtyard of West Wilham High School. She was perched up on the roof of one of the nearby two-story houses and it gave her a good view over the front gates of the school. She was using distortion magic to hide her presence from anybody that happened to look up at her location but, on the chance that her mana levels went too low and the distortion faded, she was still wearing her white cloak with the cowl pulled up to hide her face.


    For the past week, ever since Nigreos had made contact with the girl named Lilly Harper, Album had been keeping as close a watch on the school as she could. While Harper had never confirmed that she went to West Wilham, the presence of the pocket realm made it clear that Eric Reiner, at least, must. And if Eric was at the school then Harper had to be, especially given the fact that she swapped into his body during the school day. The problem was that they didn¡¯t know what either Harper or Reiner looked like. Communicating telepathically didn¡¯t reveal any physical details and Nigreos hadn¡¯t seen Reiner since the boy was very small. They also couldn¡¯t rely on sensing the mana remnants of the stone due to the close proximity of the pocket realm. Truthfully, Album wasn¡¯t even sure what she was looking for that day. All she had to do was hope.


    But we¡¯re at least making some progress, she thought. We now know with certainty that Eric Reiner is the enemy, just as we assumed. All we need to do is find him and the relic¡¯s as good as ours. She narrowed her eyes. Or at least¡­it should be.


    She wasn¡¯t sure how much she trusted Nigreos to do what needed to be done. She knew he¡¯d be ruthless to the nonmagical people who used the stone but she feared his connection to Abi Reiner would make him hesitate to erase Eric.


    But whether Nigreos likes it or not, we don¡¯t have an option. He must realize that erasing Reiner is a mercy at this point. Being a descendent of Abi, he was never going to be able to lead a peaceful life. Nigreos has to understand that it¡¯s for the best that Eric leave this world. That boy never should have existed in the first place.


    She sighed, looking down at the masses of people wandering around the courtyard¡¯s lawn. It seemed like the school was holding a festival that day judging by the number of adults and small children in the crowd, as well as the various food stalls set up. It was a peaceful sight and it reminded her of the old days at the Academy of Erika. There was a weak feeling of longing deep in her chest, one she knew she¡¯d never be able to truly silence. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, those days meant something to her and part of her wished she could go back to them.


    But I can¡¯t, she told herself. Those days are gone. Peace was never in the cards for a woman like me. And¡­


    She reached up and brushed strands of her white hair behind her ear, then placed her left hand against her chest so she could feel the quick beating of her heart. She took a few deep breaths until she felt herself calm down..


    Unfortunately, the peace of this school¡­ Of this town¡­ And of Eric Reiner is coming to an end very soon.


    ***


    ¡°Man, as much fun as I was having, it¡¯s nice to get out and about for a little while, am I right?¡±


    As Vinny excitedly glanced around the decorated second floor hallway, Damien couldn¡¯t help but smile a bit. His friend looked a bit like a kid set loose in a candy store and Damien had the feeling that if he weren¡¯t there, Vinny would already be sprinting around the festival in search of whatever could entertain him. Luckily, he had removed his witch costume before they left, though the pale makeup still remained.


    ¡°Honestly!¡± Liz said from his left. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not like anybody else is gonna come by for a fortune! I wanna explore a bit!¡±


    Yeah, I feel like the same probably applies to her, too, Damien mused. Though, I like to think Liz has more self control than Vinny does.


    ¡°So where should we head first? Eric and Lilly told us to be back by two so we shouldn¡¯t just stand around.¡± Damien pointed out, hoping to figure out a plan rather than just wandering randomly. ¡°Do you guys want to get some lunch first or would you rather find a show to watch? I hear the dance club has some performances in the gym.¡±


    ¡°Oh, food first!¡± Vinny replied. ¡°Alice wanted to meet up at the culinary club¡¯s caf¨¦ for lunch so I say we head there first.¡±


    Liz nodded her agreement. ¡°I could go for some food!¡±


    ¡°Alright, awesome,¡± Damien said. ¡°So where¡¯s this caf¨¦ then? I don¡¯t actually know where the culinary clubroom is.¡±


    The blonde boy thought for a moment then snapped his fingers. ¡°Ah, I remember. Alice said it was in class 1-14 downstairs. Come on, let¡¯s go!¡±


    With Vinny in the lead, the three of them turned and made their way toward the second floor staircase, though they were forced to keep to the wall so as not to run into anybody. The crowds in the hall were obnoxious on a normal day but with the spring festival in full swing, it was even crazier than usual. Add in the scents of various foods wafting through the hall, the balloons laying scattered on the floor, and the students standing in front of classrooms, shouting out to get customers attention, Damien¡¯s senses felt overwhelmed. In addition, he could feel the eyes of some passersby on him and none of them felt particularly friendly.


    Man, I hate crowds, he thought bitterly. Two more days of this, huh?


    They finally reached the staircase and shuffled down to the first floor where it was a little less crowded, thought not by much. Their progress was rather slow and Damien was forced to grab Liz¡¯s hand just to keep her close. After what felt like ten minutes of struggling down the halls, they finally reached the door to room 1-14. Damien could immediately tell that they were in the right spot due to the sign hanging above the door that read ¡°Caf¨¦ Culinary¡± in big, colorful letters.


    ¡°And people say our naming sense is bad,¡± Liz muttered under her breath, earning a soft chuckle from Damien.


    ¡°Yeah, it is a bit basic but then again, at least it makes it obvious what club it is and what they¡¯re selling,¡± he replied.


    His girlfriend shrugged. ¡°Yeah, fair enough.¡±


    Vinny reached for the door and headed inside with Damien and Liz following right behind him. Despite the lazy name, Damien actually found himself surprised at how nice everything looked. Desks were flipped together in groups of four to make tables and there were white cloths thrown over them. All the tables but one were filled and two girls in barista outfits were running around serving people. Room 1-14 was connected to room 1-13 by a doorway and Damien could smell food cooking from the other side. One of the students looked up at their entrance and, for a moment, she looked hesitant to talk to them. Her stare remained on Damien far longer than the others, something that didn¡¯t surprise him in the slightest. Luckily, she got over herself quickly and approached them.


    ¡°Hi! Table for four?¡± she greeted.


    Vinny nodded. ¡°Yup. Sounds perfect.¡±


    The girl led them over to the only open table in the back left corner and they took their seats, with Vinny sitting across from Damien and Liz with his back to the windows. The barista girl placed three menus down in front of them then rushed off to talk to another group.


    ¡°Wow, they really went all out,¡± Liz mused, staring down at her menu in surprise.


    The culinary club had laminated multiple sheets of paper and had written everything out in fancy writing as if to mimic some high end restaurant. Though, one look at the items revealed the fact that they were amateurs. The only drinks they had were basic juices and coffees and their food items were all desserts.


    This is a terrible place to eat lunch! It¡¯s all sugar!


    ¡°Man, this looks like a great place to eat,¡± Vinny mused. ¡°Who doesn¡¯t love brownies and cookies for lunch!?¡±


    Liz nodded. ¡°Yeah, really! I¡¯m just gonna get a big ol¡¯ brownie!¡±


    Damien sighed. Yeah, I guess I should¡¯ve expected that from these two. Of course they¡¯d be excited over sugar for lunch!


    After seeming to decide that he knew what he wanted to order, Vinny placed his menu back on the table and grinned. ¡°So, before Alice gets here, I have to ask. What¡¯d you guys make of the Harper sisters?¡±


    Damien glanced up from his menu and narrowed his eyes, prepared to tell Vinny off for even bothering to bring the subject up, however he quickly caught himself. He knew his friend well enough to be able to see the hint of genuine concern masked behind his mischievous smile.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to think about?¡± Liz asked. ¡°Yeah, things seem a bit shaky between them but it¡¯s really none of our business.¡±


    Vinny shrugged. ¡°Yeah, I get that, but think about it, guys! Lilly¡¯s only in this position because of us! If she were able to tell Alexa about the stone, there wouldn¡¯t be any need to be suspicious of us.¡±


    ¡°No, I disagree,¡± Damien chimed in. ¡°In fact, with how on guard Lilly claims her sister is around us, I think showing her the gem would only make things worse.¡±


    The boy across from him sighed and leaned back in his seat. ¡°Maybe but¡­¡±


    ¡°Vinny,¡± Damien interrupted firmly. ¡°I get that you¡¯re concerned about Lilly, but she asked us to stay away from her sister. We should respect that.¡±


    Liz nodded her agreement. ¡°And anyway, she gave Eric permission to try and gain her trust so maybe he¡¯ll help us in that department. We just gotta wait and see.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I hear you guys,¡± he grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­I don¡¯t know! Lilly¡¯s been so good to us and I just¡­wanted to do something for her.¡±


    Damien smiled. ¡°I know what you mean, Vin¡¯, but I think doing what she asks is good enough.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­you¡¯ve got a point.¡±


    Just as he finished speaking, Vinny suddenly smiled and perked up, indicating to Damien that Alice must¡¯ve arrived. When he glanced over his shoulder, sure enough, Alice Mendez was headed their way.


    ¡°Hey, guys,¡± she greeted, taking her seat beside Vinny. ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late. The halls are insane!¡±


    ¡°Tell me about it,¡± Liz grumbled. ¡°I was so close to just smacking the bastard behind me for pushing so hard.¡±


    Noticing a fourth person had arrived, the barista came back and took their orders. Vinny and Liz both ordered giant brownies and milk while Damien and Alice opted for just some small oatmeal cookies and water.


    ¡°You guys are so boring,¡± Liz teased. ¡°Why not get something more exciting than just bland old oatmeal cookies?¡±


    Damien snorted. ¡°This is supposed to be lunch, you know! I figured they¡¯d at least have a sandwich or something but all they have is sugar!¡±


    ¡°I fail to see the problem,¡± Vinny joked.


    He and Liz broke out into laughter and Damien shook his head, reminding himself that it was pointless to argue with either of them. After calming themselves down, Vinny then glanced at Alice, who was staring off into space.


    ¡°You good, Al¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± She seemed to return to herself before smiling. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just thinking. I was considering stopping by the hospital to visit Jay tonight. He always looked forward to the spring festival so I¡¯m just missing him a bit.¡±


    The sad look in her eyes made Damien wish he could do something for her. Even though Lilly still used the stone to help them talk on occasion, it was clear that Alice was really missing Jay. Even Damien found himself missing the boy¡¯s occasional presence in the clubroom even though they¡¯d never really interacted one-on-one. Eric and Lilly seemed certain he¡¯d come back eventually but the longer it took, the more he was missing. At this point, Jay was going to have an entire semester to make up.


    ¡°You know, why don¡¯t you and I go visit him together tonight?¡± Vinny suggested. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to stop by and see Jay.¡±


    Alice looked at her boyfriend in surprise. ¡°Y-you¡¯re sure? It¡¯s gonna be kinda late when the festival ends, you know?¡±


    Vinny shrugged her concern off. ¡°Eh, I don¡¯t care. My parents won¡¯t mind and like I said, I want to see him. Maybe we can stop by the diner afterwards and get something eat.¡±


    She considered his offer for a moment and then nodded. ¡°Okay, sounds good. Let¡¯s do that.¡±


    ¡°You know, I¡¯m sure Eric won¡¯t care if you leave a little early,¡± Liz pointed out. ¡°So don¡¯t worry about us. We¡¯ll hold down our meager fortune booth for the last hour.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, definitely,¡± Damien agreed.


    Vinny grinned. ¡°Thanks, guys. I appreciate it. Oh, and Alice.¡± He turned to look at the girl beside him. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to stop by our booth tomorrow! That way, we can read you your fortune!¡±


    She chuckled. ¡°Okay, sure. I¡¯ll try to get up there sometime tomorrow.¡±


    With that, the conversation ended as their food finally arrived at the table. The caf¨¦ really wasn¡¯t exaggerating when they claimed their brownies were huge as they were nearly as big as Damien¡¯s hand. However, Vinny and Liz seemed to enjoy them so he supposed he shouldn¡¯t complain. He looked around at the three of them eating their food and smiled.


    Well, day one of the festival seems to be a success.


    ***


    Vinny, Liz, and Damien had left the clubroom nearly an hour earlier to check out the festival, leaving Eric and Lilly to run the booth. Luckily, only one curious student had wandered in for a fortune, so they were able to just sit around and relax. Though, after Alexa¡¯s visit to the clubroom, Lilly was finding that strangely hard. She knew her sister would want to talk to her when she got home and she really didn¡¯t want to bother. Of course, Vinny, Liz, and Eric had put a show on for her and it was obvious that Alexa had been uncomfortable by it.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    However, what irritated Lilly was the fact that Alexa had almost certainly dropped in to gauge the other club members. Her sister hadn¡¯t directly spoken to her about them since January but, between the Evan/Rina incident and Jay¡¯s suicide attempt, it was almost certain that Alexa was no closer to getting off her case about them as she was back when Lilly first met the club. She was hoping that by dating Eric, Alexa would come to trust him and the club a bit more but it seemed that wasn¡¯t the case.


    Well, I guess I should just stop worrying about it. There¡¯s really nothing I can do. If Alexa wants to have an issue with the club then that¡¯s her problem. I really shouldn¡¯t care.


    Yet, she did find it irritating that Alexa spent years trying to get her to make friends and the moment she did, her sister got all suspicious of them. Of course, Lilly understood why her friendship with the club would look strange from an outsider¡¯s perspective but it didn¡¯t make it any less irritating.


    What am I supposed to do? I¡¯ve talked to her about them before and it never seems to do anything. And I¡¯m sure that having her interact with the club members won¡¯t help much either¡­


    She sighed, then looked up to stare across the room. Eric was sitting alone, gazing into the crystal ball, still dressed in his witch outfit. He seemed lost in thought as well and part of her wondered if maybe all she needed to do was talk it out with him. Knowing Eric, he probably had some sort of idea of what to do. So, she got to her feet and crossed the room to sit down in Vinny¡¯s vacant chair beside him.


    ¡°See anything interesting?¡± she asked, indicating the ball.


    He chuckled. ¡°Yes, in fact. Currently, I¡¯m watching our daughters running around a quaint little suburban house.¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡± She raised an eyebrow. ¡°So you¡¯re saying we¡¯re gonna have girls then? Damn, I always wanted a son.¡± She smiled. ¡°But I guess if we have kids, then our relationship works out, huh?¡±


    ¡°I would assume so,¡± Eric replied. ¡°We look happy, at least. And I guess if we¡¯re happy, then I suppose I¡¯ve gotten your sister to like me. That¡¯s a plus, as well.¡±


    He said it like a joke but Lilly could sense some truth to his words.


    ¡°It bothers you, doesn¡¯t it?¡± she muttered. ¡°That Alexa doesn¡¯t like you?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°A bit. I mean, I¡¯ve gotten used to weird stares and untrusting glances over the years so I should have expected this, but I suppose I just want my girlfriend¡¯s family to trust me. Do your parents have similar worries about me?¡±


    ¡°I dunno, honestly,¡± she replied. ¡°But I don¡¯t think so. My parents aren¡¯t really the type to care about quirks like yours. As long as you seem like a good guy, then they won¡¯t have a problem. And you are a good guy, Eric. Alexa will figure that out eventually.¡±


    He grunted. ¡°But¡­you said that her distrust in us comes from your sudden friendship with us. I take it to mean that she suspects something devious brought us together?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I think so. I haven¡¯t ever told her about the stone so to her, it just seems like I suddenly decided to break out of my shell and befriend the school outcasts.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± he mumbled. ¡°So then¡­why haven¡¯t you told her about the gem? You trusted Natalie with it so¡­what¡¯s different about your sister?¡±


    She looked down and stared at the ball as she considered his question. She wasn¡¯t actually sure how to answer it. He was right. She let Natalie in on the secret without an issue and the same even went for Brad, a guy she hardly knew at the time. Alexa was her older sister so why was she so opposed to revealing its magic to her. But after a moment of thought, she realized what the answer was.


    ¡°To be honest¡­¡± she began, ¡°if I had to guess, I¡¯d say it¡¯s because I think it would make things worse. Alexa¡¯s very protective of me and, if she knew I was screwing around with some unknown magical item, I think it would make her panic.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so she and Damien are similar in that regard,¡± Eric said.


    Lilly nodded. ¡°Yeah. Alexa¡¯s just a bit more extreme. He can be reasoned with, but her? I don¡¯t think she would hear us out. And I don¡¯t want to unnecessarily scare her. It¡¯s just¡­better for us both if she¡¯s in the dark about it all.¡±


    Yeah, it really is. I love Alexa. She¡¯s my big sister, after all, but she can be a bit paranoid. I know she just wants to keep me safe and all, and I appreciate it, but I wish she¡¯d just let this go.


    ¡°Well, I guess I have no choice but to figure this out,¡± Eric said, getting to his feet and stretching his arms up over his head. ¡°I meant it when I said I was going to do something about this. And, if revealing the stone isn¡¯t the way to go about it then I¡¯ll just have to figure out what is.¡±


    Lilly smirked. ¡°Well, I wish you luck. Especially after your little show here earlier, I doubt she¡¯s going to want to go anywhere near you.¡±


    ¡°Not a problem,¡± he declared. ¡°If that¡¯s the case then I shall go to her! But no matter what happens, I will win her over!¡±


    ¡°You know what, Eric? Despite how stubborn my sister is, I actually believe you.¡±


    ¡°Good!¡± he replied. ¡°Then prepare yourself, Lilly, for by the end of the spring festival, your sister will have learned just how amazing the Magic Club truly is!¡±


    Lilly grinned, eyeing her boyfriend with the utmost confidence.


    ¡°Good luck, Eric.¡±


    ***


    After a long day of hanging out at the festival, Alexa Harper felt exhausted and was just anxious to finally get home so she could rest. She luckily wasn¡¯t in any clubs since she usually had dance practice after school so she¡¯d had the day to essentially walk around and hang out with her friends. It had been fun and the different games and shows the school had set up were cool. She even got the chance to stop by the auditorium to watch the dance club¡¯s performance followed by the drama club¡¯s play. She¡¯d really enjoyed it and was excited for the next day, but the whole time, the incident with the Magic Club remained firmly in the back of her mind.


    She knew she should just forget about it and put it behind her, but she just couldn¡¯t stop thinking about how stupid she had been to even bother stopping by. She should have known it would only irritate Lilly more and, unsurprisingly, that was exactly what happened. She logically knew she should just stop thinking about them and leave her little sister to her own business but, as the older sibling, she just couldn¡¯t bring herself to shake her worries. Something weird was going on with that club and she couldn¡¯t stop from stressing over it.


    Alexa sighed as she leaned against the window of the rather empty library and stared down at the houses below. The sun was beginning to set, meaning the first day of the festival would be coming to an end soon. She glanced over her shoulder to see a few other groups of students browsing the books or sitting at tables and chatting. There were no attractions in the library. Instead, it was intended to be a little safe haven for any students who needed space to relax and just hang out among themselves.


    The only reason Alexa was there was because her two good friends had wanted to see the dance performance again. She, however, had been getting a bit of a headache from the crowded auditorium and decided she would meet up with them afterwards so they could have dinner before they went home. She¡¯d immediately fled to the library where she could have a bit of personal time to think.


    Alexa reached into her purse and pulled her phone. It was nearing six o¡¯clock, which meant that it was just about time to go find her friends. They¡¯d planned to meet in the courtyard to grab some food so she figured she might as well start heading down. She straightened up and turned from the window, heading past the rows of bookshelves before exiting the library. The third floor was fairly empty since most attractions were on the first and second floors. Only a few students remained straggling on the top floor. She imagined most were either in their clubrooms or watching one of the performances.


    She sighed, turning down the hall that would lead to the stairs when she suddenly came to a stop. Eric Reiner had just emerged from the bathroom and had spotted her almost immediately.


    Oh shoot! Please just ignore me and keep walking!


    ¡°Oh, good afternoon, dear Harper,¡± he greeted cheerfully.


    Damn it! Now what? Should I even bother talking to him?! I¡¯m sure Lilly would prefer I ignore him but¡­


    ¡°This is actually perfect,¡± he continued. ¡°It must be the hand of fate. I was just thinking that I wanted to talk to you. Are you free to walk with me for a bit?¡±


    She swallowed hesitantly, struggling to look him in the eye. ¡°Well, I¡¯m actually planning on meeting some friends down in the courtyard.¡±


    ¡°Perfect!¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll walk you down there, then. Assuming that¡¯s okay with you, of course?¡±


    Despite his stilted way of speaking, she could tell that he was a genuinely nice guy. The same could be said for the few times he¡¯d paid a visit to their apartment. He liked to talk about utter nonsense but she never felt that he intended to harm Lilly. It was actually the opposite. What made her so nervous about him was what could have won Lilly over in the first place? What was the catalyst that made her want to befriend him at the start of the year?


    I guess¡­if Lilly won¡¯t tell me, then maybe I could learn something from talking to Reiner instead?


    ¡°Um, okay, fine,¡± she muttered. ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡±


    She continued walking and he fell into stride alongside her, grinning all the while. In fact, she realized that she couldn¡¯t remember ever seeing him without a grin. It almost seemed as if he was happy no matter what.


    ¡°So, you said you wanted to talk to me?¡± Alexa began. ¡°What¡¯d you want to say? I hope I didn¡¯t do anything to offend you earlier today. I know I didn¡¯t seem particularly comfortable¡­¡±


    The boy brushed her worry aside. ¡°Oh no, don¡¯t bother thinking about that. Actually, what I wanted to ask you about was what you think of me?¡±


    ¡°Y-you?¡± she stuttered. ¡°Uh, what do you mean?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°Well, your sister was telling me that you¡¯ve expressed worries about me and my club and I was really taken aback by this. She said you were suspicious of us and, well, seeing as I¡¯m her boyfriend, I thought it was my job to remedy that.¡±


    She exhaled softly. Yeah, I should¡¯ve figured that Lilly would tell them, especially after everything that happened today. Well, I guess I should just be honest with him then.


    ¡°To tell you the truth, Reiner, I am a bit confused by you guys,¡± she replied. ¡°My sister was never the type of girl to hang out with people in general, let alone, er, eccentric people like you and your club. So, can you really blame me for wondering why she ended up being friends with you?¡±


    Eric laughed and shook his head. ¡°No, not at all. I can¡¯t say I¡¯m not familiar with the antisocial Lilly Harper. Believe me, it baffles me, too, to think that she ever gave us the time of day.¡±


    Alexa narrowed her eyes in confusion. He sounded completely serious and she couldn¡¯t sense any deceit in his words. ¡°So then¡­what happened?¡± she pressed. ¡°Why did you guys become friends? In fact, how¡¯d you even meet in the first place?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry,¡± he apologized. ¡°But that¡¯s a secret between me and her. Though I promise that it isn''t anything scandalous. It¡¯s simply private.¡±


    Alexa scowled, coming to a stop as she eyed Eric. ¡°See, that¡¯s my issue. Neither of you can apparently tell me what started all this.¡±


    ¡°With all due respect,¡± Eric replied, ¡°it¡¯s not like it¡¯s your business. I assure you, your sister is safe, I swear on my life.¡±


    ¡°B-but¡­¡± she stuttered then went quiet.


    His tone wasn¡¯t judgmental. Instead, he was simply stating a fact. It wasn¡¯t her business and she really didn¡¯t have a right to know. Yet, even telling herself that, she couldn¡¯t stop from worrying. She looked up to see Eric about to say something when he hesitated, his stare shifting to something over her shoulder. She glanced back to see two boys she recognized from the football team walking by. She¡¯d been to enough games to recognize both Steven McCormick and Evan Wright. As they passed, Wright glanced briefly at Eric, snorted, then continued on without saying a word.


    ¡°And then there¡¯s that,¡± Alexa said after a moment. ¡°Think about it from my perspective, Reiner. Even ignoring your apparently top secret meeting, there¡¯s still all the rumors about you guys and Wright. First I hear he¡¯s bullying some girl and then I hear that my sister¡¯s club might have gotten him arrested for drugs! Not to mention what happened with that boy back in January¡ªBrooks, was his name? I¡¯m just worried about my little sister! I don¡¯t want her to get hurt or to get wrapped up in anything dangerous!¡±


    She said it all without giving Eric a chance to speak, but he didn¡¯t seem like he intended to. Instead, he just listened as she ranted to him, never once looking like he was judging her.


    ¡°I understand that,¡± he replied. ¡°I honestly do. And truthfully, I would like to explain everything to you. I know you¡¯re short on time right now, but how about we meet in the morning before the festival and talk. Perhaps we can clear the air a bit.¡±


    She frowned, taken aback by his willingness to discuss with her. ¡°You¡­want to meet up and talk?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± he said firmly. ¡°Like I said, I want to resolve any worries you might have. If my girlfriend¡¯s sister doesn¡¯t trust me then it falls on me as her boyfriend to amend that. Do you not agree?¡±


    ¡°Uh, well¡­¡± Once again, she found herself thrown off by his genuineness. ¡°I guess so. Okay, sure. Let¡¯s meet tomorrow morning. In the library, how about?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°The library is perfect. I¡¯ll see you then.¡±


    The boy then bid her goodbye, apparently forgetting his offer to walk her to the courtyard, and made his way back in the direction of the clubroom, leaving her to stare after him in astonishment.


    Well¡­I guess all I wanted was to talk so¡­I guess this is good. I¡¯ll see what Eric has to say and¡­maybe we can finally clear some of this up.


    Feeling her nerves oddly calmed for the first time all day, Alexa Harper turned and continued on her way down the hall.


    ***


    The day passed on and soon enough, the evening had arrived. Album remained perched in the same spot, never once removing her eyes from the school. She still wasn¡¯t sure what she was looking for, but she hoped that with the larger number of people at the festival, she would be able to gain some information on either Lilly Harper or Eric Reiner. However, as the sun began to set and the air turned colder, she began to suspect that she would wind up returning to the run-down house empty-handed.


    Perhaps I should call it a day and search elsewhere in the city tomorrow. Being so close to the pocket realm is making this far more difficult than it needs to be.


    Album clenched her teeth in irritation as her thoughts shifted to that realm. Even after so much time, she still couldn¡¯t find the answer to its riddle. She refused to believe that Eric Reiner created it. That was utterly impossible and spending time considering it was embarrassing for a mage of her stature. Reiner was both far too young and lived in a magicless realm. There was no way he created it.


    So then¡­who did?


    Nigreos hadn¡¯t been able to locate the presence of any mages aside from Reiner in the city so if somebody else did set it up  then they were no longer in Wilham. Album believed this to be the more likely answer, but then it still begged the question of who could have set it up? Unless the realm wasn¡¯t intended to trap them, something she had already considered, then the sorcerer would have had to know they were coming. But how? How would they find out?


    Damn it¡­ It all just gives me a headache!


    Perhaps it wasn¡¯t put there for them in particular, rather it was there just as a precaution on the chance Ijiria located the relic.  After all, a pocket realm was a pathetic excuse for a trap when it came to Ijirian Masters like them. All the realm served to do was delay them by a few months.


    And if that was the intention, then why delay us? What did that achieve for them?


    Album¡¯s gaze slowly shifted to the school¡¯s front gates as two students made their way through them, chatting as they walked. It was a boy and a girl, most likely a couple based on the fact that they were holding hands. They were the first students Album had seen leaving and she figured that meant the festival would be ending soon. She was about to return to watching the school, when something the boy said caught her attention. They were walking down below, past the house she was currently on, and she was just able to make out the word ¡°Lilly¡±.


    Album immediately got to her feet, keeping the distortion magic surrounding her, then propelled herself upwards. She landed gracefully on the road below, relying on the magic to muffle her footsteps. Despite knowing that there could be a number of ¡°Lilly¡¯s¡± in the town, she knew she would be foolish to not make absolutely sure that these students weren¡¯t talking about someone else. Once she was on the road, she moved closer to the students so she could hear their conversation, though keeping far enough back that they wouldn¡¯t hear any sound that escaped her distortion.


    ¡°Yeah, I hear what you¡¯re saying, Vinny,¡± the girl said. ¡°But I think Damien¡¯s right about this one. It¡¯s her business and if she doesn¡¯t want you guys involved then you should respect that.¡±


    The boy, evidently named Vinny, sighed. ¡°I know, I know. I just hate to think that the club¡¯s the cause of their relationship getting hurt. She¡¯s done so much for everybody so it¡¯s not fair that she¡¯s getting distanced from her sister like that.¡±


    ¡°I know and I agree with you there,¡± the girl replied. ¡°But like you said, she¡¯s letting Eric deal with it so just trust him. If anybody can win Alexa over, it¡¯s him.¡±


    Album barely suppressed the laugh that threatened to escape her lips. The girl had said exactly what she had been hoping to hear. In that one sentence, Album¡¯s situation had turned completely around. If these two also knew an Eric then the chances of the Lilly they spoke being Harper increased quite a deal.


    And if they know the two of them, did they use the relic? Are these two targets?


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right about that,¡± Vinny muttered. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll just see what Eric can do. He won me over so I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll find some way to get Alexa to like him.¡±


    Album held her breath, both wanting to keep listening and to verify that they were targets. She slowly stuck her hand through the barrier of the distortion, praying that neither turned around to see it floating in midair.


    ¡°Causentus,¡± she uttered.


    Using the spell, she reached out and tried to sense any disturbances in their bodies. Sure enough, within a second of casting the spell, she could feel faint residue of the relic within them. There was no doubt now¡ªthese two had used the stone and were targets to be erased.


    ¡°Markus,¡± Album quickly breathed.


    A dim ball of white light no larger than an eyeball shot from her palm and faded into the boy¡¯s back. She then quickly yanked her hand back into the distortion boundary just as he suddenly stopped.


    The girl looked at him with concern. ¡°Vinny? You all good?¡±


    He was silent for a moment then nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. I just suddenly felt a little off. Not sure why. Anyway, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Album smirked. And just like that, we¡¯ve finally got a lead.


    She waited in place for a moment until the two students were out of sight. Once she was sure she wouldn¡¯t be seen, she released the distortion, centered her mana around her feet, then launched herself up onto the roofs. Once she was up top, she returned the distortion then took off in the direction of their hideout.

 Chapter 49- Devoured By Darkness

    Chapter XLIX


    With Album still out in the city, Nigreos felt restless, wanting to do something but also knowing that it was best to keep watch on the hideout for the time being. They had no idea when the sorcerer may return and so, it was best not to take any unnecessary risks. Of course, Nigreos would have preferred sticking together for that exact reason, but Album was confident in both of their abilities to defend themselves should they be attacked. So, that morning, Album had gone out into the city to see what she could learn, leaving Nigreos to the dull task of sitting around and waiting.


    Oh well. As boring as this is, it at least gives me time to think about everything.


    Ever since gaining undeniable proof that Eric Reiner was the one in possession of the relic, he¡¯d been struggling with how to best handle the situation. Album was still absolutely set on going through with their orders from the king. She was fully committed to erasing all who came in contact with the stone, Reiner included. Nigreos knew he should be of the same mindset since he knew the potential repercussions of ignoring a direct order from Markreas, but he couldn¡¯t help his hesitation.


    It¡¯s her son. Abi¡¯s only living descendent! How am I supposed to stand by and let Album erase the last remnant of her blood from the multiverse? I made a promise to her that Eric would be kept safe¡ªthat we would never let Ijiria harm him! If we go through with this mission and do as King Markreas orders, I¡¯ll be breaking that!


    ¡°I still find it so amusing, Nigreos. After everything you did to Abi Reiner, you draw the line at breaking a mere promise?¡±


    He cringed at the memory of those words. Album had spoken them after their meeting with the king and what hurt him the most was that she had a point. It was silly of him to care so much about a promise he made to her. He betrayed Abi in every sense of the word yet there he was, desperately wanting to spare her son. It forced him to think about the time he spent with her, all those years ago. He could still vividly recall her smile and the sound of her voice. She was a unique person and someone that Ijiria lost far too early. Of course, he knew why she had to be killed and he knew she brought it on herself.


    He just wished he understood why. Why had she changed so much? What would have caused her to take such drastic actions? Did something during her time in Omaruo cause it? He once again considered speaking to Scott Reiner, her husband, before they left Omaruo. He¡¯d only ever seen the man once and he still couldn¡¯t fathom what was so special about him. Why would Abi throw everything away for a magicless fool like him?


    Nigreos grimaced. What am I supposed to do? Do I do as Album says I should and forget about him? Or should I actually consider doing as Ryokumo suggests? Should I bring Eric Reiner before the king and beg for his life?


    When he heard the sound of the door opening down the hall, he knew that meant his partner had finally returned, so he stood up from the chair and waited. Moments later, Album stalked into the room. He was prepared to ask how her search went when he caught himself. There was a look of utter determination in her eyes as she faced him, and he could see the hint of a smug grin on the corner of her lips.


    ¡°Nigreos,¡± she said. ¡°I found a lead.¡±


    He raised his eyebrow in surprise. ¡°You found Harper or Reiner?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No. But I found two students who know them. I overheard a couple talking about them as they left the school. They were talking about both and Eric and a Lilly and I highly doubt that¡¯s a coincidence. I¡¯m almost certain they¡¯re both West Wilham students, like we expected.¡±


    The Master of Darkness exhaled slowly, dropping back down into his chair as he considered her words. ¡°So we were right,¡± he grunted ¡°Then that means that as long as the relic is in the school, we can¡¯t get to it without use of the nerich¡­at least, we hope we can.¡±


    Album nodded. ¡°Yes. Assuming the nerich would be able to get past the pocket realm, we would need to rely on it to acquire the stone. That¡¯s why¡­I only marked the students. I haven¡¯t erased either.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Nigreos replied softly. ¡°So I take it we use the creature on one of them and interrogate the other?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I intend,¡± she said. ¡°However, I think we should move immediately. As you know, I can only mark one so once they split off, finding the girl is going to be a pain. I can sense where they are currently so I¡¯m here to get you. We leave immediately and act tonight.¡±


    Nigreos exhaled sharply, getting to his feet once again. ¡°Immediately? Are you insane? If two students disappear in one night, Reiner will know for certain that we¡¯re here! Would it not be best to remain under the radar?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps three months ago!¡± she retorted. ¡°But after our blunder with the pocket realm, we do not have that luxury!¡±


    He went to respond but found himself unable to speak the argument that came to his lips. She was right. They wasted too much time and so, they needed to jump at this chance to gain some information. It wasn¡¯t something they could afford to pass up.


    ¡°Besides,¡± Album snapped. ¡°It¡¯s no guarantee that Reiner would immediately assume mages are after him. For all he would know, his friends could have been kidnapped by anybody.¡°


    He nodded. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± she growled. ¡°Then let¡¯s be off.¡±


    Without responding, he followed her through the entrance hall as they made their way out into the forest beyond the cabin. It was already night, the sun having set nearly a half hour ago, and so the surrounding trees were rather dark. Album paused to search out her marker then began walking back in the direction of town. Knowing his partner wasn¡¯t as proficient in distortion as he was, Nigreos concealed their presence the minute they left the barrier.


    He wished Album could have marked them both but he understood why she chose not to. A magical tracker emitted a signal linked to one¡¯s own mana, meaning Album could track it regardless of mana density. However, the signals got weaker the more trackers she had in use. Therefore, only using one would mean she would be able to find the boy faster than if she used two.


    Once they arrived back in town, Album led them to Main Street, which wasn¡¯t as crowded as he had feared it might be. He was grateful since one misstep in the distortion could result in them being seen, something he would much prefer to avoid. They continued on, maneuvering around people where they needed to and, luckily, they arrived at their destination without any issue. However, when they stopped, Nigreos looked up in confusion.


    ¡°A¡­hospital?¡±


    ***


    As they stepped into the hospital room, Vinny found himself suddenly feeling a little nauseous. He¡¯d been wanting to go and visit Jay for months, but every time he considered asking Alice to take him, he found himself unable to do it. He knew he needed to see the boy, especially after Jay helped him get back on his feet, but he was scared of seeing him in his comatose state. They all kept telling themselves that Jay would come back eventually yet with each passing day, Vinny found himself fearing that the boy might never wake up. He may have survived that fall through insane luck, but he certainly wasn¡¯t without damage. One look at the boy on the bed only made it feel more real.


    Even with the blankets over most of his body, Vinny could see that he¡¯d become terribly skinny. His skin was paler than it used to be and his hair had all been shaved off. Machines were hooked up to him to keep him alive and their rhythmic beeping made Vinny uncomfortable. Jay looked like he was barely being kept alive and it only made Vinny¡¯s fear of him dying feel like it was more likely.


    Alice closed the hospital door behind them and stopped to stand beside Vinny, her stare directed at Jay as well. The girl smiled softly, but there was undeniable sadness and longing in her eyes. She didn¡¯t talk about him too often these days, yet Vinny still knew that she was desperate for her old friend to return to her. He wished there was more he could do for her but this was all out of their hands now. The best thing they could do was keep using the stone on occasion to allow Alice and Jay to talk with each other.


    I wish I could talk to him, Vinny thought. There¡¯s so much I want to say to him but, most of all, I want to tell him ¡°thanks¡±. I know I already said it, but it just doesn¡¯t feel right until I¡¯ve said it to his face, not Lilly¡¯s.


    Alice silently pulled up two chairs alongside Jay¡¯s bed, then took a seat. Vinny followed suit, feeling like he should say something but not knowing what was appropriate for the moment.


    ¡°Hey, Jay,¡± Alice whispered. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again. I brought Vinny with me today.¡±


    The blonde boy tried to force a smile. ¡°Hey, dude. It¡¯s been a little while.¡±


    Naturally, there was no response. He knew there was no way for Jay to even know they were there. Though, he wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if he could at least sense Alice¡¯s presence.


    ¡°Today was the first day of the spring festival,¡± Alice went on. ¡°It was really fun but we all missed you. I know you always enjoyed it. The club set up a fortune telling booth.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we did,¡± Vinny added. ¡°And it¡¯s awesome. You¡¯ll have to come by the clubroom when you wake up and Eric and I¡¯ll tell you all about your future.¡±


    Alice laughed softly then nodded her agreement. ¡°You definitely should.¡±


    She went quiet then and Vinny decided he would give her time with her thoughts. Instead, he just looked down at Jay and tried to imagine the good times they had rather than the bad. The problem was, Vinny never really got to see the best side of Jay Brooks until after he¡¯d jumped. Beforehand, Vinny hadn¡¯t liked or trusted him. After all, the boy had stolen the gem from Lilly and was otherwise rather pathetic. He hadn¡¯t respected him in the slightest and had spent a lot of time watching him to make sure he didn¡¯t screw something up.


    But now, he could only regret the way he both perceived and treated Jay. He could vividly remember the boy¡¯s sincerity when he urged him to delete the photos of Rina and he still appreciated those words even now. They were the push he needed to fix everything with Damien and the others. If Jay woke up, he wanted them to be real friends. He wanted to hang out with him and actually get to know each other. Alice talked about him so fondly and so, Vinny wanted to know that side of him. Jay just needed to wake up and come back to school.


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    But now, can he even come back to school? Even if he woke up right this minute, he wouldn¡¯t be able to come back until junior year was over. He¡¯s probably going to have to repeat the year. We¡¯ll all graduate without him¡­ Vinny clenched his fists. Damn it! Why did it have to turn out like this? The festival¡¯s fun, but I wish he could be there with us!


    His heartbeat began to slow as he felt Alice¡¯s soft touch against his hand. She slid her fingers around it and he loosened his grip for her. Vinny closed his eyes and breathed slowly, not wanting to let his emotions take control.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Vinny,¡± she whispered.


    He nodded meekly. ¡°Thanks, Al¡¯. I know that, it¡¯s just¡­I really wish he could come by the clubroom tomorrow. I know our fortune¡¯s are just stupid fun, but I think he¡¯d get a good laugh out of some of the stuff Eric¡¯s come up with.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure he would,¡± she agreed. ¡°I know he cared about you guys and I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be happy to come back to school when he wakes up.¡±


    ¡°B-but¡­¡± Vinny stuttered. ¡°Alice? He¡¯s missed a whole semester at this point. He¡¯s going to have to make it all up so¡­¡±


    Alice smiled. ¡°Yeah, I know. But at least he¡¯ll be at school with us. He¡¯ll just be a class below us, is all. Doesn¡¯t change the fact that he¡¯ll be there. And hey, if he gets up soon, maybe we can spend some of summer together.¡±


    ¡°I guess so,¡± Vinny muttered. ¡°Then we can all go to the pier. That¡¯ll be fun, yeah?¡±


    The girl nodded. ¡°I heard Lilly went there last weekend. I was kinda bummed, actually. Jay and I were hoping to take her there for her first time.¡±


    Vinny chuckled. He understood why Lilly had left him out of her pier trip with Natalie, but that didn¡¯t mean he was happy about it. Especially considering Liz got to go, something she¡¯d been lording over him since.


    ¡°Yeah, she did,¡± he replied. ¡°She, Eric, and Liz were taking that little girl Lilly babysits there for her birthday.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right. That¡¯s so sweet of her. Did the kid enjoy it?¡±


    The boy nodded. ¡°I think so. It sounded like they had fun. Apparently, Eric and Lilly used the stone on her to let her see the sunset down at the beach.¡±


    ¡°Aw, that¡¯s awesome,¡± Alice said. She then smiled to herself and chuckled. ¡°Yup. That sounds just like Lilly. Always sticking her neck out for other people. I so love that girl.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, honestly. With how much she and Eric love helping people, I¡¯m starting to think they were made for each other.¡±


    ¡°Tell me about it,¡± the girl replied, returning her attention back to Jay, most likely recalling Lilly¡¯s usage of the stone on her friend. ¡°I owe Lilly a lot.¡±


    The conversation petered out once again, but Vinny found it to be a comfortable silence. They just sat there, hand in hand, watching Jay sleep. After a while, Alice leaned her head on Vinny¡¯s shoulder and he could tell she was getting tired. He suggested they head down to the diner for some dinner and she nodded her agreement. So, bidding goodbye to Jay, Vinny and Alice got to their feet and departed the hospital room. However, as they were walking down the hall, Vinny suddenly felt like he was being watched. Yet, oddly enough, when he looked over his shoulder, there was no sign of anyone. So, brushing it off as him just being stupidly paranoid, he pushed the thought from his mind and continued on.


    ***


    As the two students began walking away, Nigreos noticed the blonde boy briefly glance over his shoulder in their direction. Due to the distortion magic, he would be unable to see them, yet Nigreos had to give him credit for sensing their eyes. He had sharp instincts, if anything. While they were inside, both Masters listened in to hear if they were talking but, unfortunately, they were quiet for most of the time. All Nigreos was able to accomplish was confirming that both had, in fact, touched the relic at one point. Being so close to them, he could sense the stone¡¯s residue with ease. However, in doing so, he learned one more piece of critical information.


    The Master of Darkness slowly turned his head to stare at the nameplate beside the hospital room¡¯s door. The name ¡°Jay Brooks¡± was written upon the card, indicating the person currently using the room. He narrowed his eyes in intrigue.


    ¡°You sensed it, too, then?¡± Album asked softly. ¡°The third relic user within?¡±


    Nigreos nodded. ¡°Yes, I did. And I still sense it¡­which means this Jay Brooks is one of them.¡±


    His mind was already moving, taking in the sudden new information and trying to figure out how to adjust their plans accordingly. At first, he hadn¡¯t intended to erase anybody that night. When Album arrived in the cabin, they¡¯d been set on simply trying to gather information. However, now, Nigreos had a different idea. In fact, he believed himself to have come up with a way both to make their move and to keep their presence hidden from Eric Reiner.


    ¡°I¡¯m going inside,¡± he whispered.


    Album cocked an eyebrow skeptically. ¡°Right now? But wouldn¡¯t it be best to follow the other two? We can always come back here afterwards.¡±


    He shook his head. He knew she had a point, but he also feared that the later it got, the harder it would be to sneak back into the hospital. Since they were already there, he wanted to scope out the situation. Ignoring Album¡¯s protest, Nigreos stepped forward and reached for the door handle. After checking the hall to make sure nobody was around, he opened the door and moved inside with Album reluctantly at his heels.


    ¡°This is ridiculous,¡± she muttered, though she didn¡¯t try to stop him.


    Nigreos hadn¡¯t been sure what he should expect upon entering the hospital room. They had no idea what state the patient might be in or even why he was in the hospital to begin with. So, he kept his distortion up just to be on the safe side. He was lucky. When he looked at the bed, he found the patient¡ªthis Jay Brooks¡ªunconscious, with machines hooked up to him to keep him alive.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Album said as she closed the door behind them. ¡°Wonder what happened to him.¡±


    Deciding that they were safe for the time being, Nigreos deactivated their distortion and approached Brooks, keeping a careful watch on him just in case he awoke. However, he remained asleep even when the Master was right beside the bed. He then silently reached his hand out and placed it gently against the boy¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Analzia,¡± he breathed.


    Using magic, Nigreos carefully checked the boy¡¯s current state. He was curious to know how a relic user could have gotten themselves in such a condition. Part of him wondered if somebody used the stone against him¡ªa possibility that wasn¡¯t altogether unlikely. Once his scan was complete, Nigreos lowered his arm and frowned.


    ¡°So?¡± Album snapped, clearly impatient to get moving. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡±


    ¡°Brain damage,¡± Nigreos replied. ¡°He¡¯s currently in a coma with a low chance he¡¯ll awaken. In addition, he¡¯s got a lot of physical scars¡­with many broken bones still yet to heal.¡±


    The Master of Light scoffed. ¡°Then he is of no threat to us. I¡¯ll erase him so we can leave.¡± She stalked forward, prepared to finish the boy off, but Nigreos quickly stuck a hand out to stop her. ¡°What?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°No. Not him. Not yet.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Album demanded. ¡°He¡¯s not going to be useful to us. If he¡¯s in such a pitiful state then he won¡¯t be able to give us any information. Even if you healed the boy, we don¡¯t know how long he¡¯s been unconscious. He may not know a thing about Reiner and Harper. So unless¡­¡± She caught herself suddenly, then turned a disbelieving stare upon her partner. ¡°Him? You want to use it on him?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± he replied sternly. ¡°As you said, he¡¯s useless as he is now. He¡¯s¡­expendable. Meaning that he¡¯s the perfect candidate to use the nerich on.¡±


    Album lowered her eyes and furrowed her brow in thought. ¡°I suppose¡­you have a point. If the nerich is unable to enter the school then it¡¯s a minor loss. And if it is¡­¡±


    ¡°Then this Jay Brooks could be beneficial to us after all,¡± Nigreos finished. ¡°And his physical wounds are meaningless. It¡¯ll heal him all up, good as new.¡± The man smirked. ¡°Better than new, even.¡±


    ¡°Then let me ask this,¡± Album began, ¡°what¡¯s your plan when the boy goes missing? Do you not think Reiner will get suspicious if he disappears from the hospital without a trace? If Abi¡¯s boy is as powerful as we fear he is, we do not need to be putting him on alert.¡±


    Nigreos shrugged. ¡°Perhaps¡­but it¡¯s possible that it might not actually matter. With two people captive, he may hesitate to make a move. But we have three targets in the palm of our hand. I say we go for it. Hell¡­it might even lure Reiner out.¡±


    Album sighed in irritation then rolled her eyes. ¡°Fine. Do as you please, Nigreos. Though I am curious to know what you plan to do when the boy¡¯s screams inevitably attract attention.¡±


    ¡°What I plan to do?¡± Nigreos replied. ¡°Well, I¡¯m actually hoping we draw a bit of attention. Just be ready to deal with whoever arrives.¡±


    She looked back at him like he¡¯d gone insane but he ignored her, already reaching into his inner suit pocket to produce the little canister containing the nerich. He waited for Album¡¯s reply, but she stayed silent, evidently having decided to trust him for the time being. He grinned to himself then uttered under his breath,


    ¡°Devorar.¡±


    In the next moment, shadow erupted from his free hand, consuming the room and blocking out all light. Of course, he could see clearly, but he knew Album would be struggling to make out even his form a mere few feet away. There was no change in Brooks, indicating that he really had no idea what was about to happen. Nigreos then looked down at the canister. The nerich within was scrambling to escape the liquet as it hit its spindly legs against the walls. It could sense the dark magic around it and was desperate to feel the mana.


    The Master of Darkness reached his free hand toward the canister¡¯s lid and carefully popped it open. Then, before the creature could scurry out, he lowered the canister and placed it atop Brooks¡¯ chin. The nerich crawled out and once it was standing on the boy¡¯s cheeks, Nigreos used his mana to reach out to it. It froze in place as he made contact with it. Then, he gave the order.


    ¡°Devour this boy¡¯s mind,¡± he whispered. ¡°Take it from him and make it your own.¡±


    Those words were all it took from a dark sorcerer like himself to control the creature. It immediately crawled across Brooks¡¯ face and towards his nose. Nigreos brought more mana to his fingertips as he pocketed the canister. There was no doubt that he would need magic in the next few moments. He could sense Album tensing up behind him.


    The nerich stopped momentarily in front of the boy¡¯s nostril, as if considering its task. Then, it reached its legs inside his nose then began to pull its body inside. It was only slightly bigger than his nostril so it had to pull a few times to get itself inside. From there, it would crawl through his head until it reached his brain. When it did, it would take control of his body and dominate the boy¡¯s will. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t actually kill Jay Brooks, but it would lock his mind away behind the magic, and he would only be able to regain control once the creature was done with him.


    And when that time comes, he¡¯ll already be erased.


    Nigreos watched the little lump move up his nose until it disappeared from sight. For a few brief moments, the room was silent as death. Then, without warning, the machines connected to Brooks began to quicken their beeping along with the boy¡¯s heart rate. At that exact moment, his eyes snapped open and he began to scream. The scream, however, didn¡¯t sound human. Instead, it was something out of nightmares. Brooks began to thrash, slamming his head up and down and flinging his limbs outward in a desperate attempt to escape the pain that was assuredly coursing through his head. Nigreos watched as his eyes began to bleed, the red droplets dripping down his cheeks. Blood splattered from his mouth as he shrieked. Then, his eyes began to turn black, the color expanding from his pupils.


    Someone¡¯s coming, Nigreos thought, sensing the footsteps from beyond the door.


    He turned around just as light illuminated the doorway from the hall, revealing two panicked nurses who had come to see what was wrong. They both stopped and stared into the room, unable to see anything happening within due to the dark spell. All they would hear was Brooks¡¯ screaming.


    ¡°Luminetta.¡±


    ¡°Coreas.¡±


    Album and Nigreos spoke at the same time. A spark of light shot from Album¡¯s hand, slicing through a nurse¡¯s neck and dropping her on the spot, splattering blood into the hall behind her. Beside the woman, the other nurse was suddenly impaled by a shadow, which skewered her directly through the heart. She grunted once then collapsed to the ground. Both were dead before they even knew what had happened.


    ¡°I hope you know what you¡¯re doing, Nigreos,¡± Album spat.


    He grinned. ¡°Of course I do.¡±


    He then turned around as Brooks¡¯ screaming finally silenced. The boy was lying on the bed, staring up at Nigreos with wide, black eyes. The Master of Darkness stared back, a wide grin on his face as he regarded his creation.


    ¡°Jay Brooks¡± he said softly. ¡°You are mine.¡±

 Chapter 50- When Everything Changes

    Chapter L


    When she and Vinny left the hospital, Alice was surprised to find that it was raining. She hadn¡¯t seen anything in the forecast suggesting that it would rain that night so she hadn¡¯t brought her raincoat or an umbrella. However, she found the light sprinkle to be strangely relaxing and since it wasn¡¯t coming down that hard, she didn¡¯t think it would be too big of a deal, especially since Ralph¡¯s was right down the road. She smiled for a moment, then tightened her grip on Vinny¡¯s hand and continued walking. They made it to Main Street quickly and Alice was grateful that there weren¡¯t too many people out and about. Usually, it was more crowded at that time of night, so she guessed that most probably fled into the surrounding stores and restaurants to take cover from the rain. Luckily, there were overhangs covering most of the sidewalks so she and Vinny were able to stay relatively dry.


    Once they reached the crosswalk, Vinny pressed the button with his elbow and, seconds later, the light on the other side turned green. They crossed the street and arrived in the parking lot of Ralph¡¯s Diner. There were very few cars parked there so she figured it was a slow night, probably due to the festival providing plenty of dinner options for its customers. Of course, Alice didn¡¯t mind. If she and Vinny had the place all to themselves then she was okay with that. When they reached the front door, the boy reached out and opened it for her, motioning for her to go in first. She thanked him and went inside, happy to be in a dry and heated room. The two made their way up to the front  just as a familiar hostess hurried over to greet them.


    ¡°Hey, Al¡¯,¡± Monica said. ¡°And Mickelson, of course. Table for two, I imagine?¡±


    The blonde girl smiled as she reached under the stand to grab them some menus. While Alice didn¡¯t need one, Vinny hadn¡¯t been there enough times to have a usual.


    ¡°Yeah, just for two,¡± Alice replied, then glanced around at the numerous empty tables in the restaurant. ¡°Not a busy night, I guess?¡±


    Monica nodded as she led them to the table Jay usually sat at against the far left wall. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been a slow night. Though, we all kinda figured it would be cause of the festival. Rachel and I are the only ones working tonight, actually. We¡¯ve had one customer and it was Mr. Frank.¡±


    Alice chuckled, knowing old man Frank rarely missed his weekly dinners at the diner. Even if he had gone to the festival, he would have almost assuredly made time to come to Ralph¡¯s. The thought made Alice laugh.


    ¡°Makes sense,¡± she replied, taking a seat at the booth as Vinny slid into the bench opposite her.


    Monica set the menus down in front of them and Vinny immediately grabbed his, clearly eager to get something to eat. She imagined he was probably pretty hungry since all he had eaten that day was the giant brownie he had for lunch.


    ¡°By the way,¡± Monica began, ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to call you and ask, but how¡¯s Brooks doing? Any news?¡±


    The mention of Jay¡¯s name made Alice tense up. She had a feeling Monica would ask about him, but she had been praying that she wouldn¡¯t. After all, there wasn¡¯t any good news Alice could give her. Nothing had changed.


    ¡°No, unfortunately not,¡± she replied. ¡°He¡¯s still sleeping. We actually just came from the hospital.¡±


    Monica nodded somberly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Al¡¯. I hope he gets better soon. I¡¯m really starting to miss him. He used to stop by all the time and even now, I find myself getting ready for his after school visits only to remember he¡¯s not coming.¡±


    ¡°Well, be ready cause he¡¯ll get up eventually,¡± Vinny chimed in, setting his menu down. ¡°He¡¯s a tough bastard. He¡¯ll wake up.¡±


    Monica regarded Vinny for a moment then grinned. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. And I¡¯ll be ready for whenever he does with a Meirion Omelet hot and ready for him to enjoy.¡±


    Alice smiled. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯d like that, I think.¡±


    For a second, the three of them went quiet, and she couldn¡¯t help but imagine Jay sitting at their very table, enjoying that same dish he always ordered. It always made work a little more enjoyable for Alice when she could glance across the diner and see her best friend just relaxing at his table.


    ¡°Well, can I get you guys something to drink?¡± Monica offered.


    ¡°Actually, if Alice is ready, too, I think I¡¯m good to order,¡± Vinny replied.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m ready.¡±


    The hostess nodded. ¡°Perfect. Then what can I get for you guys?¡±


    She and Vinny put their orders in, then Monica turned and made her way back to the kitchen. Alice watched her go for a moment before glancing back to look at Vinny. He seemed deep in thought and she knew he was still hung up over Jay. He might have acted confident in front of Monica, but she knew from their conversation at the hospital that her boyfriend was very worried about him. She appreciated how much he cared. For all of his flaws, she knew Vinny Mickelson was a good guy.


    Not wanting to stay stuck on negative topics, Alice brought up the festival and the two of them began chatting about how much fun they had. Alice had spent much of the day helping the drama club set up for their performance. She and a few other track members had offered since Matt Briggs¡¯ little sister was in the club. She only had a bit of free time to meet Vinny, Damien, and Liz for lunch. However, she had the next two days free so she wanted to spend it with the Magic Club. She also promised Vinny that she¡¯d get a fortune from them and she was excited to see what ridiculous ideas they came up with.


    According to Vinny, they didn¡¯t get too many customers, something they had all predicted would be the case. Though Brad Fischer had stopped by, as well as Lilly¡¯s older sister, a girl Alice had never met. Vinny had told her about what happened and seemed fairly determined to try and help Lilly, though she and Damien had convinced him to leave it to Eric.


    Although, I do wish we could do something to help, Alice thought. I still owe Lilly after everything she did for Jay and I. I wonder if there¡¯s something I could do.


    After fifteen minutes, Monica came back with their food. Both of them had ordered Meirion Omelets since their earlier conversation had put the meal on their minds.


    ¡°Alright, enjoy, guys,¡± Monica said. ¡°And don¡¯t hesitate to wave me over if you need anything.¡±


    With that, the hostess turned and headed off. Both of them immediately began digging into their food. It was only then that Alice realized how hungry she had been, too. She¡¯d been better about getting food at the festival but, seeing as it was already eight o¡¯clock, she realized it was far past her normal dinner time. They stayed at the hospital longer than she planned to.


    ¡°God, I forgot how good this omelet is,¡± Vinny said between bites.


    Alice laughed. ¡°Yeah, and I¡¯ll never forget the first time you had it. I¡¯ll admit, you made an odd first impression.¡±


    He cringed. ¡°Please¡­don¡¯t remind me.¡±


    The first time she and Vinny had ever truly interacted, Alice had been in Jay¡¯s body on the day her best friend had stolen the stone from Lilly. Vinny had been under the impression that she was Jay, so he took Jay¡¯s omelet and began eating it in front of her as he pretty much insulted her. When he realized she wasn¡¯t actually Jay, the look on his face had been priceless.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°That was back in August, huh?¡± Alice murmured. ¡°Time really does fly, doesn¡¯t it? Soon enough, it¡¯ll be summer again.¡±


    ¡°I know, it¡¯s weird,¡± he replied. ¡°As chaotic as this year has been, it feels like it all flew by too fast. I mean, we¡¯ve got a little under two months until junior year is over.¡±


    She took another bite of her food and sighed. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been chaotic, that¡¯s for sure.¡±


    It was then that she heard the sound of the diner¡¯s front door opening and she glanced curiously over to see who was coming. However, the moment she looked, she couldn¡¯t help but frown. The person who had entered was wearing a pure white cloak with the hood pulled up over their face. Based on their small stature, it may have been a woman but Alice couldn¡¯t be sure. Regardless, it was a strange sight and one she couldn¡¯t help but stare at for a moment. When she stayed silent, Vinny glanced up to see what she was looking at and frowned as well.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± he muttered.


    Monica didn¡¯t immediately come out to greet the person so Alice assumed she must¡¯ve been in the bathroom. She expected the hooded figure to stop and wait but, much to her surprise, they never broke their stride and instead turned to walk toward them. Alice and Vinny both sat up and she could see her boyfriend tensing up a bit.


    What does this weirdo want with us? Alice wondered.


    As the figure got closer, Alice could better see the curve of her body and was able to confirm that it was a woman. However, she kept her head lowered so she couldn¡¯t make out any of her facial features. The individual stopped only a few yards away from their table.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Vinny stuttered. ¡°Can we help you?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the woman replied. ¡°I was wondering if either of you knew an Eric Reiner?¡±


    Alice and Vinny both looked at her in surprise.


    Eric? This woman knows Eric? How? And why would she think either of us knew him?


    ¡°And what if we do?¡± Vinny replied, slightly more harsh than Alice would have liked. ¡°How do you know him?¡±


    The woman clicked her tongue. ¡°I¡¯m¡­an old friend of his mother¡¯s and since I was in town, I thought I¡¯d pay him a visit. Unfortunately, the Reiners moved since the last time I was here. You wouldn¡¯t happen to have their address, would you?¡±


    Alice suddenly felt a shiver go down her back. For some reason, her instincts were shouting at her not to let this woman have what she wanted. There was something off about her. Alice wasn¡¯t sure what but she knew it was there.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we don¡¯t know,¡± she said firmly. ¡°Reiner¡¯s just a classmate. We¡¯ve only ever spoken to him once or twice.¡±


    The woman didn¡¯t immediately reply. Instead, she stood there silently and Alice could feel her eyes on them despite being covered by her hood. ¡°Is that so?¡± she murmured. ¡°Interesting. So you can¡¯t help me then?¡±


    Vinny shook his head. ¡°We can¡¯t. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡± The woman paused. ¡°You¡¯re telling me that neither of you have ever swapped bodies with another?¡±


    Alice exhaled sharply and she immediately cursed herself for being so obvious. She just couldn¡¯t help herself.


    This woman knows about the stone?! How?! How is that possible?! Who is she?!


    ¡°Oh?¡± A dark smile twisted the corner of her lips. ¡°So you do know what I¡¯m talking about? Curious. I thought you didn¡¯t know Reiner? But you know of his stone?¡±


    Vinny immediately jumped to his feet then approached the woman with his fists clenched at his side. Despite being a few inches taller than her, she seemed more intimidating. Alice¡¯s instincts were screaming at her to get Vinny to back away.


    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± he demanded. ¡°How do you know about the stone?¡±


    The woman laughed softly. ¡°How do I know? Simple. It¡¯s mine.¡±


    Hers?! So she¡¯s the owner of the stone?!


    Vinny obviously tensed up and he took a step back, his features contorting in shock. ¡°Y-you¡¯re saying¡­it was yours?¡± he uttered. ¡°But¡­who are you?! How do you know about magic?¡±


    ¡°Who am I?¡± the woman parroted once more. ¡°My name is Album Luz and I¡¯m a Master of Ijiria. To dumb that down for you, I¡¯m one of the most powerful magic users in existence. So¡­I would warn you not to be so antagonistic.¡±


    Alice¡¯s mind was spinning as she desperately tried to figure out what to do. Even though she didn¡¯t know what a ¡°Master of Ijiria¡± was, she didn¡¯t think the woman¡ªthis Album Luz¡ªwas lying. Alice could feel the power emanating from her. She quickly jumped to her feet to stand beside Vinny.


    ¡°Please!¡± she said. ¡°We don¡¯t want any trouble. If you want the stone, we can¡ª¡±


    Alice stopped mid-sentence as she saw Monica approaching them from over the woman¡¯s shoulder. She looked concerned and could almost certainly tell that something was wrong.


    ¡°Is everything okay over here?¡± Monica asked. ¡°Can I help you, Miss?¡±


    Album turned her head to look over her shoulder and shook her head. ¡°No thank you. I¡¯m perfectly fine as is. And for that matter¡­¡± She raised her voice then, as if addressing somebody not in the room. ¡°Nigreos, I think I¡¯m good. Go ahead.¡±


    Before Alice could even wonder what she meant, something so terrible happened that she could hardly process it. A shadow in the shape of a spike shot from the ceiling directly at Monica. It was so quick that Alice wasn¡¯t even sure she¡¯d seen it correctly. But then, a mere second later, the blade of shadow pierced the girl¡¯s neck and emerged on the other side, her blood spurting out with it and splattering across the floor. Monica¡¯s eyes were wide and blood was leaking from her open mouth. Alice could only stare, trying desperately to process what she had just witnessed. Monica¡¯s eyes slowly shifted and looked directly at her, and Alice knew at that moment that she would never forget that sight for as long as she lived.


    ¡°Moni¡­¡± she uttered.


    She didn¡¯t get the rest of the word out before the shadow faded into nothingness and Monica¡¯s eyes glazed over as her body crumpled to the floor, unmoving. Then, before either she or Vinny could do anything, the lights in the diner all shut off at the same time. The only light came from the streetlamps outside in the parking lot. Alice knew she had to do something but she couldn¡¯t tear her eyes away from the corpse of her coworker and friend. She could hear shouting from inside the kitchen but it only lasted a few seconds before everything went quiet again.


    What should I do?! Is she¡­dead?! Is Monica¡­? I need to run! I need to run!


    ¡°What the hell?¡± Vinny uttered. ¡°What is thi¡ª!¡±


    She turned her head frantically as Vinny grunted and when she did, Alice could only continue to gape in utter terror, unable to move or make a sound as her brain refused to react. Her mind was running too fast for her body to process. Album had shoved her hand straight through Vinny¡¯s chest, her fingers protruding from the other side.


    ¡°Vinny?¡± Alice breathed.


    She could just barely make out a twisted smile on Album¡¯s lips as she spoke a single word.


    ¡°Erasurei.¡±


    Album then wrenched her hand from Vinny¡¯s body and her boyfriend stumbled backwards, staring down at his chest, stunned. Then, a tremor seemed to shoot through him, and he simply fell apart. It was as if his joints all turned to sand. His arms, legs, fingers, and even his head separated from his torso with grains of dust seeping out rather than blood. The pieces of his body fell to the ground and Vinny never made a single sound. It was so horrifying that all Alice could do was scream. She lost feeling in her legs and collapsed to the ground. All she could do was shriek as tears poured down her cheeks. She knew she had to run. She was going to die. This woman was going to kill her. But she couldn¡¯t look away from Vinny. The pieces of his body just crumbled into dust until there was nothing left of him.


    Wait¡­what am I doing? I need to run? Monica¡¯s dead! I need to get out of here! She¡¯s going to kill me!


    Coming to her senses, Alice jumped to her feet and sprinted toward the front door of the diner, desperate to get out to Main Street and call for help. There had to be somebody out there that could do something. Monica was murdered right before her very eyes. Her friend had been killed! She was dead! Alice burst through the front door and out into the rain, but the moment she stepped into the parking lot, she lost her balance and fell to the ground.


    Damn it! Not now! This isn¡¯t the time to fucking fall!


    She went to scramble to her feet but, to her shock, she only stumbled again, but this time she hit her head against the concrete. She was seeing stars but her instincts kept urging her to run. She tried to get up a third time but couldn¡¯t feel her right leg. She desperately looked back to check for the woman in white only to realize why she couldn¡¯t stand. There, by the door, was her leg, severed from the knee down. She went to scream¡­but not a sound made it out.


    Her body was suddenly wrenched into the air and it felt like something was invading her body. All around her, she could see shadows swirling and forcing their way through every orifice she had. It felt like something thick was filling her lungs, her veins, her intestines. Her entire body felt full and she couldn¡¯t breathe no matter how hard she tried. It was horrifying. She felt claustrophobic and she desperately flailed her limbs to try and escape. The pain from her severed leg was catching up with her now and she could feel herself losing consciousness.


    No! Please! I don¡¯t want to die! Not like this!


    Just as her vision began to fade, Alice could just barely see a man in a black suit approach her, before everything faded into unconsciousness.

 Chapter 51- The Morning After

    Chapter LI


    The second day of the spring festival had arrived and Lilly couldn¡¯t be more excited as she made her way to school. Even considering the incident with Alexa the previous day, she still enjoyed the event overall and so, she was prepared to make the best of day two. Luckily, when she got home the previous night, Alexa had kept to herself so they hadn¡¯t been forced to talk about what happened in the clubroom, something Lilly was grateful for. She had no interest in discussing it and so as long as Alexa was content keeping quiet, Lilly wouldn¡¯t complain. In addition, Eric had already told her that he intended to speak to her sister that morning so hopefully he would be able to clear some of the issues up.


    Lilly smiled, thankful that Eric was so determined to get to know Alexa. In fact, it almost made her feel like she wasn¡¯t putting in enough effort. After all, Eric had met her family numerous times and Lilly didn¡¯t even know his father¡¯s name. He¡¯d never talked about his family but she supposed it was time that, as his girlfriend, she made an effort to get to know his dad.


    Yeah, maybe I¡¯ll run that by him today at some point. I¡¯ve been wanting to visit his house. Maybe we can work something out for this weekend once the festival is over.


    She nodded to herself at the idea as she made her way through the school¡¯s front gates and into the courtyard. Much like the previous morning, it was rather busy with students setting everything up for the day to come. The rain had ended sometime during the night, but the courtyard was still pretty wet. She could see a few groups setting up umbrellas in case it returned. However, after a moment, Lilly realized that a lot of them were grouped up and talking in hushed voices. It was an odd sight and she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if something had happened. Frowning, Lilly crossed the courtyard and made her way into the school building. There, she found a similar sight. There were groups of students standing around in the halls, talking softly to each other, some even looking terrified.


    What the hell? What happened that has everybody so shaken up?


    Lilly paused and considered going up to one of the groups to see what was wrong before deciding it would just be easier to ask Eric when she got to the clubroom. With her heartbeat increasing from anxiety, Lilly quickened her pace and hurried up to the third floor, hardly stopping to even look around like she did the previous morning. Instead, she made a b-line for the clubroom.


    ¡°Hey, guys?¡± she began as she rushed into the room.


    Yet, she quickly went quiet, looking around in surprise. Damien and Liz were sitting at the back table, looking like they¡¯d just seen a ghost. There was no sign of Eric, which she found odd given how early he tended to get to school. The couple looked up at her, both seeming to be trembling. Seeing Damien and Liz so shaken was enough to tell her that something really bad had happened.


    ¡°Damien? Liz?¡± she asked. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Liz swallowed nervously. ¡°Did¡­did you check the news? Have you heard anything?¡±


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t,¡± Lilly replied. ¡°I don¡¯t usually check the news. I just got here and saw that everything seemed kind of off. Why? What happened?¡±


    ¡°There¡­¡± Damien closed his eyes for a moment, as if considering how to phrase his response, before sighing and looking back at her. ¡°Last night, some people got murdered down at Ralph¡¯s Diner.¡±


    Lilly exhaled sharply, her body going cold as she processed Damien¡¯s words. ¡°Murdered?! You mean¡­somebody just¡­?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°I guess they were found earlier today when one of the morning workers came by to start his shift. He found the servers and chef brutally murdered and¡­called the cops¡­and¡­¡±


    Damien trailed off and he looked like he just couldn¡¯t believe what he was saying. Liz was crying so Damien silently placed his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. Lilly understood why. It was obvious, after all.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°Damien¡­¡± Lilly uttered, desperate not to allow herself to break down. ¡°Alice went to Ralph¡¯s last night, didn¡¯t she? Did they¡­did they find her or¡­? I mean, was she there?¡±


    Much to Lilly¡¯s relief, he shook his head. ¡°No. They didn¡¯t. From what I was reading, they only found staff. The problem is¡­¡± Damien paused once more. ¡°Liz and I both tried calling Alice a few minutes ago but we couldn¡¯t get a hold of her. Have you heard from her?¡±


    They¡­can¡¯t get a hold of her? Why? She can¡¯t possibly still be asleep, right?


    ¡°I haven¡¯t,¡± Lilly whispered. ¡°You don¡¯t think¡­?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he replied. ¡°We only just heard about this a few minutes ago. I haven¡¯t even called Eric yet so I don¡¯t have a damned clue where he is. Not to mention¡­something else happened last night. The diner wasn¡¯t the only place that was attacked.¡±


    ¡°W-what?!¡± Lilly exclaimed. ¡°What else?!¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t really know,¡± Liz answered through tears. ¡°Apparently something happened at the hospital but there isn¡¯t much news on it yet. Some sort of break in, I heard. Nobody seems to know if it was linked to what happened at the diner.¡±


    ¡°The hospital?¡±


    Jay¡­


    Clenching her teeth, Lilly tossed her backpack onto one of the desks and pulled her phone out. She quickly found Alice¡¯s contact information and called her. Her heart was pounding and she was desperate for her friend to pick up. She needed to hear her voice. She needed to know that Alice was okay. Yet, no matter how hard she prayed, she didn¡¯t get what she wanted. The call went to voicemail.


    ¡°Hey, Alice,¡± Lilly quickly said. ¡°Uh, I¡¯m  just calling to make sure you¡¯re okay. Please give me a call as soon as you can. Thanks! Bye!¡±


    She slowly lowered the phone and placed it against the desk, feeling her body shaking as she took in all the information she had just been told. She can¡¯t actually be dead, right? There¡¯s no way. She can¡¯t be! It just isn¡¯t possible! Not after everything we¡¯ve been through! I can¡¯t lose Alice!


    Suddenly, the door to the clubroom burst open and Eric rushed in. The boy was breathing heavily as he scanned the room, his eyes wide. He then exhaled slowly and leaned against the doorframe to catch his breath. Evidently, he had sprinted up there.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m late,¡± he muttered. ¡°I was going to head to the library first, but¡­I heard about what happened at the diner and had to get here as fast as I could. I¡­assume you all know?¡±


    Lilly nodded, as did the other two. ¡°Yeah,¡± she said. ¡°Damien and Liz just told me everything. Have you heard from Alice?¡±


    Eric grit his teeth and shook his head. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. Nor have I heard from Vinny. I¡¯ve already called Alice, but for some reason, Vinny¡¯s contact isn¡¯t in my phone anymore. Have any of you heard from him?¡±


    Lilly was so shaken up by the sudden news that it took her a moment to realize what Eric said. Once it processed in her mind, though, she couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    ¡°W-what?¡± Damien asked, beating her to it. ¡°What are you talking about, Eric?¡±


    Her boyfriend looked up at them and raised his eyebrows in confusion. ¡°Huh?¡± he muttered. ¡°What do you mean? What¡¯d I say that was confusing?¡±


    Lilly glanced back at Damien and Liz but both looked equally confused. It at least appeared like this wasn¡¯t something only she was thrown off by.


    But then¡­what the hell is he talking about?


    ¡°Eric?¡± Lilly began. ¡°Vinny? Vinny who?¡±


    He glanced over at her and stared at her strangely for a moment. ¡°Lilly? What¡¯s wrong? What do you mean, Vinny who? Vinny Mickelson. Who else?¡±


    ¡°Vinny¡­Mickelson?¡± she parroted. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­um, am I supposed to know who that is or¡­?¡±


    Eric stared at her like she¡¯d gone insane, which only confused her even more. He then turned to Damien and Liz. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you guys?¡± he asked, his voice sounding more desperate. ¡°Why are you looking at me like I¡¯ve gone mad? Vinny Mickelson! Our club member! He went with Alice to the diner last night! They were on a date!¡±


    What on earth is he talking about?! He doesn¡¯t sound like he¡¯s joking. He seems genuinely thrown off so¡­what¡¯s wrong here? What am I missing?


    ¡°Eric?¡± Damien said. ¡°Are you¡­okay, man? Cause¡­we don¡¯t have another club member. It¡¯s just us four. And Alice certainly didn¡¯t go on any dates. She¡¯s single, dude.¡±


    ¡°Single?!¡± Eric exclaimed, his eyes wide in desperation. ¡°No other club member? Guys, this isn¡¯t funny! This isn¡¯t the time to be pulling my leg! Have you heard from Vinny or not?! Is he gonna come jumping out from around the corner or something because I¡¯m not laughing!¡±


    He was shouting by the end and Lilly had to take a step back. She¡¯d never seen Eric like this. He was always so calm and composed but right now, he looked like he was going to throw up.


    What the hell¡­is going on?

 Book 1 Epilogues

    Epilogue I (Ijiria)


    Despite all that went down during her rebellion against Ijiria, the Citadel still couldn¡¯t forget about all of the good things Abigail Reiner brought to the country. The people loved her and even many of those who didn¡¯t support the rebellion still mourned the death of the country¡¯s greatest healer. Therefore, to keep the peace, a monument was erected in Erika''s graveyard in honor of Abi Reiner. It stood tall, built of fine silver and gold, and during the daytime, it would sparkle beautifully. However, on that moonless night, there wasn¡¯t a sparkle to be seen. Instead, it almost loomed over him, forcing him to recall all he had failed to do.


    The hooded individual stared up at the statue of a tall woman with her hair flowing out behind her. Vines with flowers wrapped around her body and she held in her hands a small emerald ball that was meant to represent her healing magic. The monument was designed to remind the country of her good days rather than the days of that failed rebellion. He slowly approached the statue¡¯s base and placed his hand on the obsidian plaque on its side.


    Abigail Reiner.


    The greatest healer Ijiria has ever known and Master of Nature.


    Mother of the motherless.


    May she be remembered for the good that she did rather than the corruption she spread.


    He knelt down beside the statue and tried to keep his emotions at bay as he recalled the time he spent with her. He remembered her dazzlingly blue eyes and her radiant smile. Her long brown hair was always decorated with flowers and the comforting tone of her voice could make anybody calm. In recent days, he longed to hear it once again.


    Hey, Abi. I know it¡¯s been a while so I thought I¡¯d pay you another visit. I wanted to apologize for everything I¡¯m helping Nakoma do to your Children. They don¡¯t deserve it, but there¡¯s nothing I can do after what they did. I have no choice.


    Nigreos and Album have gone after your son but I¡¯ve done everything I can to make their job harder. With any luck, Eric should be able to escape. If all went well, he should have possession of your realm dagger. I hope he knows how to use it. If he does, I¡¯ll be there to receive him and protect him. I only wish I were able to locate him so I could speak to him personally but I didn¡¯t have the time to search for him.


    I did, however, erect my pocket realm around his high school. It won¡¯t be strong enough to keep Album and Nigreos in there for long but I think it will be able to stall them at least for a little while. It¡¯ll also make finding the relic harder.


    I know this doesn¡¯t atone for my failures, but it¡¯s the least I can do for the time being. I swear to you that I will protect your son with everything I have. I swear it on my life.


    With that, he rose back to his feet. He knew it was risky even being there as the monument was often watched by Erikan soldiers. If he was seen kneeling to Abi, it could be taken in such a way that his position would be at risk. So, he turned and hurried back toward the graveyard¡¯s gates, keeping his hood pulled low so as to hide his identity. When he arrived at the gates, he found his apprentice, Hannah Lynn, standing there, hooded and waiting.


    ¡°That was fast,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he replied. ¡°Can¡¯t dally around here long, after all. If anybody sees us, I¡¯m sure the other Masters wouldn¡¯t hesitate to grill me, and I¡¯m not in the mood to deal with their nonsense. Best to remain inconspicuous.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Yes. I agree, Master.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s be off, Hannah.¡±


    The young woman bowed, then turned and took the lead while he remained behind for just a moment. He couldn¡¯t help but take one last glance over his shoulder at the monument to his old friend.


    Until next time, Abi.


    Then, with that, Ryokumo Caeli turned and followed after his young apprentice.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Epilogue II (¡°Wilham¡±)


    That morning, he arrived at school with more annoyance and disgust than he normally did. He never enjoyed his time at school and most days, he just decided not to even bother showing up in the first place. In fact, recently, it was getting him into plenty of arguments with his parents. They kept trying to get him to pull his act together and he didn¡¯t particularly care for it. There was no point in him going anyway. What was there to go for? The classes were boring, the other students were either braindead morons or giggly little dipshits, and it wasn¡¯t like he was good at any of the subjects. All he did was waste time by being there when he could be doing literally anything else. The only reason he even bothered on that particular morning was because it was the second day of the school festival and he wouldn¡¯t have to go to class. As long as he checked in with a teacher and confirmed that he was there, they wouldn¡¯t mark him absent and he could just ditch afterwards.


    He scowled, irritably looking around at the various stalls set up around West Wilham High¡¯s courtyard. The excited laughter all around him only grated on his ears and he picked up the pace so he could get into the school as fast as possible.


    God, this is all so fucking stupid. What¡¯s the point of this dumbass festival in the first place? It just means the place is more crowded and louder than usual and I fail to see how that could be considered fun.


    The boy shook his head and walked into the school, once again scoffing at the overly bright streamers and balloons all around the hallway. That was another aspect of the festival that he didn¡¯t understand. He saw little reason to waste hours putting up ugly ass decorations that would just be taken down that weekend. It served no purpose other than making him want to rip his eyes out at how bright everything was.


    Turning away from the decorations, he made his way to the staircase that would take him to the second floor. Mrs. Kentz had told the class the day before that if they weren¡¯t a part of any club then they would just check in with her. So, he had to drop by the old woman¡¯s classroom if he wanted to be marked as attending. Then, he could just go home. He¡¯d stayed for the festival the day before and had no interest in doing so again. He couldn¡¯t remember most of what he did, though he did recall stopping by the culinary club¡¯s caf¨¦ to have one of their brownies, which he did have to admit was pretty good. Otherwise, he didn¡¯t recall doing anything else except wandering around.


    And since there¡¯s nothing else to do today, there¡¯s no point in sticking around.


    Though, as the thought crossed his mind, he realized that he did remember somebody mentioning that the drama club was putting on a show in the gym and that it was pretty good. He thought about checking it out before leaving then thought better about it. After all, what reason would he have to spend an hour in a room packed full of people to watch an ametuer play.


    Where did I even hear about that? I don¡¯t actually remember who told me. Damn, oh well. I probably just overheard some freshmen talking about it or something. It¡¯s not important.


    He continued to walk, moving more on instinct than anything else and when he reached his destination, he reached forward and opened the door.


    Wait...where the fuck am I?


    He frowned, staring into the classroom only to realize that it wasn¡¯t Kentz¡¯s class. The room was completely empty aside from an old, bespectacled, and balding man sitting at the teacher¡¯s desk. He realized that he didn¡¯t even know what teacher it was, but it certainly wasn¡¯t Mrs. Kentz. The man looked at him with a curious expression.


    ¡°Yes? May I help you, young man?¡± he asked.


    The boy quickly shook his head. ¡°Um, no, sorry. Wrong room.¡±


    He quickly turned and walked out, then glanced back at the door to check which room he had accidentally walked into, only to find his surpoise increase even more.


    Room 3-5?! What the actual fuck?! Kentz¡¯s is 2-12! I get that I wasn¡¯t paying too much attention, but how could I not only get the room wrong, but also the whole fucking floor?! The staircase to the third floor isn¡¯t even by the one to the second!


    He scoffed at how unbearably stupid he was as he turned and hurried back in the direction of the stairs. Yet, despite his desire to hurry up, he couldn¡¯t help but stop and look back. There had been something oddly familiar about that room. Even though he couldn¡¯t recall ever stepping inside, it almost felt like he needed to turn back and go inside¡ªlike something or somebody should be waiting for him.


    Waiting? No¡­why would anybody ever wait for me?


    He shook his head and pushed the room from his mind.


    Just forget about it. It¡¯s...not important.


    Then, hoping to just get to Kentz¡¯s room so he could get the hell away from the school, Vinny Mickelson turned and hurried away, leaving the strange classroom behind him. Yet, no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn¡¯t stop thinking about room 3-5.

 Prologue II- The Night She Left

    Prologue


    As was usual for a Sunday night, Abigail Reiner was standing in front of the sink, washing the dishes from that evening¡¯s dinner of beef lasagna. She could hear the sound of the television in the background and knew without even having to listen that her husband, Scott, was watching the playoffs game of his favorite baseball team. Her son was almost certainly sitting on his lap, enjoying the game despite not understanding the rules. Now that he was seven years old, Scott had been taking him out to the park to throw the ball around and Eric seemed to really enjoy that time spent with his father. She could tell that her husband really wanted to put him on a team, but Abi wasn¡¯t so sure their son would enjoy it. After all, she could tell that it wasn¡¯t the game he enjoyed as much as just spending time with his father.


    When she glanced over her shoulder and peeked through the doorway into the living room, she could see Eric watching the game with a big smile on his face, though she caught him peeking up at his dad every once and a while, as if checking to make sure he was happy, too.


    Such a sweet little boy, Abi thought with pride. No matter what happens from here, I¡¯ll never regret bringing him into this world.


    She knew her time in that world, with her family, was drawing short. No matter how much she wished her cozy life in that small coastal town could last forever, she knew in her heart that she could never truly escape her past. She wasn¡¯t of this world and there was nothing she could do to change that. She knew from Ryokumo¡¯s messages that Ijiria was still looking for her¡ªand that two of her oldest and closest friends were heading that search. It was information that hadn¡¯t surprised her, but she wished that Nigreos and Album could have just accepted her disappearance and moved on. Unlike Ryokumo and Ilirianna, she knew that Nigreos and Album would never allow her to stay in Omaruo no matter how hard she tried to convince them. The two were far too loyal to Ijiria and its laws. They would make no exceptions, even to her.


    Abi sighed and carefully set the plate she was cleaning into the dishwasher before reaching for the final one. Despite knowing she could have cleaned the dishes ten times faster had she used magic, she always found herself feeling happier using the technology of Omaruo and her own hands to do the work. It made her feel like she was no different than the denizens of that magicless realm.


    If only I could have been born here, she thought. Not that I¡¯d ever want to forget my friends back in Ijiria, but¡­I never truly belonged in that place. This is where I¡¯m supposed to be. I¡¯m here¡­with my husband and my son. They¡¯re my life¡­and I¡¯d do anything to protect them. Anything¡­


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    She exhaled sharply, her eyes going wide and the plate slipping from her grasp before crashing into the hardwood floor.


    ¡°Honey?¡± Scott called from the other room. ¡°What was that? Are you alright?¡±


    Abi quickly recollected herself and kneeled down beside the shattered remains of the plate. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± she hurriedly replied. ¡°My hands were just a bit too soapy and I dropped one of the plates. But don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll clean it up.¡±


    ¡°W-well, okay,¡± he said. ¡°But if you do need anything, then I''ll help.¡±


    She smiled at his concern. ¡°Thanks, Scott, but I¡¯m alright.¡±


    She then quickly turned back to the pieces of the plate and hovered her hand above them before muttering a soft, ¡°levantar¡±. Slowly, each shard rose from the ground and she used the mana at her fingertips to move them all toward the trash can on the opposite end of the room. With a quick flick of her other wrist, the can¡¯s top snapped open and she dropped the pieces inside. Then, with the mess cleaned up, Abi jumped to her feet and took a few breaths to steady her heartbeat.


    There¡¯s no mistaking what I felt. I¡¯ve been fearing that sensation since the day I got here. An Ijirian just entered this realm and¡­ I know it¡¯s not Ryokumo or Liri this time. They told me they wouldn¡¯t be able to come back for a while so¡­


    Gritting her teeth and coming to a quick decision, she turned and headed toward the living room. Her time was more limited than she had believed. She had been debating on whether to do this for the past few months, but now, she knew she had no choice. She just had to trust in her son and hope that her gamble would pay off sometime in the future.


    Abi poked her head into the sitting room and smiled. ¡°Eric, sweetie. Can Mommy talk to you for just a minute?¡±


    Both Eric and Scott glanced up at her, though while her son looked cheerful as always, she could see the concern in her husband¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Okay!¡± Eric said happily as he jumped from his father¡¯s lap and walked up to her.


    She patted him on the back and whispered, ¡°Go wait in Mommy and Daddy¡¯s room for a moment. I¡¯ll be right there.¡±


    He smiled once more then hurried off down the hall and toward the house¡¯s master bedroom. Once he was gone, Abi glanced back at her husband and could see the fear in his eyes. Despite her attempts to conceal her own nervousness, evidently he could see right through her. He had always been good at reading her no matter how hard she tried to hide what she was actually feeling.


    ¡°Somebody¡¯s here,¡± she whispered. ¡°An Ijirian just hopped realms.¡±


    Scott swallowed, his body shaking. ¡°And you¡¯re certain it''s not Caeli again?¡±


    She nodded firmly. ¡°Almost certain. It¡¯s not easy to jump realms behind the back of the king¡­even with Ilirianna¡¯s realm dagger.¡± Abi clenched her fists. ¡°Unless something terrible happened on their end, he wouldn¡¯t have risked it. No¡­this is somebody else.¡±


    ¡°B-but¡­¡± he stuttered, jumping to his feet. ¡°We can¡¯t be sure they¡¯re here for you, right? What if¡­they¡¯ve come to Wilham for something else!¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she said softly. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s it either. There¡¯s very few reasons for an Ijirian to come to Omaruo. If one is here¡­then it¡¯s almost definitely for me.¡±


    She could see the mix of emotions in her husband¡¯s eyes. He was terrified, angry, sad, and desperate all at once. She had warned him of something like this back in the early days of their relationship, but knowing about the possibility of something and actually seeing it happen were two very different things. Wanting to comfort the man who had always been there for her, she walked forward and wrapped her arms around him. She felt him tense up for a moment, but then he tenderly embraced her back, holding her in his arms.


    ¡°I¡¯ll come back,¡± she promised. ¡°I¡¯ll find some way to come back to you guys. I promise, Scott. This goodbye won¡¯t be forever.¡±


    She could hear him choking back tears when he responded. ¡°But¡­should I go to my workshop? I know it wasn¡¯t finished yet, but if they¡¯re here already¡ª!¡±


    ¡°No, Scott,¡± she interrupted gently. ¡°Thank you, but if you fight back, it¡¯ll be harder for me to protect you. I don¡¯t want you getting erased and I especially don¡¯t want Eric caught up in this all. If what Ryokumo told me is true, chances are high that it¡¯ll either be Nigreos or Album that just arrived. While they won¡¯t let me stay, I think I can at least convince them to leave you alone, but not if we fight back. Okay? Do you understand? I¡¯ll come back, I promise.¡±


    Scott clenched his teeth and she could see that his eyes had grown wet. ¡°I¡­Yeah¡­okay. Come back to us, Abi. Please¡­¡±


    The woman smiled, then released the hug and took a better look at her husband¡¯s handsome features. His blue eyes were calming to her, and even after nine years of being together, he still looked just as energetic and youthful as he was when they first met. She reached up and ran her fingers through his combed brown hair and as she did, he managed to smile.


    ¡°You know, Eric really is starting to look like you,¡± she said, hoping to change the subject to something happier. ¡°Take care of him, okay? He¡¯ll need you while I¡¯m away.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he uttered. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll¡­watch over him. I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    She lowered her hand from his hair and placed it against his cheek. ¡°Good. I¡¯ll be counting on you, Scott. And when I get back, I¡¯ll make up for all the time I¡¯m gone.¡±


    He placed his own hand over hers and nodded. ¡°Okay. When you get back¡­yeah, make it up to us, alright? And you better not be gone for too long. He¡¯s going to need his mother.¡±


    Abi chuckled at his joke and kissed him on his cheek. ¡°I know. I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    With that, Abi wrapped her arms around him once more, then turned and headed back into the hall. She would say a proper goodbye to him after she¡¯d spoken with her son. After all, she needed to have this conversation with him before she left. When she walked into the master bedroom, she found Eric sitting patiently on her bed, reading through a small leather bound book that she always kept on her nightstand.


    He really has always been so fascinated by my spellbook, she mused. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have told him as many stories as I did. If he never manifests magic, he¡¯ll probably be really disappointed. However, at that thought, her smile slowly faded. Though¡­it would probably be better for him if he¡¯s never able to use magic. I wouldn¡¯t want the Ijirians to come after him.


    ¡°Eric,¡± she called out.


    The little boy immediately looked up from the book and smiled. Yet, she found him to be just as perceptive as his father. He must have noticed the worry in her eyes because his smile was quickly replaced by concern of his own.


    ¡°Mommy?¡± he asked. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    She forced a cheerful look back onto her face as she approached the bed. She then took a seat beside him and pulled the boy¡¯s small form close to her. ¡°Listen, Eric,¡± she began. ¡°I¡¯m¡­going to be going away for a while and I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    He tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Going away? Going where?¡±


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Somewhere far,¡± Abi replied softly. ¡°But I wanted you to know that I¡¯ll be thinking about you the entire time I¡¯m away. No matter what, I¡¯ll always love you and when I come home, I promise that I¡¯ll never leave again. I¡¯ll stay right by your side forever and ever. You just have to be patient for me, just this once. Can you do that?¡±


    He listened silently and, when she asked her question, the boy looked up at her and nodded. ¡°Yeah. I can wait. But¡­what about Daddy? He¡¯s going to miss you a lot, too.¡±


    She laughed at how concerned he always was for others, finding joy in the knowledge that her son had a good heart. ¡°He¡¯s going to be patient, too,¡± she replied. ¡°And when I come back, the three of us will make up for all the lost time. So, while I¡¯m gone, I want you to think about all the fun things you want to do and, if it¡¯s in my power, I¡¯ll do them with you.¡±


    ¡°Fun things¡­?¡± Eric stopped and thought about it for a moment before his eyes seemed to light up with excitement. He then held up the leather book in his hands. ¡°Then when you get back, teach me magic, Mommy!¡±


    She hesitated for a moment, not knowing if it was even possible for the boy to use magic. However, seeing the ecstatic look on his face and knowing that her departure would almost certainly hurt him, she couldn¡¯t help but nod.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said, ¡°when I get back, I¡¯ll teach you magic. Then you can be a mage like me.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡± he cheered. ¡°I''m gonna use magic!¡±


    Then, as a thought occurred to her, Abi reached out and placed her hand on his head. ¡°And you know what? If you want to learn magic then you¡¯re going to have to study. So, I¡¯m going to leave my spellbook in your care and I want you to learn all the incantations. In fact, why don¡¯t you even pick your affinity?¡±


    Eric frowned. ¡°Affinity? What''s that?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s the type of magic that you¡¯re going to focus on,¡± she explained. ¡°It¡¯s the one you¡¯re going to connect your mana the closest with. Just to name a few, there¡¯s wind, fire, nature, water, rock¡­and¡­¡± She trailed off, deciding to omit the other three considering how dangerous it was to learn them. She would prefer it if Eric focused on something safer to learn. ¡°And those are the main ones.¡±


    The boy considered her explanation for a moment then stared up at her curiously. ¡°What were you, Mommy?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± She smiled warmly. ¡°Well, I chose to focus on nature, but I think that would be boring to someone as energetic as you. For you, I think¡­¡± As she considered what Eric would like, the image of one of her old friends popped into her head¡ªa friend that had a very similar energy to Eric back when they were young. ¡°...I think you would enjoy learning wind magic the most.¡±


    ¡°Ooh! What does wind magic do?¡± he asked excitedly.


    ¡°Well, it lets you go faster than even a car and you can hide yourself from others and¡­¡± She paused for effect. ¡°You could even fly if you were strong enough!¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah! I want to fly! I want to learn wind magic!¡± he cheered.


    She rubbed his head once more. ¡°Alright then. When I come home, I¡¯ll teach you wind magic, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Seeing how excited he was, she felt a strong sense of guilt knowing that she was going to have to leave him at such a young age. However, it only gave her a greater motivation to do whatever she could to return to Omaruo as soon as possible.


    ¡°Now, one more thing,¡± she began, getting to her feet and approaching her closet.


    She knew how risky it was to give the boy what she was about to, but she also knew that she had to leave it with him. The charms surrounding it prevented anybody without magic blood from touching it so she couldn''t give it to her husband. And of course, she couldn¡¯t take it to Ijiria with her. Her only choice was to entrust it to Eric.


    When she pulled the closet open, she kneeled down and pushed aside a cardboard box containing some of Scott¡¯s old baseball gear. Once it was out of the way, she reached back and peeled the carpet back to reveal a small hatch about two feet long hidden in the hardwood. She pressed her hand against it and uttered, ¡°Pateno¡±. The incantation unlocked the hatch so that she could pull it open and, laying inside she found the item she was looking for: a small syringe wrapped in cloth. When she took it in her hands, she felt the enormous amounts of mana flowing within and for a moment, it overwhelmed even her. She readjusted her mana levels for a moment then pulled back the cloth. Swirling within the liquet canister, she could see masses of white and black mana, crashing into each other as if fighting for dominance in the enclosed space.


    ¡°Mommy? What''s that?¡±


    She looked to her right to find Eric crouched next to her, staring at the syringe with wide eyes. He seemed to be simply curious since he¡¯d never seen anything like it, but she could also see some caution in his eyes. Even somebody as young as him knew that what she currently held in her hand wasn¡¯t something to be messed with.


    ¡°This,¡± she started softly, ¡°is something very important to me. It was given to me for safekeeping a long time ago but, unfortunately, I can''t take it with me when I leave.¡±


    Eric frowned. ¡°So what are you gonna do with it? Are you gonna give it to Daddy?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No¡­actually¡­¡±


    Abi turned and took Eric¡¯s hand in her free one, then carefully set the syringe into his open palm. She held her breath, fearing that even he might not be able to hold it given his half-blood, but she quickly found she had nothing to worry about. The boy winced for a moment, but then closed his grip and stared down at the item.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to give it to you,¡± she explained. ¡°This syringe is very important to me and I don¡¯t want anybody knowing that it¡¯s here. So, I¡¯m going to put it back in this hatch and I want you to know where it is. Don¡¯t tell anybody that it¡¯s here¡ªnot even your closest friends. Do you understand?¡±


    He considered her question then nodded. ¡°Yeah. I just need to keep it secret?¡±


    ¡°Yes, exactly.¡±


    She turned back and took the syringe from him, then wrapped it back up and returned it to its hiding place. Once the carpet and box were back where they belonged, she turned back to him.


    ¡°Now, this hatch doesn¡¯t have a key,¡± she told him. ¡°In order to open it, you simply need to utter the word, ¡®Pateno¡¯. Can you say that for me?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°P-pateno.¡±


    ¡°Good job,¡± Abi said. ¡°Now if that doesn¡¯t work, you can break it out, but try to avoid that if you can. Now, like I said, I don¡¯t want anybody knowing about it and I would also rather you don¡¯t touch it either. There¡¯s just one exception: if there¡¯s ever an emergency where you believe your own life or the lives of those that you care about are at risk, take the syringe and place the needle into your arm. Then, inject it into you.¡±


    He frowned, clearly hesitant at the thought. ¡°Like a shot? But that hurts, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It does,¡± she replied. ¡°But hopefully, you¡¯ll never have to use it. I need to emphasize this more than anything, Eric. The power in that syringe is dangerous, both to you and to those around you. It is only to be touched when there¡¯s nothing else you can possibly do¡ªthe last chance of last chances. It could potentially even kill anybody who gets too close to it. That¡¯s why¡­it needs to be protected. That¡¯s why it shouldn¡¯t be used. Do you understand?¡±


    His eyes were wide and she could tell that she scared him, but whether she liked it or not, that was probably a good thing. She really didn¡¯t want him to ever use it and she was only telling him this because if it was ever at risk, he would be the only one that could protect it.


    Finally, Eric managed a weak nod and forced a smile. ¡°Okay. Only in emergencies. I promise I won¡¯t touch it unless I need to.¡±


    ¡°Good boy,¡± she whispered. ¡°In that case¡­¡±


    Another wave of warning shot through her body and she quickly got to her feet. The Ijirian presence was even closer now. In fact, she could sense it just beyond her front door.


    They¡¯re here, she thought with apprehension. Damn¡­ I was hoping I could meet them before they reached the house. In fact, if they knew where to look then¡­


    ¡°Mommy?¡±


    When she looked down, Eric¡¯s concern had returned and she could see tears forming in his eyes. He must have realized that when she said she was leaving, she meant now. Abi kneeled down and pulled him into a tight hug, placing her hand on the back of his head.


    ¡°I love you,¡± she told him. ¡°I love you more than you could ever know. My little boy¡­ My Eric¡­¡±


    ¡°I love you, too, Mommy,¡± he replied meekly.


    ¡°Be good for your father,¡± she said. ¡°And I¡¯ll be home someday.¡±


    Giving him a loving kiss on the forehead, Abi rose to her feet once again and turned toward the door. She then took a deep breath and walked out into the hallway. She could hear her husband talking with somebody and she could hear the fury in his voice. She brought her mana to her fingertips just in case she had to defend herself and rounded the corner to approach the front door. However, when she did so and got a full view of the man standing there, she knew there would be no need for violence, as she had expected.


    There, standing in front of her husband, was a man in a black suit. His skin was the same pitch black color and his eyes were pure white, lacking any irises. His face was clean shaven and his hair was dark and maintained. He looked so much older and had clearly already undergone the ritual, but she recognized him nonetheless.


    ¡°Nigreos,¡± she called out. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time.¡±


    At the sound of her voice, Nigreos Noctis looked over Scott¡¯s shoulder and for a moment, the two of them stared into each other¡¯s eyes. Even without his irises, she could still see the emotion swelling inside him. It had been nearly seven years since she last saw her old friend and, despite their differences, she had cared for him.


    ¡°Abi,¡± he uttered. ¡°What is this? Why are you here¡­in this realm? With this¡­?¡±


    He stopped mid sentence as his gaze drifted past her and down the hall. When Abi turned to look, she saw Eric staring at him, clearly afraid.


    ¡°This is my family,¡± she replied. ¡°This is my husband, Scott, and my son, Eric.¡±


    Nigreos¡¯s eyes were wide in shock. Whatever he had expected to find upon coming to fetch her, this seemed to have not been in consideration. Perhaps he thought she¡¯d just run away because she couldn¡¯t take the pressure of Ijiria.


    The man stood straighter and smoothed his suit out, then regarded Scott with a probing stare. ¡°Nigreos Noctis,¡± he introduced. ¡°Nice¡­to meet you, Mr¡­?¡±


    ¡°Scott Reiner,¡± her husband replied sharply. ¡°What do you want, Mr. Noctis?¡±


    Nigreos ignored the man and looked directly at Abi. ¡°You know the laws, Abi. You can¡¯t be here. The King has ordered you to return to the capitol at once. And¡­I¡¯m sure you are aware of what happens to magicless people who learn of magic?¡±


    Abi felt a shiver go down her spine but she simply faced Nigreos with a smile. ¡°I am. But I¡¯m sure you can keep this to yourself¡­as a favor to your old friend. Isn¡¯t that right, Nigreos? Are you alone? Or did Album accompany you?¡±


    He clenched his teeth and shook his head. ¡°No. I thought it would be better for everybody if I dealt with this alone. I¡¯m¡­sure you agree. But I suppose we can talk about it on the way. Come. We¡¯re leaving.¡±


    She could see Scott ready to protest but, thankfully, he kept silent. She had discussed what to do should this ever happen numerous times. He knew that there was nothing he could do to stop it, and that was especially true in the presence of a man as powerful as Nigreos Noctis. They both knew that she would be leaving that moment, without even a second to collect her belongings. Abi sighed, then turned and looked at her husband. The man simply nodded to her and she knew that he wouldn¡¯t stand in her way. She glanced back at Eric, who had retreated further back into the hall, but was still standing in a spot where she could at least see him.


    She then looked into his eyes, knowing she wouldn¡¯t see him for quite some time, and mouthed, ¡°I love you, Eric¡±.


    ***


    Ever since that day, the image of his mother¡¯s receding back as she walked from their home beside that man in black stayed with him in his dreams. He couldn¡¯t push it from his mind and no matter how much he wished for it, she still wouldn¡¯t return. She had promised him that she would come back and so, he believed her with all of his heart. She would never lie to him¡ªhe was certain of that. And so, he did exactly as he was told. He read that spellbook so many times that he felt he could recite almost any spell from heart and know what it was supposed to do. He made sure to emphasize wind magic like she had recommended. And, of course, he made sure that the syringe she showed him was never removed. He had attempted to open it a few times with the incantation he was given but it never worked. At least, he did know that it was never tampered with. The only exception had been when he and his father moved. With the incantation not working, he was forced to pry it open with force so he could transport the syringe to their new house. All the while, he waited for his mom to return.


    First, weeks passed. Then months. Then years.


    Before he knew it, he was in high school and his mom still hadn¡¯t come home. But his faith in her still didn¡¯t waver. She would return when she was ready to do so and when she did, they would start their training. Even when his relationship with his father fell to pieces, he still believed that she would return and fix it all. He continued to wait and wait.


    But he never forgot that moment when she left.


    And he knew that he would never be able to forget the image of that man in black who took her away from him.

 Chapter 1- A Friend Forgotten

    Chapter I


    The desperate look in Eric¡¯s eyes was more than enough to tell Lilly that something was seriously wrong with him. He was looking around the candlelit clubroom, first to Damien, then to Liz, before finally settling on her. It was as if her boyfriend was silently begging her to help him, but no matter how much she wished she could do something for him, she just couldn¡¯t figure out where to even begin. He¡¯d come into the room just moments earlier, talking about some club member that didn¡¯t exist. Yet, despite Lilly knowing as a fact that there had never been a boy named Vinny Mickelson in the Magic Club, Eric was staring at the three of them like they had lost their minds. She could tell with almost certainty that he wasn¡¯t lying. Eric wasn¡¯t the type to joke around like this, and especially not after what happened at Ralph¡¯s Diner the previous night. Just seeing how panicked he was told her that he truly believed there was supposed to be some Vinny in the club. And when she looked back at Damien and Liz, their expressions told her that they were just as stunned as she was.


    So what the hell is going on? she asked herself. I¡¯m so confused right now.


    ¡°Guys,¡± Eric uttered, once again looking between the three of them. ¡°Come on¡­ Please. Please just stop this. It¡¯s not funny!¡±


    Still unsure of how to even respond to him, Lilly was thankful that it was Damien who stepped forward to deal with the situation. ¡°Eric,¡± he said firmly. ¡°Just calm down for a second. You¡¯re not making any sense and frankly, we¡¯re all a little on edge this morning. Maybe what we need to do is sit down and take a minute to think. Okay?¡±


    The calmness of his friend''s voice seemed to get through to Eric as he exhaled softly and nodded. ¡°Yeah, fine. Let¡¯s sit down then.¡±


    The boy slowly turned and took a seat at the fortune telling desk, right in front of the blue crystal ball he¡¯d been using the day before to give their customers their fortunes. For a moment, he gazed right into its smooth surface, as if entranced by it, or perhaps even looking for answers within it. Knowing that she at least needed to be there for him, Lilly moved to sit down in the chair beside him, then took his hand in her own, squeezing it gently to let him know that, despite how confused she was, she would still be there for him. As for Damien and Liz, they both sat down in the desks to Lilly¡¯s right. She quickly made eye contact with the both of them, hoping to see some understanding in their eyes, but it didn¡¯t look like anything had clicked.


    So¡­it doesn¡¯t look like this Vinny kid is some old club member I was never told about¡­but if even Damien and Liz don¡¯t know who this is then what exactly is going on?


    ¡°Alright,¡± Damien began, turning his attention toward his old friend. ¡°Eric. Could you please explain this? Who the hell is Vinny Mickelson and why would you think he¡¯s a part of this club?¡±


    At this, Eric grit his teeth together and raised his head from the crystal ball to stare back at him. ¡°Look me in the eyes, Damien. Do you honestly not know who I¡¯m talking about?¡±


    The boy seemed taken aback by Eric¡¯s question but quickly pulled himself back together and shook his head. ¡°No. I don¡¯t.¡±


    Damien¡¯s reply caused Eric to wince and he frantically turned then to Liz. ¡°And you? You don¡¯t remember Vinny either, Liz?¡±


    The bespectacled girl seemed hesitant to respond, as if she were struggling to keep up with what was going on, and still processing all of the new and horrible information she¡¯d received that morning about the murders at the diner. Finally, she turned away from him and shook her head. The desperation in Eric¡¯s eyes increased and he once again stared right at Lilly, silently pleading with her to reveal that they were all joking around. But of course, she couldn¡¯t lie to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she whispered. ¡°I¡¯ve never met anybody named Vinny Mickelson. Maybe¡­you could describe him or something? Maybe I¡¯ve just forgotten or¡­?¡±


    She knew it was a pointless suggestion seeing as Eric was acting as if he¡¯d been part of the club from the beginning. If Mickelson was some random person she¡¯d met once or twice, Eric wouldn¡¯t be acting like they were crazy for not knowing who he was. Describing him wouldn¡¯t awaken anything in her memory and yet, as if hoping for a miracle, Eric did as she asked anyway.


    ¡°He was a skinny blonde kid,¡± Eric replied quietly. ¡°He was goofy and obnoxious and he had such loyalty to the people he cared about that he would do anything to protect us. Despite his faults, he was one of our closest friends! How? How do you not remember him?¡±


    Lilly furrowed her brow, trying to determine if what he was saying rang any bells in her mind, but she couldn¡¯t even picture the boy, let alone recall any of the personality traits that Eric was describing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± she uttered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Eric. I just¡­I honestly don¡¯t have any idea who you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    But for the life of me, I can¡¯t figure out where he would have gotten this from. What the hell could have happened that caused him to behave like this¡ªto make a claim to wild like the idea of a fifth club member existing. It¡¯s just not like Eric! And¡­for it to happen right after that attack at the diner. Lilly felt her stomach tighten as a sudden possibility came to mind. This couldn¡¯t possibly be related, right? There¡¯s no way¡­ It has to be some sort of coincidence.


    ¡°Look, man,¡± Damien began, seeming to have once again found his voice. ¡°I¡­I really don¡¯t know what to say. I wish I could help you, but I really don¡¯t remember anybody like this.¡±


    Eric clenched his fists and looked back at Damien, the panic in his features only increasing. ¡°Then¡­you guys said that Alice is single and that she went to the diner alone last night? Is that really true? She doesn¡¯t have a boyfriend?¡±


    They all shook their heads.


    ¡°Not that I know of,¡± Lilly replied. ¡°Unless she didn¡¯t tell me about it, Alice is still single.¡±


    ¡°Then what about the incident back during Christmas!?¡± he nearly shouted. ¡°If Vinny doesn¡¯t exist then what happened there?! How did we resolve the situation with Wright and Davens? Why did we nearly fall apart afterwards? Can you explain that to me?¡±


    For what felt like the millionth time in those brief few minutes since Eric had arrived, Lilly was completely thrown off and left speechless. Why is he bringing up that incident all of a sudden? she wondered.


    However, knowing that the issue primarily involved Damien and Liz, she left it to the two of them to explain the situation.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Damien stuttered, seeming to still be trying to tell how serious Eric was being. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s what you want then fine, I¡¯ll explain it for you.¡± He then paused to gather his thoughts, as if unsure of how to explain events to somebody who had witnessed most of them. ¡°Well, Davens and Wright vandalized Alice¡¯s locker and desk¡­then started sending death threats to her. So, we wanted to do something to help her before it all got out of hand. However, we didn¡¯t agree on the course of action to take.¡±


    Eric nodded. ¡°Right. Yeah, and?¡±


    ¡°W-well¡­Brooks was insistent that we use the stone and I was against it,¡± Damien continued. ¡°The rest of you seemed on the fence about it and we got into a bit of a heated debate. Afterwards¡­¡± The boy grimaced and Lilly could only imagine how hard it was for him to have to think back to those events. ¡°...Liz took the stone and handed it over to Brooks to help Alice. What he did with it¡­well, we never found out. We just know that afterwards, Wright and Davens avoided us like the plague and stopped going after Alice. Before we could get Brooks to explain himself¡­he¡­¡±


    Damien trailed off, avoiding the topic of Jay¡¯s suicide, which Lilly appreciated. Despite having helped Jay and Alice come to terms with everything and convincing the boy to not give up hope, the fact that Jay still hadn¡¯t awoken weighed heavily on them. However, everything Damien said was the truth. That was exactly how it all went down and yet, when she glanced sideways to gauge Eric¡¯s reaction, his eyes were wide and his skin had gone deathly pale.


    ¡°Eric?¡± she whispered.


    ¡°No,¡± he uttered. ¡°No, that¡¯s not right. That¡¯s not what happened!¡± The boy suddenly jumped to his feet, his eyes fixed on Damien and his breathing going ragged. ¡°What the hell is wrong with you, Damien?! It wasn¡¯t Jay who went after Wright and Davens! It was Vinny! Liz gave Vinny the stone! He used it to steal their bodies and blackmail them into keeping away! Jay didn¡¯t do anything like that! Why can¡¯t you remember this?!¡±


    He slammed his hand so hard against the surface of the desk that Lilly had to reach out to prevent the crystal ball from rolling off. Eric was shaking with rage, but she couldn¡¯t do anything to help him. She suddenly felt so powerless. After everything he¡¯d done for her, now that he clearly needed help, she was just sitting there, staring at him in silence.


    I¡¯ve never seen him angry, let alone furious like this. What am I even supposed to do?


    When she looked at Damien, even he now seemed like he didn¡¯t know what to say. His eyes were wide and he was staring at his old friend like he didn¡¯t even recognize him. Eric continued to look around the room before his shoulders slumped and the fury seemed to drain out of him, being replaced by a look of utter exhaustion. As if hoping to give it one last attempt, he raised his finger and pointed at the crystal ball Lilly was still clutching.


    ¡°And that?¡± he asked. ¡°Who gave us that?¡±


    Damien slowly shook his head. ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know. You just said it was lent to us by a friend of yours. That¡¯s all.¡±


    Eric¡¯s face tensed, but he didn¡¯t shout this time. Instead, he just spun on his heel and stalked from the room. All three of them jumped up and called after him, but he didn¡¯t even spare them so much as a glance. He just walked out, leaving them staring after him in bewilderment.


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    ¡°What¡­the hell was that?¡± Damien muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­I don¡¯t even know how to process any of that.¡±


    He plopped himself back down in his desk and put his face in his hands. Liz immediately went to his side and wrapped her arms around him. She still hadn¡¯t spoken since Eric¡¯s arrival. Instead, she seemed like she was just trying to figure it all out silently. They had already been worried about Alice¡¯s safety after the murders at the diner, but now they had this strange situation with Eric to consider.


    ¡°Thanks, Liz,¡± Damien said softly. ¡°But I think I need some fresh air. I¡¯ll be back in a minute.¡±


    With that, he excused himself and left the room as well. All the while, Lilly just stared down at the ground, her hands clutching the hem of her skirt. She was terrified that something awful had happened to Alice, and she wanted to try calling her a second time, but she also wanted to rush after Eric and see if she could help him. She didn¡¯t know what she was supposed to do, and she feared there was nothing she could do to help either of them.


    ¡°Liz?¡± she asked softly, deciding to at least check up on the only person left in the room. ¡°Are you okay? You were pretty quiet during that whole thing.¡±


    When she looked up, she found Liz sitting where Damien had been, and she seemed to have fallen deep into thought. However, at the mention of her name, the girl looked up and shrugged.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she replied. ¡®I¡¯ve been wracking my brain this whole time, trying to remember this Vinny Mickelson, but¡­I just can¡¯t. I don¡¯t have a clue who Eric¡¯s talking about.¡± Liz paused and quietly chewed on her bottom lip for a moment. ¡°Though¡­it does almost feel like it¡¯s on the tip of my tongue¡­like there is something I¡¯m forgetting and I¡¯m just about to remember but¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°But if this Vinny guy had as big of a role in the club as Eric claims, I know I wouldn¡¯t have forgotten him. None of it adds up.¡±


    Lilly nodded. ¡°Yeah, I get what you mean. And then there¡¯s Alice to think about¡­¡±


    She reached down onto her desk and retrieved her phone to see if Alice had called her back during their conversation with Eric, but there was still nothing. Part of her wanted to call again, but she knew that doing so wouldn¡¯t achieve anything. It had hardly been ten minutes since she last tried getting ahold of her and she knew that the girl would call back the moment she got a chance. The best bet would be for her to just wait.


    But what if¡­ Lilly felt her stomach churn. What if she can¡¯t call. I know Liz said they only found the bodies of the staff, but¡­what if¡­


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s just get through the day,¡± Liz said. ¡°We¡¯ve still got to run our little fortune telling booth for the festival. I just hope¡­Eric¡¯ll be able to come up with his fortunes like he did yesterday.¡±


    Lilly shrugged. ¡°Well, with any luck, we won¡¯t have customers today.¡±


    She then turned and gazed down at the crystal ball sitting on the fortune teller¡¯s table. She absently walked over to it and placed her palm onto its surface. Eric had looked to it right before leaving, and his question echoed through her mind.


    He asked who we got it from, she thought. That implies that Vinny Mickelson gave it to us. But, as far as I remember, it¡¯s like Damien said. Eric didn¡¯t tell us who he borrowed it from.


    ¡°An associate of mine was gracious enough to lend it out for the duration of the festival! Once Friday ends, I shall return it to her, but until then, its mystic powers are ours for the taking!¡±


    That had been his declaration, word for word. Even back then, he referred to the person who gave it to him as ¡°her¡±, but it sounded like Mickelson was a boy. Their memories and Eric¡¯s memories weren¡¯t adding up and she couldn¡¯t fathom why.


    Unless¡­


    She swallowed, recalling the little orange stone that Eric always kept in his pocket.


    If a stone that allows people to swap bodies exists, then who¡¯s to say there isn¡¯t some magic out there that could wipe a person¡¯s memories? It¡¯s like we¡¯ve said since the day we discovered that thing¡¯s powers. We don¡¯t know what magic can do. Is it possible¡­that our memories were tampered with? But if so¡­why? And¡­


    She felt a wave of fear wash over her.


    ...by who?


    ***


    That morning, as requested, the moment Alexa Harper arrived at school, she headed up the stairs to the third floor to meet with Eric Reiner. The day before, right as she was preparing to leave, the boy had told her that he would talk with her and try to reach an understanding between them. He had been far more accommodating to her than she had expected after her visit to the Magic Club¡¯s fortune telling booth, and so she was determined not to leave him waiting. However, when she arrived in the library, she didn¡¯t see any sign of Eric. So, she decided she would take a seat at one of the tables closest to the doors and wait for him.


    Ever since Lilly first started talking to the Magic Club, she had been suspicious as to the nature of their relationship. Those fears were only increased by the incident with Evan Wright back during Christmas and the following suicide attempt by Jay Brooks. She knew it wasn¡¯t her place to stick her nose into Lilly¡¯s business, but as her older sister, she felt that she had to at least make sure that she was okay. When Eric had offered to talk with her, she¡¯d been surprised by how genuine he had been and some of her worries had been alleviated for the time being.


    But I still want to properly talk to him, she thought. I want to see what he says and what he¡¯s willing to tell me. He already made it clear that he wouldn¡¯t tell me about how he and Lilly met, but at least I might be able to get some answers about the whole Wright incident.


    That was what was going through her mind as she sat in the library, waiting for the boy to arrive. But when twenty minutes passed without him showing up, she sighed and pulled out her phone to entertain herself. Specifically, she pulled up one of her social media apps to see some of her friend¡¯s pictures from the first day of the festival. But before she could even properly start scrolling, she saw a post that made her body go cold.


    What the hell? Wait¡­is this talking about that diner off of Main Street?


    She felt her heart start to race and she sat up straighter in her chair as she read through the post. IT was describing an incident at Ralph¡¯s Diner, a place she had visited with her friends once back in February, where an unknown attacker had come in and murdered all of the staff members. Evidently, there were no customers present at the time of the attack. The bodies were discovered that morning when a man had come in to start his shift. She quickly scrolled through the post, but seeing as it had happened the night prior, very little was known about what happened and the murderer hadn¡¯t been found.


    What the hell is this? That¡¯s just a few blocks over from where we live. And this was just last night? And they don¡¯t even know who was behind it?


    The thought of some deranged murderer running free around the streets of Wilham made her shiver. Ever since they moved there, the city had been pretty calm as far as crime was concerned. Naturally, there were the occasional incidents, but there had never been anything as violent and seemingly random as this. She was already a little on edge whenever she was out after dark, but she had a feeling she wouldn¡¯t be comfortable until whoever did it was found.


    Now feeling thoroughly unsettled, Alexa turned off her phone and bit her lip, hoping Eric could just hurry up so they could get on with their conversation as she anxiously tapped her foot against the floor. Yet, no matter how many times she glanced at the door, the boy never arrived. She hadn¡¯t gotten his number so she couldn¡¯t call him, and the longer she waited, the more irritated she got.


    Come on, Reiner. The festival¡¯s going to start soon. Don¡¯t tell me you forgot!


    Time went on and soon enough, the bell rang, signaling the start of the second day of the spring festival. Alexa clenched her teeth in annoyance, collected her bag, and made her way toward the library¡¯s doors.


    Whatever. I guess I shouldn¡¯t have gotten my hopes up. Maybe he really is just one of those Magic Club weirdos and I¡¯m the fool for thinking I could rely on him to have a conversation with me. Joke¡¯s on me, I guess.


    Alexa turned down the hall and stopped by one of the windows so she could send a text to her friends, asking them where they wanted to meet for that day. As she did, the hallway became more crowded as people from outside the school arrived for the day. Part of her considered stopping by the clubroom again to give Eric a piece of her mind, but she quickly decided against it. With her relationship with Lilly already tense, she really didn¡¯t want to risk upsetting her again. It really would be better for her to just leave them alone and go on with her life. She¡¯d be graduating in a couple months and that was what she should be focusing her attention on, not her sister and her weird friends.


    However, just as that thought crossed her mind, she pocketed her phone and looked up only to find Eric moving through the crowd in her direction, his head low. She stood up straighter, wondering whether her luck was good or bad that she¡¯d run into him once again, before deciding it didn¡¯t matter. Immediately, she tried to make eye contact with him, but he wouldn¡¯t look up. So, she begrudgingly decided she would just call out to him and hope that none of her friends saw her talking to the infamous head of the Magic Club.


    ¡°Hey, Reiner!¡± she called.


    His head snapped up and he turned to stare back at her. The look of shock and guilt told her that he had, in fact, probably forgotten about their meeting. Yet, as she moved to go tell him off for leaving her alone in the library, she couldn¡¯t help but hesitate. In the few interactions she¡¯d had with him, there had always been a unique light in his eyes, and she got the impression that he was just a naturally happy person. Yet at that moment, there was no sign of that cheer. Instead, he looked like he was about to be sick.


    What¡¯s wrong with him? Did something happen? He looks like he¡¯s gonna throw up. At his abnormal appearance, her mind immediately went back to the horrifying news she had read in the library, and her fears couldn¡¯t help but increase. Could he¡­have known one of the victims or something?


    As irritated as she had been, just that thought made her want to at least hear out his reason for blowing her off first. Luckily, Eric made no move to run away and instead pushed through the groups of festival goers to make his way toward her. She once again pulled back up against the windows and he did the same, moving up to stand beside her.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Harper,¡± he immediately said, without any of his usual confidence and enthusiasm. ¡°I completely forgot about our meeting. I promise, I went to the library earlier but¡­I had to leave and¡­¡± He was stumbling over his words and it was obvious to her that he wasn¡¯t in the greatest state of mind. ¡°Look,¡± he continued. ¡°I¡¯ll make it up to you another time. I really am sorry.¡±


    She sighed and shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine, Reiner. It¡¯s not that big of a deal, but are you okay? You look really unsettled. Did something happen?¡±


    Eric slowly turned away, and for a moment, he seemed completely lost in thought. She decided it would be best to give him a second to think. ¡°Harper?¡± he said after a moment. ¡°Do you¡­recall a blonde boy named Vinny in the clubroom with us yesterday?¡±


    She tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Vinny?¡±


    Alexa quickly thought back to her trip to the clubroom and tried to remember who was there. Obviously she remembered both Eric and Lilly, and she also recalled meeting both Damien Clark and Liz Tao. However, she didn¡¯t think there was a fifth member present at the time.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so,¡± she said finally. ¡°Why?¡±


    Her response didn¡¯t seem to phase him, almost like it was exactly what he expected to hear. He simply nodded meekly and turned away. ¡°No reason. Anyway, I have to get going. We¡¯ll reschedule our conversation another time. Again, I¡¯m sorry, Harper.¡±


    With that, he turned and walked away, fading back into the growing crowd of people. She watched him leave as an uncomfortable feeling washed over her. For some reason, her instincts were urging her to go after him, but despite that, she stayed put and could only guess as to what might have happened. Once again, she attempted to remember anybody named Vinny, but couldn¡¯t even recall Lilly ever mentioning the name.


    I wonder what¡¯s up with that, she thought. Maybe, I should ask Lilly about it later. Although, maybe I really should just leave her alone and let them hash this all out.


    It was then that one of her friends finally texted her back, telling her that they were meeting in their government class on the first floor. Deciding to just put the issue on the backburner for the time being, Alexa moved into the crowd and began making her way toward the staircase. Yet, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t completely push the fears from her mind and she had a feeling that the issue of Eric Reiner would stay fixed in her mind for the rest of day.

 Chapter 2- As The News Spreads

    Chapter II


    ¡°Hey, did you guys hear about what happened at Ralph¡¯s last night?¡±


    At the sound of her friend¡¯s hushed voice, Rina Davens looked up from her phone and turned to stare back at Charlotte, an eyebrow cocked as she prepared herself for what was sure to be just another piece of pointless gossip. As much as she loved the girl, Rina knew that she sometimes got a little too into the rumors that often circulated around the school. So, she was genuinely surprised to find Charlotte glancing around the room with concern, as if afraid of being overheard.


    Beside Rina, Ashley Anderson took a moment to glance up from her own phone with a look of intrigue. ¡°I mean, I saw some post about it but I didn¡¯t bother to read it,¡± the blonde girl said. ¡°Why? What happened?¡±


    Charlotte quickly glanced around once more then leaned forward, as if what she had to say was some big secret despite having apparently already been posted about on social media. They were sitting in room 1-15, the clubroom of the drama club, and very few people were still around, having already headed down to the gym to begin their first show of the day. For the duration of the festival, the room was being used as a changing room and as a place for the performers to rest between shows. Since their good friend Lyla was in the club, they were allowed to hang out there as well, and Rina was happy just having a place to avoid the morning crowd. She always enjoyed the festival, but it could become overwhelming very quickly. At the moment, only two boys who she recalled were understudies for the main roles remained in the room. Yet, despite their relative privacy, Charlotte still acted as if the whole school could potentially be listening in.


    ¡°Well, apparently¡­¡± Charlotte hesitated, as if unsure of how to even begin. ¡°...I heard that somebody just walked in there last night and just¡­killed everybody.¡±


    What?!


    Rina instantly sat up straighter, as did Ashley, as the two girls stared back at their friend, shocked. Part of her insisted that Charlotte must be making it up, but the concerned and almost frightened look in the girl¡¯s eyes was enough to tell her that it wasn¡¯t a lie.


    ¡°Killed everybody?¡± Ashley hissed. ¡°What do you mean? Like, they just walked in and began shooting the place up or something?¡±


    Charlotte shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not really sure, actually. The cops are keeping a lot of things private until they know more, but the post I saw made it seem like somebody just strolled right in and began attacking the staff. Apparently their bodies were found this morning, but the kid who found them was quickly scooped up by the police to be questioned. It didn¡¯t say how they died though. Just that there were no customers who were there.¡±


    Rina¡¯s body went cold. She had also seen a post about the diner that morning and had just scrolled by. But now, she desperately wanted to go and find it, if only to verify everything Charlotte was saying. She had nothing against Wilham. In fact, it was her home and she loved it dearly, but she couldn¡¯t deny that it was an utterly boring town where very little ever happened. To think that something like that could happen just down the street from her was very unsettling. She quickly pulled up her phone again and began skimming through various posts.


    ¡°And¡­did they catch the killer?¡± Ashley asked.


    At that, Rina stopped and looked up nervously to see Charlotte shaking her head.


    ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°Whoever did it wasn¡¯t found. I don¡¯t know if the cops have a lead or not though.¡±


    Rina¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Wait, so the killer¡¯s still out there? But¡­what if he does something like this again?!¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Charlotte muttered. ¡°It¡¯s really scary, actually. My mom always walks home from work and I¡¯d be horrified if some freak jumped her while she was out.¡±


    Clenching her teeth, Rina went back to scrolling through her phone in search of the post, but much to her relief, it didn¡¯t take very long to find. She quickly pulled it up and began skimming through it.


    Oh my god¡­


    It was just as Charlotte had said. In fact, her friend hadn¡¯t exaggerated even a single detail. Last night, a few hours after the festival closed, an unknown assailant went into Ralph¡¯s Diner and slaughtered all of the servers and even the chef, whose bodies were found early that morning. Rina swallowed, feeling her hands starting to shake as she read the post.


    This can¡¯t be real! It¡¯s just¡­too awful!


    ¡°And you know what¡¯s even weirder?¡± Charlotte continued. ¡°That wasn¡¯t even the only thing that happened last night.¡±


    Rina¡¯s head snapped up, shocked that there could possibly be anything else outside of the incident at the diner.


    ¡°That¡¯s not all?¡± Ashley whispered.


    Charlotte shook her head, her skin suddenly paler. ¡°It sounded like there was a lot less known about this, but apparently there was a break-in at the hospital last night.¡±


    The¡­hospital?


    Immediately, an image of Jay flashed through her mind, but she quickly pushed it out, not even wanting to consider the possibility that anything could have happened to that boy. Yet, she couldn¡¯t stop her fears from getting in her head. She knew Jay was still in a coma and so he would still be asleep and defenseless in that hospital.


    ¡°Was¡­anybody hurt?¡± Rina forced herself to ask, knowing she was allowing herself to jump to conclusions.


    Her red-headed friend frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know. They¡¯re being real tight-lipped about that. All I read was that somebody broke in and that¡¯s all. Everybody¡¯s so focused on what went down at the diner, but what are the chances that two crazy events like that happened in one night? It''s just¡­creepy.¡±


    Rina leaned back in her chair and reached up to tug on a strand of her black hair as she considered everything Charlotte was telling her.


    Maybe¡­I should head home early today. It doesn¡¯t sound like it¡¯s safe to be out at night, especially if they haven¡¯t caught any of the psychopaths behind all this.


    ¡°Hey, Ri¡¯?¡± Ashley suddenly said, her voice shaking slightly.


    Rina glanced up once again to see the girl biting her lip nervously, as if not even sure if she should be saying what she wanted to say.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Rina prompted. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Ashley sighed, seemingly deciding just to speak her mind, then went on. ¡°I know this is a sore subject for you, but I have to ask¡­ Do you know if that Mendez girl was working at Ralph¡¯s last night?¡±


    Rina instantly sat forward, her brow furrowed in confusion at the mention of Alice¡¯s name. What do you mean?¡± she urged. ¡°Why would Alice be working at Ralph¡¯s? I don¡¯t¡­?¡±


    Ashley frowned. ¡°Wait? You didn¡¯t know? Mendez has been working there at least since January¡­or at least that¡¯s when I saw her there the first time. And I¡¯m pretty sure she still works there cause Lyla and I saw her again last Monday.¡±


    A feeling of dread washed over her as she took in everything her friend was saying.


    Alice works at Ralph¡¯s? I didn¡¯t know that. But then¡­


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Ashley murmured. ¡°I just thought I¡¯d ask cause if only the staff were killed then¡­¡±


    Rina jumped to her feet, feeling her head starting to spin at the implications of her words.


    Alice is staff and if only staff was killed then¡­ Could Alice be¡­?


    She quickly grabbed her phone and bag and rushed from the room, quietly excusing herself and then ignoring Ashley and Charlotte''s calls of concern behind her. When she arrived out in the hall, she pressed through the crowd and made her way toward the front entrance. Once she was out in the courtyard, she moved off onto the lawn and backed up against the wall as she took deep breaths, wanting to calm her racing heart and pull herself together.


    There¡¯s no way¡­right? I mean, if a student of West Wilham were dead, wouldn¡¯t we know about it? But¡­then again, this just happened last night so maybe¡­  Rina swallowed and looked down at the phone clutched in her hand. I know Alice and I aren¡¯t really on speaking terms¡­and I doubt she¡¯d want to hear from me right now after everything I did to her¡­and especially after her coworkers were all killed¡­but, I at least have to know if she''s okay.


    Yet, no matter how long she stared at her phone, she couldn¡¯t convince herself to make the call, and after a few moments, she simply put it into the front pocket of her bag. Just as she was thinking of some other way to check up on her, the faces of those two Magic Club members came to mind.


    Eric Reiner and Lilly Harper, she thought, recalling the names of the two who had approached her after the drama in January. Unlike the one who stole her body, a person¡¯s whose identity she still didn¡¯t know to this day, Reiner and Harper had shown her some concern. Maybe¡­I could ask them about Alice. I just¡­I need to know if she¡¯s okay.


    In that moment, she suddenly found herself thinking back to the old days she spent with Alice, Audrey, and Jay in that run-down little house in the forest. And as she did, her thoughts wandered to the necklace that currently lay on her dresser, with the quarter of the medallion she had bought years ago. Upon it was written the name ¡°Audrey¡± and it had been given to her by Jay to hold onto until he woke up. She understood why he wanted her to hang onto it. It was his way of telling her that they would all reunite the pieces someday.


    But¡­if Alice is¡­dead!


    Her head suddenly started to spin even more violently, and she felt as if she was about to wretch. Around her, she could hear a few people calling out to her, but their voices sounded so distant.


    No! She can¡¯t be! I won¡¯t let it be that way! I¡¯ve already lost Audrey! If Alice is dead then¡­what am I going to do! But as she shrieked those words in her mind, something deeper inside rose to the surface to question her. Do I even have the right to worry about her after what I did? I bullied her. I helped Evan hurt her and I didn¡¯t even consider the possibility of what that might do to her?


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    But¡­it¡¯s Alice. I¡­!


    She felt herself collapse into the damp grass below her, followed by shouts of concern from those around her. But she didn¡¯t care. She just felt so sick that she couldn¡¯t take it and, moments later, she felt her consciousness slip away as panic overtook her.


    ***


    It was around twenty minutes after the bell rang, signifying the start of the festival, that Eric finally returned to the clubroom. However, when he did, there wasn¡¯t any sign of his usual flair or performance. He didn¡¯t burst through the door declaring that the day would be successful or that it was time for them to have a meeting about how to gather more customers for their fortune. Instead, he didn¡¯t even say a word. He simply opened the door, glanced around with a dazed look in his eyes, then walked toward one of the desks and sat down. Normally, Damien rolled his eyes at Eric¡¯s grand entrances, but this time, he wished more than anything that his friend would just jump to his feet and make some absurd declaration.


    Damien glanced both at Lilly and Liz, but both girls were just staring at Eric in stunned silence, just as speechless as Damien felt.


    What the hell am I supposed to do? As one of Eric¡¯s closest friends, it¡¯s my job to make sure he¡¯s okay, but how am I supposed to do that when I can¡¯t even wrap my head around the issue that¡¯s bothering him. I mean¡­am I really supposed to believe that there¡¯s some fifth club member that I forgot about. Damien clenched his teeth. I mean, it just doesn¡¯t make any sense! Even considering the existence of magic, how could I ever forget somebody that supposedly had such a huge impact in my life?!


    Yet, even as he asked himself that question, he knew he was just trying to avoid the possibility that something supernatural had either happened to their memories or to Eric¡¯s. The truth of the matter was that they couldn¡¯t even begin to guess what magic could do. All they knew was that it was possible to swap bodies with another person. That was it. For all he knew, there was such a way to completely wipe somebody from existence.


    But if that¡¯s the case¡­then how did this Vinny Mickelson get wiped? What happened to cause this? And if it was Eric¡¯s memories that are being tampered with, then who tampered with them and how? Just trying to fathom it all was making his head hurt, and Damien couldn¡¯t help but scowl. Oh, whatever! Let¡¯s just get through this day and figure everything out once the festival is over. The only issue is¡­ He looked across the room to see Eric staring into space. He¡¯s clearly not in any condition to tell fortunes right now, so I guess I¡¯ll have to pray that he either pulls himself together, or that nobody bothers with our stupid booth.


    With his plan formulated for the time being, Damien leaned back in his seat and removed his laptop from his backpack. Since it was unlikely they would get any visitors outside of maybe some curious parents, he decided just to get some homework done while they waited. He considered it best to give Eric space for the time being and, seeing as Liz and Lily stayed silent as well, they had come to similar conclusions. So, Damien booted up his laptop and began clicking away at his keys.


    Time began to pass and, unsurprisingly, nobody was showing up. It was the same as the previous day, but unlike then, there was no sense of fun circulating around the room. Everybody was silent and there was a tension that was almost overwhelming. The clubroom hadn¡¯t ever been so uncomfortable. Even back during their debate on how to help Alice, it never got to be like this.


    But it¡¯s no wonder, Damien thought. Eric¡¯s always been the one to keep everybody¡¯s spirits up, no matter the circumstances. With him so out of it, there¡¯s nobody to step in and do something. He sighed. I would if I could, but I just don¡¯t have that ability to cheer everybody up that he does.


    There were a few times that Lilly attempted to make a call, only to put her phone down soon after. Damien assumed she was still trying to call Alice and if it were still failing, he feared what that might mean. At one point, as the hours continued to drone on, Lilly excused herself to go pick up lunch for everybody. When she left, Liz moved up beside Damien and rested her head against his shoulder. Just that small action was enough to calm him down a bit as he leaned his head against hers. Twenty minutes later, Lilly returned with some sandwiches that she probably got from one of the vendors down in the courtyard. She passed them around and even gave one to Eric, but he merely muttered a thanks and left it sitting untouched on the desk in front of him. Once they¡¯d finished eating in a painful silence, Damien went back to his homework.


    It wasn¡¯t until nearly another hour had passed that the door to the clubroom opened.


    ¡°Lilly!¡±


    At the call of a young girl¡¯s voice, Damien looked up to see a kid no older than eleven with dark brown hair walk into the room and, right behind her, was an older woman that was almost certainly her mom. He didn¡¯t recognize the girl, but judging both by the white cane in her hand and both Lilly and Liz¡¯s reactions, he could only assume that this was Natalie Hill, the blind girl he¡¯d heard all about.


    ¡°Natalie,¡± Lilly said, clearly forcing cheer into her voice as she got to her feet. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you guys were coming to the festival.¡±


    ¡°We normally don¡¯t,¡± the mother replied, ¡°but she really wanted to see you guys and so I figured it couldn¡¯t hurt to stop by today.¡±


    ¡°Are Liz and Eric here?¡± Natalie asked excitedly, turning her head as if trying to hear the other people in the room.


    Liz, too, forced a smile to her face as she got to her feet. ¡°Of course I¡¯m here, my little friend,¡± she said, moving over to give the little girl a hug. ¡°And of course, you said my name first which would imply that you were more excited to see me than Eric, yeah?¡±


    Natalie giggled as Liz glanced over her shoulder toward Eric, clearly trying to kick him back into their typical teasing banter, but the boy didn¡¯t even react. It almost felt like he hadn¡¯t even registered Natalie¡¯s presence.


    ¡°I love you both equally, Liz,¡± Natalie chirped. ¡°But, is Eric here or¡­?¡±


    Just as Damien was considering getting up and dragging Eric out of his chair, his old friend finally reacted as he got to his feet, though there was no attempt by him to force a smile.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here, dear Natalie,¡± he called over softly. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again. I take it your birthday was fun?¡±


    The little girl nodded. ¡°Yup! It was really cool! And thank you again for helping me win the big bunny!¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Eric muttered. ¡°I¡¯m glad I was able to help.¡±


    ¡°A-anyway!¡± Liz quickly cut in, clearly not wanting Natalie to realize that there was anything wrong with Eric. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you both came in for a fortune today?¡±


    Natalie nodded firmly. ¡°Yup! I wanna know what my future is gonna be like!¡±


    ¡°Alrighty then! That¡¯ll be two tickets, please!¡± the bespectacled girl said.


    Natalie¡¯s mother smiled and began reaching into her purse to retrieve two of the yellow tickets used for buying things at the spring festival. As she did so, she seemed to remember something and she glanced back up at them.


    ¡°I¡¯m Renee, by the way. It¡¯s nice to meet you all,¡± she greeted. ¡°I was really thankful for all you did for my daughter last weekend. I¡¯m happy she was able to go to the pier for her birthday. She¡¯s always wanted to go.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Liz replied. ¡°It was our pleasure! And I¡¯m Liz! That¡¯s Eric! And that¡¯s Damien!¡±


    She introduced each of them in turn, and Damien raised a hand in greeting while Eric merely nodded. However, Natalie furrowed her brow in confusion.


    ¡°Damien? Who¡¯s Damien?¡± she asked.


    Realizing that he probably should have introduced himself, he pushed back his chair and got to his feet. ¡°I am,¡± he called over to her. ¡°It¡¯s nice to finally meet you, Natalie.¡±


    Her confusion lasted only a moment as she turned in the direction of his voice, before her excited smile returned. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, too! I forgot there was another club member!¡±


    He returned the smile, finding himself grateful for Natalie and Renee¡¯s arrival. The little girl¡¯s cheerful energy was just what he¡¯d needed since the tension from before had really been starting to overwhelm him. The only issue was that Eric was clearly not in the headspace to give the girl her fortune.


    ¡°Here you go,¡± Renee said, handing two tickets to Liz. ¡°Two fortunes please.¡±


    Liz took the tickets and glanced back at Eric, silently urging him to get started, but the boy had already gone back to staring blankly into space. When it became clear that Eric wasn¡¯t going to do it, Damien was about to step forward himself and see what he could come up with but, thankfully for him, Lilly beat him to it.


    ¡°Alright, step right this way,¡± she said, placing a hand on Natalie¡¯s shoulder and leading her toward the table with the crystal ball. Once Lilly had taken her seat, she continued. ¡°Alright, now, I¡¯m going to stare into this mystical crystal ball and it¡¯s going to allow me to see into your future so I can tell you what you have in store.¡±


    Natalie was bouncing on the balls of her feet as she nodded. ¡°Okay! Awesome!¡±


    To Lilly¡¯s credit, she actually wasn¡¯t all that bad at playing the role of the fortune teller as she carefully hovered her hands over the ball¡¯s glass surface. The girl started straight into it and actually appeared as if she were attempting to read whatever magical information was being given to her.


    ¡°Yes, I see, she murmured.


    Natalie continued to bounce. ¡°What? What is it, Lilly?¡±


    ¡°Well, it would seem your futures are quite bright,¡± she replied. ¡°What I see is you and your mother gathered happily around a Christmas tree, opening presents and just having a good time. In fact, it seems like you¡¯re looking back on this year with joy and love, reminiscing on all the fun you had. It was a good year¡­and you¡¯re looking into the next one with hope and excitement for what¡¯s to come. That¡¯s¡­what I see in your future.¡±


    Damien saw Renee mutter a soft ¡°aw¡± and he couldn¡¯t help but agree. Lilly¡¯s fortune was really sweet, and he hoped that it would actually come true.


    ¡°Yay!¡± Natalie chirped. ¡°I really like Christmas and so far, this year has been really fun! Thanks, Lilly!¡±


    Lilly smiled and moved around the table to give the girl a hug. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m glad you liked it.¡±


    Damien watched them with a smile before turning his attention back toward Eric, who was sitting silently in the corner again.


    Come on, man. You¡¯re supposed to be doing this, he thought. In all the time I¡¯ve known you, you¡¯ve never been like this. Please, Eric¡­ Come back to us.


    ***


    ¡°Bye, guys! Thanks for the fortune!¡± Natalie called over her shoulder as Renee helped lead her through the door of the clubroom.


    The moment the door closed and the mother-daughter duo had vanished, Lilly instantly rounded on Eric, a mix of anger and worry swirling around in her head. ¡°Alright, what was that?¡± she demanded. ¡°I thought you were supposed to be in charge of the fortune telling so why were you just standing around, staring into space?¡±


    Eric slowly raised his head and looked back at her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lilly. I know that, but¡­I just¡­couldn¡¯t think straight. My head¡¯s¡­all fuzzy and I just¡­don¡¯t know what to do. I¡¯m sorry. You did a really good job, though,¡± he added almost as an afterthought.


    Seeing how down he was, she couldn¡¯t help but feel some of her irritation fading away. ¡°Look¡­it¡¯s fine,¡± she muttered. ¡°I just¡­I want to help you, Eric! Please, tell me what I can do for you!¡±


    The boy shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Lilly. All day¡­I¡¯ve been trying to figure out what to do¡ªto somehow prove that Vinny existed, but I can¡¯t think of anything. It feels like everything¡¯s been overwritten to make it so that he never existed. The only thing I can think of is¡­maybe visiting his family and seeing what I can find.¡±


    Lilly frowned. She knew what must have been on his mind, but she couldn¡¯t even fathom what he might say to the family of this Mickelson guy. However, wanting to at least be by his side if nothing else, she spoke in as warm of a voice as she could.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go with you,¡± she told him. ¡°If you want to talk to Mickelson¡¯s family then I¡¯ll go. Can¡¯t say I¡¯m not curious to see what would happen.¡±


    He looked up in surprise, but that expression quickly softened into one of gratitude. ¡°Okay. Thanks, Lilly. And I appreciate how much you want to help me. I wish there was something more I could do to help you understand, but I¡¯m honestly stuck.¡± Eric then got to his feet. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go get some fresh air. I¡¯ll be back in a bit.¡±


    ¡°Alright then,¡± she murmured, watching for the second time that day as he moved from the clubroom door. Once he had left, she turned toward the still silent Damien and Liz, both of whom were staring after Eric as well. ¡°So? Either of you curious enough to come with?¡±


    Damien glanced up at her and slowly shook his head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. I think it¡¯s best if only you go with him. Just¡­let us know what happens afterwards, alright?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she whispered. ¡°I''ll let you guys know later.¡±


    ¡°And Alice?¡± Liz asked nervously. ¡°Still nothing from her?¡±


    Lilly shook her head. ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Now, even Damien and Liz looked totally defeated and Lilly wasn¡¯t sure what she could do to help anybody. And to make matters worse, she still hadn¡¯t been able to get ahold of Alice. She¡¯d tried calling numerous times that day, but still was unable to talk to her.


    God damn it! Between Eric¡¯s sudden freakout and Alice¡¯s failure to answer the phone, I can¡¯t even imagine what I should be doing to help. I mean¡­there¡¯s no way this is a coincidence, right? The attack on the diner, Alice¡¯s weird disappearance, and Eric¡¯s behavior¡­could they all be related?


    But if so, how?

 Chapter 3- Where Did You Go?

    Chapter III


    With the second day of the festival drawing to a close, the crowds were finally starting to thin out in the hallways. The sun was beginning to set and its orange light shone into the corridors, bathing it in warm hues. However, the joy and excitement felt the afternoon prior wasn¡¯t as strong that day and it mostly had to do with the strange rumors that started going around that morning relating to the incident at Ralph¡¯s Diner. It was unheard of for such a violent and seemingly random attack to occur in Wilham, and with the Diner not far from the school, it had everybody a little on edge. Combined with the even vaguer rumors about the hospital break-in, the school seemed to be growing more tense by the hour. It felt like everywhere he went, there were people whispering about it. However, considering all that was going on and all that was still a mystery, Evan Wright chose not to let it worry him. The spring festival was an excuse to not have to go to school and to simply relax all day and he wasn¡¯t going to let some dumbass rumors get in the way of that.


    And it¡¯s probably just being blown all out of proportion. I doubt it¡¯s as bad as people are saying, he thought irritably. Hell, I¡¯d bet good money that somebody probably went into the diner with a gun, shot one person, and fled. I doubt there was any sort of fucking ¡°massacre¡± like everybody seems to think there was.


    Evan snorted, then glanced sidelong at the two boys walking to his left. Steven McCormick and Brad Fischer were side-by-side, talking in low voices about the very issue Evan had just been thinking about.


    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know what the hell I¡¯m supposed to think,¡± Steven muttered. ¡°It¡¯s just so¡­sudden. I mean, hell, when does anything even remotely close to something like this happen in fucking Wilham of all places?¡±


    Brad nodded, his features clearly displaying how concerned he was. ¡°I know. I¡¯d have been spooked regardless, but just the fact that they don¡¯t even know who did it is even more unnerving. I hope they catch the guy fast cause he sounds like a damn psychopath.¡±


    ¡°Maybe they already have,¡± Steven replied. ¡°For all we know, the cops already caught him and just haven¡¯t issued any statements yet. That¡¯s at least what I like to think.¡±


    Evan snorted, drawing both boys¡¯ attention toward him.


    ¡°What?¡± the red-headed boy snapped. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re not at least a little creeped out by all this?¡±


    Evan shrugged, barely sparing Steven a glance as he instead turned his attention out the window to his right, getting a full view of the courtyard below where students were already beginning to pack things up for the day.


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± he grunted. ¡°I really don¡¯t think it¡¯s all that big a deal. The story¡¯s probably been exaggerated to hell and back and I¡¯m sure whoever did it is gonna get their ass caught soon enough, if he hasn¡¯t already. So why should I bother getting all worked up about it? I¡¯m trying to enjoy the fucking festival and you guys should, too.¡±


    Steven rolled his eyes. ¡°Yeah, whatever, Evan. Be like that for all I care.¡±


    Glancing between the two and clearly wanting to avoid any arguments, Brad quickly cleared his throat and changed the subject. ¡°By the way, Steven,¡± he began. ¡°I heard from Charlotte that Rina collapsed this morning. Is she okay? Have you heard from her?¡±


    Instantly, at the mention of Rina Davens¡¯ name, Evan felt his stomach begin to churn. He hadn¡¯t spoken to that girl since December, back before he got arrested. Despite their relatively close relationship before, Rina hadn¡¯t once tried checking up on him while he was out of school and when he came back, she avoided him. Even when he approached her, wanting to make sure she was alright, she simply made up an excuse to blow him off and left. Of course, he didn¡¯t blame her for acting the way she did. She was almost certainly scared and he really couldn¡¯t blame her. He had no idea what the Magic Club did to her with his body, and for all he knew, she believed it was him who was responsible for whatever happened to her. After all, who would ever assume it was somebody else in his body? He sure wouldn¡¯t have. Not before he experienced it himself.


    Evan grimaced as images of the Magic Club, Mendez, and Brooks began flashing through his mind. As much as he hated to admit it, he did exactly what was demanded of him. He was ordered to stay away from the club and from Mendez or else they would use their magic to steal his body and further ruin his life, and he knew full well that they weren¡¯t bluffing. Tipping off the cops about the drugs was almost certainly their way of proving that.


    Naturally, he still hated each and every one of them, but he wasn¡¯t stupid. When he got back to school, he left Mendez alone, and stayed as far away from the Magic Club as he could. He wanted nothing more to do with them. Even on the few occasions when he grew furious and wanted to get revenge, or even just began to wonder what else they could do with their magic, he quickly decided it was for the best to just stay away. Instead, he¡¯d been spending his time with his football teammates, most of which had migrated to the baseball team for the spring.


    ¡°I think she¡¯s okay,¡± Steven said, pulling him back out of his brief moment of thought. ¡°I called her during lunch and she said she was fine and that she just got a bit lightheaded. I guess she hadn¡¯t eaten much today. She did go home, though, which sucks cause I know she was totally excited for the festival.¡±


    Brad frowned. ¡°Man, I feel bad for her. Did she say anything about whether she''d be staying home tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°She said she was coming whether she could or not,¡± Steven replied with a chuckle. ¡°So, if you guys are okay with it, I think I¡¯m gonna spend the day walking around with her.¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course dude,¡± the other boy said. ¡°Take some time with your girlfriend. It¡¯s totally understandable.¡±


    Evan was forced to suppress a scowl, realizing that meant he might be stuck dealing with Brad alone.


    Oh, fucking hell. Yeah, that¡¯s not happening. I¡¯d rather hang out alone than with that bastard, he thought bitterly.


    He knew without a shadow of a doubt that Brad was getting all friendly with the Magic Club. Whether he knew about their magic or not was unclear to him, but he¡¯d seen the boy interacting with Harper, and he¡¯d also taken their side during the whole Mendez incident. To Evan, it was pathetic that somebody as popular as him would ever waste his time interacting with the club.


    Although¡­I do have to wonder if Reiner or one of the others blackmailed him somehow, too.


    It wasn¡¯t the first time Evan had considered the possibility. They had used their magic to blackmail him into obeying them, so for all he knew, they had Brad wrapped around their finger as well. He lowered his head to stare down at the floor for a moment as he once again thought about how likely that could be, before deciding just to brush it aside and go back to listening to his friend¡¯s conversations. However, just as he was checking back in to what they were saying, Brad¡¯s next word caused him to hesitate.


    ¡°Reiner?¡±


    Evan¡¯s head snapped up and, sure enough, he could see Eric Reiner headed their way, but his eyes weren¡¯t fixed on Brad. Instead, he was staring straight at Evan.


    Oh, fucking hell. Why¡¯s he looking at me?


    Reiner brushed past a few of the lingering students and made his way toward their trio. When Evan spared a glance at the boys beside him, Brad seemed confused and Steven just looked annoyed, as if he couldn¡¯t imagine why the guy would be coming toward them.


    ¡°What¡¯s up, Reiner?¡± Brad greeted. ¡°You okay? You look a little sick?¡±


    Once Brad pointed it out, Evan quickly realized that the boy before them did look quite pale. Evan had only interacted with Reiner directly on occasion, and it was usually during their back-and-forths in Mrs. Kentz¡¯s classroom in first period. Whenever they did speak, Reiner always had this obnoxious grin on his face, like he enjoyed messing with them, and it was one of the things that irritated Evan the most about him. Now, however, he appeared almost lethargic and when he looked at them, his eyes seemed glazed over, like he could drop unconscious at any moment.


    What the fuck is wrong with him? Is he all bent out of shape about this diner incident, too?


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Fischer,¡± Reiner muttered. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Steven cocked an eyebrow. ¡°So can we help you or what? The hell do you want?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡± He furrowed his brow as if trying to collect his thoughts, before once again looking at Evan. ¡°Can we talk for a moment, Wright? I promise it¡¯ll be quick. I just need your help with something.¡±


    Evan immediately narrowed his eyes. Talk to me? Why? What the fuck is going on here? I thought we had a mutual agreement to just stay the fuck away from each other!


    ¡°What about?¡± he demanded.


    Reiner shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­tell you in private. I think it¡¯s better that way. And I promise, it¡¯ll just be a moment.¡±


    Evan cocked an eyebrow and once again looked to the other two to gauge their reactions. Steven just stared back and shrugged, as if he was quickly losing interest in the whole thing, and Brad, unsurprisingly to the boy, motioned for him to go with Reiner.


    ¡°Please,¡± Reiner insisted once more, with a little more force than before. ¡°Please, Wright.¡±


    When Evan turned back and looked him in the eyes, there was a desperation in them that caused him to pause. For a moment, he felt as if this would have been the perfect time to just blow him off and leave him to suffer whatever was bothering him and had he not been weary of the club¡¯s strange powers, he might have done so. Yet, he feared what the boy might do to him if he refused and, not sensing any hostility for the moment, he merely snorted and reluctantly nodded.


    ¡°Yeah, fine,¡± he snapped. ¡°Just make it quick.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± the other boy whispered.


    Then, without saying anything else, he turned and motioned for Evan to follow him. Hoping to be done with the whole thing as fast as possible, he went after Reiner as he led him further down the halls and into an even more empty corridor. Most people had either already gone home or were hanging out in the gym or one of the classrooms, so the corridors were relatively private now. Once they reached the end of the hall, Reiner pulled off to stand against the wall and Evan moved to position himself in front of him, folding his arms across his chest as he regarded the boy.


    ¡°So?¡± he demanded. ¡°The fuck do you want with me? I did exactly what I was told to do. I¡¯ve left you fuckers alone, haven¡¯t I? So if this is about the Mendez situation then¡ª!¡±


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°It is about that incident,¡± Reiner interrupted, ¡°but I¡¯m not here to threaten you. I just wanted to ask you a question about it.¡±


    He frowned. ¡°What? What kind of fucking question?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Reiner chewed on his lip for a moment as he stared at the ground. ¡°Look, I¡¯ll be blunt with you, Wright. I wasn¡¯t involved in what happened to you. In fact, it was done by one of my club members behind my back. I knew he was going to do something, but I didn¡¯t know what that was and because of that, I actually don¡¯t have all the details on how it went down.¡±


    Evan eyed him for a second, trying to determine how true his words were. It didn¡¯t feel like he was lying, and Reiner certainly hadn¡¯t been anywhere at the little house in the woods when he was jumped, so unless he was in Brooks'' body, which seemed unlikely, then for the moment, he decided to at least humor him, if only to see where he was going with this conversation.


    Not to mention, he thought with an internal sneer. Reiner¡¯s never come across as the type of guy with the balls to pull off something as twisted as that.


    ¡°Alright, say I believe you,¡± Evan growled finally. ¡°Then what?¡±


    ¡°Then¡­I want you to tell me what happened,¡± he replied softly. ¡°I know this is sudden and I know it sounds kind of strange, but that¡¯s all I want. How did it all go down and¡­who did it to you?¡±


    Who did it to me? Don¡¯t tell me this fucker doesn¡¯t even know which of his dumbass club members went behind his back? Maybe he doesn¡¯t have as much control over that group as I thought he did.


    Having already decided just to do what Reiner wanted, and since it wasn¡¯t that hard of a request to fulfill, Evan merely shrugged his shoulders and obliged. ¡°Fine then,¡± he spat. ¡°If that¡¯s all you want. I was walking down that forest path back behind Doris Street when¡­¡± He paused, trying to find the words to convey what he was remembering, but unable to do so. ¡°Um¡­it, uh¡­ I think I¡­¡±


    What the fuck? I¡­don¡¯t remember what happened. I was out in the woods and¡­I wound up in that cabin and then¡­well, my body was stolen, but by who? Brooks? No, Brooks stayed with me while I was tied up. But then¡­?


    Who?


    ¡°Wright?¡± Reiner pressed. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Evan scoffed and shook his head, feeling frustrated at how much of a daze that afternoon suddenly was to him. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t fucking remember,¡± he snapped. ¡°Go ask the dumbass who stole my body in the first pla¡ª!¡±


    He stopped mid sentence and Reiner grabbed him by the soldiers, his eyes wide in sudden terror. ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡± he demanded, his voice sharper than Evan had been prepared for. ¡°You aren¡¯t just saying that? You actually don¡¯t remember who did it? You aren¡¯t lying to me?¡±


    Evan quickly shoved him off and shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t call me a fucking liar! I said I don¡¯t remember and can you really fucking blame me? I don¡¯t know what the hell you guys are, but I want nothing to do with you. I¡¯m not gonna go near Mendez so just leave me alone!¡±


    He then quickly turned around and began stalking back in the direction they had come, his hands shoved in his pants pockets. Part of him figured Reiner would chase after him, but the boy just stayed put even when Evan rounded the corner and put him out of sight. He quickly tried to shove the conversation from his mind, but no matter how hard he tried, it just kept nagging at him.


    Damn it, he cursed. Why can¡¯t I remember? What happened that day? Who was it that stole my body? I feel like I should know, but I don''t! So why¡­?


    Why can¡¯t I remember?!


    ***


    The rest of the festival¡¯s second day passed by just as slow as the first half for Lilly. Eric only ever stayed in the clubroom for an hour at most before heading back out again and he never took over his job as the fortune teller. Instead, it was Lilly and Liz who had to come up with ideas for the handful of people that stopped by the clubroom that day. Right as they were getting ready to pack up and leave, Eric vanished from the room again, telling her that he would be back soon. He seemed like he might have thought of something and she hoped it was a good omen, but when he returned twenty minutes later, he was just as panicked and defeated as he had been earlier. He wouldn¡¯t tell her what he¡¯d been up to and she decided not to press him for any details. She knew Eric well enough to know that he would confide in her once he was ready.


    From there, the four of them departed the clubroom and made their way through the school building and out into the courtyard. At the gates, they bid goodbye to Damien and Liz, leaving Lilly and Eric to walk the streets alone. The sun was setting but there was still plenty of light left to illuminate the roads. Normally, she and Eric would start talking and joking around, but this time, they just walked in silence. It wasn¡¯t the normal, comfortable silence they sometimes shared, but one that made her sick to her stomach. She wanted to break it and start up a conversation, but every time she tried, Eric only responded with very little enthusiasm or energy. She was at a loss, and she could only hope that they would learn something at their destination that might give her an idea of what to do.


    Eric said he wanted to visit the family of Vinny Mickelson and so, she prayed that something there would give them a clue to follow on how to solve the problem facing them. The simple fact was that their memories weren¡¯t adding up, and Lilly wasn¡¯t sure Vinny Mickelson existed or ever did. But if his family was real, she wasn¡¯t sure what she would think. It was all so insane to her.


    And then there¡¯s Alice¡­


    She still hadn¡¯t heard back from her friend, and it didn¡¯t seem like she ever showed up at the festival that day. It wasn¡¯t normal for her and the chance that something bad had happened was increasing by the hour. If she knew where Alice lived, she¡¯d have gone straight to her house to check up on her, but unfortunately, she¡¯d never been to Alice¡¯s house, and the only person she knew of that would know was Jay.


    I could always try asking Matt or Ellie, she thought. And if push comes to shove, I imagine Rina would know.


    She had actually considered asking Rina Davens about it despite their history, but had quickly learned that the girl passed out that morning and had been forced to go home and rest. Lilly hoped that Rina would be back the next day, but there was no guarantee of anything.


    Of course, there¡¯s the possibility that Alice just shows back up tomorrow. Who knows? Maybe she just came down with a really bad sickness and has been sleeping all day¡­


    She knew the chances were slim, but it was what she wanted to believe. Then, as she thought about Alice, a question came to mind, one that she¡¯d been meaning to ask Eric all day.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she said softly, ¡°when you came in this morning, you said that Alice went with this Vinny guy on a date at the diner. Obviously, I don¡¯t remember Alice ever having a boyfriend, but¡­what do you remember?¡±


    She believed that the first step in figuring it all out would be to try and learn what the past was that Eric claimed he remembered. If she could do that, maybe she could at least discover something that might tell her what was going on.


    Her boyfriend glanced down at her for a moment and then sighed. ¡°What I remember is that Vinny and Alice started dating back during Christmas, right before the whole Wright incident. That situation caused some problems, but they stuck it through and kept together. Last night, Vinny told me that he and Alice were going to the diner for a date and that was all I knew. When I woke up this morning, everybody had suddenly forgotten that Vinny existed.¡±


    Lilly took in everything he said and tried to process it all. Unsurprisingly, none of that added up with her own memories. She remembered the bullying incident with Evan Wright and she remembered Alice saying she was going to the diner that night for dinner, but there was no Vinny Mickelson involved in any of that. However, Eric¡¯s words were unsettling to her. Assuming Vinny did exist and he was at the diner, what happened there that would have erased him from existence. After all, she still remembered Alice so whatever happened to Vinny didn¡¯t happen to her.


    But¡­the only thing that could have done this is something supernatural. And if something supernatural happened, then does that mean the person who killed those people in the diner has magic, too?


    ¡°Here we are,¡± Eric announced meekly.


    When Lilly looked up, she found them approaching an average looking house. There was nothing special about it to her, and she certainly hadn¡¯t been there before, but as they walked up the driveway and stepped onto the porch, one glance at the welcome mat made her sick feeling grow worse. Upon it was the word ¡°Mickelson¡±.


    So¡­then this place is¡­the home of a family with the surname Mickelson¡­


    Lilly swallowed nervously as Eric stepped forward and rapped his knuckles against the door a few times. She had no idea what to expect here, but even just learning that the family could exist was enough for her doubt to strengthen their grip on her mind.


    ¡°Coming,¡± came a call from the other side of the door, immediately followed by the click of the lock and the door being pulled open. ¡°Oh? Eric! How¡¯s it going?¡±


    Standing before her was a young girl probably around middle school age with long blonde hair and blue eyes, who was looking up at Eric with a wide grin. When she noticed Lilly standing beside him, a look of curiosity flashed across her features.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Mia,¡± Eric greeted softly. ¡°How¡­ How are you?¡±


    The girl, evidently named Mia, frowned and then shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°Um, I guess I really can¡¯t complain.¡± She then glanced once more at Lilly, with an expectant look in her eyes.


    ¡°Oh, right,¡± Eric quickly said. ¡°Mia, this is my girlfriend, Lilly.¡±


    Her expression quickly turned mischievous at Eric¡¯s introduction. ¡°Girlfriend, huh? Well, it¡¯s nice to meet you, Lilly. I¡¯m Mia, a good friend of Eric¡¯s.¡± She then stepped aside. ¡°Want to come in? I can make you guys some hot chocolate or something?¡±


    Eric moved inside and Lilly kept close behind him, staying silent and allowing him to take the lead of the conversation. She had no idea what he planned to do or what he could be thinking, but this Mia girl¡¯s existence alone was enough to intrigue her.


    ¡°Thank you for the offer but I don¡¯t plan to stay long,¡± Eric muttered, sparing a look down the hallway and into the relatively silent house. ¡°Are your parents home?¡±


    Mia shook her head. ¡°Nope. They were working late today so they won¡¯t be back until around seven.¡±


    ¡°And¡­?¡± The boy swallowed nervously and Lilly could see his hands shaking as he turned his attention back to the young girl. ¡°...what about your brother? Is Vinny here?¡±


    For a moment, the entry hall went silent and Lilly realized she was holding her breath as she waited for Mia¡¯s response. The girl frowned, as if taken by surprise at the sudden question, then narrowed her eyes in confusion.


    ¡°Um, Eric? What are you talking about?¡± she asked. ¡°You know I¡¯m an only child? I mean, I don¡¯t know who this Vinny guy is, but if anybody were to be considered my brother, it¡¯d probably be you. Is there some joke I¡¯m missing or¡­?¡±


    Despite having almost certainly expected such a response, Eric took a step back and stared down at Mia with wide eyes. ¡°No,¡± he whispered. ¡°No, come on, Mia! Think! Vinny! Your big brother! How can you not know what I¡¯m talking about?!¡±


    As his voice rose to a shout, Mia looked startled and she turned to Lilly as if seeking help. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± she murmured. ¡°What do you mean, Eric? I don¡¯t get it.¡±


    ¡°God damn it,¡± Eric cursed.


    Then, before either of them could stop him, he turned and darted into the house.


    ¡°Eric! Hold on!¡± Lilly called after him, but he ignored her completely.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him? Did something happen?¡± Mia asked her, tears welling up in her eyes.


    She could see the girl clutching her hands together and it quickly became apparent that Eric had scared her more than Lilly first realized. She placed a hand on her shoulder and shook her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± she replied.


    Then, she turned and hurried after Eric. She felt bad barging into the house, but she had to be by Eric¡¯s side. When she rushed into the dimly lit living room, she didn¡¯t see any sign of him, and so she hurried toward the staircase in the corner of the room. She quickly found him standing in the doorway of a room near the top of the stairs, just staring into the interior with a pained look on his face. When she moved up to stand behind him, she peeked over his shoulder to find some sort of workspace or office, probably belonging to one of Mia¡¯s parents. There was a desk with a computer on it and various boxes of what looked to be files and other sheets of paper.


    ¡°This is wrong,¡± Eric uttered, his body shaking and tears forming in his eyes. ¡°This was¡­his bedroom. This is Vinny¡¯s bedroom. I¡¯ve been here a million times. Ever since we were in middle school¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Lilly said, reaching out to grip his hand with her, but he didn¡¯t even respond, as if not processing the fact that she was there.


    ¡°Vinny,¡± he continued softly, ¡°why doesn¡¯t anybody remember you? Where¡­did you go?¡±

 Chapter 4- The Pain Of Helplessness

    Chapter IV


    Since Damien¡¯s parents didn¡¯t tend to get home from work until around eight o¡¯clock, he decided to invite Liz over to have dinner with him that night. After everything that had gone on that day, he really didn¡¯t want to be alone. Of course, after what happened at the diner, he fully intended to walk Liz home afterwards since there was no way he¡¯d be comfortable with her walking back alone in the dark. In fact, he even worried about Lilly and Eric being out despite there being two of them there. However, not wanting to get too paranoid, he kept his concerns to himself and decided to just wait until Lilly texted him. He couldn¡¯t even begin to guess what might happen whether Eric found the Mickelson family or not.


    But I guess there¡¯s no reason to let it hang over me so much, he thought. I should just be patient. There¡¯s nothing I can do at this point. He quickly cringed as the thought crossed his mind. Yeah¡­that¡¯s the problem, isn¡¯t it? There¡¯s nothing I can do. Something bad is happening to Eric and I¡¯m powerless to help him. I¡¯ve never seen him look as depressed as he did today nor has he ever been quiet that long. It¡¯s just¡­so unnatural.


    Damien sighed and stared down at the pasta and meat sauce he¡¯d whipped up for dinner. It was one of the few things he could cook, but Liz always told him that she really liked it. He absently twisted the noodles around his fork, but found himself not feeling hungry, so he just set it back down and glanced up at Liz. His girlfriend was also blankly gazing at her meal and it didn¡¯t look like she¡¯d eaten more than a few bites.


    ¡°If you aren¡¯t hungry, I can wrap it up and save it for lunch tomorrow,¡± he offered, not wanting her to feel like she had to eat it.


    But Liz quickly shook her head and gave him a very forced smile. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll eat it. I¡¯m just¡­thinking, is all.¡±


    He smirked bitterly. ¡°Doubt I have to ask what about. I¡¯m worried about Eric, too.¡±


    ¡°Do you¡­have any idea what¡¯s going on?¡± Liz began hesitantly. ¡°I mean, you¡¯ve known him longer than me. Has anything like this ever happened before? Has he¡­ever started talking about people who don¡¯t exist?¡±


    Damien shook his head. ¡°No, never. Obviously, he¡¯s always had his quirks, but he¡¯s never lied. He¡¯s rambled on about magic being real for years, but he¡¯s only ever seriously claimed to have it one time and that was with the stone.¡± He leaned back in his chair and scratched his chin in thought. ¡°And he¡¯s certainly never done anything like this.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I figured,¡± she muttered. ¡°But I thought I¡¯d ask, just in case.¡±


    The room went silent again but, not wanting to be left alone with his thoughts any longer than he already had been, Damien quickly picked the conversation back up. ¡°So, the last day of the festival¡¯s tomorrow. Kinda weird to think our junior year festival is almost over. After this, there¡¯s just one left.¡±


    He knew it was a dumb thing to talk about but, after dedicating the day to worrying about Eric and Alice, he thought it might be good to just think about something benign. The festival was supposed to be one of the most fun events of the year and the second day had left him shaking, so he wanted to try and think about it in as positive of a light as possible.


    ¡°Honestly,¡± Liz whispered. ¡°Time¡¯s flying by, I guess. It feels like just yesterday that the year started and now¡­we graduate in a little over a month. It¡¯s crazy and¡­¡±


    She trailed off, her attempt at holding the conversation failing. He could see the pain in her eyes and knew she was struggling with it all. Liz had been uncharacteristically quiet that day as well, and that was all he needed to know that she was just as scared as he was. The fact that he didn¡¯t know what to say just proved he couldn¡¯t help her either. Their situation was so unusual that he couldn¡¯t even begin to try. Damien grit his teeth in frustration, then opened his mouth to try and keep the conversation going when a knock at the front door distracted him.


    Liz looked up and frowned. ¡°You expecting someone?¡±


    Damien slowly shook his head. ¡°No. I don¡¯t think so. My dad has a key so¡­¡±


    He got to his feet and walked into the living room before making his way toward the front door. However, when he looked through the peephole, he felt his body relax as he reached down to open it. Standing on the other side, all by herself, was Lilly Harper, appearing just as exhausted as he felt.


    ¡°Lilly? What¡¯s up?¡± he greeted weakly. ¡°Is everything alright?¡±


    She quickly nodded. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s fine, I guess. Sorry for dropping by so suddenly but I wanted to talk to you about everything in person. Is that okay or are you busy?¡±


    He briefly glanced over his shoulder to where Liz was sitting in the kitchen. As much as he didn¡¯t want to turn Lilly away, he and Liz were technically in the middle of a dinner date, and so he wanted to go ask if she was okay with it, but his girlfriend was already looking back, nodding to let him know that she was fine. He turned back to Lilly and stepped aside.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s fine,¡± he replied. ¡°Liz is here, too, so we can talk about it all together.¡±


    At that, Lilly looked suddenly guilty as she stared at him. ¡°So I am interrupting something, huh?¡±


    ¡°Kinda,¡± he admitted, ¡°but this is more important so it''s not a big deal. Come on.¡±


    Wanting to make sure she didn¡¯t feel bad, he quickly brushed her worry aside and led her into the kitchen. For a moment, he wondered why she didn¡¯t call ahead before realizing how dumb of a question it was. After all, if she could avoid talking on the phone, she would. That¡¯s just how she was. In fact, Damien could only ever recall giving her a call once or twice in the nearly eight months since they met.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got some pasta if you¡¯re hungry,¡± Damien told her, but she quickly shook her head.


    ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯m fine,¡± she muttered. ¡°I¡¯ll eat something when I get home. I don¡¯t want to stay too long.¡±


    Seeing how tired the girl looked, Liz placed an arm around her and pulled her in for a quick hug as Damien took his seat across from the two girls. He went back to nibbling on his pasta, wanting to give Lilly enough time to gather her thoughts before he bombarded her with questions. After a moment, Lilly pulled back from the hug, folded her hands on the red tablecloth, then took a deep breath and spoke.


    ¡°The Mickelson¡¯s exist,¡± she said, jumping right to the heart of the matter.


    ¡°They do?¡± Liz asked incredulously. ¡°So then¡­is Vinny Mickelson real, too?¡±


    Lilly shook her head. ¡°No. He isn¡¯t. According to the kid we talked to, she was an only child and had no memory of the older brother Eric claimed she had. In fact, she looked at him the same way we did. Though at the very least. she did seem to know Eric.¡±


    Damien¡¯s head began to spin as he took in the new information she was giving him. The fact that there was a family in Wilham with the last name Mickelson was surprising and it only made Eric¡¯s strange outbursts even more unnerving. However, even after confirming that the family existed, there was still no sign of this mystery fifth club member. Unsure of how to even react, he decided to get as clear of a picture as he could.


    ¡°Could you¡­explain exactly what happened when you guys got there?¡± he asked. ¡°Like, what exactly did Eric do?¡±


    Lilly quickly obliged, describing how she and Eric met a young, middle-school girl named Mia Mickelson. He then asked about Vinny and, like Lilly had already explained, told him that she was an only child. This caused Eric to freak out and run into the house and up the stairs to what looked to Lilly like a study for one of the parents, but Eric insisted that it had once been the bedroom of Vinny Mickelson. After scaring the poor girl, Lilly convinced Eric to leave, and the boy went home without saying a word.


    ¡°And he was genuinely surprised,¡± Lilly finished. ¡°When he looked into that office, it was as if he¡¯d just been stabbed in the gut. Whatever¡¯s going on right now, there¡¯s no way I can believe that Eric is lying. At the very least, he believes that Mickelson was real.¡±


    Liz shook her head in disbelief. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what to think anymore. I mean, regardless of what he believes, he¡¯s just wrong, isn¡¯t he? Vinny Mickelson doesn¡¯t exist so how can he so firmly believe that he does. I just¡­don¡¯t get it.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Damien agreed. ¡°I¡¯m with you on that. I¡¯ve known him for a long time and I know when he¡¯s just messing around. This¡­whatever this is, he¡¯s truly confused.¡±


    ¡°But then¡­what does that mean, guys?¡± Lilly murmured. ¡°If Eric¡¯s not lying to us then what¡¯s going on? Did Mickelson actually exist and then just vanish from existence or¡­has Eric just gone insane?¡±


    ¡°If Vinny did exist,¡± Liz began, ¡°then there¡¯s only one thing that could have wiped him from reality¡­and that¡¯s magic. But if something magical erased an entire human being from our memories then¡­¡±


    ¡°How did it do it¡­and why?¡± Damien finished.


    An ominous silence fell over the room as the three of them considered the implications of that theory. Given all they knew, which was very little, they would have been stupid to not consider the work of something supernatural. After spending almost the entire school year using a magic stone to swap bodies, and even experiencing it himself, Damien found he could no longer believe in the impossible. Body swapping was real and so there was nothing stopping anything else from being real. And as far as he was concerned, there were only two possible options for what could be happening¡ªeither Eric¡¯s memories had been tampered with to create this nonexistent club member, or theirs had been messed with to erase him. Both options were utterly terrifying to Damien.


    ¡°And there¡¯s something else I was thinking about,¡± Lilly began softly. ¡°Eric said this morning that Alice went with Mickelson to the diner last night on a date. So if Mickelson was actually wiped from existence¡­¡±


    ¡°Then you think it happened there?¡± Liz finished, her eyes going wide with terror as the meaning behind her friend¡¯s words sank in.


    ¡°But,¡± Damien quickly interjected, ¡°if that¡¯s true then¡­wouldn¡¯t that mean that the person who killed all those people possessed some sort of magic?¡±


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Lilly shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s just a thought. At this point, I really don¡¯t know what to do or what to think. I wish I had a better idea of how to react to this all, but I don¡¯t. And on top of that, Alice still won¡¯t answer my calls and I¡¯m terrified that something might have happened to her and¡­¡±


    The girl stopped mid sentence, tears welling up in her eyes as the stress threatened to overwhelm her. Liz quickly gave her another hug and began whispering comforting words to her, leaving Damien to lean back in his chair to think.


    She¡¯s right. Eric did say that Alice and Mickelson went on a date to the diner last night, he thought with a shiver. And if that¡¯s the case¡­then Alice¡¯s disappearance can¡¯t possibly be coincidence. God damn it! What the fuck is happening?! Why are our memories not lining up with Eric¡¯s?! What could have possibly done this!


    Damien glanced once more at the two girls, seeing similar expressions of fear and frustration in their features. We have to get to the bottom of this and soon¡­


    ...because if magic is behind this, then there¡¯s not a doubt in my mind that this isn¡¯t going to be an isolated incident.


    ***


    Due to how uncertain everything was, Damien insisted on walking Liz and Lilly home, and not wanting to be out on the streets alone after dark, she quickly accepted. The couple led her to her apartment building before bidding her goodbye and taking off in the direction of Liz¡¯s house. Lilly watched them go for a moment, considering all they discussed, then turned and walked into the building¡¯s lobby. She muttered a brief ¡°good evening¡± to Mr. Esteban at the reception desk, then got in an elevator and rode it to the third floor of the building where her apartment was. When she arrived at her door, she hurriedly unlocked it, anxious to get inside and just relax after the insane day she had, but when she opened it, she was greeted with the scent of cooking meat and the sound of cheerful laughter, with more voices than just the three she expected to hear.


    What the¡­? Ah, don¡¯t tell me we have company!


    Lilly slipped inside and slid her shoes off by the door before rounding the corner and entering the main room. Her irritation quickly eased upon seeing who the visitors were, and she found herself at least somewhat in higher spirits. Sitting around the kitchen table with her parents and sister were Natalie and Renee.


    ¡°Hey, there she is,¡± her father called out cheerfully. ¡°Was wondering when you¡¯d be back, sweetheart!¡±


    ¡°Oh, is Lilly here?¡± Natalie exclaimed, craning her head around as if hoping to hear her approach.


    Lilly couldn¡¯t help but smile a bit at the little girl¡¯s enthusiasm as she walked over to the table to stand beside her. ¡°Yup, I¡¯m here, Nat¡¯,¡± she greeted. ¡°Didn¡¯t know you were coming by tonight or else I would have tried to get home quicker.¡±


    Natalie excitedly hugged her while Renee responded.


    ¡°Well, I ran into your father down in the lobby and he invited us over for dinner,¡± she explained. ¡°Natalie was hoping to see you again, and she was sad when we realized you weren¡¯t home yet.¡±


    ¡°Where were you?¡±


    At the sudden question, Lilly glanced over to see Alexa staring at her. The question wasn¡¯t asked in any harsh manner, and seemed more out of worry than anything else, but Lilly still couldn¡¯t help but get irritated that her sister was once again sticking her nose in her business.


    ¡°I went out with the club,¡± she quickly lied. ¡°Liz thought it would be fun to go get something to eat before heading home so¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, that''s quite alright,¡± her mother said. ¡°So then are you not hungry for dinner?¡±


    It was then that Lilly noticed the bowls of beef stew sitting in front of each person at the table, as well as one at the only empty spot. Seeing as she hadn¡¯t actually eaten anything since that afternoon, she realized just how starving she actually was.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m still hungry,¡± she replied as she moved over to take her seat between Natalie and her mother. ¡°Thanks, Mom.¡±


    Trying to pretend like she was only mildly hungry so as to not reveal to them that she had lied, Lilly casually took a few bites of the savory meal rather than just diving in like she had been really tempted to do. After the long day she¡¯d had, it was a welcome moment to just relax and she felt herself gradually calming down for the first time since that morning.


    ¡°Well, now that you¡¯re home, there was something we wanted to talk to you about,¡± her father began.


    She glanced up at him, an eyebrow raised in curiosity. She couldn¡¯t think of anything in particular that they needed to talk about, and for a moment, she wondered if she was going to get chewed out for being out so late given the whole diner incident.


    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s up?¡± Lilly asked, trying to hide her anxiety.


    The man smiled, glanced over at Renee, then back to her. ¡°Well, you know how you didn¡¯t want to go on our trip to visit the University of Alden?¡±


    She narrowed her eyes, trying to recall what he was referring to, before admonishing herself for forgetting. Nearly a week ago, her dad had told her that the family would be visiting UA, the college Alexa had gotten into, at the end of April and he told her that he wouldn''t make her go with them if she didn¡¯t want to. Naturally, Lilly wasn¡¯t in the mood to go on a trip, and so she had gladly declined the offer in favor of getting the apartment to herself for a weekend. He¡¯d asked her about it right as she was stressing over the pier trip with Natalie, and so she¡¯d completely forgotten about it.


    ¡°What about it?¡± she replied. ¡°Do I have to go now or¡­?¡±


    ¡°Actually,¡± Renee cut in. ¡°You see, Lilly, I¡¯m actually going down south that same weekend for a work trip and, well, I¡¯ve already talked it over with your parents so, if you''re willing, would you be okay if Natalie stayed here with you that weekend? And of course, I¡¯ll pay you for the work,¡± she quickly added.


    Before Lilly could even consider the request, Natalie quickly grabbed her arm and smiled. ¡°Please say yes, Lilly!¡± she begged. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll be good and we can play games! Doesn¡¯t that sound fun?¡±


    ¡°Natalie,¡± her mother admonished. ¡°Give the poor girl a second to think about it.¡±


    Lilly laughed at Natalie''s enthusiasm and found herself flattered that she was so insistent on spending a weekend with her. Even though she would lose her chance to have the apartment to herself, she was actually looking forward to having the little girl as company while her parents were away.


    ¡°I mean, of course I¡¯m okay with it,¡± Lilly finally said. ¡°And thanks for trusting me to keep an eye on her for the weekend.¡±


    Renee smiled. ¡°Aw, of course I trust you.¡±


    Lilly then once again raised an eyebrow at her parents. ¡°And I¡¯ll admit that I¡¯m kinda surprised you two are fine with me babysitting by myself while you¡¯re gone. I thought you¡¯d be afraid of me burning the apartment down.¡±


    ¡°Well, of course we are,¡± her father teased. ¡°Why do you think we¡¯re okay with Natalie staying here? Somebody''s gotta make sure the place stays in one piece.¡±


    She narrowed her eyes, finding herself unable to come up with a quick comeback, so instead she just snorted and shrugged. Natalie, on the other hand, beamed brightly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Harper! I¡¯ll make sure Lilly doesn¡¯t break anything!¡±


    Almost everyone at the table began to laugh and Lilly couldn¡¯t help but join in despite all the jokes being at her expense. Oddly enough, she was feeling a bit more rejuvenated and ready to face the next day with a clearer mind.


    Tomorrow¡¯s the last day of the festival, she thought. So, I¡¯m going to get to the bottom of this whole thing before it¡¯s over. I¡¯ll talk to Eric again and I¡¯ll make sure to listen to everything he says. There¡¯s gotta be a clue in these memory contradictions that¡¯ll tell us what happened. I just need to find them. And who knows? Maybe Alice will get back to me and I¡¯ll find out she¡¯s actually safe.


    Lilly looked around at her family and the Hill¡¯s, smiling and chatting, and found even Alexa seemed to be mildly enjoying herself, although it was clear that she still had a lot on her mind.


    She¡¯s probably still thinking about the situation in the clubroom yesterday. Maybe¡­I¡¯ll talk to her, too.


    ***


    After dinner was over, Natalie and Renee went home and Lilly headed into their bedroom to relax, leaving Alexa still sitting at the kitchen table by herself. Their parents had migrated into the living room to watch TV and the sounds of some reality show reached Alexa¡¯s ears. Normally, she might have joined them, enjoying the trashy television and all the drama that came with it, but that night, she couldn¡¯t get her interaction with Eric Reiner out of her head. He had been so different that she was certain that something must have happened to him. Her intention had been to ask Lilly about it when she got home, but her sister stayed out late and by the time she got back, they were in the middle of dinner with Natalie and Renee so she hadn¡¯t gotten a chance to approach her about the matter. But now that everything had calmed down, she found herself hesitating to talk to her.


    Knowing her, if something bad did happen then she probably won¡¯t want to talk to me about it. She¡¯ll just tell me that it¡¯s not my business again. Either that or she¡¯ll deny that anything¡¯s wrong with the guy.


    The girl scowled and put her face in her hands. God, why am I so indecisive?! I¡¯m so damn pathetic! I¡¯m Lilly¡¯s older sister so it¡¯s my job to worry about her! Alexa jumped to her feet and turned toward the hallway. I¡¯ll just ask about Eric. There¡¯s no reason not to. After all, I am worried about him after what I saw earlier.


    When Alexa reached their bedroom door, she pushed the it open and peeked inside to see Lilly laying on her bed, staring up at the ceiling with her eyes half-lidded. When Lilly noticed Alexa step inside, the older girl didn¡¯t miss the immediate ¡°don¡¯t talk to me¡± look she got. However, unfortunately for her, Alexa was determined this time to get the answers she wanted.


    ¡°Hey, Lil¡¯,¡± she greeted softly. ¡°Can I talk to you for a moment?¡±


    Her little sister narrowed her eyes. ¡°About?¡±


    ¡°About Reiner. I just wanted to make sure he was okay.¡±


    She could tell that Lilly tried her best to hide it but, having known the girl her whole life, Alexa didn¡¯t miss the mild shock that crossed her features. That alone was enough for her to tell that Lilly did know something about it.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m not trying to pry into your business,¡± she quickly added. ¡°I know how you feel about that. I¡¯m just worried about him, is all. I ran into him in the halls earlier and he looked like he was about to vomit. It was so different from yesterday that I couldn¡¯t help but worry something happened.¡± Alexa paused for a moment, watching her sister glance away with a torn look. ¡°Does it¡­have anything to do with the diner incident or¡­?¡±


    Lilly sighed and sat up, her expression now just showing how exhausted she was. ¡°To be perfectly honest, I don¡¯t have a clue. He just started acting weird and he won¡¯t tell me why. I¡¯m¡­worried, too.¡±


    Alexa was stunned by the ease with which she got a response. She expected to have to do a bit of convincing to get her sister to open up even a little and from the look on her face, Alexa didn¡¯t think she was lying.


    ¡°Oh,¡± she murmured. ¡°So he hasn¡¯t said anything?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°Well, he¡¯s said stuff but none of it makes sense. I want to help him but I don¡¯t know how. I¡¯m a little scared, Alexa, but I just¡­¡± Lilly chewed her lip in thought. ¡°Look, thanks for the concern, but I¡¯ll take care of it. Damien, Liz, and I¡¯ll try to figure something out.¡±


    For a moment, she wondered if Lilly suddenly decided to try and push her away from the problem, but she quickly realized that wasn¡¯t the case. Her little sister was simply stating her plan aloud.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Alexa replied. ¡°Just let me know if you need any help and I¡¯ll come running.¡±


    Lilly forced a meek smile and nodded. ¡°Yeah, thanks, Sis¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Alexa smiled back then turned to leave to give Lilly some more time to herself, but before she could go, her little sister called out to her once more.


    ¡°And Alexa?¡± She glanced back to find Lilly gazing back at her, the exhaustion still evident, but suddenly mixed with a bit of determination. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about yesterday. I didn¡¯t mean to be so rude when you stopped by the clubroom. That wasn¡¯t right of me.¡±


    Once again surprised, it took her a moment to respond. ¡°Uh, no, it¡¯s fine. Honestly, I¡¯m the one who should be sorry for sticking my nose in your business. I should trust you¡­and I do.¡±


    ¡°Thanks¡­ And I promise that I¡¯ll let you know when I learn anything about Eric.¡±


    ¡°Please do,¡± Alexa agreed. ¡°I might not know him too well, but I still like the kid. I wouldn¡¯t want anything to happen to him.¡±


    Despite her earlier hesitancy to approach Lilly, she was now grateful that she did. For the first time in a while, she felt like the girl was actually comfortable confiding in her, and it was something that gave her hope. She didn¡¯t know what was wrong with Eric Reiner, but if her sister was worried about it then she would do her best to figure it out. Lilly had finally extended an olive branch to her and she was determined not to miss her chance to take it.

 Chapter 5- When The Lights Go Out

    Chapter V


    That morning, the students of West Wilham High were once again hit with tragic news. The chief of the Wilham police had officially released a statement revealing what happened at the hospital on the first night of the festival. The bodies of two nurses who had been working at the time had been discovered only fifteen minutes after they had last been seen by one of their coworkers. Similarly to the attack at the diner, they weren¡¯t sure who was responsible for killing them, and according to the chief, surveillance in the hospital had been acting strange, so they didn¡¯t have any visuals on what might have transpired in the moments leading up to their deaths. And in addition to the loss of the nurses, there was one other tragic event of the night: one of the patients completely vanished from his bed and there was no sign of where he might have gone or what may have happened to him. The hospital was thoroughly searched but nothing was found, and nobody could remember seeing the boy leave through any of the entrances. The missing patient¡¯s name was Jay Brooks.


    When she read all of that, Liz felt as if she could throw up at any given moment. In one of the most peaceful towns in the country, there had been two random attacks in one night and between those two incidents, both Alice Mendez and Jay Brooks had gone missing.


    That can¡¯t be a coincidence, Liz thought with utter dread. It¡¯s just too strange! How could both Alice and Jay just vanish at once?! Not to mention Jay was in a coma! How could he have possibly up and vanished?! It¡¯s not like he could walk out by himself! She clenched her teeth, glancing across the clubroom to where Damien was sitting at the back table, his head in his hands and his foot constantly tapping against the linoleum floor. And throughout all of this, Eric starts acting crazy, rambling on about some club member that never existed and losing his mind when we don¡¯t know what he¡¯s talking about. It¡¯s all just¡­


    Liz exhaled softly, feeling her earlier sickness quickly returning, and so she continued to take deep breaths until the feeling passed. The final day of the festival was set to begin in twenty minutes, but the sense of fun and excitement of the first day was nowhere near as strong as it used to be. After all, these two incidents combined with Jay going missing had set a certain tension over the school, and she could tell that there were students who were afraid. Nobody knew what had actually gone down at the diner and the hospital, and so there was no stopping whoever did it from attacking somewhere else. In fact, even the principal and teachers seemed on edge. An email was sent out to the student body that morning, urging them to be careful going home and to make sure they didn¡¯t walk alone. Traditionally, the final evening of the festival was celebrated with a students-only bonfire out on the football field, and Liz was half expecting them to cancel it. They hadn¡¯t done so yet, but even if they didn¡¯t, she wouldn''t have been surprised if very few people showed up.


    As she sat there, tormented by her thoughts, the clubroom door opened and Lilly walked in, her head down and her eyes red, as if she¡¯d just recently been crying. Liz didn¡¯t even have to ask what was wrong as she quickly got to her feet and rushed toward her friend to give her a hug.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Liz immediately whispered. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Lilly.¡±


    The girl embraced her back and rested her head against her shoulder. Her body was shaking, but she hadn¡¯t gone back to crying just yet.


    ¡°So you¡¯ve heard about Jay then?¡± she uttered.


    Liz nodded. ¡°We have.¡±


    ¡°Why? Why did this happen? Why did Jay have to disappear? After everything we¡¯ve been through¡­ I just don¡¯t understand. I don¡¯t want to lose him, Liz. I don¡¯t¡­¡± She sniffled and Liz gave her a moment to think, just rubbing her back and ensuring that she was there for her friend. ¡°And I still can¡¯t get a hold of Alice. What¡¯s going on?¡±


    So I was right¡­ Alice still hasn¡¯t been accounted for. I wonder how long until she¡¯s considered missing, too?


    Liz glanced over Lilly¡¯s shoulder to see Damien looking back at them, a pained expression on his face. He¡¯d been hoping that Lilly might have spoken to Alice, but at this point, if the girl hadn¡¯t called back, it probably meant that something had actually happened to her.


    Alice and Jay in one night¡­ This isn¡¯t right. Something really bad is going on¡­ And¡­


    For a moment, her thoughts flashed back to their conversation the night before. Lilly and Damien had been worried that whatever went down at the diner may have been supernatural. Now, that theory was seeming more and more likely, and it terrified her. A coma patient just straight-up vanished from his bed without any clue as to where he could have gone. It didn¡¯t make any sense and when that theory was considered, the use of magic might explain what happened to Jay.


    But if Alice and Jay, and maybe even this Vinny guy, were attacked by magic, then why were they? Why would magic-users target them specifically?


    After a moment, Lilly broke off the hug, wiped her eyes with her sleeve, then glanced around the room. ¡°So? Eric isn¡¯t here yet?¡±


    Liz shook her head. ¡°No. Though, for all we know, he¡¯s just wandering around school like he did yesterday. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be here in a little while.¡±


    With that, the two girls moved to take their seats and wait for the boy to arrive. Similarly to the previous day, nobody was talking. They were all just sitting with their thoughts, each of them trying desperately to process everything they were faced with. And as the time ticked by and the bell rang to signal the festival¡¯s final day, Eric Reiner never showed up. Instead, a few minutes after, he sent a text to Lilly, assuring her that he was okay but that he wouldn¡¯t be attending the festival that day. She tried calling him after that but he wouldn¡¯t pick up and finally, she collapsed into her chair and gave up.


    ¡°God damn him,¡± Damien growled. ¡°I get that he¡¯s confused, but this isn¡¯t the time to be skipping school! Doesn¡¯t he realize we¡¯re all worried sick about him?¡±


    Lilly shrugged. ¡°I mean, he probably does. It¡¯s just¡­after seeing him at the Mickelson¡¯s yesterday, I think this is eating at him even more than we realize. Maybe I¡¯ll stop by his house after the festival and check on him. Do either of you know his address cause I¡¯ve never been there?¡±


    Liz shook her head. Despite having known Eric for a few years, she had never actually been to his house. Whenever they met outside of school, they either went to her place, to Damien¡¯s, or to¡­


    Wait¡­ She frowned. Where else did we go? Why is my¡­?


    Her head started to throb just as Damien answered Lilly¡¯s question.


    ¡°Yeah, I know where he lives,¡± he said. ¡°Although¡­he isn¡¯t the biggest fan of people visiting so, as nice as the thought is, it might be better for him to just give him some time to himself.¡±


    Lilly straightened up and fixed the boy with a confused look. ¡°He''s not? How come?¡±


    ¡°Uh, well¡­¡± Damien awkwardly scratched the back of his head. ¡°It¡¯s not really my place to tell you. If you want to know, ask him when the time¡¯s right.¡±


    Liz noticed the other girl¡¯s expression stiffen and she looked like she wanted to press the matter, but after a moment, she just sighed and sat down. Liz understood how she felt. Even she didn¡¯t know much about Eric¡¯s home life. She knew he liked to keep it all private and that he didn¡¯t like talking about it, so she chose to respect that and never push him for details. All she knew was that his mother left when he was pretty young and he lived with his father, but she¡¯d never met the man so she had no idea what type of person he was.


    ¡°So what should we do for him?¡± Lilly asked.


    Damien gave a defeated shrug. ¡°Honestly, I say we just man the booth today and get to the end of the festival. Then we can take this weekend to think and hopefully by Monday, something will have happened to give us a better idea of what to do next.¡±


    Lilly scowled to show her displeasure of the idea of just waiting, but she didn¡¯t argue. This time, when the room went silent, the conversation didn¡¯t pick back up again. Instead, Lilly went to take her spot at the fortune telling booth while Liz and Damien sat together at the back table. The day slowly passed by and like the previous few days, only a few people wandered in every now and then. Lilly did an admirable job of putting on a smile and giving them a show, but every time the customer left, she collapsed back down and went back to looking on the verge of crying. Liz noticed her attempting to call Alice a few times, and she even gave Eric a call, but neither picked up.


    Liz considered exploring the festival a bit, but every time she thought about it, she found herself not wanting to leave the clubroom. She wanted to stay with Damien and Lilly, and didn¡¯t want to have to go out in public where everybody else was. So she didn¡¯t leave once. Damien had brought leftovers from the previous night for lunch, which they heated it up in Mr. Lowe¡¯s microwave that he kept in the back of the room. Then, before they knew it, the end of the day had arrived and with it, the sun was beginning to set. The crowds were thinning in the hallway outside and, finally, the announcement came over the speakers.


    ¡°Thanks for attending the annual West Wilham High Spring Festival! We thank you all for coming. For the students, the end-of-festival bonfire will be starting out on the football field in a half hour and we would love it if you would attend! Thank you!¡±


    Liz apathetically glanced up as the principal¡¯s voice went silent.


    ¡°So, you guys going to that?¡± Lilly asked softly. ¡°Or are you just going to go home?¡±


    Damien grimaced. ¡°If I go home I¡¯m just gonna wind up sitting around by myself, so I think I¡¯ll stick around, at least for a little while.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re staying, I will, too,¡± Liz muttered. With all that was going on, she really just wanted to be with Damien. His presence was comforting to her, and she knew that being with him was calming to him as well. ¡°How about you, Lil¡¯?¡± she added. ¡°You staying or going home, cause we could walk with you if you wanted?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Lilly leaned back in her chair and shook her head. ¡°I think I¡¯m just gonna go home. It¡¯s been a long day and I¡¯m totally exhausted. But don¡¯t worry about me. I can get home by myself. You guys go enjoy the bonfire.¡±


    ¡°Lilly,¡± Damien immediately went to protest. ¡°I know it¡¯s being a little paranoid, but I¡¯d really rather you have somebody with you. It¡¯s not an issue for us. You don¡¯t live that far away.¡±


    But the girl quickly shook her head again. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Damien. If it makes you feel better, I¡¯ll send Alexa a text and I¡¯ll walk home with her. But really, don¡¯t worry about me. And I¡¯ll clean everything up here so you guys don¡¯t have to deal with it. Go enjoy yourselves at the bonfire.¡±


    Both Damien and Liz went to protest a second time, but were interpreted by the sound of someone knocking at the door. They all turned to stare at it, and Liz wondered who would be visiting now that the festival was over. Damien called out a quick ¡°come in¡± and when the door opened, they were surprised to find the familiar balding and bespectacled features of their club supervisor, Mr. Lowe. Normally, he only bothered to visit on occasion, and it was usually to chew them out for doing something wrong. However, this time, Liz couldn¡¯t think of anything that would warrant a lecture. In addition, Lowe looked almost uncomfortable, as if worried about something.


    ¡°Good evening,¡± he greeted in his typically soft and tired voice. ¡°How are you four¡­er, three? Where¡¯s Mr. Reiner? Did he go home early?¡±


    Damien shook his head. ¡°Uh, no. He actually never came to school today. It¡¯s just been the three of us.¡±


    Lowe looked at the boy in surprise. ¡°Mr. Reiner missed the last day of the festival? Was he sick or¡­?¡±


    ¡°I think so,¡± Lilly lied. ¡°He just came down with a fever and couldn¡¯t make it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well, I hope he feels better,¡± Lowe murmured. ¡°But anyway, I was just stopping by to check on you guys. I know I usually just let you do as you please, but after recent¡­events, I felt it was my job as the supervisor of this club to make sure you were all doing well.¡±


    Liz smiled. As cold as Lowe could be at times, she could tell that he was actually a bit worried about them, and it was comforting to see a warmer side of the man after rarely ever interacting with him.


    ¡°We¡¯re doing okay enough,¡± she answered. ¡°We¡¯re worried, of course, but we¡¯re not letting it get in the way of our festival. Damien and I were actually about to head down to the bonfire.¡±


    The man narrowed his eyes, causing her to fear that he was seeing through her lie, but eventually he just nodded. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good. In that case, just know that if you ever need anything, don''t hesitate to ask me.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Mr. Lowe,¡± Damien replied. ¡°That means a lot.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± he muttered. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll be off. Take care and make sure to walk home with a partner. It¡¯s probably best not to wander the streets alone after dark.¡±


    With that brief word of caution, the supervisor bid them goodbye and departed the room, leaving them once again alone in the clubroom. Liz watched him go, then turned back toward Lilly, seeing the girl staring down at the ground with a conflicted expression, almost certainly thinking of Eric, Alice, and Jay.


    ¡°You¡¯re sure you¡¯ll be safe?¡± Damien pressed.


    She quickly nodded. ¡°Yeah, really. I¡¯ll give Alexa a call in a little and have her walk with me. Okay?¡±


    Damien¡¯s lips tensed in a clear desire to protest once more, but this time, he seemed to decide to let Lilly do as she wanted. As for Liz, she didn¡¯t argue any further either. Lilly was stubborn and she had made her decision. So, bidding her goodbye, the two of them departed the clubroom and made their way out into the corridors of West Wilham High. The sun¡¯s light had turned a warm orange and it was clear they probably only had an hour left of daylight at best. There were only a smattering of students around them and, when Liz looked down into the courtyard through the window to her right, she saw only a small portion left there as well, taking down the booths. Even though she knew it was unlikely, she couldn¡¯t help but look to the front gates, hoping to see Eric striding into the school with his dopey grin and confident walk.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    But of course, that didn¡¯t happen.


    ***


    Once Damien and Liz had left the clubroom, Lilly found herself suddenly wanting to just sit at her desk and do nothing. It was such a powerful wave of apathy that she wound up just staring up at the ceiling for nearly twenty minutes, her thoughts going through the same questions she¡¯d been asking herself since the day before. She continuously went over every possibility in her mind, but no matter how hard she thought, she couldn¡¯t figure out what the answer was. She was missing a very crucial piece and without it, she knew there would be no getting to the bottom of Eric¡¯s memories of the fifth club member. As time passed, the amount of sunlight streaming through the crack between the closed curtains began to diminish and, when nearly an hour had gone by, it was almost completely dark outside. She knew she was being stupid not going home while there was still light out, but she just didn¡¯t want to leave the clubroom. Part of her still hoped that Eric might show up at any moment, as silly as she found that to be.


    And then I went and lied to Damien and Liz, she thought sadly. I should have called Alexa like I promised to, but I just¡­didn¡¯t want to leave yet. She sighed. Maybe I should just go down to the bonfire and walk home with them afterwards. That might be the best thing to do now.


    Finally, Lilly pushed herself to her feet and glanced around the clubroom. On the first day of the festival, when she¡¯d come in, the room had been decked out with electric candles and Eric had been wearing a witch costume that she found to be both ridiculous and awesome at the same time. Despite knowing that they weren¡¯t going to get that many customers, he still put in the effort to make everything really fun, and she knew he had done it more for the enjoyment of his friends than anything else. But on that day, they hadn¡¯t bothered setting up the candles, Eric¡¯s costume was laying discarded in the back of the room on one of the desks, and there was no sign of the boy.


    Lilly turned and walked to the back of the room where the costume was placed, folded nicely by Liz on the desk in the right corner. She slowly reached down and grabbed the wide-brimmed and pointy hat and just stared at it.


    ¡°One cannot simply see into the future unless they wear the hat of foresight! It is a requirement to access that which has not passed!¡±


    Eric¡¯s declaration from the day before came back to her, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel tears welling up in her eyes. She so desperately wished he would show up, rambling on in his stilted and unique fashion. She wanted him to act like nothing had changed and to comfort her like he had so many times before. She knew it was selfish, but she couldn¡¯t help it. Taking a deep breath, she placed the hat on her head then moved back toward the front of the room where the covered table with the crystal ball was placed. She then sat down in the chair and pulled the ball toward her so that she could gaze into its clear surface.


    Please¡­just show me the future. Show me that everything''s going to be okay. That¡¯s all I want. I want to see everybody¡ªthe club, Jay, and Alice¡ªhaving fun like we used to. I want them to be safe!


    But of course, it was nothing more than a pretty object. It couldn¡¯t show her the future nor could the hat upon her head enable her to use it. Magic may exist, but there wasn¡¯t any of it in that room that could ease her fears. Not even the orange gemstone that Eric always kept on him could help them this time. Switching bodies couldn¡¯t find Jay and Alice, nor could it answer the mysteries of Vinny Mickelson.


    Lilly frowned. Although, maybe it¡¯s worth a try. Eric did say a while back that being in my body gave him the ability to find my house. There¡¯s clearly some residual memory that stays with us so¡­maybe, if we switch, I¡¯ll remember Mickelson.


    It was unlikely, but at that point, she was willing to try almost anything if it meant getting to the bottom of it all. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone to give Eric another call. She didn¡¯t expect him to pick up since he¡¯d been ignoring them all day, but that didn¡¯t stop her from wanting to try. She listened to the phone ring, a sound she was growing far too used to, and just as she was about to give up, the call was answered.


    ¡°Lilly?¡± came Eric¡¯s voice.


    She exhaled sharply, stunned that he actually responded. ¡°Eric? Hey, what¡¯s up? Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I suppose so,¡± he muttered. ¡°Sorry I haven¡¯t picked up all day. I¡¯ve been busy going through old journal entries of mine and looking through my photos, hoping to find some evidence of Vinny¡¯s existence. But I¡¯ve found nothing. Photos that used to have him no longer do, entries where I wrote about him make no mention, and if it was just a photo of him, it doesn¡¯t exist anymore. It¡¯s like the universe has altered itself to make it so that there was never a Vinny Mickelson in this town.¡±


    Lilly listened to him for a moment, processing his new information. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I wish I could remember him, but I just can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Nor do I expect you to,¡± he replied. ¡°Not anymore, at least. It¡¯s clear to me that something supernatural has happened and I¡¯m going to find out what. No matter what, I will bring Vinny back. I promise that.¡±


    She could still hear pain in his voice, but there was now a determination that hadn¡¯t been there the day before. He seemed to be done moping and was ready to do something about it.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll help,¡± she replied firmly. ¡°I know you aren¡¯t lying to me, Eric. Something has happened and I want to know what it is, too. If Vinny Mickelson was as good a friend as you said, then I want him back, too. Just tell me what you need and I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    He laughed softly. ¡°Yes, thank you, Lilly. I will.¡± He then cleared his throat and asked, ¡°where are you, by the way? It¡¯s quiet so it doesn¡¯t sound like you¡¯re at the bonfire. Did you go home?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m still in the clubroom,¡± she answered. ¡°Damien and Liz went down to the field, but I just wanted some alone time. I¡¯m heading home in just a bit.¡±


    ¡°You are?¡± he asked. ¡°Alone?¡±


    Lilly smiled, hearing the concern in his voice. She knew they were all on edge and she appreciated the fact that they all worried about her safety.


    ¡°Yeah, but I live close by so it¡¯ll be¡ª¡±


    Without warning, all the lights in the room suddenly turned off, leaving her sitting in pitch darkness. For a moment, she was so surprised that she just stood there, rapidly blinking as she glanced around the dark clubroom.


    ¡°Lilly?¡± There was a touch of fear in Eric¡¯s voice as he called her name. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why¡¯d you go quiet?¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry,¡± she apologized. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­all the lights suddenly went off. Uh, give me a second.¡±


    Ignoring his protest, Lilly got to her feet and felt her way around the table and toward the clubroom¡¯s door. When she pulled it open and poked her head outside, she found that even the hallway¡¯s lights were off, the only illumination coming from the moonlight through the windows and she didn¡¯t see any other students or teachers that she could call out to. She was all alone.


    ¡°Lilly?!¡± came Eric¡¯s now more urgent cry.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± she repeated. ¡°Looks like the power¡¯s out. Though I¡¯m not sure what would have caused it to go out. But¡­¡±


    ¡°Lilly¡­Harper?¡±


    She jumped at the sudden voice and spun around on her heel to stare down the hall behind her. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she looked ahead to see a figure standing in the shadows that she hadn¡¯t noticed before. She couldn¡¯t make out their features in the darkness, and their voice sounded raspy and cold, but whoever it was knew her.


    ¡°Damn it, Lilly!¡± Eric shouted. ¡°What¡¯s happening?! I don¡¯t¡ª!¡±


    The call cut off mid-sentence and all Lilly was left with was the silence of the corridor. She gaped at her phone in surprise, knowing she hadn¡¯t hung up, but before she could even process what had happened, the figure spoke a second time.


    ¡°Harper?¡± they said. ¡°You are¡­Lilly Harper?¡±


    Still thrown off by the sudden end to their call but knowing that she could deal with it later, she slowly pocketed her phone and turned to face the person.


    ¡°Uh, yeah?¡± she called back. ¡°I¡¯m Lilly Harper. Who are you? Can I help you?¡±


    For a moment, the person didn¡¯t respond. But then, after a few seconds, a sudden hissing sound began to come from their direction. She thought the person might have been coughing, but she quickly realized that wasn¡¯t what they were doing. The sound she was hearing was laughter. She swallowed, getting the sudden urge to turn around and flee. She had a terrible feeling that she shouldn¡¯t be there and that the person before her was dangerous. Yet, she couldn¡¯t get her feet to move and, before she could call out to the figure, they took a few steps forward and into the moonlight.


    It was then that she saw his face.


    Lilly exhaled sharply, her eyes going wide in shock as she stared at the boy before her.


    ¡°Jay?!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°What are you¡ª?¡±


    ¡ªdoing here?


    But she couldn¡¯t get the rest of the sentence out as she truly took the sight before her. He looked like he was in a horrible state. His hair was completely shaved off and his face and body were so skinny that she felt she could have seen his bones had it been brighter. He was still wearing a hospital gown, but his feet were completely bare. However, as stunning as it all was, what stood out to her the most were his eyes. They were directed at her, but she couldn¡¯t see them. All she could see was pure blackness within those orbs and it was then that she instinctively knew that magic really was at play.


    What¡¯s wrong with his eyes?! How is he here?! Not only did he vanish from the hospital, but he¡¯s supposed to be in a coma! How¡¯d he wake up and¡­how the hell did he get to the school?!


    Her mind was spinning with questions, but only one of them reached her lips.


    ¡°Jay¡­? Are you okay?¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer. Instead, an almost inhuman smile twisted his lips as his head tilted to the side.


    ¡°Where¡­is Reiner?¡± he rasped, the words sending a shiver down her spine as a cold sweat broke out across her body.


    I need to run! Every bone in my body is telling me to run, but¡­it¡¯s Jay! I can¡¯t just leave him! Something has clearly happened to him and if he needs my help then I have to do something!


    ¡°E-Eric¡¯s not here,¡± she replied with a trembling voice. ¡°But Jay, we really need to get  you some help! I don¡¯t know where you¡¯ve been but¡ª!¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t know where Reiner is?¡± he interrupted, talking over her as if not even hearing her. ¡°Then I don¡¯t need you. So¡­ DIE!¡±


    He shrieked that last word, startling her so much that she involuntarily stumbled backwards. Then, right before her eyes, she witnessed one of the most horrific sights she¡¯d ever seen. Jay¡¯s body began to twist and contort, his gown tearing as his body grew bigger. His limbs started to grow, stretching out in a spindly, almost spider-like fashion. She watched stunned, unable to move, as his skin started to turn gray, almost as if it was decaying, while dark black hair grew across his body. The nails on his fingers sharpened into claws almost the size of a knife and when he opened his mouth, his teeth were jagged with black ooze dripping from them. For a moment, he breathed his raspy and strained breaths, and then he let out a shrill scream that matched the monster before her.


    ¡°DIE!¡±


    It was as if that single word allowed her legs to move once again, breaking past the fear that had left her stuck in place. Lilly turned and frantically sprinted in the other direction desperate to put distance between herself and the monster at the other end of the hall.


    What the fuck!? What the fuck just happened?! What did I just watch?!


    Her mind was spinning and she felt as if she might pass out, but she pressed on running despite that. She had just witnessed one of her closest friends transform into a monster the likes of which belonged in nightmares.


    She couldn¡¯t understand it.


    She couldn¡¯t accept it!


    How could it possibly be real? How could what she just witnessed have possibly been real?


    She wanted to think that she had hallucinated it, but she knew that wasn¡¯t the case. She was conscious and what she had seen was real, no matter how desperately she wished it wasn¡¯t.


    What happened to Jay?! What could have done that to him?! Why did he¡­?


    Another shriek reverberated through the hallway and when she looked over her shoulder, she saw the creature coming after her. But it wasn¡¯t running like she was. Instead, it was on all fours, its spindly limbs latching onto the walls as it crawled after her, its dark eyes fixated on her and its teeth bared. When she stared at it, she couldn¡¯t see any sign of Jay. Her friend wasn''t there. Instead, it was a monster taking on his appearance. She didn¡¯t know what it wanted with Eric, but she knew that if it caught her, she was going to die¡­and it was catching up fast.


    I¡­could actually die here, she thought, the reality of the situation dawning on her. My life could end.


    She was terrified and she wanted to scream as her legs propelled her forward. She put every spark of energy in her body into running. She needed to run faster than she ever had before because if she wasn¡¯t then that creature would kill her.


    Please! Help me! she internally begged. Somebody! Please let there be somebody in these halls! Don¡¯t let me die! Not here! Not now! Not alone!


    But even when she rounded the corner and saw the staircase leading down to the second floor up ahead, there wasn¡¯t a single person in sight.


    ¡°HARPER!¡±


    The scream of her name sounded guttural and monstrous, and was far closer to her than she would have liked. She could hear a quick clacking of its claws against the linoleum floor as it gave chase. She thought it was merely a scream of fury, but in the seconds following it, something even more terrifying happened. The shadows all around her began to move and contort, seeming to separate from the walls as if trying to engulf her.


    Shit! What the hell is happening?!


    The darkness sharpened into spears of shadow and began to lunge at her. She moved on instinct, fearing what would happen if they touched her, before having those very fears answered. One of them grazed her left cheek and a sharp pain shot through her body as she jumped over another one. The shadow had touched her and it had hurt her. She didn¡¯t even have the time to process what that meant as she darted into the stairwell, realizing that the darkness was attacking less out of precision and seemingly more like a random rampage. She didn¡¯t bother taking the stairs and instead desperately jumped down onto the platform below, then grabbed the railing and spun around the corner to reach the second floor. She felt the impact shoot through her legs but she pushed it aside for the time being.


    I need to get outside! Maybe if I can get to the bonfire, I¡¯ll get help!


    She turned left in the direction of the staircase to the first floor, increasing her speed even more and feeling her heart beating so hard that her ribs felt like they were shaking. Her cheek felt wet and she could taste blood dripping into her mouth.


    Did that shadow¡­actually draw blood?!


    Pushing aside the seeming impossibility of the idea, she spared a brief glance over her shoulder before quickly regretting doing so. The monster emerged from the stairwell and shot after her, gaining ground quicker than she could run.


    I¡¯m not going to make it, she thought in pure terror. It¡¯s going too fast. It¡¯s going to catch me!


    She didn¡¯t have a choice. If she wanted to escape the creature, she needed to do something insane. And so, reacting before she could think better of it, she rushed left, toward the windows overlooking the courtyard below. With movements so swift she surprised even herself, Lilly unlatched the lock and shoved it open then, just as she heard the creature barely ten yards away, she grabbed the top windowsill and pulled herself up, immediately hurling herself over the side and down toward the lawn below. She braced for impact, turning her shoulder to take the brunt of it, but she still wasn¡¯t prepared for the crack she heard or the flood of pain that enveloped her body. She let out a cry of agony, praying that somebody was out there to help her, but when she weakly raised her head, she saw the courtyard devoid of people.


    No! Please no!


    She knew she needed to get to her feet or else she was done for, so she pushed past the pain and rose to her feet¡­just in time to hear a loud crash above her. She looked up in terror as the window shattered from it¡¯s hinges and the creature jumped out, soaring over her head and landing on one of the tables in front of her. The window fell to the ground with a spray of shattered glass, just barely missing her, as the monster screeched once again. Lilly gripped her left arm and she felt as if it might be dislocated.


    What do I do now?! How am I going to get away?! I should have gone with Damien and Liz! I shouldn¡¯t have stayed behind! I don¡¯t want to die!


    As time seemed to slow, images of those she loved flashed through her mind. For that brief moment, she thought of their time in the clubroom. Eric, Damien, Liz, Alice, Jay¡ªshe cared about them all. She didn¡¯t want anything to happen to them. She wanted to be with them. She refused to accept that the monster crouched before her was Jay. It was a monster that had no right to exist, wearing his skin and posing as him.


    Jay¡¯s face contorted into a primal glare as it stared at her like it was staring at prey.


    Please¡­ Somebody¡­


    ¡°Help me!¡± she called out, a last, desperate lunge for survival.


    ¡°Perkari!¡±


    The sudden shout reverberated through her ears and, right before her eyes, she watched the creature suddenly fly off the table and to the right, as if hit by an invisible force. She turned in the direction of the voice, trying to figure out what was going on, when somebody suddenly landed from above, hitting the ground with grace and stopping a few feet from her, leaving her gaping with wide eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lilly,¡± the boy said. ¡°You¡¯re safe now. I¡¯m not going to let anything happen to you.¡±


    She looked up at the smiling face of Eric Reiner, who was staring back at her. The smile was clearly forced for her comfort, and she could see terror in his eyes, but he was there nonetheless. She wasn¡¯t alone anymore.


    She wasn¡¯t going to die.


    ***


    As he made his declaration, Eric Reiner turned his head in the direction of the creature wearing Jay Brooks¡¯s face as it screeched, clawing its way back to his feet. He had no idea what he was looking at or what had happened in his absence, but for the time being, he didn¡¯t care. All that mattered was protecting Lilly. He refused to let anything happen to her. Once she was safe, then he could try to understand what was happening.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are,¡± he growled, raising his fists before him. ¡°But I swear it on my life¡­¡±


    He muttered a quick incantation and wind magic began to swirl around his arms, ready for him to release it in their defense. The creature finally rose to its feet and a monstrous grin twisted its face, as if sensing his challenge and preparing itself to accept.


    ¡°... I won¡¯t let you hurt her!¡±

 Chapter 6- Faster Than Ive Ever Gone Before

    Chapter VI


    The light from the bonfire bathed the football field in a warm, orange glow and even from the bleachers where Damien and Liz sat, overlooking the celebration of the festival¡¯s finale, its brilliance was pleasant to look upon. His girlfriend was right beside him, their hands clasped together and her head resting on his shoulder. Her eyes were closed but he knew she was still awake, her mind spinning with questions as it had been since the previous morning. Damien felt the same. Even as he tried his best to enjoy himself, watching students laughing and dancing around the fire, he just couldn¡¯t relax. The terrible feeling only continued to assault him and it felt as if there was no escape.


    He glanced around, noticing only a few other groups on the bleachers. Aside from them, everybody who had come to the bonfire was gathered down on the turf, which made sense to him. If one was going to bother coming, then it was only natural to enjoy the fire like intended. Yet Damien preferred keeping his distance. Even being that far away, he still noticed a few of his fellow students casting occasional glances in his direction, as if afraid he was going to suddenly go on a rampage despite having not caused a single incident since high school started. But after so much time, he was more than used to such expressions and thus, he just ignored them and kept to himself. Despite knowing it was pointless, he couldn¡¯t help but to glance around to see if Eric was there, but unsurprisingly, there was still no sign of his old friend.


    Ah, what am I doing? he asked himself. He¡¯s not coming. Wasn¡¯t I the one who said it would be better to give him his space? So why do I want him to show up so bad? I just wish Lilly and I could have visited him, but having friends over is probably the last thing he needs right now.


    Even so, he knew that if Lilly wanted to find Eric then she could have. After all, their constant swapping gave Eric the ability to recognize her house, so if she followed her instincts, she could find where he lived. Damien briefly wondered what Eric would do if Lilly suddenly showed up on his doorstep before deciding that it didn¡¯t matter. Lilly might be worried, but she was smart enough to know that waiting for Eric to come to them was most likely the best option. As he thought of the girl, he considered texting her to make sure she got home safely, but quickly discarded the idea. He didn¡¯t want to seem overprotective or paranoid. She could get home just fine. Yet, even knowing that, he couldn¡¯t help but spare a glance back at the main school building off behind him.


    What the¡­? Just as he looked upon it, all of the lights in the hallway windows shut off at once, as if power to the school had spontaneously gone out. That¡¯s¡­odd. Why would they shut the lights out? I figured they¡¯d wait until the bonfire was over.  Did the power go out?


    Deciding not to let it bother him, he turned back to watch the fire, yet couldn¡¯t stop that subtle nagging from digging its claws into his brain.


    ***


    For a moment, time seemed to slow out in that empty courtyard as Eric stared down the creature before him. At the same time, it seemed to be taking him in, as if deciding whether he was a threat or not. However, Eric appreciated that brief second for it gave himself time to gather his bearings. After spending the day searching through his photos and old journals to find evidence that Vinny existed, he decided he would head to the bonfire to apologize to the others for ditching them that day. He¡¯d been walking into the school when Lilly called him and when the phone shut off moments after the school¡¯s power went out, he feared the worst. So he rushed up the stairs and was going to head toward the clubroom when he saw the spider-like creature before him burst through the window. He reacted on pure instinct and rushed after it, only to find Lilly at the bottom. He didn¡¯t know what had happened between the end of their call and his arrival, but he knew just by looking at the blood dripping down her cheek that they were in danger.


    What is this thing? It looks like Jay, but it¡¯s deformed and¡­feral. I¡¯ve never heard of anything like it¡­not even in Mom¡¯s stories.


    The monster lowered its head, its back sticking up almost like a cat¡¯s when it was backed into a corner. Its black eyes were fixated on him, and he felt it sizing him up, almost like it could sense that he was different from the girl behind him. The wind magic swirling around his arms only seemed to make it that much more cautious, but that didn¡¯t mean it was going to retreat. On the contrary, Eric could sense that while his presence had thrown the monster off, it didn¡¯t seem like it had any intention of leaving. There was no doubt in his mind that if he wanted to protect Lilly, he was going to have to fight it.


    ¡°Are you¡­?¡± it began, speaking for the first time in a voice that resembled Jay¡¯s, but was raspy and demonic. ¡°...Eric Reiner?¡±


    Eric narrowed his eyes, shocked to hear his name come from the creature¡¯s jagged-toothed mouth. He hadn¡¯t expected it to be intelligent enough to communicate, so it¡¯s question changed his perception of the situation just a bit. Deciding to test the waters a bit, Eric responded.


    ¡°I am,¡± he called back. ¡°And what are you? You look like my friend, but I know you aren¡¯t him. So who are you and what do you want?¡±


    The monster laughed, the sound so chilling that a shiver went through his body. He instinctively took a step back so that he was closer to Lilly.


    ¡°Reiner¡­¡± it hissed. ¡°Reiner. Reiner! REINER!¡±


    Without warning, the creature sprung from its spot in the grass, flying toward them with its claws extended. He could see the insanity in its features and realized quickly that he had been foolish to believe he could have a conversation with it. Barely reacting in time, Eric brought the magic to his fingertips and raised them to aim at the oncoming creature.


    ¡°Perkari!¡± he chanted, sending the mana erupting from his fingers to strike the monster directly in the chest.


    Once again, it went flying backwards and Eric, knowing he would hardly get a moment to catch his breath, immediately brought more magic to the ready. The decision was the correct one. Unlike his last attack, the creature didn¡¯t stay down to lick its wounds. Instead, it landed upon one of the courtyard¡¯s tables, then immediately propelled itself back towards them.


    Damn! It didn¡¯t even scratch him?! What in the hell am I facing right now?!


    Knowing that any mistake could mean their deaths, Eric quickly dug his heels into the ground and changed tactics, recalling a different incantation from his mother¡¯s spellbook, one he hadn¡¯t yet gotten the opportunity to try.


    Please let this work!


    ¡°Condite!¡± he shouted desperately.


    The moment the spell left his lips, he knew he had cast it correctly. As the monster once again made an attempt to reach them, it was suddenly pulled backwards, its claws going to its throat as ropes of air wrapped around it. Eric knew that if he¡¯d executed the spell correctly, then it wouldn¡¯t be able to see them. Instead, it would only know that its airflow was being cut off, and it was once again being yanked away from its prey.


    I need to get it out of the school! Eric thought, knowing that the shouting and screeching would soon draw any stragglers still in the building out into the courtyard to see what was happening. I don¡¯t know what the goals of this monster are, but if it''s even partially related to the incidents at the diner and the hospital then it¡¯ll almost certainly kill any innocents that wander out. Not to mention¡­ He briefly lowered his eyes to his hands, seeing the air swirling around them. I can¡¯t be seen using magic! Mom always stressed the importance of keeping it a secret and so no matter what, I can¡¯t allow myself to be seen! Only if it''s an emergency¡­ Otherwise¡­


    But even as he thought it, he found he could feel the eyes of Lilly Harper staring at his back. He refused to turn around, not just because he couldn¡¯t take his attention off of the monster, but also because he feared what expression he might see on her face. Up until this point, there wasn¡¯t a soul in that world that knew he could use magic. Lilly was now the only person who knew.


    He clenched his teeth as he watched the monster getting dragged back by his ropes. He¡¯d hoped to drag it over the fence and into the neighborhoods, but unfortunately he wasn¡¯t that lucky. Before he even knew what was happening, tendrils of shadow burst from the creature''s body, severing the ropes and freeing it from captivity.


    What did it¡ª!?


    ¡°Reiner!¡± it screeched, recovering faster than he expected and once again charging toward him.


    He raised his hands to defend them, but it was adapting to his attacks far faster than he would have liked. During the last two charges, it had come at them in a straight line, but this time, it moved onto the tables scattered across the lawn and jumped between them.


    ¡°Perkari!¡± he snarled again, sending blades of wind flying in its direction.


    But it dodged it, hopping to the next table.


    ¡°Perkari! PERKARI!¡±


    His shouts were becoming more frantic as it dodged and weaved past his spells, its smile twisting its face once again as he continued to miss. As it closed the gap, Eric was forced to make a desperate move, knowing that he needed to change strategies. Hurriedly pushing the magical energy into his feet, he leaned forward and shouted, ¡°Proto!¡±


    As if jumping off a springboard, the boy let out a burst of energy under his feet and launched toward the creature, hoping to meet it in the middle. As he flew, he returned the mana to his fists and collided right into it.


    ¡°Corsikei!¡± Eric chanted, sending a surge of magic through his fingers and into it¡¯s cold and hairy skin.


    The shockwave that burst in between the two sent Eric flying backwards and smashing into the grass before rolling a few feet. The wind was knocked out of him and flashes of pain shot through his head, but the sound of the monster snarling told him that it wasn¡¯t over yet. When he pushed himself up, his body went cold as he saw it already scrambling back to its feet, barely a scratch on it. Eric had expected it would rush him like it had the previous time, but that wasn¡¯t what happened. Instead, as if realizing it had a chance to get an advantage over him, it began to claw its way toward the still collapsed Lilly.


    Don¡¯t touch her!


    ¡°Condite!¡±


    Just like the first time, the creature was pulled backwards by the ropes, which yanked it back towards the fences surrounding the courtyard¡¯s outer perimeter. Eric immediately sprinted toward Lilly, not allowing the pain to slow him down.


    I¡¯ve put everything I¡¯ve got into fighting this thing and it didn¡¯t even scratch it! I can¡¯t beat it, so if I want to protect Lilly, then we need to run! With any luck, we can lure it away from the school and lose it in the neighborhoods!


    Once he made it to where Lilly was sitting against the school building, clutching her arm while her eyes were wide with terror, he quickly kneeled down with his back facing her.


    ¡°Grab on!¡± he shouted. ¡°We need to get out of here so please trust me, Lilly!¡±


    He spoke quickly, his eyes never once leaving the creature still struggling against the ropes on the other side of the lawn. The shadows had already burst out to cut them down so he knew they had only a few seconds at most to escape. He expected Lilly to protest or to at least demand that he explain what he planned to do, but thankfully, she simply wrapped her good arm around his neck and placed her head against his shoulder.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°I trust you, Eric,¡± she whispered weakly.


    That was all he needed to hear. Just as the monster broke free of its bindings and lunged back toward them, the boy hoisted her up onto his back and grabbed her legs, then kneeled down and screamed, ¡°Proto!¡±


    The energy erupted at his feet and the two of them flew into the air, just over the swiping claws of the monster. He heard Lilly exhale sharply at the sudden movement, but their hold on each other was firm and Eric knew he had to do everything possible to keep her with him. The spell got them as far as the fence, but when Eric managed to place his feet against the thin bars, he shouted the spell a second time and propelled them out into the neighborhoods surrounding the school.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Lilly shouted over the rush of the wind.


    ¡°Main Street!¡± he called back as he landed atop one of the closest rooftops. From there, he began jumping onto each house and using it as a launchpad to make it to the next. ¡°It¡¯s magical so if it¡¯s anything like what I think it is, it won¡¯t want to reveal itself to such a large crowd!¡±


    Or at the very least, he was praying that was the case. He knew the existence of magic was supposed to be kept secret, so from what he knew from his mother, the monster shouldn¡¯t pursue them into Main Street. However, if it was behind the recent murders, then he might be condemning more people to its wrath.


    But what am I supposed to do?! I don¡¯t want anybody to get hurt but it¡¯s my best bet! This thing is going to kill Lilly and who knows who else! I need to trust what Mom used to tell me! I need to trust that it won¡¯t reveal itself!


    He felt the girl nod her understanding. ¡°And¡­what is that thing? It¡¯s not actually Jay, is it?¡±


    He swallowed nervously, feeling his stomach clenching up at the question. ¡°I¡­have no clue.¡±


    Just then, that familiar and terrifying screech echoed across the empty and lamplit street, prompting Eric to frantically glance over his shoulder, only to confirm what he had both hoped for and feared. The creature disguised as Jay Brooks had swung itself over the fence and was crawling over the roofs, its terrifying eyes trained on them.


    So it is after us! But why? I don¡¯t understand! But¡­at least it''s getting away from the school! He turned back to face forward as he jumped over the gap between two houses and landed on the next roof over. I¡¯ll get us out of this somehow! I swear it on my life! This creature isn¡¯t going to hurt Lilly or anybody else!


    Yet, now that they were out of the confines of the courtyard, he was shown just how terrifying that monster actually was. It was jumping across roofs as well, but its movements were limber, almost like a gymnast, as it quickly gained ground on them. Knowing that the only way to stay alive would be to continue to take risks, Eric abruptly spun on his heel and snarled the incantation at the top of his lungs, launching them across the street and onto the house on the other side. The impact of his legs against the rooftop¡¯s  tile sent shockwaves of pain through his legs, but he had no choice but to put it behind him as he continued sprinting forward.


    ¡°REINER!¡±


    The monster¡¯s scream was accompanied by the worst case scenario as it jumped the gap like it was nothing.


    Of course it can jump that far! What isn¡¯t this damn thing capable of?!


    ¡°Duck!¡±


    He reacted instantly to Lily¡¯s warning, bending his upper body forward as the tendrils of shadow sliced across the spot his head had just been. The boy clenched his teeth and darted to the right, pressing off of the roof and onto the streetlamp to his right, then began hopping across to the next ones. The creature did the same, directing its shadows toward them as it, too, jumped onto the lamps. However, unlike Eric, who was using them as platforms to jump onto, the creature grabbed them with its spindly fingers and began to swing after them like some sort of monkey.


    Fine then! If it can react that fast then I¡¯ll just have to be faster!


    Feeling Lilly¡¯s grasp on his body tighten, he propelled them off the lampposts and down onto the streets below. He couldn¡¯t see if anybody was out on their porches or not, but he unfortunately didn¡¯t have the time to check. He increased his speed, pushing his body faster than he¡¯d ever gone before, relying purely on his many nights of study. He could feel it taking a toll on his less than fit body, but he couldn¡¯t let his physical limitations stop them.


    Just run, Eric! he urged himself. Run faster than you¡¯ve ever gone before! If it catches you, it''s over! So just sprint! Sprint like hell! Sprint, damn it!


    He was going so fast that he barely had any room for failure. Every step had to be quickly calculated and each spell had to be chanted with the right intonation and movements since the monster was matching his every action with one barely faster, the shadow tendrils acting as its support.


    Therefore, Eric didn¡¯t have the option to stay in one spot for long. He propelled them over the street, jumped up onto the lamppost, dodged back down, swung up to the roof, then crossed the street to the opposite houses once again. He kept this up, never allowing himself to stay in the same place for longer than a fraction of a second. Every step sent him in a different direction and as he did, the monster stayed right behind him. He knew he¡¯d be able to go faster if he wasn¡¯t always dodging and weaving past the shadows, but he had realized that there wasn¡¯t any strategy in where the shadows attacked. Instead, they seemed to be randomly thrown out by the creature in a hopeful attempts to strike them.


    He felt Lilly¡¯s body up against his back and always had to readjust his grip on her legs to keep her firmly in place. He wished he could at least free one of his hands so he could take the fight into offense, but at the speed they were going, he feared she may fall off.


    And I can¡¯t allow that. I don¡¯t need my hands! I¡¯ll outrun this damn thing!


    They rounded a corner and Eric knew they were reaching Main Street. If they made it there, they wouldn¡¯t be alone. There would be other people and, assuming this creature was from the same realm as his mother, then he believed it wouldn¡¯t allow itself to be seen.


    After all, it only went after Lilly when the school building was more or less empty! So that¡¯s all we have to bank on at this point!


    ¡°Left!¡±


    He once again heeded Lilly¡¯s call and dodged from the roof and to the left, but this time, he realized they had been caught. The creature was on his right, and tendrils of shadow had accumulated on the left.


    No¡­ Damn it, no!


    Realizing that he was flying right toward the roiling mass of darkness, he did the only thing he could: save his girlfriend.


    ¡°Jump, now!¡± he shouted.


    She did exactly as he asked. The girl pushed off of his back and went falling down toward the ground below him, but he had no intention of letting her hit it. Instead, he extended his hand toward her just as he flew into the shadow, flicking it so that her body would avoid the concrete.


    ¡°CONDITE! VENTUS!¡±


    He couldn¡¯t see what happened as the darkness overtook him. He immediately expected the sharpness of those shadows to shred his body to pieces and his immediate thoughts were only of Lilly.


    Will she make it?


    Will this monster leave her alone if it has me?


    Is this the right thing to do?


    ¡°I¡¯ll be watching over you¡­protecting you¡­always¡­¡±


    Those words echoed through his mind, but they sounded so close to him that he thought his mother was engulfed in that darkness with him. He frantically glanced around, but before he could find where the voice came from, a sharp impact jolted through his body and he could taste blood dripping from his mouth. When he opened his eyes, he was staring up at the night sky. Eric immediately tried to get to his feet, his adrenaline still giving him the push he needed to get away.


    ¡°Lilly?! Where are you?!¡± he cried out.


    He hurriedly looked around and found himself lying not in the neighborhood they had just been in, but on a grassy expanse of lawn. Based on their jump from that roof, he could only assume that they were in the park just behind those houses. He was desperate to find the girl, but the first thing he saw was the monster crouched only twenty yards away, its claws against the ground. Eric swiftly raised his hands in front of him and sent the mana back through his arms. He knew his attacks wouldn¡¯t do much against it, but he had to try something.


    But why is it just sitting there? And how did I escape the shadows? Did it release me?


    ¡°Well?¡± he called out, hoping to elicit some reaction from it. ¡°What do you want from me?! What are you?¡±


    It cocked its head and smiled, almost like it was suddenly enjoying itself. ¡°Want from you? What I¡­want from you? I want¡­your existence to vanish¡­¡±


    Those four words were all it took for Eric¡¯s eyes to go wide and that hesitation was what almost got him killed. The monster lunged toward him, its claws raised once again to cut him down, and the only thing that saved him from a certain death was the shout of a girl off to the right.


    ¡°Jay, stop!¡±


    At that sound, the monster came to a sudden halt as Lilly jumped in between the two of them, her good arm stretched out as if to protect Eric from it.


    ¡°Lilly, don''t!¡± he shrieked, but she ignored him, keeping her body facing the monster.


    ¡°Please, Jay!¡± she begged. ¡°Don¡¯t do this! Think about us! Think about all we¡¯ve been through and¡­think about Alice! She¡¯s gone, Jay! Something¡¯s happened to her and I¡¯m scared she might be in danger!¡±


    What¡¯s she doing?! he thought frantically, realizing that she was probably just rambling off everything she could think of that might help them. This isn¡¯t Jay! She can¡¯t reason with it! Damn, if I don¡¯t do something quick then she¡¯s going to die!


    He spun the mana around his fingers and prepared to send it flying at the creature¡¯s chest, but was stopped by its next words.


    ¡°Alice is¡­in danger?¡± it rasped.


    Eric exhaled sharply and Lilly didn¡¯t miss her chance to jump at the sudden opportunity.


    ¡°She is!¡± she pressed. ¡°And I¡¯m worried about her! Come on, Jay! Snap out of whatever¡¯s happening and help her! Help Alice!¡±


    ¡°Alice Mendez¡­¡± it growled. ¡°...will vanish, too!¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    At Lilly¡¯s exclamation, the creature swung its claws toward her neck, but Eric had been ready. He yanked Lily out of the way and shouted ¡°Condite¡±, once again sending ropes of air swirling around the creature and ripping it away from them.


    ¡°Jay!¡± Lilly shrieked, but Eric wasn¡¯t about to give it another chance to kill them.


    He scooped Lilly up in his arms and used Proto to propel them away from the park. Lilly clung to him and he could see tears in her eyes, but there was nothing he could do for her now. All he could do was take advantage of the chance she had bought them and get to Main Street. They landed on the fence of a nearby backyard then jumped onto the roof, and when Eric turned back, he saw the monster staring up at them. He expected it to immediately come charging after them like it had been doing, but to his shock and relief, it instead turned around and sprinted in the opposite direction. Across the lawn was a fence that separated the park from the surrounding forests and it quickly jumped over and disappeared from view.


    ¡°It ran?¡± he breathed. ¡°But why?¡±


    Lilly glanced over his shoulder and shook her head, her voice weak as she whispered, ¡°it was him, Eric. I know it was. It¡¯s Jay.¡±


    The boy grimaced, knowing now that it was hard to deny that. Even if he¡¯d shaken it off, the monster had still reacted to Alice¡¯s name. He couldn¡¯t even begin to guess what had happened to him, but he had a terrible feeling that the creature that just tried to kill them was actually Jay Brooks.


    ¡°We¡¯ll¡­figure something out,¡± he whispered back, wanting to give her some comfort after everything that had just happened.


    Feeling his body growing weak from all the running, Eric jumped from the house and landed on the street below. He set Lilly down and leaned on his knees to catch his breath. He could see the girl wincing as she held her right arm with her left. She¡¯d been doing that ever since he found her and he could only imagine what she might have done to it.


    I¡¯m going to need to heal her. If I send her back to her apartment now, it¡¯ll rouse suspicions as to what might have happened here.


    ¡°What do we do?¡± Lilly uttered. ¡°Do we call the police or¡­¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°No. The best we can do is give them an anonymous tip, but if we seriously tried to tell them that a monster tried to kill us, they¡¯d laugh in our faces.¡±


    ¡°And if¡­that was what attacked the diner?¡± Lilly asked, voicing the same fears that had been going through his own mind. ¡°If that¡¯s the case then what if it kills more people?¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡± His thoughts flashed back to when the monster had said it wanted to wipe him from existence, and that only made him think about what seemed to have happened to Vinny. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But it¡¯s clear that there¡¯s nothing we can do to fight it. For now, we need to get off the streets and go somewhere safe. I¡­¡± He grit his teeth, knowing what he needed to do, but also still unable to stop himself from hesitating. ¡°...I think it¡¯ll be best if you stay the night at my house. I can better protect you there if the creature comes back. Plus I can heal that arm of yours.¡±


    Lilly looked back at him with a stunned expression. ¡°You want me to stay over at your place? But¡­and¡­you can heal my arm? I don¡¯t¡­understand. And¡­everything you just did¡­¡±


    ¡°Just come with me, Lilly,¡± he urged. ¡°I promise that I¡¯ll explain everything I can at home. I¡¯ll tell you about my magic and¡­¡± He had expected her to outright refuse given all that had happened but Lilly actually looked to be seriously considering his offer. ¡°You can tell your parents that you¡¯re staying at Liz¡¯s house tonight, and I promise¡­my father won¡¯t care.¡±


    Lilly furrowed her brow and glanced up at him, as if hearing the slight bitterness in his tone at the end. ¡°And you promise you¡¯ll explain how you did¡­well, everything you did tonight?¡±


    He nodded firmly. ¡°I swear on my life.¡±


    His girlfriend considered his words for a moment, glanced around at the silent neighborhood around her, and then sighed.


    ¡°Alright, your place it is.¡±

 Chapter 7- The Truth Comes Out

    Chapter VII


    Keeping to the shadows so as not to be spotted by anybody who happened to peek through their window, Lilly and Eric moved through the streets of Wilham and in the direction of the boy¡¯s house. They kept quiet, each keeping their attention focused on their surroundings. The monster might have retreated for the time being, but they knew there was no guarantee that it wouldn¡¯t show back up at any given moment. The two of them were already exhausted to begin with so if it caught them by surprise then there was almost no chance that they would get away alive again. Luckily, Lilly didn¡¯t see or hear any sign of it, and she prayed that meant that the terror of that night was over.


    She winced, feeling another spasm of pain shoot through her arm. Now that the adrenaline had died down, the pain had increased quite a bit. She didn¡¯t know how she was still able to move without crying out, but every time it threatened to overwhelm her, she just clenched her teeth together and forced herself to bear through it.


    I¡¯m fine. I can¡¯t let this slow me down. We have to get somewhere safe. Once we¡¯re at Eric¡¯s, then I can deal with the pain!


    However, as she told herself that, the boy¡¯s words from just a few moments ago returned to her thoughts, once again throwing everything she thought she knew about him into disarray.


    He said he could heal my arm. As she recalled the boy¡¯s seemingly wild claim, she couldn¡¯t help but to turn her head to stare at his back. Normally, I¡¯d have laughed it off as a joke, but after everything I¡¯ve seen tonight, there¡¯s no doubt in my mind that he can actually do it. It¡¯s painfully obvious to me now that the stone wasn¡¯t the only magic he had.


    He had asked her to trust him and had promised to explain it all when they reached his house, and she had resolved to keep her faith in him. Despite having hidden something so huge from her, she knew that Eric had always been there for her in the past. Whenever she needed somebody to rely on, he was there to help her, and so, she knew that he wouldn¡¯t have hidden all his magic unless he had a really good reason. At the very least, Eric had more than earned the benefit of the doubt and she was prepared to listen to him with an open mind.


    And my god¡­I also can¡¯t deny that what I saw tonight was amazing.


    The way he moved across the rooftops and through the streets at a speed faster than she could ever dream of going had been like something out of a dream. The terror of the creature had been at the forefront of her mind at the time, but now that she was calm enough to look back at it, she realized just how insane it all was. Eric Reiner had stood that thing down and had actually managed to buy enough time for them to get away. Every time Lilly thought they were doomed, he pulled out some trick and they were once again keeping their distance from it.


    It really was¡­amazing. I just wish¡­it didn¡¯t have to happen. She shook her head. I don¡¯t understand what that creature was or what it wanted, but it was dead set on catching us. But why? Is it because we have the stone? I mean, that¡¯s the only other magical thing in our lives that could ever attract something like that. Could it think¡­that we stole it or something?


    The thought of potentially being the targets of some magical entity sent a shiver down her back, and she quickly pushed it from her mind, not wanting to go down that line of thought for the time being. She just wanted to find somewhere safe to lay down and sleep.


    ¡°Here we are,¡± Eric announced softly.


    At his words, Lilly looked up and found herself looking at a one-story house at the end of a road. There wasn¡¯t anything special to note. It looked exactly like all of the houses surrounding it and, had she walked past it, she never would have guessed it was Eric¡¯s. Despite knowing it was silly to think, she had expected his place to stand out a bit more.


    Eric proceeded up the driveway with Lilly in tow, pulling out a key from his pocket as he did so. Once he had the door open, the two of them stepped into the darkened entry hall. She couldn¡¯t see any lights on further inside, but she did hear the faint sound of a TV, indicating that somebody else was, in fact, home. The two of them quickly slipped their shoes off at the door and Eric took the lead once again.


    ¡°Dad, I¡¯m home,¡± he called out, though his face was dark, as if doing so was only out of obligation. ¡°And¡­I brought a friend over.¡±


    There was no response and Lilly wondered if maybe the man had fallen asleep watching TV, but Eric only looked more irritated as he led her further into the house. They turned right and came to a doorway, and when Lilly poked her head around Eric¡¯s shoulder, she found that the man inside was awake, and was simply staring blankly at the flashing television ahead of him as he sat in a tattered leather recliner, a can of beer clutched in his hand.


    She immediately furrowed her brow in confusion.


    This guy¡­is Eric¡¯s dad?


    She had expected somebody more cheerful and fun like the boy next to her, but the man she was looking at seemed angry for some reason. His gray hair was messy and unkempt, as was his beard, and he had a large beer belly that mostly poked through the grimy old white tank top he was wearing. The man looked sickly, and she worried that something was wrong with him. Eric had never spoken to her about his father so for all she knew, he had some sort of terrible illness.


    And yet¡­if that were true, would Eric look at him with such disgust? she thought, briefly glancing up at the boy¡¯s face.


    ¡°Dad!¡± he snapped.


    The man scowled and angrily turned their way. ¡°What? So you¡¯ve got a fuckin friend! Why should I ca¡ª?¡±


    He stopped mid sentence as his attention focused on Lilly.


    She hesitantly raised a hand in greeting, unsure of even how to speak to a man like him. ¡°Um¡­nice to meet you, Mr. Reiner,¡± she forced herself to say. ¡°I¡¯m¡­uh, Lilly Harper.¡±


    Eric¡¯s father cocked an eyebrow and almost seemed like he was sizing her up, before turning his attention back to the TV with a snort.


    ¡°Well good for you, son. She¡¯s cute,¡± he growled.


    Eric narrowed his eyes, but still kept his tone calm as he spoke. ¡°She¡¯s staying the night, so I just wanted to let you know.¡±


    The man shrugged. ¡°Sure, whatever. Just keep it down in there so I can hear the game.¡±


    Lilly¡¯s cheeks immediately went red as she realized what he was implying, and she desperately wanted to protest, but Eric responded to the man before she could.


    ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± he replied softly. He then took her good hand in his and whispered, ¡°let¡¯s go, Lilly,¡± before leading her away from his father and further down the hall.


    She glanced nervously back over her shoulder, but Eric¡¯s dad made no move to follow them or even ask any follow up questions. It seemed he genuinely didn¡¯t care that his son had brought a girl over this late and that was stunning to her. She knew that if she ever brought a boy to her place to stay the night, her father would probably explode.


    ¡°He isn¡¯t the biggest fan of people visiting so, as nice as the thought is, it might be better for him to just give him some time to himself.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not really my place to tell you. If you want to know, ask him when the time¡¯s right.¡±


    As Damien¡¯s words from earlier came back to her, she frowned in consideration,


    Is this¡­what he was talking about?


    Eric led her to a room in the back of the house and she followed without a word, wanting to do him the respect of not prying into his family life. She already knew that he struggled with his mother¡¯s disappearance and so, she couldn¡¯t imagine what his apparent relationship with his father might have taken on him. He led her into a small bedroom and closed the door behind them before turning and leaning his back up against it.


    ¡°Sorry about him,¡± he muttered. ¡°My father isn¡¯t exactly what you would consider a welcoming type.¡±


    Lilly quickly shook her head, wincing at the pain in her arm that the sudden movement caused. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Eric forced a smile then sighed. ¡°Well, at least his lack of interest in my life came in handy this time. Now, sit down on the bed and I¡¯ll get to work healing that arm of yours.¡±


    She glanced over her shoulder at the small bed in the corner of the room. A quick scan of the area showed nothing of particular interest. Despite Eric Reiner¡¯s unique personality, it appeared like one would expect a teenage boy¡¯s room to look. He had a desk in the corner across from his bed with some homework strewn about on top with the closet to Lilly¡¯s left and a couple of posters from some popular TV shows placed on the walls. Realizing just how little she actually knew about Eric until that night, Lilly moved toward the bed and sat down on the edge while he moved to stand in front of her.


    ¡°Now, uh,¡± he began hesitantly. ¡°Apologies if this is a bit awkward but¡­can you remove your shirt? Er, just your shirt, though!¡±


    She looked up at him in surprise and she could once again feel the blush returning to her face.


    ¡°To heal your shoulder¡­I need to touch the skin,¡± he quickly explained.


    Knowing he wasn¡¯t the type to make things up like that just to see her in her bra, she wordlessly nodded, then began unbuttoning the blazer of her uniform. Normally, she¡¯d have been far too embarrassed to take her clothes off in front of him. She had never been particularly happy with her body, and so, she tended to try and avoid getting undressed in front of anybody, girls included. However, even just setting aside the trust she had in him, he had also been in her body many times in the past. He knew her better than most, and that gave her a certain level of comfort as she undressed.


    Her injured arm made it tougher than normal but Eric helped her where she needed it. Once she¡¯d removed the blazer, she pulled off her tie and then undid her shirt so she could slide out of it. She shivered at the touch of the cold air against her bare skin as she tossed her clothes onto the ground at her feet. Despite the awkward situation, she couldn¡¯t help but smile a bit at how embarrassed Eric looked as he moved to sit on the bed behind her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you get flustered, Eric,¡± she teased. ¡°Usually I¡¯m the one getting embarrassed so it¡¯s nice of you to finally join me.¡±


    He laughed softly and shook his head. ¡°Is this really the time for jokes?¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± she said. ¡°Never thought I¡¯d hear those words come out of your mouth. I thought it was always time for jokes when it came to you. I guess that monster must have really shaken you up.¡±


    Despite the tense air in the room, Lilly found herself calming down a bit as they bantered back and forth. After the last two days, it was comforting to hear Eric laugh at all, even if it was only a soft one as opposed to his typical, more boisterous laughs.


    ¡°Alright, hold still,¡± he whispered. ¡°This should only take a moment.¡±


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Right as he said that, she felt the warm touch of his hands against her back, finding it strangely soothing to feel him so close to her.


    ¡°Benedio,¡± he whispered.


    The moment that word left his lips, a sudden surge of pleasurable warmth flowed from his fingertips and into her body, circulating around the shoulder that she had hurt. The feeling was unlike anything she had ever experienced. In addition to easing the pain in her shoulder, it sent a wave of calm throughout her body, putting her at an ease that she hadn¡¯t felt since the first day of the festival. She had expected the sensation of her arm popping back into its socket to be painful, she barely felt it move and before she knew it, it was back in its proper position. Unfortunately, the sensation only lasted a minute, and once Eric pulled his hands away, it was gone, leaving her feeling cold and shaken once again.


    ¡°How¡¯s that?¡± he asked. ¡°Does your shoulder feel better?¡±


    She went to move her right arm around, cringing in anticipation of the pain, but was surprised to find that it moved with ease, as if she¡¯d never even hurt it. She stared down at it in surprise, before slowly nodding.


    ¡°Y-yeah,¡± she muttered. ¡°It¡¯s¡­much better, actually. Thanks, Eric.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± he replied. ¡°Glad I was able to help. Feel free to get dressed now. Sorry you had to do that.¡±


    The girl quickly got to her feet and began to put her shirt back on. Eric sat silently with his gaze lowered to the ground, and his brow furrowed in deep thought. She couldn¡¯t even fathom what was going through his mind at the moment, since she wasn¡¯t even sure how much of what happened surprised him. She had always been under the impression that the stone was the only magic he knew of, yet now she realized that was far from the case. Eric Reiner knew a lot more than he ever let on.


    Deciding not to bother with the blazer and the tie, once she had finished buttoning her shirt up, Lilly sat back down on the bed and folded her legs as she stared at the boy expectantly. When he looked up to see her waiting, he sighed in apprehension. She knew that he could tell what she wanted without even speaking a word. However, she made no move to hurry him along. When he was ready, he would speak. Eric had already promised to explain everything to her, therefore he would. For what felt like a long time, the two of them just stared into each other¡¯s eyes, so Lilly smiled at him, wanting to assure him that she wasn¡¯t upset with him. She didn¡¯t want him thinking that his sudden usage of magic was something she was angry about.


    ¡°Alright,¡± he muttered. ¡°Ask away, dear Lilly. Though, I will preface this conversation by telling you that I don¡¯t know a thing about that creature. I¡¯ve never seen it in my life.¡±


    Lilly nodded. ¡°Yeah, I figured that much out.¡± She then took a deep breath to steady her beating heart, and continued. ¡°Then, I guess I just want you to explain how you did what you did tonight. How did you move like that? How were you able to attack it from so far away? I always thought the stone was the only magic you had, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, I suppose that¡¯s the most logical place to start,¡± Eric said. ¡°But it¡¯s not exactly an easy thing to explain. In order for it all to make sense, I¡¯ll need to start at the beginning, with my mother.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m all ears,¡± she replied.


    Once again, the boy took a second to gather his thoughts, then began his story. ¡°When I was little, my mother would always tell me bedtime stories about this far off land¡­a world in a separate plane of existence from our own. She called it Ijiria and she said it was her home¡­where she came from before arriving in our world.¡±


    Lilly sat up straighter, already finding herself quite intrigued. Just as he did with his father, Eric never spoke about his mother to her. All she knew was that the woman had left when Eric was seven and he hadn¡¯t seen her since.


    ¡°Our world?¡± she parroted. ¡°So you mean¡­you¡¯re saying your mother was from another world?¡±


    Eric nodded softly, seeming slightly amused by her surprised expression. ¡°That¡¯s always what she told me.¡± He chuckled before going on, his eyes growing distant, as if he were mentally returning to the past as he told the story. ¡°This place¡­Ijiria¡­was a world full of magic. There were all different types of magic and there were even schools where it was taught to the younger generations. It always sounded like a fantasy lover¡¯s dream. My mom actually attended one of these schools in a city called Erika, which she said is what my name was derived from. I always thought this place sounded like a paradise, but my mom chose to leave it behind and instead came here to be with my father. Now¡­she always told these stories like they were nothing more than just that¡­stories she made up to entertain her son.¡±


    ¡°But you believe them,¡± Lilly stated, having known that fact even before that moment. ¡°You don¡¯t think she was making it up. You think an entirely different world actually exists and that your mother is from there. You believe Ijiria exists.¡±


    Eric smiled sadly. ¡°I always did. Now, of course, I¡¯d be stupid to deny it¡¯s existence, but I never once questioned it. In my mind, Ijiria was real and I always wanted to go there. When my mother left¡­there¡¯s no doubt in my mind that it¡¯s where she went.¡±


    Eric slowly got to his feet, as if too antsy to stay sitting and Lilly watched patiently, content to allow him time while she, too, processed what she was being told.


    Another world? If not for everything I¡¯d experienced in the last year, I probably wouldn¡¯t have even entertained that thought. It seems so preposterous, but¡­ Thoughts of the body-swapping stone, and of what she had seen from both the monster and Eric on that very night caused her to bite her lip in thought. Can I really call any of this preposterous anymore? The bounds of what can exist and what can¡¯t exist aren¡¯t as clear as I thought they were. If a nightmare like that monster is real, why can¡¯t another world? In fact, the existence of another world perfectly explains why we¡¯ve never seen anything like this before. They don¡¯t exist in our reality.


    As if suddenly remembering something, Eric turned and approached his desk, his voice bringing her out of her contemplation. ¡°The night my mother left, she gave me something¡ªwhat she always referred to as her spellbook.¡±


    ¡°Spellbook?¡± Lilly parroted.


    Eric pulled open one of the drawers and removed a small, leather-bound book. He gazed down at it for a moment, then walked toward her and held it out. Lilly hesitantly took it, then flipped it open to a random page. Sure enough, scribbled inside were various incantations describing what the spells would do and what movements were necessary to achieve them. If she hadn¡¯t seen Eric pull off so many of them during their escape from the monster, she would have assumed it was nothing more than a really intricate creative writing exercise.


    ¡°That night, she told me that when she returned, she would teach me magic,¡± Eric said. ¡°So, every night after that, right before bed, I would read pages of that book. I took in every detail, every spell, and every motion required to cast it. I wanted to be ready so that when she returned, I could be prepared for whatever she wanted to teach me. I¡¯ve been doing that almost every night since I was seven years old¡­and I still do it. I¡¯ve memorized every spell in there and I could recite them all. It became a routine that I couldn¡¯t sleep without, and I always dreamed of being able to cast them. Yet, for a long time, no matter what I did, nothing happened.¡±


    Lilly looked up from the book and frowned. ¡°What do you mean? Why not?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know, to be honest.¡± The boy then moved to once again take his seat on the bed beside her. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to think that I¡¯ve been lying since the moment we met, because I haven''t. In fact, when I found that stone, I still hadn¡¯t been able to cast anything.¡±


    ¡°Wait, really?¡± she muttered.


    She had been convinced that he¡¯d been using magic for years just based on how smooth his motions were and how quickly he reacted during his fight with the creature.


    ¡°But then¡­when did you start being able to use them?¡±


    Eric let out a soft breath then looked right into her eyes. ¡°The first time I ever casted a spell was the day Jay jumped from his balcony.¡±


    ¡°W-what?!¡± she exclaimed, having never expected that particular day to come up in the conversation. ¡°What are you¡­? What does Jay have to do with that?¡±


    ¡°I know you all found it strange,¡± he went on, ¡°that Jay jumped from the fourth floor of his apartment building right onto the concrete and still survived. Well, that wasn¡¯t luck. Or¡­maybe it was¡­but not the kind of luck you guys assumed.¡±


    Lilly straightened up as she tried to process what he was telling her. ¡°So¡­you¡¯re saying you saved him?¡±


    Eric shrugged. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I saved him, seeing as he only barely survived, but yes, I suppose I did prevent him from dying.¡± Once again, the boy seemed to fade from the moment, and his mouth appeared as if moving on autopilot. ¡°That day, I followed him to the diner to assure him that he had nothing to worry about. I could tell that what happened with Rina had been getting to him, so I wanted to comfort him. But when he rushed from the building all alone, I was scared. So, I went after him¡­and when I arrived, I realized that I was too late. I walked around the corner just in time to see him fall over the side.¡±


    His voice was shaking, and Lilly could see that he was fighting back tears, so she reached out and placed her hand over his. He squeezed back and when he spoke again, his voice was steadier.


    ¡°I reacted purely on instinct,¡± he continued. ¡°As I watched him fall, I knew I needed to try something, so I shouted out the incantation of a spell that I knew could slow somebody¡¯s fall¡­and for the first time in my life, I felt power surge through me and Jay¡¯s body slowed just enough to save his life. That¡­was the first time I ever used magic and¡­after that, everything seemed different¡ªlike I had passed a threshold to unlock that power. I could feel it coursing through me and I instinctively knew that I would be able to cast spells from then on out.¡±


    ¡°I wonder why it happened at that moment,¡± Lilly murmured. ¡°Though, I¡¯m glad it did.¡±


    Eric nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve wondered about that, too. After that day, I tested out other spells and sure enough, they worked. My years of studying made it easy. I knew what to do and how to do them. It took only a few tries to get control of most spells, and as the weeks went on, I got better at them. I¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°I wish I could have told you guys, but I was so uncertain of everything, and I thought it best to figure it all out before bringing it to your attention. I promise that I fully intended to reveal it eventually¡­and I never meant for it to come to light like this.¡±


    Lilly leaned in closer to him and moved her hand away from his, and instead wrapped it around his body, pulling him forward into a hug.


    ¡°I believe you,¡± she whispered. ¡°And I¡¯m thankful that you were able to save Jay¡­and me, today. Not like I didn¡¯t already know this, but you¡¯re incredible, Eric. That¡¯s never been more clear to me than tonight.¡±


    He embraced her back, but she could hear the self-deprecating tone in his voice when he replied. ¡°I appreciate that, but I think you give me too much credit. If I saved Jay, as you claimed, then he wouldn''t have lost four months of his life to a coma¡­nor would he have become that creature that pursued us tonight. No¡­I may have prevented him from dying¡­but did I really¡­truly save him?¡±


    Without warning, Lilly released him and placed her palms on his face, directing his head toward her as she looked him in the eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say things like that,¡± she said sternly. ¡°Because of you, Jay and Alice were able to truly understand each other. You gave Jay that chance to make things right with her¡­and even if he had passed in his sleep, I know as a fact that he appreciated that. You saved him¡­and regardless of whatever happened to him¡­we¡¯re going to save him again. You saw it, didn¡¯t you? When I brought up Alice, he hesitated for a split-second¡­and that¡¯s all I need to know that he¡¯s still in there. He can be saved again.¡±


    Eric swallowed hesitantly and glanced away. ¡°I¡­suppose. For the time being, I really don¡¯t know what to do. But now, I¡¯m fairly certain of one thing: there¡¯s something supernatural lurking in this town and it¡¯s behind everybody forgetting about Vinny¡­and the attacks on the diner and the hospital. I don¡¯t know what it is¡­but it clearly wants me¡­and I¡¯m determined to protect as many people as I can.¡±


    Lilly smiled. ¡°And I¡¯ll be there at your side. Whatever¡¯s after you¡­let¡¯s kick it¡¯s ass together.¡±


    She held out her fist and Eric bumped it with his own.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he replied. ¡°But¡­if your life is ever in danger, I want you to run. I have magic to defend myself, but you don¡¯t. Can you promise me that much, Lilly? Promise that you will prioritize your life over everything else.¡±


    She considered the question for a moment. As much as she wanted to be there with him throughout everything that she feared was going to happen to him, she knew from that night alone just how powerless she was in the face of the supernatural. Yet¡­


    If it comes down to it¡­would I really be able to live with myself if I left Eric behind?


    She wasn¡¯t sure what the answer to that question was but, regardless, she looked him in the eye and nodded.


    ¡°I promise. If I think I could die, I¡¯ll turn on my heel and run.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Lilly.¡± He smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ***


    As the late hours of the night passed, Eric Reiner sat with his back up against the wall of his bedroom, his eyes lowered to the orange gemstone clutched in his hand. Lilly was asleep in his bed across the room. For the sake of her comfort, he had decided to have her take the bed while he curled up in the corner with a few blankets and a spare pillow. Yet, even setting the uncomfortable conditions aside, he wasn¡¯t able to sleep. His mind was running far too fast for him to find any relaxation.


    What am I supposed to do now? That creature was bold enough to go into the school and attack Lilly. How am I supposed to prevent that from happening again? And who¡¯s to say it won¡¯t go after Damien, Liz, or any of the other students. If it¡¯s behind what happened at the diner then it clearly has no care for the safety of innocents. And now¡­it¡¯s painfully obvious how little of a chance I have of beating that thing.


    He slowly turned his attention away from the stone and on stead focussed on the blueish-green dagger clutched in his opposite hand. It was the weapon he had found the day the club came across the stone. He didn¡¯t know what its significance was, but it reminded him of a blade his mother used to have, so holding it had been giving him a sense of comfort. However, as he had come to realize since, nobody else could see it. The other club members hadn¡¯t, his father hadn¡¯t, and now Lilly hadn¡¯t. He didn¡¯t understand why, but he guessed it must have been a charm put over it.


    Mom¡­ If you were here¡­ What would you do? Is this what I was warned about? But no¡­she said last chances of last chances. I haven''t tried anything else yet. For all I know, it won¡¯t need to come to that. There¡¯s a way¡­ There has to be another way, I just¡­


    He clutched the dagger tighter, as if speaking to his mother through it.


    ¡°Damn it,¡± he whispered through yet another wave of tears. ¡°Mom¡­what am I supposed to do?¡±

 Chapter 8- Plans Set In Motion

    Chapter VIII


    How long has it been? I can¡¯t really say for sure. I know it¡¯s been longer than a day, but how much longer? Is the festival already over? If so, then somebody must be looking for me, right? Someone has to have noticed my disappearance by now. But then again¡­do I even want anybody to show up? It¡¯s already clear to me that we¡¯re powerless against these monsters. If anyone finds me¡­won¡¯t they just end up dead, too? So then¡­it¡¯s better if I¡¯m not found. I don¡¯t want anybody else to get hurt. I don¡¯t want them to die.


    Alice Mendez weakly readjusted her position in the wooden chair she was tied to. Everything was dark due to the blindfold wrapped around her head and she couldn¡¯t make a sound because of the gag they shoved in her mouth. Her hands were tied behind her back and her legs were bound to the chair. At the beginning, she¡¯d attempted to struggle against the bindings, but eventually decided that there wasn¡¯t a point. Even if she could have gotten away and even if she had the strength to stand up to her captors, she wouldn¡¯t be able to get far on her own. The loss of her right foot was more than enough to prevent her from escaping. The best she could do was crawl, but that wouldn¡¯t be fast enough to escape them. It was hopeless. There was nothing she could do but sit there and wait for them to kill her like they did the others.


    Monica¡­


    The image of her friend and coworker rose to the forefront of her mind. No matter what she did, she couldn¡¯t stop thinking about that final look of utter terror in Monica¡¯s eyes right before she died. Monica was gone and Alice feared she would be joining her soon. After all, if they killed Monica then there was no reason to keep her alive, too. Once they had what they wanted, they would cast her aside.


    And the one behind it all was the woman in white, Album Luz, and her black-clad companion, a man Alice had yet to learn the name of. These ¡°Masters of Ijiria¡±, as they called themselves, were the ones behind Monica¡¯s death and Alice¡¯s capture, and she already knew how powerful they were. They were a force that she couldn''t hope to stand up against. The raw power they displayed at the diner was horrifying and there was nothing a simple girl like her could do to stop them. Even if she denied them what they wanted, she knew they would just find it another way. By staying silent and defying their orders to answer their questions, she was only delaying the inevitable.


    Eric¡­ They want Eric and the stone¡­though I can¡¯t fathom why.


    Every time they ungagged her and interrogated her, it was always related to Eric Reiner and the magical stone he possessed. They would ask questions like ¡°Where is Reiner?¡± and ¡°How many of you have swapped bodies?¡± They wanted details on who used it and even who knew of its existence, and they were determined to do whatever they could to get their information. And yet, despite the horrific pain they were putting her through, she hadn¡¯t given them anything.


    She hated them.


    They murdered an innocent girl for no apparent reason, right before her eyes. And she knew that if she gave up any information about Eric, Lilly, the club, or the stone, then they would do the same to them. She couldn¡¯t allow that to happen. No matter what they did to her, she couldn¡¯t allow herself to break. Every time the pain became too much, she just forced herself to remember that look in Monica¡¯s eyes and imagine that happening to Lilly or Jay. That was all it took for her to bite her tongue and remain silent. They could do whatever they wanted to her, but she couldn¡¯t bear the thought of something happening to her friends. She couldn¡¯t betray them¡­especially when she knew she was going to die anyway.


    Off on the other side of whatever place she was locked up in, she heard the sound of the door opening, followed by footsteps. They were heavier than normal, which led her to expect not Album Luz, but the man in black. She instantly cringed. He was the one who always tortured her. He used his shadows to invade her body and tear her from the inside. Yet, he always healed her wounds and then made them again, as if to ensure that she didn¡¯t die. It was the worst pain she had ever experienced in her life and so, just the sound of his footsteps made her want to vomit.


    ¡°Good evening, Miss Mendez,¡± he greeted in his soft and deep voice.


    Evening? So it probably is the last night of the festival.


    ¡°How are you holding up?¡± he asked. ¡°Have you given any more thought to being cooperative with us? Perhaps you¡¯re ready for the pain to finally end?¡±


    She swallowed in fear, but slowly shook her head. She knew her refusal would only be met with more pain, but she shook it regardless.


    ¡°Unfortunate,¡± he muttered. ¡°Though I¡¯m surprised at how well you¡¯re still holding up. I expected a magicless girl like yourself to give in within a few minutes. Not to mention, you¡¯re a mere teenager. Though, you must understand that defying us will only result in your own suffering.¡±


    I don¡¯t care. I won¡¯t betray my friends. I won¡¯t let you kill them like you did Monica!


    ¡°Here,¡± he whispered, and moments later, the gag was removed from her mouth.


    But before she could even speak a word, she felt water trickling into her open mouth. She gratefully welcomed it, having not realized until that moment just how parched she was. Once the water stopped coming, she listened as the man began to pace around the room, and she waited with bated breath for him to speak one of those words that always preceded the pain.


    ¡°Do you have anything you want to say, Mendez?¡± he inquired.


    She clenched her teeth, knowing that whether she spoke her mind or not wouldn¡¯t matter. He would hurt her regardless, so she simply spat, ¡°Go fuck yourself.¡±


    ¡°Devare.¡±


    She¡¯d been prepared for it. She knew speaking such vulgarity at the man would only incur his wrath, but that didn¡¯t make what happened next any less painful. She felt his power invading her mouth, forcing its way into her lungs until there wasn¡¯t any room for oxygen. She desperately gasped for air but it wouldn¡¯t come as pain erupted throughout her insides, as if she was being cut open from within. But just as quickly as the pain came, it vanished, the wounds seeming to heal the second they opened. This continued for just a few more seconds before the power vacated her body and she could breathe again. She frantically took in air and felt as if she could pass out at any second.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re so persistent,¡± the man snapped. ¡°All this pointless suffering could be over if you just answer my damn questions! So why won¡¯t you?¡±


    As her breathing became steady once again, Alice slowly raised her head in the direction of his voice and spoke. ¡°I won¡¯t¡­let you¡­hurt anybody¡­else. Nobody else¡­needs¡­to die.¡±


    The man scoffed. ¡°Are you still hung up on that waitress? But if that''s the case, you should realize that refusing to help will only create more casualties like her. You gain nothing by defying me. You already know how far I¡¯m willing to go to reach my goals.¡±


    She knew he was right. And yet¡­


    ¡°I won¡¯t¡­be the one¡­to betray them¡­¡± she breathed. ¡°I won¡¯t¡­help you¡­hurt my friends¡­¡±


    She heard his footsteps stop just ahead of her and she cringed in anticipation of more pain, but this time, all he did was respond to her.


    ¡°You¡¯re an admirable person,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m not lying when I say that you have my respect. You¡¯re loyal to those you care about and that¡¯s a valuable trait to have. But¡­¡± The man paused and could feel his face just inches away from her own. ¡°I will break you, Alice Mendez. You can¡¯t fight me forever and it¡¯s now truly clear to me that you care deeply about those close to you. So, let me just say one name and we¡¯ll see how cooperative you are then.¡± He laughed darkly. ¡°Do you know a boy named Jay Brooks?¡±


    Her body went cold and she straightened up instantly, horrified that Jay¡¯s name could possibly come from his lips.


    ¡°No, please!¡± she begged.


    She didn¡¯t even try to deny knowing him. It was clear already that the man knew of their connection and if he knew about Jay, then it was only so long before he found out about his vulnerable state in the hospital. Yet, just as that thought came to mind, his next words sent another wave of fear through her.


    ¡°I had a hunch,¡± he whispered. ¡°You wouldn''t have been visiting the boy at the hospital if he didn¡¯t mean something to you.¡±


    Alice meekly shook her head, wanting desperately to get up and run. They knew I visited him at the hospital?! How?! Were they following me that whole time? Then¡­how much do they know? Did they watch me during the festival?


    Her first thoughts were of the drama club and how she spent most of the day helping them with their performance, but those worries quickly shifted to Damien and Liz. She¡¯d had lunch with the two of them that day and she knew they were targets since they knew of the stone. If they¡¯d seen her with them, then the two of them could already be in danger as well.


    And Jay¡­


    Alice forced herself to raise her head once again. ¡°Please,¡± she uttered. ¡°Jay¡¯s innocent. Don¡¯t hurt him. I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t lose him, too. He¡¯s¡­my best friend¡­¡±


    She knew the man didn¡¯t give a damn about her emotional connection with Jay, and that by saying what she had was probably only making him all the more pleased, but she couldn¡¯t stop herself. She couldn¡¯t bear the thought of Jay getting hurt or even dying after everything they went through together.


    It¡¯s not fair! Please¡­ It¡¯s not fair that I could lose him after all that!


    ¡°Well, clearly I¡¯ve gotten the reaction I wanted,¡± he said, and she found she could hear the smile on his lips. ¡°So, consider how much you want to protect your friends. Perhaps I¡¯ll start torturing Brooks instead of you. Would that loosen your lips at all?¡±


    A sense of utter defeat washed over her and she slumped back into the chair. It doesn''t matter, she told herself. They said they wanted people who have used the stone and Jay is one of those people. Either I keep quiet and Jay gets hurt, or I tell the truth and Jay gets hurt. There¡¯s¡­nothing I can do.


    So, she slowly shook her head. ¡°I won¡¯t¡­betray anybody. Jay¡­wouldn¡¯t want¡­others to get¡­killed.¡±


    She knew she was right. After everything the club did for him, he would be furious with her if she sold them out to save him. For the time being, she would just have to pray that a miracle would come along because there was nothing she could do but refuse the man¡¯s orders.


    ¡°Really?¡± the man pressed. ¡°Even knowing I have Jay Brooks in my palm?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    At that, the footsteps continued, and she once again tensed up in preparation of more pain. Yet, for the second time, she was surprised to find that the conversation continued.


    ¡°Well, perhaps we¡¯ll see what song you sing when you listen to that boy¡¯s shrieks,¡± he said softly. ¡°Though, I am curious¡­¡±


    Before he finished his sentence, she suddenly felt his hand placed against the back of her head. This time, he didn''t utter any strange word before the power began surging through her body. Yet, it wasn¡¯t painful. Instead, she was greeted with images from her childhood. She saw the smiling faces of Audrey, Rina, and Jay, and she felt a brief reprieve from the horrors of the last two days. Unfortunately, it was over in an instant and she found herself returned to that dark reality in which she now lived.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± he whispered. ¡°So you have experience with death already, do you, Mendez?¡±


    She exhaled sharply. What?! Wait, how could he know that? Does he know about Audrey? But that¡¯s¡­impossible.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I can not delve far enough into your mind to find what I want, but your emotions are not well hidden,¡± the man told her. ¡°I can sense it. I can sense the hole in your heart and it is strong. You lost somebody dear, haven¡¯t you?¡± His hand moved away from her head and the footsteps once again resumed. ¡°So perhaps¡­you should think about that individual when you choose not to answer my questions. Think about them¡­and about how Mr. Brooks could soon be joining them.¡±


    With that terrifying statement, the man turned and she listened as he walked further away from her then, judging by the sound of the door, out of the building in which she was in.


    No¡­ Please¡­don¡¯t kill Jay! Don¡¯t take him from me, too!


    She wanted to scream after him. She wanted to shout more vulgarity at him no matter the pain that followed. Alice had never felt more hatred for a person in her entire life, but she truly wished she could jump from that chair and crush the man¡¯s neck in her grasp.


    They murdered Monica.


    And now, they were going to take Jay away from her.


    I can¡¯t¡­lose him! I¡¯ve already lost Audrey and Monica and¡­


    Suddenly, a spasm of pain shot through her head, and she found herself thinking about somebody else she had lost. Yet, no matter how much she tried, she couldn¡¯t recall anybody else and soon, the feeling faded into nothingness.


    ***


    Closing the door of the shack behind him, Nigreos Noctis stalked out into the cool night air of the forest. His interrogation of Mendez hadn¡¯t gone anywhere near as well as he had hoped. The girl was stubborn, and he¡¯d believed that if he used Jay Brooks then she would finally cooperate. But even threatening to torture him instead hadn¡¯t gotten her to talk. She seemed determined not to reveal anything, and it seemed to him that she had already deduced that they intended to harm those who used the relic. Alice Mendez was loyal to her friends, and he was beginning to wonder if they made a mistake in capturing her and erasing Mickelson.


    Perhaps he would have been more cooperative. But no matter. Mendez may be strong, but she¡¯s still just a magicless girl. I¡¯ll get her to talk one way or another. I only wish I had a better control over mind magic.


    His current abilities only permitted him a few vague images of a person¡¯s memories, or more specifically, the emotions tied to those memories, but they weren¡¯t nearly enough to go off of. All he really gained from probing Mendez¡¯s mind was learning of her strong connection with Jay Brooks, as well as gaining the knowledge that she knew death, something that still affected her enough for her feelings to be on the surface.


    Perhaps¡­that information can be useful in some way.


    He stepped out past the porch and walked a few feet into the woods before turning and looking up at the roof of the rickety wooden structure where he found Album silently sitting, staring off into the canopies. He knew she must have already noticed his presence, yet she made no move to acknowledge him. However, he expected no less from his partner. The Master of Darkness whispered an incantation and he faded into the shadows of the forest. Within a second, he appeared right beside the woman, his feet balanced on the point of the roof. He moved forward and sat down beside her, exhaling softly as the exhaustion of their mission set in.


    ¡°So, I take it Mendez didn¡¯t react to your empty threat?¡± Album muttered with a disinterested tone.


    He shook his head. ¡°Nope. She¡¯s still fighting me and it¡¯s starting to get a tad irritating. I¡¯d hoped that by taking a hostage, we could have answers immediately. I never imagined she would last two days without breaking.¡±


    ¡°Nor did I,¡± Album muttered. ¡°Which is why I¡¯m pleased that you sent the nerich out to the school. With any luck, it¡¯ll have made some progress for us.¡±


    Nigreos grimaced at the thought of the creature that now controlled the body of Jay Brooks. ¡°Perhaps¡­ But that thing isn¡¯t exactly made to take hostages. I know I ordered it to bring Harper here alive, but I do worry that it¡¯ll just rip her apart without thinking. It¡¯ll be even worse if it comes across Reiner.¡±


    He¡¯d ordered the creature to focus on locating and capturing Lilly Harper, but he did give it orders to apprehend Reiner should he come across the boy. The issue was that it was a being of hatred and darkness, and there was no guarantee that it wouldn¡¯t lose control. Not to mention, they still weren¡¯t even sure if it could get through the pocket realm surrounding the school. If it couldn¡¯t, then the nerich was already long gone.


    ¡°And if it does?¡± the woman spat. ¡°Their lives mean nothing, Nigreos. As long as we get the relic, we¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    He narrowed his eyes. ¡°Yes¡­but we¡¯re supposed to erase those who used it. We can¡¯t do that if they¡¯re dead.¡±


    She merely shrugged, as if the conversation was already starting to bore her. ¡°Yes, but does it truly matter? The point of erasing them is to remove any evidence of magic from Omaruo, but the only reason we would erase and not kill would be to conceal the fact that we ever came to this world, something you threw out the window when you decided to kill those nurses and the fools at the diner.¡±


    Nigreos scowled, annoyed that she was once again bringing that up. ¡°I¡¯ve already told you why we did that. Album, we can¡¯t even begin to understand what Eric Reiner is. All we know is that he has a powerful amount of magic, but we don¡¯t know how much he was taught. It¡¯s imperative that we prevent him from knowing we¡¯re here for as long as possible. By killing those civilians, we can cover up the fact that magic was related to Mendez and Brooks¡¯s disappearances. If we can make him believe that Ijiria isn¡¯t involved then he won''t act. It¡¯ll at least buy us time before Reiner becomes suspicious of anything magical at play.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± she whispered. ¡°But I still do not think it matters. If anything, allowing Reiner to suspect us would lure him out.¡±


    ¡°Which we can do eventually,¡± he countered. ¡°But I¡¯d rather not risk facing him until we know just what¡¯s been going on here. Once we have the information we need from Mendez, we can draw him out, but until we have a better idea of the situation, we can¡ª!¡±


    Nigreos jumped to his feet and Album immediately did so as well. He had just been struck by the presence of a large amount of dark mana and, sure enough, mere seconds later, the nerich emerged from the shadows, crawling along the branches of the trees. However, the Master was quickly disappointed when he noticed it was empty-handed.


    ¡°So it came back,¡± Album whispered.


    ¡°But it failed its mission.¡±


    The creature jumped down from the nearest canopy and landed on the roof beside Nigreos, its head immediately lowing into a bow.


    ¡°Master,¡± it rasped.


    Nigreos looked down at the creature and cringed in disgust. The nerich was a vile thing, and even just sharing mana with it caused him to feel repulsed. Dark magic was full of hatred and corruption to begin with, so he was used to the twisted feeling its mana elicited in him. But this creature was on a whole other level. Anybody even slightly less skilled in controlling dark magic than him may have been overcome by the monster.


    But it¡¯s a necessary evil if we want to reclaim the relic¡­especially if it was able to enter the school.


    ¡°Report,¡± Nigreos demanded. ¡°Why were you unable to bring us Lilly Harper¡­or even Eric Reiner, for that matter.¡±


    The creature kept its bald head lowered as it responded. ¡°I¡­did find them. I found both Harper and Reiner¡­but they escaped.¡±


    Nigreos failed to contain his surprise and when he glanced sidelong at Album, the Master of Light was staring down at it with obvious intrigue.


    ¡°Escaped?¡± he snapped. ¡°How could they escape from something like you? You should be leagues more powerful than they are.¡±


    A low rumble came from the nerich¡¯s throat and for a second, Nigreos felt raw fury emanating from it, as if his sharp tone was making it angry. He felt his head start to throb and so, he quickly focused on the mana in his body, not wanting to lose control of the monster. After a moment, he managed to strengthen it and the creature went silent before replying.


    ¡°Reiner¡­was too fast. He was able to get away from me,¡± it whispered. ¡°He has¡­a strong relationship with wind magic and I could not keep up with him. Every time I got close to him or Harper, they slipped through my fingers.¡±


    ¡°So¡­you¡¯re saying Eric Reiner does have command over magic?¡± he uttered.


    The nerich nodded. ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    Nigreos clenched his teeth, having suspected and even feared that possibility numerous times but still finding it hard to accept now that he was faced with the reality.


    Damn it. So then I made the right choice killing those civilians. If Eric Reiner could escape a creature as powerful as the nerich then underestimating him would be a fatal mistake.


    ¡°And were you able to get into the school?¡± he asked, wanting to keep his emotions steady before he lost his grip on the creature again.


    It slowly raised its head, its dark eyes boring into him and its jagged teeth showing as it smiled. ¡°Yes, I was.¡±


    The Master of Darkness felt somewhat relieved that it had returned with some good news. If it can get past the pocket realm then we have access to school. If we can just get the names out of Mendez then we¡¯d be set to finish this all!


    ¡°Good,¡± Nigreos murmured. ¡°In that case, go to sleep. I¡¯ll summon you once we need you again.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­master¡­¡±


    With that, the creature jumped from the rooftop and landed down in the dirt below. Then, with a single lunge into the trees, it vanished into the shadows. Nigreos stared after it for a moment as he took in all of the new information it presented him with, before turning back to face Album.


    ¡°So Reiner is a threat, after all,¡± he mused. ¡°Seems caution was a smart choice.¡±


    The woman shrugged. ¡°Perhaps¡­but he¡¯s still just a child. Even with magic at his disposal, he still won¡¯t be a match for the two of us combined. In fact, if we can just erase him then dealing with the others will be simple.¡±


    ¡°Erase him, huh?¡± Nigreos shook his head.


    ¡°Yes, erase him,¡± she repeated, more firmly than before, her eyes narrowing in unrestrained annoyance as she regarded him. ¡°Forget about your idiotic promise and focus on the mission, Nigreos. His being Abi¡¯s son doesn¡¯t change the fact that he currently possesses one of the relics of Ijiria and has been using that magic on his fellow students. He¡¯s broken numerous laws at this point whether he knew about them or not, and we¡¯ve been tasked with dealing with him. Are you really going to shirk your duties just because he¡¯s her son?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t patronize me, Album,¡± he growled, taking a step toward her, though the woman didn¡¯t flinch. ¡°I have no intention of shirking my duties. However, I would like to speak with the boy first. I want to know what his story is, and perhaps we¡¯ll be able to come to some sort of truce. After all, he won¡¯t remember any of the friends that you erase and once they¡¯re gone, he¡¯ll be looking for answers¡ªanswers we can give him.¡±


    The woman scoffed and folded her arms across her chest. ¡°Then you better hurry up and deal with Mendez, because now that he¡¯s seen the nerich, he¡¯ll know something supernatural is here in this town. He¡¯ll be waiting for us, Nigreos. Your little setup with the diner seems pointless now, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°No, it bought us two days¡­and now we truly know what we¡¯re up against,¡± he replied confidently. ¡°So, I think I¡¯m going to attempt to contact Reiner again.¡±


    Album cocked an eyebrow. ¡°How? We already established that there¡¯s some charm locking you out of his mind.¡±


    ¡°Yes, there is,¡± he agreed. ¡°But there¡¯s nothing stopping me from conversing with Lilly Harper.¡± The idea began to form in his head, and he now knew what he wanted their next move to be. ¡°Yes, in fact that¡¯s what I want to do. I want to speak with Harper.¡±


    ¡°And how are you going to go about doing that?¡± she demanded. ¡°You prevented the girl from remembering your conversation. It was a stroke of luck that she happened to be in the boy¡¯s body when you contacted him.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± he retorted. ¡°But if I were to unlock her memories of our conversation, then I expect she would intentionally answer our call again. Especially after tonight.¡±


    Album¡¯s expression turned dubious and he could tell she wasn¡¯t fully convinced, but despite her obvious opposition, she eventually sighed and shook her head. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s what you would like to try, I won¡¯t stop you. But if that¡¯s the case then I want to try my hand at getting answers out of Mendez.¡±


    Nigreos frowned. ¡°Really? Why? Your powers aren¡¯t exactly good for torture.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she replied with a smug tone. ¡°Which is why I don¡¯t intend to torture her. Mendez has made it clear that pain isn¡¯t good enough. Luckily, torture isn¡¯t the only way to coerce somebody into submission.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then how do you propose we go about it then?¡± he inquired.


    ¡°I think¡­she needs a more gentle push. Rather than threatening to take things away from her¡­¡± Album grinned, and he could see her own plan was coming to fruition as she glanced up at him. ¡°How about we offer to give something instead?¡±

 Chapter 9- In The Chamber Of The Masters

    Chapter IX


    As if it were second nature, Ryokumo Caeli began to raise the platform to the higher levels of the Ijirian Citadel. Most of the denizens of the capitol building had to put a lot of focus and effort into lifting the silver disk, and there had been plenty of accounts of it dropping to the bottom and only being stopped by the fail-safe charm cast on the ground floor to prevent it from crashing. However, being the Master of Wind, Ryokumo was able to lift it as if raising a pea, and so he was able to focus on other matters while he waited for it to reach his floor. Namely, his focus was on the meeting he was going to attend¡ªa meeting held by the Ijirian Masters to discuss the issue of the attack on the Citadel by the Children of Reiner, and how to go about forcing information out of the few prisoners they managed to take.


    A few months back, when the attack that resulted in the theft of the Assassination Gem took place, the Citadel had been taken completely by surprise. It wasn¡¯t easy for intruders to break into the building with how heavy the Citadel¡¯s security was, but despite this, the Children of Reiner not only managed to get inside but even reached the Vault of the Relics and successfully escaped with it in their possession. A subclass of wind magic known as illusion magic was cast over the upper floors to make it so that anybody without a guide could never find their way to either their destination or to the exit. Only a handful of individuals were given the rights to pass through that magic¡ªspecifically, only members of the royal family and the most powerful figures in the high council. Theoretically, any intruders should have been caught in the illusion, unable to escape, but the Children of Reiner had not only been successful in finding the vault, but in getting away.


    Which means they had a guide, he thought. But if that¡¯s the case, then that means that there¡¯s a traitor in the government¡­ Yet, if that were true, it would mean that we not only had a traitor somewhere in our midst, but that they¡¯re likely in the High Council. However, we¡¯ve got alibis for each of them on the night of the attack, although that doesn¡¯t mean a Child wasn¡¯t given guideship at some other time prior. That¡¯s possible, but¡­


    Ryokumo hesitated to allow that train of thought to continue, knowing just how disastrous a traitor in the High Council could be for Ijiria¡¯s national security. The Masters had already discussed the matter plenty of times over the past few months and had reached nothing more than mere speculation and theory, but this time, there was apparently a new development that needed addressing. Therefore, Ryokumo had no option but to attend.


    I wonder what¡¯s happened? We¡¯ve been static for so long that it seems strange for something to come up so suddenly. Maybe Nakoma finally got Kirisan to talk, although I like to think he would have already informed me. Then again¡­he¡¯s never exactly been my biggest fan.


    As he reached his desired floor, Ryokumo brought the disk to a halt and stepped out into the silver halls beyond. Being as high up as he was, there weren''t many people around. The only individuals he passed were apprentices for the High Council, and even a few of the members, though nobody stopped to greet him nor did he speak a word to them. The Masters and the High Council rarely ever talked to each other, and there was a certain level of distrust between them. It had been that way since the day Ryokumo became the Master of Wind and it had surely been like that since long before.


    And it¡¯s not like I can¡¯t particularly blame them, he internally mused, clasping his hands together within the sleeves of the flower-print gown he wore¡ªa traditional style of his home country of Sukon. If us Masters were to ever decide it, we could take this building by force and there would be little any of them could do to stop it.


    He knew each member of the council was more than aware of that fact. The eight Masters of Ijiria were the most powerful people in the country, and perhaps even within their realm. Ryokumo, alone, could stand up against a small army, to say nothing of what he could do should any of the other Masters be standing by his side.


    And I¡¯m not even one of the strongest, he thought, his mind briefly switching to images of Nigreos and Album.


    Of course, Ryokumo knew that the Masters would never even dream of turning on their country and their king, and even if they did, Prince Reigious and Princess Anna-Piura would be strong enough to stand in their way, so he knew the Council¡¯s fears were misguided and fueled by fear. Yet, nothing would ever change that. No matter what was said or done, the Masters would always be looked at with caution, a lesson Ryokumo had learned long ago.


    He rounded the corner and headed further down the corridor before finally coming to a large, obsidian door that was a stark contrast to the shiny silver walls of the hallway. The door had no knob and should he push it, it wouldn''t open. It was a completely flat surface of blackish purple with the exception of nine indentations in the shape of hands placed in the center, though they varied in their sizes. Ryokumo didn¡¯t hesitate, reaching out and placing his right hand in the indentation on the top right. For a moment, a tingling sensation erupted throughout his body, and the next moment, the obsidian door began to slide into the wall, revealing the empty chambers beyond. Ryokumo stalked inside and the door immediately closed behind him.


    The Master ran his hands through his silver hair, which was combed back to make himself look presentable before his fellow Masters. He then smoothed out his curled mustache and his thin beard before glancing around the empty anteroom. Satisfied, he made his way to the door opposite where he stood and simply reached for the knob before pushing it open and stepping into the Chamber of the Masters.


    ¡°Ah, so there he is. I was wondering when you¡¯d arrive, Caeli.¡±


    Ryokumo stopped in the doorway and briefly scanned the room. The Chamber of the Masters was a high-ceilinged, circular room with a round table placed directly in the center. There were eight seats surrounding it and behind those chairs were banners hung to the walls, each displaying the symbol of that Master¡¯s affinity. In addition, a ninth chair was placed on the opposite side from where Ryokumo stood, though this one was larger than the others, crafted of fine gold and velvet, with different-colored jewels adorning its armrests. That was the seat of the crown prince¡ªthe one who oversaw the meeting of the Masters.


    Having scanned the room, Ryokumo then turned his attention to those seated around the table. Four figures were already in their places and some were looking his way. The one who had spoken when he first answered was a man named Nakoma Taurus¡ªthe Master of Fire. With his bright red hair slicked back and his narrow crimson eyes, he truly embodied the affinity he was bonded with. The man was an intimidating presence just sitting there, with his hands folded atop the table, but Ryokumo had seen his power first-hand and knew he was far more terrifying than he looked. He had been a Master longer than any of them and thus, he had the most respected position just under the prince.


    ¡°You say that like I¡¯m late, Taurus, my friend,¡± he replied with a smile. ¡°But as I look around, we¡¯re still waiting on two more. Seems I¡¯ve arrived with plenty of time to spare.¡±


    Ryokumo moved around the table to take his seat beside the empty one used by Nigreos. With Nigreos and Album currently in Omaruo, that left only two more members to arrive.


    Nakoma regarded him with a disinterested glance then shrugged, as if already bored of the conversation. ¡°Well, it¡¯s just that it always seems like you¡¯re one of the first ones here. I was simply surprised, is all.¡±


    Ryokumo folded his own hands atop the table and chuckled. ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t actually in the Citadel when the summons came and so, I just happened to run into the prince¡¯s messenger on my way home. Quite a lucky occurrence, if I do say, or else you all may have been waiting for a lot longer¡­¡± He grinned. ¡°And I know how little you like to wait.¡±


    ¡°And what exactly were you doing down in the city?¡± came a sharp demand from across the table.


    Sinna Cartus, the Master of Rock, was sneering at him like she often did. Ryokumo often internally remarked that the woman may have been rather pretty with her tanned skin, dark black hair tied back in a braid, and her sparkling amber eyes. However, he had trouble finding her attractive at all given the constant glares she always directed his way, as if he was the greatest scum of the realm. Much like Nakoma, she was a foreboding presence. The muscles of her arms were displayed for all by the sleeveless jerkin she wore, and he knew she could probably break his arms with a simple clutch. When she stood up, she was both built bigger and was taller than him.


    Recovering from his brief internal musings about the woman, Ryokumo¡¯s smile returned to his face as he regarded Sinna.


    ¡°What was I doing, you ask?¡± he replied. ¡°Please, Cartus, I simply decided to go for a walk. The capitol is quite lively this time of year and sometimes I like to get out of this building and breathe in the fresh air. What¡¯s so wrong about that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t play the fool with us, Caeli,¡± chimed in the Master of Nature, Iris Mackia, her sickeningly sweet voice causing a brief feeling of discomfort in him. Of all the sorcerers that made up the Masters, she was easily the most unique in appearance. She was of a people known as the Kotonorish¡ªa group that appeared as a mix between human and animal. Her eyes were bright yellow like a cat¡¯s, and her face was covered in golden fur. Her golden hair was brushed back over her long, pointed ears, and when she smiled, he could see the sharpness of her teeth. Despite being predominantly humanoid, her face was closer to that of a cat than a human¡¯s.


    ¡°We all know the real reason you enjoy sneaking out into the city,¡± she went on. ¡°There¡¯s no point in hiding it.¡±


    He cocked an eyebrow, deciding to play dumb despite realizing there was no point in doing so. ¡°Whatever could you mean? I would think you, of all people, would understand the desire to breathe in the air of nature.¡±


    Iris leaned forward, her eyes locking on to him and her head tilting slightly to the side. ¡°The fact that you consider this city to be a part of nature makes me fear for your mind, Caeli. Perhaps you¡¯re beginning to lose it¡­after all¡­it seems you still find yourself attached to a traitor.¡±


    Despite knowing how important it was to keep his composure, he felt a twinge of anger shoot through him at the woman¡¯s words.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to deny it,¡± Sinna cut in before he could say anything. ¡°We all know how often you visit Reiner¡¯s monument. I imagine you were there today as well?¡¯


    Ryokumo glanced around the table, finding accusatory stares directed his way from Nakoma, Iris, and Sinna. The only one not glaring at him was the fifth Master at the table, though Ryokumo didn¡¯t even know if she was paying attention. Her hood was pulled up to conceal her face and her forehead was resting against the table, as if she were sleeping. However, this wasn¡¯t an uncommon sight for Nyx Rana, the Master of Water, and so, the other Masters simply chose to ignore her. Knowing he wouldn¡¯t be receiving aid from the sleeping girl, Ryokumo turned back to face the other three.


    ¡°And if I was?¡± he retorted calmly. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ve all forgotten, but Abi Reiner was one of my closest friends back at the academy. Is it so strange that I would visit a place of remembrance?¡±


    ¡°Oh we all remember, don¡¯t worry about that,¡± Nakoma said with a wry smile. ¡°Abi Reiner was a traitor, and now, even her little orphans are, too. That woman was a menace and the fact that you still regard her as if she were some saint speaks quite highly of your loyalties, Caeli. And, when there¡¯s a known traitor somewhere in this building, can you blame us for finding your trips to the city odd?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I can,¡± he replied. ¡°For one, I am not a guide, and therefore I could not have led them to the vault. And secondly, I think the three of you are all too quick to forget all of the good Abi Reiner brought to this country. You especially, Mackia.¡±


    Iris tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Abi was a miracle worker as far as creating spells for nature,¡± he went on. ¡°Spells I¡¯ve personally witnessed you using. You may be the Master of Nature now¡­but you¡¯re merely standing upon her shoulders¡ªusing information that she, herself, trusted you with. Abi saved more lives than you could ever comprehend and, regardless of what happened to her at the end, it is a disservice to her to ever forget that. So yes. I visited her grave. I honor her memory. It¡¯s what she deserves.¡±


    ¡°Ryokumo is correct,¡± came a sudden voice from behind them.


    As if struck by electricity, all five Masters at the table jumped to their feet, turned, and bowed. Even Nyx, who hadn¡¯t moved once since Ryokumo¡¯s arrival, was on her feet with her head lowered. They¡¯d been so caught up in conversation that they hadn¡¯t heard the man come in until he spoke.


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    ¡°Thank you,¡± Prince Reigious Iiji called out as he proceeded into the room. ¡°Now take your seats.¡± All five dropped back to their chairs as Reigious walked around the table and sat down in the golden chair. The man looked just like his older sister with his emerald green hair and deep blue eyes, though unlike Piura, instead of wearing military style clothing, he wore a finely woven coat with large brass buttons and an upturned wingless collar. On his shoulders were lapels decorated with the golden insignias of the king.


    He briefly glanced around then said, ¡°You as well, Seiras. And would you take that damn hood off. Same to you, Nyx.¡±


    It was then that Ryokumo realized that Reigious had not entered alone. Still standing in the doorway was a cloaked halfling about three feet tall. The man slowly raised his head and reached up to pull down the hood, revealing his scarred features to those present. His face was grotesque and his blue eyes were bulging in a way that always sent shivers down Ryokumo¡¯s spine. His thinning, shoulder-length gray hair was greasy and the hands that protruded from his robes were wrinkled. When he smiled, he revealed the many teeth that were missing from his mouth.


    ¡°My apologies, my prince,¡± whispered Seiras Ka, the Master of the Mind, as he licked his lips. Laughing softly to himself, he moved around the table to crawl up onto his seat between Nakoma and Sinna. Both regarded him with a look of disgust, but the halfling paid them no mind. His eyes were focussed only on Reigious.


    ¡°Um, Your Highness.¡± Speaking for the first time, Nyx Rana raised her hand and regarded the man. She had done as requested and removed her hood, revealing her youthful features, her long silver hair, and her pale white eyes, which were half-lidded and dazed from sleep. She looked no older than sixteen though Ryokumo knew she wasn¡¯t so young.


    ¡°Yes, Nyx?¡± Reigious asked. ¡°What is it?¡±


    The woman blinked lethargically for a moment and then did as requested. ¡°You say Caeli is correct to respect the memory of Abi Reiner, and I find that surprising. I know what she did for you¡­but does that still overturn the bad?¡±


    Sinna, Nakoma, and Iris all turned to look at him with expressions of anticipation. Regardless of what they truly thought about Abi, if Prince Reigious took Ryokumo¡¯s side, they wouldn¡¯t speak of it in front of him again. Though Ryokumo already knew how he would respond. He and the prince had discussed the matter many times in the past.


    Reigious regarded Nyx for a moment, then scanned those seated at the table. When next he spoke, his voice was firm. ¡°Naturally I am aware of the many crimes committed by Abigail Reiner in the weeks leading up to her death, and I even bore witness to some of them, but I don''t condone her actions. She was a smart woman and would have known what repercussions would be awaiting her should she rebel. However¡­¡± He momentarily looked to Ryokumo then back to the others. ¡°...Abigail Reiner saved my life. Without her, I wouldn''t be sitting here before you. Regardless of what she became, it would be foolish to overlook the good she brought us. Consider that next time you wish to accuse Ryokumo of treason simply because he visits the grave of his dear friend.¡±


    While Iris and Sinna refused to look back at the prince, both probably reeling from his declaration, Nyx merely nodded, as if all she wanted was to satisfy her curiosity while Nakoma appeared like he simply wanted the discussion to turn to the reason they were there in the first place.


    ¡°Well spoken, Your Highness,¡± Seiras said, breaking the momentary silence.


    Reigious looked back at Ryokumo, and the Master of Wind bowed his head to show his gratitude. The prince nodded back to him, then cleared his throat and went on.


    ¡°Now, since we¡¯re all here, I¡¯d like to begin,¡± he declared. ¡°Naturally, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re all aware that I¡¯ve called you here to once again discuss the recent attack on the Citadel and simply put, we¡¯re getting nowhere. Interrogations of the captured Children of Reiner have amounted to nothing. No matter what we¡¯ve done, not a single one has broken under our demands.¡±


    Ryokumo exchanged a brief glance with Nakoma. The two of them were already aware of the current state of the interrogations since they were the ones in charge of them. The loyalty of the Children was admirable. No matter what pain they suffered, they would not reveal what they knew. There were many, even, who claimed to know nothing, and once Nakoma had realized they weren¡¯t lying, he used his magic to burn them to death as an example for those left, but even that failed to reach them. As it stood, they only had five more prisoners, all of which they believed had entered the vault.


    ¡°And what of that new captive Noctis brought in?¡± Sinna inquired. ¡°Nothing from her either?¡±


    Reigious shook his head. ¡°No. Even she refuses to tell us anything. However, we know she is important because she is the only one we¡¯ve been able to confirm was actually in the Vault.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, we¡¯ve been able to learn nothing else,¡± Seiras interrupted. ¡°I¡¯ve probed her mind myself, but we can¡¯t learn anything about the guide. Perhaps the answer lies in those Miss Luz erased, for no matter what I do, nobody seems to have any recollection of who led them.¡±


    Nakoma clicked his tongue in irritation. ¡°Yes, I do wish Luz had been a little more cautious with her erasure. In fact, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if answers lay with that Rista Pine fellow. He was the one they entrusted the relic and the realm dagger to. What was so special about that boy?¡±


    ¡°In her defense,¡± Iris began, ¡°Pine did take them by surprise. Had he escaped into Omaruo, it would have been a lot harder to locate him. At least now, they won¡¯t have to worry about engaging him.¡±


    Sinna scowled. ¡°She and Noctis are two of the most powerful mages in this country. The fact that a mere boy took them by surprise is laughable. There is no defense for that blunder.¡±


    ¡°Pine may have been a child,¡± Ryokumo said. ¡°But he was a child trained by Abi. That, alone, speaks for his skills.¡±


    The Master of Rock narrowed her eyes and Ryokumo returned the expression with a glare of his own, but before any argument could erupt between the two of them, Nyx cut in with another raise of her hand. As was typical of her, she waited until Reigious gave her a nod of permission before speaking.


    ¡°And what of Noctis and Luz?¡± she asked. ¡°Have we heard anything from them?¡±


    Reigious shook his head. ¡°No, nothing. There have been no attempts made to return to Ijiria. As it stands, we are completely blind as to what¡¯s happening in Omaruo.¡±


    Nakoma shook his head. ¡°And why is that? I thought we were under the impression that some local had picked the damn thing up. It should be as simple as tracing the mana, erasing the fool who used it, and returning the relic. Should it not have been a quick trip?¡±


    The prince furrowed his brow and sighed. ¡°Unfortunately¡­I do not know. My sister and I believe¡­that it¡¯s possible there was somebody waiting for them in Omaruo. After all, we always wondered why Pine tried to jump Omaruo. Abi used to live there¡­so it¡¯s possible that it was not found by a local¡­but by somebody who had been waiting for it.¡±


    Seiras laughed softly to himself and Ryokumo eyed him with irritation, wondering what the man could possibly be laughing at. For a moment, the halfling simply smacked his lips and looked to the ceiling as if thinking.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny, Ka?¡± Nakoma growled. ¡°What about this crisis do you find so amusing?¡±


    Seiras¡¯s head snapped back down and he fixed his bulging eyes onto the Master of Fire. ¡°Funny? Yes¡­what is so funny? To be frank, I¡¯m not so sure. Maybe I¡¯m simply laughing at how absurd this all is! Our great Citadel, the most marvelous building in this realm, was attacked by a group of children¡­and our relic was sent to a magicless realm¡­taken by a stranger that even Darkness and Light seem to be struggling against. Everything about this is an anomaly¡­ Do you not find it fascinating, Taurus? I feel as if I¡¯m witnessing the making of history? I feel it in my bones. And I can¡¯t wait to see what happens when the dust settles?¡±


    ¡°Bite your tongue, you little weasel,¡± Nakoma growled in warning. ¡°I don¡¯t find this fascinating in the slightest!¡±


    Seiras broke out into more maniacal laughter, causing all at the table except Nyx and Reigious to look at him in disgust.


    ¡°Oh, but that¡¯s not true, is it, Taurus?¡± Seiras shouted, jumping to his feet. ¡°I can sense it in your mind! I can sense it in all your minds! Each of you knows what the implications of these events are! A relic is gone! Nigreos Noctis and Album Luz have vanished! And there is a traitor in our midst¡­either in the royal family or in the council! Cogs are turning¡ªones that few of us can see, and you¡¯re all planning your next move! Each of you wants to ensure you come out on top when the curtains rise. It¡¯s exhilarating! Is it not?!¡±


    Ryokumo reached up and put his face in his hands. Outbursts like that were not unusual in the slightest for the Master of the Mind. Yet, they always caused a stir, and he suspected that was exactly what Seiras enjoyed. When Ryokumo spared a glance at the prince, the man was simply staring at the halfling with an exasperated look.


    ¡°Sit down, Seiras,¡± Reigious commanded with an offhanded wave.


    At those words, the man instantly dropped down into the seat and bowed his head, though the insane smile twisting his lips did not vanish. The other Masters all looked ready to jump to their feet and tell him off, except Nyx, whose head was once again laying against the table. However, in the presence of the prince, nobody lashed out and instead, they all waited expectantly for him to take the meeting back on track.


    Reigious glanced around at them then cleared his throat. ¡°Loath as I am to say it after such an outburst, Seiras isn''t far off from the heart of the problem. It is a fact that something big is happening. Children reached the vault. They had to have had a guide, and I can count on one hand how many people could have done it. The problem is that all have alibis. The only possibility would be an imposter using illusion magic to create an alibi or¡­¡±


    ¡°An unknown guide,¡± Nyx finished softly.


    Reigious nodded. ¡°Yes, an unknown guide,¡±


    Ryokumo furrowed his brow in thought. It was a possibility they had brought up numerous times. One of the few faults in the illusion spell cast over the halls was that when one was designated as a guide, they could then designate others. So, there could be others with the ability to act as a guide and they would never know and if they didn¡¯t know then there was nothing stopping that individual from spreading guideship to whomever they pleased.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I find it unlikely that anybody other than Abi would bestow those privileges upon her children,¡± Ryokumo said.


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Sinna grunted. ¡°But then who would bestow those privileges upon her?¡±


    The only ones who had that ability was Reigious, Piura, the three top members of the High Council, as well as the king. However, there wasn¡¯t one among them who would have entrusted the guideship to Abi after her disappearance. Nothing was adding up and Ryokumo was certain that there was a variable they were missing that would explain it all, but for the life of him, he couldn¡¯t imagine what it was.


    ¡°I am not sure,¡± Reigious muttered, rubbing his chin in thought. ¡°However, I believe we may have a new method of interrogation that may answer some of these questions¡­one that may be more effective than simple pain.¡±


    Nakoma cocked an eyebrow in interest. ¡°Oh? Do tell, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, no, it would be me who should tell!¡±


    At Seiras¡¯s sudden words, Nakoma glanced over at him in a mix of anger and surprise. Before anybody could protest, Reigious motioned for the halfling to go on.


    ¡°As you all know, I¡¯ve been spending a lot of time hiding out in my quarters recently,¡± he began, ¡°and now, I think my time alone has amounted to something great.¡±


    ¡°Get to the point,¡± Sinna snapped.


    ¡°Pain is a very simple thing,¡± Seiras went on, informing her. ¡°When one is harmed, they experience pain, and unless they are messed in the mind, they will dislike that pain. However, that¡¯s all it is: Pain. And when one becomes accustomed to it, it will cease to be effective. Our bodies are but simple machines of meat¡­a substance that serves to house our brain¡­and the brain is what houses us. We may appear like a physical being but we are contained within this physical creation¡­so if you want to truly hurt somebody then you must attack them¡­not their meat.¡±


    ¡°So what then?¡± Iris inquired, flashing her teeth in an intrigued smile. ¡°How do you intend to harm their being?¡±


    Seiras smiled wildly and laughed once again. ¡°It¡¯s a secret! But what I can tell you is that I¡¯ve found a way to turn the mind against itself! Rather than merely reading it or controlling it, I have found a way to cause their being to attack their being! Why should we have to harm them when they can harm themselves! And if you twist their being enough, eventually they will shatter and all of their secrets will come spilling out like blood.¡±


    A shiver went up Ryokumo¡¯s spine as he listened to Seiras. He had no idea what the man was going on about, but he could tell that he wasn¡¯t lying. Seiras had made some breakthrough in his field and it sounded like something that might have been better off unknown.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯ve not been able to test my knowledge on intelligent life,¡± he continued, ¡°and so our glorious prince has allowed me to take the interrogation over and snap the minds of these children as if they were mere twigs.¡±


    At that, Nakoma instantly looked to Reigious in shock. ¡°You¡¯re giving him command of the interrogation?¡±


    The prince nodded. ¡°Yes, I am. You have done all you can, Nakoma, but it hasn¡¯t worked. At this point, I¡¯m starting to believe there¡¯s nothing we can do, and so I¡¯m going to allow Seiras to give it a try. At the very least, even if we don¡¯t get anything out of the Children, Seiras can experiment with his findings. It¡¯s a gain either way.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Iris mused. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. I guess I can accept that.¡±


    ¡°So what about Caeli and I?¡± Nakoma asked softly. ¡°What will you have us do instead?¡±


    ¡°Well, as far as you¡¯re concerned, Nakoma, I want you on standby for the time being,¡± the prince replied. ¡°We¡¯ve been receiving more reports from Harunhein on the Trovian border and I¡¯m starting to fear that I might need to send somebody up there. If violence breaks out, I¡¯m going to need you ready to go.¡±


    At that, the Master of Fire snorted. ¡°Damn Trovians again. Yeah, fine. I¡¯ll wait on standby.¡±


    Reigious nodded, then glanced over at Ryokumo. ¡°As for you, Caeli, I actually want you to stay on the interrogation with Seiras. After all, I want another Master present to act as an impartial judge of the effectiveness of Seiras¡¯s findings.¡±


    Ryokumo cringed internally and glanced across the table to where the Master of the Mind was staring back at him with a twisted smile further ruining his scarred face.


    ¡°Well, I look forward to working at your side, Ryokumo Caeli,¡± he whispered.


    Instantly, he felt a wave of unease wash over him. He had a bad feeling about whatever experiments Seiras intended to conduct on the Children of Reiner, but from the sound of it, it wasn¡¯t anything that he wanted to see. He was already pained by the torture he and Nakoma had been putting Abi¡¯s Children through and he wasn¡¯t sure he could stomach whatever the Master of the Mind intended to do to them. Yet, at the same time, if he knew what Seiras planned to do, it may be beneficial in the future. Knowledge was power, after all.


    Ryokumo took a deep breath, knowing he couldn¡¯t deny Reigious¡¯s request, and nodded.


    ¡°Understood, Your Highness.¡±

 Chapter 10- A Trip Through Hell

    Chapter X


    The sound of a key being inserted into her cell door instantly made the nausea worse and she almost leaned forward and threw up right then and there, but she did her best to hold it in. She wanted to retain at least a portion of her pride while stuck in that terrible dungeon underneath the Ijirian Citadel. Just a few months before, she had been in the Vault of the Relics on the second floor to the top, and now she was as deep underground as the Citadel went. To her, it was a perfect representation of the direction her life had gone. When they led their attack against Ijiria, she had felt on top of the world. They had successfully infiltrated the Citadel, stolen a relic, and escaped. There were those who died fighting in the halls, but the relic itself got out and she knew from the interrogations that the Ijirians didn¡¯t have it. It was a victory¡ªtheir only one.


    But now, that victory felt pointless. She was alone, with her closest friends all dead, and she knew her own death would be soon approaching. Once they either decided they didn¡¯t need her, or she broke, they would kill her.


    But then¡­at least I¡¯d be free of all this pain¡­


    Arisa Kirisan grit her teeth as the cell door slid open and a figure walked in. In the darkness, she couldn¡¯t make out their features, but she could sense the power radiating from them, and when the torches in the room ignited with fire magic, she found herself looking up at the stern features of Nakoma Taurus, the Master of Fire. She instantly felt a powerful desire to lunge at him and try to kill him, but she couldn¡¯t. She was on her knees, with her arms shackled and chained to the walls on either side of her. Her body was weak from a lack of feeding and she could see her bones much clearer under her skin. She was only permitted undergarments to wear so most of her skin was showing. Her red hair was messy and tangled and she knew it no longer had its old shine. She was a mess, and she felt embarrassed even being seen in the presence of a Master, even if they were her enemies.


    ¡°I see you¡¯re awake,¡± Nakoma murmured as he stared down at her, his crimson eyes boring into her.


    As terrified as she was of the pain to come, Arisa refused to look away from him. Instead, she stared right back into those narrow eyes and made sure he knew that she planned to continue to defy him. Her loyalty to her mother¡ªto Abigail Reiner far surpassed any pain they could throw at her. No matter how many times he burned her, she would continue to keep what she knew to herself.


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m awake,¡± she spat, smirking defiantly up at him. ¡°Kinda hard to sleep when I¡¯m chained up like this.¡± She laughed weakly, her voice raspy and dry from disuse. ¡°So? Get on with it, Master Taurus. Continue wasting your time. I can take it. Hell, I can take more. What¡¯s a little pain when I know my life will be over any time now.¡±


    Nakoma cocked an eyebrow and shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re a stubborn fool. You act so smug when you¡¯re only in here because of your own incompetence. Act as cocky as you like, Kirisan, but had you simply not chosen to fight a Master¡ªand the Master of Darkness, no less¡ªthen your friends wouldn¡¯t be dead and you wouldn¡¯t be here.¡±


    Arisa felt a twinge of pain in her stomach, but she refused to let it show in her features. Instead, she kept her grin on her face and spat at his feet. ¡°You¡¯re right, it was my fault,¡± she whispered. ¡°They¡¯re dead because of me¡­but if I tell you what I know, more will die. So, it¡¯s in my best interests to keep quiet and accept my punishment for attacking Master Noctis.¡±


    The Master of Fire¡¯s features hardened for a second, before he simply sighed.


    ¡°Say what you like, child, but it won¡¯t matter in the long run,¡± he told her. ¡°You will reveal your secrets eventually. It just depends on what suffering you must endure before you do so. Which is why I¡¯ve chosen to warn you.¡±


    Arisa furrowed her brow in intrigue. ¡°Warn me, huh? And what exactly are you warning me about?¡±


    ¡°Today¡­is most likely the final time you¡¯ll see me,¡± he muttered. ¡°Tomorrow, there is another Master taking my place.¡±


    The girl narrowed her eyes, surprised by the sudden announcement. She wondered for a moment if he was lying, but she could both hear in his voice and see in his eyes that he wasn¡¯t. Instead, the man seemed almost annoyed, as if even he wasn¡¯t thrilled with the news.


    ¡°And that Master,¡± he continued, ¡°won''t be nearly as kind to you as I¡¯ve been. In fact, if what he said was true, you may endure a suffering the likes of which few have ever known. So, I¡¯m here to offer you a deal.¡±


    Arisa scoffed. ¡°A deal?¡±


    Nakoma stepped forward and kneeled down in front of her so that their faces were only a few feet apart. He then raised his hand and whispered, ¡°Infernas¡±. She watched the familiar sight of the ball of flame igniting in his gloved palm, its heat causing her to wince at the memory of all the burns she had suffered.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°A deal. Trust me on this, Kirisan, you do not want to be at the mercy of my replacement. So, if you tell me what I want to know, then I will incinerate you so fast that you can die before your brain ever registers the pain. It¡¯ll be far preferable to the slow demise you¡¯re sure to experience otherwise.¡±


    Despite the flame mere inches from her face, Arisa forced back her fear and once again laughed in his face. ¡°Oh really? So your offer is that I give you what you want and I get to die, huh?¡± She hardened her features and glared at him with as much hatred as he could. ¡°Well then, I guess I can¡¯t wait to see what your replacement is like given all you¡¯ve told me. I can¡¯t say I¡¯m not intrigued so¡­bring it on, Taurus. Have your other Master do his worst.¡±


    As she finished speaking, Arisa closed her eyes and prepared for the flame to sear the skin of her cheek. But instead, Nakoma simply clicked his tongue, extinguished the flame, and stood up. When she opened her eyes again, he was looking down at her with pity.


    ¡°Well then, I suppose it would be a waste of time to do anything to you now,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s clear to me that I can¡¯t get you to talk. In that case, good luck, kid. You¡¯re in for utter hell in the coming days.¡± He then spun on his heel and proceeded toward the open cell door. However, before walking out into the hall, he turned back and shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t say I never warned you.¡±


    Then, he vanished into the darkness beyond and the door closed behind him, leaving her alone in the cell once again. Arisa slumped forward, feeling a great relief now that Nakoma was gone, yet she couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious about what was to come. She put on a confident front, but she wasn¡¯t sure how much more pain she could take. If the Master that would replace him was going to be worse, she might not even last longer than a day.


    But I can¡¯t break! I can¡¯t give in to their torment! No matter what they do to me¡­I won¡¯t betray my mother!


    ***


    Ryokumo Caeli followed silently behind the hooded halfling as they made their way through the residential halls of the Citadel. He made no move to initiate conversation with the tiny Master and luckily, Seiras did the same, instead opting to mutter softly to himself. The Master of Wind was disgusted just being in his presence, and he wished he could go anywhere else, but he knew he didn¡¯t have a choice. Reigious had ordered him to assist Seiras in the interrogations and he couldn¡¯t very well defy the crown prince of the country. So, when Seiras had requested that he accompany him to his quarters, Ryokumo begrudgingly did so.


    ¡°If we¡¯re to be working together, Caeli, then it is imperative that I give you a demonstration,¡± Seiras had said. ¡°I want you to understand just what it is I¡¯m going to do to those Children.¡±


    Ryokumo swallowed nervously, unable to fathom what twisted insanity that halfling had conjured up. Mind magic was a dangerous business to begin with and there were very few that ever even attempted learning more than a few spells, let alone making it their affinity. In order to cast spells that interacted with a living creature''s very existence, a price must be paid by the user. It was well known that those who took up Mind Magic would quickly lose their own minds and would wind up killing themselves. Others lost control completely and turned to attacking those around them. The handful who didn¡¯t lose their minds were still twisted individuals and only had a small level of control over the magic they supposedly commanded. That¡¯s what made Seiras Ka so valuable¡ªand rare. While he was certainly twisted in comparison to a normal person, he was rather sane when compared to other users of mind magic. At the same time, he truly did command the magic. There had been entire centuries where Ijiria didn¡¯t have a Master of the Mind, and so it was a unique time to live in.


    Yet, I can¡¯t help but think it would have been for the best that this magic remained lost, Ryokumo thought. There¡¯s a reason few people can master it. It¡¯s evil by its nature and nobody can truly accept what it does. So¡­if Seiras has discovered something new¡­I fear what it could be.


    ¡°Ah, here we are,¡± the halfling muttered as they stopped at one of the numerous doors that lined the corridors. He licked his lips and placed his hand against its surface. ¡°Pateno,¡± he whispered, followed by the clicking of the door unlocking. Seiras then turned and motioned for Ryokumo to enter. ¡°After you, Caeli.¡±


    The Master of Wind strode forward, anxious to hurry along as he made his way into the private quarters of Seiras Ka. When he entered the main room, he found himself instantly repulsed and a desperate need to turn around and flee struck him. He was quickly greeted by the sickening smell of blood and decay, and the scene before him matched the intensity of the scent. The first thing he saw were the numerous corpses that may have been cats laying discarded on the coffee table, their eyes gouged out and claw marks covering their faces. Blood stained their nails and one look made him wonder if they¡¯d all fought and killed each other. Unfortunately, they weren¡¯t the end of it. Other small animals were laying strewn about in various corners of the room, in similar conditions as the cats. They looked as if they¡¯d been merely cast aside once they¡¯d died and been forgotten about.


    ¡°Sorry about the mess,¡± Seiras rasped as he moved past him. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect visitors today.¡±


    The Master of the Mind walked into the room like there wasn¡¯t anything wrong with the gore-filled scene, and he spoke as if apologizing for a slight amount of dust. Ryokumo knew the halfling was insane, but he still wasn¡¯t prepared to face something like this.


    ¡°W-what¡­¡± he stuttered, ¡°...happened here? What in the hell have you been doing in this room?!¡±


    Seiras swung off his cloak and set it onto a small coat rack about his height beside the door, revealing his scarred face to Ryokumo once again. He then ran his wrinkled fingers through his greasy hair and chuckled.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°Did I not mention that I had been experimenting?¡± he inquired. ¡°These are simply the results of my tests¡­and I must say¡­¡± His bulging blue eyes fixed on Ryokumo and he could see the mad glee in them. ¡°...it turned out better than I expected. I can only imagine what I could do to a more¡­intelligent mind.¡±


    Ryokumo swallowed back his disgust and stepped toward the cat corpses draped across the small coffee table. He then kneeled down to get a closer look at them. The empty sockets of their eyes almost seemed to bore into his soul and he quickly turned away.


    ¡°What happened to them?¡± he demanded.


    Seiras moved to the desk in the opposite corner of the room and climbed up onto his chair, seeming now focused on the piles of paper placed there.


    ¡°Their being attacked their being,¡± he replied darkly, as if that answered the question.


    Ryokumo jumped back to his feet, his features contorting in fury as he shouted at the man. ¡°And what the hell does that¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Aniextiam.¡±


    Before Ryokumo could finish his sentence, the world around him suddenly vanished. In the blink of an eye, Seiras¡¯s quarters suddenly morphed into the shore of a beach. It was night so a chill was setting into his body, which was amplified by the cold water splashing against his feet.


    What the hell¡­? He blinked a few times, trying to remember what he had just been doing, but couldn¡¯t recall where he had been. All he knew was that he was standing on a very familiar beach. I¡¯m in Omaruo. But why am I here? I don¡¯t understand.


    ¡°Kumo?¡±


    At the sound of the nickname he rarely ever heard anymore, his body went stiff and a shiver shot down his spine. He recognized the voice, but there was something wrong with it. What should have been a pleasant call of his name was instead spat venomously, as if that word were a poison that had no right to be on her tongue.


    No¡­it can¡¯t be.. She¡¯s¡­dead¡­


    ¡°Look at me, Kumo!¡± the person shrieked, and when he turned around, his greatest fear was confirmed.


    Standing only a mere few yards away was Abigail Reiner. However, he was not looking at the woman as he remembered her. Her body was mutilated with her arms barely hanging from her shoulders. Her left leg was almost completely twisted around and her clothes, while still there, were torn, showing the numerous wounds covering her torso. And yet, as terrifying as that all was, what destroyed him the most was her face. The once beautiful and vibrant features were now twisted in utter rage, covered in blood, and her eyes were wild.


    ¡°Abi?¡± he choked.


    ¡°Look at me, Kumo,¡± she screeched. ¡°Look at what you¡¯ve done to me! You said you would always be there for me! You said I could depend on you! But now¡­I¡¯m dead! I was killed while you sat by and did nothing!¡±


    ¡°No!¡± he quickly protested. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­! I tried to stop them, Abi! I tried but I just wasn¡¯t strong enough!¡±


    Her laugh was mirthless and, as the noise echoed through his ears, more figures began to appear behind her. They were faces he remembered vividly¡ªones he refused to forget because he knew that if he did, he could never truly justify what he helped do to them. They were the Children of Reiner he and Nakoma tortured. Each of them looked as mangled as Abi did¡ªlike they were all walking corpses.


    ¡°Look at what you¡¯ve done to the children I tried to protect!¡± Abi shouted. ¡°I wanted to give them a happy life and you¡¯ve taken that away from them! ¡°


    Ryokumo took an involuntary step back, his body beginning to shake, though whether from cold or fear, he wasn¡¯t certain. ¡°I¡­¡± he stuttered. ¡°I didn¡¯t have a choice! If anybody finds out that I helped hide your son, he and I will both die! If I¡¯m not in the Citadel to help him¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Lies!¡± the woman interrupted furiously. ¡°What have you done to help my son?! You put up a pathetic pocket realm, but you know it¡¯ll only serve to delay Nigreos and Album! But in the end, they will take my Eric and erase him! Why aren¡¯t you there in Omaruo?! Why aren¡¯t you fighting by his side to defend him?!¡±


    Ryokumo frantically shook his head. ¡°Because that wouldn¡¯t do any good! I can¡¯t beat Nigreos by myself, let alone the both of them together! If I instead create enough confusion in Omaruo then maybe they¡¯ll keep Eric alive and bring him here for questioning! If I can make him think that Eric was the one who created the realm¡­then maybe I have a chance! Once Eric¡¯s in the Citadel, I can protect him myself!¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s all based on chance!¡± she hissed. ¡°You don¡¯t know if Nigreos and Album won¡¯t just get rid of him! They may not care!¡±


    The Master of Wind clenched his fists at his side, desperate to make the woman understand that he was doing all he could. ¡°I know Nigreos Noctis better than anybody except Album! He doesn¡¯t want to erase Eric, so if I give him a reason not to, he won¡¯t! I¡¯m certain of this!¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± his old friend breathed. ¡°...are a fool, Ryokumo Caeli! You¡¯re a failure and you always have been! What have you ever done right?! You failed to keep Nigreos from finding me, you failed to stop me from dying, and now you¡¯ll fail to protect my son! You¡¯re worthless!¡±


    That single word caused him more pain than anything she had said up until that point. He knew he had been worthless¡ªthat he had been unable to help anybody, and because of that, he lost everything.


    As the emotion began to bring him to his knees, the beach suddenly vanished and instead, he found himself crouched in the hallway of a high school. He immediately knew where he was without looking around. It was West Wilham High, the school Eric Reiner attended and the place he had recently visited to erect his pocket realm. He stared blankly at the ground¡ªor more specifically, the body laying on the ground before him. He was a boy around age sixteen dressed in what he guessed must have been the uniform of the school. Much like Abi and the Children, his body was mangled and bleeding, his eyes staring blankly up at the ceiling. For some reason, Ryokumo couldn¡¯t make out his features. They were a blur to him, yet he still knew that this was the body of Eric Reiner.


    ¡°Did you honestly think you could fool me?¡±


    At the sharp words, Ryokumo slowly raised his tear-streaked face to see Nigreos Noctis standing a few feet away from the body. He was staring at him with a look of disgust, as if revolted to be in his presence.


    ¡°Did you think I wouldn¡¯t find out about your treachery?¡± Nigreos spat. ¡°Underestimating me was your first mistake. Defying Ijiria was your second.¡±


    Ryokumo grit his teeth, feeling pure hatred starting to spread throughout his body. ¡°Did you do this?¡± he snarled, jumping to his feet. ¡°Did you kill Eric?!¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± the other man growled. ¡°Because I had no choice. Of course, the plan was to erase him, but unfortunately, he proved to be a bigger threat than we expected and so, I had to kill him. There was nothing I could have done.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s Abi¡¯s son!¡± he shouted. ¡°He¡¯s her legacy, Nigreos!¡±


    The Master of Darkness clicked his tongue. ¡°Her legacy was one of treason. Her death was inevitable once she started her rebellion and now, her fool of a son has met her same fate.¡± He then raised his hand toward Ryokumo, darkness swirling around it. ¡°And unfortunately, it seems you¡¯ve chosen the same path. Did you really have to do this to me, old friend? I¡¯ve already been forced to kill both Abi and her son. Must I end your life, too?¡±


    Despite knowing it was hopeless, Ryokumo slowly raised his own fists, wind magic erupting around them. He wouldn¡¯t be able to survive a fight against Nigreos. He was simply just that powerful. But at the very least, Ryokumo hoped to put up as strong of a fight as he could muster, and perhaps he could drag him down to hell with him.


    ¡°Old friend?¡± Ryokumo breathed. ¡°No, Nigreos. We stopped being friends the day you murdered Abi. And now¡­I¡¯m going to kill you¡­like I¡¯ve always wanted to.¡±


    Nigreos cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Confident, are you? Well, so be it.


    ¡°Devare!¡±


    ¡°Perkari!¡±


    At the shouts of the two men, dark magic and wind magic collided and everything went dark. As the world morphed and reshaped itself once again, Ryokumo suddenly found himself standing in a bedroom, staring out the window at the glowing city lights of Erika far below. He frowned, blinking a few times to clear his hazy sight, before turning and looking over his shoulder. The bedroom seemed familiar to him, yet he couldn¡¯t quite place it. It was certainly luxurious, with a giant bed surrounded by dark red curtains. Expensive looking swords lined the walls, displayed like trophies.


    Where am I? he wondered.


    ¡°You don¡¯t remember, do you?¡±


    Ryokumo exhaled sharply, spinning on his heel and scanning the room for any sign of the woman who had spoken. Yet, he still found himself alone.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± he called back. ¡°Where am I?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t remember? How can you forget me¡ªof all people, Kumo?!¡±


    The furious scream caused his knees to weaken, so he frantically grabbed onto the windowsill to steady himself. The voice sounded like it was echoing in his mind. It was familiar and he knew he should have recognized her voice instantly, yet no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn¡¯t remember who was talking to him.


    ¡°Why?¡± She sounded like she was crying now. ¡°I thought you said you¡¯d never forget me! Yet now, you¡¯ve been going on like I never existed! Please, Kumo! Remember me! Please don¡¯t forget me! I don¡¯t want to vanish! I don¡¯t want to fade into nothingness! It¡¯s me! It¡¯s ¡®            ¡®!¡±


    He knew she must have spoken her name, yet he couldn¡¯t hear what she said.


    ¡°I¡¯m right in front of you! I¡¯m touching you! Why can¡¯t you just acknowledge me?!¡±


    There was nobody standing in front of him nor was he being touched by anyone. He felt like he was going crazy and her desperate pleas to remember her weren¡¯t helping.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± he whispered. ¡°But I don¡¯t know who you are.¡±


    As abruptly as it began, the room vanished and suddenly, Ryokumo¡¯s nose was assaulted by the smell of blood and death. When he opened his eyes, he was crouched on the floor of Seiras Ka¡¯s quarters. All at once, the memories of all three of his interactions came back to him with such force that it took all of his effort to not throw up then and there. He recalled Abi¡¯s fury, Nigreos¡¯s disgust, and the desperate shouts of that unknown woman.


    I failed them all! I couldn¡¯t do it! I couldn¡¯t save Abi or Eric or whoever that woman was! Who was she?! Who was talking to me?! I should know! I can feel the emotion in my chest! That woman was important to me, but who was she?!


    ¡°Did you enjoy your trip through hell, Caeli?¡±


    At the whispered question, Ryokumo raised his head to where Seiras was still sitting at his desk, eyeing him with excitement. For just a moment, the Master of Wind stared at him in utter bafflement, before finally coming to his senses.


    ¡°Condite!¡± he snarled, raising his hand in the direction of the halfling.


    His body was immediately yanked back by ropes of wind, smashing him against the wall and holding his small form nearly seven feet above the ground. Ryokumo jumped to his feet and stalked toward him, forcing his anger down inside, knowing how much trouble he would get in if he lashed out at the Master any further than he already had.


    ¡°What the hell did you do to me?!¡± Ryokumo demanded. ¡°What was that?!¡±


    Yet, despite being stuck to the wall, Seiras only began to laugh as if finding the whole situation amusing. ¡°I said I would give you a demonstration, did I not? And while I was unable to see what you saw, I can tell just from the unsettled expression on your face that it worked.¡±


    While briefly relieved that Seiras hadn¡¯t seen any of those visions, Ryokumo still couldn¡¯t get past the fact that he used it on him at all.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying¡­that was your new magic?¡± he breathed.


    The halfling nodded. ¡°Aye. That it was. What I did was force your being to attack your being. Your deepest regrets, your greatest fears, everything that you worry about was right there for you to face. Now, I used only a fraction of its power on you, but it clearly was enough to cause the great Master of Wind to shake.¡±


    ¡°That¡­wasn¡¯t it at its full strength?¡± Ryokumo uttered.


    Seiras shook his head. ¡°It was not. Imagine if it had been though. With enough force, it could drive anybody insane¡­even to the point that death might feel like the superior option.¡±


    Realizing something as the Master explained himself, Ryokumo glanced over his shoulder and back at the corpses of the cats upon the table.


    ¡°Those cats¡­¡± he began, ¡°they didn¡¯t kill each other, did they? They clawed their own eyes out.¡±


    ¡°They did,¡± Seiras answered. ¡°And they are but simple creatures. With as complex of emotions as we have, imagine just how far one can be tortured. Give me a few days and the Children of Reiner will tell each and every one of their little secrets.¡±


    Ryokumo¡¯s eyes went wide as he realized just what those children were in for.


    This is horrible. This power¡­it¡¯s a completely different level of twisted. It''s something that would have been better off never having been learned. He clenched his teeth. I¡¯ve done enough to Abi¡¯s Children¡­and now I¡¯m supposed to help this madman torture them with their own regrets?


    I¡¯m not sure I can do that¡­

 Chapter 11- Stuck Fighting Blind

    Chapter XI


    ¡°My name is Nigreos Noctis and I am the Master of Darkness at the Ijirian Citadel. And yes, I am using magic.¡±


    ¡°As for the gem, it belongs to Ijiria. I have come to reclaim it, simple as that. So, seeing as you have done nothing against us, we won¡¯t do anything to you as long as you peacefully return our relic.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all we want. Ijiria has no need to harm you, Lilly Harper. So, tell us what we want to know. I want a list of people who used the stone so we can make sure its magic isn¡¯t negatively affecting them, and we want to know if you attend West Wilham.¡±


    ¡°Its magic interacting with non-magical organisms. Who knows what it¡¯s done to them. It could potentially kill them, even. So, if you don¡¯t want to risk your friend¡¯s lives, I recommend you cooperate.¡±


    Lilly''s eyes shot open and she frantically pushed herself to a sitting position, her breathing ragged and her body slick with sweat. Immediately realizing that she wasn¡¯t in her bedroom, she hurriedly looked around to regain her bearings and, upon remembering that she was in Eric¡¯s room, she exhaled in relief and placed a hand on her chest to feel her beating heart. The events of the previous night came back to her and she slowly began to take deep breaths to calm herself down. It was still dark outside and a quick glance at her phone told her that it was only four o¡¯clock. Eric was sleeping in the other corner of the room and so, he hadn¡¯t noticed her wake up. Satisfied that she wouldn¡¯t worry him, Lilly leaned back and rested her head on the pillow once more, now composed enough to try and process what had happened.


    All at once, and without any warning, the memories of her conversation with Nigreos Noctis had come flooding in, and now her mind was even more jumbled than it had been the previous night.


    What just happened? she asked herself. Why now¡­of all times? And¡­how did I even forget about something so important in the first place?


    That day, Eric had been complaining about headaches and so, to help him focus, she offered to swap bodies with him so he wouldn¡¯t have to deal with them. Yet, when they swapped, everything suddenly went dark, and before she knew it, she was in her own body again. At the time, they hadn¡¯t known what to make of it, and it hadn¡¯t happened since, so they had decided to keep it in the back of their minds. But now, Lilly remembered the truth. During that brief time she spent in Eric¡¯s body, she interacted with the voice of a man who called himself Nigreos Noctis.


    ¡°Ijiria,¡± she whispered.


    That¡¯s the place Eric said his mom was from. And this Nigreos guy said he was a Master of the Ijirian Citadel¡ªwhatever that means.


    She rolled over in bed and clutched her hands together, suddenly feeling cold despite how sweaty she was. She was trying her best to piece together the conversation that she now remembered, but so much of it had been forgeign to her at the time, and after what happened the previous night, she had even more to think about.


    Nigreos said he was here for the gem. He said it belonged to this ¡°Citadel¡± place and that they just wanted it back. Overall, that makes sense. We never knew where the stone came from or who used to own it. In fact, those are the very reasons why Damien always gets irritated when we screw around with it. So if it belongs to some other world¡ªsome world full of magic, then it would be reasonable that they want it back. Lilly then clenched her teeth, moving her thoughts to the other point Nigreos had spoken of. He also told me that the gem¡¯s magic could be hurting us. He even said we could¡­die¡­


    She swallowed, recalling the horrific monster that attacked them and feeling another shiver go down her spine. She knew it was Jay¡¯s body that the creature was using. She knew that somewhere within that thing, Jay Brooks was still alive. She just had to figure out what happened to him and then get him back.


    So¡­is it possible that what happened to Jay is one of the consequences Nigreos was warning me about? Could the stone¡¯s magic have turned him into that monster? She grit her teeth at the thought, realizing that if that were the case, then there was nothing stopping it from happening to her, too.


    Maybe¡­Nigreos can fix him. Maybe, if I try to make contact with him again, he can tell me what to do, she thought. After all, he said that he wanted the stone back¡­and that he wanted to protect us from whatever its magic might do to us. Then, another thought came to mind, and she couldn¡¯t help but tense up even further.


    What if¡­the reason nobody but Eric remembers Vinny Mickelson is because of the stone? Could it have wiped him from existence? And maybe it has something to do with Alice¡¯s disappearance as well. She could also be one of those monsters for all I know.


    As her imagination began to run wild, Lilly quickly shook her head and tried to stop herself from getting worked up again. She knew that if she didn¡¯t get back to sleep then she would be utterly exhausted the following day. Yet, knowing that did little to help, and more thoughts kept popping into her mind.


    Is that Nigreos guy in Wilham? Or was he communicating with me from Ijiria? And hell¡­how would I even go about trying to get in contact with him? I¡¯m not even really sure why I was able to talk to him in the first place. My only guess would be that it had something to do with Eric¡¯s headaches¡­


    Lilly rolled onto her back once again and stared up at the ceiling of Eric¡¯s bedroom, knowing that no matter how hard she tried, it was almost certain that she wouldn¡¯t be falling asleep again any time soon.


    ***


    Since his father was still in bed and Lilly was in the shower, Eric had the front room to himself as he sat in his father¡¯s recliner, listening to the ringing of his phone against his ear. Despite knowing that he could have had the upcoming conversation in front of Lilly, he had opted to do it in private. With so many variables still a mystery to him, he wanted to try and handle as much on his own as possible. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean he lied to Lilly when he told her they would work together. He still fully intended to keep her in the loop, at least so that he could keep her safe. It just meant that he knew he had a better understanding of what could be happening, and thus, he only wanted to tell her what pertained to her.


    The ringing finally ended with the answering of the phone from the other side.


    ¡°Hello? Eric?¡±


    By the sound of Damien¡¯s voice, Eric could tell that his old friend had probably been woken up by his call. It was then that he remembered that it was a Saturday, and Damien would almost have certainly been sleeping in until at least ten o¡¯clock. Therefore, he was sure that the boy would be irritable at receiving a call barely past eight.


    ¡°Good morning, Damien, my friend,¡± he greeted, trying to sound as lighthearted as he possibly could.


    The truth was, just hearing Damien¡¯s voice was comforting. While he was pretty sure that the creature from the previous night was after him, that didn¡¯t mean it wouldn¡¯t try to attack his friends. It had already tried to kill Lilly, and thus, it was quite possible that it might have gone after Damien or Liz after failing to catch him and Lilly.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s up?¡± Damien asked, already sounding more awake, and with a touch of concern in his voice. ¡°Where the hell were you yesterday, dude? Are you okay?¡±


    Eric smiled at how worried his friend sounded. ¡°Yes, for the time being, I¡¯m fine. And I apologize for not helping with the festival. I didn¡¯t mean to leave the work to you all. I just¡­had some things I needed to take care of.¡±


    ¡°And¡­did you take care of them?¡± Damien inquired.


    Eric bit his lip hesitantly. ¡°In a way, I suppose. At the very least, I¡¯ll be back at school Monday morning.¡±


    There was a moment of silence between them before the other boy finally replied.


    ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s good to hear. Does that mean you figured something out about Vinny Mickelson? Or¡­?¡±


    ¡°No, unfortunately I haven¡¯t,¡± Eric replied quickly. ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­I think I may have a lead. Or at least, I hope I do. Though I¡¯ll tell you more about that should it amount to anything. For the time being, I would request that you refrain from worrying about me. I promise you, I am perfectly fine.¡±


    Before falling asleep the previous night, Eric had spent quite a bit of time debating whether he should tell Damien and Liz about the monster that attacked them, but after thinking it over, he decided that it would be best to keep them in the dark for at least a few days while he attempted to figure it all out. With any luck, he could figure out a way to deal with the problem without either of them ever even realizing that the creature existed. He didn¡¯t want to worry them and so, he would do whatever he needed to do to keep them ignorant.


    ¡°Well, if you say so,¡± Damien murmured. ¡°But it¡¯s not like you can blame me for being concerned. I¡¯ve never seen you as shaken up as you have been these past few days. And I hope you know that I¡¯m here for you¡­if you need me. Don¡¯t forget that. You can trust me with anything.¡±


    ¡°And I do,¡± he replied. ¡°Thank you, Damien.¡± Eric then cleared his throat and continued, wanting to move the conversation along before Lilly came out. ¡°Anyway, I do have to ask, have you heard from Liz at all?¡±


    ¡°Liz?¡± Immediately, Eric could hear suspicion in Damien¡¯s voice. ¡°Not since I dropped her off at her house last night. Why?¡±


    Eric forced a laugh, hoping to play it all off as if part of a joke. ¡°Well, she was the only one who made no attempt to contact me yesterday and I feared she was angry with me. If you could tell her that I¡¯m quite sorry and that I¡¯ll make it up to her, that would be great.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about her,¡± the other boy said softly. ¡°She¡­just wanted to give you some space, is all. In fact, I¡¯m sure she¡¯d welcome a call from you. Just¡­maybe wait another hour or so. I doubt she¡¯ll want to be woken up.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t suppose she would,¡± he muttered. ¡°Well then, I suppose that would be all. Sorry for waking you up, my friend. I just¡­couldn¡¯t sleep and I really wanted to apologize. I¡¯ve not been myself these past couple days and I really need to shake that off.¡±


    ¡°Well, to be honest,¡± Damien began, ¡°as much as I¡¯m happy to hear from you, I¡¯d recommend calling Lilly first. She was really on edge yesterday.¡±


    He internally cringed as he thought about the girl currently in his shower who also happened to have slept in his room the previous night. He decided telling Damien anything about that would just make him suspicious that they were hiding something, and so Eric forced himself to just laugh.


    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± he replied. ¡°I shall call dear Lilly right after this! Thank you for the advice!¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah¡­no problem, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Eric went on before Damien could say anything more. ¡°I¡¯ll see you on Monday, Damien! Take care of yourself and¡­let me know if there¡¯s anything you need.¡±


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    His friend was silent for a moment, and Eric wondered if he was simply thinking about something, before the boy responded. ¡°Yeah, thanks, Eric. You, too. See you.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye.¡±


    With that call over, Eric lowered the phone from his ear and stared silently down at it, considering what Damien had said. He knew that if Liz had made it to her house the previous night then she was more likely to be safe, but he wanted to be absolutely sure. He decided he would just send her a text and wait for her to wake up before trying to call her, but before he could even open his messages, someone spoke from the room¡¯s doorway.


    ¡°So when do you plan on calling me?¡±


    He jumped to his feet like a startled cat and spun around to see Lilly standing in the doorway, wearing her uniform from the day before, her hair still wet from the shower. She was looking at him with a sly expression, but he was more thrown off by the fact that she¡¯d been able to sneak up on him.


    I was too distracted by the call. I really need to pay more attention.


    ¡°Um what?¡± he stuttered.


    Lilly laughed. ¡°You told Damien you¡¯d be calling me once you were done there. Well, I¡¯m waiting? Where¡¯s my call?¡±


    He laughed awkwardly and pocketed his phone. He supposed there was no longer any reason to hide that he had called Damien. The only reason he had wanted to in the first place was just in case something had happened to the boy. If some trouble had befallen Damien, he didn¡¯t want Lilly getting involved with it. However, since everything seemed to be okay for the time being, he told himself that he had nothing to hide. So he calmed down and smiled at his girlfriend.


    ¡°Sorry, dear Lilly,¡± he replied. ¡°In that case, I shall call you tonight. How¡¯s that sound?¡±


    She returned his smile with a warm one of her own. ¡°That sounds perfect.¡± Her features then stiffened as she went on. ¡°So, is Damien okay?¡±


    Eric nodded. ¡°Yes, he¡¯s fine. I was just calling to check up on him. After all, we know nothing about that monster that attacked us. However, it did go after you in what seemed like an effort to get to me so¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re worried it could go after Damien and Liz now,¡± she finished for him.


    ¡°Yes, I am. And especially if it is the monster who¡­seemingly erased Vinny¡¯s entire existence.¡± He swallowed. ¡°I just¡­don¡¯t want to let myself get caught off guard a second time.¡±


    For a moment, he saw Lilly glance down at the ground, as if something had crossed her mind. However, it was gone as quickly as it had arrived, and soon, she was looking at him with determination.


    ¡°Eric, can I talk to you for a moment?


    Something about the way she was holding herself had changed, and he realized in that moment that she was truly prepared to face whatever was coming after them head on. It was both inspiring to him and utterly terrifying. He didn¡¯t want Lilly getting hurt, and if she was running right into danger, there might not be anything he could do to protect her.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he said, taking a seat in the chair.


    Lilly moved to sit on the couch then folded her hands atop her lap. For a second, she looked like she was gathering her thoughts as she gazed down at the carpet. Then, once she raised her head, her confidence had returned, and she asked him a question that he would never have fathomed could come from her mouth.


    ¡°Did your mother ever talk about a man named Nigreos Noctis?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help but to stare back at her in stunned silence. He didn¡¯t know what to say. His mind was already so cluttered with questions that he could hardly process what to make of it all. Yet, that didn¡¯t stop the image of that man in black rising to the forefront of his thoughts. Eric knew he would never forget the intense aura about him nor would he ever forget his name. He had been the one to take his mother away and his name was Nigreos Noctis.


    ¡°Eric?¡± Lilly uttered. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    He licked his now dry lips and clenched his fists at his side.


    ¡°Where¡­did you hear that name?¡± he managed to ask.


    His girlfriend still looked concerned but she answered his question regardless.


    ¡°Two weeks ago¡­do you remember when I completely blacked out while in your body?¡± she asked softly.


    He nodded. Of course he wouldn¡¯t have forgotten that incident. He had been terrified that something had happened to her and ever since, he¡¯d been trying to figure out what might have caused such an anomaly.


    ¡°Well, the truth is, I didn¡¯t black out. I instead went to this¡­dark place where a voice started speaking to me.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª?!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t lie, though,¡± she quickly assured him. ¡°Until this morning, I couldn¡¯t remember it ever happening. It was as if I had blacked out. But now, I just suddenly remember everything about the interaction, though I don¡¯t have a clue why.¡±


    He knew without doubt that she wasn¡¯t lying to him. Her eyes were genuine. She truly had forgotten about it.


    So why can she remember now? Could that monster have done something to her that jogged her memories?


    ¡°And this voice?¡± Eric began. ¡°Was it Noctis?¡±


    Lilly nodded. ¡°That¡¯s what he said his name was. He called himself one of the Masters of Ijiria¡ªthe Master of Darkness, specifically.¡±


    The boy bit his lip, instantly recognizing the term. ¡°My mother told me about the Masters. Apparently, they¡¯re the most powerful magic users in Ijiria. According to her stories, at least.¡±


    ¡°And did she ever mention a Nigreos?¡± Lilly pressed.


    Eric immediately shook his head. ¡°No. Not once. However¡­I do know of him. I¡¯ve seen that man with my own two eyes¡­and I could never forget him.¡±


    The girl tensed up. ¡°You¡¯ve¡­seen him?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­he¡¯s the one who took my mother away.¡±


    Eric¡¯s words hung in the air as the two of them went silent. Lilly¡¯s eyes were wide and he could tell that she was struggling to process his information but, as much as he would have liked to have given her a moment to think, he just couldn¡¯t hold himself back.


    ¡°So you spoke to him?¡± Eric asked. ¡°In this¡­place?¡±


    Lilly nodded. ¡°He said it was in my mind. To me, I figured that meant we were speaking telepathically¡­so I never saw him and I can¡¯t even be sure if he¡¯s in Wilham.¡±


    Eric leaned back in the leather chair and ran his fingers through his hair in thought, desperately trying to calm his body down. Noctis spoke to Lilly? It¡¯s possible he¡¯s in Wilham again. Could that mean¡­that after all this time¡­I could find out what happened to Mom? Is it possible¡­?


    ¡°And what did he say?¡± he inquired, trying with all his power to keep himself focused.


    ¡°He¡¯s come for the gem.¡±


    Eric exhaled sharply and sat up. ¡°The gem? So¡­?¡±


    ¡°He said it belonged to Ijiria and that he wanted it back,¡± she went on. ¡°Though he said he wouldn¡¯t hurt us so long as we just listened and returned it to him. But the thing is¡­¡± Lilly hesitated for a moment. ¡°He said he was going to erase my memories. So¡­I¡¯m not sure how I was supposed to listen if I forgot about the request in the first place.¡±


    Eric clenched his teeth and reached into the pocket of his pants to grasp the object that was within. When he pulled it out, he could see his face reflected in the shiny orange surface of the gemstone and he could feel the mana coursing from it through his hand.


    This¡­? Nigreos Noctis wants this?


    ¡°A-another thing,¡± Lilly stuttered. ¡°He also said¡­that the gem¡¯s power could be harming people without magic. He said¡­it might even kill us.¡±


    Eric¡¯s head snapped up from the stone so he could once again gape at the girl.


    ¡°Do you think¡­that¡¯s what caused Mickelson to disappear?¡± she went on. ¡°Or¡­could it be responsible for what happened to Jay? If so then¡­?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he instantly said despite having no way to back it up. ¡°No, that doesn¡¯t make sense. What happened to Vinny and Jay are completely different situations. It wouldn¡¯t make sense for a stone that swaps bodies to¡­to erase someone¡¯s existence or turn them into monsters. It just¡­can¡¯t be possible.¡±


    Lilly shook her head. ¡°But then¡­? Do you think Nigreos lied? Could he be¡­the one behind this?¡±


    Could he be?


    The thought that the man in black could have been the one to take Vinny away from him sent a particular rage through Eric¡¯s body that he hadn¡¯t felt in a long time.


    Vinny¡­


    Jay¡­


    Alice¡­


    If that man stole them from me¡­like he did my mother¡­ I can¡¯t allow that! I can¡¯t allow him to take anything else!


    He knew it was irrational but he just couldn¡¯t fathom Nigreos not being their enemy. He couldn¡¯t believe that the stone was behind everything that was happening. It was wrong! But Nigreos being responsible, on the other hand, seemed perfectly reasonable to him.


    Master of Darkness, huh? The image of the monster from the previous night returned to him, as well as the shadows it sent after them. It adds up¡­ Could the man in black be behind this?


    Could Nigreos Noctis have really returned?


    ***


    After bidding Eric goodbye down in the lobby, Lilly rode the elevator all the way up to the third floor. She was anxious to get home and put on some fresh clothes. She hadn¡¯t planned to stay the night at Eric¡¯s so she only had her uniform from the day before to wear. After everything she¡¯d been through, she just wanted to get to her apartment and relax for a bit.


    After all, I¡¯m not sure how much relaxing I¡¯m going to get in the coming days.


    After talking it over, she and Eric had decided they didn¡¯t have any option other than waiting and seeing. They were completely ignorant to whatever was going on and so, their options were painfully limited. All they knew was that Vinny Mickelson had been somehow wiped from existence and Jay Brooks had been corrupted by some nightmarish monster. As for Alice, neither of them could guess what happened to her and they both feared that she had met a similar fate as Jay.


    What the hell are we supposed to do? Even with Eric¡¯s magic, how do we fight something when we don¡¯t even know what it is. And then there¡¯s the matter of Nigreos¡­


    Eric¡¯s reaction to that name was enough to send shivers down her spine. Initially, she¡¯d hoped they could trust him and maybe even try to make contact with him to ask for help, but Eric had seemed convinced that he could be behind it all. She wasn¡¯t sure what to think and now, she wasn¡¯t sure how safe she was. She had been lucky that Eric was already at school when the monster attacked her. Had she been alone, she knew she would have been killed.


    I almost died last night. My life almost ended.


    She was terrified. She had never been so scared in her life and she was powerless to do anything. She couldn¡¯t even tell anybody else about it. She and Eric had decided that keeping it to themselves would be best for the time being. He didn¡¯t want to scare Liz and Damien and while she wasn¡¯t sure how good of an idea that was, she knew trusting him was her best choice. As blind as he was, he knew more about Ijiria than she did.


    Swallowing her fear, Lilly walked up to her apartment door and knocked a few times. Her belongings were still in the clubroom so she didn¡¯t have her keys on her. Therefore, she had to wait a moment before the door opened and when it did, her mom was there to greet her.


    ¡°Hey there, sweetie. How was the sleepover?¡±


    Recalling the lie she¡¯d told her parents about staying over at Liz¡¯s, Lilly forced a smile and headed inside. ¡°It was fun,¡± she replied. ¡°Thanks for letting me stay over on such short notice. I appreciate it.¡±


    Her mother returned her smile. ¡°Well, I figured since it wasn¡¯t a school night, why not? Do you need any breakfast?¡±


    Lilly slipped her shoes off by the door and shook her head. ¡°No thanks, Mom. I already ate.¡±


    ¡°Well alright then,¡± her mother said. ¡°There¡¯s pancakes in the fridge if you want any later.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    The girl then headed through the apartment and went into the hallway, toward the bedroom she shared with her sister, only stopping to tell her dad ¡°good morning¡±, who she found sitting on the couch, watching some sitcom on the television. She didn¡¯t see Alexa anywhere so she figured her older sister was either in their bedroom or was out with some friends. She prayed it was the latter option and was sorely disappointed when she opened the bedroom door to find the girl sitting up in her bed, texting on her phone. Alexa immediately looked up and for a moment, they simply stared at each other.


    Lilly was no longer certain where her relationship with her sister currently stood. Alexa was still very suspicious of the Magic Club, and that had caused plenty of tension between the two girls. However, two nights prior, Alexa had come to her, asking about Eric to see if he was okay. It had seemed genuine and didn¡¯t come across like her just sticking her nose in for no reason. She knew it would be smart to sit down and talk with the older girl, but after everything that had happened, she didn¡¯t think she had the energy to do so.


    ¡°Hey, Lil¡¯,¡± Alexa greeted. ¡°Welcome back. Have a fun night?¡±


    Lilly shrugged as she moved toward her closet to grab some fresh clothes. ¡°Yeah, it was fun,¡± she lied. ¡°Liz and I don¡¯t really hang out much so it was nice to just take a girls¡¯ night.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Well, glad you enjoyed yourself.¡± Alexa then turned her attention back to her phone. ¡°Oh, by the way. Did Mom ask you about babysitting Natalie this Friday?¡±


    Lilly suddenly froze, and a chill seemed to seep into every part of her body. In all the chaos of the last day, she¡¯d been so caught up in processing it all that she never gave Natalie a thought, but she now realized how stupid that had been as something utterly horrifying dawned on her.


    Natalie used the stone¡­so if Nigreos Noctis wasn¡¯t lying, and anybody who used it is in danger¡­


    ¡°Lilly?¡± Alexa pressed, a touch of worry creeping into her tone.


    The younger girl turned around and forced a smile. ¡°Nope, I just got home so I¡¯m sure she was gonna tell me later. Thanks for the heads up, Sis¡¯.¡±


    Alexa frowned and it was obvious that Lilly failed to hide her reaction, but thankfully, her sister refrained from pressing the matter any further. Lilly quickly grabbed a change of clothes and hurried into the bathroom to get dressed, wanting to get out of the room as soon as possible. She kept reminding herself of how Eric insisted that Nigreos was probably lying, but she couldn¡¯t calm herself down. No matter what she did, she couldn¡¯t get the possibility that Natalie was in danger out of her mind.

 Chapter 12- Dont Bear It Alone

    Chapter XII


    As the weekend passed by, Lilly¡¯s energy only became more and more depleted. No matter what she did, she just couldn¡¯t relax, always terrified that the creature in Jay¡¯s body would come after her again. Both nights, she kept glancing around her room, waiting for something to pop out of the shadows and get her, and she constantly berated herself for essentially reverting back to a child scared of the dark. On the few occasions when she did fall asleep, she was awoken by nightmares of herself and the club getting attacked and murdered by the monster. She couldn¡¯t get any proper sleep and it was already starting to weigh on her. During the day, she and Eric kept in constant contact just in case anything happened. In addition, they checked in on Damien and Liz regularly, though they always disguised it with some lame excuse in order to not tip them off. However, the two of them were smart, and Lilly feared that they had already seen past the facade.


    At the very least, they haven¡¯t said anything yet. So maybe¡­we have done a good enough job of hiding it.


    The girl shook her head, trying to shake herself awake as she made her way down the street that led toward the school. She was alone, but there were enough students on the road that she didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be attacked. Both she and Eric were fairly certain that it wouldn¡¯t go after them in broad daylight, and certainly not while people were around.


    Anxious to get to school and see Eric again, Lilly picked up her pace and headed through the main gates of West Wilham High. Like usual, the courtyard was packed with students who were catching up with friends after the weekend, yet Lilly could already sense the unusual tension. The chatter wasn¡¯t as loud or boisterous as it normally was, and she knew it wasn¡¯t due to the festival being over and the return of the regular class schedule. As the weekend progressed, the incident at the diner became even more discussed and theorized about. Liz had told her how everybody on social media sites were posting about it, some offering condolences to the families of those who were killed and other peddling conspiracies as to the nature of the attack. In addition, West Wilham students were now all aware that Alice Mendez had gone missing on that same night, and rumors were already spreading as to what might have happened to her.


    And even after all this time¡­I still haven''t heard anything.


    After Friday night, Lilly had come to accept that something awful had happened to Alice, but that didn¡¯t mean she had given up all hope that her good friend wouldn¡¯t suddenly reappear. Of course, she knew it was a stupid thing to hope for. Her instincts were already telling her that Alice wasn¡¯t just going to come back.


    ¡°Hey, Harper!¡±


    At the call of her name, Lilly stopped and glanced off to her right to see her fellow track team member, Matt Briggs, rushing across the lawn and in her direction. The blonde boy looked worried and she could already guess what he wanted before he had even opened his mouth.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard from her,¡± Lilly said sharply just as the boy came to a stop. Immediately regretting her harsh tone, she softened her features and looked him in the eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Matt, but I haven¡¯t heard anything from Alice nor do I have any idea what happened to Jay.¡±


    Matt¡¯s eyes widened and it seemed to her like he was surprised that she answered his question before he could ask it. His expression then turned sad and he meekly nodded. ¡°Yeah, I guess there¡¯s no reason you¡¯d know,¡± he murmured. ¡°I just¡­ I¡¯m so damn worried about them. I¡¯ve known them both for years and¡­¡± Matt paused, his fists clenched so tightly at his sides that his arms were shaking.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Lilly repeated. ¡°I really am¡­ And if I do hear anything, I¡¯ll let you know.¡±


    The boy swallowed then nodded once more. ¡°Y-yeah¡­thanks, Harper. I appreciate it.¡±


    Matt then bid her goodbye and hurried back toward his friends, their brief interaction already coming to an end. She watched him go for a moment, wishing she could have given him some good news. The pained look on his face made her sick to her stomach, and she couldn¡¯t help but recall when Matt had rushed around the school, collecting donations for Jay¡¯s family after his suicide attempt. She knew he had a good heart, and this time, there was nothing he could do to help. His friends were just gone¡ªso suddenly and without any sort of warning.


    Lilly took a deep breath and turned back to continue toward the main building.


    I need to do something! I don¡¯t know what happened to Jay, but there has to be some way to save him! And I¡¯ll find Alice! I won¡¯t let this be the end for them! I refuse to let that happen! I¡¯ll do whatever it takes¡­I just can¡¯t lose them! They¡¯re my friends!


    When Lilly entered the school, she found the interior to be no different than the courtyard. Students were gathered in groups around the hall, many talking in hushed whispers while others were laughing like normal, though Lilly could hear the strain, as if they were forcing themselves to be happy and pretend like nothing had happened. The incident at the diner had affected everything. The entire school was feeling it and it was hurting her more than she had thought it would.


    Once again shaking off the drowsiness, Lilly headed up to the second floor and turned down the corridor, only to come to another stop as she noticed a small cluster of students up ahead. When she got closer, she realized they were gathered around a window that was boarded up, staring and whispering among themselves. She grimaced, continuing on her way again, realizing that was the very spot she had jumped into the courtyard below to escape the monster.


    ¡°So who broke it?¡± one student asked softly.


    ¡°Dunno,¡± replied another. ¡°But I heard from Jeremy that some idiots got into a fight during the bonfire and accidentally shattered it. He said they weren¡¯t caught though.¡±


    A boy scoffed. ¡°A fight? Yeah, sure. And what? They broke it with their fists or something? Get real, Bro¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Look, man, it¡¯s what Jeremy said. I never said I believed him so don¡¯t shoot the messenger.¡±


    Wanting to put the scene behind her and to just get to first period, she hurriedly made her way toward room 2-12¡ªMrs. Kentz¡¯s room. When she walked inside, she found the usual sight that always greeted her. Brad and his friends were talking in their usual corner and Eric was sitting quietly at his desk, staring down at his hands. The only difference was the absence of Alice, who should have been in her spot by the wall. Kentz¡¯s class was the only one who never changed their seating arrangement after the first day of school, and so Lilly had sat by her for the entire year¡ªfrom the moment when Alice had enthusiastically introduced herself. For her to not be there was just another hit to her gut.


    Eric glanced up at her arrival and she managed a meek wave toward him, which he returned with a subtle nod. Lilly crossed the room and dropped her stuff off at her desk¡ªwhich Eric had retrieved from the clubroom and returned to her over the weekend. She was then about to head over and sit in the vacant seat beside Eric, but when she turned around, she saw Brad moving past the desks and in her direction. Instantly, the first thing she thought of was the day he had used the stone, and then all she could think about was the possibility that he was in danger as well. The boy was clearly struggling to smile as he approached her, and Lilly already knew that he would want to talk about Alice and Jay. She realized that her brief interaction with Matt was probably the first of many for that day.


    ¡°Morning, Lilly,¡± he greeted. ¡°How are you?¡±


    She shrugged, intending to put on a smile and pretend like everything was normal. ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡±


    However, she couldn¡¯t get any other word out and all she could do was glance away. She didn¡¯t know how she was supposed to respond. She didn¡¯t want to lie to him, but she also knew she couldn¡¯t tell him about what was really happening. She couldn¡¯t help but hesitate, and she knew that momentary hesitation would only make Brad suspicious. She was prepared for him to start insisting that she tell him what was the matter, so she was surprised when he simply placed a hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lilly,¡± he whispered. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry and¡­I want you to know that I¡¯m here for you. If you ever need to talk about anything¡­I¡¯m willing to listen.¡±


    Taken by surprise at his gentle tone, she raised her head to look back at him, only to find him smiling genuinely, not forcing it like he had been moments ago. Those simple words were all it took for her to almost break down on the spot. She knew she had a friend in him and she knew he truly cared about her. Brad had become like a big brother to her over the months, and it was that closeness that made her want to cry. He could be in danger and there might not be anything she could do about it. Everything was so uncertain, and this boy who she knew was there for her could be gone as suddenly as Alice or Jay.


    And if the stone really is causing this¡­then wouldn¡¯t it be my fault? I convinced him to use the stone to cheat on that stupid-ass test!


    Lilly slowly raised her hand and placed it on top of his, desperately trying to force down the utter fear that was coursing through her. Barely repressing her shaking, she clutched his hand.


    ¡°T-thanks, Brad,¡± she stuttered. ¡°I really appreciate it. Just give me a bit of time¡­ I think I¡¯m still processing everything, is all.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Take all the time you need¡­and when you¡¯re ready, I¡¯m there.¡±


    She quickly blinked back the tears threatening to flow, not wanting to break down in the middle of the classroom. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    With that, the big boy removed his hand from her shoulder and moved back toward his football friends. Lilly briefly glanced past him to see Evan Wright staring at her, but the moment she looked into his eyes, he turned away. A shot of anger went through her, and she wondered what the boy could be thinking about it all. He went after Alice back at Christmas and now she was gone. She could imagine him silently reveling in it in some twisted desire for revenge against them. He¡¯d avoided them since his return from suspension, but that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t furious. He just knew that they could easily ruin his life if he did anything.


    Lilly grit her teeth and headed toward Eric, who was staring over at her expectantly. At that point, all she wanted to do was rush over to him and hug him. She wanted comfort, but she feared that if she got it, she might break down. She felt so fragile all of a sudden, like anything she did could be what would release all of her pent up emotion.


    She was exhausted.


    She was scared.


    She didn¡¯t know what to do.


    As these thoughts continued to torment her, Lilly came to a sudden stop, her attention turned toward somebody standing in the doorway. For a moment, the two girls looked into each other¡¯s eyes, and Lilly knew that she would be the next person who would want to talk to her. Eric noticed her looking past him and turned to glance at the doorway.


    ¡°Um, Harper? Reiner?¡± Rina Davens called out nervously. ¡°Can I talk to you guys for a moment?¡±


    Having already spoken to Matt and Brad, Lilly wanted nothing more than to blow the girl off. They hadn¡¯t spoken since that day on the bleachers when Eric apologized to her, and Lilly knew that Rina was in a similar situation as Evan. The girl was blackmailed into silence by the magic the club held. Despite knowing that Rina wasn¡¯t nearly as vindictive and hateful as Evan was, it was still hard to forget what she had put Alice through¡ªespecially after all that had happened. However, whether he was thinking along similar lines or not, Eric nevertheless got to his feet.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he replied. ¡°Shall we speak outside?¡±


    ¡°Um, sure,¡± Rina muttered. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    She then walked back into the hall. Eric glanced back at Lilly and nodded, as if to convey that he didn¡¯t see any harm in talking to Jay and Alice¡¯s old friend so, deciding Eric could at least take the lead in the conversation, Lilly silently followed after him as they headed out. Rina led them away from the more populated areas and toward the end of the hall, where very few students ever went. The only thing over there was room 2-1, which was currently being used as a storage room. Once the three of them were alone, Rina hesitantly turned around and glanced between the two of them. It was clear she was struggling to start the conversation, and she was probably still a bit scared of them, so Eric was quick to help her out.


    ¡°This is about Alice and Jay, I imagine,¡± the boy prompted.


    Rina swallowed nervously. ¡°Y-yeah. It is. I¡¯m sorry to bother you guys but¡­I just had to know¡­is this¡­related to your magic or¡­?¡±


    She was struggling to get her words out, but Lilly understood what it was she was trying to ask. She still didn¡¯t know the extent of their abilities since they¡¯d never explained how they could switch bodies. It was natural that after something so abnormal, she would suspect that magic had something to do with it. However, regardless of how worried Rina might have seemed, it only felt like she was accusing them of something, and that just rubbed Lilly the wrong way.


    ¡°Meaning what?¡± she snapped. ¡°You think we caused them to disappear.¡±


    Instantly, Rina¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°N-no! I wasn¡¯t blaming you or anything! It¡¯s just¡­do you know¡­anything?! Anything at all?!¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Eric quickly replied before Lilly could snap at her again. ¡°We didn¡¯t do this. In fact, we¡¯re just as in the dark about what happened to Jay and Alice as you are. I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t give you a better answer.¡±


    At Eric¡¯s reply, Rina¡¯s features weakened and the girl leaned against the wall to her left, as if it was taking up all her energy just to be standing there. Seeing how worried she was about Jay and Alice only once again called to question what could have happened to her that would influence her to do what she did to Alice. It was blatantly obvious that Rina still cared about them, and Lilly couldn¡¯t fathom what was truly going through her head.


    ¡°O-okay,¡± she uttered. ¡°T-thanks¡­¡±


    With that, Rina pushed off the wall and hurried away, never once looking back at them. Eric stuck his hands in the pockets of his pants and sighed.


    ¡°We have to do something about all this,¡± he whispered. ¡°This school is suffering after just one attack. If something else were to happen¡­¡±


    He left the thought unfinished, and for that, Lilly was grateful.


    ***


    The rest of the day was a complete blur, and by the time sixth period came to an end, Lilly couldn¡¯t remember a single thing she was taught. Everything her teachers said went in one ear and out the other. She knew she needed to pay attention, especially considering the end of the year, as well as their finals, was only a little over a month and a half away, but she just couldn¡¯t. Between her already distracted mind and her utter exhaustion, she couldn¡¯t focus. When school was over, she was both grateful to finally be done and terrified of the prospect of going home. Part of her just wanted to skip club altogether and avoid having to interact with Damien and Liz, but the other part felt safer with Eric at her side.


    I¡¯ll just have to be careful. I¡¯ll act normal and then Damien and Liz won¡¯t even know that anything¡¯s wrong. Yeah¡­ Just act like I always do.


    But she knew that was easier said than done. She could tell that her two friends were suspicious just by the way they acted at lunch. Neither spoke up, but she could see in their facial expressions that they were worried. With as tired as Lilly was, she knew she was probably really scaring them.


    So just be normal! Don¡¯t let them know what¡¯s going on! For their sake¡­let them stay ignorant!


    When she finally arrived at the door to the clubroom, Lilly stopped and quickly tried to calm her heartbeat, which felt like it had been pounding all day. She then put on a smile and pulled the door open, only for that smile to quickly fade. The scene before her was enough to cause her to nearly lose her balance. Eric was standing against the wall with Liz staring him down, a furious look on her face, while Damien was sitting on a desk a few rows away, staring down at the ground. At her entrance, all three turned to look at her, and Liz¡¯s features immediately contorted into a conflicted expression.


    They¡¯re already onto us. There really was no point in hiding it.


    ¡°Lilly,¡± Eric muttered. ¡°Glad to see you made it. Liz and I were just having a friendly little chat so¡ª¡±


    The boy instantly went silent as Liz fixed a glare his way. Eric¡¯s attempt to quickly brush the situation under the rug was crushed. It was obvious to her that her boyfriend had been trying to deal with it before her arrival. She appreciated his desire to prevent her from becoming more stressed, but at the same time, she also didn¡¯t want to be left out. If Damien and Liz were going to find out then she wanted to be there.


    Not wanting to be the one to break the silence, Lilly simply stood awkwardly in the doorway, waiting for one of the others to explain what was happening. She expected Liz would be the first to speak judging by how furious she looked, but instead, it was Damien.


    ¡°Lilly,¡± he began softly, ¡°be honest with us. What¡¯s going on? What happened Friday night that has the two of you so panicked?¡±


    It almost sounded as if he were pleading with her to tell him the truth, but she wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. She wanted to be honest with them, but she also was scared that getting them involved could get them hurt. So, her first instinct was to deny.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that!¡± Liz suddenly shouted. The bespectacled girl stepped away from Eric and turned toward her. ¡°Lilly, please! Damien and I aren¡¯t idiots! Just looking at you right now is enough to prove that there¡¯s something wrong! You look like you haven¡¯t slept in days!¡±


    Lilly flinched at her friend¡¯s voice. ¡°Liz, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Please!¡± she urged. ¡°Between all of your weird texts and calls, not to mention how scared you both seem, it¡¯s obvious something happened! It was bad enough that Eric started freaking out the other day, but now you, too? Damien said we should give you guys space but I can¡¯t do that! I¡¯m worried about you!¡±


    The way Liz just rambled everything out made it clear that she¡¯d been bottling it all up. She looked close to tears, yet even though Lilly wanted nothing more than to be honest, she still wasn¡¯t sure what to do. She was torn and far too tired to make a logical choice.


    ¡°We¡¯re friends, right?¡± Liz uttered. ¡°You trust us, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about trust,¡± Eric cut in before Lilly could answer. ¡°I trust the two of you more than almost anybody else. That¡¯s why we can¡¯t tell you. I don¡¯t want anything to happen to you. So please, Liz. Let us deal with this ourselves. I promise I¡­¡±


    He trailed off as she turned a baffled look on him. ¡°Eric, that makes no sense!¡± she snarled. ¡°You trust us so you¡¯re not going to tell us?! Do you hear how stupid that sounds?!¡±


    ¡°I¡­I know, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Eric?¡± Damien said. ¡°Does this have anything to do with the diner? Or Vinny Mickelson?¡±


    The taller boy cringed and that was clearly enough for Damien to understand.


    ¡°I had a feeling,¡± he muttered. ¡°No way this was all coincidental.¡± He then got to his feet and, rather than approaching Eric, he crossed the room to where Lilly still stood by the door. ¡°Lilly.¡±


    She found herself unable to look him in the eye as she murmured, ¡°yeah?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to let this go and I know Liz won¡¯t either.¡± Damien paused, his dark eyes staring into hers, and she could see him frantically trying to pick his words carefully. ¡°Do you remember back when she and I had our fight after the Wright incident?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Lilly replied weakly.


    He nodded. ¡°Good. Then you¡¯ll know that I can¡¯t just step aside and let you guys handle whatever¡¯s going on alone. You and Eric were there for us when we needed you most. So how can I not be there for you now? I don¡¯t care how dangerous it is. I¡¯m not going to ignore this.¡±


    ¡°How could we?¡± Liz chimed in. ¡°Even setting aside what you did for us, you two have helped so many people. Brad, Alice, Jay, Natalie¡­¡±


    Lilly flinched at all of the names of people they used the stone on, knowing that if Nigreos¡¯s words were true, then all those people they supposedly helped could be in mortal danger.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done so much for everybody else,¡± Liz went on. ¡°You do realize that, right? So how can you even think you should bear any burden alone?¡± The girl stepped past Damien and put her hands on Lilly¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Tell us,¡± she insisted once more. ¡°What happened to you guys? How is it related to the diner and to Mickelson? What¡¯s happening right now?¡±


    She felt her body shaking and when she looked to Eric for help, he seemed just as conflicted as her. She wished they could have talked it out more, but now they were in a position where they had to make a choice.


    Maybe¡­Damien and Liz could help us figure something out. Maybe it would be smart to get them involved and pick their brains a bit.


    ¡°Eric,¡± Lilly began softly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but it¡¯s not my place to tell them. If they want to know¡­then you¡¯re the one who has to do it.¡±


    She knew she was just pushing the burden off of herself like some sort of coward, but she hoped there was merit in her decision. Eric knew the most about Ijiria and Nigreos Noctis and magic in general. If she tried to explain it, it probably wouldn¡¯t make any sense. So, she knew he would have to be the one.


    ¡°Well?¡± Liz demanded, glancing back over her shoulder and toward the still silent boy. ¡°What¡¯s your answer, Eric? Are you going to trust us or not? And don¡¯t give me any more shit about not telling us cause you do trust us. I don¡¯t want to hear that¡­and especially not from you.¡±


    Eric exhaled softly and raised his head to face them all. ¡°Fine then. I¡¯ll tell you. Just¡­know it¡¯s going to sound crazy.¡±


    ¡°Crazier than body swapping?¡± Liz asked in a joking tone, seemingly trying to lighten the mood a little.


    But Eric¡¯s features stayed serious. ¡°Yes. Far crazier than body swapping.¡±


    Liz and Damien exchanged quick looks before the latter prompted him to go on.


    ¡°Alright then. Let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    For a moment, Eric stood in silence, clearly trying to figure out the best way to reveal everything, but before he could even get a word out, he suddenly cried out in pain, his hands shooting toward his head.


    ¡°Eric?!¡± Liz exclaimed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?!¡±


    He quickly shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just a headache. I don¡¯t¡­ Wait¡­¡±


    His eyes went wide and he frantically turned to stare at Lilly. She, in turn, looked back in shock. They¡¯d already discussed the possibility that Eric¡¯s odd headaches had been related to Lilly speaking with Nigreos, so the fact that he suddenly had one just days after she reclaimed her memories couldn¡¯t be mere coincidence. Despite her exhausted state, Lilly instantly stalked into the room and rushed toward him.


    ¡°Swap with me, Eric! Now!¡± she demanded.


    His jaw clenched in frustration. ¡°You want to do that?! You¡¯re serious?! But we still don¡¯t know if it''s even safe¡ªif he¡¯s an enemy or not!¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± she replied firmly. ¡°I know you¡¯re scared of this guy, but we have to know what¡¯s going on and right now, he¡¯s our only lead! Please, Eric! Let me do this! If he can help us¡­¡±


    ¡°Guys, what¡¯s going on?!¡± Damien cut in. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡±


    But Lilly ignored him, knowing this wasn¡¯t a chance they could afford to pass up.


    ¡°Five minutes!¡± she insisted. ¡°Give me five minutes and then swap us back! Okay?!¡±


    ¡°Lilly!¡± Liz shouted. ¡°Come on! What¡¯s wrong?! What¡¯re you talking about!¡°


    For a moment, Lilly and Eric stared at one another, and she could see the gears turning in his head. He knew what the logical decision was, but she could tell that he was struggling. Nigreos Noctis was the man who took his mother away so it was no wonder to her that he would be hesitant to let her speak with him. Yet, she knew there wasn¡¯t an option.


    ¡°Eric, damn it!¡± she snarled. ¡°Come on!¡±


    He looked ready to protest further, but instead he sighed and reached into his pocket to produce the stone. ¡°Fine. Five minutes,¡± he stated. ¡°No more. Once it¡¯s over, I¡¯m pulling you out.¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡± Lilly then briefly spared a look back at Damien and Liz, who were both fearfully glancing between them. ¡°We¡¯ll explain in five minutes. You have my word.¡±


    They were quiet for a moment, but Damien must have seen something in her gaze since he simply sighed. ¡°I¡¯m gonna hold you to that, Lilly. You hear me?¡±


    ¡°Loud and clear.¡±


    Then, not wanting to waste any more time, she turned around and placed her fingers atop the orange gem. Instantly, that familiar feeling of being submerged in the world of formless white engulfed her. If it were normal, she would have soon found herself in Eric¡¯s body, but as she had hoped, that wasn¡¯t what happened. Instead, when the world of white vanished, she was replaced by its complete antithesis¡ªdarkness in every direction. It was so dark, in fact, that she couldn¡¯t even see her own body, though she suspected she didn¡¯t have one in that world. It was supposedly her mind, after all.


    ¡°I take it I¡¯m once again speaking with Lilly Harper?¡±


    As the voice echoed across the darkness, she felt both fear and anticipation. She knew this man was dangerous but he was their only chance at learning something that might help them understand just what was going on in Wilham. No matter what, she had to face him with confidence. She couldn¡¯t allow him to sense her terror.


    ¡°Yup, that¡¯s me,¡± she called back. ¡°And I guess that means you¡¯re Nigreos Noctis?¡±


    The sound of a dark chuckle reverberated around her. ¡°That would be correct.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Lilly replied. ¡°Cause we need to talk.¡±

 Chapter 13- A Declaration Of War

    Chapter XIII


    Despite the pure terror rushing through her, Lilly forced herself to act confident as she prepared to face Nigreos Noctis once again. They still didn¡¯t know for certain whether he was a friend or an enemy, nor did they know how much he knew about them. Playing her cards close to the chest would be critical to getting answers out of him, so if he found out how shaken and scared she was, he would be able to take control of the conversation and twist it in whatever way best suited his interests. With his wealth of knowledge about Ijiria and magic, she would be at his mercy. That was the result she needed to avoid, especially if he turned out to be their enemy.


    I just wish I could see him, she thought, glancing around the dark world that was her surroundings. I know how Eric described him, but this would be so much easier if I could see his face. It might give some indication as to what he¡¯s thinking. What makes it even worse is that I don¡¯t understand the rules of this place. Can he hear these thoughts now? I mean, I can¡¯t hear his¡­but then again, that doesn¡¯t mean anything.


    ¡°I had a feeling you¡¯d be interested in talking,¡± Nigreos began, his tone calm. ¡°So your memories were successfully returned.¡±


    ¡°They were,¡± she replied firmly, surprising herself with how well she prevented her voice from shaking. ¡°Why did you erase them? I thought you wanted information from me. Kinda hard to barter with you when I don¡¯t know you exist.¡±


    There was another laugh, and Lilly wondered just how much the man was enjoying their conversation.


    ¡°Fair point, Miss Harper,¡± he said. ¡°However, circumstances dictated that it was better safe than sorry. You left our meeting rather abruptly last time, and I feared that you might begin speaking of me to¡­others. I didn¡¯t want that.¡±


    Lilly swallowed fearfully at his words but pressed on despite that. ¡°Well, there¡¯s no need to worry about it this time. I¡¯ve got five minutes before my friends swap me back. Until then, say what you want. At this point, I¡¯m willing to listen.¡±


    ¡°Oh? At this point, you say?¡±


    His voice was all she had to go on, but he was speaking in a way that she couldn¡¯t deduce what was actually going through his head. She couldn¡¯t tell whether he was genuinely intrigued or simply putting on a show.


    ¡°Then tell me, Harper, what¡¯s happened to you in the recent days? What would make you so willing to barter now?¡±


    She considered his question for a moment before deciding that she would answer, revealing only what Nigreos most likely would already know.


    ¡°Terrible things have been happening,¡± she replied. ¡°I don¡¯t know where you are right now, so maybe you¡¯ve already heard, but there was an attack at a nearby family restaurant. Every staff member working that night was murdered, and one of my best friends disappeared. On the same night, another friend of mine vanished from his hospital bed in what I doubt is a coincidence.¡±


    ¡°Curious,¡± he murmured, and once again, he revealed nothing of what he thought on the matter. ¡°But I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t understand why that would make you want to speak with me. Terrible events such as those are commonplace in any realm. Don¡¯t tell me you think I¡¯m the one who hurt them.¡±


    Damn it! I really can¡¯t tell if he¡¯s playing dumb!


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who¡¯s behind it,¡± she called back. ¡°But the reason I know it can¡¯t be a coincidence that they happened on the same night is because¡­on Friday, a friend and I were attacked by a monster¡­and that creature was using the body of the boy from the hospital. I wanted to talk to you because I felt that a so-called Master of Ijiria should know what that was.¡±


    Nigreos didn¡¯t respond immediately, leaving her floating in that darkness in silence. Lilly anxiously thought about how much time had already passed and wished the man would hurry up and reply.


    ¡°That truly is fascinating,¡± he said finally. ¡°I do know of a creature that possesses the bodies of its victims, but it isn¡¯t something one can just escape from. Tell me¡­how are you still alive, Lilly Harper?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you,¡± she replied the moment the question reached her ears. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can trust you yet. For all I know, you¡¯re the one who sent that monster after us. I don¡¯t know a single thing about you, Mr. Noctis, so unless you can give me some way to prove that you¡¯re not my enemy, I can¡¯t tell you everything. That¡¯s why I want to barter.¡±


    ¡°Proof you can trust me, huh?¡± he parroted. ¡°Well, I must apologize, but I can''t give you that.¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡± she stuttered, taken aback by his sudden and rather blunt refusal.


    ¡°I can¡¯t give you any proof,¡± he repeated. ¡°Because I am the one who attacked that diner and I am the one who sent poor little Jay Brooks after you and Mr. Reiner.¡± As a wave of horror spread through her mind, the meaning of his words truly processing, Nigreos merely laughed. ¡°I am your enemy, Harper.¡±


    No¡­ What the hell?! What is this?! I knew it was possible, likely even, but I never thought he¡¯d just come right out and say it! He¡¯s the one who corrupted Jay! He¡¯s the one who killed all those people at the diner?!


    Despite knowing that keeping her composure was crucial to the success of the conversation, Lilly couldn¡¯t help but shout out at him, ¡°But why?! Does that mean¡­you''re the one who took Alice?! And you¡¯re the one who wiped Vinny Mickelson from existence?!¡±


    She expected him to laugh again and to gloat about how he was responsible for that, too, but she was once again surprised. Instead, the entire world felt like it shook, and emotion that wasn¡¯t her own entered her being. She could feel shock and fury and she instinctively knew that it was Nigreos¡¯s emotions.


    W-what did I say? Why is he¡ª?


    ¡°How do you know who Mickelson is?¡± he demanded, his voice soft. ¡°He should have been forgotten so how do you know that name?¡±


    In one sentence, Nigreos both confirmed that Vinny Mickelson had actually existed and that he was the one behind his disappearance. Despite having already received numerous answers to her questions, none of them were making her feel better. In fact, she was only realizing just how much danger she had put herself in by deciding to talk to Nigreos. It was his fault. He had caused everything that had happened in the last week.


    ¡°I¡¯m not telling you,¡± she replied, though this time, her voice did shake. Her false confidence was wavering in the face of the man who truly was her enemy, and she feared that her attempts to act strong were already doomed to fail. ¡°If what you¡¯re saying is true, then you erased a close friend of mine! And what you did to Jay¡­is unforgivable! Why?! Why are you doing this to us?! Is it because of the stone cause we didn¡¯t steal it! You can have it back if you want, just¡ª!¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he interrupted sharply. ¡°Taking the stone is simple. But you see, Ijirian law dictates that any non-magical intelligent being who learns of magic¡¯s existence must be wiped from the multiverse.¡±


    Wiped from¡­the multiverse? Anybody who knows magic exists?


    All at once, images of those who used the stone flashed through her mind: Jay, Alice, Damien, Liz, Brad, Natalie, and even Evan and Rina. If what Nigreos was saying was true, then he intended for each of them to meet Mickelson¡¯s fate.


    No¡­that can¡¯t be¡­


    ¡°But we haven¡¯t done anything wrong!¡± Lilly shouted, abandoning any sense of composure. ¡°Please, Mr. Noctis! We won¡¯t tell a soul about magic, and even if we did, nobody would believe us! There¡¯s no need to go that far!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Harper,¡± he replied. ¡°But the law is law and I will uphold it. So why don¡¯t you make my job easier and tell me the names of every person who touched that relic.¡±


    Her mouth moved before her mind had truly processed the question. ¡°No! Why would I do that if you¡¯re just going to¡ª!¡±


    She stopped mid-sentence as an image appeared in her head. It was so clear that she knew it was real and not some intrusive thought brought about by stress. She saw Alice tied up in a chair with a gag over her mouth and her eyes blindfolded. Her right leg was severed from the knee down and she looked like she was in an awful state. The image then disappeared and soon after, Nigreos spoke.


    ¡°What you just saw was real,¡± he said. ¡°Alice Mendez is currently being kept with us and, should we decide to, we could end her life with the snap of a finger.¡±


    Despite not having a body, Lilly could still feel her physical form and the shaking of her voice had now spread all across her. Nigreos wasn¡¯t lying. The incident at the diner had made that clear. Should he decide it was necessary, he would kill Alice without a second thought.


    ¡°Now, I don¡¯t want to kill her,¡± Nigreos went on. ¡°But I will do what I have to do. So, Lilly Harper, you said you wanted to barter, so let¡¯s barter. You give me the names of everybody who touched that stone, and I won¡¯t kill Mendez. If you decide defying me is a better option, I¡¯ll cut her head off and toss it into your school¡¯s courtyard for all the students to see. Do we have an understanding?¡±


    She was horrified and the entire situation was suddenly more hopeless than she had believed. Yet, somehow, she was still able to argue.


    ¡°What does it matter?¡± she uttered. ¡°If I give up the names, you¡¯ll kill us anyway. There¡¯s nothing I can do so why should I make your job any easier?¡±


    He snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. Erasure and death are not the same thing. One is far more merciful. So trust me, Harper. You¡¯ll be better off getting erased than getting killed.¡±


    What does that even mean? Is he implying that people who get erased aren¡¯t dead? Or is he just saying that it¡¯s not as painful of a way to go? Either way¡­we¡¯re backed into a corner. We can¡¯t fight this. This man¡­is far more powerful than we could ever hope to be.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you one week,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll attempt to contact you again at this same time seven days from now to hear your answer. If you decide to cooperate, simply give us the names and help us track them down. If not¡­well, come the following morning, Alice Mendez will be dead. If you don¡¯t obey after that, we¡¯ll kill Jay Brooks. And if you still decide that you would rather fight us, well¡­we¡¯ll just start killing any random civilians we come across. I¡¯m one of the most powerful people in my one world¡­in yours, I might as well be a god. It would take little effort to hold this entire city hostage. So¡­use your brain, Harper. You know there¡¯s no escape.¡±


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    She wanted to say something. She wanted to shout at him that they weren¡¯t powerless. She wanted to tell him that Eric would stop him, but she knew it would just be baseless lies. Even with Eric¡¯s magic, he could barely stand up to the monster, so how could he ever hope to fight Nigreos Noctis.


    There was nothing they could do.


    It was hopeless.


    Then, without any warning, she was suddenly back in the world of white that always preceded her return to the real world. For those few seconds, she reveled in the peace that world brought her, before she opened her eyes to find herself sitting in one of the clubroom¡¯s chairs. When she looked up, Eric, Liz, and Damien were all staring back at her in anticipation.


    ¡°Well?¡± Eric prompted. ¡°What happened?¡±


    She wanted to cry, but she found she didn¡¯t have it in herself to do so. Instead, she just stared blankly back at him, and uttered the only thing she could.


    ¡°Nigreos has Alice.¡±


    ***


    The clubroom was silent long after Eric and Lilly finished their explanations and Liz truly believed they hadn¡¯t left anything out. Both looked completely beaten in a way that she had never seen before, and as they spoke of Vinny Mickelson, the monster that attacked them, and Nigreos Noctis, they sounded so scared that Liz wished she could do something for them. Their stories were insane and she believed every word. However, that belief came with the acceptance that her very life was in danger, as was everybody else¡¯s who ever used the stone. For some reason, she didn¡¯t find herself scared. Instead, she didn¡¯t feel anything. She just sat on the surface of the desk and twiddled her fingers as she considered everything she had heard.


    I should be terrified right now¡­so why aren¡¯t I?


    Perhaps it was because she hadn¡¯t seen any of it with her own eyes, she wondered. She couldn¡¯t remember Vinny Mickelson. She¡¯d never spoken to Nigreos Noctis. And she hadn¡¯t been present when the creature inside of Jay attacked Lilly and Eric. In a way, it wasn¡¯t any different from the stories Eric would tell all throughout their friendship. The only true difference was that there was nothing fun or exciting about what was happening. It was more like a horror story. Alice would die if they didn¡¯t give themselves up, and if they did, then their entire existence would be erased from the world. Just like Mickelson, nobody would remember them.


    So would my parents just forget they ever had a daughter? Would it be like these sixteen years of my life just didn¡¯t happen?


    As she asked herself that question, she realized she already knew the answer. Eric had visited the Mickelson household and they didn¡¯t remember ever having a son. Vinny Mickelson¡¯s bedroom was replaced by an office and his existence was forgotten by all except Eric.


    At the very least¡­if I¡¯m erased, my family will be the only ones to truly forget about me. All of my friends¡­would be meeting the same fate.


    As twisted as it was, she found some comfort in that thought. She didn¡¯t want to imagine Damien forgetting about her, or even her forgetting about him. As it was, she couldn¡¯t fathom something like that actually happening, yet according to Eric, she would have felt similarly about Mickelson and she had forgotten him. Could she really say she wouldn¡¯t forget Damien if he were wiped from the world.


    No¡­I can¡¯t think like that. I would never forget Damien. I love him far too much to just forget he ever existed. He changed my life and I changed his. Without him, I wouldn''t even be the girl I am now.


    Liz sighed then raised her head to look around the room. Damien was sitting at his usual spot in the back, his head in his hands and his back to them all. Eric was silently pacing by Mr. Lowe¡¯s desk, and Lilly was asleep in the desk to her right, having passed out from exhaustion shortly after their story ended. She looked peaceful now, which Liz was happy about. Ever since they spoke on Saturday morning, she had noticed that something was wrong, and only seemed like Lilly was getting progressively worse as time went on. When she saw the girl at lunch that morning, she looked like she was barely keeping her eyes open. That had been the last straw.


    Damien had insisted that they give the two some space and that they would talk to them eventually, but after seeing how terrible Lilly looked, she just couldn¡¯t put up with it. She didn¡¯t mean to go off on Eric like she had, but she had been so frustrated that the boy would try to hide something as seemingly awful as he was. She wanted him to trust her and despite how terrifying the answer was, Liz was happy to be able to bear the burden with them. She had meant every word she said to them earlier. The two of them had helped so many people, and thus, it wasn¡¯t fair for them to deal with everything alone.


    ¡°So?¡± she began finally, wanting to break the suffocating silence. ¡°What¡¯s the plan, Eric? What are we going to do?¡±


    The boy stopped pacing but he didn¡¯t look at her. Instead, he kept his gaze fixated on the ground. ¡°What can we do, Liz? This man has already proven just how powerful he is. If we try to fight him, not only will we all die, but innocent people could as well.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re just giving up?¡± she pressed. ¡°You¡¯re just gonna have Lilly give that guy our names and let us all be erased?¡±


    He didn¡¯t immediately respond. She could only imagine how conflicted he was. Eric had always been the type to help anybody he could. If somebody needed him, he would extend his hand to them and do what he could. That was how the Magic Club came to be in the first place¡ªshe and Damien were alone and he gave them a place to belong. Even without her memories of him, she suspected it would have been similar for Mickelson. When Eric got the gem, he used that power for good and he helped everyone he could. But now, there was no helping everyone. Either he allowed Alice, Jay, and innocent civilians to be killed or he told Noctis their names and they all died anyway.


    ¡°What would you have me do, Liz?¡± he uttered. ¡°He¡¯s got Alice and Jay¡­and he¡¯s already proven that he¡¯s not bluffing. He killed innocent people at the diner and the hospital¡­and he¡¯s already taken Vinny from us. I couldn''t fight him if he were alone, but he¡¯s got some monster with him that I barely escaped with my life.¡±


    Liz got to her feet, desperate to find some answer. ¡°But you have magic, right? You said you escaped that thing with magic so why can¡¯t you¡ª?!¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m just a novice!¡± he shouted, cutting her off. ¡°I already told you! I only just recently found out I could use magic and my skill is purely out of the knowledge I¡¯ve memorized over the years. But I¡¯m not trained! I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡±


    He rounded on her, his expression so full of pain that it startled her.


    ¡°But Nigreos Noctis is an Ijirian Master!¡± he continued. ¡°My mother told me all about them¡ªabout how they¡¯re the most powerful magic users in their country! So not only is this man trained, but he¡¯s more powerful than almost everybody in his world! So what can I do?! I¡¯m just some nobody from a world where magic doesn¡¯t exist! I¡¯m a teenager!¡±


    She couldn¡¯t respond to that. Everything he said was probably right. If Nigreos Noctis was even half as powerful as they believed he was, they didn¡¯t stand a chance. He would just kill them all with barely a second thought. Eric was thinking about it logically and she couldn¡¯t fault him for that. Yet, she really wanted to see the normal Eric Reiner. She wanted him to declare that the Magic Club could overcome anything. She wanted him to put on his extravagant act and laugh as they discussed ways to win. She knew what was happening wasn¡¯t a joke, but even in their darkest times, Eric Reiner lit up the room with his cheer. To see him so broken and desperate made Liz want to cry.


    ¡°Eric,¡± Damien suddenly said, getting to his feet and walking across the room to stand beside his girlfriend. ¡°Look, man, don¡¯t give up yet. We¡¯ve got a week to figure this out so¡­who knows? Maybe something will happen that will give us some sort of upper hand.¡±


    But Eric was already shaking his head. ¡°It won¡¯t, Damien. There¡¯s no such thing as miracles. You were right. I should have listened to you.¡±


    Damien frowned. ¡°What are you¡ª?¡±


    ¡°All those numerous times you told me not to screw around with something I didn¡¯t understand! Every time I wanted to use the gem, you urged me not to because we didn¡¯t know who used to own it or what other magic could exist. And now, after all this time, the owner has come back with powers that we can¡¯t even comprehend! You were right! Every single god damn thing you said was right!¡±


    Damien looked away, seemingly unable to come up with a response. However, just as Liz was about to try and argue the point, her boyfriend spoke again.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± he muttered. ¡°But just because I was right doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to leave you to deal with it alone. Yeah, I was afraid of something like this, but what¡¯s done is done, and now we need to fight it. That¡¯s the only answer left.¡±


    ¡°But we can¡¯t fight it!¡± Eric shouted.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll find a way we can!¡± Damien retorted fiercely. ¡°Come on, Eric! Don¡¯t give up! If you do¡­then it¡¯s all over! This club and the people we¡¯ve helped will cease to exist and the past year will have been for nothing! Do you want that to happen?! Do you want us all to disappear?!¡±


    Eric furiously shook his head. ¡°Of course I don¡¯t! But what I want and what¡¯s going to happen can¡¯t always be the same thing! I would never want to lose what we¡¯ve built here, but our enemy is a walking calamity! I don¡¯t know much about the Master of Darkness specifically, but I know how powerful Masters are! My mother always talked about them like they were on another level entirely! If we fight Nigreos, we¡¯ll all die!¡±


    ¡°And if we don¡¯t fight him, we¡¯ll die anyway!¡± Liz snapped, inserting herself back into the  argument. ¡°I, for one, would rather go down fighting than just lay down and take it! We¡¯ve got a week so let¡¯s put our heads together like we always have and figure something out!¡±


    Eric looked ready to argue the point some more before his body weakened and he leaned back against Lowe¡¯s desk. His anger and desperation was gone, replaced by a look devoid of emotion.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, guys,¡± he uttered after a moment. ¡°I just¡­can¡¯t.¡±


    For the first time since she met him, Eric Reiner had reached his limit, and there was nothing they could say to pull him out.


    ***


    Damien and Liz left soon after their argument with Eric and began heading home. Since Nigreos had essentially told Lilly that he didn¡¯t know who his targets were, they had decided to hope that he didn¡¯t know anything about the two of them. Despite that, Eric still wanted to walk them home, but Damien urged him to stay back with Lilly. He couldn¡¯t keep watch on them 24/7 and if Nigreos wanted to go after them, he could easily get into their houses. Nowhere was safe, and so, they just had to hope that the man would wait until the time limit was up.


    Damien glanced sidelong at Liz as they walked, and it was clear by her furrowed brow that she was thinking hard about the situation. So he chose to just grip her hand tighter and leave her be. He was content thinking about it all as well. He still wasn¡¯t sure how to process it, but he did know that he meant every word he said to Eric. He didn¡¯t want them to give up just yet because giving up meant they were all going to die. It was a surreal thought and he wasn¡¯t really sure how to handle it. The possibility that this coming week could be his last didn¡¯t feel real. Instead, it felt like some stupid joke and that at any point, somebody would jump out and reveal it all to be a prank.


    If I die¡­hell, if I¡¯m erased from existence, what will happen? I guess the school won¡¯t have to be afraid of me anymore.


    He was sad that his first thought was about how his disappearance would be for the benefit of others, but he knew that wasn¡¯t too far from the truth. The only people who would actually miss him had all touched the stone at some point as well. Anybody who would care would vanish with him, and all trace of Damien Clark would be gone.


    No¡­I don¡¯t want that to happen. I don¡¯t want to disappear. A shiver ran down his spine. There has to be some way to fight this. Eric can¡¯t be right. It can¡¯t already be hopeless!


    ¡°Hey, Damien?¡± Liz asked softly.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°W-what¡­¡± She paused. ¡°What about the others? Us club members aren¡¯t the only ones in danger here. Fischer, Wright, Davens¡­Natalie¡­ Nigreos wants to kill them all and they don¡¯t even know they¡¯re in danger.¡±


    Damien swallowed, having already thought about it and then quickly shoved it from his mind. He was scared enough as it was, but to think there were four others who would have to die with them only made his desire to fight even stronger.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he muttered. ¡°But it¡¯s just another reason to stand our ground. None of them¡­not even Wright¡­deserve to die¡­and by giving up, we¡¯re condemning them to death with us.¡±


    ¡°Poor Natalie¡­¡± Liz whispered. ¡°That girl¡­would be terrified if we told her what could be coming.¡±


    ¡°Then we don¡¯t tell her,¡± Damien replied firmly. ¡°We stop this Nigreos Noctis ourselves before she ever knows she¡¯s in danger. The other three, however¡­should probably know.¡±


    The bespectacled girl frowned. ¡°You¡­think we should tell them? Even Wright?¡±


    Damien nodded. ¡°Yes, I do. We shouldn¡¯t keep this from them. Natalie is the only one I think should be out of the loop. She¡¯s too young. It would just freak her out, and that would make her mother panic.¡±


    ¡°You sound so confident,¡± she murmured. ¡°Do you really think we have a shot of surviving this?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± He clenched his free fist, thinking about all of the people who would be wiped from existence if they failed to do something. ¡°...hope so.¡±

 Chapter 14- Erasurei Aletari

    Chapter XIV


    Nigreos opened his eyes, still feeling the painful aftereffects of trying to contact Eric Reiner through telepathically. While he had gotten rather used to it due to the many times he had tried the spell, it still came as quite a relief when Lilly Harper entered the boy¡¯s body and opened the mental connection. He¡¯d been able to deliver his ultimatum to the girl and, ideally, their mission would be over in a matter of days. He had sensed the terror Harper felt when he revealed Mendez¡¯s kidnapping and he had a feeling that she wouldn¡¯t just sit back and do nothing. She would understand how hopeless their situation was and that there was no point in fighting back. Considering all that, he wanted to consider their conversation a success on his part, but something the girl had said was weighing heavily on his mind.


    ¡°Does that mean¡­you''re the one who took Alice?! And you¡¯re the one who wiped Vinny Mickelson from existence?!¡±


    Nigreos clenched his teeth, panic beginning to seep into his mind. How the hell could she possibly know Mickelson was erased? It¡¯s impossible, especially for a magicless girl like her! The only way anybody could remember an erased victim is if the one who cast the spell intentionally allows them to!


    It was why only he ever remembered the victims that Album erased. She always cast the spell in a way that would prevent him from forgetting them and, as far as he knew, there were few others that she made exceptions for, Prince Reigious and Princess Piura being the only exceptions.


    So¡­unless she allowed Harper to keep her memories, which I highly doubt, then there¡¯s something else going on here.


    The Master of Darkness scowled then glanced around the empty room in the back of the run-down house that he was sitting in. He was on the ground, his back up against the wooden wall and his legs folded under him. He could sense Album¡¯s presence outside so he got to his feet and headed out into the hallway, wanting to discuss the matter with her immediately. When he entered the main room, he spared a brief look at Mendez, whose head was lowered as if she were sleeping. Yet, he knew she was awake and dreading the possibility that he was about to do something to her. However, knowing that Album would now deal with her, he turned and walked toward the front door.


    The Master of Light was standing in the trees about ten yards from the house, her hands raised in the air and her lips softly moving. She was strengthening the barrier put up around them to conceal the house from anybody who happened to be passing by¡ªa precaution they now knew was quite important considering that Eric Reiner could use magic. When his partner noticed his arrival, she finished her spell and lowered her arms, her eyebrow cocked in curiosity.


    ¡°So?¡± she called over. ¡°Did Harper say anything?¡±


    Nigreos snorted, crossing the distance between them. ¡°Well, it mostly went just as we expected. I revealed to her that we have Brooks and Mendez, told her to do as we say, and sent her on her way shaking like a child. If I had to guess, she¡¯ll almost certainly give us the names if Mendez doesn¡¯t break first.¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡± Album narrowed her eyes. ¡°Well, that all sounds well and good, but judging from your irritable tone, there¡¯s more to this. It didn''t go perfectly in our favor, did it?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°Once again, we¡¯re faced with an anomaly the likes of which we never even considered. She remembered Mickelson.¡±


    Album Luz wasn¡¯t a woman that often showed her true feelings. She liked to keep them hidden behind her stoic expression, yet when he revealed that information, her eyes went wide and she looked at him like she thought he was making it up.


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible,¡± she snapped. ¡°When I erased Mickelson, I made sure that you would be the only person to remember him! Nobody else, especially not some random girl, should know who he is.¡±


    Nigreos scoffed. ¡°Well, she did. She demanded to know if I was the one who erased Mickelson. She said it in a way that it sounded like this was an issue she¡¯s been trying to figure out for a while.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡± Album hesitated, her eyes darting around as she attempted to process what was happening, seeming slightly flustered. ¡°...I don¡¯t know what went wrong. We know the erasure worked because Mendez doesn¡¯t remember him, and I know I didn¡¯t make a mistake. But then¡­other than the spell caster intentionally allowing someone to remember, there aren¡¯t any other known ways of bypassing erasure!¡±


    Nigreos nodded. So I was right. There really isn¡¯t any other way.


    ¡°Why is everything failing to add up here?¡± she muttered in frustration. ¡°The sorcerer, Reiner, the pocket realm¡­and now this? What in the hell is going on in this damn world?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he growled. ¡°But for the time being, I think we should just focus our efforts on the mission and simply prepare ourselves for anything. Regardless of what might be going on in this cursed town, I don¡¯t believe it¡¯ll be anything we can¡¯t handle. We merely need to keep our eyes open for any other traps like the pocket realm. With any luck, we¡¯ll be back in Ijiria by the month¡¯s end.¡±


    His partner smirked bitterly. ¡°I suppose so.¡±


    ¡°Now,¡± he went on, ¡°are the preparations complete?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they are,¡± she responded softly. ¡°I was hoping to wait and see what information you gained from Harper, but after this, I think it would be foolish not to go through it, regardless of how much it weakens me.¡±


    She was speaking of her plan to manipulate answers out of Alice Mendez. Album had claimed that torturing her was the wrong way to go about it and, instead, suggested that they take a more gentle approach. If they showed Mendez something she wanted then perhaps she would be willing to trade them for it. However, when Album told him exactly how she intended to do it, he couldn¡¯t help but protest. It was stupidly dangerous, with consequences that they wouldn¡¯t be able to discover without entering that place themselves, and it would almost certainly hurt her. Yet, Album had always been willing to take drastic measures to get what she wanted and she had refused to change her mind, therefore, once the spell was complete, she would be significantly weaker in the coming days. That was why Nigreos had given Lilly Harper a week to think. With Eric Reiner still such an unknown variable, he wanted Album at the top of her game before they tried to deal with him.


    ¡°I agree,¡± he replied. ¡°And with Mendez as weak as she now is, I would be surprised if she still resists us afterwards. She¡¯ll give us the names, of that I have no doubt.¡±


    In truth, his ultimatum toward Harper had been more of a show than an actual bargain. With Album¡¯s plan already in motion, he knew Alice Mendez would give in and that they would get the names they needed, but if they already knew who they were after, then they would know if Harper tried to lie to them. He wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she and Reiner tried to hide a few of the gem¡¯s victims and, with the pocket realm still up, they would be none the wiser. But if they coerced all the names from Mendez then their enemies would truly be in checkmate.


    ¡°Shall we begin?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯d like to get this done with as soon as possible.¡±


    Album nodded. ¡°Yes, I think we should.¡±


    Together, the two Masters turned and headed back into the house where Mendez was still silently waiting. When they both entered the room, the girl twitched, and he could see the terror in the way her body began shaking. He had expected his methods of torture to have broken her immedietly and the fact that they were resorting to a rather elaborate scheme to get her to talk was a testament to her loyalty to her friends.


    Whatever may happen from here out, you have my respect, Alice Mendez. Unfortunately, though, it ends here. A magicless girl like you could never have lasted forever against us. Be grateful that Album decided to play nice.


    ¡°Mendez,¡± Album said, a gentle tone in her voice as she pulled the gag from the girl¡¯s mouth. ¡°Can we talk for a moment?¡±


    Mendez scoffed weakly. ¡°Why not? It¡¯s not¡­like I can go¡­anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Album strode forward and knelt down in front of the girl while Nigreos silently moved to the corner of the room. They had discussed beforehand that it would be more effective to simply allow Album to take the lead. Nigreos was the one who had caused her so much pain, so Album believed it would be easier to deal with her if she was the one to do the talking.


    ¡°No matter what we do, you really aren¡¯t going to tell us what we want, are you?¡± Album went on.


    ¡°No,¡± Mendez uttered. ¡°Not¡­after what you¡­did to Monica¡­and the others.¡±


    Album narrowed her eyes. ¡°Monica and the others, yes? I¡¯m sure my partner has already told you, but more people will be harmed by your silence. We need only you and your friends. Nobody else. So, the longer we¡¯re here, the more violent we may have to become. Others may die like this Monica you speak of. Do you want that?¡±


    Mendez slowly shook her head. ¡°No¡­ Don¡¯t¡­hurt anybody¡­¡±


    ¡°Then give us the names,¡± the Master whispered. ¡°Give us the names, Alice. If you do that, all this pain will go away. Nobody else will have to die. Peace can return to your quaint little town and we will go our separate ways.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she breathed again. ¡°I won¡¯t¡­betray¡­my friends¡­¡±


    ¡°So instead you¡¯ll allow more people to get murdered? Innocent people?¡± Album pressed. ¡°Or even poor little Jay Brooks?¡±


    The girl visibly flinched at the mention of Brooks¡¯s name, but just like when Nigreos tried to use him as motivation, she just shook her head again.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    ¡°I won¡¯t¡­betray them¡­¡±


    Album regarded her for a moment. ¡°So you¡¯ve said. I think your priorities are a bit off, but I can appreciate the desire to protect those you care about. However, Alice, what if we made a deal. You give me the names¡­and I bring that person you lost back to life.¡±


    At that, despite how weak the girl had become, Mendez raised her head and directed her blindfolded eyes at Album.


    ¡°You can¡­do that?¡± she whispered. ¡°But how¡­did you even¡­?¡±


    ¡°Mind Magic,¡± Album answered. ¡°Unfortunately, as powerful as it is, it can only reveal the surface level thoughts of the victim, but luckily the loss of this individual was at the forefront of your mind¡­an easy memory to retrieve. I know they were important to you, and I know they¡¯re¡­so why don¡¯t I give them back?¡±


    The shock quickly subsided and Mendez lowered her head again.


    ¡°You¡¯re lying,¡± she said. ¡°You can¡¯t¡­bring back¡­the dead. You¡¯re¡­making it¡­up. I won¡¯t¡­fall for such a¡­pathetic trick.¡±


    Album smirked. ¡°I can prove it. I¡¯ll show you that I can bring them back and even that waitress you were so fond of. I can revive them all. I can bring you happiness.¡±


    The girl was silent for a moment, but Nigreos could tell that she was seriously considering the offer. Of course, Album was lying, but in the end, it didn¡¯t truly matter. Even if they couldn¡¯t bring the real person back to life, Alice would never know the difference. To her, her childhood friend would be alive and that would be all that mattered.


    ¡°How? Prove it?¡± Mendez growled.


    The Master of Light nodded then rose to her feet. ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Then, without any hesitation, having already prepared herself for this very moment, she plunged her hand into Mendez¡¯s chest. The girl cried out in shock and her body began trembling.


    ¡°Erasurei,¡± Album intoned. ¡°Aletari!¡±


    The mana that exploded from her fingertips launched the woman backwards and to the hardwood ground of the house. At the same time, Alice Mendez burst into black particles and within seconds, any sign of her presence was gone. Shocked by how sudden and explosive it was, Nigreos could only stare at the empty chair before turning and hurrying to where Album was laying. He dropped to his knees and found her to be unconscious, knowing that she was still alive based on the rising and falling of her chest.


    ¡°Damn, that took more of a toll on you than we thought,¡± he muttered.


    Happy to know that his partner was okay, Nigreos got back to his feet and approached the empty chair.


    Well, I suppose we¡¯ll leave her in there for a day and hope that this is enough to finally get through to this stubborn girl.


    ***


    Alice Mendez came to a sudden stop and blinked a few times, finding her vision oddly blurry. She shook her head, wondering why everything seemed like it was in a haze. For reasons she couldn¡¯t figure out, she didn''t remember where she was or what she was doing. She felt the warm rays of the sun on her skin and the soft touch of the breeze so she knew she was outside somewhere. As the ringing in her ears started to fade, she could hear cars driving past and the chattering of various people around her. After a few more seconds, her eyes adjusted and she found herself standing in the middle of the sidewalk on Main Street. She was just stopped in place and there were people passing by that were giving her weird looks. Feeling suddenly embarrassed for standing in their way, she began walking once again.


    What on earth was that? My head really hurts for some reason.


    As she moved, she realized that she didn¡¯t even know where she was going. She was still in her school uniform and, considering how low in the sky the sun was, she knew it must be after class.


    Well, the only reason I¡¯d be on Main Street is probably to visit the diner so¡­I guess I¡¯ll just head there.


    Feeling like that decision was the most correct, she cheerfully continued on her way toward Ralph¡¯s. The street was crowded with students all shopping and hanging out after school. It was mid-April so there were many that were just prepared for the school year to end and summer to begin. Alice felt a similar way. As much as she did enjoy going to class and seeing her friends, she was also ready for a break and for the weather to finally warm up. Even with spring having started almost a month prior, it still felt like winter with how often it rained.


    I really just want to go to the pier, she thought excitedly. It¡¯s already opened, but with finals coming up and the festival having just ended, there hasn¡¯t been much time. It¡¯s so much easier during break.


    Alice smiled as she arrived at the crosswalk that led toward the diner¡¯s parking lot. She pressed the button to cross, waited for the light to turn green, and hurried toward the other side before making her way up toward the door and heading into the familiar building.


    ¡°Welcome to¡­oh, hey, Alice!¡±


    At the hostess¡¯s podium stood her coworker and good friend, Monica Wahl, a college-aged girl who had been working at the diner since before Alice ever got a job there. The blonde girl looked tired, probably from another long day, but she smiled nonetheless.


    ¡°Hey, Monica,¡± Alice greeted. ¡°Happy Monday!¡±


    Monica laughed. ¡°Yeah, happy Monday to you, too, Al¡¯. So, I imagine you¡¯re here to meet them?¡±


    With a nod of her head, the girl indicated a window table off to the right where two familiar friends were seated across from each other, chatting. Alice smiled as her memory suddenly returned and she realized that she had come there because they¡¯d invited her out.


    ¡°Yeah, I am.¡±


    The hostess smirked. ¡°Wow, surprising,¡± she said teasingly. ¡°Anyway, I know you don¡¯t need a menu so I imagine you want your usual?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯d be great! Thanks, Monica!¡±


    As she headed back to put her order in, Alice turned and walked across the restaurant to where her friends were waiting for her. The two noticed her approaching and both immediately waved hands in greeting. On the right sat Jay Brooks, a dopey grin on his face, and on the left was Rina Davens, her long black hair pulled up into a ponytail.


    ¡°Hey, guys,¡± Alice greeted, sliding into the booth to sit beside Rina. ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late. I got a bit distracted on the way here.¡±


    Rina shook her head and eyed her slyly. ¡°Yeah, you should be sorry! You¡¯ve left me here all by myself with Jay for the last five minutes! It¡¯s been utter torture, Al¡¯!¡±


    Jay snorted. ¡°Ha! Yeah, be that way, Rina. Act like you¡¯re the most pleasant person to be around! I¡¯ve been suffering, too, you know!¡±


    ¡°Suffering?¡± Rina parroted. ¡°And what exactly is so insufferable about me. I¡¯m the greatest. You, on the other hand, never shut up! How many times do I have to sit here, listening to you complaining about Mr. Keipler¡¯s calculus class before you realize I don¡¯t care?¡±


    ¡°Yeah? Well at least I try to hold a conversation!¡± Jay retorted. ¡°You just sit there on your phone, acting like I¡¯m not here! You ever heard of socialization, Miss Perfect?¡±


    Rina rolled her eyes. ¡°Yes, I have. Have you ever heard of ¡®taking a hint¡¯? Something you should understand, Jay, is that when somebody is looking at their phone, they don¡¯t want to be bothered.¡±


    ¡°Sure, but why would you come to the diner if not to talk to your friends?¡± Jay demanded.


    She shrugged. ¡°Well, now that my friend is here, I will talk to her.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re an ass.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay!¡± Alice interjected, having already tired of the bickering that was quite typical for the two of them. ¡°Do we really need to start the afternoon out with a pointless argument? Why can¡¯t the two of you just get along?¡±


    Rina rolled her eyes. ¡°The same reason water and oil don¡¯t get along.¡±


    Jay cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Huh? That doesn¡¯t make any sense. Are you saying we don¡¯t get along because I¡¯m not polar or¡­?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s because we aren¡¯t compatible!¡± Rina snapped. ¡°What the hell are you even talking about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about how your analogy makes no sense and now I¡¯m realizing you have a fourth grader¡¯s level of understanding science,¡± the boy shot back.


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Alright, enough!¡± Alice once again interrupted. ¡°Peace! I demand peace! I want both of you to shake hands and apologize for both being rude to each other and annoying me!¡±


    ¡°Why should we apologize to you?¡± Jay asked, turning his dubious look toward her.


    Rina nodded in agreement. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re the one who willingly chose to come here today and you¡¯ve been our friend long enough to know what to expect.¡±


    ¡°So really, it¡¯s kinda your fault if we¡¯re annoying you,¡± the boy added.


    ¡°Yes, exactly.¡±


    Alice sighed in exasperation and leaned back in her seat. ¡°You know, it¡¯s kinda impressive how easily you two can change targets at the drop of a hat.¡±


    Jay grinned. ¡°Glad you think we¡¯re impressive.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m very flattered,¡± Rina said triumphantly. ¡°Though I¡¯m obviously more impressive than Jay.¡±


    ¡°Says who?!¡±


    ¡°Me.¡±


    Alice rolled her eyes, yet found herself smiling nonetheless. Even though this was ordinary behavior for Jay and Rina, it felt oddly nostalgic, like it had been years since she had listened to their banter as opposed to a mere few hours. She folded her hands on the table and glanced around the diner. Like usual, it wasn¡¯t too packed but it certainly wasn¡¯t empty. She saw the familiar faces of the waiters and waitresses¡ªspecifically focussing on how confidently Monica walked around the restaurant like she owned the place and shouting orders back at the chef. It was comfortable and she found herself wishing that moment could last forever.


    Just then, the bell signifying an arriving customer sounded out, followed by Monica immediately moving to the hostess podium. Curious, Alice turned to look and a wave of emotion so powerful that she didn¡¯t even realize the tears were coming until they were streaking down her cheeks.


    ¡°Heyo, Monica!¡± the newcomer greeted with an enthusiastic wave. ¡°I¡¯m here for dinner!¡±


    The blonde girl laughed. ¡°I¡¯d assume so. Not really sure what else you¡¯d be here for. Your friends are in their usual spot.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much!¡±


    Slowly, Alice got to her feet as the girl approached her, a sweet smile on her face. She had dark brown, shoulder-length hair and eyes that were a similar color. She wasn¡¯t tall, but she wasn¡¯t short either, and while she had a mature look to her features, her grin was childish, like she had still yet to truly grow up. She was wearing the West Wilham High uniform, which looked cute on her. Everything about her was mesmerizing and Alice couldn¡¯t look away, but as she got closer, her smile faded and a concerned expression replaced it.


    ¡°Alice? You okay?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I¡­¡± she stuttered. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t know what¡¯s¡­gotten into me. I just¡­ Audrey¡­¡±


    Audrey Moore rushed forward and put her hands on Alice¡¯s shoulders. She could hear Jay and Rina worriedly calling out to her, but she didn¡¯t process what they were saying. All she could look at was Audrey. It was like she was the only thing that mattered and it felt like it had been so long since she had hugged the girl she considered like a sister to her. She threw her arms around Audrey and just began to cry uncontrollably. She knew she was in public but she didn¡¯t care. She had so many emotions roiling within her and she wanted to let them out.


    ¡°Audrey¡­¡± she sobbed. ¡°You¡¯re here¡­ Audrey¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m here, Al¡¯,¡± Audrey whispered. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m here. I¡¯m right here.¡±


    Alice felt her legs give out and so, Audrey carefully lowered them to the ground.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t leave me again,¡± Alice begged. ¡°Please! Not again. I can¡¯t lose you again.¡±


    She didn¡¯t even know what she was saying anymore. The feelings that were causing her to cry seemed out of place. She knew Audrey had never left. They¡¯d been together since they were kids. Yet, she desperately wanted the girl to stay with her. The feelings were someone else¡¯s but they were also hers. They were foreign but they were familiar. Those contradictions only made her cry harder as she failed to understand why she was feeling what she was.


    But as strange as it all must have seemed, Audrey didn¡¯t question her. She just stroked the back of her head and continued to comfort her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere, Alice,¡± she soothed. ¡°I¡¯ll be right with you forever.¡±


    At that moment, there was nothing else in the world she wanted more. She would give anything she could to make sure that happened.


    I¡­don¡¯t want to lose her again!

 Chapter 15- In Paradise

    Chapter XV


    As Alice slowly opened her eyes, she felt at peace for the first time in what felt like days. She didn¡¯t know why laying in her bed was suddenly so comfortable and relaxing but she welcomed it. The covers pulled around her were warm and she wasn¡¯t feeling any pain. She found it strange to be so relieved not to be in pain, but it made her happy. She slowly raised her head and glanced around her room before checking the time. It was already seven o¡¯clock so she knew she had to get out of bed and start getting ready for school. Sighing, she pulled off her blankets and slid out of bed. When she did, she was hit with a sharp chill and despite wanting to crawl back into the warmth, she was able to force herself not to, though it took a lot more willpower than usual.


    Gotta get going. If I sleep any longer, I¡¯ll be late for school.


    She stretched her arms into the sky, feeling her body loosen up, then headed out into the hall. The house was quiet so she assumed her mom had already gone to work. Alice smiled, recalling how happy she had been to see her mother when she returned from the diner the night before. Just like how it felt when she saw her friends, it was weird that she was so relieved. Combined with her strange breakdown when Audrey arrived and she was beginning to wonder if there was something wrong with her. Her emotions weren¡¯t matching up with reality.


    But I guess I shouldn¡¯t think too hard about it. If it happens again, I¡¯ll worry more but until then¡­


    She headed into the bathroom and turned on the shower, anxious to relax under the warm water. When she got in, its touch was as welcoming as she had hoped for, but before she knew it, she¡¯d been just standing under the water for longer than she meant to. Cursing herself for having no self-control that morning, she reluctantly hurried up and finished the shower. From there, she went through the motions of her normal routine by brushing her teeth and getting dressed in her uniform, before going out into the kitchen to have some cereal. As she ate, she found herself thinking about how close junior year was to its end.


    God, I¡¯m going to be a senior in a few months and then that¡¯s it, she thought. I¡¯ll be graduated and onto college. This school year feels like it just started and now it¡¯s basically over. I guess all the days just kinda blended together since nothing really happened.


    Junior year had been rather uneventful and so, she couldn¡¯t really think of anything specific that was fun or exciting. She hoped her senior year wouldn¡¯t end up the same way since she knew that was supposed to be the most fun year of high school.


    Finding her thoughts focused on the future, Alice finished her breakfast and dropped her bowl off in the sink. Then, just as she was collecting her school bag from the back of her chair, her phone started to vibrate. She reached over and checked who was calling then smiled before answering.


    ¡°Morning, Audrey,¡± she greeted. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Oh, nothing much,¡± the girl replied. ¡°Just waiting outside your house for you to hurry your slow ass up. You coming or not?¡±


    Panicked, wondering if she forgot a promise to walk to school with her that morning, Alice quickly checked that she had everything and hurried toward the front door.


    ¡°Oh, uh, yeah, I¡¯m coming,¡± she stuttered. ¡°Didn¡¯t realize you were stopping by.¡±


    Audrey chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s cause I didn¡¯t tell you. Thought it would be a fun surprise so of course this was the day you took longer than usual. Just make sure not to cry when you get out here. I know you love me, but I don¡¯t want you to embarrass yourself in front of the neighbors.¡±


    Even though she could tell Audrey was teasing her, she could still hear the concern in her old friend¡¯s voice. Alice knew her reaction the previous day had spooked her and she felt a bit guilty for crying like she did. It had taken a while for Audrey, Jay, and Rina to calm her down and even if Monica wouldn¡¯t admit it, she had probably been a huge bother to the other customers and the staff.


    ¡°Yeah, shut up,¡± Alice grumbled. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna cry again.¡±


    She snagged a jacket from the coat closet beside the door then headed outside. Audrey was standing across the lawn and beside the mailbox, smirking up at her.


    ¡°I sure hope not,¡± she replied.


    Alice hung up the phone and walked over to where the girl was waiting for her, tapping her foot in an exaggerated fashion.


    ¡°Finally,¡± she teased. ¡°Now, shall we go? Don¡¯t want to be late for Kentz¡¯s class, after all.¡±


    Alice laughed as the two of them began walking side-by-side down the neighborhood road in the direction of the school. The weather was nice despite the morning cold that still hung over the street.


    ¡°Oh really?¡± Alice replied wryly. ¡°I feel like you¡¯re always sprinting into class five minutes after the bell for one reason or another. Something tells me being late for Kentz hardly ever bothers you at all.¡±


    Audrey shrugged. ¡°Well, maybe I¡¯m trying to turn over a new leaf and be more responsible! You ever think about that, Al¡¯? People can change, you know?!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know that, but this is you we¡¯re talking about. You¡¯ve been the same person ever since I met you so I doubt anything¡¯s gonna change anytime soon.¡±


    The other girl put on a fake expression of offense and placed her hand over her heart dramatically. ¡°Words hurt, Alice. Words hurt.¡±


    ¡°And besides,¡± she went on, ignoring Audrey. ¡°The only thing I could imagine that would make you want to be more responsible is Jay, but he¡¯s been trying to get you to clean up your act for years and you still haven¡¯t.¡±


    In a rare moment for Audrey, her mischievous expression faded, replaced by one of genuine sadness. ¡°And why would you think Jay could convince me of anything?¡± she asked softly.


    Alice cocked her eyebrow. ¡°Really? You can play dumb with everybody else at school, and I¡¯m sure Jay won¡¯t ever wisen up to anything, but you¡¯re never going to get anything past Rina and me. I know you too well so I know how you feel about him.¡± The girl smirked. ¡°And I¡¯m sure you already knew that, too.¡±


    ¡°Yeah well¡­¡± Audrey murmured, glancing off into the blue sky above. ¡°What does it matter? Not only is he never going to see me as more than a friend, but he doesn¡¯t even swing my way. I think he¡¯d go for Matt Briggs before ever even considering a relationship with me.¡±


    Alice placed a hand on her friend¡¯s shoulder, realizing that it had been insensitive to bring her feelings for Jay up and immediately regretting not keeping her mouth shut. ¡°True. But that doesn¡¯t mean there isn¡¯t somebody else out there. You just have to keep looking.¡±


    Audrey nodded, but didn¡¯t say anything further on the subject. For a while after that, the two walked in silence, and Alice could tell that the other girl was deep in thought. She didn¡¯t know why she felt the need to bring Jay up, but she also understood that it probably had to do with how much she wanted Audrey to find some form of happiness. Her feelings for Jay were a touchy subject that they tended to avoid, but she and Rina had talked extensively about it. Both wished they could do something, but even after all those years, Audrey still couldn¡¯t take her eyes off him.


    Maybe I should convince her to let me set her up on a blind date, she internally mused. I know Matt has a huge crush on her so I¡¯m sure he¡¯d go with her if I ask. Maybe that¡¯s all she needs.


    Just as she was considering suggesting the idea to Audrey, a sudden voice screamed in her mind.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let them manipulate you! This isn¡¯t real!¡±


    Alice came to an abrupt stop, her eyes growing wide as spasms of pain shot through her skull. She cried out and put her hands to her temples, her breathing suddenly heavy and her heartbeat increasing by the second.


    What was that? What¡¯s going on?


    ¡°Alice? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Audrey hurriedly asked. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah, I¡¯m¡ª!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fake! I can¡¯t let them do this to me! This world isn¡¯t real! Audrey is¡ª¡±


    As quickly as the voice came, it disappeared, and all of a sudden, she felt fine. Slowly, she raised her head to see her old friend staring back at her in concern. Alice glanced around the street but they were alone.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t hear anybody talking just now, did you?¡± she asked softly.


    Audrey frowned. ¡°Huh? N-no, I didn¡¯t. Why?¡±


    She had suspected as much. It really did feel as if the words had echoed inside her brain. In addition, she found she recognized the voice as her own. It felt like she was calling out to herself in warning, but now, everything was calm. She didn¡¯t even know what she should be worried about. The intrusive thoughts seemed silly, and she knew she must have imagined them.


    There was nothing wrong.


    All was well.


    ***


    The school day passed by without anything strange happening again. Between her breakdown at the diner and then the incident that morning, Audrey was growing progressively more worried about her. Luckily, she convinced her to keep what happened from Jay and Rina, so the two were completely unaware that anything was wrong. Alice chose not to worry about it and so, she just enjoyed the day.


    Like always, she had fun.


    The classes were interesting and she even got to join up with Audrey on a partner assignment for Kentz. At lunch, the two of them met Jay and Rina out in the courtyard and they enjoyed a cozy meal in the sun, chatting about topics she couldn¡¯t even recall anymore. She was happy with them. She had always been, but for some reason, ever since the diner, she felt like she truly appreciated them more. They were her best friends and had been for almost as long as she could remember.


    She''d known Jay since they were babies and they¡¯d gotten to grow up together, almost like a brother and sister. The boy was smart, sweet, and caring. He was always there for her and she was there for him. They were a duo that only separated if they had to, but they spent a lot of time talking over phone or visiting each other. Jay spent much of his childhood at her house, and that only made him feel more like a brother. He could be obnoxious, but she found that it was his quirks that made him so fun. They way he and Rina bickered like siblings made her laugh and she knew they were messing around. They didn¡¯t mean the things they said.


    She knew that because of how well she knew Rina. The girl had issues with her confidence, but Alice knew that she had nothing to worry about. She was a great person who shouldn¡¯t stress so much about her image and Alice knew that she cared about their group more than she ever would admit. The medallion she purchased for them all those years ago was proof of that. There was never a time when Rina wasn¡¯t seen wearing it around her neck, and Alice had caught her simply gazing at it on numerous occasions. Their friendship meant everything to Rina Davens and Alice treasured her as much as she did them.


    And Audrey was mischievous, a girl who never truly grew up. She still played pranks on them, often using Jay as her primary target. She was laid-back and many saw her as lazy, but Alice knew that was far from true. Audrey was so active that it was hard to keep up with her sometimes. If the four of them went on some adventure, it was probably Audrey who started it. Though, while she put on a tough act, Alice knew she was also quite sensitive, which only made her more endearing.


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    All three of them meant the world to Alice, and she had never truly appreciated that more than on that particular day. When lunch ended, the four of them made plans to meet up in the courtyard after school and went their separate ways, with Alice and Jay heading off to calculus. The last two classes passed by and when sixth period ended, Alice hurried up to the third floor to collect a few things from her locker before leaving.


    I wonder what we¡¯ll do today, she thought cheerfully.


    They hadn¡¯t made any plans, but those were the days she considered the most fun. She imagined they would probably head out into the woods, toward their hideout. They hadn¡¯t gone in a while due to the cold, but the weather had warmed up quite significantly so Alice hoped prayed they could go back again.


    Hopefully I don¡¯t have any more issues. I think I¡¯ve scared them enough.


    Once she had collected her books from her locker and tucked them away inside her bag, Alice turned and began going back toward the staircase. However, as she was heading on her way, she stopped and stood still, her attention focused on a boy just ahead of her. He was scrawny and blonde, an individual she recognized from her first period class but couldn¡¯t quite recall the name of. He was considered a delinquent and kept to himself more often than not. It was clear to anybody who shared a class with him that he had no interest in school nor did he want anyone talking to him. He was the very definition of a loner. She¡¯d never paid him any thought before, but for some reason, she just found herself staring. The boy was stopped in the middle of the hall, gazing at the door to a classroom. When she checked which one it was, she found it was 3-5.


    Wait¡­3-5? Do I know that room? I don¡¯t think so, but¡­it seems familiar.


    Suddenly intrigued, Alice brushed past a few students and approached the boy. He didn¡¯t seem to notice her presence until she was right beside him, and when he did, it appeared as if he¡¯d snapped himself out of a trance. He glanced down at her and narrowed his eyes in suspicion.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± he snapped. ¡°Can I help you?¡±


    Alice shrugged, unbothered by his harsh tone. ¡°I was just wondering what room this is? What subject or¡­what club?¡±


    The boy snorted. ¡°Fuck if I know.¡±


    He then pushed past her and tried to go on his way, yet for some reason, she found herself calling out to him.


    ¡°Why were you staring at it though?¡± she asked.


    He stopped only a few steps away and glanced irritably over her shoulder. ¡°I was just thinking, is all. Mind your own damn business.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s¡­kinda familiar to me so I was just wondering¡­¡±


    The boy frowned, and she thought she could sense some recognition in his eyes. ¡°Yeah? Well, ask the teacher, why don¡¯t you? I think the old shit is still in there, so if you¡¯re that curious, leave me alone and go inside.¡±


    ¡°O-okay,¡± she stuttered, deciding it would be best to just let him leave. Yet, before she did, she felt the need to introduce herself first. ¡°I¡¯m Alice, by the way. We have English together, right?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°Maybe. I wouldn''t know. I sleep through that boring ass class.¡±


    And with that last comment, he turned and continued on his way once more. This time, she didn¡¯t stop him and was prepared to leave as well, but to her surprise, he stopped a second time. She hesitated, wondering if he had anything else to say.


    ¡°I¡¯m Vinny,¡± he grunted.


    That was all he said. This time, he walked away and never looked back. His introduction was blunt, yet Alice couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    Vinny, huh?


    She couldn¡¯t explain it, but somehow, she knew there was more to him than he was letting on, and she felt as if they had spoken before. Unfortunately, she just couldn¡¯t recall where they knew each other from, and so, she pushed it from her thoughts for the time being, and hurried off to meet up with the others.


    ***


    Once the four of them had all arrived in the courtyard, they made their way through the school gates and headed in the direction of Doris Street, where the path into the forest began. The way to their hideout was second nature to them and despite having to deviate from the path, they always knew which way to go. As they walked, they chatted about the day and the fact that finals were only a little over a month away.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m already getting stressed about them,¡± Rina mumbled. ¡°I¡¯m barely holding onto my A¡¯s as it is. I don¡¯t need a bunch of tests rolling in to kick me down.¡±


    ¡°Ha! Come on, Rina¡¯,¡± Audrey replied. ¡°As if you have anything to worry about, Miss Studies Every Night. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s gonna fail every test!¡±


    The girl declared it as if something to be proud of, and Jay eyed her dubiously.


    ¡°So maybe you should give studying a try,¡± he suggested. ¡°Oddly enough, I think it¡¯d be good for you. Might bring your grades up. Wouldn¡¯t want you to fail the year and stay a junior while the rest of us move on, would we?.¡±


    Audrey huffed. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna fail the classes, Jay! I¡¯m perfectly happy with all my C¡¯s, thank you very much. After all, C stands for captivating, which perfectly describes me!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± he muttered. ¡°Captivating¡­¡±


    ¡°Well regardless,¡± Rina interrupted, ¡°finals are stressful and I just want them to be over. April and May can¡¯t go by fast enough!¡±


    As they talked, Alice listened to their words and simply laughed at how absurd their conversations were. When she did so, the other three all looked at her in surprise.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny, Al¡¯¡± Jay inquired.


    She shrugged. ¡°Just you guys, I guess. Have you always been this entertaining?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I like to think so,¡± Audrey replied proudly. ¡°In fact, I think we¡¯ve gotten more entertaining as time¡¯s gone on! We age like fine wine!¡±


    Yeah¡­this is nice, she thought. This is right. This is where I belong. With them.


    Then, just like that morning, Alice suddenly doubled over in pain as her head felt like it was about to explode. It was so quick that she hadn¡¯t been ready for it and before she realized it, she was on her knees, clutching at her chest. She heard the shouts of the others but their voices didn¡¯t reach her ears. Instead, all she heard was an amalgamation of sounds merging together into an incoherent screech. It was seconds after this wave of pain shot through her that her body began to fall apart. She couldn¡¯t feel any pain, but she could see her hands fading into dust. She tried to scream for help, but just as she opened her mouth, everything went dark and her mind completely shut down.


    ***


    There was nothing.


    ***


    Nothing existed.


    ***


    She wasn¡¯t real.


    ***


    Alice Mendez didn¡¯t exist.


    ***


    ¡°Welcome back, Mendez.¡±


    The first thing that greeted her was the soft voice of Album Luz. She was crouched on a wooden floor, her body shaking and sweat drenching her clothes. She was breathing heavily and her limbs were weak. All at once, she remembered everything about what had happened in the real world and that the one she had just been a part of wasn¡¯t real. It was simply a dream¡ªa reality that could no longer exist. After all, Audrey was long dead, Rina had left them behind, Jay was in a coma, and she was on death¡¯s doorstep. That happy life she had been a part of was impossible. Yet, to her, it felt just as real as everything else. While she¡¯d been there, it had been as if nothing supernatural had ever happened. Album and the man in black had never arrived in Wilham, she had never met the Magic Club, and their group of friends stayed together into high school.


    ¡°Did you like that? Were you happy there?¡±


    Alice slowly raised her head to find Album standing before her, staring down at her with eyes devoid of emotion. However, while she should have been focused on the supernatural being, she instead found herself frantically looking around the room.


    It can¡¯t be¡­


    They were in the main room of the hideout that she had spent so much time in as a child. In the corner, she saw the man in black watching her with narrowed eyes and she could tell he was looking down on her. She was at their mercy and now, they had even invaded the place she held so dear. The hideout was sacred to her, and they shouldn''t be allowed inside. She wanted to stand but the loss of her right leg kept her on the ground.


    ¡°What¡­did you¡­do to me?¡± she uttered.


    Album smiled coldly. ¡°I showed you the proof you wanted. I told you I could bring the dead back to life and I did so. That realm was real, Mendez. It¡¯s a happy place, free of the suffering that this one has.¡±


    ¡°N-no¡­¡± Alice grunted weakly. ¡°It wasn¡¯t¡­real. Audrey is¡­dead. She¡¯s gone¡­ And you can¡¯t¡­bring her back. It¡¯s fake¡­ I know it was¡­¡±


    And yet, despite her attempts to fight it, she could feel the painful desire to return tormenting her. She wanted to go back and see them again. She wanted to live that life and put the one she was currently living behind her. She knew it was fake and yet it didn¡¯t feel that way.


    ¡°No, it was real,¡± Album replied. ¡°It¡¯s simply another version of reality¡­one where your friend never died. It may not be the one you grew up with, but it is still a version of her. She¡¯s a living, breathing being created from your memories. So even if she¡¯s different, she¡¯s still the same. She has the same experiences and personality as the girl you lost¡­so why can¡¯t you love her, too? Why can¡¯t she be your friend?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s not¡ª¡±


    ¡°Not what?¡± the woman interrupted. ¡°What is she not, Mendez? She is still your friend. She¡¯s simply another version. And don¡¯t pretend like it didn¡¯t make you feel something. I can tell just by the look on your face that you want to go back.¡±


    Alice swallowed, furious with herself for allowing her emotions to be so obvious. Album kneeled down beside her and placed her fingers on Alice¡¯s chin, directing her head to look at her.


    ¡°I can send you back,¡± she continued softly. ¡°I can let you return and you can live out your life the way you want¡­with your friends by your side. You can forget all about magic and Ijiria and us and simply be happy. Doesn¡¯t that sound peaceful?¡±


    Alice clenched her teeth. ¡°I¡­¡±


    ...want to go back! But¡­I know it¡¯s fake! I just¡­!


    ¡°You even had your leg,¡± Album whispered. ¡°You can run there. Would you like that? Would you like to live in that world, Alice Mendez? If so¡­you know what we want.¡±


    ¡°I¡­can¡¯t,¡± she forced herself to say. ¡°I won¡¯t¡­betray my¡­friends. I¡­can¡¯t let you¡­kill them.¡±


    Album laughed softly. ¡°Kill them? I don¡¯t intend to kill them. I intend to send them there as well.¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡± she stuttered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what Nigreos has been telling you, but we aren¡¯t going to kill the targets. We simply need them out of this world and into a contained one. You have all interacted with magic and that is against Ijirian law, but you didn¡¯t know that. So, we¡¯ll merely place you somewhere happy to live out your lives. If you give us their names, we¡¯ll send you there and soon, they will join you.¡±


    That¡¯s¡­what they¡¯re doing? I can go back? I can live there?


    She felt tears welling up in her eyes before dripping down her cheeks. She wanted it so badly, but she knew she couldn¡¯t trust them. They killed Monica. If they could just send them somewhere happy then why did Monica have to die?


    ¡°You¡¯re lying,¡± she growled. ¡°You won¡¯t do that. You¡¯ll kill them¡­like you killed Monica.¡±


    Album slowly shook her head. ¡°No. This Monica girl was a special circumstance. I won¡¯t kill the targets. And I¡¯ve already proved that. Tell me, Mendez? Do you not recall what we did to Vinny Mickelson?¡±


    ¡°Vinny?¡±


    Oh my god, Vinny!


    At that moment, she remembered what happened to her boyfriend that night at the diner. Album had stuck her hand through his chest and turned him to dust. She watched him fall to pieces right before her eyes. She thought he was dead, but now she knew that wasn¡¯t the case. She had turned to dust to enter that world and when she was there, she saw Vinny.


    But¡­he was so different. He wasn¡¯t happy. Why wasn¡¯t he happy?


    ¡°Mickelson is there,¡± Album said. ¡°We sent him there just like we plan to send you and the others. It will be a paradise. You aren¡¯t betraying your friends by giving us their names. You¡¯re saving them, Alice.¡±


    ¡°Saving¡­them? But¡­Vinny wasn¡¯t happy? He was lonely. He was¡­alone.¡±


    Album smiled. ¡°Then go be with him. If you and the others join him, he won¡¯t be alone anymore. Harper, Reiner, and anybody else we need. Let us send them to him. Let us send them to paradise¡ªto a place where you don¡¯t have to worry and you won¡¯t remember this realm. After all, isn¡¯t ignorance bliss?¡±


    We can all go¡­to that paradise?


    The smiling faces of Jay, Rina, and Audrey arose in her mind and she found herself desperate to see them again. She needed to see them again, no matter what. She wasn¡¯t betraying her friends. She was saving them.


    They could all be together¡­


    ¡°Ignorance¡­is bliss,¡± Alice repeated.


    ¡­in paradise.

 Chapter 16- The Apprentice Of Wind

    Chapter XVI


    Ryokumo Caeli effortlessly dodged out of the way as the wooden training sword swung toward the spot his head had been. However, while he was prepared to berate her for being so slow, his apprentice impressed him by immediately propelling herself off the ground and over his head, taking another attempt to get a hit in on him without missing a beat. He barely dodged it and grinned smugly at the brief flash of frustration that crossed her features. This time, rather than giving it a third attempt, she dashed across the arena and put distance between them. He folded his hands behind his back and watched as she took a moment to catch her breath.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing well, Hannah,¡± he called over to her. ¡°But you¡¯re becoming far too predictable. Wind magic gives you the ability to move at speeds that are impossible for the human body alone. You need to take advantage of that. Never stop moving. Always have your next five moves planned out before the first has even been attempted.¡±


    Hannah Lynn grimaced as she breathed heavily, her dark skin bathed in sweat. Clutching the wooden sword in her right hand, she reached her left up and brushed a strand of black hair from her eyes. Ryokumo allowed her a moment to take in his words as she tried to catch her breath.


    ¡°I try, Master, but you¡¯re just far too fast. How do you keep track of me so easily? Am I really that slow? Even when you¡¯re just standing still, I can¡¯t land a single hit!¡±


    He smirked. For that day¡¯s training session, he had decided to do something different from their usual sparring sessions. This time, all he would do was stand in the center of the arena and dodge. He wouldn¡¯t use his magic to attack her, rather, he opted to use it solely for defense. As for Hannah, she was permitted to do whatever she wanted in order to strike him a mere single time, something she had been attempting for the past ten minutes and had yet to accomplish.


    Content to give his apprentice a moment to think, Ryokumo briefly glanced around the arena they were standing in. It was fifty yards in diameter with bleachers surrounding them on all sides. There were enough chairs to comfortably fit a little over two hundred people, but at the moment, they were empty. He had told Hannah that she could go anywhere within the bounds of the room, yet even having full access to the stands did nothing to help her achieve her goal. She was a strong girl and at age twenty-three, she was showing so much talent that he could hardly hide how impressed he was, especially considering her upbringing. Hannah came from a rather poor family that lived in the slums of Erika, having gone days without food numerous times as a child. To escape that life, she applied to study wind magic at the Mages¡¯ Academy and her natural talent was quickly exposed to her teachers, earning her a recommendation to study in the Citadel. She impressed Ryokumo enough that he had decided to take her on as an apprentice¡ªa potential successor to the title of Master of Wind should anything ever happen to him. That talent was still obvious, but she was young and inexperienced. It was that experience that he sought to give her.


    ¡°Slow is not a word I would ever use to describe you,¡± he finally replied, turning his attention back to the girl. ¡°You¡¯re fast¡ªfaster than even some professional wind mages I¡¯ve come across. The issue is that you put too much attention into offense and not enough into defense.¡±


    Hannah frowned, her yellow eyes narrowed in thought. ¡°But¡­didn¡¯t you say you aren¡¯t going to attack me? Why would I need to worry about defending myself?¡±


    ¡°Ah, and therein lies the problem,¡± he replied with a chuckle. ¡°Hannah, there is never a moment when you shouldn¡¯t be considering defense, even when your opponent isn¡¯t fighting back. Remind me, what was the goal I gave you today.¡±


    ¡°To land one blow on you,¡± she responded immediately.


    ¡°Very good. And what is it I am tasked with doing?¡±


    She tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Um¡­not let me land a blow on you.¡±


    ¡°Again, correct. Now, finally, what is it I¡¯m going to do to prevent you from achieving your goal? What is the most logical way to protect myself?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­you¡¯d watch what I do and try to determine the best way to defend yourself,¡± she answered hesitantly, clearly struggling to understand what he was trying to tell her. ¡°You¡¯d use your magic to protect yourself from my attacks.¡±


    ¡°Obviously,¡± he agreed. ¡°And it is those defenses that you need to get past if you have any hope of winning our little contest. So, what is your plan? How have you been trying to break through my defenses?¡±


    The girl considered his question for a moment, her brow furrowed in thought. ¡°U-um¡­I guess I¡¯ve just been trying to go as fast as possible. I just need to land one hit so if I just take as many shots as I can, one of them is bound to work.¡±


    Ryokumo smirked, always happy whenever he got a chance to teach her something new. Even after almost a year of training her, he found he never grew tired of helping her and was grateful that he had been given the chance to be her master.


    ¡°And yet, we¡¯re ten minutes in and not a single one has. Clearly this plan isn¡¯t working. Why is that?¡± Ryokumo inquired. ¡°Why have I been able to dodge every single strike?¡±


    ¡°You know me too well,¡± she replied. ¡°And like you said, I¡¯m getting predictable. There¡¯s only so much I can do when I¡¯m sparring with my own master. Every move I made was taught to me by you. It makes sense that you¡¯d be able to predict what I¡¯m about to do.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that definitely plays a role,¡± Ryokumo conceded. ¡°But how does that relate to you considering defense? Why should you have to think about ways to defend yourself when I¡¯m not attacking you? How would understanding defense enable you to get past me?¡±


    Once again, Hannah stayed silent as she thought about his question. However, this time, Ryokumo saw the answer click soon after and her eyes lit up when she responded. ¡°Because my opponent is defending themselves,¡± she answered confidently. ¡°If I want to break through your defenses then I need to think about what you¡¯re actually doing to defend yourself.¡±


    The Master of Wind smiled. ¡°Exactly. Now then, how am I stopping you? Yes, you¡¯re predictable at times, but that¡¯s not the only thing I¡¯m doing. I can¡¯t predict what I can¡¯t see and you¡¯re certainly going faster than I can follow. Yet, I dodge each time, as if I can follow you. Why?¡±


    He could tell she was getting overwhelmed by his constant barrage of questions, but he believed that having the student find the answer themselves was the most efficient way of helping them remember the lesson.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­not sure,¡± she admitted.


    ¡°Then think about it more,¡± he insisted. ¡°Reverse our roles, Hannah. If I were trying to land a blow on you, how would you protect yourself?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­I guess I would¡­ Oh!¡± She smiled. ¡°Of course. You¡¯re using ¡®Coniune¡¯!¡±


    ¡°There we have it!¡± he said. ¡°Yes, exactly. While that spell takes quite a bit of concentration and thus, is not terribly useful in the heat of battle, if you are simply standing still, it does wonders for defense.¡±


    Wind magic was all about controlling the air surrounding the caster and thus, it was often used to aid in human senses. By creating a relationship between it and the body, the natural abilities of the user would then be advanced beyond the physical limitations simply because the very air around them acted as an aid. However, that wasn¡¯t the extent of it. Wind magic could also be used to slow the senses. Being able to move at inhuman speeds wasn¡¯t helpful if the mind couldn¡¯t process what was happening. Therefore, a spell had been invented by a previous Master of Wind that bonded wind magic and mind magic. It allowed the user to process the world at slower speeds while reacting at faster ones. However, because it used a bit of mind magic, it took a lot of effort and thus, was rarely used in full during active combat.


    But it¡¯s perfect in a sparring situation such as this.


    ¡°Therefore,¡± Ryokumo continued. ¡°If I am keeping you at bay due to my heightened senses, then how do you plan on fighting that?¡±


    Hannah grinned. ¡°Disto!¡±


    Perfect.


    The world around his apprentice shifted and she vanished into thin air, but Ryokumo knew what had happened. She had activated distortion magic, concealing her presence from him. While he could still sense her mana, he couldn¡¯t see her and thus, his magic wouldn¡¯t be as effective. He¡¯d have to rely on his own instincts.


    ¡°Nex!¡± Ryokumo shouted, bringing his hands up and placing a shield of air to his right.


    Without seeing Hannah, he could only sense the impact as her attack was blocked by his shield. Yet, after their conversation, he knew she wouldn¡¯t only make the one attempt. Within mere seconds after casting the spell, Ryokumo shifted his upper body to the left, feeling the passing sword just barely miss him. Now that she was closer, he could see the vague shimmering that distortion magic always gave off, and he knew that unless she put distance between them again, she wouldn¡¯t be able to land her hit.


    Impressing him, she did exactly that.


    ¡°Proto!¡± Hannah chanted and he could instead sense her mana back on the other side of the arena.


    Ryokumo quickly brought the magic to his fingertips once again, prepared to react to whatever trick she attempted. Now that he had revealed to her what he was doing, he would no longer be able to take her by surprise. Therefore, he would simply have to rely on his reaction speed. He heard another shout and immediately after, the mana presence shifted, but her distortion faded for a second, and he was able to catch a glimpse of the young woman darting into the stands. He planted his feet firmly into the ground, ready for anything, but just as Hannah turned back and was jumping down into the arena, Ryokumo realized they weren¡¯t alone.


    ¡°Hannah, stand down!¡± he ordered sharply.


    His apprentice dropped the distortion and came to a stop a few yards away from him, a confused and questioning look on her face. But Ryokumo¡¯s attention was instead drawn to the arena¡¯s entrance up at the top of the stands where the cloaked halfling was standing.


    ¡°Oh, please, Caeli! Don¡¯t stop on my account! I was enjoying the show!¡± Seiras called down to him.


    Ryokumo narrowed his eyes, a sickening feeling spreading through him. Ever since their confrontation in Seiras¡¯s quarters, he had been trying to avoid the man at all costs. Those visions he saw had been tormenting him and Ryokumo had been dreading the day when they would start using that spell on the Children of Reiner.


    Hannah, quickly recognizing the newcomer, bowed her head. ¡°Good morning, Master Ka.¡±


    Seiras chuckled, his bulging eyes flickering to Hannah. ¡°Yes¡­a good morning it is, Miss Lynn. It is nice to see your skills improving¡­ Quite impressive, I must say.¡± He then tilted his head in Ryokumo¡¯s direction. ¡°You¡¯re quite the teacher, Caeli. A man to be respected, you certainly are.¡±


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    Ryokumo grit his teeth as the revolting little man interacted with his apprentice. He knew Hannah simply greeted him as a formality, and he was proud of how polite she was, but he wished she would have refrained from speaking with him. He knew he was being paranoid, and he hated to think how much the Master of the Mind had shaken him up, but he couldn¡¯t help it.


    ¡°What do you want, Seiras?¡± he demanded. ¡°As you can see, I am quite busy right now, so if you wouldn¡¯t mind¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, but I do,¡± Seiras replied. ¡°The time has come, Caeli. Our magnificent prince has ordered the interrogations to begin. He wants to see what my new magic can do to loosen Miss Kirisan¡¯s lips!¡±


    Ryokumo spared a quick glance at Hannah, wondering if it was okay for Seiras to speak of it in front of her, but the halfling didn¡¯t seem to care as he went on.


    ¡°And I¡¯m sure you¡¯re excited to see what I can do! After all, you know first-hand just how effective my magic can be!¡±


    The Master of Wind swallowed back his disgust, knowing that no matter how much he may have wanted to, he couldn¡¯t lash out at the halfling. ¡°So you need me this instant?¡± Ryokumo snapped.


    Seiras nodded, another trembling laugh escaping his lips, as if he were enjoying every second of the conversation. ¡°That would be correct.¡±


    ¡°And you couldn¡¯t have told me sooner?¡±


    ¡°Well, I suppose I could have¡­but it must have slipped my mind.¡± Seiras then spun around, putting his back to them as if preparing to leave right that second. ¡°I¡¯m a very¡­busy man, Caeli. So forgive me for being a tad forgetful. However, by orders of the prince, you must come with me.¡±


    You little monster! Don¡¯t act like you didn''t do this on purpose! I know you get pleasure in pissing people off!


    Seiras always seemed to enjoy going out of his way to anger his fellow Masters. Ryokumo knew his actions weren¡¯t due to any personal vendetta toward him and he had heard the others complaining about him numerous times in the past. The simple fact was, Seiras Ka reveled in chaos and anger, and he sought any way to achieve that, even doing something as minor as failing to tell him about the interrogation that morning. The only one he never crossed was Prince Reigious, whom the halfling always seemed to idolize.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Ryokumo called back through clenched teeth. ¡°I shall be ready in five minutes.¡±


    Seiras shook his head and clicked his tongue. ¡°How about four? Yes¡­four would be much better.¡±


    Scoffing, Ryokumo watched as Seiras almost skipped from the arena and back out into the corridors beyond. Part of him wanted to march right up to Prince Reigious and demand that Seiras be removed from the interrogations, but he knew it was unlikely to accomplish much. Reigious was the type of man to do whatever it took to get results, even relying on as twisted of a man as Seiras. Until the prince decided Seiras¡¯s magic would be ineffective, he would allow the halfling to do as he pleased.


    But Reigious doesn¡¯t understand, he thought. He doesn¡¯t understand just how terrifying that magic is¡­


    ¡°Master,¡± Hannah spoke up. ¡°You should get going. I¡¯ll stay here and practice on my own for the rest of the hour.¡±


    Ryokumo sighed and nodded softly. ¡°Yes, that would probably be best. I¡¯m sorry today¡¯s training had to be cut short.¡±


    ¡°No, it''s fine,¡± she quickly assured him. ¡°What you¡¯re doing with Master Ka is important. I don¡¯t know a lot about the attack on the Citadel, but I know it¡¯s important that the prisoners reveal what they know. Our training can wait.¡± The girl then smiled. ¡°And besides, I think I learned something very useful today already.¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Well, I would certainly hope so. Alright, Hannah, keep practicing and we¡¯ll pick this back up tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master,¡± she replied with a bow.


    Ryokumo then turned and headed up into the stands before following the steps up to the arena¡¯s entrance. He found Seiras waiting out in the silver hallway of the Citadel, crouched down beside the wall and muttering to himself. When he heard Ryokumo¡¯s footsteps, his head snapped up, revealing a twisted and excited smile.


    ¡°Well that was quick,¡± he murmured. ¡°Good! Now let¡¯s be off!¡±


    Ryokumo nodded. ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s.¡±


    The halfling jumped to his feet and began walking down the corridor with Ryokumo following close behind. Seiras soon went back to whispering to himself, leaving the Master of Wind in a grateful silence. Yet, now that the interrogations were being for real, his thoughts went back to the same thing that had been bothering him for the last few days¡ªthe visions Seiras¡¯s spell showed him.


    He knew they weren¡¯t real. Seiras had said as much. They were simply visions formed from his deepest fears and regrets. With all that explained, he understood the first two visions and why the spell would cause him to see them. The first one was created out of his regrets for not being able to save Abi¡¯s life. Despite all the promises he made to her, in the end, he was still powerless to prevent her death. He knew the real Abi would never have said the things she did in the vision, but he couldn¡¯t deny that it still bothered him.


    As for the second, it embodied his fears for the future. His pocket realm only existed to sow chaos and confusion, not stop Nigreos and Album. He wanted them to believe that something more was happening in Omaruo and then maybe they wouldn¡¯t be so quick to erase Eric Reiner. He wanted Abi¡¯s son brought to the Citadel where he could protect him better. However, he couldn¡¯t risk sneaking to Omaruo a second time so he couldn''t play any further role, and if his plan failed, Eric would be gone.


    So that second vision was showing me that¡ªa world where Eric dies and I go down fighting Nigreos.


    It was a fate he truly feared and knew was a possible outcome if he made even a single mistake. Yet, even that one wasn¡¯t the vision that chilled him the most. Instead, it was the final one¡ªthe vision where he spoke to that woman who begged him to remember her, and yet he couldn¡¯t. That was the one that was keeping him up at night. That was the one that utterly terrified him, because he had already had a feeling what it meant.


    Somebody close to me was erased¡­and I¡¯ve forgotten them. But erasure can¡¯t completely wipe emotions, and that vision brought out the guilt that the erasure is trying to suppress. I forgot her¡­and I can¡¯t even begin to guess what she was to me.


    Ryokumo clenched his fists, recalling a conversation he had with Album back before she and Nigreos left. Gaps in his memories had been hanging over him for the past two years and he had never been able to fill them in. He knew he was forgetting something and he had his suspicions as to who could have been the one to erase them. After all, there were only two people in Erika who were able to cast the erasing spell and one of them was Album. If somebody close to him was erased then he was almost certain that she was behind it. Yet, he¡¯d never been able to prove it. Album always denied it, either saying that he was mistaken that he was missing memories or that she was uninvolved. But now, after Seiras¡¯s visions, he knew as a fact that somebody was erased.


    And this woman¡­if my theories are correct, then she knows what happened to the Angel. Somewhere in my missing memories, the Angel disappeared. This woman would know¡­and if I regain my memories, so will I.


    Ryokumo scowled. But the only way to regain them is for Album to return them, and I know that if she¡¯s behind this, then she has kept them secret for a reason. Convincing her to be honest won¡¯t be a simple task¡­and especially not while she¡¯s in Omaruo.


    The two Masters arrived at the lift and stepped onto the silver disk. Ryokumo immediately cast his spell to take control of it, and the two of them began to descend. As they lowered, he spared a glance down at Seiras, who was bouncing on the balls of his feet, as if giddy for what was to come.


    But¡­there could be a way to regain my memories without Album. Seiras¡¯s spell already broke past the erasure¡¯s effects¡­so who¡¯s to say it couldn¡¯t happen again. I know it''s a dangerous spell, but if there¡¯s a way to learn more about this erased woman then¡­


    ¡°Thinking about me, are we?¡± Seiras whispered.


    Ryokumo stopped mid-thought and scowled, having forgotten how well Seiras could tell when his name crossed a person¡¯s mind.


    ¡°All good things, I hope,¡± he went on. ¡°Or are you still cursing me for casting my spell on you? I told you I was sorry¡­or perhaps you¡¯re worried I lied? Perhaps you fear I did see what was in your mind?¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Ryokumo snapped. ¡°I couldn¡¯t care less whether you saw it or not.¡±


    Seiras clicked his tongue. ¡°No¡­no, no, no, no. That is far from true. I sense conflict and fear in you. There is something within those visions that you do not wish to be found. You have your secrets like anybody else, Ryokumo Caeli. Do not try to deny it.¡±


    The problem is, I can¡¯t work with him. If I asked him to help me regain my memories, he¡¯d be more of a risk than is worth taking. If Seiras were to learn of the Angel¡¯s existence, not only would I get executed for treason, but a power like that falling into Ijiria¡¯s hands would be bad. Truthfully¡­that syringe was something we never should have refrained from destroying¡­and without my memories, I don¡¯t even know why we didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Yes, of course I have secrets,¡± Ryokumo replied softly. ¡°But they are my business. They are not for your ears.¡±


    The halfling laughed. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose they are.¡±


    With that, the silver disk arrived at the lowest level of the shaft¡ªthe dungeons. In the hallway beyond, everything was dark and murky, the only light coming from the torches along the walls. These halls weren¡¯t built of silver, rather they were simply dug out of the ground, with dirt and stone still visible and pillars of stone crafted to hold everything up. Iron doors that led to cells lined the halls and in front of them, armored guards stood watch, garbed in the green and gold colors of Ijiria. When they noticed the two Masters, they bowed. Ryokumo could sense the despair of this place. Escaping from the dungeons of the Citadel was impossible. Once one was placed in there, death was almost assured.


    ¡°Let us go,¡± Seiras murmured as he once again took the lead.


    Their footsteps echoed across the silent dungeon hallways as they moved further into the dank corridor. The dungeons were like a maze, designed so that if any prisoners were to somehow get out, they would be lost in the tunnels until they were found. There had been many discussions about casting illusion magic in the tunnels like they had around the vault and throne room, but the idea had been shot down numerous times. It would only create a hassle since one would need to be a guide to find their way around, and once there were too many guides to keep track of, the spell became pointless. Finally, they stopped in front of one of the cell doors and Ryokumo knew they had arrived.


    ¡°Open the doors,¡± Seiras rasped to the guards.


    The two immediately went to unlock the iron door and soon, it had been pulled open just enough for the Masters to enter. Ryokumo had visited Arisa Kirisan¡¯s cell before and so, he knew her well enough. She was more stubborn than the other Children and had thus far been the most aggressive. The red-haired girl was sitting on the ground, her arms chained to the wall behind her. The shackles were charmed to disrupt the flow of her mana and thus, she was unable to cast spells. She was skinny, and clothed only in undergarments, revealing how weak and malnourished her body was becoming.


    Kirisan slowly raised her head as the door shut behind them and, despite her horrid state, she smiled smugly. ¡°I was wondering when I¡¯d get my next visit,¡± she whispered. ¡°Good to see you haven¡¯t abandoned me like Taurus, Master Caeli.¡±


    She stared up at Ryokumo, her eyes filled with utter hatred that always made his stomach churn. He deserved her hatred and that was what pained him the most. He had always loved Abi and her Children, so seeing them like this was awful.


    ¡°And you, little guy,¡± she muttered, turning now to Seiras. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re Taurus¡¯s replacement?¡±


    Seiras laughed in obvious excitement. ¡°That I am. It is nice to meet you, Arisa Kirisan. I am Seiras Ka, Master of the Mind.¡±


    For a brief moment, surprise flashed across her eyes, but it was soon gone, and she returned to her smug demeanor. ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s how it is. You gonna try to read my mind or something? Well, good luck with that. I¡¯ve been trained to keep my thoughts buried inside. You¡¯re not getting anything from me.¡±


    Seiras licked his lips. ¡°No¡­reading minds is not as simple as one would think. Mind magic only allows the user to get a vague idea of what a person is thinking. Even I cannot force your deepest secrets out of you. Instead¡­I have a different plan, Miss Kirisan.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± She snorted. ¡°Well go ahead. Taurus has already burnt me enough times and I still haven''t broke. What makes you think you¡¯ll be any different. Trust me¡­you¡¯re better off just killing me. I¡¯m never going to betray my mother.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­you are,¡± Seiras replied softly. ¡°You are going to break, Child of Reiner. You do not understand the true pain and suffering I can inflict upon you. You underestimate me.¡±


    Kirisan managed a weak shrug. ¡°Maybe¡­but then why don¡¯t you stop jabbering and put actions to your words. Let¡¯s see what you got, Master Ka. After Taurus¡¯s warning, I can¡¯t say I¡¯m not intrigued just a tad bit.¡±


    At that, Seiras suddenly started laughing softly. Then, it began to get louder and soon enough, he was cackling like a madman, almost doubled over.


    ¡°Yes! I like you, Kirisan!¡± he shouted. ¡°I cannot wait to see how far you can go! You intrigue me! You fascinate me! And I am grateful that I get to be here to see you crumble!¡±


    Ryokumo swallowed, knowing where it was going next as the halfling stretched his arms out toward the girl.


    ¡°Prepare yourself for an unthinkable hell!¡± he snarled. ¡°Aniextiam!¡±

 Chapter 17- An Orphaned Little Traitor

    Chapter XVII


    She was standing alone in the place she called her home. It was the main room of the orphanage where Abigail Reiner once took care of her and the other children. It was a big space with plenty of room for the little ones to play in. Arisa had been brought there when she was barely over twelve years old, having been discovered by her mother in the back alley slums of Erika. Her parents served in the Ijirian army and were both killed in a skirmish against the Trovians along the northern border, leaving her without any family left to care for her and unfortunately, nobody cared about the fate of an orphaned girl with nothing to offer. She was abandoned and alone until her adopted mother extended her hand.


    These types of tragic histories were common among the Children of Reiner. In fact, one of her best friends, Orin Olyn, lost his parents at the same battle that took hers. In that house, they were all brothers and sisters. They cared about each other and looked out for each other. No matter what, they had each other¡¯s backs because nobody else did. They were the ones society had no room for, so they told themselves that they would make room for each other. The older ones cared for the little ones by playing with them and teaching them about the world and how to control the mana that flowed through their bodies, and at the head of it all was their mother.


    Abi Reiner had started that house to take care of children with nowhere to go. She acted as their mother because they didn¡¯t have one. She was kind and loving, but also very serious and firm in her decisions. She didn¡¯t baby them. If they did something wrong, she made sure they understood why their actions were wrong and taught them how to be good people. She was the primary teacher of magic, though Arisa and the older kids spent plenty of time tutoring as well. Even the ones with lower mana levels were given free lessons until they with the goal of supplying them with the knowledge to someday get accepted into the Academy of Erika once they were of age. That way, they would be able to fend for themselves and would have the option to choose where their futures took them.


    In that house, life was good. They were happy and they were loved.


    So¡­where is everybody?


    As she looked around the home, there was no sign of Abi Reiner or any of her siblings. Arisa frowned, suddenly feeling worried that something bad might have happened. She quickened her pace and was about to rush into the hall when a sudden presence behind her caused her to spin around.


    ¡°Arisa,¡± came a soft voice.


    A wave of relief washed over her upon seeing her best friend¡¯s face. Orin stood in the doorway, as tall as ever. Yet, he wasn¡¯t smiling like he always did, and it made her fear that something bad truly had happened. His eyes were blank and lifeless and when he spoke, his voice was wheezy and weak.


    ¡°Arisa,¡± he repeated.


    ¡°Y-yeah, I¡¯m here,¡± she replied. ¡°Orin, where are the others? Where is everybody? Where¡¯s Mom?¡±


    ¡°Are you really asking me that?¡± he suddenly spat, his fury uncharacteristic of him. ¡°Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re blind! Look around you! Do you not see them all?! Do you not see what¡¯s become of them?!¡±


    Arisa flinched back at his fury and frantically scanned the empty room once more. ¡°I don''t¡­ Are they pulling some prank with distortion magic or¡­? Orin¡­please, you¡¯re scaring me.¡±


    ¡°Scaring you?¡± he snarled, taking a threatening step forward. ¡°Can you not see it?! Look into my eyes! Look around you, Arisa! We¡¯re all dead! We¡¯re dead!¡±


    ¡°Dead¡­? I don¡¯t¡ª!¡±


    As if his words cast the incantation for them to appear, the room was suddenly filled with dozens of mutilated corpses. Blood was splattered across the walls and the stench of rot stung her nostrils. She recognized each and every one of their faces and the wide open and lifeless eyes made her want to scream. She saw friends of hers¡ªpeople she held so dear to her. She saw Caldoran Noh, the mischievous and fun boy who she always happy to be her dueling partner, laying at her feet, a violent gash across his torso and his innards spilling out to stain the carpets. A few feet away was Rikki Karda, a quiet and reserved girl who enjoyed reading her books, headless and bloody. Next to her was Karda¡¯s best friend, Loir Eiri, the confident and boisterous warrior who loved to joke that he would be Master of Fire someday, a slash down his face.  The more she looked around, the more faces she recognized, and she knew there was nothing she could do to save them anymore. They were all gone, never to come back to her.


    ¡°W-who did this?¡± she stammered, tears pouring down her cheeks. ¡°Why? Why would they kill them? We didn¡¯t do anything wrong! We were just¡ª!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your fault!¡± Orin spat, and when she looked back at him, she found that his own stomach was sliced open, blood oozing out of the wound. ¡°You failed us, Arisa! You thought taking on the Citadel was a smart idea? You thought continuing the fight against the Masters was what Mother would have wanted?!¡±


    ¡°N-no!¡± she desperately shouted back. ¡°That¡¯s not¡­ I just wanted¡­to do something! To avenge her! To make Ijiria pay!¡±


    ¡°And how did that work out?!¡± the boy screamed. ¡°Where did that take us except hell?! They offered us freedom if we denounced Mom¡¯s actions! But no! You needed your revenge! And now¡­you rallied us all to follow you to our deaths!¡±


    Arisa was shaking and she was barely suppressing her sobs. ¡°Please¡­we got the relic, right? Ijiria doesn¡¯t have it. We won.¡±


    ¡°You call this a victory?¡± Orin growled furiously. ¡°You call the extinction of the Children of Reiner a win?! Were our lives worth that one measly stone?!¡±


    ¡°N-no¡­ We aren¡¯t extinct! Malt¡¯s still out there, right?!¡±


    ¡°And that makes this any better?¡± he roared. ¡°Whether Malt and the others survived doesn''t change the fact that most of us are dead because of you! And then to make matters worse, you just had to go after Nigreos Noctis,¡± he went on. ¡°You had to fight him! You wanted more revenge! And that killed me, and Karda, and Loir, and Cal! We¡¯re all dead! And yet you live! You! The one who killed us all! Why you?! Why do you live while we¡¯re dead?! Why haven¡¯t you joined us?!¡±


    She opened her mouth to speak, but words wouldn¡¯t come. He was right. She didn¡¯t deserve to live. She¡¯d done everything wrong and had single-handedly wiped out everything she ever loved. She failed her brothers and sisters and even her mother. She deserved to join them in death.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    The question was uttered not by Orin, but instead came from the body below her. When she turned to look, Cal¡¯s eyes were fixed on her.


    ¡°Why did you kill us?¡± he asked softly. ¡°Why are we dead, Arisa?¡±


    She shook her head and frantically stepped back from the talking corpse. ¡°B-because I¡­¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    This time, it was a different corpse who asked the question. She looked around the room to see each and every corpse staring at her with their dead eyes, their heads tilted in her direction to gaze at her. Slowly, they began to crawl toward her, their bloody hands reaching for her legs. She went to run, but Cal clutched her ankle and knocked her off her balance, sending her collapsing into the ground. She cried out in pain and desperately wanted to get up, but she was too slow. The bodies were on her in seconds. The corpses of her siblings lunged at her, placing their cold hands on her limbs and head.


    ¡°No!¡± she shrieked. ¡°Stop! Please! I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    ¡°Join us, Arisa!¡± she heard Orin shout from nearby. ¡°Join us in hell!¡±


    They began to pull her along the carpet and no matter how much she tried to escape, she couldn''t break their hold.


    ¡°Please!¡± she begged. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡±


    A hand grabbed her mouth and cut off her screams as she felt herself being pulled into the ground, through the carpet and the concrete beneath. She couldn¡¯t move. They were holding too tightly and as her head began to submerge, all she could think about was wanting to escape. Her eyes went below the surface and then there was nothing. She was in complete blackness, being dragged further and further down.


    No! Please no! Save me, somebody! I don¡¯t want to die! Mommy! Help me!


    Finally, she was given relief as the world around her shifted back to the cell in which she was locked. Her memories returned and she began breathing heavily, her heart beating harder than it ever had before. She was trembling in utter fear and before she could process anything, her stomach gave out and she puked what little food she had in her stomach onto the floor.


    ¡°Did you like that?¡± Seiras whispered from somewhere nearby, a touch of excitement in his voice.


    Spitting up the last drips of bile, Arisa raised her head to look at the halfling. His hood was now removed, revealing his scarred features and his insane expression.


    ¡°W-what did¡­you do?¡± she breathed.


    ¡°Heh heh¡­¡± he laughed. ¡°What indeed? I think I shall keep that information to myself. But let that serve as a demonstration of my powers, Miss Kirisan. You¡¯ve seen what I can do and there¡¯s much more where that came from.¡±


    More? He can do that again? No! I don¡¯t want to go back!


    Those haunting images of her dead siblings were burned into her mind and she knew they would be tormenting her for the rest of her life. She knew their blood was on her hands. They were dead because of her misguided choices.


    ¡°Please¡­no more,¡± she sobbed. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t want to¡­¡±


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Seiras tilted his head in glee. ¡°No more? Well¡­I suppose I could stop¡­but I need something from you. I want answers¡­and you know what answers those are. So if you give them to me, I won¡¯t do it again.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± she uttered. ¡°I¡­can¡¯t betray¡­my mother.¡±


    Seiras clicked his tongue in annoyance. ¡°You can¡¯t? But if you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll cast the spell again. Do you want that?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°Then do as I say!¡± he snarled. The halfling moved across the room and grabbed her head with his hands, forcing her to stare into his bulging blue eyes. ¡°Why would you defy me? I am asking but a simple request! The pain can end! The suffering can end! Just give me what I want! Give me answers!¡±


    ¡°Please¡­no¡­¡± she cried. ¡°Don¡¯t make me¡­ Save me¡­ Save me, Mommy¡­¡±


    ¡°No, no, no,¡± Seiras growled in a singsong voice. ¡°Your mommy will not be saving you. You are all alone because your mommy is dead¡­a corpse rotting in her grave¡­left behind by the living. She can¡¯t come back. She¡¯s gone¡­all dead.¡±


    Arisa was crying freely now but she couldn¡¯t shake her head from Seiras¡¯s grasp.


    ¡°And so are your siblings,¡± he went on. ¡°Nobody is coming for you. You¡¯re alone. Who would help an orphaned little traitor like yourself? Hmm? Who? Can you tell me that? Who¡¯s coming for your worthless life?¡±


    She could only whimper, unable to form words in the face of his questions.


    ¡°Are you crying? Did I say something to make you cry?¡± he asked in a mocking voice. ¡°My apologies, young girl. How very rude of me.¡± He finally let her go and took a few steps back. ¡°So? What¡¯s your answer? Last chance to do as I wish or I will continue the torture.¡±


    Despite how broken she felt, she slowly shook her head, knowing that she couldn¡¯t betray her mother. The world that Seiras showed her was a living hell, but if she told the man what he wanted to know, then her sins would only grow. She didn¡¯t have an option but to continue enduring everything the Masters had to throw at her.


    ¡°Un¡­fortunate¡­¡±


    Arisa braced herself for the spell, but in one last ditch attempt to save herself, she looked up at the other individual in the room. He was staring back at her, his features tensed, but the emotions behind them hidden.


    ¡°Please¡­¡± she whispered. ¡°Save me¡­¡±


    ¡°Aniextiam!¡±


    Right before the spell activated, she saw Caeli look away, but the expression of utter pain that he failed to hide surprised her.


    ***


    Arisa Kirisan¡¯s shrieks stayed with him long after Ryokumo left the dungeons behind. He had listened to the girl cry out in pain numerous times already, but it felt different that day. What Seiras did to her had truly left her a broken mess to the point that she couldn¡¯t even respond to his questioning anymore. When they left her, she was sobbing and screaming in attempts to bash her head against the concrete. In order to prevent her from killing herself, they chained her neck and gagged her mouth. It was a terrible sight, and he knew he wouldn¡¯t be sleeping that night.


    I don¡¯t think I can do this, he thought. This is too much. Seiras¡¯s spell is horrible. It isn¡¯t something anybody should ever do. That poor girl¡­


    The way she cried for Abi had been heartbreaking and when she looked at him, silently begging him to save her, he wished he could have cut Seiras down on the spot and freed her, but he knew he could never do that. He couldn¡¯t betray Ijiria more than he already had. There was nothing he could do for Kirisan except watch and remember her. He wouldn¡¯t allow her life to fade into nothing. At the very least, she would remain in his thoughts for the rest of his life.


    I can¡¯t forget them. I shouldn¡¯t be allowed to.


    Ryokumo shook his head, rounding a corner and making his way toward a golden door at the end of the corridor. Two guards stood in front of it, their hands resting on the hilts of their swords, wearing the same armor as the ones in the dungeon. When they noticed him, they straightened up then bowed.


    ¡°Master Caeli,¡± the man on the right greeted. ¡°Good evening.¡±


    Ryokumo nodded. ¡°Yes, good evening, Jax. You as well, Cray. I am here to meet with the prince. He has requested my presence.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Jax replied. ¡°He is expecting you. Go on in.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The guards stepped aside and Ryokumo pushed open the golden door to enter the room. It was empty, lacking in furniture or windows, resembling an empty silver box rather than a room. However, he could sense the charms in place, ready to strike him down should he prove himself to be a threat. It was a kind of old magic from the time of the Citadel¡¯s creation. It could sense ill-intent and would unleash waves of mana on anybody who entered it with the desire to do harm to Prince Reigious. Even knowing he would never be the target of the spell, he still tensed up whenever inside. Anxious to get out, he crossed the room and moved through the doorway opposite him to enter into Reigious¡¯s personal office.


    But the moment he did, he stopped short in surprise.


    He had expected to find the crown prince sitting at his usual spot in the golden throne behind the large, emerald desk that served as his workspace. That was the typical sight that often greeted him, but this time, while the prince was sitting on his throne, he wasn¡¯t alone in the room. Standing beside the desk was his older sister, Anna-Piura, not dressed in her typical military attire, but instead in a more casual tunic and pants, both matching the royal colors of green and gold. In addition, her emerald hair was tied back. It was one of the few times Ryokumo had ever seen her dressed like that.


    The Master of Wind immediately bowed. ¡°My prince. My princess. Good evening.¡±


    ¡°Yes, good evening, Ryokumo,¡± Reigious replied. ¡°Thank you for coming so quickly. I hope you do not mind if my sister is present for your report as well.¡±


    He rose and shook his head. ¡°Of course not, Your Majesty.¡±


    Piura regarded him for a moment then smiled softly. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again, Caeli. It has been quite a while since we last spoke.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°Well, that¡¯s understandable. Between investigations into the Citadel raid and the tensions on the Trovian border, things have been quite hectic.¡±


    ¡°Yes, they have been,¡± she murmured. ¡°The Trovians are unfortunately getting bolder, especially in the territories around Harunhein. I do fear the possibility of a war should this persist so I hope Master Ka¡¯s plan is as efficient as he claims it is. We need this situation wrapped up as soon as possible so we can turn our attention to the north.¡±


    Reigious smirked. ¡°Stop being so dramatic, Sis¡¯. While I agree that we need answers soon, I do not think the Trovians would ever challenge us again. They¡¯ve lost enough times in the past to have learned their lesson. A war is unlikely.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± Piura replied sharply. ¡°But do not forget that it was the Assassination Stone that enabled us to defeat them the last time. Without it¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± the prince interrupted. ¡°But we¡¯ll get it back. Noctis and Luz might be taking their time, but soon enough, they shall return and, if Seiras succeeds and we learn who the guide was, we can brush this whole situation aside.¡±


    Piura frowned, seeming disapproving of her brother¡¯s laid back attitude, before turning her attention back to Ryokumo. ¡°So, Caeli, what are your thoughts? Does Master Ka have a chance of getting the Children to talk?¡±


    Ryokumo hesitated, unsure of how to respond. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that Seiras would succeed if he kept at it long enough, but he knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to stomach much more of it. It was selfish and could cause them to mistrust him, yet he couldn¡¯t stop himself from wanting to try.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± he answered softly. ¡°However¡­I do not like it.¡±


    Reigious cocked an eyebrow. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The spell,¡± Ryokumo clarified. ¡°It¡¯s too much. I don¡¯t know how much he explained to the two of you, but it¡¯s something I believe is best left to the unknown.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Piura asked. ¡°Master Ka explained the details to us and it sounds efficient. To use one¡¯s regrets and fears against them¡­well, it might be what we need to make the Children talk.¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡± he admitted. ¡°But¡­it¡¯s just that I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s worth it. Seiras used the spell on me and I know what it¡¯s like first-hand. It¡¯s horrifying.¡±


    At that, Piura straightened up and her brow furrowed in obvious concern. ¡°What? He¡­cast it on you? Why?¡±


    ¡°Because that¡¯s just who he is,¡± Ryokumo replied firmly. ¡°There was no reason other than to entertain himself and the things I saw¡ªthe way it made me feel. Enough of it could drive anybody insane and¡­¡±


    ¡°You saw Abi, didn¡¯t you?¡± Reigious interrupted softly.


    For a moment, Ryokumo could only stare into Reigious¡¯s eyes and the longing behind them, reminding him of a past that he wished could have turned out differently. ¡°Of course I did. . There¡¯s¡­nothing I regret more in my life than what happened to her.¡±


    For a moment, he debated revealing the contents of his third vision to them, wondering if perhaps they could help him regain his memories from Album when she returned, but he quickly opted against it. Without knowing what he forgot, he couldn¡¯t know how much of it he wouldn¡¯t want them knowing about. Combined with its link to the Angel and he knew keeping his mouth shut was for the best.


    ¡°Look, Ryokumo,¡± the prince began, ¡°I understand why you wouldn¡¯t approve of his methods, but I think you¡¯re having trouble separating yourself from the Children. I understand that they were hers to care for, but like Abigail, they betrayed us. You have to see them as what they are¡ªtraitors. Even if Abi¡¯s rebellion led them astray, they are still humans with their own choices¡­and they chose to attack the Citadel and steal a relic. Therefore¡­they will be punished.¡±


    ¡°O-of course,¡± he uttered.


    He knew that they would respond in such a way, but he had to try. Seiras¡¯s magic was terrible but without killing the Master and burning his notes, there was nothing he could do to destroy it. Whether he liked it or not, that magic was going to be released into the world and he would have no option but to stand by and watch the damage it caused.


    ¡°So you think it will be effective?¡± Piura pressed.


    Knowing that he couldn¡¯t lie, Ryokumo nodded. ¡°Yes¡­it will do what we need. Kirisan and the other Children will break in time. In fact¡­I barely give it a week.¡±


    Piura exhaled softly, seemingly satisfied. ¡°Good¡­then all we need to do is wait for Noctis and Luz to return. Then, we can put this mess behind us.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he muttered. ¡°Let¡¯s hope so.¡±


    ***


    When Ryokumo returned to his quarters, he stopped just outside the door and merely stood in place for a long moment. He had invited Hannah for dinner that night¡ªsomething they did once a week ever since Ryokumo suggested it as a way to get to know each other. He was a strong believer that a master and an apprentice should have a good personal relationship. Of course, there were certain boundaries to be kept, but he knew that if she came to like him as a person rather than simply as her master, then she would be more open to learning from him. On the flipside, he wanted to make sure he understood her in order to choose the best way to train her. As he expected, he could sense her presence on the other side of the door, yet he didn¡¯t open it. After the day he had, he wasn¡¯t sure he could keep on a confident front.


    But it¡¯s not like I can just stand here. She¡¯s waiting for me. I just need to put on a smile and go in.


    He took a deep breath, attempted to put all thoughts of Seiras¡¯s spell and the Children of Reiner to the side, then opened the door. He was greeted by the smell of grilled meat and vegetables, and he smiled at the realization that she had already picked up their food from the dining hall.


    ¡°Oh, welcome back, Master!¡± Hannah greeted cheerfully as she looked up from the table, yet that smile vanished the moment she saw him. ¡°Master? Are you okay? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    He frowned. ¡°Huh? I-I¡¯m fine. Why?¡±


    ¡°W-well¡­it¡¯s just that¡­you look like you¡¯re about to cry.¡±


    Ryokumo glanced away, dropping the forced smile he¡¯d hoped to use to mask his true emotions. Yet, it seemed it was a mistake to think that he could hide them from Hannah. She knew him better than he gave her credit for.


    The girl got to her feet. ¡°Is there anything I can do?¡±


    ¡°N-no,¡± he replied softly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to worry you, Hannah. I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just¡­¡±


    Ryokumo trailed off and he could tell by her worried expression that his lie wasn¡¯t going to achieve anything. He knew he couldn¡¯t tell her anything about Seiras and the interrogations, but he wasn¡¯t sure he could hold himself together anymore. Arisa Kirisan¡¯s shrieks were still echoing in his head, forcing him to remember what he was doing to them. He had hoped that Reigious would listen, but as was expected, the prince didn¡¯t care what happened to the Children so long as he got his answers. Ryokumo was the only one who didn¡¯t want to see them in pain, and there was nothing he could do for them.


    ¡°Master?¡± Hannah repeated. ¡°Please¡­if I can help, even if it¡¯s just listening, let me.¡±


    He smiled sadly. ¡°Thanks, Hannah¡­but there¡¯s nothing you can do. There¡¯s nothing either of us can do.¡±

 Chapter 18- A Circumstantial Alliance

    Chapter XVIII


    As Mrs. Kentz¡¯s class continued to drone on, Evan Wright stared blankly up at the ceiling, trying his best to tune her lecture out. She was going on about some book they were supposed to have read and, since he hadn¡¯t even bothered to buy it, he didn¡¯t see any point in paying attention. He would just fail the test, deal with whatever reprimanding he received from her, and then continue on with his life. It was how he dealt with every other class and, since he managed to bullshit his way through enough exams, he wasn¡¯t in danger of failing the year. He didn¡¯t have any intention of going to college so his grades in high school meant little to him. It didn¡¯t matter whether he got C¡¯s and D¡¯s as long as he passed the classes and was able to move on to senior year. Then he could graduate and put the whole school behind him.


    Though it¡¯s not like I know what I¡¯ll do once high school is over. But whatever. I¡¯ll figure it out when I get there.


    He spared a brief glance at Brad Fischer in the desk two seats ahead and to the right. He was listening intently to what Kentz was saying while constantly jotting things down in his notebook. He looked so focused, like everything the old woman was saying was the most fascinating thing he¡¯d ever heard, and Evan couldn¡¯t help but scowl.


    God, that fucker became such a bookworm. What the hell happened to him?


    He¡¯d known Brad ever since elementary school and the boy had always been far worse of a student. They often joked about how obnoxious school was and complained about how stupid the homework was and how the tests were unfair.  But as they progressed through high school, Brad gradually stopped joining in on the mocking and then, back in the fall, something changed. He started acing tests and even began taking tutoring lessons from Ellie Kaylyn, a girl from the track team. Ever since, Brad had been so focused on school, and his grades improved to the point that he no longer had anything lower than a B.


    And now I have to suffer him constantly telling me to pay attention and study. I wish he¡¯d just shut the fuck up and leave me alone. If he¡¯s gonna get so wrapped up in school, then he can go enjoy his little study group by himself. I couldn¡¯t care less.


    Evan huffed and turned away from Brad, feeling his anger growing worse just by looking at the guy. Instead, he glanced up at the clock, hoping that first period was almost over, and scowled when he saw that there were still five minutes left.


    God damn! It feels like I¡¯ve been in here for ten fucking hours! How is there still five minutes left?!


    The boy snorted and was about to go back to staring into space when he noticed somebody looking at him out of the corner of his eye. When he glanced down, he saw Eric Reiner staring back at him from the front row of the class. The moment he noticed, however, Reiner hurriedly turned away.


    The fuck was that about? What? Does he think I¡¯m gonna break our deal or something?


    Evan rolled his eyes and under normal circumstances, he probably would have confronted Reiner and demanded to know what his problem was. If not for the boy being such an enigma, he would have, but as it stood, Evan knew almost nothing about what he and his clubmates were. All he knew was that they had control over some supernatural powers and that they could steal his body if he did anything to piss them off. Part of him still struggled to accept that it was real, but he knew what happened in the forest that day wasn¡¯t a dream or a hallucination. They had stolen his body and done something to Rina¡ªsomething that was still a mystery to him. Magic existed and that club of people he considered weak idiots commanded it.


    And I probably don¡¯t even know half of what they can do. If it wasn¡¯t so easy for them to ruin my life, I probably would have tried figuring out what other secrets they¡¯ve got hidden.


    He¡¯d considered it many times since returning to school. Even he couldn¡¯t say that he wasn¡¯t intrigued by what the existence of their magic could mean. Anybody would want to know what else was out there when their entire perspective on what was real and what was impossible was shattered into a million pieces, yet every time he considered trying to spy on them or even just demanding answers directly, he recalled their threats and quickly decided against it. They considered him their enemy and, while he was interested in what they had, he didn¡¯t want their magic used on him ever again.


    After all¡­I¡¯m still paying for what they did last time. Rina still won¡¯t even look at me, not to mention my dad¡¯s had me on such a tight leash ever since the whole drug incident. And I only tried it one fucking time. It¡¯s not that big of a damn deal.


    Feeling uncomfortable as he pondered why Reiner would have been looking back at him, he glanced across the classroom to where the boy¡¯s girlfriend was sitting and, much to his surprise, she was also staring at him. Like Reiner, the moment she realized he had noticed her, she quickly turned back to the front of the class.


    Okay¡­seriously, what the fuck is wrong with them? I haven¡¯t done a damn thing! I¡¯ve stayed away just like they told me to!


    The only time he¡¯d even interacted with them since Christmas was on the second day of the festival when Reiner had approached him to ask about his body theft. It had been strange at the time, but Evan had long since pushed Reiner¡¯s strange behavior from his mind. The boy had seemed unsettled, but whatever mess he got himself into wasn¡¯t anything he wanted to be a part of.


    Though I can¡¯t help but wonder if that¡¯s related to their weird looks. Or maybe¡­does he think I had something to do with Mendez¡¯s disappearance or something?


    It seemed like an utterly ridiculous possibility, but he couldn¡¯t completely write it off. After all, the only reason the club ever used their magic on him was because he went after Alice Mendez, a girl who had now been missing for over a week.


    No¡­that can¡¯t be it. I obviously didn¡¯t have anything to do with the fucking diner!


    As he continued to think about it, the bell finally rang, announcing the end to class. Kentz stopped talking and excused them, something Evan was beyond grateful for. There were still five more classes that day and so, he was ready for English to be over. He stood up from his chair and grabbed his bag, slinging it over his shoulder in the process.


    Alright, let¡¯s get the fuck out of here.


    He turned to leave and immediately stopped in surprise as Eric Reiner pushed past the departing students, heading in his direction.


    Fucking hell! So he does need something from me? What could the bastard even want?!


    He tensed up, knowing that no matter how furious and annoyed he may be, he couldn''t turn the boy down. If Reiner wanted to talk to him then Evan had no choice but to talk. Off to his right, Evan noticed Brad was also staring at the approaching boy in a mix of confusion and intrigue.


    ¡°Hey, Wright,¡± Reiner began. ¡°I need to ask you for a favor. You, too, Fischer,¡± he then added, glancing over at Brad.


    Evan narrowed his eyes. ¡°A favor? You need a favor from me? Like hell, Reiner. I thought we agreed to stay away from each other!¡±


    ¡°Hey, Evan,¡± Brad snapped, already making his way over to where the two of them were standing. ¡°Let¡¯s at least hear the guy out.¡±


    He scoffed, finding himself wishing the Magic Club would just disappear so he wouldn¡¯t have to stress about them anymore. He wanted to blow Reiner off and he couldn¡¯t because he didn¡¯t know what would happen to him if he did.


    ¡°Look,¡± Evan growled in warning. ¡°You guys told me not to fuck with you or your friends and I¡¯ve listened. I¡¯m not gonna bother you ever again so please just leave me alone, Reiner. If you need a favor, have Brad help you out. I just want to mind my own damn business.¡±


    He expected that to be enough. After all, whatever he needed Evan for was certainly enough for Brad to take care of, he reasoned. Yet, Reiner was already shaking his head.


    ¡°Honestly, Wright, I wish we could have left each other alone,¡± he muttered. ¡°I would have preferred it that way. But I no longer have an option. I need to talk to you guys, but I don¡¯t have enough time right now so¡­please, after school, come to the clubroom. Both of you.¡±


    Evan cocked an eyebrow. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The clubroom?¡± Brad parroted. ¡°Reiner, what¡¯s going on? What do you need to talk to us about?¡±


    The other boy quickly shook his head, and Evan realized that he was trembling, as if he were afraid of something, and in that moment, he recalled that Reiner had been in a similar state back during the festival.


    Could this possibly be related? he wondered, and despite his desire to ignore him, his curiosity was starting to get the better of him.


    ¡°Look, I can¡¯t tell you here,¡± Reiner whispered. ¡°But it¡¯s not an exaggeration to say that both of your lives are in danger.¡±


    W-what? Our lives? What the everlasting fuck is he going on about?


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Brad pressed. ¡°Reiner, stop being vague. Why the hell would our lives ever be in danger?¡±


    Evan could see the concern in Brad¡¯s eyes, and even though he asked the question as if he didn¡¯t have a clue what the reason could be, Evan found himself with only one conclusion. It must have been related to their magic. If Eric Reiner wasn¡¯t lying to them, then that was the only thing that made sense.


    ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s hard to explain here, but¡­¡± Reiner paused, then continued one with more fervor. ¡°Please, just be there after school. I swear I¡¯m not wasting your time nor am I lying. Something¡­really bad has happened.¡±


    ¡°And if we don¡¯t show?¡± Evan demanded before Brad could say anything. ¡°What are you gonna do then, huh?¡±


    He didn¡¯t know why, but he wanted Reiner to get angry. He wanted to piss him off and watch as that pained and conflicted look on his face morphed into one of frustration. This was the boy who had caused him so much stress and was now telling him that his life was in danger. It was so ridiculous that he couldn¡¯t help but lash out. For all he knew, Reiner was making it all up in some twisted scheme and he wasn¡¯t about to be manipulated a second time.


    But Reiner didn¡¯t react with any sort of rage. Instead, he just lowered his head and stared blankly at the ground, and when he finally spoke, his voice was barely louder than a whisper.


    ¡°Then¡­I¡¯m sorry. I wish I could have done more for you and that¡¯s the honest truth.¡±


    ¡°W-what the fuck does that¡ª? Hey!¡± Evan hissed, but the boy ignored him, choosing to turn and walk away in the middle of his sentence.


    He watched as Reiner headed to the door where his girlfriend was waiting for him before both moved out into the hallway, and couldn¡¯t help but stare after him for a moment, completely baffled. There didn¡¯t seem to be any trickery or ill-intent. Instead, Reiner simply looked scared and genuinely worried, an expression that was beyond rare for the ever-smiling and joking individual.


    Could he be telling the truth? Are we in danger? No! There¡¯s not a chance! There¡¯s something else going on! There¡¯s gotta be!


    ¡°Come on,¡± Brad murmured, motioning for them to leave before the passing period ended.


    He followed his friend from the classroom and out into the halls, both keeping close to the wall to avoid bumping into the main crowd. The chatter of the passing students was loud, yet Evan still kept his voice down when he spoke.


    ¡°What the fuck do you make of that?¡± he grumbled. ¡°You know Reiner better than me. Is he fucking with us?¡±


    Brad immediately shook his head, completely lacking any hesitation or consideration. ¡°No. I know what Eric Reiner looks like when he¡¯s screwing around or teasing someone and that wasn¡¯t it. He actually looked like he was going to be sick.¡±


    So¡­Brad noticed it, too.


    ¡°So what then? You think he¡¯s telling the truth?¡±


    His friend shrugged. ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know, honestly. But, something tells me that there¡¯s definitely something going on cause it isn¡¯t just him. All week, Clark, Tao, and especially Lilly have seemed unsettled, and I was starting to consider talking to them again. So for Reiner to reach out to us like that¡­¡±


    Brad trailed off, but Evan knew what he wanted to say.


    ¡°You actually think we should go to that stupid-ass clubroom tonight?¡± he finished irritably.


    Brad nodded. ¡°Yes¡­I do. I think we should at least see what he has to say. Then we can make a better judgment about it all. I¡¯m at least going. Obviously, I can¡¯t make you do anything but¡­regardless of your history with them, I do think you should be there.¡±


    ¡°Well, I doubt I have much of a choice,¡± he muttered bitterly.


    Even after so many months had passed, he still hadn¡¯t discussed what went down with Brad. He didn¡¯t know how much the bigger boy was aware of, so he didn¡¯t elaborate on what he meant. However, he had already told him numerous times that the Magic Club had dirt on him and that if he did anything, his life would be ruined. Even if Reiner hadn¡¯t explicitly said it, Evan wasn¡¯t about to take any chances. Whether he wanted to or not, he would be going to that clubroom once sixth period ended.


    ¡°Hey, Evan,¡± Brad murmured.


    ¡°Yeah? What?¡±


    His friend glanced sidelong at him, a serious expression on his face. ¡°I don¡¯t know all the details about your history with them and, honestly, I don''t want to know. But I just want to say that they aren¡¯t evil people. Unless you go after them, they won¡¯t do anything to you. So¡­cut Reiner a bit of slack.¡±


    Evan snorted. ¡°Sure¡­whatever.¡±


    He knew Brad was friends with them and so his opinion meant nothing, yet despite blowing his comment off, the big boy smiled regardless.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ***


    ¡°It¡¯s about Alice and Jay. They¡¯re in danger¡­and you are, too¡­so please, I¡¯ll explain more so just come to the clubroom later!¡±


    Eric Reiner¡¯s words were still hanging over her as she collected her things from her locker. When he had approached her that afternoon at lunch, Rina hadn¡¯t known what to think. Their relationship was complicated enough that she never really knew what the boy actually thought of her. After how she treated Alice, it would have made sense for him and Harper to despise her, yet every time they talked, they treated her with respect, as if she hadn¡¯t done anything horrible. Then, in recent days, she had noticed him and his club looking paler and more on edge, and she could only assume it was related to Jay and Alice¡¯s disappearance. Naturally, she had chosen to leave them alone. After everything that was happening, she knew they wouldn¡¯t want anything to do with her, and she was content keeping her distance. Yet, out of nowhere, he came to her table in the courtyard at lunch and asked to speak with her.


    And¡­he knows something. The way he talked about Jay and Alice¡­he said they¡¯re in danger. So does he know where they are? Then he said I could also be in danger so, what does he know? What¡¯s been going on? And could it have to do with magic?


    She swallowed nervously. She was already having trouble thinking straight. Jay and Alice were gone and for all she knew, they could be dead. The thought was so terrifying to her that she couldn¡¯t sleep. All she could think about was them and how if they were gone, then the last thing they would remember was how she bullied Alice. She knew Jay had told her that he wanted to move on, but she hadn¡¯t done anything to earn that forgiveness. She wanted him to come back so she could try to make things right and she had been praying that he would wake up.


    And now he¡¯s gone. They both are¡­ I¡­might soon be the last one left.


    The possibility that Alice and Jay were dead made her want to scream. They were her childhood friends and she had grown to realize in the aftermath of Jay¡¯s attempted suicide that no matter what she tried to tell herself, she had never stopped caring about them. Audrey¡¯s death had destroyed her, and she pushed them away, finding it too painful to be around them. All she could think about back then was losing Audrey, but with the possibility of losing them, she knew she made a horrible mistake. She had thrown everything away and told herself she didn¡¯t care anymore, but she had simply repressed those feelings, and now, they had broken free again. All of her convincing that they didn¡¯t matter to her had shattered.


    Why does everything have to be taken away from me?! Why do I have to lose so much!?


    First, she lost her mother and older brother to that car crash, then Audrey passed away, and now, Alice and Jay could be gone, too. If they were then she would be all alone. She had friends and she cared about them, but her relationship with Alice and Jay was something truly special and she had never been able to recreate it, no matter how hard she tried.


    ¡°I don¡¯t forgive what you did to Alice. But I can¡¯t hate you. And I can¡¯t accept what I helped do to you so, I¡¯m really, really sorry, Rina. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t stop him. And, if Lilly hasn¡¯t already done so, I¡¯ll get rid of those pictures. I want to put the past behind us, where it belongs.¡±


    Jay had spoken those words to her that day he came to school as Lilly Harper and they had been a lifeline to her. He was willing to put it all behind them and move forward. When he came back, they were going to try again, but now, he may never come back.


    But he¡¯s not dead¡­at least, that¡¯s how Reiner made it sound. And if he¡¯s still alive¡­if he and Alice are out there somewhere, I need to get them back! I have to make things right!


    She reached up and gripped the necklace hanging from her neck. It was Audrey¡¯s wedge of the medallion, something Jay had entrusted to her that day and a treasure she held dear. It meant something to her and so, she knew she had to go to that clubroom. She had to listen to what Reiner had to say and, if there was something she could do, then she would do it.


    ¡°Hey, Charlotte,¡± she began, closing the locker door and glancing left to where her red-headed friend was leaning against the wall, waiting for her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­but there¡¯s actually something I need to do. Would it be okay if we put off the study group until this weekend?¡±


    She¡¯d been planning to go out to a local coffee shop with Charlotte and Ashley to do some studying for their upcoming test in Biology, but now, she knew she didn¡¯t have an option but to cancel.


    Charlotte frowned. ¡°Oh¡­uh, yeah, sure. Is everything okay, Ri¡¯?¡±


    The girl looked worried and Rina knew it was because of how poorly she had been hiding her feelings in the recent days. Charlotte didn¡¯t know the details about her history with Jay and Alice, but she understood that it was a sore spot for her. So, for the two of them to suddenly vanish like they did, and right after the diner attack, Charlotte must have understood that it was taking a real toll on her.


    And passing out that morning didn¡¯t help that.


    Rina nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m okay. It¡¯s just that I need to handle some personal stuff. It¡¯s nothing to worry about but¡­it is really important.¡±


    ¡°O-okay then,¡± Charlotte said softly. ¡°Yeah, we can meet up Saturday morning. I¡¯ll send Ash¡¯ a text and let her know.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she replied. ¡°That means a lot. And I promise, everything¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Good. And if it ever isn¡¯t, you let me know, Rina,¡± the other girl insisted. ¡°I want to be there for you if I can be. Don¡¯t forget that.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t. Thank you,¡± she repeated.


    With that, she bid her friend goodbye and the two parted ways with Charlotte heading in the direction of the stairs and Rina moving the opposite way. She knew the clubroom for the Magic Club was room 3-5 though she had never actually been there herself. She couldn¡¯t deny that she was anxious about meeting with them. She had never met Damien Clark or Liz Tao, so she only had the rumors to go off of. Clark, especially, had plenty of dangerous rumors about him so she had always avoided him.


    Not to mention¡­for all I know, it was him or Tao that stole Evan¡¯s body that day.


    No matter who was behind that, they would be in that room, and that knowledge alone was enough to scare her. Yet, she pressed on regardless, knowing that she had to hear what Reiner wanted to say. Running away wasn¡¯t an option anymore. When she came to the door of the club, she took a deep breath, then knocked a few times against the metal surface.


    ¡°Come in,¡± came a soft call from within.


    Rina exhaled softly, then pulled the door open and stepped inside. She had expected to find all four members of the Magic Club present. Reiner had said they would all be there when they spoke earlier. Damien Clark and Liz Tao were standing on the opposite corner, right in front of the teacher¡¯s desk. Lilly Harper was a few feet to the left, leaning against one of the windows, and Eric Reiner was at the front of the class, behind the teacher¡¯s podium. However, to her stunned surprise, they weren¡¯t the only ones present. Standing between the desks just a few yards in front of Reiner, were Bradley Fischer and Evan Wright.


    E-Evan?! What the hell is he¡­?


    For a moment, she and the boy just stared at each other, and she realized by his own surprised expression that he hadn¡¯t been expecting her either. Ever since the incident at Christmas, she had been avoiding him. She knew very little about what went down between him and the club, but she knew they stole his body one way or the other. He had been the true mastermind behind what they did to Alice, and she had allowed herself to be strung along by him. When he returned from suspension, she was so scared of facing him again that she had avoided him, and to her relief, he never tried to approach her either. It was almost like they had an unspoken agreement to leave the other alone.


    B-but¡­why is he here? Why would Reiner want to talk to him, too? Could this have anything to do with what happened to Alice? But, Brad¡¯s here, too, so¡­what¡¯s going on?


    A look of relief passed over Reiner¡¯s face as he realized it was her in the doorway. ¡°Thank you for coming, Davens. Thank you¡­¡±


    All four of the Magic Club members looked like they were about to be sick, which only made all the more anxious for what was to come.


    ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± she muttered back.


    Rina cautiously moved into the room, allowing the door to shut behind her, as she made her way to where Evan and Brad were standing. Both boys looked as confused as she was, but neither made a move to greet her. So, she took her place on the other side of Brad and slowly turned to face the club.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Brad began, folding his arms across his broad chest, ¡°is this everybody ''cause you guys are really starting to freak me out. What¡¯s going on, Lilly?¡±


    He addressed Harper directly, seeming to believe she was the one he could trust the most. The girl glanced away as Brad stared at her, her hands clutched tightly in front of her. However, she didn¡¯t speak. Instead, and to no surprise for Rina, it was Reiner who answered Brad¡¯s question.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about all of this,¡± he muttered. ¡°I truly am. I wish I could have done something, but at this point, our hands are tied. We¡¯ve been backed up against a wall and there¡¯s nothing we can do to break free.¡±


    Evan scowled. ¡°And what the fuck does that mean?¡± he demanded. ¡°Stop talking in riddles, Reiner! I don¡¯t have time for your stupid¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Something¡¯s coming after us,¡± Harper interrupted, her voice sharp and low, her demeanor completely different from the way she had acted the few times Rina had spoken to her. ¡°All of us¡­everybody in this room.¡±


    Before Evan could snap back at her, Brad quickly placed a hand on his friend¡¯s shoulder to stop him, then responded in a calm tone. ¡°Something? You mean¡­something magical?¡±


    Rina¡¯s eyes widened in surprise and turned to stare at him. She had never known who else knew of the Magic Club¡¯s powers. She only knew that the club, Alice, Jay, and Evan were aware that magic existed. While she knew Brad and Harper had become close, she had never even considered the possibility that he might know. When she glanced past the big boy and at Evan, his expression gave her the impression that, while he hadn¡¯t known about it, he had at least suspected it.


    ¡°W-wait,¡± Rina began, now fully processing what he had said. ¡°Magical? I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, magical,¡± Reiner replied. ¡°As all three of you are aware, this club possesses a supernatural power¡ªone that most would consider impossible. Magic is real. All of us know that and all of us have experienced it. What two of you don¡¯t know is that our power of body swapping comes not from us, but from this.¡±


    Without waiting for their reply, Reiner reached into the pocket of his pants and produced a small stone that sparkled orange in his hand. ¡°This¡­is what enables us to swap bodies,¡± he explained. ¡°When two people touch this, we¡¯ve assumed it serves as a catalyst and switches consciousnesses into opposite bodies.¡±


    Rina stared at the stone, taking in what the boy was telling them. When her body had been stolen by the club member masquerading as Evan, she hadn¡¯t known how they were able to take her body. She had always assumed that it was some sort of power one of them had, but now she realized that it was more limited than she had known.


    ¡°Oh really?¡± Evan spat, his features contorting in pure fury. ¡°So you fuckers aren¡¯t as powerful as you claimed, huh? It was all a bluff?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was,¡± Clark replied firmly. ¡°Because unless you thought we could do anything, you wouldn¡¯t have stopped. So, we lied, simple as that.¡±


    Evan stared furiously at the other boy and once again looked ready to continue arguing, but just like the first time, Brad quickly stepped in to move the conversation along.


    ¡°Obviously I already knew about that thing,¡± he stated. ¡°But why tell them now? What does this have to do with whatever¡¯s supposedly coming after us?¡±


    Reiner grimaced then hung his head. ¡°It wants this. You see, Fischer, I didn¡¯t make this or anything. I just found it in a cave near the beach at the beginning of summer. At the time, I didn¡¯t know what it was, but when Lilly and I both touched it for the first time and swapped bodies, I was fascinated by it. Damien warned me, but I didn¡¯t listen, and so I never thought about its original owner¡­and now he¡¯s here, in Wilham, to take it back.¡±


    Rina swallowed nervously. There was such terror in Reiner¡¯s eyes that she couldn¡¯t even imagine that he was lying. Unless he was an amazing actor, he was truly and genuinely terrified of whatever was coming after him.


    ¡°But then¡­?¡± Brad murmured. ¡°What does that have to do with us? Just give it back. Wouldn¡¯t that solve the problem?¡±


    ¡°I wish it did,¡± Harper replied softly. ¡°I wish that was all we had to do, Brad, but it isn''t. For whatever reason, the law of these people dictates that those who know about magic can¡¯t be left alive. They¡­plan to kill everybody who¡¯s ever touched this stone.¡±


    ¡°K-kill?¡± Rina almost squeaked.


    She can¡¯t be serious! I mean¡­they don¡¯t look like they¡¯re lying, but this is just ridiculous! Why would they kill us?! I haven¡¯t done anything wrong!¡±


    Evan took a step forward, his eyes narrowing as he glared at the girl. ¡°Excuse me? What the fuck do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Exactly what I said,¡± Harper whispered. ¡°The man who¡¯s come here to take the stone plans to wipe us all out, and I don¡¯t just mean killing us. They have the power to wipe our very existence from this world¡­make it as if nobody ever knew us¡­like we didn¡¯t exist.¡±


    ¡°Wipe our existence?¡± Evan snarled. ¡°What kind of prank is this?! Do you fuckers think this is funny?! Do you hear how retarded you all sound?! I¡¯m not gonna fall for whatever this is! You can all kiss my ass!¡±


    Brad glared at the boy, but then sighed and turned back to face forward. ¡°While I wouldn¡¯t be as much of an asshole as Evan, I can¡¯t deny how absurd it sounds. I mean, I trust you guys, but I think I¡¯m just having trouble understanding this all.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense,¡± Reiner said. ¡°And without having experienced it, it probably sounds utterly crazy. But a stone that allows people to swap bodies exists, so why can¡¯t anything else? What really is impossible when magic is real?¡±


    Evan sneered at them. ¡°And do you have proof? You guys are the ones that know everything so you could be making shit up just to screw with us! How can you prove this is real?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Reiner admitted. ¡°You only have my word, but I need you to believe me, Wright. You guys are in danger and regardless of what we¡¯ve been through in the past, I don¡¯t want any of you to die!¡±


    ¡°Like hell you¡ª!¡±


    ¡°The diner,¡± Tao interrupted, speaking for the first time. Her voice trembled as she inserted herself into the argument. ¡°This person attacked the diner and killed everybody in there. He was behind the hospital as well, and they¡¯re the reason that window on the second floor was shattered. They¡¯ve already been making their moves.¡±


    At the girl¡¯s words, Rina suddenly felt her body go cold, and before she realized it, she was speaking. ¡°The diner?¡± she parroted. ¡°Wait, Tao¡­you aren¡¯t saying that these people¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they are the ones behind Jay and Alice¡¯s disappearance<¡± he answered her unspoken question. ¡°I know because I¡¯ve seen what they¡¯ve done. Currently¡­Alice Mendez and Jay Brooks are being kept captive to blackmail us, and if we don¡¯t do what this man wants, he is going to kill them both.¡±


    Rina¡¯s eyes widened in horror. ¡°N-no¡­why would they¡­ No! Stop! Evan¡¯s right! This is ridiculous! Jay and Alice can¡¯t be¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Then where are they?!¡± Reiner shouted, cutting her off. ¡°What happened to them then, Davens?! Lilly and I saw what they¡¯ve done to Jay! We¡¯ve seen firsthand what they are capable of and they¡¯re more powerful than anything the three of you could possibly comprehend!¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you dare shout at her!¡± Evan snapped back, but Reiner ignored him.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have our names yet, but he will soon!¡± he went on, his voice full of desperation. ¡°And he gave us an ultimatum! If we don¡¯t give them our names, he¡¯s going to kill Alice and then Jay and then anybody else he has to in order to get what he wants! He doesn¡¯t give a damn about our lives! He¡¯s already proven that with the massacre at the diner!¡±


    Rina took a step back in fear at his sudden outburst, and she could feel her body shaking. She didn¡¯t want to believe anything he was saying. The thought that Alice and Jay could be at the mercy of some supernatural entity was stupid, yet every time she looked around the room in search of help, each club member appeared defeated. She could tell that it wasn¡¯t a lie and that only made it worse.


    ¡°Reiner,¡± Brad began softly. ¡°Do you have some sort of plan? Assuming I believe you, which is kinda hard given all you¡¯re saying, how are we even supposed to defend ourselves? How do we save Mendez and Brooks?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know yet,¡± Clark replied before Reiner could. ¡°But we¡¯re telling you guys because you might be able to help. You¡¯re in as much danger as us, and we felt it was your choice whether you want to lay down and die or fight it with us. I know we¡¯ve all had our differences in the past, but none of that matters right now. What we¡¯re fighting is bigger than any of our¡­disagreements.¡±


    Evan laughed bitterly and eyed Clark with a mocking look. ¡°Oh really? Yeah, and I¡¯m just supposed to believe you fuckers? Brad and Rina can do whatever they want, but I don¡¯t want anything to do with you! After what you guys did to me¡­I hate you all! And I never want to be anywhere near you ever again!¡±


    ¡°What we did to you?¡± Harper spat, a sudden edge coming to her tone. ¡°Don¡¯t make me laugh, Wright! You brought everything that happened onto yourself! After what you did to Alice, you¡¯re lucky we went easy on you. There was so much else we could have done.¡±


    Evan smirked in defiance. ¡°Oh yeah? You want to try me again, Harper? You fuckups just revealed all of your little secrets to me! Now I know you aren¡¯t all powerful! So maybe I¡¯ll take that fucking gem for myself and we¡¯ll se how¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Perkari!¡±


    Rina watched in absolute shock as Evan suddenly went hurtling backwards, as if struck by an invisible force. He flew down the aisle between the desks before landing hard on his back on the other side of the room. Rina and Brad stared at him, dumbfounded, before turning back to see Reiner¡¯s hand extended in Evan¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand,¡± Reiner breathed, though there was a hint of warning in his tone. ¡°The stone isn¡¯t the only thing I can do, Wright.¡±


    What the hell? Did he just¡­do that?


    She frantically glanced around the clubroom and, even more surprising to her was the fact that Harper was the only one who looked as if what Reiner just did was normal. Both Clark and Tao were looking between Evan and Reiner as if struggling to process what they had just witnessed.


    ¡°What the fuck did you just do to me?¡± Evan grunted as he pulled himself to his feet. ¡°Reiner, you piece of¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Perkari,¡± he repeated, and once again, Evan flew backwards, this time crashing into the wall at the back of the room.


    ¡°How are you¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Condite!¡±


    This time, instead of simply flying backwards, Evan looked as if he had been pulled from the ground by invisible ropes. His body lunged backwards before hitting the wall nearly five feet from the ground. Evan shouted out in fury, struggling against whatever force was holding him there, but it was useless. He was stuck to that wall, unable to get down, suspended in midair and gasping for oxygen, as if the ropes were tightening around his neck.


    ¡°Do you see now,  Wright?¡± Reiner demanded. ¡°Do you see how powerless you are? You couldn¡¯t even get close to me and this guy¡­the person coming after us, could kill me without breaking a sweat! So what can you do?!¡± He clenched his teeth and tears began to stream down his face. ¡°It¡¯s hopeless! There¡¯s nothing you can do by yourself! There¡¯s¡­nothing any of us can do!¡±

 Chapter 19- When They Strike Again

    Chapter XIX


    Damien Clark stared dumbstruck as Evan frantically struggled against the invisible ropes binding him to the wall. Rina and Brad were gazing at the scene in panic, and he could tell that they wanted to intervene, but were still struggling to process what was happening. Despite having been told that Eric could use magic, he hadn¡¯t actually seen him do it, and he found himself having trouble accepting that this was reality. He had been best friends with Eric Reiner ever since middle school so to find out how little he actually knew about him made him realize how poor of a friend he had been.


    Eric¡¯s always been there for me¡ªever since we met, he¡¯s been somebody I can rely on. He¡¯s always listened when I needed to talk, and when I was in trouble, he was there. He did everything he could to help Liz and I back in January. I owe him so much, but¡­now I¡¯m realizing that I never did the same for him. I knew very little about his father, mother, and his own struggles. And now¡­to see him using magic like this¡­


    Eric¡¯s features were strained and tears were streaming down his cheeks. Even after three days had passed, he still didn¡¯t believe they could stand up against Nigreos Noctis. He truly believed they were all going to die.


    Damien exhaled softly then took a step forward. ¡°Eric, you¡¯ve made your point. Let him go.¡±


    His old friend slowly looked back at him then nodded softly. ¡°Prohi.¡±


    With the utterance of that one word, the invisible bindings released Evan and the boy collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath, his hands clutching at his chest.


    Damien clenched his teeth and regarded Evan with a look of disgust. ¡°You see, Wright?¡± he growled. ¡°Don¡¯t get so cocky. We¡¯ve got plenty of secrets, but Eric isn¡¯t lying. Something is coming after us and it already has Alice and Jay¡­and if we don¡¯t do something, it will wipe out every single person in this room. If you don¡¯t want that, then listen to us.¡±


    Evan coughed a few more times and turned a furious look his way. ¡°Fuck you! I¡¯m sick of this! I stayed away from you so just leave me alone! I want no part in this!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you don¡¯t have a choice anymore!¡± Damien snarled. ¡°You¡¯ve touched the stone and so you¡¯re marked by this guy and he will come after you! No matter what you do, you can¡¯t escape it! Eric might disagree, but I do believe his magic is our best shot at fighting back! If you walk away, you¡¯re as good as dead!¡±


    ¡°So?!¡± Evan jumped to his feet, his fists clenched at his sides.


    Damien instantly tensed up, prepared to defend himself should the need arise. But the other boy didn¡¯t take any steps toward him. He stayed in place, red in the face as he shouted.


    ¡°I never asked for this! I never wanted to touch your fucking stone! If what you¡¯re saying is true then it¡¯s your fault! You pieces of shit are going to get me killed! I don¡¯t want this! I don¡¯t want anything to do with you! How many times do I have to say it?!¡±


    ¡°I understand that!¡± Damien retorted sharply. ¡°But you made a choice to go after Alice and these are the unfortunate consequences! But I don¡¯t think Eric¡¯s right! I don¡¯t think it¡¯s hopeless yet! We can fight this, but you can¡¯t on your own! Whether you like it or not, you need us!¡±


    Evan shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t! I don¡¯t believe anything you¡¯re saying anyway, and I¡¯m not about to be the victim of some fucked up prank! I don¡¯t care!¡±


    With that, the boy turned on his heel and began to stalk from the room.


    ¡°Wright, wait!¡±


    ¡°Evan, hold on a second!¡±


    Eric and Brad both called out to them, but he simply flipped them off, swung the door open, and stormed out into the hall.


    ¡°Fucking hell,¡± Brad muttered under his breath He then glanced around the room, seeming to be still trying to take everything in. ¡°Look, I have to go after him, but¡­I still have a million more questions¡ªespecially for you, Reiner.¡±


    Eric nodded weakly. ¡°Understandable.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re lying,¡± the bigger boy went on. ¡°But it¡¯s a lot to take in. I¡¯ll be careful tonight and then we can talk in the morning. Is that okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s fine,¡± Lilly replied when Eric didn¡¯t immediately speak. ¡°Take care, Brad.¡±


    ¡°You, too, Lilly.¡±


    Brad smiled weakly then turned and left the room in pursuit of Evan. Damien watched him leave, then glanced over at the last one still present outside of the club, as did the rest of the members. Rina was gazing blankly at the ground, her face pale and her hands trembling.


    ¡°Davens?¡± Eric called out. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I could have handled this better, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°Tell me something, Reiner,¡± she interrupted, raising her head to stare directly at Eric. ¡°Jay and Alice¡­they really are being kept hostage by this guy? You aren¡¯t making this up.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied. ¡°I am not making this up. Alice and Jay are with him and he¡¯s going to kill them if we don¡¯t turn ourselves in. They¡¯re still alive for now, as far as we know, but I don¡¯t know what to do. He said we have until Monday to make our decision.¡±


    Rina winced. ¡°Three more days? That¡¯s¡­not a lot of time.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Lilly prompted, seeming thrown odd by the girl¡¯s apparent acceptance of the situation. ¡°Where do you stand in all of this?¡±


    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know,¡± Rina murmured. ¡°I think, like Brad, I need to think about it. But¡­if Alice and Jay are in trouble, then I don¡¯t have a choice. After how I left things off with them, I have to make everything right one way or another. I can¡¯t do that if they¡¯ve been¡­¡± She swallowed, seeming to decide to prevent that train of thought from continuing. ¡°Well, I want them to be safe.¡±


    A look of relief passed over Eric¡¯s face. ¡°Thank you, Davens. And I¡¯m sorry. Like with Wright, this is our fault. We used the stone on you without permission. You shouldn¡¯t have to suffer this.¡±


    Rina quickly shook her head. ¡°No¡­I would have been involved regardless because of Jay and Alice. But¡­for now, I think I¡¯m going after Evan as well. There¡¯s some things I need to talk to him about.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, okay,¡± Eric said. ¡°Thanks for hearing us out. I appreciate it.¡±


    She then bid them goodbye and followed in the footsteps of Brad and Evan, leaving the club members left alone once again. Damien sighed and plopped himself down onto the surface of a nearby desk. Liz moved to sit on the one beside him and wordlessly grabbed his hand, a simple gesture that he appreciated more than he¡¯d be able to articulate. Eric instantly started pacing and Lilly remained where she was.


    ¡°Well, I think that could have gone worse,¡± Liz said, breaking the silence. ¡°I expected Wright to blow us off, but the fact that Brad and Rina listened is a good sign. If anything, maybe we can at least keep them safe.¡±


    Eric stopped pacing and glanced sidelong at her. ¡°I suppose so¡­but I still don¡¯t know if we made the right choice telling them at all. I fail to see what this accomplishes. It¡¯s not like knowing anything will make them any safer against Nigreos.¡±


    ¡°I disagree,¡± Damien replied. ¡°Just because this man is powerful doesn¡¯t mean he isn¡¯t human. After all, your mother was from this Ijiria, too, and she was just as human as the rest of us. He can make mistakes and we can outwit him. If Rina, Evan, and Brad are all aware that they¡¯re in danger, perhaps they can better avoid stumbling upon him like it seems Mickelson and Alice might have.¡±


    Liz nodded her agreement. ¡°And anyway, their lives are at stake. They deserve to know. They deserve to choose what to do.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± Eric uttered, turning his gaze toward the door. ¡°Anyway, I think I¡¯m gonna head home. There¡¯s no point in sticking around.¡±


    Damien shook his head, but didn¡¯t protest as his old friend collected his things and departed the room with only a half-hearted goodbye. He¡¯d given up on trying to get through to him. Eric had essentially canceled all club activities indefinitely and hadn¡¯t stuck around after school longer than necessary for the whole week. The three of them had attempted to get him to stay all three days, but he refused. He always left and Damien thought he knew what he was up to.


    He¡¯s looking for him, Damien thought. I know he is. Eric might think it''s hopeless now, but he¡¯s going to keep trying to find a way to save us until his last breath. But I know how he is. He won¡¯t want to burden us¡­so he¡¯ll keep carrying this weight alone until it crushes him. That¡¯s what he¡¯s been doing for years. He never talked about his family, choosing to deal with it alone, while simultaneously trying to help everybody around him.


    He sighed. Why, Eric? Why do you think you¡¯re the only one who doesn¡¯t need help?


    ¡°So, what now?¡± Liz asked softly. ¡°We have three days left until we either give ourselves up or Alice and Jay die. We already wasted all this time trying to decide whether to tell them or not, so what can we even do now?¡±


    Damien shrugged. ¡°Dunno.¡± He then glanced back at Lilly. ¡°How¡¯s Natalie, by the way?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine.¡± Lilly¡¯s features tightened in obvious fear. ¡°I keep checking in with her, but it doesn¡¯t look like Nigreos has made any attempts to go after her. I¡¯m babysitting her tomorrow so I¡¯ll be able to keep a closer watch on her.¡±


    He relaxed his body a bit at the moderately good news.


    I¡¯m glad Natalie¡¯s still safe. She¡¯s the one I¡¯m most worried about. She won¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on and she¡¯ll have the hardest time protecting herself¡­and with all Nigreos has done so far, I wouldn¡¯t put it past him to kill a little girl if it¡¯s for whatever law he¡¯s following.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s good,¡± he mumbled. ¡°Hopefully¡­we can sort this all out before she even knows what¡¯s happening.¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± Lilly whispered. Then, she clenched her teeth and glanced up at him. ¡°I just wish¡­I hadn¡¯t used the stone on her that day. I wish I¡¯d just kept to my initial instinct. I told myself that it wasn¡¯t smart to use the stone on her because we didn¡¯t know much about it. If I¡¯d just listened to my gut, Natalie wouldn¡¯t be in danger right now!¡± Tears were forming in her eyes and she was trembling, though with anger or fear, he wasn¡¯t certain. ¡°Hell, the same goes for Brad! If I hadn¡¯t used the stone for something as stupid as a test, he would be safe!¡±


    Damien could see how torn up she was, though he had suspected something along these lines. Whether she would admit it or not, Lilly wasn¡¯t the coldhearted person she used to portray herself as. She was caring and wanted those around her to be happy. He was certain it was those qualities that drew Lilly and Eric together in the first place. Every time they used the stone, it was to help people, so for them to find out that using it had put everybody¡¯s lives at risk, he couldn¡¯t imagine what that was doing to them. He wanted to reach out and help them, but he didn¡¯t know what he could do. So, he decided to simply speak his mind.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± he admitted. ¡°But you didn¡¯t know that at the time. You wanted to help Brad and Natalie and I think that¡¯s something to be proud of. Because of you, Brad¡¯s become a better student and Natalie was able to see the sunset.¡±


    Lilly shook her head bitterly. ¡°But what does it matter? Who cares if they¡¯re dead, Damien?¡±


    ¡°You should,¡± he replied sharply. ¡°Because you were trying to do some good! The gem might have marked them, but you can¡¯t forget why you did what you did! You wanted them to be happy!¡±


    ¡°And now they¡¯re going to be dead!¡± she snarled, now crying freely. ¡°Who cares how happy they were in the past if that happiness shortened their lives! I appreciate you trying to make me feel better, Damien, I really do! But you know as well as I do that if I hadn¡¯t meddled in their lives with something I didn¡¯t understand¡­if I had just listened to you, Brad and Natalie would be safe! You were right!¡±


    He cringed as, like Eric had, she threw his words back in his face.


    ¡°You should be furious with us,¡± Lilly went on quietly, as if all her energy had been used up. ¡°You should hate us. Because we ignored you, we¡¯re all gonna die.¡±


    ¡°I could never hate any of you,¡± he snapped. ¡°And don¡¯t you dare think otherwise! Sure, you guys didn¡¯t listen to me, but that¡¯s in the past now! What¡¯s done is done and I¡¯m sure as hell not going to roll over and die!¡±


    The girl slowly lowered her head and stared at the ground in silence for a moment. ¡°We probably don¡¯t have a choice,¡± she muttered. Then, before he could say anything further, she scooped up her bag from where it lay at her feet. ¡°I¡¯m going home, too. I¡¯ll see you guys tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Lilly,¡± he called weakly after her, but she didn¡¯t listen and, like Eric, he was forced to watch powerlessly as his good friend departed the room, defeated. He exhaled softly then glanced over his shoulder to where Liz was sitting in one of the desks. He had wanted to simply check in on her to make sure she was okay, but he was shocked to see her staring down at her hands, crying softly.


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°Liz?!¡± he exclaimed softly, rushing toward his girlfriend. He knelt down beside the desk and took her hands in his. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong, Liz? What happened?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± she whimpered. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    Damien gently squeezed her hands, wanting her to know that he was there for her. ¡°Deep breaths. Take your time.¡±


    Liz nodded meekly, took a few breaths, then tried to speak once again. ¡°What Lilly said¡­she has a point, you know. If we had just refrained from meddling in other people¡¯s lives, they would be safe from Nigreos.¡±


    ¡°W-well, maybe,¡± he muttered. ¡°But we couldn¡¯t have known that.¡±


    ¡°Stop saying that,¡± she whispered. ¡°You know that¡¯s not true. You knew it better than us all. You always said it. Every time we tried using it on somebody, you were always there to protest. In fact, it was that very opinion that drove us apart back during Christmas. But instead, I went behind your back¡ªbetrayed you as your girlfriend, and stole the stone for Jay.¡±


    He listened quietly. Their argument was something he preferred not to think about anymore. They had moved past it and so, he decided there wasn¡¯t any use getting hung up over it. Liz may have stolen the stone, but she did so for good reason and he now understood that.


    He¡¯d forgiven her.


    ¡°So, Damien¡­¡± she went on. ¡°Isn¡¯t it my fault? After all of your protests, I¡¯m the one who convinced you to use the gem! I got you marked! If not for me, you would be safe! Lilly¡¯s right! We did this to you guys!¡±


    Her words sent a chill down his spine and it was at that moment that he truly realized what was eating away at her.


    N-no¡­that¡¯s not¡­


    ¡°Liz, listen to me,¡± he said firmly. ¡°Don¡¯t ever think like that again!¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s true,¡± she sobbed. ¡°Everything I did was selfish and stupid! I shouldn¡¯t have taken the stone for Alice and I shouldn¡¯t have tried to use the stone to fix it! I just¡ª!¡±


    Not waiting for her to finish, Damien threw his arms around her and pulled her into a hug. It must have taken her by surprise since she didn¡¯t continue speaking. Instead, she rested her head against his chest and continued to cry. He gently reached his hand up and began to stroke her head, wanting her to feel his touch and know how much he cared for her.


    ¡°Liz, I¡¯m only going to say this once so listen to me. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Imagine if I hadn¡¯t touched the stone. You, Eric, and Lilly would all be gone and I¡¯d forget I ever knew you. Without you guys, I have nothing. I would be alone and I¡¯d have forgotten that there were ever people who loved me. I¡¯d think I was unwanted¡­for my whole life. I¡­would rather be dead than condemned to a fate like that. If it truly is hopeless then I want to die by your side rather than stay behind and forget you. You hear me? I¡¯d have touched that stone regardless¡­if only to be there with you in the end.¡±


    He spoke with conviction, wanting her to understand his feelings and where he was coming from.


    ¡°I love you, Liz and that¡¯s never going to change.¡±


    The girl slowly nodded, but she didn¡¯t immediately reply. She just continued to cry into his chest and he remained there to comfort her.


    We¡¯re going to get out of this somehow! I¡¯m sure of it! Someway, somehow, we¡¯re going to survive! Lilly and Eric might have given up hope, but not me! No matter what I have to do, I¡¯m going to save them! This club is my home and I refuse to lose it!


    ¡°I¡­love you, too, Damien,¡± he heard Liz whisper, only further fueling his convictions.


    ***


    Evan Wright was walking so fast that he was almost running. He wanted to get as far away from the clubroom, and even from the school, as fast as possible. He wanted to put everything he had just heard and saw behind him and forget it ever happened. Every time he interacted with them, he realized just how little he knew about the world and it utterly terrified him. The powerlessness he felt when Reiner used his sorcery to beat him up in three simple shots made him want to scream. Then, to think about everything they said about that man coming to Wilham to erase their existence, he found himself almost laughing.


    How gullible do they think I am? he thought bitterly. I¡¯m not a fucking moron! Like hell I¡¯m gonna believe some magical bastard killed all those people, kidnapped Brooks and Mendez, and now wants us! It¡¯s fucking stupid! Reiner can go fuck himself!


    Evan irritably glanced over his shoulder to where Brad was silently following behind him. The boy had gone after him and tried to talk, but Evan quickly blew him off. Unfortunately, Brad had continued after him even once they reached the courtyard and the neighborhoods beyond the school.


    And then there¡¯s him. I figured that piece of shit knew all about their magic and he never thought to tell me! Hell, when Reiner said the magic had been used on me, Brad didn¡¯t even react! I knew he was with them and I was stupid to ever hope otherwise!


    He wanted to quicken his pace even further in an effort to get Brad to leave, but before he could, another voice called out from further behind.


    ¡°Brad! Evan! Hold on a minute!¡±


    He stopped in his tracks, the girl¡¯s voice ringing through his mind as he once again glanced over his shoulder to find Rina Davens rushing through the school gates and in their direction.


    Rina¡­ What could she want?


    That moment when Rina entered the clubroom had been enough to convince him that she didn¡¯t want anything to do with him. He had seen shock and even fear in her eyes, and it made him wish things could have ended better between them. Before, they had been pretty close friends, but now, he only ever heard about her through Steven McCormick¡ªRina¡¯s boyfriend.


    ¡°Hey, Rina,¡± Brad called back to her as the girl came up alongside him. ¡°What¡¯s up? I figured you were gonna stay behind for a bit.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°N-no¡­I think I¡¯ve heard what I needed to hear from them. Instead, I kinda thought it¡¯d be better to talk everything out with you guys first. After all, it sounds like we¡¯re all in the same boat.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I suppose so,¡± Brad agreed, a conflicted look flashing across his face.


    ¡°So¡­if it¡¯s okay with the two of you, can we walk together?¡±


    The big boy shrugged. ¡°Yeah, I don''t mind. Evan?¡±


    ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t care,¡± he grunted as he turned away and began walking once again. ¡°Do whatever you guys want.¡±


    He kept his head low, content to allow Brad and Rina to do the talking while he walked ahead, but unfortunately for him, this wasn¡¯t what they had in mind. Brad immediately moved to walk on his left while Rina went to his right, and he realized that unless he just took off at a sprint, he had no way of getting out of interacting with them.


    ¡°So, Brad,¡± Rina began. ¡°You said you don¡¯t think Reiner¡¯s lying¡­and to be honest, I don¡¯t really know what your relationship with them is like. I was just¡­curious to know why you trust them so much, especially when they¡¯re making such¡­impossible claims.¡±


    Brad smiled sadly and laughed. ¡°Well, Rina, Eric Reiner is a lot of things, but I¡¯ve never known him to be a liar. Without getting into it, I¡¯ve known about their little stone since shortly after the beginning of the year. Since then, I¡¯ve interacted with them enough times to have a good idea of what they¡¯re like.¡± His features then hardened. ¡°And I¡¯ve noticed how scared Reiner and Lilly have been all week. They haven¡¯t been themselves and this would explain quite a bit.¡±


    Evan snorted. ¡°So you¡¯re just gonna accept it, huh? You¡¯re gonna just believe everything they said about some superpowered magic man coming to erase us from existence?¡±


    ¡°More or less,¡± he replied. ¡°I mean, even setting aside the body swap stone, after seeing what Reiner did to you back there, it¡¯s become clear to me that there¡¯s an entire world of magic that we can¡¯t even begin to understand. Yet, Reiner does and so, I¡¯m prone to believe him when he says we¡¯re in danger.¡±


    Evan grimaced at the mention of Reiner¡¯s display of magic just as Rina began to speak.


    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know them well at all,¡± she admitted. ¡°In fact, I barely know anything about them. However, I know they¡¯re good people. Back during Christmas¡­I made a lot of mistakes and, while a lot did happen between us, in the end, Reiner and I came to an understanding. He and Harper did a lot for Jay and Alice, and I can tell they¡¯re genuine people¡­so if they say Alice and Jay are in danger, then I¡¯m going to believe them.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Evan stuttered, unsure of how to even begin talking to her. ¡°How¡­how much do you know about what happened to you? Do you¡ª?¡±


    ¡°I know it wasn¡¯t you, Evan,¡± she responded instantly. ¡°I don¡¯t know much else, but I know the person that showed up at my house that day was not you.¡±


    She knows¡­thank god¡­


    Once they reached Doris Street, the three of them turned onto the path that would take them on a shortcut through the forest. It was the route Evan always took to get home and, on occasion, Brad would walk with him since they lived so close together. There was rarely anybody else that walked back there, so the three of them were alone. Evan listened to the sound of their feet against the dirt as he considered Rina¡¯s response.


    ¡°So then¡­why have you been avoiding me?¡± he asked. ¡°If you know I didn¡¯t do anything then¡­?¡±


    Rina shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I know you weren¡¯t that person, but that doesn¡¯t change what you¡­ No, what we did to Alice. She didn¡¯t deserve any of that and I allowed myself to be strung along by you. I promised myself that I was going to be a better person before Jay wakes up, and I want to keep that. I¡¯m not going to pretend that I wasn¡¯t a big part in what we did, but I wanted to stay away from you because of that.¡±


    Evan slowly looked away, wanting so desperately to try and argue with her, but knowing there wasn¡¯t much he could say. The incident with Alice Mendez got out of hand, and he could no longer even remember why he targeted her in the first place. In a way, it was just a method to prove that Damien Clark and the Magic Club weren¡¯t as dangerous as a lot of his friends seemed to believe. He knew there was more to it than that, but his memory had been a bit fuzzy for a while now.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°Whether you¡¯ll believe it or not¡­I¡¯m sorry things had to go that way. I really am.¡±


    Rina¡¯s eyes widened in clear surprise, and even Brad, who most likely knew very little about their friendship, was staring in astonishment.


    Fucking hell! Is it really that surprising that I would apologize to somebody!


    He was about to snap at his friend when Brad suddenly came to a stop, his mouth hanging open a bit. Evan and Rina both frowned, then followed his attention up the path to where a single man was standing about twenty yards away. While it was unusual to see somebody out on the path at that time, it wasn''t like Evan had never come across someone out for a walk. However, what stunned him was the man¡¯s appearance. His skin was pure black, as was his combed hair and clean-shaven face. He wore a suit of the same color, leaving his eyes as the only thing not dark. His features were calm, but his smile sent a shiver down Evan¡¯s back.


    No¡­this couldn¡¯t be¡­


    ¡°Good evening!¡± he called out to them. ¡°Have a nice day, I hope?¡±


    Evan found himself unable to reply to the man¡¯s casual tone and beside him, Rina was cautiously moving backwards. The only one with the confidence to respond was Brad.


    ¡°Good evening to you, too,¡± he called back. ¡°Can we help you?¡±


    The man shrugged. ¡°That remains to be seen, I suppose. I just wanted to know¡­are you associated with an Eric Reiner, by chance?¡±


    Holy shit! This can¡¯t be real! It has to be some part of Reiner¡¯s prank! This can¡¯t be a coincidence!


    He instinctively placed himself in front of Rina, wanting to be ready to protect her should the man try anything. Despite wanting to believe it was a joke, he couldn¡¯t help but recall Reiner¡¯s words from just a little while ago.


    ¡°Do you see how powerless you are? You couldn¡¯t even get close to me and this guy¡­the person coming after us, could kill me without breaking a sweat! So what can you do?! It¡¯s hopeless! There¡¯s nothing you can do by yourself! There¡¯s¡­nothing any of us can do!¡±


    Evan felt his body begin to shake, and it seemed as if that raw power Reiner spoke of was emanating off the man. If Reiner wasn¡¯t lying¡­then what the hell are we supposed to do? Are the three of us fucked before we could even begin to understand what the hell is going on?!


    ¡°Eric Reiner?¡± Brad replied, feigning consideration. ¡°I¡¯ve heard the name but I can¡¯t say I really know the guy. Why? Are you a friend of his?¡±


    The man in black clicked his tongue a few times and laughed. ¡°Please, I would ask you not to lie to me. It won¡¯t end well for you.¡±


    ¡°Are you threatening us?¡± Evan shouted, hoping to prevent his terror from showing through as he faced him. ¡°Cause we aren¡¯t lying! We don¡¯t know this Reiner guy and that¡¯s that! So beat it, fucker! We can¡¯t help you.¡±


    He cocked an eyebrow and gazed at Evan, seemingly sizing him up, before his attention shifted to the girl behind him. ¡°You in the back,¡± he said. ¡°You are Rina Davens, yes?¡±


    All three of them stared at him in shock and Evan once again struggled to understand what was happening.


    How does he know Rina?!


    Before he could push Rina back, the girl hesitantly stepped forward, her expression a mix of terror and determination. ¡°I-I am. Who are you? How do you know me?¡±


    The man grinned. ¡°My apologies. I guess I should have introduced myself first. I am Nigreos Noctis, Master of Darkness at the Ijirian Citadel. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.¡±


    Nigreos Noctis? Ijirian Citadel? Are these even words?! This has to be the guy Reiner warned us about! There¡¯s no way it isn¡¯t! Who else would look like that, but¡­ Evan swallowed nervously. That means he¡¯s the one who killed all those people at the diner and the nurses at the hospital! Is he actually gonna kill us, too?! Was Reiner really telling the truth?!


    ¡°What do you want with us?¡± Evan demanded.


    Nigreos glanced at him once more and snorted. ¡°I want to speak with Eric Reiner¡­and I want each and every person who has ever touched our relic. That is what I want.¡±


    ¡°Then fuck off!¡± Evan snarled. ¡°Like we said, we don¡¯t know Reiner and we certainly don¡¯t give two shits about your relic!¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not true,¡± Nigreos stated. ¡°I have it on good authority that Miss Rina Davens has touched the stone and personally knows Reiner.¡±


    ¡°A-and¡­who told you that?¡± Rina asked.


    Nigreos chuckled once more. ¡°Alice Mendez did, young lady.¡±


    Rina¡¯s eyes went wide and she stepped backwards, but despite her obvious fear, her features began to contort into anger. ¡°Give Alice back,¡± she breathed. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt her! She hasn¡¯t done anything wrong!¡±


    ¡°Well, I suppose we could barter, but you¡¯d have to give me what I want,¡± he replied, spreading his arms out casually. ¡°So, why don¡¯t you answer my question and we can wrap this up peacefully.¡±


    With that, Brad stepped forward and raised his fists up in front of him, eyeing Nigreos cautiously. ¡°You¡¯re lying,¡± he said firmly. ¡°We already know what you¡¯re doing. You¡¯re going to kill Mendez regardless because she¡¯s already touched that stone! Don¡¯t think you can pull one over on us!¡±


    Nigreos narrowed his eyes. ¡°So you have no intention of cooperating?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Brad stated. ¡°So go away. We don¡¯t want anything to do with you, and I¡¯m not gonna let you hurt either of them!¡±


    Evan stared in shock as his old friend placed himself between them and Nigreos.


    What¡¯s he doing?! Didn¡¯t he hear what Reiner said about this guy?!


    However, just as he asked himself that question, he saw Brad briefly glance back at him, and the look in his eyes clearly communicated his intention.


    He wanted them to run.


    But I can¡¯t just leave him behind and especially not with this fucker! What the hell is wrong with him?!


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­unfortunate,¡± Nigreos replied. ¡°It¡¯s too bad there¡¯s nothing you can do to stop us though. Yet, it¡¯s honorable nonetheless. May you vanish knowing you had a good heart.¡±


    Before anybody could say anything more, and without any warning, a sudden flash of light blinded Evan for a mere few seconds, and he instinctively grabbed Rina to pull her out of harm''s way. As his vision began to return, he heard a soft grunt, and when the scene before him cleared again, he could only stare in utter horror.


    A pale white hand was protruding from the back of Brad, blood dripping from its fingertips.


    ¡°W-what the¡­fuck?¡± Evan uttered.


    ¡°Erasurei.¡±


    The cold words echoed through his ears and, barely a second later, Brad¡¯s body began to crumble. It was as if a tremor shot through him and right before his eyes, his friend''s torso split in half, dust exploding from the cut. Evan couldn¡¯t bring himself to move. He could only gape like a fool as Brad Fischer faded into nothingness.

 Chapter 20- The Boy And The Masters

    Chapter XX


    Eric Reiner was just passing down Doris Street when he heard a sudden shriek from his left. He exhaled sharply and turned to stare in the direction he heard it. For a moment, he simply stood there, waiting for any other noise that might give him a better idea of what might have happened but when the world went silent once again, a wave of fear washed over him.


    That came from the forest, didn¡¯t it? Doesn¡¯t Wright usually head down that way? He didn¡¯t want to even consider the possibility that something might have already happened, but he knew that if he didn¡¯t check and something happened then he wouldn¡¯t ever be able to forgive himself. It can¡¯t be possible. Not now¡­ Please¡­


    Eric frantically glanced around the empty neighborhood street then, once he was sure he was alone, he readjusted his backpack and bent his knees.


    ¡°Proto,¡± he chanted softly.


    The magic exploded under his feet and he was launched into the air, soaring over the roof of a house before landing atop the fence of their backyard. He briefly checked over his shoulder to make sure nobody had seen him, then chanted proto again and shot into the forest beyond. He kept in the air, darting from branch to branch and closely watching the ground below.


    Where did that scream come from?! It had to be around here, right?!


    He was desperate to make sure it wasn¡¯t Evan, Rina, or Brad. He had been praying that Nigreos would wait until the time limit was up before he made a move, but he also knew that trusting the Master of Darkness to stick to his word would be a mistake. He needed to be ready for anything, but at the same time, there was very little he could do. That monster had almost killed him and Nigreos was sure to be far more powerful than it. If the Master was the cause of the scream, he knew he could very well be sprinting to his death.


    But I have to check. For all I know, some bear wandered too close to the town and scared some kids. Maybe it doesn¡¯t have anything to do with Nigreos at all!


    Moments later, he heard shouting off to his right, so he landed on a nearby branch and pushed off in that direction, all the while listening closely in an attempt to identify if the voice sounded familiar. As he got closer, he began to feel progressively sicker, praying that he was getting worked up for no reason. Unfortunately, those prayers were ignored. He softly landed on a branch up in the canopy of one of the taller trees where he got a clear view of the forest trail below.


    No¡­ Please no¡­


    Evan Wright was standing in front of Rina Davens with his arms outstretched, his eyes wide in both fury and terror as he faced down two figures nearly twenty yards ahead of him. Eric slowly turned his head, taking care not to make any noise, and followed Evan¡¯s gaze to where his opponents stood.


    God damn it¡­ It¡¯s him.


    Nigreos Noctis didn¡¯t look as if he¡¯d aged even a day. He appeared identical to the man he saw the night his mother was taken away from him. It was the same black suit, pale white eyes, and firm features. Eric clenched his fists, feeling anger boiling up inside him as he took in the visage of the man he saw that day.


    I¡¯d never forget his face. I¡¯d never forget that distinct appearance. If there was any doubt before, it¡¯s certainly gone now. This is Nigreos Noctis. But¡­who¡¯s the woman with him?


    Beside Nigreos was his complete antithesis. While she wore a similarly styled suit, she was almost glowing a pure white. She stood tall and elegant, with long white hair and stern black eyes, a stark contrast to Nigreos¡¯s powerful build. They were complementary to each other and Eric knew without even having to think about it that she was an Ijirian as well.


    He didn¡¯t come alone?! But then, who is she? She can¡¯t possibly be another Master, right? Because if she is, then there truly is no hope. We couldn¡¯t fight Nigreos if he were by himself, let alone if another Master stands by his side!


    Panic spread through him as he scanned the scene for Brad, who he knew had gone after Evan, but there was no immediate sign of him. Only Evan and Rina stood on the trail, facing Nigreos and his partner in white.


    Hopefully Brad¡¯s already on his way home! For now¡­I have to do something! I have to save Evan and Rina somehow¡­even if it means risking my life!


    ¡°You¡¯ve been warned,¡± Nigreos called over. ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do now, but if you wish to stand and fight, then you, too, can meet an honorable end. However, I would advise that you do as we say. Give us Eric Reiner. Even if you don¡¯t know where he is, I know Miss Davens does. One way or another, you¡¯ll do as we say.¡±


    So they are after me¡­ I guess that¡¯s not surprising. They want the stone, after all.


    Eric took a deep breath, prepared to jump down and face them himself. He knew Evan wouldn¡¯t protect him at the cost of his own life. Even Rina would give them up. Neither held any love for them, and Evan almost certainly sought revenge after what happened and Eric couldn¡¯t even blame them. It only made sense.


    Believing there was no hope, Eric was taken by surprise when Evan suddenly shouted.


    ¡°No! How many times do we have to tell you,¡± he snarled. ¡°We don¡¯t know anything! I-I refuse! You can do whatever you want to me! It won¡¯t change fucking reality!¡±


    Nigreos narrowed his eyes and sighed. ¡°Why must you all be such a pain? Honestly, you¡¯re all far more confident than you should be and in the end, it¡¯s only going to cost you more pain than is necessary.¡±


    ¡°Just fuck off!¡± Evan shrieked desperately. ¡°Get the fuck away from us! I won¡¯t let you hurt anybody and there¡¯s no way in hell I¡¯ll let you touch Rina!¡±


    Wright¡­he¡¯s actually defending us? But¡­I don¡¯t get it. Why would he¡ª?


    Without any sort of warning, a sudden flash of light shot toward him, giving him barely a second to react. The moment it entered his vision, he pushed off the branch and darted down toward the trail. He managed to land on his feet, but the extra weight of his backpack almost threw him off. When he raised his head, the branch he¡¯d been crouched on hit the ground in a crackling of sparks, a light fire burning the part that had been severed from the tree. For a brief second, he stared at it dumbfounded before quickly recollecting himself.


    I should have known there was no point in hiding. Not from them.


    He straightened his posture, determined to confront them with as much confidence as he could muster, and faced the black and white figures ahead of him. He ensured that Evan and Rina were to his back, wanting to make sure they were safe to run. The unfamiliar woman had her arm outstretched and her dark eyes were fixated on him, a slight smile curling the corner of her lips. He quickly gathered that she was the one who tried to shoot him down, noting that her magic must be related to light in some way. Then, gathering as much courage as he could, he turned his attention toward Nigreos Noctis.


    Unlike his partner, Nigreos was gaping at him in surprise. So many emotions seemed to be swirling within his white eyes and Eric found himself proud to have thrown him off even a little bit. Yet, even he couldn¡¯t deny that he was also slightly surprised himself. He expected Nigreos to face him with anger and determination, but instead, the man seemed scared¡ªas if he hadn¡¯t wanted to face Eric yet.


    And my sense¡­ There¡¯s no doubt that both of them are ridiculously dangerous, he thought. But¡­why do I feel more malice and hatred from the woman in white? Shouldn¡¯t Nigreos be the one it''s warning me of?


    His sixth sense had always been reliable, helping him to determine who could be trusted and who couldn¡¯t. He always deferred to it when meeting new people and he had expected Nigreos to set it off, but if he was being warned about her more than him, then it just made him all the more terrified to know who she was.


    ¡°I thought I sensed another presence,¡± the woman mused smugly. ¡°But I never expected you to fall right into our lap, Mr. Reiner. And with the relic on you even.¡±


    Eric narrowed his eyes. So she can sense the gem? I guess that shouldn¡¯t be all that shocking. Maybe¡­I can use it to barter with them somehow. I know it¡¯s a shot in the dark, but it¡¯s all I¡¯ve got for now.


    ¡°Well, you wanted to speak with me, it would seem,¡± he replied, trying his best to suppress his fear and hatred. ¡°Wright. Davens. I appreciate your help, but I¡¯ll take it from here. You guys can go home now.¡±


    ¡°No, they cannot,¡± the woman replied. ¡°As you already know, they are¡ª¡±


    ¡°Perkari!¡±


    He cut the woman off with a flick of his wrist, sending a burst of air straight for her chest. Her body instantly began to glow a bright white, as if she had become a being of pure energy, and the burst passed right through her. She returned to normal seconds later and her expression remained unamused. He hadn¡¯t expected it to land, rather it gave him a good idea of what she could do.


    ¡°So you intend to fight?¡± she asked, a warning tone in her voice. ¡°Is that what you¡¯ve decided on even though we¡¯ve already told you what will happen if you do?¡±


    This time, he ignored her completely as he turned his head to glance back at Evan and Rina, both gazing back at him in fear. He nodded firmly, forcing as cheerful of a smile as he could.


    ¡°Please, run. I¡¯ll hold them off. Just get somewhere safe and don¡¯t come back, okay?¡± he said softly. ¡°I¡¯ve got this.¡±


    He then stared directly into Evan¡¯s eyes, knowing he was the one that would be the hardest to convince. The boy stared back and seemed to understand what Eric was going to do, for he simply nodded back at him, grabbed Rina¡¯s hand, and turned back the way they had come. Rina jumped up as well and followed, but not without a few terrified looks back over her shoulder. Content that they would be safe, Eric turned back toward the Ijirians, prepared to fend them off while his classmates escaped, but found them both merely standing there, watching him.


    ¡°You do know that¡¯s pointless,¡± the woman inquired. ¡°Once we¡¯re done with you, we¡¯ll simply track them down. It won¡¯t take long.¡±


    Eric shrugged, raising his fists out in front of him and sending his power swirling around his arms, ready for use at the first sign of hostility from either of them. He was surprised that the woman was the one taking the lead on the conversation. Thus far, only Nigreos had attempted to make contact with them, but the Master of Darkness had only stood by in silence since Eric¡¯s arrival. It only called into question who was really in charge between the two of them, and he feared that if it were the woman, then she would most certainly be a Master as well.


    ¡°I remember you, you know,¡± he said, once again ignoring her and speaking directly to Nigreos. ¡°I remember that night¡ªthe night you took my mother away from me.¡±


    Nigreos¡¯s eyes widened and a pained look crossed his face. ¡°You do, do you?¡± he asked softly. ¡°Then you¡¯ll remember that I spared you once before, Eric Reiner. By law, I should have erased both you and your father, yet I kept you a secret because your mother was a dear friend of mine. I can save you again. We need not be enemies.¡±


    The woman glanced irritably up at the man, but kept quiet, allowing him to now lead the conversation. Eric filed that observation away, then shook his head.


    ¡°No,¡± he stated flatly. ¡°You are my enemy. I am not opposed to negotiations, but you already took my good friend away from me. You killed innocent people at that diner and you erased Vinny from this world so unless you can bring them back, I will not ever see you as anything more than a murderer!¡±


    Nigreos shook his head, his brow furrowed in confusion. ¡°Mr. Mickelson¡­is not dead, Reiner. He is simply gone from this realm of existence¡­somewhere far away.¡±


    ¡°Then bring him back!¡± Eric snarled.


    At this, the woman stepped forward, her hand raised toward him as if prepared to strike. ¡°You are not the one in a position to make bargains. You are at our mercy and therefore, you will do as we say. You will return the relic and you will give yourself up, along with every other magicless person who touched that stone. If you refuse, then we will eradicate you with force.¡±


    Eric clenched his teeth, knowing she would be able to make good on that threat and realizing there truly was very little he could do to stop them. Yet, he stood his ground regardless. He couldn¡¯t back down anymore. If they killed him there then they would have killed him later anyway. At the very least, he hoped to take them down with him. If his friends could be safe, his life was a small price to pay.


    But¡­I don¡¯t even know if I¡¯d be able to kill them. That¡¯s only a last resort. Clearly, this woman has no interest in negotiations, but Nigreos might be open. I simply have to try.


    ¡°You called yourself a friend of my mother?¡± he demanded of the man. ¡°Then tell me¡­do you think she would want this to happen? These people you want to erase¡­are more important to me than I could ever articulate! If they die, I have nothing left! If you¡¯re truly her friend then you would spare us! I¡¯ll return your relic so just leave this town and go back to Ijiria! Leave us alone!¡±


    Nigreos slowly shook his head, crushing any hope that he may have had to reason with him. ¡°I can¡¯t do that,¡± he stated. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ve already done what I could for your mother and now, I¡¯m out of chances. I can spare you, but not them. So, either you come with us back to Ijiria and live where you were meant to live, or you die with your friends.¡±


    Eric narrowed his eyes in challenge. ¡°That¡¯s not even a question. I would never abandon them! If they die then I¡¯ll die with them! Don¡¯t think I¡¯m scared of you! If it¡¯s to save them, I¡¯ll take you both down no matter how much blood I have to give! They mean the world to me and I¡¯m not going to leave them to die!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a fool, Eric Reiner,¡± the woman snapped. ¡°If you aren¡¯t scared of us, then you really don¡¯t understand the position you¡¯re in. Clearly you already know Nigreos, but allow me to introduce myself. I am Album Luz, the Master of Light.¡±


    Despite his resolve, he couldn¡¯t stop his features from contorting in horror at her words. No¡­ Another Master?! Are you kidding me?! There¡¯s two of them?! How in the hell am I supposed to fight them! It was hopeless before, but now¡­


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    Album smiled darkly. ¡°I see you understand what that means. Then you know there¡¯s nothing you can do. Even with your powers, Nigreos and I could kill you without effort. You¡¯re a child. So you should be scared. Your life is in our hands.¡±


    He was scared. He was more scared at that moment than he had ever been in his life. Two Masters of Ijiria were standing before him, prepared to kill him if he forced them, and they wanted to wipe out everything he had built in Wilham. His fate was in their hands, and yet he refused to give them the satisfaction of seeing him shake. If he went down, it was going to be with as strong of a fight as he could give.


    ¡°I¡¯m not scared of you!¡± he repeated. ¡°Nigreos! Album! Give me all you¡¯ve got, because I¡¯m not backing down! This is my town and if you want to take it away from me, then you¡¯ll have to kill me! I¡¯m not going with you! I¡¯m not leaving them behind!¡±


    He felt his power surging within his body, the wind expanding from his arms to swirl around his entire form. He knew their conversation would soon be coming to an end, and then, he would have to give it everything he had.


    ¡°Reiner, please!¡± Nigreos shouted. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to end this way! Think about this!¡±


    Eric swiftly shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to think about. I will never abandon them! There¡¯s nothing you could ever offer me that would ever change my mind!¡±


    While Nigreos clearly sought to work things out peacefully, Album only eyed him challengingly.


    ¡°So be it, Mr. Reiner. Then you¡¯ll die¡­just like your mother did.¡±


    He had been ready.


    He had gathered the resolve to fight them to the death and Album shattered that all with one simple sentence. His eyes went wide and with that brief hesitation, he felt the swirling of his power recede back into his wrists.


    ¡°Album, don¡¯t,¡± Nigreos hissed, but the woman ignored him.


    ¡°Is that all it takes?¡± she inquired darkly. ¡°All that confidence reduced to a child¡¯s terror with a few mere words?¡±


    Eric took a step back, shaking his head in panic. ¡°N-no. What are you¡­? You¡¯re just trying to get in my head!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± she stated. ¡°Your mother was also determined to fight and in the end, she lost her life.¡±


    ¡°Album, shut up!¡± Nigreos snarled, but she ignored him, continuing on with more fervor than before.


    ¡°She was far more powerful, far more trained, than you are, and Nigreos was still able to overcome her. She rebelled against Ijiria and he was forced to kill her. If you¡¯d like to wind up dead like her, then by all means, fight us, Mr. Reiner.¡±


    The woman was smiling and he knew she was enjoying herself. He wanted to shout at her that she was lying, deny everything she was saying, yet he sensed no deception in her words. Even his sense failed to warn him if she was lying or not. All that time, he¡¯d been waiting for his mom to return and he always told himself that she would. She promised to come home and make up for the lost time. She told him that she would train him in magic. He knew she¡¯d come back. He¡¯d been telling himself that all this time.


    So¡­why am I not surprised?


    Somewhere deep inside, he had known. It had been ten years since she left and there was still no sign of her. Every time he considered the possibility that she was dead, he shoved it deep inside and refused to acknowledge it, but he knew the truth. No matter what, his mother would never have abandoned him for so long. She would have found some way to come back. The only reason she wouldn¡¯t have returned was if she had been dead.


    ¡°Reiner,¡± Nigreos began hesitantly. ¡°It¡¯s a delicate subject, but let¡¯s talk about this. Stand down and we can¡ª¡±


    ¡°Did you kill her?¡± he breathed. ¡°Did you kill my mother, Nigreos?¡±


    The Master of Darkness stared back at him, his eyes narrowed in consideration. ¡°Reiner¡­¡±


    ¡°Perkari!¡±


    He lashed out in such fury that the burst of wind launched from his hand with more power than he had ever used. Nigreos barely jumped out of the way, the burst passing right by his head and smashing into the trunk of a tree behind him, sending splinters of wood shooting out in all directions.


    I¡¯m going to stop them! This man¡­ He killed Mom! He took her away from me! She¡¯s never coming home because of him! And now¡­he murdered all those people at the diner and he¡­and he killed Vinny! He¡¯s taken so much from me! I won¡¯t let him have anything else! I won¡¯t lose anything else to this monster!


    ¡°Reiner, just think about this!¡± Nigreos shouted.


    But he ignored him, opening his mouth to send another burst his way, yet before he could do so, another flash of light blinded him, and a sudden pain erupted in his chest, propelling him backwards. He almost lost his footing and barely managed to stay standing, but when his vision cleared, Album¡¯s face was only inches away from his. He stared into her pitch black eyes and could feel her breath against his cheek. He exhaled sharply and he slowly lowered his head to see her hand shoved straight through his chest.


    ¡°Album!¡± he heard Nigreos shriek.


    ¡°You never stood a chance,¡± she whispered. ¡°In the end, your fate was sealed, Eric Reiner.¡± The woman smiled, but it wasn¡¯t the smug grin he had expected. There was a hint of sadness in her eyes as she whispered, ¡°Erasurei.¡±


    My sweet child. I¡¯ll never let them harm you. I¡¯ll always be right here, by your side.


    Album¡¯s features suddenly contorted in shock and a second later, her body lurched backwards, flying across the trail in a flash of light before smashing into a tree and collapsing at its base, unmoving. Eric stared blankly at it, hardly processing what had happened, and when he turned back to his chest, he found her arm still sticking out of it, blood oozing from the stump just above her elbow. He realized he wasn¡¯t feeling any pain and when he absently reached up to tug it out, he still felt fine. He yanked the pale arm from his chest and, while his clothes were torn and stained red, his body was fine, as if there had never been a cut in the first place. He tossed the arm aside and raised his head.


    Album was still laying beside the tree, her eyes barely open as she gaped at the stump of her right arm, and Nigreos was in the same place as before, looking between the two of them as if failing to understand what had just occurred.


    I don¡¯t know what just happened, Eric thought, stunned. But I¡¯m not letting this opportunity pass me up!


    ¡°Proto!¡± he snarled, sending all his mana throughout his body as he lunged at Nigreos, prepared to bring the murderer of his mother down.


    ***


    Nigreos reacted seconds before Eric reached him.


    ¡°Coreas!¡± he chanted, waving his arms in the direction of the oncoming boy.


    The moment the words left his lips, the shadows of the surrounding forest came to life, bursting out from behind the trees and flying straight toward Eric. With speed that surprised him, the boy raised his own hands, not showing any fear as the black tendrils began to close in on him.


    ¡°Nex!¡±


    A shield of air erupted from Eric¡¯s fingertips, stopping the shadows from reaching him, but at the same time, his progress was slowed, giving Nigreos the time he needed to rush toward where Album lay. He didn¡¯t have any idea what just happened and he was still struggling to process it. He had been determined to work things out peacefully between them and Eric, wanting to spare the boy¡¯s life, but Album kept antagonizing him. He understood what her goals were. She was trying to force Nigreos¡¯s hand and make it so that they wouldn¡¯t have a choice but to erase Eric. She wanted him to hate them so much that reasoning with him would be impossible.


    And she succeeded, he thought bitterly, watching as the furious boy propelled himself up into the trees, putting distance between the two of them. Eric¡¯s eyes were fixated on him, and his bloodlust was clear in the dark gaze directed down at him. I don¡¯t have a damn choice! He¡¯s going to fight me until his energy runs out so I¡¯ll just have to incapacitate him and hope we can talk this out!


    He glanced back at Album, whose back was pressed up against the tree. She was already using magic to stop the bleeding of her arm, but her skin was even paler than normal and her eyes were half-lidded.


    What happened to her?! I¡¯ve never seen an attempt at erasing fail, let alone with as much backlash against the eraser as that!


    Album had moved to erase Eric without his consent, and while he had been furious at her decision, he now realized that it revealed yet another anomaly regarding the boy. Contacting him via mind magic was impossible, and now they saw the repercussions of trying to erase him. Everything was contradicting what he had expected, and he no longer knew what to think.


    Damn it! Well, with Album down, we can¡¯t try erasing him again¡­and I doubt that would be a good idea even if we could. I can¡¯t kill him so I¡¯ll just have to take him down and capture him! We can question him from there!


    Nigreos brought the mana to his fingertips just as Eric sent another few bursts of air flying his way. The shadows erupted around him, stopping the attacks before they could reach his body. However, the boy reacted quickly once again. He dodged into the trees, using wind magic to go further into the forest, as if attempting to escape. Yet, Nigreos could tell that wasn¡¯t the case. He was simply trying to lure him into the denser trees.


    This just shows how little you know, boy. Over there, in the shadows, is my home turf!


    Nigreos glanced back down at Album and cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    She scoffed weakly and scowled back at him. ¡°Just go get him.¡±


    He nodded, then took off running into the trees and in the direction Eric had gone. He sent the shadows swirling around him, concealing his presence from wherever the boy might be hiding. The sun was just below the horizon now and if he could hold him off for a little while longer, there would be enough darkness to incapacitate him in an instant. He could hear Eric moving around up above, but no attacks came his way. Instead, it sounded like he was simply sprinting around in the trees, avoiding staying in one spot for long.


    Well, it seems he has some sort of strategy, Nigreos thought. I shouldn¡¯t underestimate him. He¡¯s already escaped the nerich. Clearly he isn¡¯t a fool.


    ¡°Eric!¡± he called out, lowering the shadows enough that he could speak with him. ¡°Enough of this! Stand down! You can¡¯t beat me!¡±


    Sensing the presence of the relic to his right, Nigreos turned and stared up into the canopies to see the boy standing upon a branch, staring down at him with fury in his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stand down if you leave,¡± he snarled back. ¡°I¡¯m not losing anybody else to you, Nigreos! If you choose to remain in Wilham, then I will fight you with everything I¡¯ve got!¡±


    ¡°Damn it, boy!¡± He scowled. ¡°Coreas!¡±


    Once again, the shadows went directly for him, but the element of surprise was all but gone. Eric dodged from the branch right as the shadows destroyed it, moving further up into the trees and out of sight. However, he had the relic on him and so, tracking his mana was easier. Yet, it wasn¡¯t as strong as it should have been. They were still close enough to the school that the pocket realm¡¯s power was faint, and combined with Eric¡¯s own mana, the distinction was harder to make.


    Nigreos grit his teeth and sent the shadows crashing into every spot he sensed the boy¡¯s presence, always barely missing him as he dodged and weaved through the leaves. Eric started moving further into the forest, so Nigreos took off running after him, prepared for any other wind attacks headed his way.


    ¡°Wha¡ª?!¡± he exclaimed suddenly.


    The ground beneath him burst upwards, the rock solidifying around his legs and holding him in place.


    Rock magic?! So he isn¡¯t just proficient in wind?!


    Realizing that another attack would be coming, Nigreos raised the shadows up, only to see a large ball of flame hurtling toward him. The light of the fire weakened the shadows and he quickly abandoned them, pulling up a shield of wind to blow the flames in all directions around him.


    What the hell?! How does he know all this?! Abi couldn¡¯t have taught him! She left when he was hardly seven years old!


    The fires struck the branches at the base of the trees, setting them alight. Realizing that if the forest caught fire then his dark magic would be weakened, Nigreos furiously slashed the rock around his feet apart with a burst of wind magic, then darted out of the way as another fireball struck the spot he had just been. The heat of the fire began to sear his skin as he chanted a few more spells, shooting water from his hands and engulfing the small remains of the flames before they could spread through the forest.


    ¡°Do you intend to burn this place down?!¡± Nigreos roared. ¡°All to get a little revenge?!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t intend to burn anything!¡± came the reply, yet the voice sounded as if it was echoing all around him. ¡°You won¡¯t let this place burn, will you, Nigreos?! If it does, your power won¡¯t be as strong!¡±


    That little shit! He really knows his spells. Clearly he¡¯s had some sort of teaching!


    ¡°Fine then,¡± he growled, feeling his frustration increasing. ¡°I see I¡¯ve misjudged you!¡±


    The Master of Darkness then uttered another incantation, feeling his body merge with the surrounding shadows and out of Eric¡¯s sight. His ability to be absorbed by darkness was more powerful at night, but the sun was low enough that it would serve its purpose against a child.


    I¡¯m sorry for whatever I¡¯m going to do to you, Reiner! But you¡¯re leaving me with little choice! I¡¯ll try to limit the amount of pain I inflict upon you!


    He followed the shadows of the forest up into the trees to where Eric was crouched, frantically surveying the ground for where he went. Swiftly, Nigreos emerged from the shadows and reformed his body on the branch behind him, his arm extended to send the shadows through him.


    ¡°Coreas,¡± he whispered.


    Eric exhaled sharply and instantly responded. ¡°Proto!¡±


    He flew into the air, once again barely escaping the attack as he spun around to stare back at Nigreos. This time, he wasn¡¯t going to allow himself to let the boy escape. He was taken by surprise at first, but now he was ready to defeat him. Eric was in midair and at a close enough proximity that he wouldn¡¯t be able to dodge.


    ¡°Devare!¡±


    The shadows all swarmed toward him, shooting into his mouth and yanking his body further into the air. He had no intention of killing him, but he would allow the darkness to block off his oxygen long enough to knock him out.


    I¡¯ve won, Eric. You did well, but¡ª!


    Don¡¯t think I would ever let you harm him, Nigreos.


    Without warning, the soft voice of Abi Reiner shot through his skull, and moments later, light shone through the shadows surrounding Eric. They began to disintegrate, releasing the boy from its hold and allowing him to drop down toward the forest floor. Realizing the light was following the shadows down to his fingers, Nigreos frantically cut off the spell, but not before it reached his prosthetic sensium hand. The moment it touched, the solid black metal exploded, sending a wave of pain down his arm.


    The explosion knocked his body from the branch and off the side.


    ¡°Ventus!¡± he shouted, sending wind swirling around his body to break his fall.


    When he landed, he used his left hand to pull himself to his feet and hurriedly surveyed the forest. Eric had already dashed into the trees somewhere and the power of the relic was getting further and further away. He wanted to immediately rush after him, but he couldn¡¯t bring his legs to move as he stared at the stump of his right hand.


    Why? What the hell happened to me? That was Abi¡¯s voice, but¡­


    He clenched his remaining fist as realization dawned on him. He liked to consider himself very versed in even the most rare of magics, so once it all connected in his head, an answer finally came to him. It explained every anomaly surrounding the boy that he and Album had come across, including both the inability to reach his mind and why both the erasure and the shadows failed to harm him, yet Nigreos couldn¡¯t bring himself to accept it. It was a magic he had only read about.


    ¡°Blood magic,¡± he uttered. ¡°Abi¡­ Why?¡±


    He turned and began sprinting not in the direction of Eric, but back toward where he had left Album. If he was right, then pursuing Eric was pointless. He wouldn''t be able to harm him with his own magic. Nigreos faded into the shadows once again and began to glide through them. As he did so, he summoned the shards of sensium into the darkness, allowing them to reconnect around the stump of his hand, reforming what the blood magic had destroyed.


    She couldn¡¯t have, right?! Why would she do something like that?! Did she know this day would come?! Did she fear that I would betray her someday?!


    As these thoughts went through his mind, he emerged back on the trail where Album was still laying against the tree. Her right arm was reattached to its stump and she was weakly chanting healing incantations under her breath. Without a proper healer, she wouldn¡¯t be able to feel her arm again, but if she didn¡¯t want to lose it completely, reattaching it now was the best option. They could have Iris Mackia properly heal her arm once they returned to the Citadel. She briefly glanced up at him once he arrived before turning her attention back toward her job, her features barely hiding the pain she was experiencing.


    ¡°Blood magic,¡± Nigreos said softly. ¡°Abi used blood magic. That¡¯s why you couldn¡¯t erase him.¡±


    Album smiled bitterly. ¡°Yes, Nigreos. I figured as much.¡±


    ¡°So what do we do?¡± he demanded. ¡°If we can¡¯t erase him, or even harm him, then how do we end this?!¡±


    The woman scoffed, cringing in pain once again. ¡°Don¡¯t be a fool, Nigreos. You already know the answer to that. If Abi did use blood magic, then it means only we can¡¯t magically harm him. So, send your creature after him before he escapes the forest.¡±


    Nigreos gritted his teeth. ¡°It won¡¯t work. My own magic is infused with it, Album! It¡¯s probably how he escaped it the first time!¡±


    ¡°Who said anything about magic?¡± Album snapped, fixing him with a furious stare, and he realized in that moment just how truly angry she was at this turn of events. ¡°It¡¯s got claws¡­doesn¡¯t it?¡±

 Chapter 21- As Memories Fade

    Chapter XXI


    The moment he realized that Nigreos Noctis had fled, Eric came to a stop on another branch and crouched down, waiting for any sign of another attack. The man had already taken him by surprise when he merged with the shadows and he was determined not to let that happen a second time. He kept his senses on high alert and carefully scanned the darkness that had settled in between the trees now that the sun was down. He held his breath, mana at the ready, but Nigreos never returned. Even after what felt like twenty minutes of waiting, he was still alone.


    Did he run away? No, he couldn¡¯t have! There¡¯s no chance it¡¯s going to be that easy!


    Yet, Eric couldn¡¯t help but recall the shocked look on his face when his shadows burst apart. At the time, he had simply accepted it and taken the opportunity to get as far away as possible, but now that he was being given time to gather his thoughts, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder what it was that was saving him.


    This is the third time something like this has happened, he thought. First when the monster¡¯s shadows attacked me, second was when Album stabbed me with her arm, and now with Nigreos. Every time I hear Mom¡¯s voice, I''m saved. But what does it mean? Is she protecting me somehow? But how could she be protecting me when she¡¯s¡­


    Eric exhaled softly, deciding it would be best to keep himself from finishing that sentence, not wanting to let Album¡¯s words get in his head. Instead, his thoughts shifted to Evan and Rina, and he hoped that he had bought enough time for them to get away. He didn¡¯t know what happened before his arrival that caused Rina to scream and since he didn¡¯t know where either of them lived, he would have to wait until the following morning to check in with them.


    So why them? Why did Nigreos and Album go after them so suddenly? I thought he didn¡¯t have our names yet, so why would he know to attack Evan and Rina unless¡­? He swallowed. ...could Alice have told him? I was under the impression that she wasn¡¯t giving them answers, but if he got her to talk, then we¡¯re screwed. Alice knows the name of every single person who¡¯s ever used the stone. If she talked, then they already know who their targets are. Our bargain doesn¡¯t matter.


    He shook his head. If that¡¯s true, then it really is over. Even if they can¡¯t touch me for whatever reason, they can still harm the others. Once again, it was pure luck that I was nearby when they went after Evan and Rina. But if they found them once then they¡¯ll do it again, and I can¡¯t be at everybody¡¯s side all the time.


    Eric slowly stood up, using his magic to keep himself balanced on the rather narrow branch. It was clear to him that Nigreos wasn¡¯t pursuing him anymore. He found it more likely that the Master had gone back to where they left Album by the trail.


    At the very least, maybe her condition will keep them off of us for the time being. There are spells to reattach limbs, so I¡¯ll just have to pray that neither of them are proficient enough in nature magic to use them. For now, I need to get out of here and call the others.


    He whispered an incantation and took off through the trees, heading back in the direction he had come. During his fight with Nigreos, he had tossed his backpack into the bushes so he would have more maneuverability so he jumped across a few more branches before gliding down to the forest floor. He landed softly then hurried toward the bush his backpack was laying beside.


    Good, it¡¯s still here, he thought with relief.


    It had been a big risk to toss it aside. Since his phone was in the pocket, had Nigreos found it then he could have used the information on it to both learn the faces of the club members through the photos, and even find their addresses through the contacts.


    Perhaps¡­I should clean this out. I¡¯ll upload it to a hard drive or something and save it for after this is all over¡­just in case we make it.


    He felt more defeated than he ever had and the realization that the Master of Light had accompanied Nigreos only worsened that feeling. The only chance they had was the mysterious defense within him that kept reacting to their magic, but since he didn¡¯t even know what was triggering it, he knew it would be stupid to rely on it. If he could find some way to harness and control it, or even to place it within the others, then they would have a much better chance at surviving.


    Or it would at least enable us all to put up a better fight.


    He kneeled down beside his pack and unzipped the side pocket where his phone was kept. He intended to call Lilly first and tell her what happened. The club needed to know that Album existed and that the Masters might already know their names. He no longer had the choice to keep them ignorant. Nigreos and Album were going to fight so they would have to fight back. He unlocked his phone and was pulling up Lilly¡¯s contact information when he suddenly saw the shadow to his left.


    ¡°Proto!¡± he shouted, bursting off the spot he¡¯d just been standing and back up into the trees.


    ¡°Reiner!¡± came the inhuman howl from below and when he looked back down, he saw the monster from the final day of the Spring Festival crouched beside his backpack, snarling up at him with its teeth bared.


    Damn it! I should have known this wasn¡¯t the end! Nigreos isn¡¯t just gonna let me go that easily!


    The moment he landed on a sturdy enough branch, the creature lunged toward the trunk of the tree and began to use its spider-like limbs to climb upwards. His first instinct was to run, but just as he was about to chant the spell to flee through the trees, he hesitated. The situation seemed hopeless. The combined power of Nigreos, Album, and that monster was beyond anything they could ever hope to fight. Yet, the creature was the only one here. The last time he fought it, his priority had been to protect Lilly, so he couldn¡¯t go all out. He had stuck to fleeing techniques rather than using the more destructive attacks he had learned.


    If I can beat it¡­ he thought. Then that¡¯s one less problem and perhaps¡­


    He recalled that brief moment of hesitation in the monster when Lilly had called out Alice¡¯s name. It was the lifeline she clung onto in order to convince herself that Jay wasn¡¯t gone. If she was right, then he might be able to stop the creature before it could do any more damage.


    Maybe¡­I can save Jay!


    Gritting his teeth, Eric screamed, ¡°Proto!¡±


    However, he didn¡¯t propel himself into the trees. Instead, he pushed off the branch and curved his body backwards, sending him flying over the swift attack of the monster and down into the dirt below. Once his feet were planted in the dirt, he raised his head high and brought his mana to his fists once again, facing the creature with determination.


    ¡°Bring it on, Brooks!¡± he challenged. ¡°I¡¯m not running this time!¡±


    It regarded him for a moment, its arm grasping the tree as it hung in place. Then, a wicked smile twisted its features, as if understanding his challenge, and it dropped, landing almost ten yards away from him on all fours. Eric took that as it¡¯s indication of acceptance as he tensed up, prepared to let it make the first move.


    Alright, I need to beat it somehow, but at the same time, I can¡¯t kill it. This is still Jay! I¡¯m going to save you, Jay! I¡¯m going to pull you out of whatever it is that¡¯s taken you over! After all this time, I¡¯m bringing you back!


    After a moment of silence, the creature let out a shrill screech that echoed throughout the forest, then rushed from its position, its claws at the ready to strike him down. This time, Eric knew what to expect. He knew what it was like and how it moved and attacked. There was no longer any surprise and that made it seem slightly less daunting to stand before it.


    ¡°Condite!¡± he chanted, waving his hands toward the oncoming monster.


    Like last time, the invisible ropes wrapped around its body, but the same way Eric knew what to expect, so did the monster. It had faced that spell numerous times during their first encounter and so it was barely a second before the black shadows exploded from its body and severed them all. That was what Eric hoped for. Without breaking his stride, the boy took advantage of that brief moment and quickly placed his hand against the tree trunk to his right.


    ¡°Arbourus!¡± he snarled.


    With that, the dirt around the monster suddenly exploded as the roots of the tree burst upwards, attempting to wrap themselves around its limbs. It shrieked in surprise, but was barely able to avoid the attack as it launched itself up into the air.


    ¡°Perkari!¡±


    With it suspended in midair, Eric knew it would be an easier target, so he flung a burst of wind straight for its chest. This one hit home, sending the creature flying backwards and into the base of a nearby tree. Yet, while it did strike the creature, it wasn¡¯t enough to keep it down. The moment it hit the tree, it shook itself off and swung around it, putting it out of Eric¡¯s range. He could hear it jumping up into the canopies and so he knew he couldn¡¯t stay put. Sending the mana to his legs, he propelled from his position and flew upwards just as the creature burst from the leaves. Having realized that he was already on the move, when it landed, it immediately jumped upwards and after him.


    Deciding that speed really was his only option, he took into account what worked against it the first time and decided to use it in a more offensive method. Eric spun around and placed his legs against the trunk of a tree then pushed off it and swung toward the ground. Just like the last time, he never stayed in one spot for longer than a second. At the same time, he shouted just about every attack that came to mind between his launches.


    ¡°Perkari!¡±


    ¡°Proto!¡±


    ¡°Condite!¡±


    ¡°Proto!¡±


    He kept to the same stretch of land, never wanting to put his backpack too far off, as he bounced from a trunk to the ground to the branches and then back down, hurling every manner of attack at the creature. His bursts of wind were easy for it to dodge, but the few times he used the ropes, it stopped it in its tracks long enough for him to get a few hits in. The creature was fast, but its long limbs made it hard for it to move as quickly with so many trees around them. Eric, however, was on his home turf. When he first realized he had magic, this was where he had gone to practice his spells. He knew he would have privacy so he spent many afternoons after club out in these trees, simply jumping around.


    I¡¯m not going to lose here! he screamed internally. I don¡¯t want to lose anything else! Vinny¡¯s already gone and for all I know, more will follow! I won¡¯t let them win! I can¡¯t let them win! And the first step in fighting them is to save Jay!


    With a plan forming in his mind, Eric ceased his wind attacks and glanced back to see the monster on the forest floor, using its shadows to take out a few more ropes. When he landed atop a branch and stood tall, staring down at it with resolve, the creature glared up at him, and he could see the frustration burning in its black eyes. Eric placed his hand against the tree to steady himself and forced a cocky smile to his face.


    ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got?!¡± he taunted. ¡°You¡¯ll need to be better than that to defeat me! I am Eric Reiner of the Magical and Other Anomalies Investigation Team! I shall not fall so easily, creature of darkness!¡±


    The monster narrowed its eyes and screeched once again, then sprung from its spot, directing itself straight toward him¡ªexactly as Eric had hoped he would. The boy grinned and sent mana swirling from his hand and into the tree trunk beside him, feeling it flowing into the very forest around them.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°Arobor!¡± he snarled.


    All at once, the numerous branches of the trees began to shoot toward it. Unlike last time, it wasn¡¯t on the ground where it could easily jump away, rather it was in the air. Something Eric had quickly learned about the creature was that it wasn¡¯t intelligent. It was a being of pure power and rage, but there wasn¡¯t any strategy in the way it fought. It might adapt to a certain extent, but if the conditions were changed enough, then it could fall into the same trap.


    And it keeps forgetting just how vulnerable it is in midair! And when I can turn the entire forest against it, it doesn¡¯t stand a damn chance!


    The branches of the trees wrapped around its arms and legs, yanking it away from where Eric stood. However, they didn¡¯t stop there. They wrapped around its hairy torso and its neck, making sure there wasn¡¯t a single spot that wasn¡¯t contained. It screeched and lunged in attempts to escape, but it wasn¡¯t able to. The trees were too strong and he knew it would use its shadows at any moment. So, Eric put the next stage of his plan into effect. Using his magic, he jumped down to the forest below and placed his left hand against the ground.


    ¡°Carseka!¡± he chanted, taking the rest of his mana and sending it into the ground, all the while using the power in his right hand to bring the branches lower.


    As he expected, shadows burst from the monster¡¯s body, but since the trees weren¡¯t as brittle as air, they didn¡¯t all break at once, buying Eric enough time to bring the monster to the ground. The moment its feet touched the dirt, rock exploded from beneath it, rising up along its legs and toward its torso. The boy then called off the branches, allowing them to release it just as the stone engulfed its body, leaving only its head free to move. It was a similar trick he used against Nigreos. While he had spent a lot of time focusing on wind magic, he still knew enough about the other basic affinities to use simple spells.


    And with any luck, rock should be harder for it to break out of.


    The creature frantically moved its head around, its black eyes fixated on Eric with a bloodlust that sent shivers through his body. He remained crouched down, keeping what little mana he had left at the ready just in case his plan didn¡¯t work. When almost a minute had passed, Eric exhaled in relief and rose to his feet, feeling the fatigue of battle threatening to pull him down as he strode toward the captured creature.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s talk, Jay,¡± he began softly.


    As he spoke, the monster stopped struggling, but it never looked away from him. ¡°I¡­will kill you!¡± it rasped. ¡°You will die, Reiner! I will kill you!¡±


    Eric cocked an eyebrow in irritation. ¡°I¡¯m not talking to you, monster. I¡¯m speaking to Jay.¡±


    A low growl escaped its lips, and Eric felt his body shaking as he stared the creature down, but he knew this was likely his only chance to get through to his friend. So, ignoring its growls, he took a deep breath and spoke.


    ¡°Jay. Alice is in danger.¡±


    Just like the last time, its fury receded for just a moment, as if the name was enough to summon the original host of the body. Not wanting to give the monster time to take over again, Eric went on.


    ¡°Nigreos and Album have her locked up somewhere, though I am still unsure of where that is,¡± he said. ¡°They are going to kill her, Jay. Alice Mendez is going to die and I can¡¯t do anything about it. But you¡­you might know where Nigreos is hiding. You might be able to save her. Are you really going to let Alice die after everything the two of you have been through?¡±


    Its eyes went wide and Eric could tell that his words were getting through to him, so he took another few steps forward to stand right in front of the mound of rock that contained it. He then gently placed his hands on Jay¡¯s face and looked directly into his eyes.


    ¡°Please, Jay. Don¡¯t let Alice die. Save her. Save Alice.¡±


    ¡°But I¡­¡± it rasped. ¡°She¡¯s an enemy! She¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Your best friend,¡± he finished. ¡°She is not your enemy. She is the enemy of whatever is inside of you. You don¡¯t have the same goals, so take back the body that is rightfully yours and save your friend.¡±


    Eric smiled, wanting to communicate to Jay that he was there for him, then muttered, ¡°Somun.¡±


    The last bit of mana left in his body shot into Jay¡¯s head, knocking him unconscious. Eric sighed in relief then stepped away from the creature, realizing just how hard his heart had been beating. He kept expecting the monster to wake up again but when it was clear that it truly was beaten, it dawned on him that despite the odds, he had done it.


    I won against him. I actually won.


    With that realization, his emotions began to overwhelm him and tears started to flow down his cheeks as he turned and made his way back toward his backpack.


    ***


    Lilly Harper was laying alone in her bedroom, staring up at the ceiling as she tried to calm herself down. Ever since leaving the clubroom, her anxiety had been through the roof, and she had even thrown up once. She was a mess and she couldn¡¯t do anything to change that. Her thoughts were dominated only by Nigreos Noctis and the fate that awaited her, the club, and all others they had cursed with that gemstone. It was already the evening of Thursday and their deadline was Monday. For all she knew, her life could end in a matter of days. She could be experiencing the final days of her life and that utterly terrified her. But what was even worse was the guilt. She didn¡¯t care what Damien had said. If they couldn¡¯t work something out with Nigreos then Natalie was going to die all because of her¡ªbecause she couldn¡¯t listen to her instincts and keep the little girl away from their magic.


    ¡°You were trying to do some good! The gem might have marked them, but you can¡¯t forget why you did what you did! You wanted them to be happy!¡±


    She scoffed at Damien¡¯s words and shook her head.


    It doesn¡¯t matter. If Natalie had never seen the sunset, she would live. She could have a happy life. Sure, she¡¯d forget about me, but her mother cares about her. Renee would be there for her. But nobody can defend her against Nigreos. She¡¯ll die and she probably won¡¯t ever understand why. Lilly grit her teeth. I hope she hates me. I hope that if she dies, she hates me for what I did to her. I never should have used it on her. I¡¯m pathetic. I¡¯m terrible.


    She rolled over in bed and yanked her covers over her body as the door to the bedroom opened. She already knew it was Alexa since she didn¡¯t knock, so she pretended to be asleep. Her big sister had been worrying about her for months, so Lilly couldn¡¯t imagine what she would think if she caught wind of what was happening.


    ¡°Hey, Lil¡¯?¡± her sister said softly. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Lilly grunted. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°O-okay¡­I just thought I¡¯d check. You didn¡¯t really eat anything tonight and¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡±


    Alexa didn¡¯t respond right away, and Lilly hoped she would just turn around and leave. She knew that if she broke down into tears then Alexa would know for a fact something was up. She had to be strong and keep her family from knowing what was happening.


    After all, if I disappear, they¡¯ll never know anything happened. They can be happily blind. That¡¯s at least comforting. I wouldn¡¯t want to leave them behind to suffer.


    ¡°How¡¯s Reiner been? Is he any better?¡± her sister asked, breaking the silence.


    Lilly clenched her fists at Alexa¡¯s persistence. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Please just leave. I¡¯m sorry, Alexa. I wish I could be more open with you, but I just can¡¯t. Just leave me alone and in a few days, it¡¯ll be like none of this ever happened. You can stop stressing over me so much. You can relax.


    As she waited for her sister¡¯s inevitable response, the silence in the room was broken by the ringing of her cellphone on the bedside table. Her heart felt like it stopped as she pushed herself up and hurriedly reached for it to check the caller.


    Eric? He¡¯s calling me now? Why? Did he figure something out¡­or has something happened?


    Feeling the dread settling in, she ignored Alexa¡¯s surprised look and answered the phone. ¡°Eric? What''s up?¡± she asked immediately, trying to hide the fear in her voice. ¡°Is everything alright?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­I¡¯m honestly not sure,¡± he muttered.


    Lilly frowned. ¡°Not sure? Why? What does that¡ª?¡±


    ¡°I spoke with Nigreos.¡±


    She stopped mid-sentence and just sat on her bed for a moment, struggling to process what he had said. When she didn¡¯t respond, Eric elaborated.


    ¡°He went after Evan and Rina,¡± he explained. ¡°I heard a scream on my way home and ran into the woods to see what was going on, only to find him speaking with them. He knew they had touched the stone. He had their names already and the only way I can imagine they got it was from Alice. I think she gave in.¡±


    Lilly listened silently, feeling as if she were hearing a fictional story. What he was saying was disastrous. If that was the case then they might not have until Monday. They could all be killed at any moment and they wouldn¡¯t be prepared for it.


    This¡­can¡¯t be¡­


    ¡°And that¡¯s not it,¡± Eric went on. ¡°He¡¯s not alone, Lilly. He has another Master with him¡­a woman in white named Album Luz¡­the Master of Light.¡±


    Lilly slowly stood up, trying her hardest to take deep breaths as she did. She knew she needed to go outside and talk to him while Alexa wasn¡¯t standing right there, but she found her legs unable to move. She just stood helplessly as Eric truly drove in how screwed they were.


    ¡°And¡­are you hurt?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No, not really,¡± he replied. ¡°But there¡¯s a lot we need to discuss. We¡¯ll meet at the clubroom tomorrow and I¡¯ll give a better explanation, I promise. Just be careful. Keep your eyes open and if anything happens, call me. Nigreos and Album will not hold back. I¡¯ll let Damien and Liz know so if you could get a hold of Brad, that¡¯d be great. And then we¡¯ll¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± she interrupted, feeling a sudden sense of deja vu as he spoke. ¡°Hold on a moment, Eric.¡±


    He stopped. ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    It can¡¯t be. Not again. It can¡¯t have happened again!


    ¡°You said Brad?¡± she said carefully. ¡°But¡­I don¡¯t know anybody named Brad, Eric. Did we¡­lose somebody else?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± he stuttered. ¡°Are you saying you don¡¯t remember Brad? Brad Fischer! The guy we helped with his test back in the fall! The football star!¡±


    Nothing was ringing a bell. It was just like the day when Eric started going on about Mickelson. She didn¡¯t know a Brad Fischer nor did she remember helping any football star with a test.


    ¡°Lilly, please!¡± he begged. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ Not again!¡±


    We¡­lost someone else. Somebody else is gone from this world. Brad Fischer¡­ Who were you? What were you to me? And why are you gone? We¡¯re all¡­we¡¯re all actually going to die.


    Her head was getting dizzy and she found herself struggling to stay on her feet. Breaking her silence up until then, she heard Alexa call out to her, but she didn¡¯t hear what she said as she collapsed to the ground of her bedroom and lost consciousness.


    ***


    Eric slowly opened the door to his house and stepped inside, hearing the familiar sound of the television further within. He absently slipped his shoes off then closed the door behind him, still clutching his phone in his right hand. Alexa had called him back to assure him that Lilly was okay and that she just needed to eat something, but there had been a chill in the girl¡¯s words that told him that she was blaming whatever happened on him. The belief that he could earn Alexa Harper¡¯s trust was long gone and he realized that it might not even matter. All of his plans for the future were going to amount to nothing. He had believed he won himself a victory. He survived an encounter with two Masters, somehow managed to take off Album¡¯s arm, and incapacitated the monster inside Jay. It should have been something to be proud of, but now he knew that he had actually been too late.


    Brad¡¯s gone. They erased him, just like they erased Vinny. We¡¯ve lost two people and there¡¯s still no true victory in sight. Perhaps I simply delayed the inevitable by beating them tonight¡­


    His body felt weak from the fighting and his uniform was torn in numerous places due to Album¡¯s attack and his dodging through the branches. His legs were sore and his head was throbbing. He moved slowly down the hallway and stopped only for a moment in front of the living room to see his father sitting in his normal spot, watching the TV.


    ¡°I¡¯m home,¡± he mumbled.


    His father barely glanced at him as he responded. ¡°Good.¡±


    Good? That¡¯s all you have to say? If you bothered to even look at me, you¡¯d realize that something¡¯s wrong. But you can¡¯t even figure out that much. How did my mother ever fall in love with someone like you? You barely know I exist! Hell, your life probably won¡¯t change if Nigreos and Album get me!


    He wanted to say all of that out loud but he held it in and continued down the hall toward his bedroom. When he got inside, he slid his backpack off and tossed it under his desk, then gently closed the door. He then turned and approached the desk, reaching for one of the locked drawers on its right side.


    ¡°Pateno,¡± he uttered, sending a miniscule burst of mana into the lock.


    It opened effortlessly and he carefully pulled it open to stare inside where a small syringe was laying, wrapped in velvet cloth. When he reached out and pulled it back, he saw the swirling white and black power within the canister. Despite having been entrusted to him by his mom, the colors within scared him, reminding him of the black and white beings that were currently hunting him.


    ¡°The power in that syringe is dangerous, both to you and to those around you. It is only to be touched when there¡¯s nothing else you can possibly do¡ªthe last chance of last chances. It could potentially even kill anybody who gets too close to it. That¡¯s why¡­it needs to be protected. That¡¯s why it shouldn¡¯t be used. Do you understand?¡±


    His mother¡¯s words returned to him as he picked it up, feeling the power surging within. Tears returned to his eyes and he found himself shaking as he sobbed.


    What am I supposed to do? Is this the emergency you warned me about? Should I use it now? But¡­she said it shouldn¡¯t be used! She said it could kill people and if I used it and it resulted in someone from the club dying, I¡¯d never be able to live with myself! I don¡¯t even know what it¡¯ll do to me!


    He fell to his knees and clutched the syringe, feeling the one lifeline he had to a victory but not even knowing what to do with it. Should he just bite the bullet and use it, or could this mysterious protection she¡¯d left on him be enough? He wanted desperately to ask his mother for help, but now he knew the truth. She was gone. Abigail Reiner was dead and she was never coming home. He had been waiting for his mother for so long and now, it was over. He was alone. She could no longer be there with him.


    ¡°What do I do?¡± he uttered. ¡°Mom? Please¡­help me.¡±

 Chapter 22- Answers Followed By Questions

    Chapter XXII


    In the following days, the situation with Seiras didn¡¯t improve. Each morning, Ryokumo would meet up with the Master of the Mind and follow him down to the dungeons to continue interrogations of the Children of Reiner. Thus far, none of them had given in and revealed anything, but he could tell that they were all getting close to breaking. Seiras¡¯s spell was torturous so there was only so much they would be able to take before they spilled their secrets or went insane altogether. Even Arisa Kirisan, the one who had shown the most defiance toward them, had lost her confidence and wouldn¡¯t even raise her head when they entered her cell. She was the one Seiras had focussed his efforts on the most since Nigreos had confirmed her presence in the vault, so if any critical information were to come forth, it would most likely be from her.


    But it isn¡¯t worth it. I know it¡¯s important to figure out the mystery of this guide, but I don¡¯t know how much longer I can stand by and watch this. It¡¯s awful.


    Nightmares weren¡¯t uncommon for him, but the past few nights had been especially bad. He¡¯d been plagued by the screams of the Children and every time he woke up, he was in a panicked state and it took a few minutes to calm himself down. It had been affecting his ability to go about his day, and he could feel his senses weakening with exhaustion.


    And Hannah¡¯s starting to notice as well, he thought. I can tell she¡¯s worried about me.


    He hadn¡¯t been as cheerful during their interactions and after returning from the Prince¡¯s office a few nights back nearly in tears, he would be foolish to think that she wasn¡¯t putting two and two together. Even if she didn¡¯t state it, she almost certainly knew that it was his work with Seiras that was causing his stress.


    I need to stop being so obvious. It¡¯s bad enough that I¡¯m having trouble focusing. I don¡¯t need to stress her out, too. I would have liked to have a session with her today, but it seems I have other issues to deal with.


    He had left the dungeons alone this time since Seiras had decided to stay a little longer that morning, so he decided to head to the dining hall to get some lunch. He spent far longer there than he planned to, just staring off into space before finally forcing himself to get up and leave. However, when he arrived at his quarters, he found a young boy waiting for him. He had recognized him almost instantly as Sinna¡¯s apprentice, Alucian, and that had been enough for him to realize his problems that day weren¡¯t over just yet. The boy had relayed a message that the Master of Rock wished to speak with him in her quarters immediately then swiftly departed, leaving Ryokumo standing alone to consider the request. His first thought had been to simply ignore it. After all, Sinna Cartus never bothered to hide her dislike for him, and he preferred to avoid her if possible. However, because of that, Sinna had never once requested to speak with him, let alone invite him to her personal quarters, so he couldn¡¯t help but wonder what it was all about. That was why, despite being exhausted from a morning spent with Seiras, Ryokumo had turned and begun making his way in the direction of the woman¡¯s quarters.


    I hope this is worth it. I¡¯m really not in the mood to deal with her right now.


    Sinna didn¡¯t live too far away from him, so it was a relatively short walk through the halls of the Citadel before arriving outside her door. He stopped right before it and took a moment to put his senses on alert. While he didn¡¯t think she would be bold or stupid enough to attack him, espeically in her own room, he didn¡¯t want to chance anything. She had openly declared her suspicion that he was a traitor, so for all he knew, she wanted to take the situation into her own hands.


    It¡¯s unlikely¡­.but it never hurts to be careful.


    Ryokumo frowned. While he didn¡¯t sense any traps waiting for him, he did sense two powerful presences on the other side of the door rather than just one.


    So she¡¯s not alone? Who else did she invite?


    Yet, as he asked himself that question, he realized how stupid it was. There was only one person in the Citadel that Sinna completely trusted, and if she wanted to speak with him, it was only natural that she would be there as well.


    In that case, I suppose I¡¯ve wasted enough time just standing here. Let¡¯s get this moving.


    He reached out and rapped his knuckles against the door a few times.


    ¡°Enter,¡± came the harsh call from within and a moment later, the door swung open on its own.


    The residential floors of the Citadel used similar layouts for each apartment so Sinna¡¯s quarters were very similar to his own. He entered into a single room consisting of a couch, a small table in front of it, and a few magic-lit lamps in the corners that were illuminated with a small amount of fire magic. In addition, a large glass case about eight feet high was placed on the far left side, displaying the numerous trophies and awards the room¡¯s owner had won in the various tournaments she fought in over the years. However, there was no sign of either of the people he had sensed, so he turned his attention to the hallway straight across that led to the bedroom in the back. He closed the door behind him and moved inside, making his way into the hall. He found the bedroom door already open and when he entered, the two Masters were already there waiting for him.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you bothered to come, Caeli. I was certain you would laugh in Alucian¡¯s face and remain hidden in your room,¡± Sinna sneered, her amber eyes narrowed at him, as if his acceptance of her summons was somehow suspicious.


    The large woman was standing beside the bed, her muscular arms folded across her chest as she looked him over. Despite feeling relatively safe, Ryokumo still couldn''t help but tense up at her presence. Sinna stood a full foot taller than him and he once again wondered if she had some giant¡¯s blood in her, though she had furiously denied it each time he had asked. Her black hair was tied back in a braid that fell to her mid-back and she was wearing a sleeveless leather jerkin that was clearly intended to show off just how toned her arms were.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll admit, I was a tad curious,¡± he responded. ¡°It¡¯s not every day you decide I have some worth to you so I couldn¡¯t help but see what it was you needed from me. And I was especially intrigued to find that it isn¡¯t just the two of us.¡±


    He glanced to the left where Nyx Rana, the Master of Water, was sitting silently on the bed, her eyes drooping in the dark, lamplit bedroom. It was one of the rare occasions when she wasn¡¯t wearing her cloak and he couldn¡¯t help but marvel at how young she looked. Her hair was a sparkling silver and her irises were white and pretty. To anybody who didn¡¯t know her, she appeared no older than sixteen, and her apathetic personality only served to enhance the harmless image she exuded. But she was a Master of Ijiria and that alone spoke of her incredible strength.


    When Ryokumo looked at her, Nyx slowly raised her head to stare back. ¡°Are you offended by my presence?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°Not at all. In fact, I prefer it. Speaking with Cartus alone is not an idea I am particularly attracted to, so I welcome anybody else that might be a bit more polite.¡±


    Sinna scowled. ¡°Save the snide comments, Caeli. Whether you choose to believe it or not, I summon you here for nothing more than a simple conversation.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please,¡± he shot back. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend that you¡¯ve called me here for a reason as benign as that. If you want to talk to me of all people, then I have information you want. I take this is in relation to Seiras?¡±


    The woman cocked an eyebrow, as if annoyed that he had guessed her intentions so swiftly, then snorted. ¡°Well, if you¡¯d like to cut to the chase then I won¡¯t complain. Yes, I want to talk to you about Seiras¡­or more specifically, I want to know more about this supposed original spell of his.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t we all,¡± Ryokumo said with a wry grin. ¡°However, if that¡¯s what you want then I would recommend saving your breath. Seiras has always kept his secrets close to his chest. Even working alongside him, I still know very little about the nature of that spell. I¡¯ve only seen what he wants me to see, and I¡¯m sure that¡¯s not much.¡±


    Sinna clicked her tongue. ¡°Yes, but that¡¯s good enough. I don¡¯t even know that much, but I would like to. What is he doing to the prisoners? How is he using it to torture them?¡±


    ¡°Using the being to attack the being,¡± Nyx murmured, almost more to herself than to them. ¡°He was very vague when he described the spell, but it sounds quite dangerous. I, too, am worried about what he¡¯s working on¡­and the repercussions it may bring.¡±


    Ryokumo glanced hesitantly between the two, searching for any sign of an ulterior motive. Yet it seemed as if curiosity and even fear were the primary reasons they had decided to come to him, and he chose to believe them. While he wouldn¡¯t have put it past Sinna to try and manipulate the situation, Nyx was often an open book. If she claimed that she was worried about the spell then that was most likely the truth.


    ¡°Not to be rude,¡± he began softly, ¡°but what exactly do I gain by answering your questions? You call me here and demand answers when you haven¡¯t even offered anything in return. Information is powerful and Seiras has already made it clear that he wishes for his power to be kept to himself. Why should I risk pissing the little goblin off for your sake?¡±


    Sinna narrowed her eyes in disgust. ¡°Why not for the sake of this Citadel and this country. Don¡¯t act like you support whatever he¡¯s doing. You know as well as the rest of us that Seiras Ka is a dangerous man who¡¯s only kept alive because the crown thinks it can benefit from him. But we know better. He¡¯s an insane creature who shouldn¡¯t be allowed to roam free¡­and especially not with something as despicable as whatever it is he¡¯s created.


    We may not agree on much, but I know for a fact that we can agree on that.¡±


    Ryokumo smiled bitterly, knowing she was right and yet still finding himself hesitant to relay anything to her. She might be a fellow Master, but she was not his ally. Giving anything to her could come back to bite him in the ass, and he didn¡¯t want to kick himself later for making what seemed like an obvious mistake.


    ¡°And what makes you so certain that we agree?¡± he retorted. ¡°How do you know that I¡¯m not in full support of his methods? After all, if they work, we may finally get ourselves an answer to this mystery of the Citadel raid.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t,¡± Nyx muttered softly yet firmly. ¡°I can see it in your eyes, Caeli. You¡¯re shaken up. You have been ever since you were assigned to work with Ka. Whatever you¡¯ve witnessed is bothering you¡­ It¡¯s why I thought speaking to you was for the best. You agree with us.¡±


    Sinna nodded. ¡°Yes¡­she¡¯s right. I can see it, too. You aren¡¯t yourself.¡±


    So¡­even they could tell how unnerved I¡¯ve been. Damn it! I¡¯ve let those visions cloud my instincts and now, I¡¯ve put myself at a disadvantage with them. I need to pull myself together and put this nonsense behind me.


    ¡°Perhaps¡­your judgment isn¡¯t far from the truth,¡± he finally admitted. ¡°But what good is it to tell you? What do you intend to do? I¡¯ve already spoken to the Prince and Princess and they don¡¯t care. As long as Seiras gets the answers they seek, he can do as he pleases.¡±


    ¡°I suppose that remains to be seen,¡± Sinna responded. ¡°It depends on what the spell does. If it turns out to be something relatively harmless and you¡¯re simply unable to take the torture of your friend¡¯s precious children, then I will do nothing but scoff.¡±


    Ryokumo turned a glare her way, but decided to let the comment slide for the sake of avoiding conflict. ¡°And if it is something dangerous?¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll see,¡± Nyx replied. ¡°Maybe if two more Masters speak to Reigious, he might change his mind. You ask what we can give you, Caeli, then I offer us as allies. If you truly wish to stop Seiras, then our help could be beneficial.¡± The Master of Water smiled as her eyes opened further. ¡°I agree with Sinna¡¯s assessment. That man is dangerous¡­and I fear what could be done if he¡¯s allowed to roam free. Especially considering how precious he is to the Prince.¡±


    With both Nyx and Sinna staring at him expectantly, Ryokumo reluctantly sighed. He knew the risks of trusting Sinna, but Nyx had never done anything wrong to him in the past. They weren¡¯t exactly friends, but she was somebody he could at least respect, and her smile seemed genuine. If they deemed Seiras¡¯s spell dangerous, then they would help him. As he thought back to the screams of the Children, he took a deep breath and nodded.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Well¡­I can¡¯t deny that having them as allies wouldn¡¯t be good.


    ¡°Fine then. You win. I¡¯ll tell you,¡± he said.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Nyx replied, and once again, he only sensed genuine gratitude in her tone, which only furthered his belief that, if anything, he could at least trust Nyx to keep to her word.


    ¡°The spell,¡± he began, ¡°is more or less what Seiras claimed it was. Essentially, it forces the victim to face their deepest fears and regrets. Visions flow through their minds¡­but they¡¯re immersive. While you¡¯re within them, you forget everything except that moment¡­and it¡¯s distressing. Whatever you want to stay locked inside comes to the forefront of your mind¡­and almost feels like it''s ripping you apart.¡±


    Sinna frowned. ¡°Interesting,¡± she murmured. ¡°You say this like you¡¯ve experienced it.¡±


    ¡°I have,¡± he growled.


    Both women¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, but Nyx was the first to respond.


    ¡°You have? You mean he used it on you?¡± she inquired. ¡°Why?¡±


    Ryokumo scoffed at the memory. ¡°Why, you ask? Why does he do anything, Rana? He enjoys suffering. He brought me to his quarters for the simple act of testing his experiment on me because he thought it would be fun. It was¡­¡± He stopped mid-sentence as the emotions from that day returned to him. ¡°...terrifying. I have no interest in revealing what I saw in those visions, but it was enough to bring me to my knees. Had he wanted to, he could have killed me before I recovered¡­and he claimed it wasn¡¯t at its full power.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Sinna leaned up against the wall and furrowed her brow in thought. ¡°How did he manage to catch you off guard? I would have expected someone like you to be ready to defend yourself at any moment when around a man like him.¡±


    ¡°Defend myself?¡± Ryokumo clenched his fists. ¡°There is no defending against it, Cartus. He didn¡¯t even raise his hands. He just uttered the incantation and suddenly, I was gone. And I have defenses in my head to protect against mind magic¡­yet it wasn¡¯t enough. He got through without lifting a finger.¡±


    Nyx leaned forward and glanced briefly at Sinna before turning back to stare directly at him. ¡°So what you¡¯re saying¡­is that there¡¯s nothing stopping him from casting this spell on us?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m saying,¡± he confirmed. ¡°The only one among us Masters with any experience in Mind Magic is Nigreos, and even he only has a surface level understanding. We can¡¯t even begin to defend ourselves should Seiras decide he wants to have more fun.¡±


    ¡°And he¡¯s already made it clear that he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to cast it on us after what he did to you,¡± Sinna murmured. ¡°Something really does need to be done about him. There¡¯s a reason Mind Magic drives people insane¡­it''s a twisted power that shouldn¡¯t ever be tapped into.¡±


    ¡°But what can we do?¡± Ryokumo asked. ¡°Without Reigious¡¯s permission, we can¡¯t harm him. Seiras is the first Master of the Mind in almost a century, the Prince isn¡¯t just going to cast him aside.¡±


    Nyx nodded. ¡°Yes, Reigious is the first hurdle. Sinna and I can try speaking with him to see what that would accomplish. And¡­as hesitant as I am to say it, perhaps we inform Taurus and Mackia just so that they are prepared should Ka attempt anything.¡±


    ¡°Actually, Taurus already left for Trovia,¡± Ryokumo informed her. ¡°The tensions in Harunhein were getting too high, so the Princess sent him up north to act as a deterrent.¡±


    Sinna grimaced at the news. ¡°In that case, we¡¯ll tell Mackia. She might be devious, but she hates Seiras as much as the rest of us do. She¡¯d be willing to help us convince the Prince. In addition¡ª¡± She was cut off by the sound of knocking at the door. ¡°Er¡­come in!¡±


    Ryokumo cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Expecting company?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Sinna muttered. ¡°I was not.¡±


    He heard the front door open, followed by rushed footsteps as a young man hurried into the doorway, looking concerned. It was Alucian, Sinna¡¯s apprentice.


    ¡°What is it?¡± she demanded. ¡°I thought I told you we would need privacy.¡±


    Alucian hurriedly bowed. ¡°I''m sorry, Master, but this is urgent. Prince Reigious has requested that all the Masters meet in the chambers at once.¡±


    ***


    Ryokumo, Sinna, and Nyx all walked into the Chamber of the Masters together, only to find that they were the last ones to arrive. Reigious was sitting calmly in his golden seat, his hands folded on the table and a satisfied smile on his face. Two seats to his right, Iris Mackia was watching them curiously, her yellow cat-like eyes narrowed in intrigue, probably due to the rare sight of the three of them together. Finally, to the Prince¡¯s right was Seiras, his bulging eyes wild with excitement as he bounced up and down. Ryokumo exchanged glances with the two women on his right, and both seemed to have come to the same conclusion they had.


    ¡°Thank you for coming on such short notice,¡± Reigious said as the three of them took their seats. ¡°Normally, I¡¯d have preferred to give you more of a warning, but today has special circumstances.¡±


    ¡°Special indeed,¡± Seiras rasped gleefully.


    Ryokumo eyed the halfling nervously, then turned to the Prince for answers. ¡°Is this about the interrogations¡­or did something else happen?¡±


    Reigious grinned then motioned toward Seiras. ¡°Go ahead, Seiras. The floor is yours.¡±


    He quickly bowed his head then stood up on the chair before scanning the table with delight. To Ryokumo, it seemed as if he were simply basking in their reactions. Just like it was no secret among the Masters that they all despised Seiras, he certainly knew of their opinions of him. It was probably one of the reasons he took such joy in tormenting them.


    ¡°I am pleased to announce that soon after my dear partner, Caeli, departed this morning, I was able to succeed in snapping Arisa Kirisan!¡± he declared. ¡°She spilled all her nasty little secrets to me and I must say, they are quite fascinating.¡±


    A wave of surprise washed over the table as the four Masters stared back at him. Even Nyx, who often didn¡¯t react to anything, looked unsettled as she regarded the halfling.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so proud of you, Master Ka,¡± Iris cheered, breaking the silence, though it seemed more like she was mocking him than actually congratulating him. ¡°And what did we learn? Anything important?¡±


    ¡°Yes, do we know who the guide was?¡± Sinna urged.


    Seiras nodded violently, his body shaking with excitement. ¡°I do, I do! And it is quite a fascinating revelation, for the guide that led the Children up to the vault was Kirisan herself!¡±


    Ryokumo frowned. ¡°Kirisan? You mean she was given guideship by somebody?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that is what must have happened,¡± the halfling replied. ¡°From what information she had, it would seem that there were numerous Children of Reiner who were bestowed guideship by none other than their wretched mother.¡±


    Sinna grit her teeth and stood up, eyeing him with irritation. ¡°Alright, slow down! You¡¯re telling me that there are multiple Children with guideship privileges¡­and that Abi Reiner gave it to them? But then who gave her the privilege? Last I checked, Masters weren¡¯t trusted with that power. So stop being dramatic and get to the point! Who is the root of all this?!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a clue!¡± Seiras declared with a cackle. ¡°For Arisa Kirisan does not know. She claims that her mother merely gave the guideship to four of the Children, but never told them where she got it from. All she said was that it was a secret they must take to the grave¡­and it would seem that is exactly what dear Abigail did.¡±


    Ryokumo¡¯s mind was spinning as he took in all of the new information they were being presented with. Abi¡­was a guide? She never told me this¡­but why? Damn it¡­why is it I can never truly understand that woman¡¯s intentions? She¡¯s an enigma even now.


    ¡°And did the girl say where the other three Children are?¡± Iris inquired, her tone more serious now that she understood how important the conversation had become. ¡°Or even if they¡¯ve spread the guide to each other? Just because she only trusted four of them doesn¡¯t mean they didn¡¯t start passing it amongst themselves.¡±


    Seiras shook his head. ¡°Kirisan does not know. She claims that as far as she was told, the four have remained the only Children that are guides and she does not know if the other three are living. According to her, they entered the Citadel in three groups, each being led by a guide, but only one of them made it to the top.¡±


    ¡°Hers,¡± Sinna finished. ¡°The one Rista Pine was a part of.¡±


    The halfling chuckled. ¡°Correct. However, she has given me the names of the other three and, after having our magnificent Prince Reigious check reports from that night, we have confirmed that the other two guides were, in fact, killed.¡±


    ¡°Which only leaves us with two more,¡± Ryokumo said. ¡°Kirisan and whoever stayed behind in the city. Do we have a name for the one who didn¡¯t go on the attack?¡±


    ¡°We do,¡± Seiras rasped. ¡°Malt Territh. The Prince and I also looked into him and he was registered as an orphan with Reiner. But as Kirisan claimed, there is no record of him having been in the Citadel. Instead, he was in a rather large group of Children who departed Erika not long before the attack began, which leads me to wonder if Territh is even in Ijiria anymore.¡±


    ¡°And now, there¡¯s nothing stopping him from passing the guideship onto whoever he wants,¡± Nyx murmured. ¡°And if he did escape into a neighboring country, he could easily use that as a bartering chip for safety, especially in Trovia. This could be more disastrous than we thought.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Reigious said, speaking for the first time since the meeting began. ¡°With my father in his current state, he won¡¯t be able to recreate the illusion magic. I¡¯m doing my best to study it, but as of right now, I am incapable of fixing it. Which means that we need to track down this Malt Territh as quickly as we can.¡±


    ¡°But where would we even start?¡± Sinna inquired. ¡°He could be anywhere in the world by now¡­ Finding him won¡¯t be a simple matter.¡±


    ¡°I agree, but we don¡¯t have any alternative options.¡± Reigious sighed. ¡°For the time being, I intend to send the Korrei-Tarr out into the city to gather whatever information they can find. Once Nakoma has finished dealing with the Trovians, he¡¯ll take the lead and, if we¡¯re lucky, perhaps he can learn if Territh ever crossed the border.¡±


    Ryokumo nodded. The Korrei-Tarr were the country''s elite fighters, currently being led by Princess Piura. While the Masters specialized in magic and used that to compliment their ability to fight, the Korrei-Tarr were the opposite. They specialized in fighting and used magic to enhance their abilities. To any fighter who didn¡¯t have an advanced control of magic, fighting a Korrei-Tarr was essentially a death sentence. With the Master of Fire at their head, if Territh was found, he would be as good as dead.


    ¡°I agree,¡± Sinna stated. ¡°In this current ordeal, they would be the best option. But what of Kirisan? Is she to be left alive? After all, should she escape, she would become just as dangerous.¡±


    Reigious nodded. ¡°I¡¯m going to have Seiras question her once more to be absolutely certain she didn¡¯t lie, but once that¡¯s done, she and the remaining Children will be executed. After all, their purpose will be fulfilled.¡±


    Ryokumo struggled to keep the regret from showing on his face. He knew it was the right choice from the perspective of the country¡¯s well-being, but he still couldn¡¯t bring himself to hate the Children. He didn¡¯t want Abi¡¯s legacy to be snuffed out like that.


    ¡°Now, with that discussed,¡± the Prince went on, ¡°we still need to continue our investigation into the root of the guideship. Somebody had to have given it to Abi Reiner, but we can¡¯t be certain anymore whether she received it from the council or from somebody who did. The line could go far, but I assure you that neither my sister nor I ever trusted her enough to give her such a power. A piece is still missing and I would like the five of you to look into it. See what you can find and report back to me immediately if you come across anything. And Ryokumo¡­¡±


    At his name, he glanced up at Reigious. ¡°Yes, my prince?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you would have told me already, but I still feel the need to ask,¡± he began, ¡°but is there anybody you can think of that was close enough to Abi that they would bestow guideship upon her?¡±


    Ryokumo immediately shook his head. ¡°No. There were many who loved her, but the only ones she was truly close to was Nigreos, Album, and myself¡­and I assure you, we wouldn¡¯t have had the ability to give the guideship to her. If somebody did trust her with it, I was never told. She was a woman of many secrets.¡±


    ¡°I suppose so,¡± Reigious murmured. ¡°In that case, you¡¯re all excused. I¡¯ve said what I needed to say.¡±


    ¡°Actually!¡±


    Just as they were all getting to their feet, Seiras raised a hand and grinned. ¡°I was thinking this was cause for celebration! After all, we¡¯ve finally received some form of an answer in our quest for information! So, why don¡¯t us Masters all have dinner together in the Niras Lounge? I say we¡¯ve earned it, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    Ryokumo¡¯s suspicions were instantly raised. They rarely ever got together as a group outside of the chambers, and they¡¯d certainly never had dinner together before. The fact that Seiras would even suggest such a thing was so out of character for him that there wasn¡¯t a doubt in his mind that the halfling was planning something.


    ¡°Sure, sounds like fun,¡± Iris chimed in, startling the other three. ¡°I could use some relaxation time.¡±


    What? Why would she¡­?


    Yet, as he looked at her seemingly cheerful face, he realized that she had sensed exactly what he did. The Master of Nature knew Seiras was up to something and she wanted to see what it was. She was a woman of mischief and this was the perfect place for some fun. Of course Iris Mackia would be the first to accept. Ryokumo glanced across the table at Sinna and Nyx, but both women were eying Seiras with unrestrained suspicion.


    ¡°So? Cartus? Rana? Caeli? Are you going to join us?¡± he pressed.


    Damn it! I don¡¯t want to have dinner with him in the slightest yet¡­he¡¯s clearly up to something and I have to know what it is, especially if Mackia¡¯s already agreed to go. I don¡¯t really have a choice in this matter, do I?


    Ryokumo sighed. ¡°Yeah, sure. I suppose my evening is free.¡±


    ***


    Sitting in the darkness of her cell, Arisa Kirisan felt as if everything inside of her had been completely shattered. After days of that horrible mental anguish, she found herself unable to stop shaking. The constant barrage of visions were tormenting and she found her resolve diminishing with each attack Seiras Ka sent her way. What she saw was nightmarish and mentally scarring and she knew there would never come a day when she would be able to forget them. And after all of her defiance, she had finally given in. She told the Master of the Mind exactly what he wanted and she left nothing out. She never lied and she never tried to hide anything. She had betrayed her mother and her brothers and sisters in every sense of the word.


    I want to die. Please, somebody kill me. Let me die. Let me leave this place!


    She knew her death was coming and now she welcomed it. She didn¡¯t deserve to live anymore. The amount of blood on her hands was more than she could fathom and now, she was certain more would die.


    They¡¯re gonna hunt down others and they¡¯ll all be killed because of me. If I hadn¡¯t given in¡­they would have been free to go into hiding. They¡¯d be safe¡­and now I¡¯ve ruined that. I sold them out to the Masters.


    I deserve to die.


    I want to die.

 Chapter 23- The Twisted Mind Of Seiras Ka

    Chapter XXIII


    Before heading up to the Niras Lounge where Seiras requested they meet, Ryokumo made his way down the Citadel and back toward the residential floor. Due to his morning interrogations with Seiras, he had been holding his training sessions with Hannah in the evenings so as to not sacrifice her learning time. However, now that his plans had changed, he saw fit to speak to her himself rather than sending a messenger to inform her. He regretted how poor their recent sessions had been due to his stressed state so the fact that he was now skipping out entirely weighed heavily on his conscience.


    But I can¡¯t miss this. Seiras is up to something and I have to be present for whatever it is, regardless of the risks it might entail. And that¡¯s especially true with the other Masters attending.


    While he trusted what Sinna and Nyx had said to him that afternoon, he was also aware of the possibility that they would take matters into their own hands. He didn¡¯t need them confronting Seiras without him present, so that was just more motivation for him to go to the lounge. With Iris, a woman well known for enjoying mischief, seemingly excited to go, that room was going to be a volcano that could explode at any second, and Ryokumo hoped to prevent that from happening. Between the Children¡¯s attack, the loss of the relic, and Seiras¡¯s new spell, the Citadel was already tense enough. He didn¡¯t need things getting more chaotic.


    And especially not if Nigreos and Album succeed in bringing Eric here. If he does safely arrive in Ijiria, I would prefer it to be under calmer circumstances.


    Ryokumo sighed, wondering just how much he could actually do to prevent anything, as he arrived outside Hannah¡¯s quarters. He knocked a few times, hoping his apprentice was actually home, and luckily, the door soon opened and Hannah¡¯s concerned features appeared from behind it.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Master,¡± she greeted with a polite bow. ¡°Is everything alright? I thought we weren¡¯t meeting for another hour?¡±


    He forced a smile and nodded. ¡°Y-yes, everything is fine, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s just that we have a change of plans. The Masters are meeting in the Niras Lounge tonight for dinner and I feel the need to attend. I thought I¡¯d quickly stop by to apologize and let you know you have the night off.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so we¡¯re skipping our training tonight.¡± She twisted her lips in thought and for a moment, she seemed disappointed, but those feelings were quickly covered up and she continued. ¡°Okay then. That¡¯s no problem at all. You don¡¯t need to apologize, Master. If you¡¯re busy then you¡¯re busy. Not much we can do about that, right?¡±


    She seemed genuinely understanding despite whatever she may have felt internally, and even though she assured him that it was okay, it only made him feel that much more guilty. She was very accommodating of him and while he appreciated it immensely, he knew he needed to be a better master for her. She was talented and he wanted to be there for her to help her hone that talent.


    ¡°On the bright side,¡± he began, ¡°my business with Master Ka has ended, so we can return to our morning sessions. Hopefully, everything should be normal from here on out.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay. That¡¯s perfect. In that case, I¡¯ll be ready tomorrow morning,¡± she replied chipperly. ¡°If that¡¯s okay with you, of course.¡±


    Ryokumo thought for a moment. ¡°Yes, assuming nothing else comes up, that should be perfect. Though, I can¡¯t be certain of anything anymore. I¡¯ll keep you posted if anything should change, but for now, we can meet at the training arena just after breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Master,¡± she said with another bow. ¡°Just send me a messenger if anything changes. And¡­¡± Hannah then smiled wryly. ¡°Good luck with your dinner. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll need it.¡±


    He chuckled, realizing how poor he was at concealing his distaste for his fellow Masters. ¡°Yes, that is much appreciated. Have a good night, Hannah. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°You, too, Master.¡±


    Bidding her goodbye, Ryokumo turned and retraced his steps back to the lift. Once he had stepped on, he cast the spell and slowly began to rise higher up toward the entertainment levels of the Citadel where the Niras Lounge was located. While much of the Citadel was dedicated to the governing of Ijiria and its territories, it had its levels that were more light-hearted. Most of those who worked in the capitol building also lived there for their own safety and few ventured out into the city without some form of protection. Because of this, the entertainment floors had been constructed to give the residents of the Citadel a place to relax and socialize outside of their work. In the past, Ryokumo used to visit it quite often with his friends, but in recent years, it became more and more rare for him to venture up there. He no longer had anybody with which to accompany him, and he was far too busy with his own duties.


    When he arrived on the top floor of the entertainment zone, he found it a stark contrast from the other, quieter floors of the Citadel. Rather than a silent, empty hallway lined with windows and doors, it was instead bustling with denizens of the building, milling about and making their way toward the restaurants or game halls that the floor provided. He spotted researchers and government officials moving about and chatting amongst themselves. The doors on the various sides of the silver halls were wide open, with people standing right outside, waving to those who passed in an effort to gain their patronage. Smells of cooking food reached his nose and caused his stomach to grumble, and despite his desire to move through it all quickly, he couldn''t stop the nostalgic memories from resurfacing.


    It¡¯s just as I remember. If only¡­I could return to those days¡­


    But he knew that was impossible and so, he pushed the thoughts deeper into his mind and proceeded down the hall. Unsurprisingly, he got numerous stares, which were common whenever he roamed the more populated floors of the Citadel. He was a Master and that alone put him above the others in their eyes. Some looked at him with fear and distrust while others seemed more awestruck, like he was some kind of celebrity. Both caused him discomfort and thus, he picked up his pace.


    The Niras Lounge was located further into the floor and wasn¡¯t so easy to get into. It was often reserved for the higher ups of the Citadel to have a place to relax away from the masses. It was mainly used by workers for the royal family, elders in the council, and the Ijirian Masters. Nakoma was especially known for renting it out, though when he did, Ryokumo rarely attended. When he approached the lounge, he found a rather large man dressed in emerald and gold armor standing in front of the entrance. The Master made eye contact with him briefly and the guard stepped to the side, instantly recognizing him. Ryokumo nodded his thanks and walked through the double doors and into the room beyond.


    It was a cozy place with plenty of velvet couches and finely crafted wooden tables for people to sit at and enjoy their drinks. There was a bar in the far left corner where a young woman was chatting with two men who were sitting there, seemingly drunk by the way they wobbled in their chairs. Overall, there were only seven people present and so the chatter was soft, almost like they were in a library. He didn¡¯t see any of the other Masters so he instead turned his attention to the closed door in the back left and made his way toward it.


    So Seiras managed to get his hands on the private suite, huh? Just what the hell is going through his head?


    Ryokumo walked toward the door and pulled it open, then stepped inside. This private lounge was like a smaller version of the main room. There was a seating area with expensive couches and recliners facing a glass coffee table. The window in the back was slightly open, letting cool air flow about the fire-lit room. As he surveyed his surroundings, he found that the others were already present. Sinna and Nyx were sitting side by side on the couch while Iris sat across from them in one of the chairs. Nyx had once again donned her white cloak and so her face was concealed from him, though he doubted her expression was anything other than neutral, as it often was. Seiras was pacing around the back of the room, his typical twisted smile on his face. Each turned to look at him upon arrival.


    ¡°Well you certainly took your time, Caeli,¡± Iris mused, her fangs showing in a wry smile. ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting for nearly twenty minutes, you know?¡¯


    He shrugged, wanting them to know how little he cared about keeping them waiting. ¡°I had other business to attend to first. But I¡¯m here now so we can begin whatever business Seiras had planned.¡±


    ¡°Business?¡± the halfling parroted. ¡°What makes you think I have business with you? I merely wanted to celebrate with my fellow Masters. After all, we¡¯ve learned some critical information on this day. Since we never interact as friends, I thought this would be the perfect chance. If only Taurus could have joined us.¡±


    Iris snickered. ¡°Oh, I doubt Nakoma would have come even if he had been in the Citadel. But I, for one, agree with you, Seiras. We don¡¯t spend enough quality time with each other and I think that¡¯s sad. I happen to like you all very much.¡±


    Ryokumo narrowed his eyes as the Master of Nature spoke. She¡¯s already enjoying this. She¡¯s excited for whatever¡¯s going to happen.


    ¡°Well, drinks are on the way so why don¡¯t you take a seat, Caeli,¡± Seiras offered with an extravagant motion toward the chairs.


    He gritted his teeth but did as he requested, moving to take a spot in the chair beside the couch. Seiras, however, stayed standing, continuing to pace around the room, muttering to himself and occasionally skipping a bit. It wasn¡¯t odd behavior for him, but it still put Ryokumo on edge given the circumstances and he had to try hard not to tap his foot impatiently.


    ¡°So, are we just gonna sit here in silence or are we actually going to talk?¡± Iris inquired. ¡°Cause it seems like you guys never give me the time of day. We¡¯re all Masters here so we should be friends. I¡¯ve always thought we could be a pretty happy group of buddies.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Sinna growled with an annoyed click of her tongue. ¡°And what gives you that impression, if you don¡¯t mind my asking?¡±


    Iris shrugged. ¡°I dunno. It¡¯s just a feeling I¡¯ve got. Obviously, since I¡¯m the newest member, I don¡¯t know you guys as well as you know each other, but since you¡¯re all my seniors, it feels like there¡¯s a lot I could learn. After all, you¡¯ve all got so many experiences under your belts. I want to know what you know.¡±


    The other woman snorted. ¡°Perhaps we do, but that doesn¡¯t mean I have any reason to trust you, Mackia. In fact, your love for trouble is more than enough for me to prefer to avoid you.¡±


    ¡°Aw, what¡¯s so wrong with a little bit of mischief every now and then?¡± she pouted. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to have some fun. I¡¯m all alone in the Citadel so I have to entertain myself somehow. Hey, don¡¯t you agree, Caeli? You get what I mean, right?¡±


    Ryokumo cocked an eyebrow as she abruptly turned her yellow eyes his way . ¡°And what gives you that impression?¡±


    ¡°Well, you always go out into the city on your visits to the traitor¡¯s monument,¡± she replied. ¡°Isn¡¯t it cause you¡¯re all bored and lonely here in the tower?¡±


    She¡¯s trying to get on my nerves, I can tell. Just ignore her. Don¡¯t let her get to you or else she wins.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    ¡°That is my business and mine alone, as I have said many times,¡± he stated. ¡°I would prefer it if you stayed out of it.¡±


    Iris sighed and glanced around, seeing the mistrusting gazes directed her way. ¡°Gosh, what is wrong with you all? So much hatred and not enough trust. Why can''t we all be friends? Why do we have to look at each other like enemies? Wouldn¡¯t it be better for this country if we all got along?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I wonder the same thing,¡± Seiras rasped. ¡°We may all have different ambitions, but our allegiance is to the same place. We all seek to better Ijiria.¡±


    Sinna turned an irritable look upon the halfling. ¡°Is that so? Because I¡¯ve always gotten the feeling that you¡¯re merely here for yourself and your devious little schemes.¡±


    ¡°You wound me, Cartus,¡± he replied softly. ¡°How could you say such a thing after how much my research has helped us this past week. Without me, we would still be torching Kirisan with little avail. But now, she has spilled all her information and we finally have a lead into what may have happened. Yet you imply that my best interests aren¡¯t for the sake of Ijiria?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do,¡± Sinna said sharply, slowly getting to her feet as she faced the little man, who appeared even smaller in her presence. ¡°I¡¯ve known many people like you, Seiras¡ªpeople who say whatever they have to in order to achieve their goals. You want power and the more you research, the more you have. Tell me, what¡¯s stopping you from using your new spell on any one of us right now?¡±


    ¡°Sinna,¡± Nyx whispered. ¡°Is this wise?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± she replied, then turned back to Seiras. ¡°So? Care to answer me?¡±


    The Master of the Mind clapped his hands together and snickered. ¡°Nothing. Absolutely nothing is stopping me. I could have you on the ground with a mere utterance. Does that scare you, Cartus?¡±


    Sinna scoffed. ¡°You don¡¯t even deny it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± he said with a cackle. ¡°I am nothing if not an honest man. But I would never raise a hand against my fellow Masters! You are my allies¡ªmy brothers and sisters! I love you like a family even when you toss such cruel accusations my way. After all, siblings bicker from time to time, but it doesn¡¯t change their love for each other, yes?¡±


    Ryokumo clenched his teeth, wanting to intervene but knowing how little it would accomplish. Wouldn¡¯t raise a hand to a fellow Master, huh?


    ¡°Yes, very true,¡± Iris piped it, looking like her enjoyment was increasing by the second.


    ¡°Love?¡± Sinna spat, ignoring the Master of Nature¡¯s comment. ¡°At least make your lie more believable, you little goblin. Don¡¯t pretend like you care for us. And don¡¯t act like an honest man! I already know that you used the spell on Caeli.¡±


    Seiras cocked an eyebrow then regarded Ryokumo with a meek sigh, as if he were merely expressing disappointment. ¡°My, my, Caeli, tattling are we? And here I thought we could keep that as our little secret.¡±


    Ryokumo narrowed his eyes, irritated that Sinna had to bring that matter up and, knowing there wasn¡¯t a way around the subject anymore, he rolled his eyes and spoke.


    ¡°What¡¯s your plan, Seiras? What are you up to? What¡¯s your damn goal in all this and hell, what¡¯s the real reason we¡¯re here? What are you after?¡±


    ¡°Why must I repeat myself so often?¡± he inquired. ¡°And why am I distrusted so? I merely want to get along with you all! Time and time again I am looked down upon and not just in a literal sense. So why can¡¯t we just talk?¡±


    He¡¯s lying. This is¡­something else. If anything, he¡¯s at least trying to use this to his advantage somehow. Is he showing off? Or is this¡­a means to an end?


    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s talk,¡± Sinna hissed. ¡°Tell me about your spell, Seiras. What is it? What can it do? What are its limitations? If you want me to trust you then I want information. Your magic is foreign enough as it is and I don¡¯t like you having some mystery spell up your sleeve. I want answers and I want them now!¡±


    ¡°Answers?!¡± Seiras almost screamed, a complete shift from his soft speaking of moments earlier. ¡°Is that what you want?! You want to know what my spell does?! Why?! Do you fear what I could do to you? Do you fear me, Sinna Cartus, a man less than half your size?! Am I so terrifying to you that you¡¯re quaking in your boots?!¡±


    ¡°Not in the slightest,¡± she snarled back. ¡°I could crush your head like a watermelon if I wanted to. However, I am cautious. You¡¯ve already proven how damaging your spell can be with Kirisan. So, if you want our trust, then answer our questions. That is my demand of you and if you can¡¯t do that then I have nothing else to say to you and I will walk through that door.¡±


    The halfling began to shake with laughter, though whether he was amused or furious was hard to tell. ¡°Is that so?! You¡¯ll leave, will you? You¡¯ll walk out on our precious dinner time because I won¡¯t reveal my secrets?¡± He violently shook his head. ¡°Very well then. You want to know what my spell does then I shall show you!¡±


    Ryokumo instantly realized what he was about to do, but couldn¡¯t react in time. Both he and Nyx jumped to their feet just as the halfling screeched, ¡°Aniextiam!¡±


    He had expected the spell to hit Sinna, but to his surprise, the room suddenly faded and began to warp. He realized too late that Seiras¡¯s spell had once again been cast on him, but just as the realization struck him, everything vanished and he found himself standing alone in one of the darkened corridors of the Citadel. He frowned, his memories growing foggy, and as he glanced around the hallway, he failed to recall what he had just been doing. Yet, before he could properly gain his bearings, the sound of a girl sobbing reached his ears.


    Someone¡­is crying?


    He took off in a sprint, heading down in the hall in the direction of the sound. It wasn¡¯t far off and when he rounded the next corner, he saw a young woman crouched on the ground, her hands covering her face as tears dripped down her cheeks and onto the floor.


    ¡°Album?¡± he softly called out, fearing what had caused such a breakdown. ¡°Album, what is it? What happened?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± she sobbed. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you have been there for me, Kumo? Why did you reject me? Why does everybody reject me?! Why am I always being left behind?!¡±


    He took an involuntary step back, failing to find his words. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°I needed you!¡± she shrieked, rising to her feet to glare furiously at him. ¡°But you weren¡¯t there for me! You¡­and Abi¡­ You all left me all alone! You abandoned me! What did I do wrong?! Why was it always me being left behind?¡±


    Ryokumo frantically shook his head, desperately trying to process this sudden outburst. ¡°N-no! Album, please! I¡¯m sorry, but I couldn¡¯t be there for you because¡ª¡±


    Wait¡­why? Why couldn¡¯t I be there? What was stopping me from being the man she needed me to be? I can¡¯t remember! Wait, why can¡¯t I remember?


    ¡°I hate you,¡± she uttered. ¡°I hate you so much. You, Abi, and          !¡±


    Who? I couldn¡¯t hear the last name. I don¡¯t know what she said!


    ¡°What happened to me is your fault. You turned me into this. You all did.¡±


    ¡°Album, wait!¡±


    He shouted her name, but his friend simply turned her back to him and began to walk away, leaving him standing alone, unable to follow after her, as if his legs had been frozen to the ground. He extended his hand, but he couldn¡¯t grab her, and she vanished into the darkness just as the scene faded, the world warping back to the Niras Lounge and the present day.


    He opened his eyes, his body shaking as if he were having a seizure as he tried to get his bearings. He was lying on the carpet so he grabbed the edge of the coffee table and tried to pull himself up. The first thing to reach his ears as his senses returned was the maniacal laughter of a man he utterly despised and when he turned to look, he found Seiras dancing around the room, his arms raised in celebration.


    ¡°Lay witness to it all!¡± he shrieked. ¡°You wanted my power so behold it!¡±


    Ryokumo¡¯s eyes went wide and he realized that the spell hadn¡¯t hit just him. Sinna, Nyx, and Iris were all collapsed on the ground, the latter two shaking while the Master of Rock¡¯s features were twisted in such utter fury that it caused Ryokumo to almost recoil, and he feared that she might be about to make good on her earlier threat. She looked disturbed yet she rose regardless, her fists clenched so tightly that they were shaking.


    ¡°How dare you?!¡± Sinna snarled.


    But Seiras just continued to dance, as if unafraid of her. ¡°What ever could be the matter? You asked to see what my spell could do so I showed you! I did only as you asked, Cartus!¡±


    ¡°Durumi,¡± Sinna chanted, and moments later, her hands were enveloped in a dark stone as she lunged toward Seiras.


    Ryokumo couldn¡¯t tell if she was lunging to kill, but it didn¡¯t matter. Seiras didn¡¯t even move as he cheered, ¡°Aniextium!¡± Without any resistance, the Master of Rock went limp and collapsed, the sound of her large body reverberating throughout the room.


    ¡°Geldai!¡±


    This time, the shout came from Nyx, who had managed to pull her trembling body upwards enough so she could get a clean shot at the halfling. Yet, once again, Seiras merely sidestepped the oncoming icicle and spread his hands out in a theatrical gesture.


    ¡°Aniextium!¡±


    Just like Sinna, Nyx¡¯s eyes glazed over and she collapsed back to the ground. Ryokumo could barely process what he was witnessing. Seiras was taking on the Masters and besting them as if they were mere novices. Without a way to defend against it, there was nothing they could do to prevent him from tormenting them with his visions. As Seiras reveled in his victory, he turned his smile toward Ryokumo.


    ¡°Would you like to take a shot at me, Caeli?¡± he inquired smugly. ¡°Please, I want to see you try! I can show you more, you know? I can show you so much more of your tragic and dark past!¡±


    Ryokumo forced himself to look away, not wanting to even acknowledge Seiras, and gazed down at Iris, who hadn¡¯t moved from her position. She was sitting against the chair, hugging herself and trembling, her earlier mischievous expression all but vanished. Instead, she looked almost like a child praying for her parents to come and rescue her.


    ¡°Mackia?¡± he uttered. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡­don¡¯t know,¡± she stuttered. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    With the spell wearing off once again, Sinna and Nyx both managed to drag themselves to their feet, but the defiance was all but gone. The second vision seemed to have been enough to shake even Sinna up.


    This is too much power, Ryokumo thought as he crawled around the table and toward where the other two women were, hoping to help them up. Reigious needs to put a stop to this. We can¡¯t allow Seiras to run free. He has to be taken into custody!


    ¡°Look upon me and understand what I am!¡± Seiras snarled as he jumped upon the coffee table. ¡°You Masters, the greatest mages in all of Ijiria, brought to your knees by a mere halfling like me! Do you see it now? Do you understand how truly weak and pathetic you are? There is nothing you can do to me! All of your threats are meaningless before my control of the mind!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you,¡± Sinna hissed as she dragged herself to her feet once again, but the threat didn¡¯t have any of the confidence she¡¯d previously spat his way.


    But Seiras was already shaking his head. ¡°No, you won¡¯t. You¡¯d never get away with it! I¡¯m far too precious to dear Prince Reigious! He¡¯d never allow a Master of the Mind to slip through his fingers! If you killed me, you would soon join me in death, Sinna Cartus!¡±


    In the face of Seiras¡¯s declaration, nobody could speak a word. Sinna was barely staying on her feet, Nyx was huddled on the ground, and Iris was almost in tears. Even Ryokumo couldn¡¯t push the images of Album and his failures from his mind to properly confront the halfling. He was too scared of seeing more of those visions.


    Seiras Ka was suddenly terrifying to him.


    They were powerless.


    The Masters of Ijiria, on their knees.


    ¡°Now bow to me!¡± he shouted. ¡°Bow before my¡ª!¡±


    For a moment, he thought he had imagined it. He had been so desperate for the halfling to drop dead that he thought another vision may have overtaken reality. Yet, as he blinked, he realized that what he was seeing was real. A single arrow was protruding from Seiras¡¯s chest, blood oozing from the wound and dripping down onto the table. Seiras gazed at with a still and emotionless expression before raising his head, his eyes wide as he stared at something behind Ryokumo.


    ¡°Aniex¡ª!¡±


    But he never finished the incarnation before another arrow struck him straight in the throat and he crumpled from the coffee table in a spray of blood. Ryokumo stared, stunned, before managing to turn his head and look over his shoulder.


    There, in the open window, was a singular cloaked figure crouched on the windowsill with a shortbow in hand. He couldn¡¯t see their face and before he even got a chance to take anything more in, they jumped backwards and plummeted from view. Ryokumo forced himself to his feet and lunged toward the window, but when he stuck his head outside, he couldn¡¯t find any trace of them.


    What the hell? Where did they go? Did they glide down into the city? No, I¡¯d be able to see them. I¡ª Just then, he heard the sound of a window closing and looked up in the direction of the sound. They went through the window? So they¡¯re still in the Citadel?!


    ¡°Mackia!¡± he heard Sinna shout from behind him. ¡°Mackia, snap out of it and help him! If he dies¡­¡±


    Ryokumo slowly turned and saw Nyx and Sinna kneeling down beside the door. He weakly moved toward them and approached where Seiras was laying. All it took was one look for reality to strike him. The halfling¡¯s eyes were wide open and bulging with blood dripping from both his mouth and the arrow wounds in his neck and mouth. His body wasn¡¯t moving nor did his eyes seem to see anything.


    ¡°It¡¯s no use,¡± Nyx whispered. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do for him now.¡±


    Ryokumo let out a quiet breath, understanding what these events would mean for the days to come. Right before their very eyes, Seiras Ka had been assassinated and the assailant had escaped.


    A Master of Ijiria was dead.


    And yet, despite that, Ryokumo felt an emotion flowing through him that he knew was horrible, yet he couldn¡¯t deny that it was his true, genuine feelings.


    Seiras Ka was dead.


    And he couldn¡¯t be more relieved.

 Chapter 24- A Monster In My Head

    Chapter XXIV


    Album Luz was sitting quietly in the corner of the shack¡¯s spare room, carefully sending mana into her right arm. She still couldn¡¯t feel it nor could she move it, her nerves ending just above her elbow. It had become a hindrance to her mobility as it hung limp from her shoulder. She couldn¡¯t even flow her mana into it without using her left hand and she knew there was nothing either she or Nigreos could do while they were still in Omaruo. Neither of them were versed enough in Nature Magic to reattach the nerves properly and return feeling to her arm. The best she could do was reattach it to her body, but she would need to speak with Iris Mackia upon their return to have it healed.


    Which means I¡¯m going to have to finish the mission with only my left hand, she thought bitterly. How did it come to this? Retrieving the stone should have been easy, yet we keep getting defeated at every turn. First the pocket realm and now Reiner¡¯s blood magic¡­ The Master of Light lowered her eyes to the wooden ground and scoffed. There¡¯s nothing we can do now. It is impossible for me to erase Eric Reiner and neither Nigreos nor I can even harm him with magic. How are we supposed to fight him if we can¡¯t use magic?


    She had been so confident that their biggest hurdle was about to be crossed. She knew Nigreos wanted to save Eric, but she never intended to let him walk away from this ordeal. By erasing him, dealing with his friends would be simple, so she took the chance Eric had provided her and tried to get rid of him, but the moment she did, Abi Reiner¡¯s voice echoed through her mind, and she was overwhelmed by the magic intertwined within the boy. That had been all it took to take her out of the battle and even the following morning, her body was fatigued. Even with it reattached, losing a limb was not something she could just shake off.


    Which means I can¡¯t help Nigreos track down the other stone users. Album clenched her teeth. Did you foresee this, Abi? Did you know a day would come that Nigreos and I would go after your son? Is that why you did this? Did you have so little faith in us?


    Blood magic was a subclass of nature magic and, despite its name, was not actually linked to the user''s blood. Instead, it interacted specifically with their genetic makeup and could only be used on those who shared similar genes. It was one of the most powerful defenses that could be cast upon somebody, but due to its many limitations, as well as its complexity, very few ever bothered with it. Even Iris, who was the current Master of Nature, refrained from practicing any blood magic. It wasn¡¯t as simple as merely casting a spell, after all. The magic had to be woven into the target¡¯s genes, and even their very soul, and the defensive mechanisms would only awaken with the death of the spell caster. Upon their death, a piece of their soul would bind with the target¡¯s mana and would defend them against magical attacks from those deemed the most dangerous. It was reassurance after death that someone the caster cared about would be well protected.


    So when Abi died¡­she knew that her son would be safe. And she believed Nigreos and I were the most dangerous people to Eric¡¯s safety.


    Blood magic only reacted to a handful of individuals as determined by the caster, so the fact that she and Nigreos couldn¡¯t harm him meant that they were Abi¡¯s greatest fears.


    I wonder if Ryokumo was included in that. Was he deemed as much of a threat as us? Or was it just us that she feared? Album then snorted in irritation, realizing how foolish of a question that was. No¡­ Abi would never have deemed Ryokumo anything but an ally.


    The Master shook her head, deciding that there wasn¡¯t any point in further considering the matter. What was done was done and they now needed to alter their plans. She finished her healing and then slowly got to her feet. Nigreos was waiting outside so she weakly moved through the hallway and out into the main room where Alice Mendez was still being kept. For a moment, she observed the young girl who was sitting quietly in the chair, her eyes blindfolded and her mouth gagged. The only reason she hadn¡¯t been erased yet was to continue to use her as bait for Reiner and the others. Once her worth was finished, they would send her back to the paradise she so desired.


    Album turned and continued toward the front door.


    At the very least, last night wasn¡¯t a total defeat. We erased Brad Fischer and crossed off another one of our targets. That only leaves six more to find if we don¡¯t include Reiner. We have Davens essentially within our grasp, so that just leaves Harper, Clark, Tao, Wright, and Hill. I would imagine from what Mendez told us that Evan Wright was the other boy with Davens and Fischer last night, so we have a visual on him. Perhaps he should be the next one we pursue.


    Album pushed the front door open and headed out into the crisp morning air of the forest where Nigreos was pacing around, his brow furrowed in deep thought. The man glanced up at her presence as she made her way toward him.


    ¡°Feeling any better?¡± he asked immediately, the concern clear in his tone.


    She shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°As well as I can be without the use of my right arm. That boy is a bigger issue than even I guessed.¡±


    Nigreos grimaced and folded his arms across his chest. ¡°Do you still have Davens marked?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do,¡± Album replied. ¡°Unfortunately, she¡¯s currently on her way to school and since we can¡¯t exactly go in there, we¡¯ll have to wait until later if we want to try again.¡±


    Once they¡¯d managed to get the names out of Mendez, they had hoped they could then acquire addresses of their targets, but as it turned out, the girl only knew where Rina Davens lived. It wasn¡¯t as much as they had hoped for, but it was a start and thus, better than nothing. She had quickly gone to the girl¡¯s house and marked her with the same spell she had used on Mickelson a week prior. With that done, she could now find her as long as she was within a certain range.


    ¡°Yes, I suppose so,¡± Nigreos growled. ¡°I think we should try again this weekend. We¡¯ll just follow the girl around and see if she leads us to any of the others. Right now, Damien Clark, Elizabeth Tao, and Natalie Hill are the biggest enigmas. We only have Mendez¡¯s descriptions to go off of. At the very least, Hill is in the same building as Harper, so if we locate one, we locate the other.¡±


    ¡°Then that¡¯s where we should focus our attention,¡± Album replied. ¡°We¡¯ll deal with Davens and Wright this weekend, then we¡¯ll see if Reiner accepts our ultimatum. If he doesn¡¯t we kill Mendez. At that point, I doubt he¡¯ll hold back. He¡¯ll give us what we want whether he likes it or not.¡±


    She was certain of that. In her brief interaction with the boy, it was clear how much he wanted to protect those he considered his friends. While it would be better not to let any of them die, she knew that killing Mendez to prove that they weren¡¯t bluffing would be worth it in the long run. Reiner wouldn¡¯t allow anybody else to die.


    ¡°I hope so,¡± Nigreos said. ¡°The problem is blood magic. We can¡¯t magically harm him and with you weakened like this, it¡¯ll be easier for him to defend his friends.¡±


    ¡°Sure, but he can¡¯t defend them forever.¡± She brushed his concern aside and glanced off into the trees. ¡°He can try all he likes, but in the end, there¡¯s nothing he can do but stand by and watch everything he loves crumble. And now, he won¡¯t even be able to join them. He¡¯ll be stuck in a realm where they never existed.¡±


    ¡°And what are we supposed to do about him now?¡± her partner inquired. ¡°I know you were opposed to it, but at this point, I think taking him with us to Ijiria is the best bet. He won¡¯t belong here soon, but there¡­with the talent he displayed, maybe he can attend the academy and find a life in Ijiria.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think he¡¯d just go with us?¡± Album snapped, turning her irritable glare upon him. ¡°The blood magic is preventing him from forgetting his friends, so he¡¯ll never stop thinking about what we''ve done here. He will hate us until they end. At this point, I say we kill him without magic. Just take a knife and slit his throat.¡±


    Nigreos scowled. ¡°Why are you so opposed to taking him with us?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m not blinded by my emotions, Nigreos!¡± she shot back. ¡°Do you really think it would be smart to take him to Erika? He¡¯s going to hate us. He¡¯s going to want revenge, and as we learned yesterday, he¡¯s quite skilled with magic. He could never defeat us, but he could cause a lot of damage and if he does, the responsibility of what happens falls on us!¡±


    ¡°And if that happens, we take responsibility and then we¡¯ll kill him,¡± he said softly. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand me. I may want to save him, but if it becomes clear that it¡¯s impossible, I will kill him. After all, as you were so insistent on telling him, I¡¯ve already killed Abi.¡± Nigreos narrowed his eyes. ¡°Why did you tell him that? What the hell did that accomplish except making him despise us even more?¡±


    Album smiled bitterly. ¡°I felt he should know. I know you, Nigreos, and I know that you would have done whatever it took to avoid taking him down. I simply burned your bridges for you. That¡¯s all.¡±


    She could see the fury in his eyes, but she didn¡¯t regret being so blunt about it. He was a man plagued by his feelings and if she didn¡¯t step in, he would make even more mistakes. He wanted to do everything he could to save Eric Reiner simply because he was Abi¡¯s son, but the boy was a threat to them, especially with blood protection. If Reiner hated them, it would make it so that Nigreos would be left without a choice.


    ¡°Go and rest,¡± he snapped. ¡°You¡¯re going to need your energy for the coming days.¡±


    With that, the man spun on his heel and stalked into the forest, probably to go in search of the nerich, which still hadn¡¯t come back since the previous night. She watched him depart with a smug grin, knowing that she had gotten to him.


    It¡¯s for your own good, Nigreos. Cast Abi aside. Put her in the past where she belongs and move on. This is an opportunity for you. If Eric Reiner is dead, you have nothing holding you back. I¡¯m doing you a favor¡­


    And if you refuse to kill Eric, then I won¡¯t hesitate.


    ***


    Nigreos walked furiously through the forests, following the trail of dark mana that the nerich had left behind in its pursuit of Eric Reiner the previous night. He¡¯d been wanting to go after it all morning, having been worried when it didn¡¯t answer to his summoning, but he hadn¡¯t wanted to leave Album alone until she was finished with her healing. While she was more than capable of protecting herself, with Eric¡¯s blood protection now in play, she was at a severe disadvantage should the boy somehow find their hideout. However, after their conversation mere minutes ago, he decided it was time to take his space from her. He had already assumed her motives in revealing what she did, but hearing it so bluntly from her lips only enraged him all the more.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    What the hell is wrong with her? If sparing Reiner is an option, we should take it! As long as he¡¯s kept in the Citadel, he won¡¯t be able to cause any real damage should he try to take revenge. It¡¯s his mother¡¯s homeland and thus, it¡¯s where he belongs!


    But Album refused to see it his way. She was dead set on killing Eric and it was something he couldn¡¯t stand for. Ryokumo had already stressed the importance of bringing the boy to Ijiria and now that it was clear that erasing him was no longer an option, it seemed the most viable course to take.


    He shook his head. I need to get through to her somehow. Her actions last night proved that she¡¯s more than willing to take matters into her own hands. Had Abi not protected Eric then he would already be erased. Nigreos clenched his teeth. And there¡¯s nothing stopping her from wiping him from my memories, as well. In a way¡­her losing her right arm might be beneficial to me in the long run.


    He stepped around a few more trees, feeling the nerich¡¯s presence close by. He knew it wasn¡¯t dead because if it were, he would have felt his mana returning to his body and he knew Eric wouldn¡¯t ever kill Jay Brooks. Yet at the same time, he couldn¡¯t figure out why it wouldn¡¯t return when he called for it.


    Once again, the damn thing failed to bring the boy to me. I¡¯m starting to wonder if Nuvo scammed me somehow. It¡¯s been nowhere near as useful as I was led to believe.


    With the presence of the creature close, he rounded a corner and stopped in his tracks as he gaped at the scene before him. The nerich was only a few yards ahead of him, its body completely encased in rock all the way up its neck. Its black eyes were open, but it seemed dazed as it stared at the ground, as if having decided it didn¡¯t want to fight its way out.


    R-Reiner¡­did this? he thought incredulously. But how?! How did he defeat the nerich so easily?! Is it possibly because I used a magicless being? Is that why it¡¯s so terrible at such simple requests?!


    The creature slowly raised its head at Nigreos¡¯s presence, but it didn¡¯t speak or even react any further than that.


    ¡°What happened to you?¡± he demanded. ¡°I thought I ordered you to capture Eric Reiner? Why is it that a mere boy has eluded you yet again?¡±


    ¡°Master¡­¡± it rasped. ¡°I was¡­not strong enough. He was¡­faster.¡±


    Nigreos scoffed in irritation. ¡°He¡¯s a damn child¡­ and you are bonded with a Master. How could he possibly be faster than you?¡±


    A low growl escaped its lips. ¡°I do not know.¡±


    Maybe I should just erase him, he considered. If he can¡¯t subdue Reiner then what good is he? I can only send him into the school at night and I doubt the boy keeps the relic there after dark. But after a moment¡¯s thought, he opted against it. No¡­I should give him one last chance. If catching Reiner isn¡¯t possible then maybe I can use him to find the ones we still don¡¯t have visuals of. If only it had access to Brooks'' memories¡­that would make this far easier.


    ¡°Fine then,¡± he snapped. ¡°In that case, I want you scouring this city for any sign of Damien Clark, Elizabeth Tao, and Natalie Hill. I want them brought to me alive. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Clark¡­ Tao¡­ Hill¡­¡± it rasped, as if attempting to commit the names to memory. ¡°I will bring them¡­alive.¡±


    Nigreos nodded. ¡°Good. In that case¡­¡± He stalked toward the mound of rock keeping it captured and placed his hand against it. ¡°Perkari.¡±


    A burst of wind magic reverberated through the rock, blasting it apart and freeing the nerich from its confines. It dropped to the ground, breathing heavily as Nigreos regarded it with disgust.


    ¡°You have one more chance,¡± he warned. ¡°You have your targets. Now bring them to me.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­Master¡­¡±


    ***


    Where am I? How long have I been here? Hours? Days? Weeks?


    Time seemed as if it didn¡¯t exist, and he couldn¡¯t be sure what was going on outside of the darkness that was wrapping itself around him. It was cold and he couldn¡¯t help but shiver. He wanted warmth so badly, but he had no way to get it. He didn¡¯t know if he was alive or if he was dead. He felt alive, yet he wouldn¡¯t know what being dead felt like, so for all he knew, this was death. Yet, something inside of him told him that he was, in fact, alive. So, to combat the terrible place he found himself in, he thought of those he loved. He thought of the people that he wanted so desperately to see again¡ªthe ones that made fighting against that darkness worth it. The faces of those people floated around in his mind, comforting him in that awful state. They kept him alive. They kept him sane. They were his lifeline in hopelessness. After all, this wasn¡¯t the first time he felt as if there wasn¡¯t any hope for a better future. Back then, they had saved him. Now, they were saving him again.


    ¡°You¡¯ve always been by my side. You¡¯ve stuck by me and been my shoulder to lean on when I¡¯ve needed it. You¡¯re the last one of us that I have. So how could you ever think of yourself as a nuisance? As worthless? You have so much worth to me¡­more than anybody.¡±


    ¡°Lilly cares so much about you that right now, she¡¯s inhabiting your nearly dead body because she wanted to give you the chance to see how much you matter. She could be risking her life right now¡­all for you.¡±


    ¡°Because you mean something to her, you dense idiot! After all your badgering, you actually got Lilly Harper to come around! And now, she¡¯s grown to care about you enough to use the stone on you! Don¡¯t you realize what that means? I¡¯m not the only one who would be devastated by your death! Lilly would be, too!¡±


    I can¡¯t die, he told himself. I have to go back to them. When I wake up¡­everything will be okay. Remember her words. Latch onto those words. Don¡¯t ever forget what she told you. I mean something to her. I mean something to all of them. I¡¯m not worthless. I won¡¯t be worthless. I¡¯ll be better.


    As he floated in that empty void, he allowed their words to wash over him and they were what supplied him with warmth. However, as he listened, another voice reached him, and that cold took him over once again.


    ¡°Jay. Alice is in danger.¡±


    What? Danger? How? Why is Alice in danger?


    ¡°Nigreos and Album have her locked up somewhere, though I am still unsure of where that is. They are going to kill her, Jay. Alice Mendez is going to die and I can¡¯t do anything about it. But you¡­you might know where Nigreos is hiding. You might be able to save her. Are you really going to let Alice die after everything the two of you have been through?¡±


    She¡¯s going to die?! No! I won¡¯t let that happen! If I can save her, I will! I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to protect her! After everything she did for me, I won¡¯t let her die! She saved my life!


    ¡°Please, Jay. Don¡¯t let Alice die. Save her. Save Alice.¡±


    I will! I¡¯ll do it!


    ¡°She is not your enemy. She is the enemy of whatever is inside of you. You don¡¯t have the same goals, so take back the body that is rightfully yours and save your friend.¡±


    Take my body back? To save¡­Alice?


    His eyes snapped open and light assaulted him so violently that he immediately closed them again. The void was gone. Feeling had suddenly returned to his body. He could smell the forest around him, yet the sensation was far more intense than it had been before. The touch of his hands against the dirt was similar, and when he opened his eyes once more, the world seemed clearer. He didn¡¯t know where he was or what was going on. All he knew was that he had to find Alice.


    He moved along purely on instinct, crawling along the forest floor and following the scent of the girl who saved him. She felt close by and when he recalled the words of warning, he remembered them saying that she was being kept where Nigreos and Album were hiding out. He didn¡¯t know who those people were, yet somehow, he knew where to go. It felt like there were memories in his mind that weren¡¯t his own, and they were guiding him in the direction he sought to go in. Yet, those memories were straining his mind, like they wanted to take control of him.


    Let me out! Release me!


    A shriek echoed within his mind and he stopped, feeling whatever was inside him fighting to get out. So, he shoved it back inside, using the image of Alice Mendez to give him the strength he needed. He somehow knew that if he let whatever was in him climb out, then Alice would die. He couldn¡¯t allow that. He would fight whatever was clawing at his brain to the death if it meant he could help Alice.


    Go away! he internally snarled. Leave me alone! Alice is in danger! I have to help her!


    Alice Mendez is our target! it shrieked back. We must end her! We must do as the master says and end them all!


    He violently shook his head. No! She¡¯s my friend! I love her! I won¡¯t let her get hurt!


    As he continued through the forest, he stopped and sniffed the air, searching for the scents of the other two beings that he knew were dangerous. If they were still in the hideout then he wouldn¡¯t be able to check for Alice. Luckily, their scent was coming from the opposite direction. The dark one was somewhere in the city and the light one was walking around in the forest. She had been injured so it didn¡¯t surprise him that she was still close by. He would have to be quick. He couldn¡¯t afford to be caught.


    He picked up his pace, lunging through the trees at a speed he¡¯d never gone before. Whatever was done to him and made him faster, and he felt more alive than he ever had. He smiled gleefully as he burst from the forest and stopped before the rundown shack he had once played in as a child.


    Stop! You¡¯re defying the master! If you do this, we will die!


    So be it. I need to check.


    He slunk forward, approaching the porch then reaching up to open the door. He then silently moved into the house, the scent of Alice even closer now. He knew she was there. He could sense her presence and as he crept along the wooden floor, he entered the main room and came to a stop, his body going cold at the sight.


    No¡­ What have they done to her?!


    Unbridled rage spread through him at the sight of his friend, bound and gagged on the chair, her right leg completely missing from the knee down. She slowly raised her head in his direction, but only muffled cries came from her mouth.


    Don¡¯t touch her! She must remain here! She must die!


    The other being within him gave him pause, but he once again ignored it and continued toward his friend. He gently reached out his clawed fingers and took hold of the gag, then moved it from her mouth so she could speak.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Alice rasped. ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± he replied softly, his voice scratchier than normal. ¡°It¡¯s Jay.¡±


    She exhaled sharply. ¡°J-Jay?! You¡¯re here?¡± But just as excitement and relief spread across her face, she immediately turned harsh. ¡°No¡­ you¡¯re in a coma. This is a trick isn¡¯t it? I thought I already gave them what they wanted. Why can¡¯t I just be free? Why can¡¯t I go back to paradise?¡±


    He didn¡¯t fully understand the meaning of her words so he simply shook his head. ¡°No, it really is me. I¡¯ve come to save you¡­¡±


    DIE!


    The sudden surge of hatred shot through him and without warning, his hands lunged for the girl¡¯s throat. He only managed to take control right before his claws touched her skin. Yet, she flinched anyway, her body trembling in pure fear.


    ¡°Go away,¡± she sobbed. ¡°No more tricks. Jay isn¡¯t here. Just tell me what you want and I¡¯ll give it to you.¡±


    She¡¯s scared of me? She doesn¡¯t understand but¡­ I almost just killed her¡­


    As the realization struck him, he hurriedly backed away, wanting to put distance between them.


    Do what you like, but the moment I take control, I will kill her. You can only keep me at bay for so long and once you lose, Alice Mendez will become a shredded corpse. Her body won¡¯t be recognizable.


    The thought of the creature inside him killing Alice with his hands sent shivers down his spine as he slowly backed away.


    I can¡¯t do this. If I try to save her, she¡¯ll die. I can¡¯t kill her! I don¡¯t want to harm her!


    Laughter echoed through his head as the monster mocked him, but as it did, another idea came to his mind. Hope was not lost. There were other ways to save Alice and he was determined to reach them.


    ¡°I¡¯ll come back for you,¡± he whispered. ¡°I promise.¡±


    Without waiting for a response, Jay Brooks turned on his heel and departed the hideout, a new destination in mind.

 Chapter 25- What Does It Matter?

    Chapter XXV


    Sometime overnight, it began to rain. It wasn¡¯t a hard rain, but it was cold, leaving Evan Wright shivering within his jacket as he made his way across the school¡¯s courtyard. The sky was dark grey and the world felt dreary, making his terror somehow even more intense. He kept his head low, with the hood pulled up, so that he could walk by without drawing any attention from the people around him. Being the star of the football team, his arrest and suspension back in the winter had caused him to become quite the center of attention and even after so much time had passed, he still noticed some eyes flickering his way in the hall, followed by whispering. He knew there were plenty of rumors that had circulated around the school regarding what might have happened to him, but none were close to the actual truth. After all, there was no way one of them would ever truly guess what happened to him unless they already knew magic existed.


    And they¡¯re better off not knowing, he thought bitterly as he eyed the few students who had yet to head inside. Nothing good comes from magic. It¡¯s just constant pain and suffering and I don¡¯t want any part in it, but now I don¡¯t have a choice. Those people are going to kill me.


    No matter how much he wished he could, there was no longer any way to deny what Eric Reiner had told him in their clubroom the previous afternoon. He and Rina had been attacked by beings that had power beyond their comprehension and the only reason they walked away alive was because Reiner happened to be nearby. Had he still been at the school, Evan was certain that he would now be dead, his name erased from the memories of every person he¡¯d ever known.


    I don¡¯t want to fucking die! I never asked for this! Those pieces of shit used their stone on me and dragged me into this! This is their fault! I hate them so goddamn much!


    Yet, despite how utterly furious he was, he was forced to remember how Eric Reiner had jumped in front of them to fight Nigreos and his partner, risking his life so that they could escape.


    He¡¯s only solving a problem he created, Evan told himself. This is on him. He should be keeping us alive.


    The boy clenched his teeth in frustration and made his way into the school, putting the rainy morning behind him. It was more packed than usual since most of the students who normally hung out in the courtyard had migrated inside. He lowered his head even further as he passed through the first floor and walked toward the stairs. Everybody was talking and laughing¡ªthe incident at the diner seemingly forgotten. He knew it still hung over them all, but as was normal for high school students, they moved on rather easily. Without any other incidents taking place, many had simply decided that the police had dealt with the problem and there was no need to fear another attack.


    They¡¯re all so fucking ignorant. They¡¯re just going about their days, oblivious to the fact that those people¡ªthose insanely powerful people¡ªare lurking around this city.


    He sneered at them all, yet he internally knew that he was jealous of them. He didn¡¯t understand why he had to be a part of it. He didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with the hell he was being put through. He wanted to continue going about his average life, just as oblivious to the existence of Nigreos and magic as everybody else.


    What am I even supposed to do now? Am I really expected to go up to that dumbass clubroom again and beg those magic fuckers to protect me? Like hell I¡¯m gonna do that! I don¡¯t want to be at their mercy!


    Still stressing over the situation as he arrived on the second floor, Evan glanced up and stopped. Just ahead, leaning up against the wall, was Rina and Steven. The red-headed boy was talking to her in a hushed tone, and the concern in his eyes was clear. As for Rina, she looked as if she were trying and failing to assure him that she was okay. Knowing what he did, Evan could tell that she was just as scared as he was, and that she was unable to hide that from her boyfriend.


    God damn. I really just want to leave them to their business, but¡­


    ¡°Yo, Steven. Rina. Everything alright?¡± he called out to them, pulling his hood back so they could see his face.


    Both glanced up at his voice, the former immediately looking suspicious and the latter seeming relieved.


    ¡°Yeah, everything¡¯s fine, Evan,¡± Steven muttered, sparing a disappointed look at the girl beside him. ¡°What do you need?¡±


    Evan snorted. ¡°I don¡¯t need anything, you fuck. You guys just looked upset so I thought I¡¯d make sure you weren¡¯t doing anything to the poor girl.¡±


    ¡°Man, fuck off,¡± the other boy snapped. ¡°Of course I wasn¡¯t doing anything.¡± He then turned back toward Rina and whispered, ¡°call me later, okay?¡±


    She nodded softly. ¡°Yeah, okay. We¡¯ll¡­talk tonight.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Ri¡¯.¡±


    With one last glare at Evan, Steven turned and walked off toward his first period class on the third floor. Evan watched him go, feeling slightly bad for antagonizing the guy, but also wanting to chase him off so that Rina wouldn¡¯t crumble and tell him anything she shouldn¡¯t. As far as he was concerned, they should make sure anybody who didn¡¯t have anything to do with magic was unaware of what was really happening. He might scoff at them for being oblivious, but he knew it was better that way.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± he asked the girl, lowering his voice so the passing students wouldn¡¯t hear anything. ¡°I meant to call you, but¡­I dunno. I guess I just didn¡¯t want to stress you out.¡±


    Rina shrugged. ¡°I really don¡¯t know how to explain it. I¡¯m scared, but at the same time, I¡¯m more terrified for Jay and Alice than I am for myself. I mean, that guy¡­Nigreos¡­he said that Alice was the one who told them about us. If that¡¯s true, then does that mean he already has our names? Did they force that information out of her?¡±


    Evan scowled in frustration. ¡°I don¡¯t have a damn clue at this point. But from just those few minutes of talking to that guy, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they would stoop to torturing her.¡±


    ¡°I have to find her then,¡± she replied firmly. ¡°I have to find where they¡¯re keeping Alice and get her away from them. And if they have Jay, then I have to help him, too.¡±


    Evan eyed her dubiously. ¡°It¡¯s a nice sentiment and all, but you know there¡¯s no way you could do anything. If Reiner can¡¯t beat their asses with his magic, then what is a normal girl like you going to do?¡±


    Rina swallowed and didn¡¯t immediately reply. However, when she did pull herself together, she turned a determined look his way. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I have to do something. After everything I put them through¡­everything we put them through, if I stand by and let them die then I¡¯ll never be able to live with myself.¡±


    Well, you won¡¯t remember they ever existed so it probably won¡¯t matter, he thought, but opted not to put the comment to words. Instead, he said, ¡°But what are you going to achieve by getting yourself killed? Walking up to wherever they¡¯re hiding and getting incinerated by that white woman¡¯s light won¡¯t do a damn thing for your friends. I get where you¡¯re coming from, Rina, but you need to look out for yourself.¡±


    ¡°I¡­I know that, but¡­¡±


    She trailed off as her eyes wandered over his shoulder to something behind him. Evan grimaced, already knowing what he would see as he turned around and immediately took a step to the side, placing himself in front of the girl. As expected, Eric Reiner was making his way toward them, his eyes fixated on the two of them.


    Yeah, I had a feeling he was going to look for us.


    While Evan hadn¡¯t known what became of Eric Reiner after the boy appeared in the forest and urged him and Rina to run away, just the fact that he still remembered he existed was enough to confirm that he had survived his encounter one way or another. Though, Evan was surprised to find that he didn¡¯t even look wounded, though it wasn¡¯t impossible that Reiner knew some form of healing magic, so for all he knew, the boy truly had gotten his ass kicked. Either way, it didn¡¯t matter. The end result was the same and, despite his feelings toward Reiner, he knew he should be grateful that their best chance of survival hadn¡¯t been lost.


    ¡°Glad to see you aren¡¯t dead, Reiner,¡± Evan greeted harshly. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    Reiner stopped short and sighed, his expression just as melancholic as it had been the previous day. ¡°I just wanted to check on you guys and make sure you¡¯re okay. After everything that went down yesterday, I figured you¡¯d be scared or¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not fucking scared of anything,¡± he quickly lied. ¡°All I know is that those magic bastards are out there somewhere and there¡¯s nothing stopping them from coming after us again. So what the hell are you planning to do about this, huh? How are you going to stop anybody from dying?¡±


    He kept his voice firm, not wanting to show fear in front of Reiner of all people. However, he couldn¡¯t help but frown at the meekness of the once proud and cheerful boy. With each passing day, defeat seemed to set further and further into him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, honestly,¡± Reiner mumbled. ¡°I¡¯m still figuring that part out. I only just yesterday learned that Album was even with him.¡±


    Album? He must be talking about the woman¡­Nigreos¡¯s buddy.


    ¡°And what about Alice?¡± Rina chimed in, stepping out from behind him. ¡°And Jay? What are we going to do about them? How are we going to rescue them, Reiner? I mean, you guys have to have some ideas. You¡¯re the one who knows all about this stuff.¡±


    But Eric just shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know nearly enough. But we¡¯re going to discuss it again after school, so I would appreciate it if you¡¯d come by. Maybe¡­we¡¯ll figure something out.¡±


    Evan grit his teeth, having wanted to avoid that clubroom and still not forgetting how the boy attacked him the last time he was there. Yet, before he could even snap at him, Rina spoke.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be there,¡± she assured him. ¡°Both of us.¡±


    She looked up at him expectantly and, faced with her stern expression, Evan could only scowl and shrug. ¡°Yeah, fine. I¡¯ll be there, too.¡±


    Reiner nodded. ¡°Good. Yeah, good. Thank you both.¡± He then turned to walk away, but stopped after only taking a few steps. He looked back at them with blatant apprehension. ¡°And by the way¡­have either of you ever heard of a boy named Brad Fischer?¡±


    Evan cocked an eyebrow, searching his memory for any recollection of the name, before shaking his head. ¡°No. Why? Is he some other magic piece of shit that¡¯s gonna try and kill us?¡±


    Reiner winced at his question, then looked to Rina. ¡°And you, Davens?¡±


    ¡°Um, no,¡± she muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t think the name really rings a bell. It isn¡¯t¡­er, nobody else was erased, right, Reiner?¡±


    ¡°No, nobody,¡± he said immediately. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll see you guys later. Thank you.¡±


    And before either of them could press him for further details, he turned and actually walked away that time. Evan stared after him, somehow even more suspicious of him than he had been before.


    ¡°What the fuck was the deal with that?¡± he grumbled. ¡°Brad Fischer?¡±


    The name did seem oddly familiar, but he couldn¡¯t place it. No matter how hard he thought about it, nothing came to mind.


    ¡°Somebody was erased,¡± Rina whispered. ¡°The way he was just acting¡­and the way he worded his question. I think he¡¯s just trying to keep us from stressing out, but there''s no way he¡¯s telling the truth. This Brad Fischer guy was somebody who used the stone.¡±


    A chill ran through Evan as he processed the implication of her words.


    ¡°B-but,¡± he stuttered. ¡°If that¡¯s true, then doesn¡¯t that mean he was there yesterday? Like, he would have been in the forest with us, and Nigreos and Album killed him?¡±


    Rina shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know, honestly. I mean, there wasn¡¯t a body, so I don¡¯t know if he was there with us, but that doesn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t exist. What if Nigreos and Album went after him first and then targeted us. And if he was erased, then that guy had to have been in the clubroom yesterday.¡±


    ¡°And Reiner asked us¡­¡± Evan murmured. ¡°So was he a friend of ours?¡±


    The two of them stood in silence as they contemplated what this could mean. If somebody was erased the day before, then maybe they didn¡¯t escape as cleanly as Evan thought they did. Maybe Reiner didn¡¯t arrive just in time, but he was too late to save Fischer. The thought only made Evan wonder just how close to death he had reached while facing those monsters.


    ¡°We really don¡¯t have a fucking choice, do we?¡± he growled. ¡°We have to go to the clubroom later. We have to hear what those bastards are gonna do to fight this, cause I don¡¯t have a damn clue what to do. We could actually die, Rina.¡±


    The girl looked down at the ground, her fists clenched at her side.


    ¡°I know. I know that. And now¡­so could Alice and Jay. We could all die.¡±


    Evan turned back to stare in the direction Reiner had gone, but naturally, there was no sign of him anymore. He truly did hate the Magic Club with all his being. They not only dragged him into it all, but they forced Rina to suffer, too. He would make them pay someday. He would make them regret ever doing this to them.


    But to ever get revenge, I first need us all to survive¡­and whether I like it or not, without that damned club, Rina and I don¡¯t have a chance in hell of getting away alive. If I¡¯m certain of anything, it¡¯s that.


    ***


    After leaving Evan and Rina, Eric decided to simply wander around the school for a while. He didn¡¯t want to go to first period where Lilly would probably be waiting for him. He hadn¡¯t spoken to her since the previous night¡¯s call when she had fallen unconscious and while he knew he should check on her, he found himself scared to do so. The stress had already been taking its toll on her, but with the variable of Album Luz thrown into the mix, their situation had only become more dire. It would have been next to impossible to face Nigreos alone, so with the Master of Light at his side, Eric felt as if the battle was over before it truly began.


    And now¡­we¡¯ve lost somebody else¡­


    Brad Fischer was gone, his existence erased from the world, succumbed to the same fate that had taken Vinny. While he and the big boy had never truly seen eye to eye, Eric had a lot of respect for him. He had been a good friend to Lilly and, despite his teasing, he had genuinely liked him.  Brad had kept their magic a secret and had even helped them out during the Evan/Rina incident during Christmas. He had been somebody they could rely on and now, that was all gone. Lilly would no longer remember any of that, nor would anyone else in the world except him. The memories of Brad Fischer and Vinny Mickelson were Eric¡¯s to bear, and there was nothing he could do to change that.


    Perhaps this is my punishment for failing to save them, he thought. Vinny and Brad are gone, and I¡¯m paying the price by living in a world where they don¡¯t exist. I have magic. I¡¯m the only one who has a true chance of doing anything, so they need to rely on me. But if I can¡¯t protect them, then my powers are useless.


    Eric grit his teeth, reaching his right hand into his pants pocket to wrap his fingers around the magical stone he always kept on him. All of this¡­because I couldn¡¯t keep my curiosity at bay. I had to fiddle with this damn thing. Why do we all have to die? Why can¡¯t they just take the stone back and leave? It¡¯s not fair!


    For a moment, he wondered if there was any way he could possibly use the stone to stop them, but he quickly brushed the idea aside. Swapping bodies with them wouldn¡¯t achieve anything even if he was able to get close enough to activate the magic. The stone was nothing more than pointless fun.


    So why do they want it so much? he wondered. What¡¯s so important about this stupid thing? Why does it matter?


    He pushed the thought aside, realizing that it wasn¡¯t really important why they wanted it. It didn''t change what they planned to do.


    I need to come up with something. There has to be some way we can escape this. At the very least, if I was able to get through to Jay, then maybe we can use that to our advantage. Then, I just need to figure out what I did to blast Album¡¯s arm off¡­and even get Nigreos¡¯s shadows out of my body. All three times it¡¯s activated, I¡¯ve heard Mom¡¯s voice. So what does that mean? Is she trying to tell me something? Am I missing something?


    He rounded a corner and began to ascend the stairs to the third floor as he continued to wrack his brain for an answer. Or maybe the answer lies in that syringe. As much as it scares me, if I can¡¯t figure out how to harness this weird defense I have then I have to take my chances and use it. It¡¯s a last resort. For all I know, it could only make things worse.


    ¡°Reiner!¡±


    He stopped at the call of his name and immediately felt the desire to run away as fast as he could. He knew it was cowardly, but he didn¡¯t want to face the girl who called him. He¡¯d been dreading it since he briefly spoke with her over the phone.


    But I can¡¯t ignore her. It wouldn¡¯t be right.


    Telling himself that, Eric slowly turned around just as Alexa Harper grabbed his arm and began pulling him down the hall.


    ¡°Come with me,¡± she growled, her anger barely contained. ¡°We need to talk.¡±


    ¡°R-right,¡± he stuttered meekly.


    Deciding not to resist, he allowed the girl to lead him down the corridor and toward the library. He could feel other students looking at them curiously, but Alexa didn¡¯t seem to care very much. The two of them went through the open doors and headed past the tables and bookshelves to the back of the library, behind one of the shelves where there weren¡¯t any other students around. Once they were alone, Eric was about to ask what she needed him for, but never even got the chance to inhale before she grabbed him by the collar and shoved him into the wall. He cried out in surprise, having not expected such a violent action, and when he looked forward, he found Alexa¡¯s face only inches away from his own.


    ¡°What the fuck is wrong with my sister, Reiner?¡± she hissed. ¡°What did you do to her?¡±


    He knew Alexa would be worried. She was overprotective of Lilly to begin with, so considering how poorly Lilly was handling everything, it was only natural for her older sister to notice something. Lilly passing out was probably the last straw and now, the anger in her eyes, mixed with fear, were clear for Eric to see.


    ¡°I¡­I¡­¡± he uttered. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    He wanted to ease her fears. He wanted to tell Alexa that it was alright and that there was nothing to worry about, but if he did, then he would be lying right to her face. Knowing how scared Alexa must feel, he knew it was his job to help her calm down, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to lie¡ªnot anymore.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Harper,¡± he whispered. ¡°But I can¡¯t tell you.¡±


    Her eyes went wide in shock, and he wondered if she had expected him to make something up, but then she tightened her grip and glared at him once more, her voice low and shaking.


    ¡°Excuse me? Don¡¯t you dare give me that! Lilly¡¯s clearly been stressed about something all week and I figured it probably had to do with you. I was going to try and stay out of your business, but I can¡¯t anymore! She passed out last night right after talking to you! So I¡¯m going to ask you again and you better fucking answer me. What did you do to her?!¡±


    He flinched at the accusations. It was only a little over a week ago that he had declared he would gain Alexa¡¯s trust for the sake of his relationship with Lilly and at the time, he truly believed it could be down. Now, he knew there was no way the girl before him would ever trust him. The damage was done.


    But does it even matter? If we all die, who cares if Alexa likes me or not. Soon, she won¡¯t even know who I am. As that thought crossed his mind, he internally scoffed. So wat;s the point in hiding anything? If I tell her the truth, I won¡¯t have to suffer the consequences. She¡¯ll forget anything I say to her eventually.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe me if I told you,¡± he replied quietly.


    Alexa sneered at him. ¡°Then try me. I¡¯m sick of this, Reiner. Who the fuck even are you? What¡¯s your deal?¡±


    Yeah¡­why hide it? What point is there?


    ¡°I¡¯m magical,¡± he said. ¡°I have magic, Harper.¡±


    For a moment, she just stared at him, bewildered. That expression was short lived and her anger returned with even more of a vengeance. ¡°Are you mocking me?¡± she snarled. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that shit! I thought you were a good guy, but is this who you really are? Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m terrified! I want to know what¡¯s happening to my little sister and you¡¯re just gonna make fun of me?¡±


    He apathetically shook his head, finding himself lacking the energy to argue. ¡°I¡¯m not lying, Harper. I can use magic and Lilly knows about it.¡±


    This time, Alexa didn¡¯t snap back at him. Instead, she released her right hand from his collar and swung to slap him across the face. Having expected her reaction this time, Eric simply whispered, ¡°Halto.¡±


    He felt his mana surge through his body as Alexa¡¯s hand stopped inches from his face, shaking as if being pushed on by an opposing force. The girl¡¯s features contorted in confusion and she seemed to be fighting the air, baffled by what she was witnessing.


    ¡°You see?¡± he muttered. ¡°Magic.¡±


    He deactivated the spell as Alexa released him and stumbled backwards, staring at him in shock. He never gave her the chance to speak before he dropped to his knees and placed his hands on the ground, bowing his head to the girl in apology.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he cried softly. ¡°I really am. I¡¯ve gotten your sister wrapped up in something I don¡¯t understand and I don¡¯t know what to do. It¡¯s my fault. It¡¯s all my fault. Go ahead and hate me. I don¡¯t expect you to forgive me, but I want you to know that I¡¯m trying to figure out a way to stop this.¡±


    ¡°W-what¡­¡± she stuttered, ¡°are you talking about? You¡­ I don¡¯t¡ª¡±


    Yet, for better or for worse, she could say anything more. The bell rang out through the room, signaling that class would be starting in five minutes. Eric slowly raised his head and stared up at the girl, only to find her looking back with fear.


    Of course she¡¯d be scared. After everything I just said¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll fix this,¡± he whispered. ¡°I promise. I¡¯ll¡­find some way to make this right. I¡¯ll save Lilly. I¡¯ll¡­save them all.¡±


    ***


    As Alexa Harper walked through the halls and down the stairs to the first floor, her mind was a complete jumble of questions and emotions. When she confronted Eric, she didn¡¯t know what she expected. All she knew was that after seeing Lilly pass out, she needed to do something. Something was happening behind the scenes and she was desperate to know what it was. Her first guess was that Eric might have been abusing her somehow, but after the display in the library, she realized that her little sister was caught up in something unfathomable.


    He used magic. He actually used it. Or at least, that¡¯s what it seemed like.


    An invisible force had fought back against her hand when she tried to slap him, but Eric hadn¡¯t moved. He¡¯d spoken a single word and that had been enough to cast whatever charm or spell he did. She kept trying to figure out an explanation that didn¡¯t involve magic, but there was nothing that came to mind. What happened was utterly impossible.


    I can¡¯t believe this. What the hell is he? What did he get Lilly wrapped up in?


    Eric hadn¡¯t elaborated. After the bell had rung, he got to his feet and walked away, leaving her too stunned to pursue him.


    He¡¯s going to try to stop what¡¯s happening? But I don¡¯t even know what that is. What¡¯s going on?


    Alexa swallowed, recalling how scared her little sister had been behaving.


    Lilly¡­ What have you been hiding from me?

 Chapter 26- Atoning For My Sins

    Chapter XXVI


    Once again, Damien found himself standing against the window of the clubroom, with Evan Wright and Rina Davens present and waiting for Eric to start explaining the situation. Liz was at his side, clutching his hand, while Eric was pacing at the front of the classroom. The only one not present was Lilly, who had to leave early in order to go babysit Natalie. Eric chose to accompany her to make sure she got to her building safely before immediately returning, so it was already relatively late in the afternoon and their two visitors seemed to be growing impatient. Eric had already filled him and Liz in on what had transpired in the forest the previous night so they already knew just how hopeless it had become. For one, Nigreos wasn¡¯t the only Master present in the town. He arrived with a partner, the Master of Light, Album Luz, and they had already made an attempt at erasing Rina and Evan.


    And then there¡¯s the matter of that boy who was erased.


    While he had requested that they try and keep it hidden from Evan and Rina, Eric had told them about a boy named Brad Fischer, whom Album had apparently erased. As was expected, Damien didn¡¯t have a clue who that was, but based on everything that had happened, he didn¡¯t doubt for a second that Fischer had existed.


    We lost somebody else. They wiped someone else from existence. Eric believed we couldn¡¯t fight one Master, so if there are two, then we truly are screwed. We have to figure something out. There has to be an answer.


    ¡°So?¡± Evan began, breaking the silence that had descended over the clubroom. ¡°What the fuck are we supposed to do now? It¡¯s crystal clear that you guys weren¡¯t lying yesterday, so what¡¯s your plan? How are we getting out of this?¡±


    Eric stopped pacing and stood still for a moment, never looking at the boy who spoke.


    ¡°Like I said earlier, I don¡¯t really know,¡± he murmured. ¡°Nigreos and Album are powerful, Wright. I don¡¯t want to give up. I truly don¡¯t, but I tried fighting them last night and while I was able to take them on, I¡¯m not even certain how I did it. Not to mention, that was only while protecting myself. If one of you had been there, I don¡¯t think I could have prevented you from getting erased.¡±


    Evan scoffed, his attitude and personality still unpleasant even after learning that they had been telling the truth. ¡°Well then use that dumbass head of yours! It¡¯s your fault that I¡¯m even in this mess to begin with, so it¡¯s your job to fix it! I swear to god, Reiner, if Rina dies because of you, I¡¯m going to fuckin¡¯ kill you!¡±


    Eric laughed bitterly. ¡°That¡¯s the sad part. No, you wouldn¡¯t. You would forget she ever existed and all your memories would be gone. Don¡¯t you see that? They¡¯re powerful enough to alter the very fabric of reality and morph it into whatever is most convenient for them. They can remove us.¡±


    ¡°Then we need to prevent that,¡± Rina stated, taking a step forward to stand beside Evan. ¡°They have my friends, Reiner.¡±


    ¡°I know they do and that¡¯s the problem.¡± With a deep breath, Eric finally turned to look at the two of them, though his eyes seemed glazed and distant. ¡°Even if we had the ability to do something, Nigreos made it clear that if we don¡¯t do exactly what he says, he¡¯s going to kill Alice. If we fight him, then she dies.¡±


    ¡°Then we just gotta rescue the bitch, right?¡± Evan snapped. ¡°If we can figure out where she and Brooks are being kept, we can get them away from those fuckers and if they don¡¯t have them, then you can take them on without having to worry. At least then you could fight them!¡±


    ¡°And how do you suppose we find them?¡± the other boy muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t have even the first clue where Nigreos and Album would be hiding. They could be in an alternate dimension for all I know.¡±


    ¡°Why are you such a fucking pessimist all of a sudden?¡± Evan roared, his frustration breaking through. ¡°All though high school, you¡¯ve been an obnoxious ball of cheer and it was fucking annoying! But now that I need you to be like that, you¡¯re gonna act like we can¡¯t do anything?! We won¡¯t know whether we can find them if we don¡¯t try!¡±


    ¡°But if we try and fail then they die!¡± Eric shouted back.


    ¡°And if we don¡¯t, they fucking die anyway!¡± Evan retorted. ¡°We have two options here! Either we sit around on our asses and they kill us, or we actually do something and maybe they don¡¯t kill us, and I, for one, am not going to die like a pussy! If these bastards are going to kill me then I¡¯m gonna beat them back as hard as possible and go out fighting!¡±


    Evan¡¯s face was red from shouting and Eric was unable to make an immediate reply. Damien was surprised to find that he agreed with Evan. Everything he was saying was what Damien had been arguing since Eric first revealed the truth. He never thought he¡¯d see eye to eye with Evan Wright but he was grateful that he did.


    ¡°I¡¯m with him, Eric,¡± Liz said, inserting herself into the conversation. ¡°Damien and I have been saying the same thing. We have to try something. If we give Nigreos the names then we¡¯re as good as dead. And even if we don¡¯t, they already managed to track them down. Sooner or later, they¡¯ll find us.¡±


    ¡°And they might already know our names,¡± Rina said softly.


    Damien frowned, glancing over at her in confusion. ¡°What do you mean, Davens?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just¡­¡± She sighed. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure if you guys knew or not, but I guess you don''t¡­ They told us last night that Alice already said that I¡¯d touched the stone. That¡¯s how they knew to come after us.¡±


    Liz exhaled sharply. ¡°N-no¡­ Don¡¯t tell me she¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t finish the sentence, but she didn¡¯t have to. Damien and Liz just stood there, dumbstruck, while Eric¡¯s expression remained unchanged, making him wonder if he¡¯d already considered the possibility.


    They got Alice to talk. So if that¡¯s true then they already know who we are. Alice knew every person who touched the stone, even Natalie, so if she told them what they want, then our one form of protection against them is gone.


    ¡°Stop moping around!¡± Evan snarled. ¡°Yeah, they know our names, so let¡¯s do something about it! Let¡¯s find Mendez and Brooks and let¡¯s throw a fucking wrench into their plans!¡±


    Damien nodded, trying to keep himself calm and not allow their new information to shake him up. ¡°I think that¡¯s the best place to start. But where would they even be hiding? I mean, unless they¡¯re camping out in the woods somewhere¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the forest would be the best place for them,¡± Liz agreed. ¡°I mean, unless they can change their appearances, which isn¡¯t impossible, then I¡¯m sure we would have heard about them by now. They don¡¯t look normal, after all.¡±


    Rina nodded. ¡°Especially with what happened at the diner and the hospital. It really sounds like the cops are keeping a close eye on everything. They would have been spotted by now.¡±


    ¡°So what then? They really are just hiding in the fucking woods?¡± Evan grumbled. ¡°Where though?¡±


    Damien shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s plenty of cabins and such out there. In fact, my uncle used to rent one before he moved away. If there¡¯s any vacant ones, I¡¯m sure it wouldn¡¯t be very hard for them to hide out there.¡±


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Rina added. ¡°When we were kids, Alice, Jay, and I used to sneak out to an abandoned one close by with a friend of ours. I¡¯m sure somebody owns it but it¡¯s not very well kept. We could sneak in no problem so I doubt they would struggle very much to go in and out without getting spotted.¡±


    ¡°Then that¡¯s where we start. The woods.¡± Liz then turned to the silent boy standing wide-eyed at the front of the class. ¡°That sound like a good enough plan, Eric?¡±


    He glanced between the four of them, seeming uncertain of what to say. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ Are you guys serious?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t we be?¡± Damien inquired. ¡°None of us want to die so we¡¯ve gotta do something.¡±


    His friend stared back at him for a moment then simply nodded, as if realizing that they were going to fight with or without him, and regardless of how defeated Eric was, he¡¯d never stay out if they were putting themselves at risk.


    ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll take the fight to them. However, we can¡¯t do this tonight. Nigreos uses the shadows to his advantage. If we¡¯re going to investigate the woods, we need to wait until morning.¡±


    ¡°Fine then,¡± Evan grunted. ¡°Then let¡¯s meet up on Doris Street tomorrow morning. How about nine?¡±


    Eric shrugged. ¡°Fine, I suppose. Morning it is.¡±


    Damien could tell how much he wanted to fight the idea, but Eric wasn¡¯t stupid. He knew Evan and Rina would go searching for Alice regardless, so it would be best to have him present to serve as defense.


    ¡°Good,¡± Evan growled. ¡°Then now that we¡¯ve got that out of the way, I¡¯m going home. It¡¯s fucking late and I¡¯m tired. If I¡¯m gonna be spending my Saturday traipsing around the woods, then I want to rest.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Rina said. ¡°We can walk together.¡±


    ¡°T-then¡­be careful and¡­if anything happens, give me a call. You have my number. And in fact¡­¡± Eric seemed to be struggling to make a decision before sighing once again and continuing. ¡°Let me give you my address just in case you need somewhere to run to. I can¡¯t protect you guys all the time, but I can at least do this much.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Reiner,¡± Rina replied, and the look in her eyes told Damien that her words were genuine. ¡°That would be great.¡±


    The boy quickly gave them his address then bid them goodbye. Once Evan and Rina had left, Eric flopped down into one of the desks and put his face in his hands. ¡°Are we really doing this, guys?¡± he muttered. ¡°Are we really going to try to fight them?¡±


    Liz smirked. ¡°What choice do we have? Evan was right. Nigreos said we have until Monday to turn ourselves in or he¡¯s killing Alice. Whether we sit here and wait or try to fight, Monday¡¯s the deadline.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s only true as long as he still has Alice,¡± Damien said. ¡°I can¡¯t even begin to guess how we¡¯re going to help Jay, but at the very least, if we can get Alice to safety, we¡¯ll have made some progress. That¡¯s what matters.¡±


    ¡°I suppose so,¡± Eric whispered, seeming as if he were speaking more to himself than to them. ¡°In that case¡ª¡± He stopped mid sentence at the sound of somebody knocking on the door. Eric jumped to his feet, looking as if he feared they were under attack as he called out, ¡°Yes? What is it?¡±


    Damien had expected Evan or Rina to have come back for something, so when the door opened to reveal Lilly¡¯s older sister, he was surprised. He¡¯d only met her one time during the festival so he didn¡¯t know much about her, which made him curious as to why she would have dropped by on such a random occasion.


    ¡°I want to talk, Reiner,¡± she said hesitantly, eyeing Damien and Liz briefly before facing the boy once again.


    Eric partially relaxed as he realized they were safe, but Damien noticed a look of apprehension in his eyes, making him wonder if his friend already had an idea as to what it was about.


    ¡°I would assume so,¡± he mumbled. ¡°Yeah, come in, Harper.¡±


    Alexa stepped inside and once again looked at the two of them. ¡°D-do they¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they do,¡± Eric replied.


    Seeming to sense the same strain that Damien was, Liz stepped forward. ¡°Um, Eric? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    The boy shook his head in defeat and, rather than respond to Liz, spoke instead to Alexa. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about earlier. I could have handled that better, but I¡¯m just struggling to think straight. Of course you¡¯d want to talk after the way I acted and¡­whatever you want to know, I¡¯ll tell you. At this point, it¡¯s the least I can do.¡±


    The girl furrowed her brow. ¡°Well¡­thank you, but¡­I just want answers. What are you people? How can you do magic and¡­what did you get my sister involved with? What¡¯s happening to you guys?¡±


    As she asked her questions, Damien and Liz just gaped at her. After all that had happened, he found himself struggling to process each new revelation that came his way, and he certainly hadn¡¯t expected Alexa talking about magic to be their next issue.


    Magic? She just asked about magic? But why? How does she¡­?


    ¡°Eric?¡± Liz said softly. ¡°What the hell did you do?¡±


    Eric slowly got to his feet, returning to his pacing like he had been earlier. He looked exhausted, as if he could fall over at any minute, yet he pressed on with the conversation regardless. ¡°I told her about magic, Liz. I showed her what I can do.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª? Why?¡± Damien demanded. ¡°Didn¡¯t we decide it would be better to involve as few people as possible?! Why would you tell her now?! And for that matter, how much does Lilly know?!¡±


    Eric shook his head. ¡°She doesn¡¯t. And as for why I told her, it¡¯s because of what we¡¯re putting her through by not telling her. Lilly¡¯s suffering and that¡¯s going to be clear as daylight to her sister. At the time, I felt it would be best if we were just honest with her.¡±


    ¡°But what if Nigreos goes after her now?¡± Liz snapped in frustration. ¡°It seems like they¡¯re trying to get rid of anybody who ever found out about magic, so why would you tell her? It just puts her in more danger.¡±


    ¡°It does not,¡± Eric insisted. ¡°Nigreos already knows Lilly¡¯s surname, so Alexa¡¯s been at risk since the beginning. Therefore, for the same reason you guys wanted to tell Evan, Rina, and Brad, I told her. At least this way, she can be more cautious. After all, the diner proves that Nigreos and Album don¡¯t give a shit about the lives of innocents!¡±


    Damien clenched his teeth, wishing his friend could have at least confided in them before acting so rashly, and when he glanced over at Alexa, he found her gazing at them in stunned silence.


    Lilly¡¯s going to be so damn pissed.


    ¡°Guys,¡± Alexa stuttered. ¡°What are you talking about? Who are Nigreos and Album and¡­what you have to do with the diner.¡±


    With one last apologetic look at them, Eric turned and faced the girl with a firm expression.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we sit down? This is a long story.¡±


    ***


    Rina gazed longingly down at the quarter of the medallion clutched in her hand, the name ¡°Audrey Moore¡± engraved in its center. Ever since Jay had given it to her back in January, she spent a lot of time simply looking at it and reminiscing. To her, it both represented the friendship she cared so strongly about, as well as the promise she made with Jay. He had asked that she hang onto it until he woke up and when he did, she would give it back to him. Ever since, she had told herself that when that moment came, she would restart their friendship and try to make up for what they lost. She knew that the fracture in their relationship was her fault. She pushed Jay and Alice away after Audrey¡¯s death and she was responsible for what happened during Christmas. She wasn¡¯t even sure she deserved to be forgiven by them, but she was determined to try. She wanted to try and fix what she broke.


    But if Alice and Jay die¡­I can¡¯t do that. So no matter how dangerous it might be, I have to save them. That¡¯s the first step in making things right.


    There was still so much between them that needed to be resolved. Her feelings toward Jay about what happened to Audrey still tormented her, but she now knew how unfair she was being toward him. Treating them the way she did, lashing out when it wasn¡¯t truly their fault, was disgusting and she knew it.


    So I¡¯ll do whatever I can. I¡¯ll scour every inch of this town to find them. I won¡¯t let some supernatural entities take them away from me. I¡¯ve lost too much in my life. I won¡¯t lose them, too.


    She had lost her mother and brother when she was young.


    She lost Audrey.


    So she would fight for Jay and Alice. She wouldn¡¯t be left behind again.


    Rina reached down and grabbed the other medallion wedge with her own name on it and placed it beside Audrey¡¯s, smiling sadly at the image of them connected.


    Only two more and it¡¯ll be whole again for the first time in years.


    ¡°Hey, Rina. I¡¯m leaving!¡± she heard Evan call from downstairs.


    She looked up and stared at her open bedroom door. ¡°Okay, be right there!¡±


    The girl quickly set her own wedge back in her dresser drawer and wrapped Audrey¡¯s around her neck, enjoying the calming sensation that always came with having her old friend¡¯s piece close to her. Rina then hurried from her room and went downstairs to where Evan was waiting in the kitchen. He had accompanied her home so that she wouldn¡¯t be alone, and had asked to use the bathroom before leaving. Part of her wished somebody else could be there to walk him back, but she knew there was no helping it. Reiner was too busy keeping watch on his club and she understood that he couldn¡¯t be there to protect them at all times.


    ¡°Thanks for walking me home,¡± she said with a weak smile. ¡°You sure you¡¯re going to be okay? What if you run into Nigreos and Album again?¡±


    Evan shrugged. ¡°Then I¡¯ll run like hell. But don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ll be fine and I¡¯ll make sure to call you when I get back, okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, alright. I appreciate it. And I guess I¡¯ll see you in the morning?¡±


    ¡°I guess so,¡± he grumbled as the two of them made their way down the hall, toward the front door. ¡°After all, I don¡¯t have much of a choice now. We gotta find Mendez and Brooks if we don¡¯t want to get our asses murdered. As much as I don¡¯t want to admit it, we need Reiner to be able to fight them freely. If he¡¯s too busy worrying that Mendez is gonna die, then we¡¯re all fucked.¡± He stuck his hands in his uniform''s pocket and snorted. ¡°So I¡¯ll do what I have to.¡±


    Rina eyed him for a moment, a wry smile curling on her lips. She knew he was still angry about being roped into everything, but there was a strange determination in him that she had never seen before. Evan Wright was somebody who simply went through life doing as he pleased. He was fairly straightforward. However, now, it seemed as if he had a goal. He had something he truly wanted to fight for, and she could see that shift in the way he was talking and holding himself.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m gonna need you, Evan.¡±


    He glanced down at her, and to her surprise, he smiled, a rare occurrence for him. ¡°Yeah, yeah. And by the way, make sure you give Steven a call. I can tell he¡¯s worried about you.¡±


    She cringed at the mention of her boyfriend, recalling how nervous he had been that morning. In fact, it wasn¡¯t just him. Charlotte and Ashley had been giving her concerned looks all day, though neither pressed her for any details. They were all probably assuming that her mood shift was related to Jay and Alice¡¯s disappearance and opting to refrain from prying.


    Which isn¡¯t far from the truth, she thought. It¡¯s just not the whole story.


    ¡°Yeah, I will,¡± she assured him. ¡°I¡¯ll call Steven tonight.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Evan then turned and reached for the door. ¡°Stay safe, Rina. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°You, too.¡±


    With that, the boy opened the door, prepared to depart the house, but he stopped immediately, gaping in utter shock at the person already standing there. Evan took a startled step back, nearly stumbling over his feet, and when his body moved, Rina was able to see the individual standing in the doorway, upon which her own eyes widened. She couldn¡¯t help but blink, certain that it had to be some sort of hallucination, but the boy was, in fact, right in front of them, his eyes flickering between them.


    ¡°J-Jay?¡± Rina stuttered.


    He looked like a complete mess. His head was shaved bald and his eyes were red and swollen. He was completely naked, but his body was coated by a layer of coarse black hair, almost like an animal. His nails were long and sharp and looked as if they could rip their throats out in an instant. She immediately feared he was going to attack them, but the look on his face told her otherwise. His face was as human as ever, and his eyes were pleading with her, searching for help.


    ¡°Rina¡­¡± he rasped, stumbling forward. ¡°Please¡­ Help Alice. I need you¡­to help Alice¡­¡±


    ¡°Brooks?¡± Evan breathed. ¡°What the fuck happened to you? What¡¯s going on?!¡±


    Jay spared a brief glance at Evan, slight recognition in his eyes, before turning back to face his old friend again. ¡°Rina, please. I can¡¯t¡­do it. I can¡¯t touch her. I need you.¡±


    ¡°Jay, what are you talking about?¡± she managed to get out, trying her best to keep her body calm despite the sudden and horrifying development. ¡°What¡¯s happened to you? Where have you been?! Where¡¯s Alice?!¡±


    She took a step forward, reaching out to the boy, but he immediately flinched backwards.


    ¡°No!¡± he screeched. ¡°Don¡¯t come near me! Please, I¡¯ll hurt you, Rina! I don¡¯t want to hurt you! Just come with me! Please come with me!¡± Before she could protest any further, Jay moved backwards and hobbled across the porch before looking at her again. ¡°I¡¯m begging you, Rina. Follow me.¡±


    She could tell that his mind wasn¡¯t functioning properly and based on his condition, she knew Nigreos and Album had done something to him. For all she knew, he could be leading her into a trap. In fact, it seemed likely. Yet, despite knowing that, she realized she didn¡¯t have a choice but to follow him like he requested. As she reached up to touch the wedge hanging from her neck, she once again thought back to their last interaction.


    ¡°Evan, I¡¯m going with him,¡± she said softly.


    The boy immediately rounded on her. ¡°What? Are you fucking crazy? Look at him! Something¡¯s clearly wrong with him!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I have to go,¡± she insisted. ¡°If he knows where Alice is then I can¡¯t let this opportunity pass me up. So I¡¯m going after him. I want you to call Reiner and let him know what¡¯s going on then get home and stay there.¡±


    ¡°Oh absolutely not,¡± he snapped. ¡°If you¡¯re going then so am I. I¡¯m not letting you go by yourself and especially not with¡­that.¡±


    ¡°Evan¡ª¡±


    ¡°No!¡± he repeated, more firmly. ¡°I¡¯m coming, Rina. I¡¯ll let Reiner know what¡¯s happening, but I¡¯m not letting you go by yourself. You hear me? We¡¯ve already supposedly lost this Brad Fischer kid, so I¡¯m not gonna lose you, too.¡±


    Realizing that Evan wasn¡¯t going to do as she asked, Rina reluctantly nodded and turned back to face Jay, who was watching them with an impatient expression, his head twitching every few seconds.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± she demanded of him. ¡°Where is Alice, Jay?¡±


    His features hardened and for a moment, his eyes flashed black, but it was gone so quickly that she wasn¡¯t even sure she¡¯d seen it properly.


    ¡°Our old hideout,¡± he whispered. ¡°They¡¯re keeping her tied up there.¡±


    ¡°T-the hideout? You¡¯re kidding? That¡¯s where they are?!¡±


    The boy twitched again. ¡°Yes, they are. Alice is there, but I can¡¯t go near her. I can¡¯t hurt her, so you need to save her. Please, Rina. Please¡­ We have to go quickly. Noctis and Luz aren¡¯t there right now, but I can''t be sure how long that¡¯ll last. We have to go! They¡¯re gonna kill Alice. They¡¯re gonna kill her.¡±


    Rina clenched her teeth, recalling that her phone was still up in her bedroom. ¡°Evan, tell Reiner where we¡¯re going. He can meet us there.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯re actually doing this? Right now?!¡± he pressed.


    She stalked forward, sparing only a brief glance his way. ¡°I have to. I know it could be a trap, but¡­I don¡¯t think it is. Jay isn¡¯t lying, so we can¡¯t pass this opportunity up. My phone¡¯s upstairs so just call Reiner and let¡¯s go. Hopefully, he¡¯ll get there as soon as he can.¡±


    Without waiting for his response, Rina hurried across the porch and followed after Jay, who had already begun stumbling toward the street. Evan cursed under his breath and ran toward them, falling into stride alongside Rina as he pulled his phone from his pocket.


    ¡°I swear, Rina¡­¡± he murmured as he placed the phone to his ear.


    The sky was still cloudy and she could smell rain in the air as they walked along the street with Jay in the lead. As she realized what she was doing, she felt her nerves beginning to get to her as the reality set in. Not only had she not been back to their hideout in years, but she was sneaking into the supposed base of the Masters of Light and Dark¡ªbeings that could end her life in a second if they realized she was there. She knew she was being stupid. She knew that doing what she was doing could get her killed, but with Jay right in front of her and the possibility of finding Alice on the table, she knew she would forever regret not going.


    ¡°Damn it all,¡± Evan muttered. ¡°I can¡¯t get a signal. Why is the service out all of a sudden?¡±


    Rina glanced up at him nervously. ¡°Service is down? Don¡¯t tell me last night¡¯s rain knocked it out or something. It wasn¡¯t that bad of a storm.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t fucking know,¡± he grumbled. ¡°But I don¡¯t like it. Come on, Rina. If we can¡¯t get a hold of Reiner then we need to go to the school and get him ourselves. We know where Alice is being kept so we should go let him know. If he comes with us, we¡¯ll be much safer.¡±


    ¡°Then can you go get him?¡± she asked. ¡°He¡¯s probably still in the clubroom and if not, we know where he lives.¡±


    Evan shook his head, his features growing more and more desperate. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you alone with Brooks. I still think this is a trap. I mean, just look at the fucker. What¡¯s wrong with his body? He¡¯s¡­messed up.¡±


    As they rounded a corner, they arrived on Doris Street and Jay was quick to increase his pace as he moved toward the trail leading into the woods. He glanced back at them as if to ensure they were still following, then hurried into the trees.


    ¡°We almost got killed in those woods last night,¡± Evan went on. ¡°Are you really going to go and even unarmed?¡±


    As she walked up to the start of the trail, she came to a stop and bit her lip, staring into the forest beyond. She knew he was right. She knew that she was being irrational, but when she reached up to grip the medallion wedge once again, her resolve grew stronger.


    ¡°Evan, Nigreos and Album already know our names,¡± she stated. ¡°Or at least, it sounds like they do. If that¡¯s the case then they don¡¯t need Alice anymore. There¡¯s nothing stopping them from killing her now. If I have the chance to go save her then I have to take it. I¡¯m terrified¡­terrified that I¡¯ll wake up tomorrow morning and have no memory of her. I know it¡¯s risky¡­but I can¡¯t let Alice die. Not after what we did. So if you want to waste time getting Reiner then go ahead¡­but I¡¯m going with Jay.¡±


    With that, she walked onto the trail and moved into the forest. For a moment, she didn¡¯t hear Evan¡¯s footsteps behind her and believed he was going to go find Reiner, but soon enough, he ran back to her side, his jaw clenched.


    ¡°Fine then¡­¡± he hissed. ¡°Let¡¯s be quick about this and get the hell out of here before we fucking die.¡±


    She smiled, grateful to have him at her side regardless of how much he complained.


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s do it.¡±

 Chapter 27- Smiling In The Face Of Certain Death

    Chapter XXVII


    Lilly Harper stood quietly by the apartment¡¯s sliding glass door, staring out at the overcast sky beyond. She could hear Natalie playing with some clay at the coffee table and every once in a while, she would glance back at the little girl to make sure she was okay and every time she did, she was greeted with the same sight: Natalie smiling as she enjoyed her afternoon, oblivious to the danger she was in. She was young and innocent, having never wronged anybody. She was given a harder life from birth, but she was resilient and she rarely allowed her disability to bother her. She was cheerful and fun to be around, and she had always loved Lilly.


    So why? Why do Nigreos and Album want to kill her? Why would they want to hurt somebody like this¡ªan innocent child?


    She clenched her fists and turned back to the glass door. She knew there wasn¡¯t a point to watching for the Ijirians, but it eased her mind just a bit to keep an eye out. She was happy that Natalie had yet to be targeted, but she knew the time would come and, when it did, Lilly would be powerless to stop it. Only Eric had the ability to fight them, but he was only one person up against trained sorcerers. He couldn¡¯t protect everybody, even if he wanted to.


    And now, we¡¯ve lost somebody else. Evan and Rina were almost killed yesterday, and this Brad Fischer guy was wiped from existence. Nigreos and Album made their move and proved just how determined they were. Eric had said he only barely held them off and he wasn¡¯t even sure he could fight them again. If they come back¡­


    She let the thought hang, feeling the stress beginning to overwhelm her again. She knew she couldn¡¯t allow herself to pass out in front of Natalie. She had already scared her family enough as it was so she didn¡¯t want to worry anybody else. She was still irritated at herself for passing out in front of Alexa, but she hadn¡¯t been able to do anything to prevent it. Hearing that somebody else was erased had been too much for her. It only solidified the reality she had already accepted, making it feel truly real. At any moment, Nigreos and Album could jump her and erase her from existence. Then, she¡¯d be forgotten.


    Her family wouldn¡¯t remember her.


    Natalie wouldn¡¯t remember her.


    Damien and Liz wouldn''t remember her.


    She would be lost to everybody except Eric, her existence gone from the world. That thought terrified her more than she had admitted. Death was scary enough by itself, but for one¡¯s existence to be gone, their presence on the planet wiped as if they were never there, was sickening. It would mean that her life was meaningless. Everything she ever did would have never happened. She felt her heartbeat accelerating and she hurriedly began to take deep breaths to calm down. Lilly placed a hand over her heart and continued to steady her breathing, but she must not have been subtle enough because the sound of Natalie playing with the clay stopped.


    ¡°Lilly? What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked. ¡°Why are you breathing so funny? Did something happen?¡±


    She internally cursed herself. I forgot how perceptive that girl can be.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine, Natalie,¡± she replied in as calm a tone as she could muster then turned around to face the young girl. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    She hoped that would be the end of it, but Natalie didn¡¯t look convinced, so Lilly hurriedly changed the subject to the upcoming weekend where the little girl would be staying over at her apartment while Renee was out on a business trip.


    ¡°I¡¯m excited for you to stay over at my place this weekend. It¡¯ll be lots of fun. My mom picked up a few board games for us to play.¡±


    Still seeming worried, the girl nevertheless smiled and nodded excitedly. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m really excited! I¡¯ve never gotten to sleep over at your house. Are Liz and Eric gonna be there, too? They should stop by!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, they¡¯ll be dropping by,¡± Lilly assured her. ¡°Damien might even come over, too. You remember him from the festival, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah! Cool! He seemed really nice!¡±


    For once, Lilly was grateful that the girl couldn¡¯t see. She didn¡¯t want her witnessing the pained look on her face as she thought about the upcoming week. After all, there was no guarantee that either of them would even survive to the weekend. The future was so uncertain that she hated to even think about it. Eric had said that it would be beneficial to have Natalie close by so they could protect her easier, but that required them to make it through the week.


    We need to figure something out. We¡¯ve lost Mickelson and Fischer¡­and Alice could be dead by Monday if we don¡¯t turn ourselves in. That¡¯s not even taking into account what might happen to Jay with that monster inside of him. There¡¯s too much¡­ Way too much¡­


    Her thoughts were abruptly cut off by the ringing of the doorbell, leading both of the girls to turn in its direction with surprise.


    ¡°Um, did your mom say if anybody was coming over tonight?¡± Lilly asked hesitantly.


    But Natalie just shook her head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. We don¡¯t really get visitors so¡­¡±


    A feeling of terror washed over Lilly as she carefully began crossing the apartment¡¯s main room. Her body had begun to tremble and part of her wanted to quickly scoop Natalie up into her arms and run like hell. The only reason she was able to keep it together was by telling herself that she couldn¡¯t scare Natalie. No matter what, she wanted the girl to stay ignorant until the end.


    I can¡¯t be them, right? Nigreos and Album wouldn¡¯t knock on the door. I¡¯m just being paranoid. I need to calm down and stop freaking out over everything. As she told herself this, she approached the door and stuck her head up against the peephole to get a better view, only for panic to set in for a completely different reason. What in the living hell is Alexa doing here?!


    Swallowing back her shock, Lilly unlocked the door and pulled it open to face her older sister. She expected some sort of anger, or perhaps even a demand to explain herself. She had been waiting for Alexa to confront her ever since she passed out, so for her to suddenly show up unannounced at Natalie¡¯s place, there wasn¡¯t even a shred of doubt in her mind that she was going to be chewed out. So, she was taken completely by surprise when Alexa threw her arms around her and pulled her into a hug.


    ¡°Wha¡ª?! Alexa?!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Alexa quickly whispered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about everything. I know what¡¯s going on. I know about Nigreos and Album.¡±


    Lilly¡¯s eyes went wide and she didn¡¯t have an immediate response. Of all the things for her sister to say, that was not a possibility she even remotely considered. She couldn¡¯t even fathom how Alexa might have found out about them without being explicitly told by one of the club members.


    Which means¡­did one of the others tell her? But why would they? That doesn¡¯t make sense.


    ¡°Um, what¡¯s going on?¡± Natalie called from the other room. ¡°Is Alexa here?¡±


    Before Lilly could reply to the girl¡¯s question, Alexa softly said, ¡°can we talk outside for a moment?¡±


    The younger girl managed a weak nod, then glanced over her shoulder. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s Alexa. She¡¯s just here to give me something. I¡¯ll be outside for a sec, but I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Lilly then grabbed her older sister by the hand and led her into the hallway. She then closed the door behind her, checked around to make sure none of the other tenets were nearby, then rounded on Alexa.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she demanded. ¡°Who told you about that?¡±


    ¡°W-well¡­Reiner did,¡± Alexa replied.


    ¡°Eric?!¡±


    She knew the only way she could have found out was through the club, but she couldn¡¯t imagine why her boyfriend of all people would tell Alexa. By getting her involved, it would only drag her into the danger, and for all they knew, it could get her erased as well.


    What the hell was he thinking?


    ¡°Listen, Lilly,¡± she went on. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but after you passed out last night, I had to know what was going on. I¡¯ve never seen you in such a stressed state and it didn¡¯t take a genius to realize that Reiner was involved with it somehow. After the festival, you changed, and so I confronted him¡­only to find him in a similar state.¡±


    Lilly clenched her teeth, feeling furious despite knowing it was reasonable for Alexa to worry. ¡°So you butted into my business again?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± the older girl snapped. ¡°Of course I did. I¡¯ll admit that I was being too nosy before, but now¡­you¡¯re my sister and you¡¯re in danger. I had to know so I demanded that Reiner tell me and for whatever reason, he did. He showed me his magic. He told me about the stone and about these¡­wizards coming after you.¡± Alexa shook her head, as if even she was still struggling to accept the reality of Lilly¡¯s situation. ¡°It¡¯s all so ridiculous, frankly. If he hadn¡¯t shown me magic first-hand, I would have laughed in his face. But it adds up and my first priority is protecting you. If some magic creeps are coming after my little sister then I need to be there for you.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Lilly uttered, her body tensing as she listen to Alexa¡¯s declaration. ¡°No, no, no! Damn it, Alexa! I don¡¯t want you involved in this! If Eric told you everything then you know we could all die!¡±


    ¡°So what?¡± she retorted. ¡°I can¡¯t lose my little sister! I won¡¯t! Reiner said he wants me to keep watch on both you and Natalie, so that¡¯s what I¡¯m gonna do.¡±


    Lilly frantically shook her head. ¡°No, please, Alexa¡­just stay out of it. Please just keep away. You don''t have to worry about losing me cause you¡¯ll forget me! If I die, you won¡¯t even remember!¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s what scares me the most!¡± she hissed sharply. ¡°Reiner said I could forget you¡ªmy own sister?! I don¡¯t want to believe him, but at this point, I¡¯m not even sure what I¡¯m supposed to believe! Reiner¡¯s thrown out everything I thought I understood so the only thing I can do is be there for you! Whether you like it or not, I¡¯m going to be here as long as you need me.¡± Alexa then glanced back at the closed door of the Hill¡¯s apartment. ¡°And Natalie needs us, too. So I¡¯m a part of this now.¡±


    Lilly didn¡¯t know what to say. She wanted to argue the point further, but knew it would be pointless. Alexa was more determined that she had ever seen her, so all Lilly could do was stand there in silence, staring down at the carpeted ground of the hallway.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll see you back at home,¡± Alexa murmured, then took off without another word and Lilly was more than happy to let her leave.


    Damn it, Eric. What did you do? Why did you have to get her involved? What does this accomplish?


    Yet, despite her fury, her trust in him didn¡¯t waver. If he told Alexa then she knew he had a reason. He wouldn''t just pull her into potential danger if he didn¡¯t have some sort of plan. She exhaled softly then turned back and walked into the apartment where Natalie was awaiting her, still sitting at the coffee table.


    ¡°Is everything okay?¡± she asked immediately. ¡°I thought I heard you guys raising your voice.¡±


    Just like before, Lilly forced herself to sound cheerful, though it was getting progressively harder to do so.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s all okay, Nat¡¯,¡± she lied. ¡°Everything¡¯s perfect.¡±


    ***


    As Rina and Evan moved off the path and deeper into the woods, it began to rain. It was only a light drizzle at first, but as time went on, it got harder and colder. Rina shivered, wishing she¡¯d grabbed a jacket before leaving. When she glanced sidelong at Evan, he had pulled his hood up over his head and was looking around them, making sure they weren¡¯t being followed. Up ahead, Jay was still leading, though he was crouched down on all fours and crawling through the trees like some sort of animal. She didn¡¯t have even the slightest clue what might have happened to him so she reminded herself to ask Reiner about it the next time she saw him.


    Every time I see magic, it just seems messed up, she thought. Why is it so twisted?


    Jay briefly glanced back at them then continued onwards, leaving Evan to scowl at him and mumble a few curses under his breath. As grateful as she was to not be heading in alone, part of her did want to send him back so that he¡¯d be safer, but she knew he wouldn¡¯t stand for that. He¡¯d already told her that he wouldn¡¯t allow her to go with Jay alone, so she decided she wouldn¡¯t fight him on it.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    I just don¡¯t want him getting hurt because of my choices.


    She knew that she was being stupid by going into the woods again, and supposedly toward Nigreos and Album¡¯s hideout. It was very possible that she could get hurt and if Evan stayed with her then he would be in danger as well.


    I guess I just have to hope Nigreos and Album aren¡¯t home right now, like Jay said.


    She was surprised by how calm she was given what she was doing. After the terrifying encounter with the two sorcerers the afternoon before, she knew she should be scared out of her mind, yet she wasn¡¯t. As she walked through the forest, she instead felt determination. Even in his current state, she had seen Jay again and she was able to confirm that he was, in fact, alive. If he did as he said he would and took her to Alice, then she had a chance to save the girl she had betrayed. To Rina, this was a chance to make things right, and so, she wanted to take it. She wanted to save them. She wanted to save Jay and Alice.


    It¡¯s what you would do, right, Audrey? she thought as she gripped the medallion wedge around her neck. You wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to run into these trees to help Alice. So I shouldn¡¯t either.


    Jay suddenly stopped, raising his head and glancing around, as if searching for something.


    ¡°The fuck¡¯s wrong with him?¡± Evan muttered.


    Soon enough, Jay quickly continued on and, without warning, he vanished. For a moment, the two of them just stood there in silence as they stared at the spot he had just been in, but before they could react, only Jay¡¯s head reappeared, floating in midair.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be safe,¡± he rasped. ¡°It¡¯s beyond this barrier.¡±


    Then, his head disappeared again. Rina exchanged a nervous look with Evan before taking off toward the spot where Jay had vanished. Sure enough, once she crossed over the point where they lost sight of him, she found him crouched nearby, staring up at a structure that was so nostalgic to Rina that she couldn¡¯t help but gaze at it for a moment. It was the worn down little house that she used to sneak into with the others back when they were kids. She hadn¡¯t been there in years and part of her didn¡¯t think she¡¯d ever come back.


    And I especially didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be under circumstances like these.


    She watched as Evan moved through the supposed barrier before jumping back, as if startled by the sudden appearance of the house.


    ¡°Ah, not this fuckin¡¯ place,¡± he growled.


    She frowned. ¡°You¡¯ve been here?¡±


    ¡°Er, well, kinda¡­¡± He scowled. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna talk about it. Let¡¯s just get going.¡± Evan then eyed Jay with a suspicion. ¡°You say Mendez is in there, right? And that Nigreos and Album aren¡¯t home?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Jay confirmed. ¡°Alice is inside¡­and the Masters are elsewhere.¡±


    Evan grimaced. ¡°Well perfect. Then let¡¯s stop standing around and go inside. Hurry the hell up!¡±


    With Evan¡¯s sharp command, Jay turned and crawled up toward the wooden porch with the two of them close behind. Without hesitation, he reached for the doorknob and pushed it open then moved into the small entryway. The creaking of the floorboards were slightly unnerving as Rina poked her head inside, fearing that the sorcerers could appear at any moment. Gathering up all her resolve once again, she headed inside with Evan right at her back.


    Alice¡­is in here. She¡¯s here¡­


    Jay led her down the hall and toward the main room, and that was where she found her old friend, though she felt a horrible chill run down her spine as she looked upon her. Alice was tied to a chair with her eyes blindfolded and a gag hanging from her neck, probably once used to keep her from screaming. She looked thinner than normal and her hair was messy and unkempt. However, the most heartbreaking part was her missing right leg, severed from below her knee.


    What the hell did they do to her?! Her leg¡­? They took her leg?


    ¡°Holy shit¡­¡± Evan breathed.


    At the sound of his voice, Alice weakly raised her head in their direction. ¡°Hello? Who¡¯s there? Is that you again¡­Album?¡±


    All of a sudden, the pure determination that had been driving Rina up until that point was wiped away, replaced by the fear she knew she should have been feeling. Seeing what had been done to Alice only made the threat of the sorcerers a true reality. It was one thing to be told they were willing to kill Alice, but to see the proof before her eyes made Rina want to cry. Despite that, she looked first to Jay, who was gazing at Alice with a pained look, and then back to the girl in the chair.


    ¡°Alice?¡± she called out. ¡°It¡¯s me. Rina.¡±


    For a moment, it seemed as if her words hadn¡¯t processed in the girl¡¯s head but, after a moment, Alice frowned.


    ¡°Rina? What are you¡­? You¡¯re here? Or is this a trick? I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a trick, I promise,¡± she quickly added, moving across the room to kneel beside the chair. ¡°I¡¯m right here. It¡¯s really me. I¡¯ve come to rescue you. I¡¯ve come to get you out of here.¡±


    Rina then reached out and grabbed the blindfold before untying the back of it, allowing the fabric to fall to the ground. When it did, Alice blinked against even the dim light streaming in through the windows, then turned and stared back at her. Rina smiled, placing her hand against her old friend¡¯s cheek and brushing some of her hair from her eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re really here, Rina?¡± she muttered. ¡°But how? How did you know where to find me? And why¡­?¡±


    ¡°Jay told me where to look,¡± she answered, indicating the spot where the boy was crouching in the back corner, bathed almost completely in the shadows.


    Alice gazed at him for a moment and Rina couldn¡¯t imagine what thoughts were now going through her mind. However, before Alice could say anything else, she went on.


    ¡°As for why¡­well, you¡¯re my friend. I know I haven¡¯t acted like you were, and I know I¡¯ve done some terrible things, but I¡¯m here now¡­and I¡¯m not going to let you get hurt again. I¡¯m going to get you out of this place.¡±


    She expected to see Alice smile, or at least show some sign of relief, but instead, she only shook her head.


    ¡°No¡­ There¡¯s no point. There¡¯s nothing to save me from,¡± she breathed. ¡°The Ijirians are too powerful. Trying to stand up against them will only get us killed. Instead¡­we should let them erase us. We should go to paradise together, Rina. Let¡¯s go to paradise.¡±


    At Alice¡¯s abrupt refusal, Rina could only stumble through her words. ¡°P-paradise? What do you mean, Al¡¯?¡±


    ¡°They aren¡¯t killing us,¡± she repeated. ¡°If we do what they say¡ªgive ourselves up to them, then we won¡¯t die. They¡¯ll spare us. They¡¯ll send us to a place where we can be free¡­where bad things won¡¯t happen. A place where we can be with Audrey again.¡±


    ¡°Audrey?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen it, Rina,¡± Alice quickly went on. ¡°I¡¯ve seen paradise. I want it so bad. I want to go back. Audrey was there. She was alive. I want her back. I don¡¯t want to be here, in this cruel place. So please don¡¯t fight it! Stay here and wait for them to come back! Let them erase us together and the three of us can be with each other in paradise!¡±


    As she spoke, her eyes were wild and desperate, leaving Rina unable to grasp what was going on. The paradise she was talking about couldn¡¯t possibly exist. Her first thought was that Nigreos and Album played some trick on her, but then she realized that it wasn¡¯t too unthinkable. ¡°Impossible¡± didn¡¯t exist anymore. For all she knew, a paradise did exist, but¡­


    ¡°If it¡¯s a paradise they¡¯re offering, then I don¡¯t want it,¡± Rina uttered. ¡°It¡¯s a trick.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Alice insisted. ¡°And even if it is, who cares? There¡­you won¡¯t know the difference. You¡¯ll be blissfully ignorant.¡±


    ¡°Alright, enough of this shit,¡± Evan snapped, interrupting their conversation. ¡°We¡¯ve gotta get the hell out of here and now! We don¡¯t know when those fuckers are coming back so let¡¯s get Mendez untied and let¡¯s bounce.¡±


    Alice stared at the boy in surprise, having clearly not noticed his presence up until that moment. ¡°Wright? You¡¯re¡­here, too?¡±


    Evan snorted, stalking toward the chair. ¡°Yeah, big fucking surprise, I know. Just consider this atonement for all the shit back during Christmas.¡± He then knelt back behind the girl and muttered, ¡°Just normal ass ropes? What? Could they not afford the magic kind?¡±


    ¡°Stop,¡± Alice whispered as he began untying her. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go. I want to stay here! I want to be in paradise!¡±


    ¡°You think I give a fuck?¡± the boy growled. ¡°I¡¯m with Rina on this. Any paradise those assholes are offering up isn¡¯t anything we should want. So¡­¡± He pulled the ropes undone and got to his feet. ¡°...get on my back. I¡¯ll carry you back to town.¡±


    She weakly shook her head, but she didn¡¯t have the strength to resist as he hoisted her up onto him. Alice looked scared, but merely lay limp against Evan as he turned to look at them.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get the fuck out of here,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Come on.¡±


    Rina stared back at him then nodded. ¡°Right. We¡¯ll take her to Reiner¡¯s and see what he can do. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s some sort of healing magic or something he can use. Maybe that¡¯ll calm her mind a bit.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully,¡± he grunted. Evan then glanced over at Jay, still watching them from the corner. ¡°What¡¯re you gonna do, Brooks? Clearly you¡¯ve got some problems of your own to deal with. Reiner¡¯s magical now so if you want, I¡¯m sure he could do something about¡­¡± Evan nodded toward Jay¡¯s twisted and hairy body with a disgusted expression. ¡°...all that.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Jay said softly. ¡°But I¡¯ll figure it out. Just go on without me for now. And thank you. Thanks for saving Alice. I owe you, Rina. You, too, Wright.¡±


    Evan shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t owe me a fucking thing.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, same,¡± Rina added. ¡°I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re awake. I¡¯ll tell Reiner what¡¯s happening and I¡¯ll see if he can help you. I swear to you, Jay. I¡¯ll do whatever it takes.¡±


    He forced a meek smile. ¡°Yes¡­Thank you, Rina. Goodbye for now.¡±


    She returned his smile. ¡°Yeah¡­goodbye for now.¡±


    With that, Rina turned and departed the room with Evan close behind, carrying Alice who was now whispering under her breath, though she couldn¡¯t hear what she was saying. They made their way down the hall and out onto the worn down porch, soaked in rain, but before Rina could take another step, she stopped in horror.


    ¡°Good to see you again, Miss Davens,¡± Nigreos Noctis called out from his spot just inside the barrier. ¡°I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d be reunited so soon.¡±


    He was smiling casually, his hands leisurely tucked within his pockets as he regarded her. The rain seemed to not fall on him, but around him, as if an invisible force was pushing it away. Evan, who was now at her side, stopped and immediately cursed under his breath.


    Nigreos laughed. ¡°And Mr. Wright as well? Of all the people to make a rescue attempt for Mendez, I certainly didn¡¯t think the two of you would be stupid enough to try. Though, I¡¯m not complaining. This saves me the effort of having to track you down again.¡±


    Damn it! We were so close! I thought Jay said he wasn¡¯t nearby?! Did he lie to us? Was this a trap? But no¡­ He was telling the truth. I know him well enough. I could tell he wasn¡¯t lying. I don¡¯t¡­


    ¡°Let it happen,¡± Alice uttered so softly that Rina barely heard her. ¡°Let them take us. Don¡¯t fight.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you just fuck off?!¡± Evan snarled at Nigreos, completely ignoring Alice¡¯s plea. ¡°I¡¯m sick of this! I¡¯ve never done a damn thing to wrong you or your stupid country! I didn¡¯t even touch that dumbass stone of my own free will! Rina didn¡¯t either! Reiner forced it on us so we didn¡¯t break your stupid law!¡±


    Rina expected Nigreos to be the one to reply, but to make matters worse, it was at that moment that Album Luz stepped through the barrier, her dark eyes fixed on them. Her right arm was hanging limp from her side and she seemed to be in a weaker condition than the previous day.


    But still far more powerful than us¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate, Wright,¡± she called back. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter to us. Neither of you will be walking away from this confrontation. In moments, you will be erased.¡±


    Evan narrowed his eyes. ¡°Is that so?¡± The boy then knelt down, gently setting Alice against the wall of the house before stalking forward, putting himself between them and Rina just like he had the previous afternoon. ¡°Then come at me! I¡¯ll take you on! Even if it means I¡¯m gonna get killed, I¡¯ll go down fighting!¡±


    Nigreos cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Are you really foolish enough to think you can stand against us?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he retorted. ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m about to fuckin¡¯ die! I¡¯m terrified! But I¡¯m not gonna die like a pussy! I¡¯m not gonna let you just take me! At the very least, I¡¯ll get a few hits in and defend the person who means so much to me!¡±


    Rina¡¯s mind was racing so fast that she almost didn¡¯t fully take in what he said at the end. Yet, when she realized what he said, she looked away from the sorcerers and at Evan.


    The person¡­who means so much to him?


    ¡°I love you, Rina,¡± he declared, a broad grin spreading across his face. ¡°Might as well tell you now cause there¡¯s not gonna be another chance. I¡¯m sorry for everything I did to you! I¡¯m sorry for dragging you into this mess! If not for me, that club wouldn¡¯t have needed to use the stone on you! I fucked up. Majorly.¡± He laughed bitterly, though he never made eye contact with her, and it sounded as if he simply needed to get it all off his chest. ¡°Steven¡¯s better for you anyway though. I¡¯m no good. So, at the very least, I¡¯m gonna die protecting you!¡± Then, before she could even begin to formulate a response, Evan¡¯s laugh turned challenging as he eyed the two sorcerers across the clearing, already in the process of tossing his jacket aside. ¡°So bring it on, you fucks! Give me all you got!¡±


    Nigreos smirked. ¡°So you want to die like a man, Evan Wright? Well¡­that I can respect.¡± He then raised his hand toward the boy, a twisted grin on his face. ¡°Coreas!¡±


    The moment the Master intoned the word, the shadows in the trees burst to life, swirling toward Evan as he clenched his fists. For just a second, a thought flashed through Rina¡¯s mind, one that spurred her to action.


    He¡¯s going to die!


    She darted forward, shoving Evan off the porch and down into the mud below just as the shadows were about to strike her. The impact hit her instead, sending her body flying backwards, pain shooting through her skull just before everything went black.


    ***


    Jay Brooks stood quietly in the hallway of the old hideout, staring down at the ground, unable to understand the sight that lay before him. He heard Evan Wright screaming, his voice echoing across the clearing and into the building and Jay knew why. Rina was laying at his feet, blood pooling up beneath her limp form. Within his mind, he could hear the monster¡¯s maniacal laughing as it took pleasure in the pain that was running through him.


    Look at what you¡¯ve done, Brooks! You led them here and now she¡¯s going to die! Your friends are all going to die!


    I don¡¯t get it¡­ they weren¡¯t nearby. I didn¡¯t sense them anywhere!


    Of course you didn¡¯t. Don¡¯t forget who¡¯s power you were using to sense them. Did you really think you could control me that easily?


    It manipulated him.


    Just like it had been for the past two weeks. He was it¡¯s puppet¡ªit¡¯s slave. He was powerless to do anything while it used his body to commit atrocities. He didn¡¯t even know what it did while he was unconscious in that void. He never wanted to know. And now, it had puppeted him into putting Rina in danger. If she died, her blood would be on his hands.


    Jay slowly leaned down beside Rina¡¯s body and placed a finger against her neck.


    A heartbeat. She¡¯s not dead yet.


    But she will be soon. Look at all that blood. She¡¯s as good as gone if she doesn¡¯t get help soon.


    Jay clenched his teeth. No¡­ I can¡¯t let this happen! I won¡¯t let them die! I¡¯ll stop this before anybody else gets hurt! I¡¯m not going to be a puppet! I¡¯m not going to be controlled! I refuse to let them all die! I refuse!


    As Jay slowly rose to his feet, the voice inside his head began to dim, almost like it was getting farther and farther away. Instead, all he focused on was his anger as he moved past where Rina lay and toward the door. When he stepped out onto the porch, he saw shadows wrapping themselves around Evan as he thrashed around in the mud, screaming curses and vulgarity at the Masters. When he turned his head, he saw Alice slumped against the wall, barely conscious.


    No¡­ I won¡¯t let this happen¡­


    And so, he let out a scream that was so twisted that it felt as if it never could have come from his mouth. It was the scream of a monster, but if becoming a monster was what it took to save them, then he would do it without regret.


    ¡°NIGREOS!¡± he screeched, then propelled himself off the porch and toward where the Master stood. ¡°I¡¯LL KILL YOU!¡±

 Chapter 28- A Reason To Die

    Chapter XXVIII


    Nigreos had seen the nerich appear in the doorway out of the corner of his eye, and while he was curious to know why it was there, he decided it would be an issue he could deal with another time. In fact, just having it there was enough to confirm that he wouldn¡¯t be losing Davens and Wright again. So, when it shrieked his name and lunged toward him, he had been too focused on holding Wright down to react before it collided with his body, sending both of them tumbling out of the barrier and into the rainy forest on the other side. The Master cried out in surprise as the nerich drove its claws straight into his chest and slammed him against the ground, sending mud flying up around them.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you for what you¡¯ve done!¡± the nerich screamed in its inhuman voice. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you to protect them!¡±


    Nigreos opened his mouth to issue a command, but before he could utter even a word, the creature turned and hurled him into the trees, sending him smashing into various branches before slamming into the mud once again.


    What the hell¡­? he thought frantically. Why is it attacking me?! It¡¯s connected to my mana so it shouldn''t be able to do this! Don¡¯t tell me Brooks overcame it¡¯s control?!


    He saw the monster launch itself through the branches, its twisted form lurching down toward where he lay. Despite the severe pain coursing through his system from the wounds in his chest, Nigreos knew that if Brooks truly had taken control of the nerich¡¯s powers then there was nothing stopping its instincts from killing him.


    ¡°Coreas,¡± he managed to utter just before it reached him.


    Shadows exploded from all around him, engulfing Brooks and sending him crashing up through the canopies. Nigreos spat blood out onto the ground and managed to roll over, using his right arm to prop himself up.


    Why is this happening?! Why is every plan I set in motion going up in flames?! Jay Brooks shouldn¡¯t be able to overcome something as powerful as the nerich! He¡¯s a damn magicless child! He¡¯s too weak to use its power against me!


    With mud and blood soaking his now torn suit, Nigreos managed to rise to his feet, scanning the now foggy late afternoon woods. He knew that attack wouldn¡¯t have been enough to defeat the nerich so it would almost certainly be coming after him again. He had no desire to rush back toward the barrier. Even in her weakened state, Album was more than powerful enough to handle erasing Wright and Davens on her own. However, if the nerich attempted to go back and fight her, she would have a harder time against its dark magic.


    But its not heading back, he thought with certainty. I can sense it nearby, stalking me.


    ¡°Well, Brooks?!¡± he managed to shout. ¡°Where are you?! I know you¡¯re still out there so why don¡¯t you make good on your promise and kill me!¡±


    He had believed it to be good luck that he and Album managed to arrive while Wright and Davens were in the forest. At the time, he hadn¡¯t been sure how they got past the barrier, but to him, it hadn¡¯t mattered. The barrier only concealed the hideout from those who didn¡¯t know to look for it. Album had already confirmed through her erasure of Mendez that Davens was familiar with the rundown shack. For her to know where to look made sense, but now he realized that wasn¡¯t the case. She hadn¡¯t accidentally stumbled upon anything. Jay Brooks had led her there to save Mendez.


    Damn you, Nuvo! he internally cursed, recalling the merchant who had sold him the nerich. What kind of defective creature did you sell me?! If a magicless boy can break through it then it can¡¯t be a true nerich! Nigreos grimaced. It¡¯s a damn good thing I took out the phone lines or else Reiner would probably be on top of me by now and there¡¯s no way I could fight him and Brooks at the same time with blood magic working against me. Which means¡­I don¡¯t have a choice. I have to get rid of Brooks here and now!


    Just as he thought it, the nerich made his move. He burst through the trees to Nigreos¡¯s right, his claws extended to cut him down. However, he¡¯d been ready for such an attack. The moment the creature entered his view, Nigreos shot his shadows directly at him, intending to invade his body and render him immobile. Now that his use was up, it would be time for Album to erase him from that world.


    What the¡ª?


    Shadows collided with shadows as dark magic erupted from Brooks¡¯s body, preventing Nigreos¡¯s power from landing a blow. Once again taken by surprise, the boy charged him, swinging his claws so close to the Master that he only barely got out of the way of their attacks.


    How is he doing this?! I know Nuvo said enough willpower could rupture my control over it, but is Jay Brooks really strong enough to sever that connection?! This pathetic little boy that would have died in a hospital bed had I not gotten involved?!


    Now that he was so close, Brooks took attack after attack, swinging his blade-like nails at Nigreos¡¯s throat faster than he was prepared for. Each time, the Master of Darkness only barely pulled his shadows up to defend himself, but the speed of the attacks kept him on the defensive. Each time he thought he had an opening to attack, Brooks closed it and used it against him until finally, shadows exploded from the boy¡¯s hand, blasting Nigreos into the trunk of a nearby tree and thus knocking the wind out of him. He hit the ground hard, gasping for air as Brooks jumped forward, aiming to skewer him with his claws once again. But unlike the boy who was unfamiliar with his powers, Nigreos was trained. He wasn¡¯t going to die so easily. Relying on his reflexes, the Master reached out with his right hand and grabbed Brooks¡¯s wrist just before the nails sank into his body.


    ¡°Devare,¡± he rasped weakly.


    This time, the shadows surrounding them lunged into Brooks¡¯s jagged-toothed mouth, flowing inside him to cut off his airflow. Yet, once again, the boy¡¯s own dark magic reacted in his defense, ejecting Nigreos¡¯s shadows from his mouth in an explosion that sent the boy flying backwards and the Master¡¯s head slamming against the tree. Dazed from the impact, he nevertheless took advantage of it by rolling away from the trunk and climbing to his feet again.


    Why am I trying so hard?! This should be easy! Getting information out of Mendez should have been easy! Controlling Jay Brooks should have been easy! Yet here they are, still putting up a goddamn fight!


    ¡°NIGREOS!¡± Brooks roared, already back on his feet and charging him.


    ¡°Coreas!¡± he snarled back, frantically sending shadows to entangle around his spider-like limbs. Waving his arms to control the power, he yanked Brooks backwards, putting distance between them so that he could impale him with his darkness. Yet Brooks fought, using his own magic to cut down the darkness binding him.


    Damn him! Nigreos glanced around the forest and, while the mist combined with the late afternoon had blocked out much of the light reaching the ground, it still wasn''t enough shadow for him to blend into and use maneuver around the boy. If I can just hold him off until nightfall, he¡¯ll be finished!


    Brooks swung into the trees, using the branches as bars from which to move until he had a much higher position.


    ¡°Do you really think you can beat me?!¡± Nigreos snarled up at him. ¡°This battle already has a clear victor, boy! You¡¯re using my magic and soon enough, your mana will run out! So stop fighting and surrender! I promise you, I will not kill you or your friends. You will merely go somewhere else!¡±


    Brooks quickly shook his head, his eyes wide with fury. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you! After everything you¡¯ve made me do! After all the pain you¡¯ve caused! If I don¡¯t kill you now, then I¡¯ll lose everything!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± the Master retorted sharply. ¡°I can give you everything and more! I told this to Mendez and I¡¯ll tell it to you! I can give your dead friend back to you! I can return those you¡¯ve lost to death!¡±


    ¡°LIES!¡±


    The boy wouldn¡¯t even consider his claims. He was so overcome by the nerich¡¯s anger and hatred that he would no longer see reason. Jay Brooks might have taken over, but the being before him was still far from the boy he once was. Instead, it was a hybrid of magical power and human emotion.


    Brooks jumped between the trees, preparing himself to make another strike and Nigreos brought his power to his fingers ready to fight back. When the boy reached him, they went back to trading blows, with Nigreos still struggling to overcome the balance and take control of the battle. Brooks used his claws and shadows as his weapons and Nigreos attacked with his own darkness.


    I can¡¯t lose here! I refuse to let this mission fail because of a pathetic child such as this! Jay Brooks will not be the death of me! Instead, his story will end here! I¡¯ll see to that myself!


    ***


    When the shadows released their hold on Evan¡¯s body, he frantically spun around just in time to see Brooks yank Nigreos through the barrier. For a moment, both he and Album stared at the spot the two had been in shock, but the woman in white recovered faster as she turned her cold stare toward him, her previous expression replaced with a rather smug one.


    ¡°Well that¡¯s certainly unexpected,¡± she mused. ¡°But nothing he can¡¯t handle. In fact, it seems Jay Brooks will be joining you in erasure today.¡±


    Evan clenched his teeth as he rose to his feet, sparing a panicked glance over his shoulder. Alice was still sitting against the wall, seemingly to be only half conscious, and he couldn¡¯t see Rina from where he was standing.


    Damn it! Please let her be alive! Please don¡¯t say she¡¯s dead! I was supposed to protect her, not the other way around!


    He¡¯d been ready. He knew there was no escaping the two sorcerers and so, he had prepared himself to give up his life so that she could escape. He cared about her and he wanted to finally do something that showed that. When Nigreos¡¯s shadows came after him, he desperately wanted Rina to take that chance and run. Yet she didn¡¯t. Instead, she pushed him out of the way and took the attack for him.


    And now¡­she could be dead for all I know. I might have lost her!


    He was more afraid of a reality where she was dead than of the supernatural being standing a mere few yards away. Yet, he knew he couldn¡¯t rush back and check on her. If he didn¡¯t face Album, she would simply kill them both, and probably Mendez along with them. He knew the risks when he accompanied Rina into the woods and now, he was facing the consequences of his actions. So, throwing caution to the wind, he screamed as loud as he could.


    ¡°If you¡¯re alive, Rina, then run! Take Mendez and get the hell out of here! Brooks has Nigreos so I¡¯ll deal with Album! You hear me?! Forget about me and prioritize your friend! No matter what, Mendez is our priority!¡±


    Album watched him with an amused expression and shook her head. ¡°You really are a confident one. Or maybe you¡¯re just stupid. Either way, you¡¯re not walking out of here alive. However, I feel like perhaps we can strike some sort of a deal.¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡± he sneered. ¡°Fuck off. As if I could ever work with somebody like you!¡±


    She smirked. ¡°Is that so? Then tell me, why not reveal where we can find Reiner and his friends? You said just a moment ago that he forced the magic onto you so clearly you have some issues with him. Is he not an enemy?¡±


    An enemy, huh?


    Evan glanced once more at the house behind him, the place where he had once been attacked, tied up, and his body stolen. For months, he had been cursing the Magic Club for what they did to him and now, after finding out the hell they brought upon him, he hated them even more. He didn¡¯t want to be associated with them ever again. He wanted to put them behind him and pretend they didn¡¯t exist. He¡¯d even pondered revenge numerous times. His relationship with them was far from friendly.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d call Reiner an enemy,¡± Evan growled as he looked back at the woman. ¡°In fact, I fucking hate him. I hate all of them! It really would be satisfying to tell you where he lives and watch as he loses everything he loves.¡±


    Album nodded. ¡°Then we have a common desire. Mr. Wright, if you give us the information we seek, I can make your time in the next world far more pleasurable. I can give you a paradise, too. I can give you a place where you¡¯ll have everything you ever wanted. I could even make Davens fall for you with the right tweaks.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah? You could do all that for just one stinking address?¡± he muttered.


    She smiled warmly, but there was an icy touch that revealed its lack of genuineness. ¡°I could do that and more. To you, I can be a god. I can make the world exactly as you want it to be.¡±


    ¡°And that¡­sounds too good to be true,¡± he replied. ¡°But I¡¯ve realized that anything can be possible. Your very existence makes that clear to me. I don¡¯t have a fucking clue what secrets this world has. Maybe you can give me a paradise.¡±


    ¡°I can,¡± Album calmly assured. ¡°I can do that for you.¡±


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    ¡°And yet, that doesn¡¯t change anything,¡± he spat. ¡°Yeah, I fucking hate Eric Reiner! But I hate you magical shits far more! Reiner only attacked me because I antagonized him first! He had every reason to come after me! But you? I¡¯ve never done a damn thing to you! I¡¯ve just minded my own fucking business and you don¡¯t care! You¡¯re gonna wipe me from existence anyway! And not only me, but you¡¯re gonna kill Rina, too!¡±


    Album¡¯s pleased expression morphed into one of disgust as she regarded him. ¡°So you¡¯re not going to help?¡±


    ¡°Like hell I will!¡± he roared. ¡°Because Reiner¡¯s the only one who can stop you! If I give him up, I might as well shove the knife into Rina¡¯s throat myself! So no! You can kiss my ass, bitch! Go ahead and kill me, why don¡¯t you?!¡±


    She sighed with unrestrained annoyance. ¡°So be it. I shouldn¡¯t have expected anything more from a simple-minded fool like you.¡±


    With that, she uttered a word so softly that Evan couldn¡¯t hear it, then his entire vision was overcome by a flash of bright light. At nearly the same time, he felt an impact against his chest, as if something had gone through it, and he exhaled sharply in agony. When his vision cleared, he found Album standing right in front of him, her left hand shoved through his chest. For a moment, he stared down at the wound in shock before she yanked her hand free, blood spurting from his body. Evan stumbled backward, his hands rising to the spot she stabbed him in. However, he refused to fall to the ground. He would face that woman right until his consciousness faded.


    ¡°You had your chance, Evan Wright,¡± Album whispered. ¡°And now¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait! Please wait!¡±


    Evan¡¯s eyes went wide at the familiar voice as Album¡¯s gaze shifted from him to somebody behind him. When he turned his head to look as well, he saw Rina standing in the doorway, blood dripping from her head and her balance unsteady.


    ¡°Stop,¡± she uttered in a weaker tone. ¡°Don¡¯t kill him.¡±


    Album cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Oh? So are you going to be more cooperative with us, Davens? Perhaps you can tell us where to find Reiner and the others.¡±


    ¡°Can you not look at the school?¡± she grunted. ¡°You clearly know we¡¯re students so why don¡¯t you go there? Too many people?¡±


    The woman shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s a complicated matter, but we are not able to apprehend him at school. In fact, even approaching the school is a hassle. But if we were to go to him at his home, it would make our job much easier.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡± Rina clenched her fists. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know where he lives, but maybe we could help you look. I mean, we know this town better than you guys. Or we could even lead him into a trap. He trusts us now.¡±


    Album seemed as if she were considering it, but there was obvious suspicion in her eyes. Evan, however, knew Rina was lying. After all, Reiner had given her his address barely an hour ago.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t kill us,¡± Rina begged. ¡°I know Evan can be a little rude, but he¡¯ll work with you if I ask him to. Isn¡¯t that right, Evan?¡±


    He stared at her for a moment, seeing the pleading look in her dazed eyes. She wanted to find some way to escape the situation and he knew she must be feeling guilty. He had told her how dangerous it was to go into the forest, but she went anyway. She wanted to find Alice more than anything and he understood that. That¡¯s why he hadn¡¯t fought her any more than he did. Instead, he chose to be by her side so he could protect her regardless of how stupid her plan had been. Therefore, that was his intention. He would protect the girl he loved.


    ¡°Rina¡­¡± he began. ¡°Run.¡±


    Then, throwing all caution to the wind, Evan spun on his heel and drove a right hook into the side of Album¡¯s face. He wasn¡¯t sure what he had expected, but he was utterly shocked when the woman¡¯s head snapped back and she stumbled away from him.


    Holy shit! It actually landed! So these fuckers can be touched!


    Not wanting to allow this opportunity to go to waste, Evan lunged forward, aiming another strike toward her head, but unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t going to get lucky a second time. Her head suddenly burst into a ball of light and his hand went right through it. He instinctively lurched backwards, terrified that it disintegrated right off, but when he removed his fist, he found it still attached and undamaged.


    Album took advantage of that momentary panic and grabbed his face with her non-limp hand, her grip stronger than he had expected. When he looked back at her through her fingers, he could see blood dripping down her cheek from where he struck.


    ¡°You really are bold,¡± she growled. ¡°And stupid.¡±


    But Evan merely laughed. ¡°Guess you fuckers can bleed, huh? Then that means Reiner can kill you.¡±


    Album smiled coldly. ¡°No, he can¡¯t. There¡¯s not a single person in this realm that can kill me. Especially not you.¡±


    The moment that last word left her mouth, there was a sudden screech from behind her. Evan couldn¡¯t see what had happened, but right before his eyes, a clawed black hand grabbed the woman by the head and wrenched her backwards, releasing him from her grip and sending her flying into the mud a few yards away. Evan gasped for breath and looked around frantically, only to see Jay Brooks before him, crouched on all fours as he stared up at him. That was only for a second before the boy darted across the clearing, in the direction of where Album was already scrambling to her feet.


    ¡°Truly, you are more of a problem than you¡¯re worth, Brooks!¡± Album snarled, a ball of light forming in her free fist. ¡°Luminetta!¡±


    The ball exploded in a flash, bursting toward the charging boy. Evan almost screamed out in horror, believing Brooks to be as good as dead, but the boy managed to jump out of the way, the beam of light instead blasting into a tree behind him. Brooks then swung toward her, only this time, she resorted to the same spell she used against Evan¡¯s punch. Her entire body turned into light as Brooks passed right through her, and in a flash that almost blinded him, she reappeared on the side opposite the house, her arm raised and her features tensed in irritation.


    ¡°I doubt Nigreos is dead,¡± she called out to him. ¡°So I assume you left him somewhere. Don¡¯t tell me he lost a fight to his own pet.¡±


    ¡°DIE!¡± Brooks snarled, once again hurling himself across the open space to take another shot at her.


    Evan stood there stunned as he bore witness to the huge amounts of power before him. He had never seen something so insane and it truly set in how little he knew about the world. Reiner¡¯s stone had simply been the tip of the iceberg when it came to the supernatural. Album kept in one spot, launching beams of light as Brooks attempted to get past her. He even took a few of them to the chest, yet somehow he kept fighting. Evan then had to force himself to take his eyes off the battle and to check on Rina, only for him to smile in satisfaction.


    There was no sign of either her or Alice.


    Thank god, he thought in relief. Get her out of here, Rina.


    Evan then stumbled forward, reaching down to grab a relatively large stick from the mud. Blood was dripping from the wound in his chest where Album had pierced him and he was still hurting from Nigreos¡¯s earlier shadow attack.


    Doesn¡¯t look like I¡¯m gonna make it out of this, he realized. But I¡¯m oddly calm. I thought I would have been more scared in the face of my own death. But oh well. What¡¯s done is done, I guess. Not like my life had much purpose anyway. Might as well die for something greater than me.


    At that moment, Jay Brooks suddenly went flying in a swarm of oncoming shadows, his twisted form crashing into the mud right beside Evan. Evan smiled bitterly as Nigreos Noctis stumbled through the barrier, his suit torn and muddied and a clear limp in his right leg.


    ¡°Took you long enough,¡± Album snapped. ¡°It really should be your responsibility to put your own pet down.¡±


    Nigreos grit his teeth. ¡°Shut up.¡±


    Yeah, now that he¡¯s here, we¡¯re truly fucked.


    ¡°Get up, Brooks,¡± Evan whispered. ¡°Rina and Alice got away. You did it. You bought them enough time.¡±


    The boy slowly pushed himself to his feet, standing right beside Evan with a worn out look on his face. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you run?¡± he uttered. ¡°Why not save yourself, Wright?¡±


    Evan shrugged, brandishing the stick in the sorcerer¡¯s direction despite knowing it wouldn¡¯t do him any good. ¡°Cause if I¡¯m gonna die anyway, I might as well die fighting. So let¡¯s go. You and me, Brooks. Let¡¯s die like men.¡±


    As both shadows and light began to build around the forms of their opponents, Evan forced a smile to his face as he faced them. Beside him, he heard the boy laugh softly.


    ¡°Alright, then. Sure. Let¡¯s kill these bastards.¡±


    Taking that as his cue, Evan let out a scream and charged toward what he knew would most certainly be his death.


    ***


    Everything felt like it was hazy.


    Her head was pounding and her body felt weak, yet she forced herself to keep pressing forward. The rain made the forest floor slippery and muddy, so she was afraid of falling, but she made sure that every step she took was careful and calculated. She was carrying Alice in her arms, her old friend¡¯s head resting up against her chest. She was sleeping now and Rina was okay with that. She didn¡¯t want her seeing the horrible state she was in. She didn¡¯t want her to panic. All she wanted was for her to be happy and safe.


    Rina¡¯s arms were shaking, but she refused to allow her strength to fail. She was not going to drop Alice under any circumstances. Her goal was to reach Eric Reiner¡¯s house and deliver her there. She had to hope that he knew some form of healing magic that could save Alice and nurse her back to health. She didn¡¯t know what she would say to his parents, but she didn¡¯t have the luxury of trying to accommodate that. With any luck, he would already be home and could deal with explaining himself.


    As she reached the exit into Doris Street, she glanced back into the trees, praying that she would see Evan running up behind her, but she knew instinctively that she would probably never see him again. Evan Wright had made his decision clear¡ªhe was going to stay behind and buy her enough time to escape. He didn¡¯t intend to walk away alive.


    I¡¯m sorry, Evan! I¡¯m sorry for bringing you out there! But thank you! Thank you for helping me! I¡¯ll never forget you! I promise!


    Fighting back the tears that threatened to fall, Rina turned and walked out into the misty neighborhood road. She didn¡¯t know what she would do if she ran into anybody so she simply hoped that that rain would keep people in their houses. That was her only chance at success.


    I have to keep going! I have to power through the pain and get Alice to safety! I¡¯m going to save her! I¡¯m going to make everything up to her!


    She didn¡¯t have her hands free, but she could feel Audrey¡¯s medallion wedge up against her chest and it gave her comfort. Yet, at the same time, in that moment, it also served to remind her of what she lost. The day Audrey Moore died was still seared into her mind. She still dreamt about it all those years later. It just hadn¡¯t been fair to her. She didn¡¯t understand why she had to lose a friend so early in her life. After her mother and brother died in the accident, losing Audrey just made her believe that she was destined to suffer. She wasn¡¯t allowed to be happy. She wasn¡¯t allowed to be close to anybody.


    Because of that, she kept people at arm''s length. She cared about Charlotte and Steven and all the friends she made in high school, but her relationship with them was never as genuine as it could have been. She never became attached to them like she did with Audrey, Jay, and Alice. She went through high school pretending to be happy when she was really just depressed. Not only had she lost Audrey, but she pushed Jay and Alice away, and she justified it by saying that her death was their fault. She wanted to find a reason to hate them so that she could tell herself it was right to push them away.


    But I was wrong. I never wanted to lose them, and because of my stupidity, I lost the only true friends I had left. And then, during Christmas, I did something horrible. In my anger, I went and bullied the girl that was supposed to be my best friend. I almost got Jay beat up¡­and in a way, whether he admits it or not, my treatment of him must have influenced his decision to kill himself. Rina scoffed. And I don¡¯t even remember why I thought it was a good idea. Why would I do that to them? Did somebody convince me? I feel like there was someone who spurred me on, but¡­I can¡¯t remember¡­


    She no longer knew. She couldn¡¯t remember what drove her to take such actions after so much time avoiding them.


    Rina slowly looked down at Alice¡¯s sleeping features.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she whispered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for everything I did to you. I was a horrible friend. I was a terrible person. I¡¯m sorry, Alice.¡±


    Rina pressed on, grateful to the fog that was now settling over the streets as the rain lightened up. Trying to recall the direction to where she knew Reiner¡¯s street was, she made another turn and pressed onward.


    I wish I could turn back time. I know Audrey would have despised me for what I did. I wish I could undo everything, but I can¡¯t. My life is now set in stone and the only thing I can do is show Alice and Jay that I was sorry. I loved them and I always have. So, I¡¯ll save her. I¡¯ll get Alice to Reiner and stop her from dying. I¡¯ll give whatever it takes. I¡¯ll sacrifice what I have to.


    Another shot of pain went through her skull and she cried out in agony, but she clenched her teeth and took another step, seeing the sign for Reiner¡¯s street.


    ¡°We¡¯re gonna make it, Alice,¡± she whispered. ¡°I promise.¡±


    I¡¯m not gonna lose anybody else. No¡­ This time, if anybody¡¯s gonna die, it¡¯s me. I¡¯ll die in her place. I won¡¯t allow another friend of mine to go!


    For a moment, she thought about her father, a man who had never been the same since his wife and son passed. She regretted how her death might affect him, but there was no longer anything she could do. All she could hope for was that he would have a good life despite all his loss.


    Recalling Reiner¡¯s address number from her dazed memory, Rina stalked up the driveway of the house and finally came to stand on his doorstep.


    Please be home, Reiner!


    With both hands full, Rina leaned her shoulder up against the doorbell a few times, wanting whoever was inside to know that it was an emergency. When nearly a minute had passed without an answer, she rang it a few more times, praying that somebody was home. To her relief, the door swung open moments later.


    ¡°What the fuck do you need? Uh¡ª?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t Eric Reiner who stood before her when the door opened, but an older man with greasy gray hair and a round belly poking out from the slightly too small tank top he was wearing. At first, his expression was angry, but upon seeing her, he just stared in shock.


    ¡°Mr. Reiner,¡± she began weakly. ¡°Please, don¡¯t ask questions. Just take her inside and wait for your son to get home. He¡¯ll explain everything, I promise.¡±


    ¡°B-but¡­who are you?¡± he sputtered. ¡°The fuck is going on?¡±


    She frantically shook her head. ¡°Please! Just take her and¡­tell your son that Nigreos and Album are at my old hideout in the forest. He¡¯ll know what that means.¡±


    At that, the older man¡¯s features shifted instantly from his confusion to sudden anger. ¡°You said Nigreos? That¡¯s what you said, kid? Did he¡­do this to you?¡±


    Does he¡­ Does he know about them? Please let that be the case!


    ¡°Yes, he did,¡± she managed to say. ¡°Nigreos Noctis. Tell Eric¡­he¡¯s at my hideout. And please, take Alice. Don¡¯t call anybody. Just rely on Eric.¡±


    She expected the man to protest further, but he surprised her by reaching forward and scooping Alice up from her arms. Releasing the weight gave Rina a sense of relief, but the pain coursing through her body quickly returned with a vengeance.


    ¡°Come inside. I¡¯ll see what I can do for you,¡± he murmured before turning and carrying Alice into the house.


    However, once he was out of sight, Rina turned and stumbled back out into the street. Her thoughts were getting more and more dazed by the second and she knew she didn¡¯t have much time left, so she needed to put as much distance between herself and the Reiners¡¯ house as she could. She didn¡¯t want them getting associated with what happened.


    She managed to walk out of the neighborhood and into the next one over before her legs finally gave out and she collapsed with her back up against a wooden fence, her breathing ragged. Wanting to feel some comfort, Rina closed her eyes and reached up to grip Audrey''s third of the medallion then smiled.


    I guess¡­I''ll be seeing you sooner than I thought, Audrey. Sorry. I never thought it¡¯d be this early.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay, Ri¡¯!¡±


    She weakly opened her eyes again at the voice only to find Audrey Moore herself standing right before her, looking exactly as she remembered her. The young girl was smiling, her hand extended to help Rina up.


    ¡°You did good,¡± she said sweetly. ¡°You saved Alice. You made sure she was safe. You should be proud of that cause I¡¯m proud of you! And now, you¡¯ve earned some rest. So come with me and we can play together like we used to! It can be like old times!¡±


    Rina smiled softly. ¡°Yeah, that sounds like fun. I¡¯ve missed hanging out with you. Yeah¡­let¡¯s do that.¡±


    Suddenly not feeling as tired as before, Rina took Audrey¡¯s hand and got up, and when she did, she found herself at the girl¡¯s height. It was as if she were eleven again as well. She felt happy. She felt energetic. She felt excited.


    Holding Rina¡¯s hand in hers, Audrey beamed. ¡°Come on! Let¡¯s go play! Trust me, Rina! There¡¯s some cool stuff around here! It¡¯ll be fun!¡±


    Rina laughed. ¡°I can¡¯t wait! Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Then, hand in hand, Rina Davens skipped off with Audrey at her side, feeling at peace for the first time in many, many years.

 Chapter 29- When Everything Shatters

    Chapter XXIX


    Once they had accompanied Alexa back to her apartment, Eric kept close to Damien and Liz as he walked home with them. The entire time, he kept a distortion spell up to prevent themselves from being spotted should Nigreos and Album be lurking anywhere nearby. Now that they knew what he looked like, he couldn¡¯t risk being out on the streets without some form of protection. While the chance that the Ijirians knew their names were high, that didn¡¯t mean they knew what Damien and Liz looked like. Therefore, it was especially dangerous for them to see him in their company. Using magic to protect them from the rain, they first went to Damien¡¯s house and then Eric stayed with Liz until he was certain she was safe inside as well. They didn¡¯t talk much since the distortion did nothing to hide their voices, but he could tell they were uncomfortable. He knew they disagreed with him about telling Alexa, and even he was beginning to feel he had acted too rashly.


    Was I mistaken? he wondered as he moved down the street alone, making his way to his own home. Should I not have been so hasty? At the very least, it would have been better to consult Lilly first.


    He was annoyed with himself for being unable to decide anything. It felt like every choice he could make was wrong and no matter what he did, he was afraid he would regret his decisions. At the time, telling Alexa for her own safety had seemed smart, but now that he was getting a chance to reflect, he realized that he might have made a mistake.


    But¡­if Nigreos and Album know Lilly¡¯s name, then it¡¯s not unthinkable that they might go after Alexa if they find out who she is. They could easily use her like they used Alice. Just like with Evan, Rina, and Brad, she should know that her life is in danger. This has to be the right choice¡­ Eric grit his teeth. But regardless, it was foolish not to run the idea by Lilly first. I acted in the moment. In the face of Alexa¡¯s anger, I acted impulsively and I can¡¯t afford to do that. I need to be more careful¡­ Far more careful.


    Deciding it would be best to give Lilly a call, he reached into his pocket and produced his phone, but to his dismay, the service was still down. He grimaced, considering turning around and going to speak to her in person, but he quickly discarded the idea. He could already see his house so he figured it was smarter to just go home, sleep, and then talk to her the following morning when they all met up to search the forest.


    And I don¡¯t even know if that¡¯s a good idea, he thought. Saving Alice is the smarter decision, but if we stumble upon Nigreos and Album then we¡¯ll just be offering ourselves up on a silver platter. I can¡¯t defend everybody. Maybe¡­it¡¯d be smarter if some of us stayed home.


    Yet, he knew that there wasn¡¯t a single person among them who would want to sit out of the investigations. Regardless of how risky it was, there would be no convincing anybody.


    Damn¡­ I really don¡¯t think I can do this. I¡¯ve already failed Vinny and Brad. They¡¯re gone because I was unable to fight the Masters. Soon, Alice and Jay will die and then everybody else I¡¯ve ever cared about will join them. I¡¯ll be alone. Unless Nigreos and Album find some way to break past whatever protection Mom put on me, they won¡¯t be able to erase me¡­and I don¡¯t want to be stuck here alone.


    The thought terrified him. Thinking that he could be by himself in a reality that had forgotten his closest friends made him want to cry. He would be the only person to know that the world wasn¡¯t right, but if he tried to tell anybody, they would think he was crazy.


    Eric swallowed as he stepped up onto his porch and removed his keys from his bag. When he entered, he slipped his shoes off and glanced inside, realizing that he couldn¡¯t hear the sounds of the television like he normally could. For a moment, he wondered if his father wasn¡¯t home yet, but he could see that the family room light was on. Frowning, Eric headed down the hallway and poked his head into the room.


    What the¡ª?!


    He froze, unable to tear his eyes away from the girl lying unconscious on the couch. She was unhealthily thin and her right leg was severed below the knee. She looked to be in an awful state, her breathing ragged, but despite all that, he recognized her easily. Even though she was supposed to be in the captivity of the Ijirians, Alice Mendez was on his couch, and sitting in the old leather recliner to her right, was his father. For once, the man didn¡¯t look drunk. His eyes were clear and stern as he stared back at his son, his hands folded on his lap.


    ¡°D-dad?¡± he stuttered. ¡°What¡¯s going on? I don¡¯t¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me Noctis was here?¡± he growled, his anger barely restrained.


    Noctis? He knows about Nigreos?! I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s happening?! How does he know? How did Alice get here?!


    His father slowly rose to his feet. ¡°Eric? Tell me right now? What the fuck is going here? Why is Noctis back? What does it have to do with you? And especially this girl? I recognize her, you know? From the news. This is Alice Mendez, the girl who went missing after the diner attack.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    He wasn¡¯t sure what to say. He hadn¡¯t wanted to involve his father for the simple fact that he didn¡¯t care to get him involved. After all the years of being ignored, Eric didn¡¯t trust him enough to ask him for help. He knew his dad didn¡¯t have an ounce of magical blood in him and so he wouldn¡¯t be of any help in dealing with Nigreos and Album. It would only endanger him.


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    But then again, I guess that¡¯s kinda hypocritical. I just told Alexa and she¡¯s in the same situation. Hell, she knows far less than he does. He was married to a pure blood for years.


    ¡°Eric!¡± he roared, taking a threatening step forward. ¡°Stop standing there like an idiot and answer me! Why is the man who took your mother away back in Wilham?! What the fuck does he want with us?!¡±


    The boy flinched back, cringing at his father¡¯s shout. ¡°I¡­ J-just don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m dealing with it! It doesn¡¯t concern you!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare give me that!¡± the man hissed. ¡°If Nigreos Noctis is in this realm then it does concern me! Especially when some random girl shows up, covered in blood with Mendez half dead in her arms, telling me you can explain it all!¡±


    Eric exhaled softly. ¡°Girl covered in blood? What do you mean? Who? Who brought Alice here?!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get her fuckin¡¯ name,¡± he snapped. ¡°All she said was that Nigreos and Album were at her hideout in the woods and that you could explain. I told her to come inside, but before I knew it, she had run off.¡±


    Hideout in the woods? No¡­ Don¡¯t tell me that was Rina?! She didn¡¯t go after Nigreos and Album alone, did she?! He frantically glanced back at Alice, his heart rate quickly increasing. No, but¡­if Dad remembers her then she can¡¯t be dead! She has to still be alive! Right?


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­.explain in a moment,¡± he sputtered, then turned on his heel and sprinted back into the hallway, ignoring the furious protests his father snarled after him.


    I have to go find her! I have to talk to Rina and make sure she¡¯s okay! Dad said she was covered in blood so she must have come across Nigreos and Album! But¡­if she did, then how the hell did she get away alive?! And with Alice, no less!


    He swung the door open and sprinted out into the rain, realizing too late that he was no longer wearing shoes. But he didn¡¯t care. He just yanked his phone from his pocket and rushed down the street.


    Damn it! Why is the service still down?! What the hell is going on?!


    He shoved the phone back in his pocket and continued to run, cursing himself for never getting Rina¡¯s address. He didn¡¯t know where he was going, but he just knew that he needed to find her at all costs. It didn¡¯t matter to him if he spent the entire night scouring the city, he would keep going until he confirmed her safety.


    Eric ran from their neighborhood, his socks now soaked in water and his feet hurting as he rushed along the concrete. Once he was on the next road over, he frantically looked around the lamplit roads, searching for anybody he could ask, when he heard a sudden shout from nearby.


    ¡°Holy fuckin¡¯ shit, bro!¡±


    Eric came to a stop, his heart nearly dropping as he stared in the direction of the shout, only to hear a commotion beginning to stir up in the neighborhood closest to him. Feeling an overwhelming dread, the boy took off running in that direction and rounded the corner to see a group of what looked like college-age students freaking out and speaking in rushed voices next to a fence.


    ¡°What should we do?!¡± one of them was crying. ¡°Do we call the cops or should we just run and pretend we never saw it?!¡±


    The boy next to him shook his head. ¡°We gotta tell somebody or else we¡¯ll look like we had something to do with it. We can¡¯t just run!¡±


    ¡°Oh my god? Then what do we do?¡± another hissed.


    As he picked up his pace, all three boys looked up at him in surprise and he realized that he probably looked insane as he sprinted toward them in his soaked uniform and his socks.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he quickly demanded. ¡°I heard a shout! Is everything alr¡ª!¡±


    As one of the boys stepped back to put distance between them, Eric felt as if the entire world had gone silent. He didn¡¯t want to believe what he was seeing. He couldn¡¯t accept it. Hearing about it happening was one thing, but seeing it with his own eyes only forced himself to face the reality that his life was becoming.


    In the pale light of the overhead streetlight, Rina Davens was sitting with her back up against the fence, her head slumped, her eyes closed, and her body still. She wasn¡¯t breathing. She wasn¡¯t moving at all. Her uniform was cut up and her skin was pale from blood loss, though the rain had washed most of it away. Even without checking her pulse, he knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was dead.


    ¡°Rina?¡± he uttered, stumbling forward. ¡°No¡­ Rina, please¡­¡±


    Somebody else was dead. He didn¡¯t know the details, but Rina Davens must have attempted a rescue for Alice and, despite succeeding in getting her old friend away, she had lost her life in the process.


    He failed to protect someone else.


    He had failed again.


    The college boys were frantically trying to talk to him, but he ignored them, instead choosing to stare at the corpse and praying that it would turn out to be some magical illusion. But it didn¡¯t. Reality wasn¡¯t that forgiving. No matter how much he hoped, Rina¡¯s body remained right there in front of him.


    Damn it! Damn it all to hell! Why?! Why is this happening?!


    ¡°Nigreos,¡± he breathed.


    At that moment, it felt like something within him broke. Anger and hatred the likes of which he had never experienced raced through his body as he fell to his knees and screamed out in agony. He didn¡¯t know why he was doing it. He knew he would freak the boys out even more than he already had, but he felt the instinctual need to just scream at the top of his lungs. He was screaming his hatred for Nigreos and he was screaming in mourning for the girl he had allowed to die.


    He failed miserably.


    Rina Davens was dead.


    Nigreos! Album! I swear on my life, I¡¯ll stop you! I¡¯ll do whatever it takes! I won¡¯t let you take anything else from me! I¡¯ll¡­


    He slowly raised his head, his voice hoarse, as he stared once more at Rina¡¯s body.


    ...I¡¯ll kill you, if that¡¯s what has to be done. I won¡¯t lose anything else!


    The sound of his father shouting his name now reached his ears, and soon the man was kneeling next to him, whispering words that were going in one ear and out the other, completely unprocessed by the boy.


    I¡¯ll kill you, Nigreos Noctis. I¡¯ll make you suffer¡­

 Chapter 30- To Find A Killer

    Chapter XXX


    The silence in the Chamber of the Masters was deafening as Ryokumo sat there, staring at his hands folded atop the table. A brief look around showed that his discomfort was present on the faces of every other Master gathered within the room. Sinna looked as if she were ready to simply get up and leave, Nyx was eyeing the Prince with hesitation, and Iris appeared as if she were about to be sick. As for Reigious, he was merely sitting in his golden chair, eyeing each of them in turn and waiting for one to speak. Ryokumo could tell he was furious. One wrong move could potentially set him off and it was for that reason that they were remaining quiet. At that moment, he wished he could have gone north with Nakoma, if only to escape the conversation that was soon to take place. Then, finally losing his patience, Reigious sat up straighter and broke the silence.


    ¡°So you have nothing to say for yourselves?¡± he growled. ¡°Last night, Seiras was murdered with each of you in the room, and all of you failed to prevent his death. There were four Masters there, yet the assailant both accomplished their assassination and escaped pursuit?¡±


    Knowing that if somebody didn¡¯t respond, Reigious would lose his temper, Ryokumo was prepared to attempt to explain the situation, but to his relief, Nyx beat him to it.


    ¡°With all do respect, Your Majesty, there wasn¡¯t much we could do,¡± the Master of Water explained.


    Reigious cocked an eyebrow. ¡°And why is that? You¡¯re some of the most powerful magic users in this country, so why were you so powerless, Nyx?¡±


    ¡°How much do you know about what went down in there?¡± she asked softly. ¡°What have the reports been saying? Do you know anything about what happened before his death?¡±


    Despite his clear irritation at being responded to with another question, the prince nevertheless answered. ¡°I was told that while the five of you were having your dinner, an attacker snuck in through the window, somehow avoiding your detection, and put two arrows into Seiras before fleeing back into a higher level of the Citadel.¡±


    Nyx nodded. ¡°Well then, perhaps it would be good for you to know that the reason we were all incapacitated was because of Seiras, himself.¡±


    ¡°Oh is that so?¡± Reigious snapped. ¡°And why is that?¡±


    ¡°He used his new spell on us,¡± Sinna replied, finally bringing herself to speak. ¡°Peaceful conversation between us quickly broke down and Seiras cast his mind spell on each of us. I¡¯m not sure if you ever had the pleasure of experiencing it, My Prince, but it isn¡¯t something you can easily shake off¡­especially not when it¡¯s used on you numerous times.¡±


    Reigious listened to her explanation silently and, once she was finished, he narrowed his eyes. ¡°And why would he do such a thing? Why would he cast such a dangerous spell on his fellow Masters?¡±


    ¡°Power,¡± Iris said simply, her catlike features tensing up as she inserted herself into the conversation. ¡°He wanted to display his power. Right before he died, he was screaming about how much stronger he was. He was gloating about how he took us all down so easily and demanded that we bow to him as if he were some¡­king. I think that¡¯s all it was. Arrogance and greed.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I agree,¡± Ryokumo added. ¡°It was always about power with him. And this time, because of his desire to show off, we were all too weak to sense the attacker¡¯s presence and we failed to catch them. For that, I apologize, but at the end of the day, Seiras brought his death on himself.¡±


    Reigious eyed him for a moment before glancing around at each of them once again. He was most likely searching for any sign of deceit in their expressions but, as Ryokumo knew, he wouldn¡¯t find any. They weren¡¯t hiding anything simply because there was nothing for them to hide.


    ¡°Be that as it may,¡± the prince began, ¡°it does not change the fact that a Master of Ijiria, and one as valuable as Seiras, has been murdered, with the killer left to roam free in the Citadel.¡±


    Sinna frowned. ¡°So we really were unable to find them?¡¯


    ¡°Yes,¡± he answered. ¡°We spent all night searching for the attacker, but so far, we¡¯ve found nothing. We don¡¯t have any leads or even any suspects. In fact, we can¡¯t even be sure they didn¡¯t flee out into the city at some point. I¡¯ve ordered the city guards to strengthen defenses at the gates, but I doubt that¡¯ll do much against somebody as clever as this person seems to be.¡±


    Ryokumo sighed in defeat and frustration. ¡°Yes, there''s no doubt they¡¯re smart¡­as well as strong. In order to get to that window, they have to have enough control over wind magic to be able to essentially fly and that isn¡¯t something one can do easily. It took me years to be able to properly remain in midair like that.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­is it possible that this was a Child of Reiner?¡± Sinna inquired. ¡°After all, from what Noctis said, Rista Pine was quite powerful with wind magic.¡±


    ¡°Not to mention that Arisa Kirisan tried attacking him with it, as well,¡± Nyx added. ¡°In fact, it¡¯s that style of power that the Children seem to have taken a liking to. It isn¡¯t out of the realm of possibility that one could have crept into the Citadel to assassinate a Master.¡±


    Reigious furrowed his brow then turned to regard Ryokumo. ¡°Why would the Children use wind magic as often as they do? Is there a reason for this?¡±


    The Master of Wind nodded. ¡°Yes, actually. It doesn¡¯t surprise me in the least. Abi¡¯s affinity was, as we all know, nature magic, but that power is predominantly centered around healing. Sure, it has its offensive spells, but not enough so that the user would be a talented fighter. So, when we were in school, I offered to teach her wind magic as well so that she could better defend herself. She was, to no surprise, a natural and picked it up quite quickly.¡±


    ¡°So it would be the natural class to teach her Children,¡± Sinna finished with a scowl.


    The prince exhaled softly and leaned back in his chair, his earlier anger set aside for the time being as he turned to figuring everything out. ¡°Well, if it was a Child of Reiner then it wasn''t any of the ones in the dungeon. We checked this morning and not a single one escaped their cells. However, the Citadel security has been rather strict since the attack so I doubt a Child could have snuck in. They would have had to have already been inside.¡±


    ¡°Which also isn¡¯t likely,¡± Iris said. ¡°I¡¯m sure they could have remained hidden for a few days or so, but not for months. We would have found them by now.¡±


    Reigious nodded. ¡°Agreed. I suppose they could have flown over the gates if they¡¯re as powerful as Ryokumo believes, but it wouldn¡¯t explain how they knew which room you were all in. To me¡­it seems like it had to have been an inside job¡­which is why I¡¯m not so sure that Seiras¡¯s killer was a Child.¡±


    ¡°So you believe there really is a traitor in the Citadel?¡± Nyx inquired.


    ¡°It seems like the only way,¡± he confirmed. ¡°After all, you all went straight to the Niras Lounge right after our meeting. There wasn¡¯t much time for you to tell anybody so whoever did this must have decided almost on the spot¡­assuming Seiras didn¡¯t tell anybody about his plan to invite you beforehand.¡± Reigious narrowed his eyes. ¡°Or that none of you ever told anybody where you were going.¡±


    Ryokumo felt a twinge of fear at the prince¡¯s words. After all, he had, in fact, told Hannah where the Masters were meeting. While he knew she would never do something as insane as attempting to assassinate a Master, he knew that if he told them about it, they would immediately suspect her.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell anybody,¡± Nyx responded.


    ¡°Nor did I,¡± Iris agreed. ¡°I went straight there.¡±


    Sinna, however, grimaced. ¡°Well, unfortunately, I can¡¯t say the same. I sent word to Alucian before heading to the Lounge, although I know he can¡¯t possibly be behind this. The boy could hardly levitate a pebble, let alone fly.¡± The woman then snorted, eyeing Ryokumo with a glare. ¡°But what about you, Caeli? I seem to recall you arriving at the Lounge last. What were you doing again?¡±


    Knowing that lying wouldn¡¯t help his case, he reluctantly told the truth.


    ¡°I did speak with Hannah before making my way to the Lounge,¡± he admitted. ¡°And I did tell her where I was going.¡±


    Reigious cocked an eyebrow. ¡°So the apprentice of wind knew where you were? And tell me, Ryokumo, could Miss Lynn have accomplished something like this? Is she powerful enough to fly down to the Lounge window and kill Seiras?¡±


    ¡°If she tried hard enough, I would imagine so,¡± he reluctantly answered. ¡°That being said, I know my apprentice better than anybody.. She would never murder anybody, let alone someone as important as Seiras. She can¡¯t possibly be behind this.¡±


    ¡°There he goes again,¡± the Master of Rock snapped. ¡°Having blind faith in somebody just because he likes them.¡±


    Ryokumo turned a glare of his own her way. ¡°Of course I have faith in her. I¡¯ve been training Hannah for years, Cartus. I¡¯m sure if the evidence was pointing in Alucian¡¯s direction, you would be quick to jump to his defense.¡±


    ¡°No, I would not,¡± Sinna stated confidently. ¡°While I have a great deal of respect for the boy, he is still an apprentice. Were Seiras murdered with rock magic, I would be the first to demand that he prove himself innocent. I do not get attached to those I train, something you should try and consider.¡±


    ¡°I disagree,¡± he shot back. ¡°I think connecting with your disciple is the first thing a teacher should do.¡±


    ¡°Ryokumo! Sinna!¡± Reigious shouted suddenly, cutting their conversation off. ¡°Enough of this. You can argue in your spare time, but try to act mature when in these chambers. For the time being, I will have an investigation into Miss Lynn conducted. If you are so confident that she is innocent, Ryokumo, then this should not be a problem, yes?¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    He eyed Sinna once more before turning to the prince and shaking his head. ¡°No. Not a problem at all.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Reigious growled. ¡°In that case, we shall need to be cautious from here out. As it stands, we do not know whether this was a specific attack against Seiras, or if this person seeks to kill more Masters. So, I want you all on your guard. Do not die. Do you hear me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, My Prince,¡± they all said in unison.


    The emerald-haired man leaned forward. ¡°Now, as tragic as this is, we can¡¯t allow it to get in the way of solving the riddle of the guide. The Korrei-Tarr are departing tomorrow to find Malt Territh. With any luck, the boy will be apprehended and we will have a better picture of the situation. Meanwhile, I want you four focusing on the mystery of Abi Reiner¡¯s guideship. We need answers and we need them immediately.¡±


    ¡°And what of the captured Children?¡± Nyx asked. ¡°What will become of them now that Seiras is dead?¡±


    Reigious shook his head. ¡°Unfortunately, I do not think we¡¯ll get much more out of them. I intend to have them executed tomorrow morning. That way, we don¡¯t risk Kirisan escaping out into the city.¡±


    Ryokumo swallowed. Yeah¡­I had a feeling that was coming.


    ¡°Now, you¡¯re excused,¡± the prince snapped. ¡°Be on your¡ª¡± He stopped mid-sentence as Iris slowly raised her hand, a pained look on her face. ¡°Yes? What is it, Iris?¡±


    Ryokumo watched as the woman slowly got to her feet. She had been oddly quiet ever since the meeting started and he suspected it had to do with whatever Seiras¡¯s spell showed her. Seeing as he would never reveal what he had seen, he hadn¡¯t bothered asking what the other Masters had seen. He could only imagine how painful they were.


    Iris looked around the table then slowly bowed her head before them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said softly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t react fast enough. I probably could have healed him, but I was so shaken up that I couldn¡¯t bring myself to move. As a healer, I failed him and I failed all of you. I just wanted¡­to apologize.¡±


    Ryokumo gaped in surprise. He hadn¡¯t expected true emotion in her words, but he found that he didn¡¯t think she wasn¡¯t lying as she spoke. Her inability to save Seiras had been weighing her down and as she faced them, it was probably the most truthful words she had ever spoken to them.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Mackia,¡± Sinna responded after a moment. ¡°I saw the visions as well. I don¡¯t know what you saw and I won¡¯t ask, but it¡¯s not your fault. Seiras cast that spell on you and it was because of him that you were unable to heal him. His blood is on his own hands.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Nyx agreed. ¡°You have nothing to apologize for.¡±


    Ryokumo could see Reigious eyeing them all with clear distaste at their swiftness and lack of hesitation to blame Seiras¡¯s death on his own actions, but the prince refrained from saying anything. So, Ryokumo decided to add his own opinion.


    ¡°Do not let it hang over you,¡± he said. ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault.¡±


    When Iris raised her head, her expression was slightly less pained, but he could tell that their words weren¡¯t enough to truly shake the guilt out of her.


    ***


    Once departing the Chamber of the Masters, Ryokumo followed Sinna and Nyx down the hall and toward the disk that would take them to the lower levels of the building. Iris had remained behind to speak with Reigious, so it was just the three of them that stepped onto the levitating silver platform. Ryokumo chanted the spell to take control of it and gradually began lowering them down toward the residential floor. However, once they had begun moving, he glanced back at them and spoke.


    ¡°Can we speak in my quarters?¡± he asked softly. ¡°I want to discuss something with you two and I think it would be best to do so in private.¡±


    Sinna snorted. ¡°And what would you want to talk about, Caeli? If this is about Seiras¡ª?¡±


    ¡°What else would it be about?¡± he interrupted her sharply. ¡°Of course it¡¯s about Seiras.¡±


    The Master of Rock clenched her teeth, looking ready to turn him down, but to his satisfaction, Nyx responded before the two could continue to argue. ¡°Of course we can speak. After all, you did us the favor of coming to Sinna¡¯s place yesterday, so it¡¯s only fair that we now return that favor. Isn¡¯t that right, Sinna?¡±


    The larger woman scowled. ¡°Yeah, fine. Just make it quick.¡±


    Once the disk arrived at the residential floor, the three Masters stepped off and made their way through the halls, heading now to Ryokumo¡¯s quarters. Part of him wanted to first go speak with Hannah and warn her about the Masters¡¯ suspicions, but he knew he would have to be patient. Dealing with Sinna and Nyx was his first priority. Once he had discussed what he needed to, he would then go straight to Hannah.


    I just hope I can get there before Reigious sends soldiers to detain her, he thought, feeling a pang of fury that made him sick. I know Hannah isn¡¯t behind this, but at the moment, I don¡¯t have any proof. But I¡¯ll make sure she¡¯s protected. I won¡¯t let anything happen to her.


    When the three of them arrived at his quarters, Ryokumo cast the spell that unlocked the door and stepped inside with the two women at his back. He then motioned for them to take a seat on his couch, but only Nyx obliged. Sinna remained standing beside her, her arms folded as she regarded the room with a sneer. It was the first time either of them had ever been there to visit so he was prepared for her to make some snide comment about the state of his room. However, she must have decided it wasn¡¯t the time as she instead merely snorted and looked at Ryokumo expectantly.


    ¡°So?¡± she demanded. ¡°What did you need?¡±


    He sighed, glancing between the two, before replying. ¡°Look. At this point, I won¡¯t beat around the bush. I¡¯ll just be blunt and ask. Did either of you have anything to do with Seiras¡¯s murder?¡±


    Nyx didn¡¯t react, as if she had been expecting that very question, but Sinna immediately snarled furiously at him.


    ¡°Excuse me? Don¡¯t tell me you called us here to accuse us of treason, Caeli?!¡± She clenched her fists and he half expected them to suddenly harden into stone at that very moment. ¡°Of course we had nothing to do with it! As much as I despised the little shit, I would never have killed a Master!¡±


    ¡°Sinna, please calm down,¡± Nyx said softly. ¡°I understand why you would be offended, but at the same time, look at it from his point of view. After expressing our concern about how dangerous Ka was, the man winds up dead. While I know it¡¯s mere coincidence, anybody in Caeli¡¯s position would be suspicious.¡± As always, Nyx was able to calm the woman down with her rationale before turning her half-lidded eyes to regard Ryokumo. ¡°But we had nothing to do with this. I promise.¡±


    Ryokumo nodded, content for the moment that they weren¡¯t lying. While he hadn¡¯t believed that either actually had been responsible, he felt the need to check if only to gauge their reactions. After seeing what they said, he was confident enough to trust them for the time being.


    ¡°Alright, thank you,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for that, but I had to be sure. After all, you promised me allies for my information and so, I wanted to be sure that I could still trust you.¡±


    Sinna scoffed. ¡°Allies, huh? Is that what you want from us? You want help proving your little apprentice innocent?¡±


    ¡°In a way,¡± he admitted. ¡°But I think it would be more appropriate to say that I want allies to help me find out what really happened. I want to locate the killer before this gets out of hand. I would imagine you¡¯re both of the same mindset?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Nyx muttered. ¡°I would like to solve this mystery. While I do not mourn Ka¡¯s death, especially after what he did to us, I can¡¯t deny that this murder makes me nervous. Not only was a Master killed within the Citadel¡¯s walls, but the attack itself is strange. Prince Reigious seemed uncertain, but I think I can say with confidence that this was an attack against Ka, specifically. I don¡¯t believe the killer just wanted to murder a Master.¡±


    Sinna grunted her agreement. ¡°That seems likely. After all, they had plenty of opportunities to shoot one of us as well, but they chose instead to shoot him twice, as if to ensure he would die. They wanted that halfling dead.¡±


    ¡°Then the question is why?¡± Ryokumo stated. ¡°I¡¯m sure Seiras has plenty enemies within this Citadel so it doesn¡¯t surprise me that some would want him dead. However, why now? Could it be related to the spell? Or is there something else going on here?¡±


    ¡°That was what I was considering as well.¡± Nyx leaned forward on the couch and folded her pale hands on her lap. ¡°I feel as if the timing is too perfect. Why risk attacking when all of us Masters are present? Why kill him now? I want to attribute it to the spell, but the only ones who knew it existed were those of us Masters, the prince and princess, and the Children.¡±


    Sinna shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s only assuming Seiras didn¡¯t try and cast it on anybody else. He might have been cautious not to spill any of his secrets, but he was strangely willing to cast it on others. It¡¯s not out of the realm of possibility that he used it on somebody else.¡±


    ¡°So then, was this an act of revenge?¡± Ryokumo wondered. ¡°Or perhaps it was an attempt to get rid of the spell. Seiras made it plenty clear that he never wrote it down. He liked to brag that its secrets were kept within the protection of his mind. So unless he was lying, his death would mean that the spell is lost.¡±


    ¡°I could believe he lied,¡± Nyx said. ¡°It¡¯s possible he has notes hidden in his quarters, but if that¡¯s the case, we won¡¯t know unless Reigious decides to tell us. So for now, we should assume the spell is gone.¡±


    ¡°And good riddance,¡± the Master of Rock spat.


    Ryokumo considered everything they had put forth up to that moment and furrowed his brow. With all that taken into account, it did seem as if Seiras¡¯s death was linked to his new spell. The problem was that they knew very little about what he was up to in the weeks before his death. He could only hope that Seiras had told the truth and that his horrible vision spell died with him.


    Although¡­I suppose that with his spell gone, there really is no way to try and use it to bypass erasure. I¡¯ll no longer be able to use it to remember who she was.


    It was something he had thought about, but at the end of the day, he decided it was a necessary sacrifice. It just meant he would have to deal with Album upon her return to Ijiria and try and regain his memories through her. Seiras¡¯s spell was too powerful to be spread to other magic users and, despite how twisted it was, Ryokumo was glad the halfling was dead.


    It was just one less problem for him to deal with.


    ***


    Time continued to pass as Arisa Kirisan counted down until her death. She knew it would be coming any time now. By telling the Ijirians what they wanted to know, she had served her usage for them and, by being a guide, they now knew just how much of a threat she was. If she were to ever escape, it would be disastrous for them. However, she had come to accept that her life was going to end. It had been full of such misery in the end and she found death to be a relief. All the pain and suffering would end. They could no longer torture her and she could pass on to the next life and put everything behind her. It was what she wanted. She was looking forward to the moment the cell door opened and a guard walked through to cut her head off. Freedom was just before her.


    I deserve it anyway. I¡¯ve brought this on myself. I got everybody killed by rallying them to attack the Citadel. I got my closest friends killed by attacking Nigreos Noctis. And now, I¡¯m certain Malt¡¯s days are numbered now that they know how dangerous he is. All I¡¯ve done is get my siblings killed so why do I deserve to live? I don¡¯t.


    Arisa swallowed back the dryness in her throat and wondered if they planned to just let her die of dehydration. She hadn¡¯t had any water since the previous day when Seiras Ka had come in to torture her again.


    How much longer do I have to wait? Why can¡¯t they just kill me? I want to die. I want it to be over!


    Then, as if summoned by her prayers, she heard the sound of the door unlocking and it finally slid open along the concrete. She raised her head, relief spreading through her body as a cloaked figure slunk into the room almost like a shadow, then closed the door behind them.


    ¡°I was wondering¡­when someone would come,¡± she rasped. ¡°So it¡¯s time to die, huh?¡±


    She expected laughter or perhaps a taunt, but instead, the person responded with conviction, ¡°No. You¡¯re not going to die tonight, Kirisan.¡±


    She frowned, hearing the almost comforting tone of the woman¡¯s¡ªor perhaps girl¡¯s¡ªvoice. The figure stalked across the room and raised her palm to touch Arisa¡¯s forehead. Her fingers were warm.


    ¡°Benedio,¡± she intoned.


    A healing spell?


    Pleasurable warmth then spread from the girl¡¯s hands and into her head, easing the pain in her body and dryness of her throat. It was the most relaxing feeling she had experienced in weeks and it made her almost cry. When the girl removed her hand, Arisa felt as if her body had recovered significantly from all the torture despite the soreness that still remained in her limbs. Once that spell was cast, the figure directed her attention toward the chain and quickly used her magic to unlock them. Each time a shackle released her, it was as if a violent weight had been lifted from her shoulders, and soon, she was free.


    ¡°Put this on,¡± the girl ordered, producing a small folded cloak from within her own before tossing it to her.


    Arisa barely caught it and for a moment, she just gaped at it. ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± she murmured. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Am I being released?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m rescuing you,¡± the girl replied. ¡°You see, my time in the Citadel is limited so, if I¡¯m going to die anyway, I might as well help as many people as I can, right?¡±


    Arisa frowned. ¡°What do you mean? Are you¡­breaking me out? You¡¯re betraying Ijiria?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve already betrayed Ijiria,¡± she replied, as if that were something she was proud of and not the criminal offense it was. ¡°Now, come with me. I don¡¯t have much time before they find us and I still need to break the others out. So put that on and help me.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± she stuttered. ¡°I mean¡­who are you? Why would you help me? I haven¡¯t done anything worth saving me for.¡±


    As her rescuer was turning around, she stopped, as if considering the question. ¡°I¡¯m¡­doing a favor for someone very important to me. And as for my name¡­¡± She glanced back at Arisa and raised her head, giving her full view of her youthful features.


    ¡°Just call me Hannah.¡±

 Chapter 31- Out Of The Dungeons

    Chapter XXXI


    Arisa Kirisan forced herself to her feet, still trying to process that this Hannah girl had come to save her. She had been prepared and ready for her life to end. After all the pain and torture she endured within this cell, she was ready to welcome her death. But now, she was suddenly being given the chance to live. Hannah was extending a hand and if she took it, she would have the opportunity to move forward. For a moment, she felt as if she didn¡¯t deserve it. After all of the people she led to their deaths, she felt as if she didn¡¯t deserve to survive any longer. However, just as those thoughts went through her mind, something else began to nag at her.


    But¡­if I get out of here, I¡¯m still a guide. I can spread guideship around and cause as much chaos for Ijiria as possible. And then, if I can find Malt, maybe I can atone for some of my mistakes. Eventually, I¡¯ll be killed¡­but why not burn as much of this country down before I go?


    Arisa smiled at the thought, wrapping the offered cloak around her body and feeling determination surging through her as Hannah pushed open the cell door and crept out into the dungeon corridor beyond. Her first thoughts were of the numerous guards she knew to be stationed in the hallway, but the second she poked her head through the doorway, her eyes went wide. The guards were all dead, laying slumped against the walls or simply laying on the ground, covered in blood. She didn¡¯t see a single one alive.


    ¡°Did you do this?¡± she asked softly.


    Hannah, who had already moved to the next cell over, glanced back and nodded. ¡°I did. You see, I¡¯m of a wind affinity so I was able to distort myself and take them out before they even knew I was there.¡±


    My god¡­ She must be a hell of a mage, then.


    Arisa quickly moved to help her just as the other girl unlocked the cell and from there, they began to release the other four captive Children. With her hood low, she believed they wouldn¡¯t recognize her, especially not in the dimly-lit dungeons, but the moment they opened each cell, Arisa knew them. There were two boys and two girls, all of various ages with most of them younger than her, but one boy being slightly older. She had spent time with all of them and she loved them just as she loved her other siblings. Back then, they were so full of excitement and energy, but now, chained to the walls of their cells, they appeared more like shadows of their former selves.


    I imagine Seiras¡¯s spells were used on them, too, she thought with a twinge of pain.


    Hannah immediately moved to cast some healing magic while Arisa dealt with the chains. Once the first girl had been released and the situation explained to her, she went and acted as a lookout while they rescued the other three. The expressions of utter relief in their eyes, mixed with the hatred toward Ijiria, somehow seemed to bring some of the life back to them, and Arisa could tell that they hadn¡¯t yet lost the will to fight. Once all four had been released from their shackles, Hannah ushered them into one of the cells and hurriedly began to talk.


    ¡°Alright, we don¡¯t have much time,¡± she said, handing cloaks to each of them from a relatively small bag at her hip. ¡°The next cycle of guards will arrive in a little under an hour so we have, at most, until then before somebody comes down here and finds all the bodies. If we aren¡¯t out of here by then, the Citadel will go on lockdown and we¡¯ll never get out.¡±


    ¡°But can we even get out now?¡± asked the oldest Child, a man named Tylo Tannalo. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not like we can just walk through the gates.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± agreed Irin Vixal, a shorter girl that Arisa remembered had been one of the quieter supporters of the attack. ¡°When we got in the first time, we had our wind mages scale the northern wall and distort themselves. Then once the sentries were dead, they lifted the rest of us up. We barely made it then, and I imagine the security¡¯s much tighter now, right?¡±


    Hannah nodded. ¡°That¡¯s correct. We won¡¯t be able to get out by scaling the wall. In fact, I doubt we could even make it into the gardens, let alone to the walls, which is why we won¡¯t be doing that. Instead, I have a different plan, but I need to be certain it¡¯ll work. So¡­how many of you have a decent control over wind magic?¡±


    All five of them raised their hands.


    ¡°It was one of our mother¡¯s most skilled affinities,¡± Tylo explained. ¡°Most of us are proficient enough in both wind and nature because of her teachings.¡±


    Hannah grinned with satisfaction. ¡°Perfect. That¡¯s what I was hoping for. In that case, distort yourselves and come with me.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Irin quickly interjected. ¡°No offense, Miss Hannah, but how do we know we can trust you? I appreciate you healing us and letting us out, but¡­¡± The girl hesitated. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­we¡¯ve been through a lot. I don¡¯t want this to wind up being some sick game by Master Ka.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about Seiras Ka,¡± Hannah confidently replied. ¡°That halfling is dead. I killed him myself.¡±


    Arisa exhaled sharply, as did the four other Children beside her. Her immediate thought was that the girl had to be lying. Killing a Master wasn¡¯t an easy feat on it¡¯s own, but she was claiming to have killed one and gotten away with it.


    So that¡¯s what she meant when she said she had already betrayed Ijiria, she realized, then thought back to the numerous corpses lining the corridor. And it¡¯s clear she¡¯s powerful. Maybe it isn¡¯t that crazy to think.


    ¡°I know how preposterous that sounds,¡± Hannah went on. ¡°However, it¡¯s the truth and I think the bodies outside this cell should be proof enough that I am here as an ally. Now, I understand why you would be wary of me, and if you want to try and escape on your own, I will not stop you. You are free to do as you like. Just let me know now so I can alter my plans accordingly.¡±


    Arisa swallowed, taking her words into consideration. As crazy as it sounded to think that she had managed to kill Seiras Ka, she didn¡¯t feel as if Hannah was lying. While Arisa was certain that there was something more to her actions than simple goodwill, she got the sense that she could at least be relied upon for the moment. She was about to voice that opinion, but it was the boy who had yet to speak that beat her to it.


    ¡°I trust her.¡±


    When Arisa looked back, she saw Ardan and Lyla Tessir step forward as they faced the rest of them. The brother and sister were twins nearly three years younger than her and it comforted her greatly to know that they were both still alive.


    ¡°At this point, we should take what help we can get,¡± Lyla added. ¡°If Hannah is leading us into a trap then who cares? We would have died anyway. If we stay behind, we die. If we try to fight our way out alone, we¡¯ll probably die. But if we go with her, while we could still die, I think that¡¯s the best shot of survival. So, I¡¯m going with her.¡±


    Tylo nodded. ¡°I agree. For the time being, I¡¯ll trust you, Hannah, and if you really did murder Seiras Ka, then I¡¯ll be in your debt for the rest of my life.¡±


    As she looked at the other three and their conviction, Irin conceded. ¡°Alright then. I¡¯m with you.¡±


    Hannah smiled. ¡°Thank you. And you, Kirisan?¡±


    Up until that point, Arisa hadn¡¯t spoken nor had she removed her hood, so the other Children hadn¡¯t known who she was. Having been the one to lead them into the Citadel in the first place, she feared they would hate her. After all, she got their brothers and sisters killed and, whether they knew it yet or not, she betrayed them all and confessed their secrets to Seiras. Part of her hoped she could keep her identity hidden until they got into the city and then slip away before they knew who she was, but Hannah calling her by name stopped any hope she had. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the other four turn to her in surprise.


    ¡°Arisa? You¡¯re alive?¡± Tylo whispered.


    She couldn¡¯t tell what feelings were hidden in those words, so she chose instead to focus on their rescuer and ignore the surprise of her brothers and sisters.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do as say, Hannah. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Good. Then follow me.¡±


    Arisa could tell that the other four had a lot they wanted to say, though with their hoods down, she didn¡¯t know if it was good or bad, but nobody spoke a word. They all threw up distortion spells to conceal their presence and followed after the cloaked Hannah. As she led them through the carved corridors of the dungeon, Arisa saw just how many guards the girl had killed. It seemed as if she had gone and taken out every living sentry in sight.


    But I guess that makes sense. If she¡¯s killed Seiras then the Masters are going to go after her. She can only hide for so long before they learn the truth, so she has no reason to hold back. With the guards dead, it¡¯ll make getting out of here much easier.


    And as expected, they reached the entrance to the lift without running into a single soldier. Hannah ushered the five of them onto the platform and Arisa listened as they moved to stand around her.


    ¡°Ortumo,¡± Hannah whispered, followed by the steady rising of the silver disk.


    Arisa¡¯s heart was beating quickly as she realized she was once again going to infiltrate the halls of the Ijirian Citadel. The last time, she hadn¡¯t been scared. She¡¯d be foolishly excited to lead an attack against the murderers of her mother and to steal one of their precious relics. She had been confident that they would succeed, but now, she knew just how dangerous the Ijirians were. If they were caught by any of the magic users, they would most certainly die. Hannah¡¯s healing made it easier to move around, but she knew she still didn¡¯t have the energy to fight after the amount of time she¡¯d been chained in that darkness.


    And if a Master finds us¡­


    She shivered at the memory of her encounter with Nigreos Noctis and silently prayed that they could escape the building without any encounters. Still unsure of where Hannah was taking them, she found herself surprised when the lift slowed to a stop and she found herself staring down a rather average-looking hallway. She could tell it was after sundown by the darkness beyond the windows and the only illumination they had came from the torches of fire magic hanging on the walls.


    ¡°Come,¡± Hannah whispered, then stepped from the lift and stalked into the silver corridor, pulling her hood down as she did so.


    Arisa frowned, wondering why she would reveal her face before realizing that she had no reason to hide. They were all invisible to any passerby and Hannah was certainly a resident of the Citadel. By walking casually, should they run into anybody, she wouldn¡¯t draw suspicion. That assumption was quickly proven correct when they passed by a few older men, probably researchers, who merely glanced at her before continuing on their way.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    We might actually do this. As long as we avoid anybody that can sense our mana, we should be fine!


    Arisa took deep breaths to calm her fear and, before she knew it, Hannah came to a stop just outside a random door. The girl placed her hand against it and uttered a soft incantation, which unlocked it. She then swung it open and slipped inside, motioning for them to enter with a subtle nod of her head. Once the five of them were safely within the rather large living area, Hannah exhaled softly and smiled.


    ¡°Alright, you¡¯re safe to drop the distortions,¡± she said.


    All five of them immediately canceled their spells, revealing themselves. Arisa glanced sidelong at them and noticed similar expressions of relief on their faces.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± Ardan asked, glancing around the room.


    ¡°My quarters,¡± Hannah answered. ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll follow me into the back, we can get you out of here.¡±


    Not waiting for any further questions, she hurried down the hall and toward a bedroom in the back of the apartment. For a moment, the Children all exchanged confused glances before gradually moving to follow after her. The bedroom was well kept and tidy, but with the large bed in the back right corner and the desk in the left, it was rather cramped with six people shoved into it. Arisa stayed by the doorway, wanting to give the others some space as Hannah crawled onto her bed and reached for the window to unlock it. It was then that she realized what their rescuer had in mind, but before she could question her, Lyla stepped forward with a stunned expression on her face.


    ¡°Hold on a moment,¡± she said sharply. ¡°You¡¯re not expecting us to jump through the damn window, are you?¡±


    Hannah glanced back with a sly grin as she pushed the window open. ¡°Of course I am. You all said you¡¯re proficient in wind magic so this shouldn¡¯t be an issue.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re proficient,¡± Tylo interjected. ¡°But it¡¯s not like we can fly! Hell, I can hardly levitate myself, let alone try to fly over the wall.¡±


    The girl shrugged. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing I don¡¯t expect you to fly. From this level, we¡¯re up high enough that you could cleanly glide over the top of the walls. From there, you merely need to use Ventus to slow your descent and reach the ground. If you can get into Erika before anybody notices your escape, you¡¯ll have an easier time fleeing the city.¡±


    Lyla furrowed her brow, folding her arms across her chest as she regarded those present. ¡°I mean¡­I do know how to glide, but¡­you¡¯re sure this¡¯ll work?¡±


    ¡°More or less,¡± Hannah responded. ¡°But then again, we¡¯re attempting to break you out of the Citadel. Nothing¡¯s truly safe, but I believe this is the easiest method. Again, if you¡¯d rather find an alternative way out, go ahead. But otherwise¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Irin said, her voice shaking yet with a tinge of confidence. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be here any longer than I already have. If you think it¡¯ll work then I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±


    Ardan stepped forward and nodded his agreement. ¡°While my sister¡¯s right that this is risky, I know we don¡¯t have much of a choice. My gliding skills aren¡¯t half bad so even with as weak as I am, I think I can make it over the wall.¡±


    With her brother now willing to try, Lyla sighed and shrugged. ¡°Very well then. I suppose I¡¯m going, too.¡±


    Tylo grimaced, seeing the determination that had now spread through the group. However, he still looked unsure of himself so, to Arisa¡¯s surprise, he turned and stared back at her.


    ¡°And you, Arisa?¡± he asked. ¡°Are you good with this?¡±


    She¡¯d wanted to remain out of the conversation, so she found herself unprepared when Tylo¡¯s question caused the other three to look at her with curiosity. Back before the Citadel attack, she wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to take the lead and rally them toward Hannah¡¯s plan, but now, she was unable to take that step. Each time she led them, she got people killed. Her decisions were rarely correct, and so, if she wanted them to remain safe, her only option was to rely on somebody else¡¯s idea.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m with her,¡± she said softly. ¡°If Hannah thinks it¡¯s safe, I¡¯ll go.¡±


    Tylo sighed then spread his hands out in exasperation. ¡°Alright then. I guess we¡¯re doing this. Let¡¯s get the hell out of here.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for trusting me,¡± Hannah said with a bow.


    From there, they began their escape. Hannah stepped aside and allowed Irin to move onto the bed to poke her head out of the nearly three foot tall window. Arisa didn¡¯t know for certain how high they were, but if they were above the walls then she knew the drop had to be terrifying. Nevertheless, Irin grit her teeth and nodded.


    ¡°Thank you, Miss Hannah,¡± she whispered, then pulled herself through the small gap and vanished from sight.


    Tylo hurriedly rushed to check on her, but his features relaxed as he called back, ¡°she¡¯s okay.¡± He then took a deep breath, grabbed both sides of the windowsill, and, with his own thanks to their rescuer, jumped after Irin.


    Arisa remained by the doorway as the twins followed in the other Children¡¯s footsteps, bidding Hannah goodbye before they, too, jumped from the Citadel. Once she was alone with the young girl, she decided she would ask her something that had occurred to her during their conversation. She wasn¡¯t sure if the other Children noticed or not, but if they did, they opted not to pry. Arisa, however, wanted to know.


    ¡°When you were telling us what to do, you made it sound like you weren¡¯t coming with us,¡± she said softly. ¡°Are you staying behind?¡±


    At her question, Hannah laughed sadly then smiled. ¡°Yeah, I am. You see, I¡¯m a well known individual here in the Citadel. I¡¯m an apprentice to one of the Masters.¡±


    Arisa exhaled sharply. ¡°You¡¯re one of their apprentices?!¡±


    With each new detail she learned about her, she found herself more and more intrigued as to what her story was. For her to be both a Master¡¯s apprentice, and the murderer of Seiras Ka, was unthinkable.


    ¡°But then¡­why are you doing this?¡± she pressed. ¡°I mean, I really appreciate it, but your life was set. From what I¡¯ve heard, apprentices often succeed their teachers as Masters of Ijiria. You could¡¯ve been one of them¡­but instead, you chose to kill Serias and now you¡¯re helping traitors escape? I don¡¯t get it.¡±


    Hannah shook her head. ¡°As much as I¡¯d like to tell you the whole story, we don¡¯t have time. You need to go now. I¡¯ll just say this much. I have never been loyal to Ijiria. My loyalty¡­lies with my Master and my Master alone. That is why I¡¯m doing this, Kirisan. It¡¯s for him. And that¡¯s why I must stay behind. If I escape and my treason is revealed, he¡¯ll be punished for it. I need to be caught and¡­killed by his hand if I want to prevent suspicion from falling onto him.¡±


    ¡°Killed?¡± she parroted.


    Hannah¡¯s staying behind to¡­die?


    ¡°Now, enough conversation,¡± the girl urged. ¡°Go. Get out of here now. I still have more to do tonight.¡±


    Arisa managed a weak nod as she climbed onto the bed and peered out the window. The drop below was so far that in the darkness of the night, she couldn''t even see the ground. The only visible lights came from the torches atop the wall nearly two hundred feet away and the city lights beyond that.


    ¡°Thank you, Miss Hannah,¡± she whispered. ¡°For everything. I wish¡­I could have gotten to know you better. I¡¯ll never forget you.¡±


    Hannah smiled warmly. ¡°That¡¯s enough for me. As long as I live on in your memories, I¡¯ll die happily.¡± Her features then hardened, as if something else had come to mind. ¡°But before you go, I¡¯ll leave you with one piece of information that could potentially help you in the future.¡±


    Arisa frowned. ¡°Yeah? What is it?¡±


    ¡°If you ever need help, Ryokumo Caeli can be trusted. He is, and will always be, an ally of the Children of Reiner.¡±


    ***


    Once his conversation with Nyx and Sinna wrapped up, Ryokumo decided he would go pay Hannah a visit to once again apologize for missing their training that morning. He had told her before departing for the Niras Lounge the previous night that their sessions would finally be returning to normal, but Seiras¡¯s assassination had thrown everything off. He still felt bad despite knowing there was nothing more he could do, and now that she was under suspicion from Reigious and the Masters, he knew it would be a good idea to give her a heads up. Seiras¡¯s death was being kept quiet for the time being so she wouldn¡¯t yet know that it even happened. However, Sinna must have picked up on his intentions since, once Nyx split off to return to her own quarters, the taller woman spoke up.


    ¡°Walk with me for a moment, would you, Caeli?¡± she requested.


    Ryokumo looked up at her with narrowed eyes. ¡°Walk with you? Why? What more is there to discuss?¡±


    Sinna snorted. ¡°There is always more to discuss, even when the Citadel hasn¡¯t gone to hell. But for now, I wanted to speak to you about last night¡­and I don¡¯t mean Seiras¡¯s death. I wanted to talk about the visions.¡±


    The visions? I figured she¡¯d avoid that subject so¡­what about them would she want to discuss?


    ¡°What do you think I would know?¡± he inquired, picking up his pace to keep stride with her rather long ones. ¡°If you intend to try and figure out what I saw then you can save your breath. I have no interest in divulging something so personal.¡±


    Sinna scowled. ¡°Of course not. I have no interest in what skeletons you hide in your closet, Caeli. Besides, it doesn¡¯t take a genius to deduce that you probably saw something related to Abigail Reiner.¡±


    Ryokumo scoffed, however he made no move to correct her. In fact, this past time, he saw not Abi, but Album, and he already knew exactly what that particular vision meant. It was something the two of them decided should remain in the past and thus, they had an unspoken agreement to never bring it up. However, that vision only shoved it in his face how much it still hung over him. In many ways, the responsibility for fracturing their group of friends fell into his lap.


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± he murmured. ¡°But then what do you want to discuss?¡±


    ¡°Well, truth be told, it was quite a wakeup call for me,¡± she admitted. ¡°It forced me to confront things I thought long in the past, but I realize now that I never truly let it go. I¡¯m not telling you what I saw, but I wanted your opinion about what I should do. After all¡­you were the first one to suffer his despicable visions.¡±


    Ryokumo stared up at her in surprise. He could tell that she was setting aside her pride to request his help and he found himself smiling slightly. It was the first time that Master of Rock had shown any emotion toward him that wasn¡¯t hatred or disdain.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help where I can,¡± he replied softly.


    ¡°Good,¡± she replied harshly, but then her tone softened. ¡°Thank you. I just want to know¡­how did you handle it? Last night¡­I slept very little. I could only think about what I saw and¡­well, simply put, there¡¯s nothing I can do about what happened. But how accurate do you think those visions are? What I saw¡­what was said¡­is that how they really thought. Is that how I really felt? How much of it¡­was real?¡±


    How much indeed¡­


    As she asked her question, Ryokumo thought back to the visions he¡¯d seen thus far. The vision of Album was a glimpse into the past, one he already understood and knew was true. The one of Nigreos was a possible future, one he worried would come to pass if he failed. For the time being, he set aside the erased woman, knowing he wouldn¡¯t find much help within it. However, what Sinna described sounded more like his vision of Abi out on the beach of Omaruo.


    ¡°To be honest, I think it depends,¡± he answered. ¡°One of the visions I saw was how I feared Abi would think. But knowing her as long as I have, the logical part of my brain tells me that she never would have blamed me. She would never have said the things she did in that vision. So, ask yourself this, Cartus. Would that person you saw truly say the things they did? Or are you only afraid they would?¡±


    Sinna¡¯s lips tightened and for a moment, her eyes seemed distant. ¡°I suppose¡­I shall consider that.¡±


    Ryokumo nodded then turned his attention forward, only for the both of them to suddenly stop. Nearly a hundred yards ahead, a figure appeared out of thin air and Ryokumo knew without a doubt that they had dropped a distortion spell. The corridor was empty of life outside of the three of them and just as he was about to call out to the person, his eyes went wide. They were wearing a cloak with the hood pulled down to conceal their features, and upon closer inspection, it wasn¡¯t just the cloak. Distortion magic was surrounding their face, making their hood appear empty and the body seem headless.


    No¡­ This is¡­


    Without speaking, the cloaked figure reached down to their hip and drew an iron sword with their gloved hand. Based on the build and curve of their body, he knew they were female and as they tossed the scabbard aside, he realized he had seen them before.


    This is¡­Seiras¡¯s killer!


    ¡°Might I ask what you are doing?¡± Sinna called out sharply. ¡°You do realize that you are drawing a weapon in the presence of two Masters? You must know how high a crime that is? Or¡­¡± She narrowed her eyes. ¡°Perhaps you do not care.¡±


    You¡¯re kidding?! I knew she was bold after her assassination of Seiras, but to attack two Masters right in the middle of the Citadel¡­ She must have lost her damn mind!


    ¡°Nothing to say?¡± the Master of Rock went on. ¡°A pity. Well, I suppose we¡¯ll just have to take you in for questioning. Do not think you¡¯re walking away from this alive.¡±


    The girl didn¡¯t respond, but Ryokumo could barely hear her utter a single word:


    ¡°Proto.¡±

 Chapter 32- This Time, The Memories Remain

    Chapter XXXII


    Album cocked an eyebrow in unrestrained irritation as she watched Nigreos slam his fist against the wall of the rundown house¡¯s main room. Her partner was shaking with anger and she half expected him to start throwing some tantrum like a child. However, despite everything that had happened, he kept his cool enough to merely stand there, breathing heavily as he continued to take everything in. As for her, while she was just as frustrated at their defeat as he was, she had enough self-control not to lash out a wall. Album instead stood quietly in the corner, once again pushing healing magic into her limp right arm, knowing that if she didn¡¯t attend to it as often as possible, she would lose it forever.


    ¡°Did that really happen?¡± Nigreos finally growled. ¡°Did we really lose to them?¡±


    Album snorted. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it a loss. Rather, it just further delays the inevitable. And now, there are three less targets for us to deal with. Sure, Mendez got away, but we already got the information we needed from her. It¡¯s only a matter of time before we track her down and deal with her.¡±


    Nigreos scoffed, turning around to glare her way. ¡°How can you be so calm about this?! We lost the nerich, we lost Mendez, and we allowed Rina Davens to die! Now, we can¡¯t erase her and it¡¯ll only put this city on further alert!¡±


    ¡°Oh, worried about alerting the city now, are we?¡± she sneered. ¡°Not two weeks ago, you were slaughtering innocents in that diner, but now you don¡¯t want them to know we¡¯re here? Try to be consistent, Nigreos.¡±


    ¡°Don''t give me that,¡± he spat. ¡°Those were different circumstances. Back then, I was trying to keep Reiner from knowing that anything magical was in the city. But now, it doesn¡¯t matter! He already knows we¡¯re here so allowing anybody to die just complicates everything! Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t know that!¡±


    She snorted her disdain and glanced away. While he was right in that matters had been made slightly more complicated, she didn¡¯t think it was anything they needed to get so worked up about. Davens and Wright finding their way to the hideout had been surprising, but at the end of the day, they simply offered themselves up on a silver platter, primed and ready to be disposed of. Because of their idiotic actions, Evan Wright had been erased and, while it would have been preferable to erase her as well, Rina Davens was dead and no longer a problem for them.


    And now, even Jay Brooks is gone, she thought with a smirk. That nerich was a failure in every sense of the word and in the end, Nigreos couldn¡¯t even control him. We should have just erased that boy from the start.


    ¡°So, if you don¡¯t see this as a problem, what¡¯s your plan now?¡± he demanded after a moment longer of silence. ¡°How are we going to finish this? Reiner aside, we still have five more targets to erase and we don¡¯t know anything about them beyond their names, and that Harper and Hill live in the same damn building. Once again, we¡¯re walking blind.¡±


    Album shrugged. ¡°Sure, in a way. But to be honest, I don¡¯t think we have to do much. From the sound of it, Reiner didn¡¯t know that Wright and Davens were coming here so imagine his surprise when he wakes up to find the girl dead, and Wright and Brooks erased.¡± She laughed coldly. ¡°He¡¯ll panic. He¡¯ll be angry. He¡¯ll know we¡¯re winning and he¡¯ll want to do everything he can to stop us. If I had to guess, Eric Reiner will make the same mistake they did¡­ After all, Mendez knows where we¡¯re hiding so it isn¡¯t unlikely that she¡¯ll tell him¡­and with that information¡­he¡¯ll come to us.¡±


    The Master of Darkness folded his arms and regarded her dubiously. ¡°That¡¯s your plan? You just want to wait and see?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I think it¡¯s the smartest move at this point,¡± she said. ¡°Not only am I still recovering from our last encounter with the boy, but I think it¡¯ll be best to see how Davens¡¯s death affects this town. The city isn¡¯t just going to overlook the murder of a schoolgirl. There will be investigations. People will be scared and more on edge¡­especially after what you did at the diner.¡±


    Nigreos scowled. ¡°Haven¡¯t we wasted enough time as it is?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± she muttered. ¡°But I don¡¯t think we have an option anymore. This isn¡¯t the simple mission we thought it was, but in the end, the result won¡¯t change. We just need to be more strategic about what we do and when we do it. So, my proposal is that we wait and see. Let¡¯s take a few days and merely observe. Like I said, perhaps victory will fall into our lap.¡±


    Her partner clicked his tongue, making his displeasure obvious. ¡°I guess I see your point. However, at the same time, I do think we should be getting something done. At the very least, I¡¯ll see if I can track down where Lilly Harper lives. If we can erase her and that little girl, that¡¯s two less problems for us to put up with.¡±


    Album nodded. ¡°Fair enough. And how do you plan on finding them?¡±


    ¡°Simple,¡± he grunted back. ¡°If that high school of hers is anything like the academies in Ijiria then the administration has to have records of some type that tells us where their students live. And while acquiring them will take some time, I do believe that it will be well worth the effort. In fact, if that succeeds, I¡¯ll have Clark, Tao, and even Reiner located.¡±


    ¡°And if it doesn¡¯t?¡± Album retorted, already skeptical of how Nigreos would even go about stealing records from a place they physically could not enter.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll simply have to scour the city until I find her,¡± he snapped. ¡°I know she and Hill live in an apartment building so if I merge into the shadows and simply observe, as you suggested, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll find them eventually. Do you have a problem with that?¡±


    Deciding that Nigreos wouldn¡¯t be satisfied unless he was doing something, and given that it wasn¡¯t the worse plan, Album merely turned the subject away from locating their targets and toward a more pressing concern of hers.


    ¡°And Reiner? Are you still insistent on taking him to Ijiria or have you finally come to your senses?¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± he spat immediately. ¡°I¡¯m not discussing this with you again. You¡¯re no longer in any position to harm him without your magic. I¡¯m not either. I think it would be best to take him with us and I¡¯m not changing my mind. Disagree with me all you want, Album, but I don¡¯t give a damn what you think.¡±


    She could tell that arguing with him wasn¡¯t going to achieve anything, so she decided to bite her tongue and not waste her breath. They¡¯d already clashed over the subject enough times to give her plenty of headaches. In their current predicament, she was willing to simply see where the chips fell, but if the opportunity to kill the boy ever presented itself, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to take it.


    ¡°Anyway, I need some air. I¡¯ll be back later.¡±


    With that curt goodbye, Nigreos turned and stalked from the room, leaving her standing alone in the darkened house. She made no move to stop him, and instead walked toward the cracked window in the corner and gazed out at the rainy morning sky.


    This has certainly been an unexpectedly challenging mission, she mused. But that alone should be enough to tell us that we can¡¯t afford to let Reiner live. We need to put this debacle behind us, retrieve the relic, and go home.


    Album listened to the rain pattering against the roof for a moment, finding the sound calming. We¡¯re close. We now have five of them down. There are only five more to go, and then Reiner himself. It¡¯s almost over. I can feel it.


    ***


    What could I have done differently? How much of this could have been avoided if I¡¯d just been better. I no longer know what¡¯s right and what¡¯s not. Every choice I make seems like the wrong one, and every time I make a wrong choice, somebody dies. How much blood is on my hands now? First, Vinny was taken from me. Then they got Brad. And now, in one fell swoop, Evan, Jay, and Rina were all killed. I¡¯m pathetic. I¡¯m a failure. But at the very least, nobody remembered the losses. It was my burden to bear. Everybody else was allowed to stay happy and ignorant. So why?! What the hell is different this time?!


    Eric was walking through the halls of West Wilham High¡¯s first floor, listening to the whispers of the students around him. Some were crying. Some were gossiping. And none were happy. The end of the year was in sight. Summer was right around the corner, but the normal end-of-year bustle had been replaced by a tense atmosphere.


    ¡°Was she really murdered?¡±


    ¡°I can''t believe it. I had biology with her.¡±


    ¡°Why would somebody do that?¡±


    ¡°She was always so cheerful. Whenever I asked her for help on my homework, she¡¯d be there for me. She was so smart.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know her well, but the few times we talked, she seemed really nice.¡±


    The pained voices of his fellow students tormented him as he made his way toward the stairs. They made him want to scream all over again. He didn¡¯t understand why it had to be this way.


    Why do they remember her?! Why haven¡¯t they forgotten Rina?! Nobody remembers Vinny or Brad or Evan or Jay! So why her?! What¡¯s different this time?! What did Nigreos and Album do?! Are they tormenting me? Are they doing this to torture to me?!


    Eric clenched his fists, wanting to seek out the club members, but also afraid to face them. He¡¯d spoken with each of them over the phone a few times over the weekend, but he¡¯d never gone to see them. He¡¯d been too busy. The police had come by to question him and his father since they had been in the group that found Rina¡¯s body. His dad had mostly dealt with it, but just the fact that there was an investigation at all scared him. After all, there was nothing to find. If the cops located Nigreos and Album then they would just become the next senseless victims of those murderers.


    I just don¡¯t get it. The others don¡¯t remember Jay or Evan¡­so why Rina?


    And to make matters even worse, with Evan erased and Rina dead, he had no way to find out what really went down that Friday afternoon. All he knew was that Rina had somehow managed to rescue Alice, though he didn¡¯t even have a clue how she managed to find her.


    And then there¡¯s Jay. Why was he erased? Why would Nigreos and Album take out their own monster?


    His only thought was that his actions the other night actually succeeded in breaking past the spell and to wake Jay up, but whether that was true or not, it no longer mattered. The boy was gone and there was nothing he could do for him anymore.


    It¡¯s all such a damn mystery and one that I¡¯m nowhere close to solving. He shook his head. And then there¡¯s Dad¡­


    With the discovery of Rina¡¯s body and his subsequent breakdown, he had been forced to admit everything to his father. The only thing he left out was the confirmation of his mother¡¯s death as, at that moment, he didn¡¯t have the heart to break that news. But he told the man everything about the stone, Nigreos and Album¡¯s arrival, and their mission to erase them all. His father had listened to everything and then didn¡¯t have much of a reaction. Eric wasn¡¯t sure what he had been expecting, but all his father did was flee further into himself then kept his distance for the rest of the weekend. He imagined he was processing it all, but at the very least, his father believed him.


    And he¡¯s keeping Alice hidden at the house for the time being so I guess I should be grateful for that. Not really sure what else he could do for us.


    Eric reached the top of the stairs and rounded the corner, finding a similar sight to what was happening below. It seemed Rina¡¯s murder was all anybody was talking about, though he didn¡¯t find that surprising in the slightest. The diner was a shock and now, after Alice¡¯s disappearance, another West Wilham student had gotten involved and this one was confirmed dead. It was only natural that everybody would be terrified.


    The boy glanced off to the side to see Charlotte Banks sobbing as she hugged Steven McCormick, the boy who Eric recalled had been dating Rina. They were sitting against the wall opposite the lockers and he could see in McCormick¡¯s eyes that he was desperately holding back his tears as he tried to comfort Charlotte. For a moment, the red-haired boy glanced up at him and all Eric could manage was a weak nod in a pathetic attempt to give condolences. However, McCormick quickly looked away, choosing to ignore him, so Eric continued on his way to Mrs. Kentz¡¯s class.


    I have to do something. This is too much. There has to be something I can do! That image of Rina¡¯s¡­corpse has been haunting me all weekend! Nigreos and Album killed her so I need to deal with them! I¡¯ll find some way to stop them¡­to kill them. Anything to make sure they never hurt anybody else ever again!


    When he arrived in Mrs. Kentz¡¯s class, he found Lilly sitting at her desk with her head down. He then scanned the room and instead looked at the group of boys sitting in the back corner that had always been there when he arrived. In the past, they would be chatting and laughing, with Brad and Evan at the head of the fun. But today, they sat in silence, their friends all forgotten. He took a deep breath and approached his girlfriend, taking a seat in Alice¡¯s empty desk in front of her. The girl slowly looked up when she heard him.


    ¡°Eric?¡± she muttered. ¡°Hey.¡±


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he managed to reply as he placed his hand over hers. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t sure what he was apologizing for. Was it for failing to protect the others? Was it for the fact that he told Alexa about magic, something they still had yet to discuss with everything that happened. Or was it because he feared there was nothing he could do to protect her, and soon, she would be taken from him as well. He didn¡¯t know. Perhaps it was all three, he thought.


    ¡°Is¡­Alice really okay?¡± Lilly uttered after a moment, so softly that he could barely hear her.


    He nodded. ¡°To an extent. I¡¯ve done my best to heal her, but I can¡¯t regrow limbs. She¡¯s alive though.¡±


    ¡°Can I¡­can I visit after school?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Their conversation was brief, and soon they returned to silence. They stayed that way for the next twenty minutes until the bell rang, and when it did, he shuffled over to his desk, knowing that paying attention in class would be pointless. He wasn¡¯t even sure there was any point in going to school anymore. He was more there out of habit than anything.


    After all, what did it matter? Everything would be over soon anyway.


    ***


    The day wasn¡¯t an easy one and tension and stress resulting from Rina¡¯s murder only seemed to get worse. During lunch, the principal made an announcement over the loudspeaker that they would be holding an assembly in memory of Rina that Friday and that counselors had been called to the school for anybody who needed it. In addition, all club activities had been suspended for the foreseeable future, most likely due to the fear that other students could be killed by the mystery assailant if they were out too late. As the day passed by, Lilly was mostly on autopilot. She hardly paid attention in class, instead choosing to stare into space as she tried to prevent another panic attack. Finding out that they had lost Brad Fischer had taken a toll on her despite her inability to remember him, but only a day later, everything got even worse. According to Eric, two more of them had been erased¡ªboys named Evan Wright and Jay Brooks. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t remember what either of them looked like or what her relationship was to them and, this time, Eric didn¡¯t tell her. They were complete enigmas, just like Fischer and Mickelson, and it made her want to cry again.


    And now¡­Rina¡¯s dead. She was killed by Nigreos and Album, and for some reason, I still remember her. I don¡¯t understand why. It doesn¡¯t make sense! I thought everybody would forget about us if the Masters killed us, but they remember Rina! Does this mean¡­it¡¯s not guaranteed that we¡¯ll be forgotten? Could my family remember me if I die?


    The thought that her death wouldn¡¯t hurt her family had been one of the few things allowing her to retain some level of comfort. Knowing that they would forget about her and move on with their lives was a better thought than imagining them grieving over her passing. That was what she wanted, but now, even that wasn¡¯t certain.


    What do we do? How are we supposed to fight this? Damien and Liz keep urging us not to give up, but what reason do we have to believe we can win? Sure, Eric¡¯s got that protection or whatever, but what good has it actually done us?


    Like she had been for the past couple weeks, she thought of Natalie, still oblivious to the threat of her death. This coming weekend, Alexa and her parents were going north to visit the college her older sister planned to attend. Lilly had opted to stay home alone and, since Renee was also out that weekend, Natalie was going to be staying with her.


    Assuming I even make it to the weekend, at least she¡¯ll be close to me. That way, I¡¯ll know she¡¯s safe.


    Lilly clenched her teeth as she closed her locker and turned in the direction of the clubroom. Despite club activities being canceled, Damien still decided to call them to the clubroom for a few minutes just so they could discuss their next move.


    Next move, huh? Yeah¡­like there¡¯s anything we can do now.


    Yet, despite believing it to be pointless, she was going anyway. After all, there was one good thing that had come out of Friday¡¯s tragedy: Alice was rescued. Eric had told her that he didn¡¯t know what happened, but whatever Rina and the erased boys did, they managed to save her. Eric was keeping her at his place so Nigreos and Album could no longer use her as a hostage. Their Monday time limit had arrived, but they managed to evade it.


    At least your death wasn¡¯t in vain, Rina, Lilly thought sadly. Wherever you are now, I¡¯ll always be grateful for that. You saved Alice¡¯s life.


    Lilly arrived at the clubroom and pulled the door open to step inside, only to come to a sudden stop upon realizing that the club members weren¡¯t the only ones present. Alexa was also there, sitting in one of the desks with her head down. Though, when Lilly opened the door, she quickly got to her feet and faced her.


    Right¡­ And then there¡¯s that¡­


    With all Eric was going through, she had chosen not to confront him about revealing everything to her sister, but it was still an issue that needed to be addressed. However, there was no longer any going back, so she found herself surprised that Alexa was there.


    At least she never used the stone. In the end, I guess telling her won¡¯t matter. She¡¯ll forget all about it.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s make this quick,¡± Damien began. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time since club activities are now suspended.¡±


    The boy was standing at the head of the classroom in the spot Eric usually took, making it clear that he would be leading the discussion this time. Liz was at his side while Eric was instead standing against the wall, that same distant look in his eyes that he¡¯d had ever since Vinny Mickelson vanished.


    ¡°We need to figure out a plan,¡± he went on, showing far more composure than Lilly would have expected given the circumstances.


    What are they thinking right now? Are Damien and Liz really managing to hold themselves together? Or are they just as broken as I feel?


    Damien looked her way for a moment, making eye contact with her, before turning back to face everybody. ¡°I know Rina¡¯s death was a blow, but I don¡¯t want that death to have been in vain. Alice is safe now because of her, so we have more freedom to move against the Masters.¡±


    Eric shook his head, a bitter smile twisting his lips. ¡°And how would we move against them, Damien? Davens and Wright already tried and look where that got them. They may have saved Alice, but they¡¯re gone. They¡¯re dead.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like what they did was smart,¡± Liz quickly added. ¡°Going there alone was stupid, but we can¡¯t let their sacrifice mean nothing. You have magic, Eric. You¡¯ve survived the attack by that monster and you managed to beat them both in a fight.¡±


    ¡°By pure luck, Liz,¡± he retorted sharply. ¡°I told you, the only reason I beat Nigreos and Album is because of whatever charm my mother left on me! But now they know about it, so I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll find some way to counteract it! And as for the monster¡ªer¡­wait? You remember the monster?¡±


    Liz frowned in confusion at the sudden and strange question. ¡°Um¡­of course? Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡±


    Stunned, the boy then looked at Lilly. ¡°You, too, Lilly?¡±


    Why¡¯s he so surprised? Did he think that thing got erased too or something?¡±


    ¡°How could I forget?¡± she mumbled. ¡°I¡¯m still having nightmares about it.¡±


    ¡°And did it look¡­familiar?¡±


    ¡°Familiar? No¡­¡±


    Her response seemed to answer whatever question he had since he quickly returned to the melancholic attitude he had prior before he turned his attention back to the two at the front of the class.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± he muttered. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. The monster is gone. It¡¯s not a problem anymore.¡±


    Damien exhaled sharply as Eric so causally revealed what was crucial information. ¡°Gone? Wha¡ª? What the hell do you mean? How is it gone? Did you take it down somehow?¡±


    All four of the others stared at the boy in curiosity, even Alexa who had remained quiet ever since she arrived. Lilly didn¡¯t know what to think, but if the nightmarish creature that tried to kill her was gone, then that meant they had overcome at least one hurdle. Even if Nigreos and Album were still completely untouchable to her, the death of that monster would at least be a victory.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡± he replied meekly. ¡°In all honesty, I don¡¯t know how it died. I just know that, before she left, Davens told my father that it was killed. Dunno how she and Wright beat it though.¡±


    Lilly¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You¡¯re¡­telling me that Rina killed that thing? Or, at least, this Wright guy did?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I was told,¡± he confirmed. ¡°I don¡¯t know much else but, after my own investigation this weekend, I can confirm that it¡¯s gone. Nigreos and Album are our only enemies now, not like that changes much.¡±


    Damien¡¯s expression turned even more determined as he placed his hands against the teacher¡¯s podium. ¡°No! It¡¯s all the more reason to keep fighting! If the monster¡¯s down, then we just need to find some way of defeating Nigreos and Album! There¡¯s gotta be something you haven¡¯t tried, Eric! Maybe your mother left you something or¡­?¡±


    Eric flinched and for a moment, Lilly wondered if there was actually something he hadn''t brought up, but the expression was soon gone. ¡°No, I was left with nothing¡­nothing I know how to use, at least.¡±


    ¡°But you do have something?¡± Liz pressed. ¡°Cause maybe we can figure it out?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he snapped. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to figure out. It¡¯s not something we can use against them. I know that much.¡± The boy then sighed, placing his fingers to the bridge of his nose. ¡°Just¡­hide. That¡¯s all I¡¯m asking of you guys. I¡¯ll see what I can do, but I don¡¯t want you getting involved. Wright and Davens are gone¡­and you will follow if you fight them. I¡¯ll find some way to save you myself.¡±


    ¡°But¡­Reiner¡­¡±


    Alexa seemed to have finally decided that she needed to intervene and, when she spoke, all eyes turned to look at her. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­I¡¯m confused, is all,¡± she admitted. ¡°Which makes sense seeing as how little I know, but if you go alone and get killed, then they all die anyway. My sister¡¯s life is at stake here so you can¡¯t just deal with this without some sort of help. If they can help you then let them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing, they can¡¯t!¡± he snarled suddenly, his temper seeming to have reached a breaking point. ¡°Nobody here can help me! I¡¯m the one with magic and I¡¯m the one they can¡¯t touch. If anybody¡¯s going to fight them, it should be me!¡±


    ¡°And yet Davens managed to save Mendez. Clearly she put up some sort of fight, because she got away,¡± Alexa retorted fiercely, unshaken by Eric¡¯s obvious anger..


    ¡°And in the process, she died,¡± the boy growled. ¡°She saved Alice, got herself killed, and soon enough, Alice will meet the same fate if I don¡¯t do something. You don¡¯t want your sister to die, Harper? Then she, and Damien and Liz, should simply hide.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not just going to hide and wait to die, Eric!¡± Damien snapped.


    ¡°Then you can walk headfirst into your death instead!¡± Eric roared back. ¡°Is that what you want, Damien? To go on a suicide run with no hope of success and throw your entire life away? If you can¡¯t fight then you¡¯re only a burden!¡±


    Damien opened his mouth to argue back, but before he could, the door to the clubroom opened and everybody in the room froze, each remaining silent as a familiar older man poked his head in. Mr. Lowe, their club advisor, glanced around the room then sighed in exasperation.


    ¡°I had a feeling you four would be here,¡± he muttered. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear the announcement? Club activities are canceled today. You should all go home.¡±


    The advisor eyed each of them, clearly noticing the tension in the room, especially between Damien and Eric. Lilly even suspected he might have heard the shouting, but before he could say anything about it, Eric merely nodded.


    ¡°Apologies, Mr. Lowe,¡± he replied softly. ¡°We had to discuss something. We were just getting ready to leave.¡±


    ¡°Eric,¡± Damien whispered, but the boy ignored him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll meet you out by the gate, Lilly.¡±


    And with that curt statement, he stalked away, brushing past Mr. Lowe and moving out into the hallway. The older man glanced over his shoulder before turning his attention back to those still present.


    ¡°I won¡¯t pry into your business,¡± he mumbled. ¡°But if any of you need to talk, there are councilors down in room 1-5.¡±


    Liz forced a smile as she replied, ¡°Thanks, Mr. Lowe, but we¡¯re¡­okay. It¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡±


    Lilly could tell he was unconvinced. Damien was staring down at the ground with his jaw clenched and Alexa looked like she wanted to leave as quickly as possible. She wasn¡¯t sure what she looked like at that moment, but she wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if she, too, was failing to hide how stressed she was.


    ¡°Alright then,¡± Lowe said. ¡°Just get home safely, kids.¡±


    Lilly watched him leave and once the door shut behind him, they were left alone once again. Damien shook his head and collapsed into one of the desks before putting his face in his hands. Liz immediately rushed to stand by his side, her earlier smile all but vanished as her true emotions came through.


    ¡°We really shouldn¡¯t be fighting like this,¡± Damien grumbled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for losing my temper. I just wish there was more I could do. I mean, am I wrong? Should we just hide and hope Eric can handle this or¡­?¡±


    ¡°Who knows,¡± Liz answered meekly. ¡°I don¡¯t have a clue what we¡¯re supposed to do. I don¡¯t want Eric to get himself killed while I sit by and do nothing but¡­I don¡¯t want to be a burden either.¡±


    Lilly turned away, no longer even having the strength to try and reason out their next move. Instead, she silently picked up her bag and left the room, grateful that the other three didn¡¯t call out to her. At that point, all she wanted to do was talk to Alice.


    ***


    Alexa didn¡¯t try to stop Lilly from leaving despite her strong desire to rush after her. The only reason for this was because she knew her sister was meeting Eric at the school¡¯s gates. If Lilly was going to be safe anywhere, it was with him. So, once the girl had left, she bid Clark and Tao a brief goodbye and went on her way as well. She wasn¡¯t even sure what she should be doing anymore. It was one thing for Eric to claim that some supernatural beings were after the club, but it was another for an innocent girl to actually be murdered. If there was any doubt left in her mind that they were telling the truth, Rina Davens¡¯s death wiped it away. Somebody was dead and she would never come back. Alexa thought the school was tense after the attacks at the diner and hospital, but this was far worse. Rina Davens had been relatively popular and even those who didn¡¯t know her personally were in mourning.


    And Lilly could meet the same fate! This is actually happening! Magic is real! These murderers are real! And Reiner doesn¡¯t think there¡¯s anything they can do to stop them! So is that it? Is my little sister actually going to die?


    Alexa swallowed back her fear and shivered. She wanted to deny it, but even just witnessing that club meeting told her they were all just as terrified. Their lives were the ones on the line. Because she hadn¡¯t ever touched their magic gem, the sorcerers wouldn¡¯t go after her unless they were going to use her against Lilly. As long as they never found out she existed, she would be safe.


    But by being safe, that means I¡¯ll be stuck here alone. I¡¯ll forget about my sister and be ignorant about what really happened here. I don¡¯t want that! I don¡¯t want to lose Lilly! And what if¡­I don¡¯t forget her? What if, like Davens, they just kill her. What¡¯s a worse fate? To forget I ever had a sister or to remember her after she dies? She shook her head. Damn it! You better fix this, Reiner! You better get her out of this alive, because if not¡­


    She let the thought hang because she knew she wouldn¡¯t actually do anything. No matter how much she wanted to blame him, she couldn¡¯t. They didn¡¯t know what they were doing and Lilly had already stressed numerous times over the weekend that she used the stone as much as Eric did.


    What am I going to do?


    She sighed as she walked onto the staircase just as one of the teachers almost ran into her. She stopped in surprise and he muttered a quick apology before rushing off, pushing past her and making his way up the stairs. Alexa stared after him for a moment, recognizing him as Mr. Alexander, the History teacher. For whatever reason, the man appeared to be in a rush and under different circumstances, she might have brushed the incident from her mind, but¡­


    Why did he look so¡­scared?

 Chapter 33- A Strained Reunion

    Chapter XXXIII


    After meeting Eric just outside the West Wilham High gates, Lilly walked with him in silence as they made their way to his house. At first, she worried that Nigreos and Album might be watching for them, but there were still enough students leaving that they could blend in with the crowd. Once they had branched off and were on a street alone, he threw up a distortion spell to be on the safe side until they arrived at his home. She wanted to say something to him, but found herself unable to find any words that could be of comfort. She could tell just by the tense expression on his face that he wasn¡¯t in the mood to talk, and so she respected that and kept quiet, turning her thoughts instead to her upcoming meeting with Alice. When Eric told her that Alice was safe, she had wanted to immediately rush over and see her. However, due to the erasure of two more students and Rina¡¯s death, she had decided it might be best to wait until Monday. Eric was busy enough as it was. She was glad that she finally found a good time.


    But I¡¯m not even sure what I¡¯ll say to her. After everything that¡¯s happened since the festival, I can¡¯t even begin to imagine what state she¡¯s in right now.


    They already knew from Rina that Alice had given their names up to Nigreos and Album, but seeing how long she held out, Lilly didn¡¯t want to think about what pain they must have put her through. She couldn''t blame her friend for giving them up because she didn¡¯t think she could have lasted as long.


    And they cut off her leg¡­ Eric already said he couldn¡¯t regrow limbs so she¡¯s going to be crippled for the rest of her life. Even if we somehow manage to fight Nigreos and Album off, Alice¡¯s life will never be the same.


    The two of them turned onto Eric¡¯s street and they picked up their pace, anxious to get into the relative safety of his home. Once they walked up to the door, her boyfriend produced his key, unlocked it, and beckoned for her to come inside. He then dropped the distortion spell and let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°I¡¯m home,¡± he called out.


    The entry hall was silent and she couldn''t hear any noise coming from within. The two of them quickly removed their shoes then headed further inside to the entrance of the family room. When they peeked in, they found the room empty.


    ¡°Guess my dad¡¯s still at work,¡± Eric muttered. ¡°Good. In that case, come on. Alice is staying in our spare room.¡±


    She nodded, quietly following after him as he led her into the hall and past his bedroom to the room on its right. The door was closed so the boy approached it and rapped his knuckles against its wooden surface a few times.


    ¡°Alice, it¡¯s Eric. Lilly¡¯s here to see you.¡±


    ¡°A-alright,¡± came a soft voice from inside. ¡°Come in.¡±


    Eric glanced over at her then pushed open the door before motioning for her to go inside first. She obliged, stepping past him as she entered the room. Despite having believed herself to be prepared, she was still unable to contain the overwhelming emotions that surfaced when she saw Alice sitting up in bed, her hands folded on her lap and the comforter pulled up over her legs. She looked exhausted, but other than the lost leg hidden beneath the blanket, she looked to be okay, however there wasn¡¯t any sign of the old cheerful look in her eyes. Instead, she was almost staring up at her blankly, as if she no longer felt anything. Yet, despite that, after a little under two weeks of fearing that Alice could die at any moment, she felt intense relief at the sight of her good friend.


    ¡°Hey, Alice,¡± she greeted, choking back the tears that were threatening to flow. ¡°It¡¯s so good to see you again. I was so worried.¡±


    Alice nodded meekly. ¡°Y-yeah, it¡¯s good to see you, too, Lilly.¡±


    That was all she said and the words were spoken in an almost emotionless voice. She couldn¡¯t imagine what was going through her mind or what she could be feeling. Eric had told Lilly that he filled her in on everything relating to magic, Ijiria, and the stone. In addition, he had reluctantly told her of Rina¡¯s death and since then, she had been barely responsive. Lilly knew very little about the past she shared with Rina, but despite what they went through during Christmas, they were still old friends.


    And Rina died saving her. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she blames herself for what happened.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Lilly managed to ask. ¡°If you need me to do anything for you, I¡¯ll do it, you know?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯m okay. Eric already used his magic to heal everything but my leg. There¡¯s not much else to be done anymore. Not like there¡¯s really much point though. I appreciate your concern, but you¡¯re worrying over nothing. None of this matters.¡±


    ¡°W-what do you mean?¡± she stuttered. ¡°Of course it matters, Alice. I know you¡¯ve been through a lot but I want to help you¡ª¡±


    ¡°You want to help me?¡± she interrupted in almost a whisper. ¡°Then send me back. Go find Nigreos and Album and let them take me. I already told Eric, but he doesn¡¯t believe me.¡±


    She wants to go back? But why? I don¡¯t understand!


    She glanced over at Eric, who had moved to the corner of the room opposite Alice, but he simply shook his head as the girl continued to mutter.


    ¡°They aren¡¯t killing us, Lilly. They¡¯re saving us. They¡¯re sending us to a place where we can be happy. Everybody¡¯s there now. All the people you claim are dead. Vinny, Jay, Evan¡­Rina and Audrey. They¡¯re in paradise¡­and we should be, too.¡±


    Lilly didn¡¯t have a clue what she was talking about, and while her claims about this paradise were confusing, she was instead struck by a different part of what she said. ¡°You¡­remember them?¡± she asked. ¡°Alice, do you remember Mickelson, Brooks, and Wright?¡±


    Alice nodded. ¡°I do. Album did something to me when she sent me to paradise. I don¡¯t know why, but I can remember them all.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Lilly clenched her teeth. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. When she sent you to paradise? What¡¯s paradise? Eric, what¡¯s she talking about?¡±


    Knowing that the boy knew the most about magic, she turned to him for an explanation, but he only shook his head and shrugged. ¡°She was saying this last night, too, but I don¡¯t have a clue what she means. My best guess is it¡¯s the result of some brainwashing to get her to tell them our names.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a lie, Eric!¡± Alice suddenly snarled, her features contorting in fury. ¡°Paradise is real! I¡¯ve been there! Album and Nigreos showed it to me! Vinny¡¯s there! He¡¯s not dead!¡±


    Her voice was shaking and Lilly couldn¡¯t help but to take an involuntary step back.


    ¡°They just sent him to another world¡­¡± she continued, ¡°...one where we can be happy! But right now, we aren¡¯t there, so he¡¯s sad! He¡¯s suffering because we¡¯re not there so we need to go and save him! And now, Jay¡¯s there, too¡­with Rina and Audrey! It doesn¡¯t matter that they''re dead because they¡¯re there! They¡¯re waiting for me¡­for us...so we need to go find Nigreos and Album! We need to give ourselves up and abandon this hell of a world! There¡¯s no reason to fight them!¡±


    Despite her screaming, Eric remained calm as he shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve already told you, Alice. Nigreos and Album lied to you. They probably used some form of illusion magic to make you believe they¡¯re saving us, but they aren¡¯t. They¡¯re killing us and erasing us from existence. If we give ourselves up, we¡¯re walking to our deaths.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, no, no!¡± she shrieked, clutching at her hair as she shook. ¡°That¡¯s not true! It¡¯s not! I know it¡¯s not! Please, Lilly!¡± She turned to stare desperately at her. ¡°Please! Believe me! They¡¯re saving us!¡±


    Lilly swallowed, unable to process that the panicked girl before her was really Alice Mendez. It made her sick. She was witnessing the effects of what the Masters did to her and she was forced to accept that Alice¡¯s leg wasn¡¯t the only thing that they might not be able to fix. They had scarred her mind, too.


    ¡°Alice, I¡­¡±


    But she couldn''t find her words. She didn¡¯t know what to say. With each day, her world continued to fall apart and soon, there wasn¡¯t going to be anything left.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± Eric began, bringing Alice¡¯s attention back to him. ¡°I brought it up last night, but I want to confirm one last time. Nigreos and Album are at your old hideout, correct?¡±


    ¡°They are,¡± she breathed. ¡°Why are you asking? If you want to go after them, you should know you can¡¯t beat them. They¡¯ll kill you, Eric. You won¡¯t win.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± he said. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t try to negotiate. Half a mile west of the path, right? That¡¯s how to get there?¡±


    Lilly narrowed her eyes, seeing the brief flash of determination that went through his eyes.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Alice answered.


    He nodded. ¡°Good. In that case, I¡¯ll leave you two alone for a while. I want to scope this place out and verify this.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going alone?¡± Lilly instantly demanded.


    ¡°I am,¡± he confirmed. ¡°But don¡¯t worry about me, Lilly. With my magic, I can keep in the trees and stay safe. I¡¯ll only be gone for a few hours so take care of Alice and when I get back, I¡¯ll walk you home.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°If we don¡¯t know what we¡¯re dealing with, we¡¯ll only be in more danger,¡± he stated firmly. ¡°I promise, I¡¯ll be safe. And remember, their magic doesn¡¯t work on me. They won¡¯t be able to hurt me.¡±


    She reluctantly looked away, knowing he had a point but still hating the idea of him sneaking around their base alone.


    But then again, I¡¯m completely powerless around them. If I was there, I¡¯d just be a burden on him. He¡¯s better off alone.


    ¡°Alright, be safe,¡± she said.


    ¡°Thank you, Lilly. And I will.¡±


    With that goodbye, he departed the room, leaving her standing alone with Alice, who had already started staring down at her hands with that empty look from before.


    ¡°He¡¯s wasting his time,¡± she murmured. ¡°He¡¯s delaying the inevitable. I wish you both would just listen to me. I¡¯ve been there. I¡¯ve seen paradise.¡±


    The girl was talking to herself more than she was to Lilly, yet she still felt the need to respond. ¡°Tell me about this paradise, Alice.¡±


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    At the moment, she agreed with Eric. From what they already knew of the Masters, it was easily believable that they would create an intricate lie such as a paradise to convince Alice that they weren¡¯t there to harm anybody else. In fact, knowing Alice like she did, that would be the most effective way of getting her to talk. Alice would never sell out her friends to be murdered, but if she thought she was saving them, it wouldn¡¯t be hard to get their information.


    Yeah¡­I¡¯m almost certain that paradise doesn¡¯t exist. But Alice clearly believes it¡¯s real and she says she¡¯s been there¡­so I want to hear what she has to say.


    At her request, her friend looked up at her as if hoping that she might have gotten through. Her expression then turned distant, as if she was reminiscing on happy memories and when she spoke, her voice was airy and relaxed.


    ¡°It¡¯s amazing. In that world, I never lost anything. Audrey was there¡­and Rina and Jay. We were all still friends. We hadn¡¯t fallen apart like we did here. Audrey never died and we were spending our high school days together. It was like a dream, Lilly¡­and one that didn¡¯t have to end.¡±


    Lilly frowned. Based on the way she spoke, the Jay boy that was erased on Friday was one of her old friends. It only made her wonder how much of her own reality was being toyed with and changed because of the growing number of people who had been wiped from it.


    I wonder how well I knew this Jay Brooks. Eric said he was a close friend of mine, but I wonder what our relationship was like. I hate not knowing the truth. I hate that I¡¯m losing parts of this past year.


    ¡°It sounds nice,¡± Lilly whispered. ¡°But Audrey¡¯s dead, right? So¡­how could this place be real? Why are you so certain that this isn¡¯t some lie told by the Masters?¡±


    ¡°Because it was real,¡± she replied, as if that somehow answered the questions. ¡°I knew Audrey, and that girl in paradise was her. And I know they weren¡¯t lying because Vinny was there¡­and they sent me inside the same way they sent him.¡±


    Lilly cocked an eyebrow. ¡°And how was that?¡±


    ¡°Album stuck her hand in my chest and whispered an incantation that turned my body to dust and reformed me there,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s exactly what they did to Vinny in the diner.¡±


    Stuck her hand in¡­and turned her to dust?


    Regardless of whether Alice¡¯s paradise was real or fake, that piece of information was crucial to fighting them. It matched what Eric said Album tried to do to him when she attacked him in the forest the previous Thursday.


    That has to be how they erase us, she thought. Although, it¡¯s strange. Alice doesn¡¯t seem to be lying so, at the very least, they made her believe she went to this place. And when I spoke to Nigreos last Monday, he claimed that Mickelson wasn¡¯t dead. Is it possible¡­that there¡¯s some truth to this paradise they showed her?


    When Nigreos had first made that claim, she and Eric had written it off as a lie made to convince them to submit. That still felt like what was happening, yet the optimistic part of Lilly wanted to believe it was true.


    Because if it is¡­then Mickelson, Brooks, Fischer, Wright¡­they aren¡¯t dead. They¡¯re in this paradise and maybe¡­we can get them out. Or at least, if Nigreos and Album catch us, our fates won¡¯t be sealed. It won¡¯t be over yet.


    ¡°Vinny¡¯s inside there¡­¡± Alice went on. ¡°He¡¯s there and he¡¯s lost. He needs us to come and find him. Nigreos and Album aren¡¯t going to hurt us. We¡¯re just going to be somewhere better than here.¡±


    Lilly sighed then shook her head. ¡°You say that, but you were there at the diner, right? You saw them kill all those innocent people. If they were here to save us, then why would they do that?¡±


    For a moment, Alice¡¯s expression tensed up in pain as she most likely recalled whatever she saw on that infamous night. ¡°I didn¡¯t say they were good people. I still hate them. Those people didn¡¯t need to die¡­ Rina didn''t need to die. But none of that matters anymore because Rina and Monica and everybody else they killed will be there.¡±


    So that¡¯s how she¡¯s coping with this. She¡¯s telling herself that this world is already lost and that she can find happiness in this other place. But I just can¡¯t accept that. Whether this place exists or not, it can¡¯t be as perfect as she thinks it is.


    ¡°Alice¡­¡±


    She went silent as she heard the sound of footsteps coming down the hallway followed by a soft knocking at the door.


    ¡°Mendez, it¡¯s me.¡±


    Lilly frowned at the voice, having figured the person at the door was Eric. After a moment, she realized that Eric¡¯s father must have come home while they were talking and she hadn¡¯t heard.


    ¡°Yeah, come in,¡± Alice called out.


    When the door opened, Eric¡¯s father walked in and immediately stared in surprise at Lilly. She had only ever met him once and that was on the night she and Eric were attacked by that monster after the festival. But back then, she had only caught a glimpse of him through the doorway and he had hardly spoken to them. This was the first time she had gotten a clear look at him. He was dressed in a suit and tie and his graying hair was combed to the side, giving him a much more respectable appearance from last time. He had a full gray beard and was quite large in the stomach. However, she could still see the resemblance between him and Eric.


    He frowned and glanced away. ¡°Oh, er, I didn¡¯t know you were coming by, Miss¡­?¡±


    ¡°Harper,¡± she answered. ¡°I¡¯m Lilly Harper. We met a couple weeks ago.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I remember you,¡± he grunted. ¡°I didn¡¯t see my son around though. Is he not home?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No. He went out, but he said he¡¯ll be back in a few hours. He¡¯s checking on something.¡±


    For a moment, the older man¡¯s features hardened and she could tell that he already suspected what Eric was up to. While Lilly didn¡¯t know much of anything about Scott Reiner, she did know that he was aware of the existence of magic. After Rina dropped Alice off, Eric had been forced to explain everything to his father and now, he knew more or less what was happening to them. Yet, all he had done was keep watch on Alice. She didn¡¯t know what was going through his mind, but to her, it almost seemed like he didn''t care.


    ¡°Well, I was just checking on Miss Mendez but seeing as you¡¯re here, I¡¯ll excuse myself.¡±


    With that curt goodbye, he turned around and departed the room. Lilly, however, wasn¡¯t ready for the conversation to be over. There was so much about that man that confused her. With everything she had been told about Eric¡¯s mother, his father seemed to be the exact opposite. He had stayed out of his son¡¯s life for years and showed little care in what he did. From her perspective, he could hardly be called a parent. And now, with Nigreos and Album in Wilham, he should have at least tried to do something to save his son, but he was just sitting around. It infuriated her and she wanted to know what was really going on with him. Eric wasn¡¯t home so she was free to have a one-on-one conversation with him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back, Alice,¡± she muttered, then walked through the doorway and moved down the hall.


    ¡°Mr. Reiner!¡± she called after him.


    Eric¡¯s father, who was on the other side of the hallway, opening the door to what she assumed must have been his bedroom, stopped and glanced back over his shoulder, his brow furrowed in curiosity.


    ¡°Yes? Can I help you?¡±


    She clenched her teeth and for a moment, she wondered if she shouldn¡¯t just back out and leave it alone. After all, Eric¡¯s family life wasn¡¯t her business and she was almost certain that he wouldn¡¯t have wanted her to talk to his dad.


    But then again, he got Alexa involved behind my back, so why don¡¯t we just call it even?


    ¡°What the hell is your problem?¡± she demanded, taking a few steps forward to close some of the gap between them.


    The man looked taken aback by her sharp tone and she saw anger flash across his eyes, but he seemed to quickly take control of himself as he responded. ¡°Excuse me?¡± he growled. ¡°And what do you mean by that, Miss Harper?¡±


    She narrowed her eyes, feeling her own anger bubbling up as she faced him. ¡°Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t know. What kind of father are you supposed to be anyway? Ever since I met Eric, I¡¯ve heard all about how kind and wonderful his mother was, but he never talked about his dad. I never really knew why until I met you that night and saw how you treated him! He came home late in the evening with a girl you never met and you didn¡¯t give a damn! Why is that, huh? Why didn¡¯t you care?¡±


    Scott eyed her with clear irritation then snorted. ¡°Hasn¡¯t anybody ever told you it¡¯s rude to pry into other people¡¯s business, Miss Harper?¡±


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t anybody ever told you that you¡¯re a shit father,¡± she snapped back.


    She clearly hit a nerve with her bluntness and even she wondered if maybe she was taking it too far. However, the constant stress of the last two weeks and the possibility that she could be dead soon made her realize that it didn¡¯t matter how she treated him. If she died then it was likely he wouldn¡¯t ever remember the conversation anyway, so to her, it seemed silly to have a filter. The end of their lives could be in sight so she wanted Mr. Reiner to hear what she had to say. She needed an outlet to vent her fury and he was providing her with the best chance.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s time for you to leave my house,¡± he said through gritted teeth. ¡°If you can¡¯t be polite then¡ª¡±


    ¡°Make me, why don¡¯t you?¡± she retorted. ¡°You listen here, Mr. Reiner. To be perfectly honest, I know that what I¡¯m doing right now would probably piss your son off. Like I said, he¡¯s kept his family life a secret from me for a long time. But I feel like this needs to be said. Any day now, we could all die. Nigreos and Album could make their move and more of us could be erased from this world. Your son could die and what are you doing about it? You haven¡¯t talked to him. You haven¡¯t tried to help him! He said you¡¯ve just been keeping to yourself! So let me ask you this! When the hell do you plan on acting like a father?!¡±


    Part of her expected him to lose his temper then and there, but to her surprise, he remained calm and merely scoffed. ¡°I¡­was never meant to be a father.¡±


    She hadn¡¯t expected such a response, but before she could say anything, he went on.


    ¡°I know I¡¯ve been a shit father, Harper,¡± he snapped. ¡°I don¡¯t need some high school girl to tell me that much and I don¡¯t need to be lectured by one either. So mind your own damn business, kid, especially when you don¡¯t understand a thing. I may be a shit father, but I¡¯m not sitting by and doing nothing.¡±


    And with that, he stalked into the room and slammed the door behind him, leaving her gaping in surprise at the empty hallway.


    He¡¯s¡­not sitting by and doing nothing? What¡¯s that supposed to mean?


    ***


    ¡°I-I¡­.I did what¡­you asked me to do¡­¡±


    Nigreos Noctis folded his arms as he regarded the trembling man before him. He was on the older side with a balding head and round glasses, as well as a suit and tie. The Master of Darkness didn¡¯t know his name nor did he care to. All he needed to know was that he was a teacher at West Wilham High. They were standing in a rather secluded part of the forest a few dozen yards off the path where they faced Eric Reiner a few days prior. The sun was getting low on the horizon and soon, it would be dark once again. Behind the teacher, Album was standing against a tree, regarding the situation with a bemused yet satisfied look.


    ¡°So you got me the information I wanted?¡± Nigreos asked. ¡°All the addresses I requested?¡±


    The teacher swallowed and hurriedly nodded, frantically reaching into his bag to produce a few pieces of folded up paper. ¡°Y-yes¡­¡± he stuttered. ¡°I got the records you asked for. Tao, Clark, Harper, and Reiner, correct?¡±


    Nigreos grinned darkly as he swiped the papers from the man¡¯s hand and unfolded them to get a good look at them. Sure enough, it had all the information he wanted. At first, he had been hesitant about getting involved with the magicless more than he already had, but seeing as how desperate they were becoming, he bit his tongue and took the risk. And so, that morning, he jumped a man who appeared to be part of the staff and threatened him to retrieve what he wanted. Like he expected, after showing him a bit of magic, the man was cowardly.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Nigreos muttered. ¡°I appreciate your help.¡±


    The man swallowed. ¡°So, um, am I free to go? Is my family safe?¡±


    ¡°Do not worry. Your family will be fine. Go ahead, Album.¡±


    Having expected him to say that, Album bolted across the gap between her and the teacher instantly, never hesitating to bury her left hand straight through his back before it erupted through his chest. He let out an audible cry and his eyes went wide in utter horror.


    ¡°Erasurei,¡± she intoned.


    When the Master of Light yanked her hand free, the man stumbled forward, his mouth opening and closing in futile attempts to process what had just happened. Unfortunately for him, his body began to crumble into dust before he could, and soon enough, he had faded into nothingness.


    ¡°Well, while I would have preferred not to interact with anybody else, I can¡¯t deny that was effective,¡± Album mused. ¡°We have what we need?¡±


    Nigreos nodded, folding up the papers once more and slipping them into his suit. ¡°Yes, the problem is solved. From here, it¡¯s just a matter of going to each house and erasing them.¡±


    ¡°Perfect,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m sick of this place.¡±


    With the teacher erased and forgotten, the two Masters proceeded silently toward where their hideout was located. As much as they had suffered plenty of surprises, Nigreos knew that in the end, the result was never going to change. With the information they gained from Mendez before they lost her, tracking down the West Wilham students was simple.


    It¡¯s unfortunate that we lost Brooks, but in this instant, Album was right. In the end, it won¡¯t matter. We¡¯ve won.


    Nigreos grinned to himself as he and his partner stepped through the barrier and into the clearing with the hideout, only for them to both stop and gape in shock. There, before them, was the little cabin up in flames, collapsing in on itself as the fire burned through the wood. The heat was intense and the smoke was being contained by the barrier, so it immediately became harder to breath.


    What in the living hell happened?!


    But the moment he asked himself that question, a boy appeared in his vision twenty yards away, as if dropping a distortion spell. He was smiling as wind magic flowed around him, preventing the heat and smoke from harming him.


    Nigreos clenched his teeth in frustration, realizing just how obvious of a question it had been.


    ¡°Reiner.¡±

 Chapter 34- That Little Spark Of Hope

    Chapter XXXIV


    ¡°Alright, thanks, Lilly. I appreciate you calling me. Take care.¡±


    With that, Liz lowered her cell phone from her ear and exhaled softly, taking in everything Lilly had just told her relating to Alice. She had wanted a chance to speak with the girl, too, but after the tense afternoon between Eric and Damien, she decided it would be best to just let Lilly deal with it on her own. Not only was she much closer with Alice, but she had already been to Eric¡¯s house before. Considering how much the boy valued his privacy when it came to his family, Liz was content to not overstep her bounds.


    I just hate having to wait, she thought bitterly. After all this time, I¡¯ve hardly done anything worthwhile. I¡¯m just sitting on my ass, waiting for my death¡ªthe exact opposite of what Damien and I want to do. I know Eric says we¡¯re powerless against them, but that doesn''t mean I don¡¯t want to try to fight.


    She pocketed her phone and turned around to walk back through the kitchen and into Damien¡¯s family room where the boy was sitting silently on the couch, his head in his hands and his foot tapping anxiously against the carpet. When she entered, he quickly looked up at her.


    ¡°So?¡± he pressed. ¡°What did Alice have to say?¡±


    Liz plopped herself down on the spot beside him and leaned her head against his shoulder, feeling the fatigue setting in once again.


    ¡°Honestly, she didn¡¯t have much that we didn¡¯t already know,¡± she admitted. ¡°Nigreos and Album kept her locked up in some shack in the woods, tortured her to get our names, and ultimatly succeeded. Unfortunately, she was unconscious when Rina made her rescue attempt so we still don¡¯t have any clue what happened to the monster or how Rina even managed to save her in the first place.¡±


    ¡°Great,¡± Damien muttered, his disappointment clear in his expression. ¡°Not really sure what I was expecting, but I was at least hoping for something. I guess I should just be grateful that she¡¯s alive, though¡­and that the monster is dead, for that matter.¡±


    Liz nodded her agreement. As hard as it was to call it a victory with the loss of Rina, she couldn¡¯t deny that the girl¡¯s actions succeeded in preventing Alice from being used against them any more than she already had been, thus buying them more time to figure out their best course of action.


    And that creature Eric and Lilly warned us about is dead. We never even had to face it. Whatever you did, Davens, thank you¡­and I¡¯m sorry you had to die.


    Liz swallowed, thinking back to the moment that had been haunting her for the last few days¡ªwhen she took the stone from Eric back in winter to help defend Alice from her bullies. Most of her memories from that time were fuzzy now, and she figured it probably had to do with the growing number of erased victims, but what she remembered clearly was that her actions caused the stone to be used on Rina. It was her fault that the girl was ever involved and so she knew that her blood was on her hands.


    Rina wouldn¡¯t have died if not for me. And Damien¡­


    She glanced up at her silent boyfriend, whose features were contorted in concentration, probably trying to find some answer that could help them stop Nigreos and Album before they lost anybody else.


    I know he says that he would have wanted to die with us regardless, but now he doesn¡¯t even have that choice. I can understand how Lilly feels when she talks about Natalie. Because of me, Rina¡¯s dead and Damien could soon join her.


    Though, as she thought about all that, something else that Lilly told her about came to mind, and she decided she may as well run it by Damien, if only to ensure that they were thorough.


    ¡°By the way,¡± she began softly. ¡°Lilly mentioned something else Alice told her. She said something about¡­a paradise.¡±


    Damien frowned, returning from his thoughts as she raised her head to look right at him. ¡°Paradise? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not really sure,¡± Liz said. ¡°Apparently, Alice was going on about how Nigreos and Album aren¡¯t killing us when they erase us. Instead, she claimed that we were being sent to what Lilly referred to as paradise.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s odd,¡± he murmured, his eyebrow cocked. ¡°Why would she think that? Were the Ijirians messing with her head or something?¡±


    Liz nodded. ¡°That''s what Lilly thinks. Alice claimed that Album erased her and sent her to some place identical to the real world where nothing had ever gone wrong in her life. She said her friend was alive there and that her old group never split up. It was, in essence, an actual paradise for Alice. And she even claimed to have seen Vinny Mickelson inside.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that sounds like some sort of trick.¡± Damien sighed, his earlier intrigue already vanished. ¡°In fact, that would explain how they got Alice to open up in the first place. I figured the pain probably broke her, but¡­no, they just messed with her mind.¡±


    ¡°The only thing is¡­¡±


    For a moment, Liz paused and considered what she was about to say. At first, she had agreed with Eric and Lilly about what this paradise was. However, as she thought about it a bit more, she started to wonder if Nigreos and Album had actually lied.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Damien asked, calmly waiting for her to continue.


    ¡°Well¡­I was just wondering if there might actually be some truth to what she said,¡± Liz finished. ¡°What if paradise is real and those who have been erased aren¡¯t dead, just somewhere else?¡±


    Despite the fact that he was clearly unconvinced, Damien nevertheless decided to humor her for the moment. One of the things she respected most about him was that he would never shut her down. Even if he disagreed with her, he would still hear her out and genuinely consider what she had to say.


    ¡°Well, I guess we can¡¯t completely discount the possibility,¡± he admitted. ¡°But I do find it unlikely. I¡¯m curious though. What makes you think they aren¡¯t lying?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s been in the back of my mind since Lilly first spoke to Nigreos the day they told us about all of this,¡± she replied. ¡°Nigreos told her that erasure and death aren¡¯t the same thing. I know we all brushed that aside as him trying to convince us to give ourselves up, but now that Davens has been killed, it makes me wonder if he was telling the truth.¡±


    Damien frowned. ¡°And why would Davens dying make you think they aren¡¯t killing us?¡±


    ¡°Because she still hasn¡¯t been erased,¡± Liz pointed out immediately. ¡°I mean, Nigreos has made it clear that our existences need to be wiped out because they don¡¯t want magic getting exposed to our world. They want to wipe the slate clean. That¡¯s the supposed reason why they won¡¯t just take the gem and leave. Their law dictates that no remnants of magic can be left behind.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I get that,¡± Damien agreed, seemingly following her train of logic thus far.


    She grinned as her confidence in her theory began to increase. ¡°So you¡¯d think that Davens getting killed would only make erasing her that much easier. Now that she¡¯s dead, they just need to find her body and get rid of her. I mean, they found her no problem the night Eric fought them, so there really shouldn¡¯t be anything stopping them. So why haven¡¯t they? After all this time, why do we still remember Rina?¡±


    She saw a flash of understanding in her boyfriend¡¯s features and at that very moment, the gears began to turn in his head as he took everything in. ¡°Well, she¡¯s already dead so she can¡¯t expose them, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d think,¡± Liz agreed. ¡°However, if killing us was satisfactory enough, why not just kill us and not bother with erasing? Why would they be so insistent on erasing us if they could just kill us off and be done with it?¡±


    Damien smirked as the answer clicked in his head. ¡°Because they don¡¯t want to cause a scene. If students just start dropping dead, they¡¯re only to leave more traces of their presence than if they erased us. That much is clear from the chaos that Davens¡¯ death caused. Although, they did attack the diner and the hospital so¡­¡±


    ¡°I was thinking about that actually,¡± Liz quickly said. ¡°And I think the reason they did that was to disguise their kidnapping of Alice under some singular attack. I mean, one big crime like that won¡¯t draw too much attention, but a string of murders would. Which is probably why they¡¯re erasing everybody else. So¡­why not erase Davens?¡±


    Damien slowly got to his feet and began to pace around the room, his eyes darting around as he thought it over. ¡°I can¡¯t think of any reason keeping her remembered would benefit them so¡­what if they can¡¯t erase her?¡± he muttered. ¡°What if once someone is dead, they can¡¯t wipe them from existence, which would mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe erasure and death really are two separate things,¡± Liz finished, getting to her own feet. ¡°I know it¡¯s too ideal, but if I¡¯m right, then Mickelson, Brooks, Wright, and Fischer aren¡¯t dead. They¡¯re just in this paradise that they sent Alice, too.¡±


    Damien grinned. ¡°And it would mean that sending us there isn¡¯t the end. Maybe we aren¡¯t in checkmate just yet. And what if¡­?¡±


    ¡°We could break them out,¡± Liz added. ¡°If somebody can be put inside then maybe they can be taken out. The only question would be how to go about undoing whatever spell is keeping them locked up. I mean, if Alice really is telling the truth then Album brought her back out again. It¡¯s not a one way trip.¡±


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    For the first time in weeks, a spark of true hope was shown in Damien¡¯s eyes. ¡°If you¡¯re right¡­ Holy shit, we might actually be able to do something about this. We might not be screwed! But¡­¡± He paused, his features tensing. ¡°I can only imagine two potential ways of releasing somebody from this paradise. One would be having the Masters willingly let them go, which I doubt would work. And the second would be¡­¡±


    Damien let the thought hang, but she knew what he was going to say. She wasn¡¯t far from that same conclusion either.


    ¡°Killing them,¡± Liz whispered. ¡°Somehow¡­we would have to kill Album and Nigreos.¡±


    That was the part that caused her to worry. Even setting aside the question of whether either of them could actually take a life, it wasn¡¯t a simple task to kill the Masters. They knew very little about their powers and the only victory they currently had in a fight against them was through Eric¡¯s protection.


    ¡°The only one who has the power to reasonably kill them is Eric,¡± Damien said softly. ¡°But¡­can he do it? I mean, I know he wants to do whatever he can to protect us, but I don¡¯t know how easy it would be for him to take a life.¡±


    Liz nodded. ¡°I know. And even if he could bring himself to kill them, I think that would hang over him forever.¡±


    ¡°Well, regardless,¡± Damien went on. ¡°We don¡¯t even know if this is true. We¡¯re doing a lot of assuming as far as why they haven¡¯t erased Davens and whether killing them would even release those locked away. However¡­¡± He smiled, walking forward and pulling her into a hug. ¡°It¡¯s a lot to think about, and I want to think you¡¯re on the right track. I hope you¡¯re right. And I think you are.¡±


    She embraced him back, finding comfort in his soft touch and in the sound of his heartbeat. ¡°I hope so. After all, if Eric¡¯s right then thinking is pretty much all we can do right now.¡±


    In all the days she¡¯d spent waiting around and fearing for her life, she had run so many possibilities through her mind. She didn¡¯t want to be useless. She wanted to make things right after dragging so many people into this hell. And now, after so much effort, it felt like she may have found what she was looking for¡ªthat little spark of hope that they so desperately needed.


    Getting caught up in the moment, she pulled her head back and reached up to gently press her lips against Damien¡¯s in a gentle kiss. He seemed taken aback for a moment, but was quick to kiss her back.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do this,¡± she whispered as she pulled away. ¡°Let¡¯s see what we can learn and let''s find some way to take our lives back. We¡¯ll stop them, Damien. We have to. I believe in us. If this paradise really exists, then let¡¯s bring it to an end. Let¡¯s defeat Nigreos and Album.¡±


    Damien chuckled and smiled with determination. ¡°Absolutely. Let¡¯s kick their asses.¡±


    ***


    ¡°I was waiting for you to finally get here!¡± Eric called across the clearing, feeling the heat from the blaze burning behind him. ¡°I thought it was a good idea for us to chat again!¡±


    Nigreos and Album were standing at the edge of the barrier, the latter looking mildly amused and the former clenching his jaw in obvious frustration. He knew they wouldn¡¯t be expecting such a bold move from him and that was what he had been banking on. Burning their base to the ground would only be a mild inconvenience, but it was his way of making a statement to them. Rina¡¯s death and the erasure of Evan and Jay would be their final victims. He was done cowering in fear. Alice was safe and so they didn¡¯t have anything they could use against him anymore. He was free to act and now, he was determined to settle the score through any means possible.


    I regret having to lie to Lilly, but I know she wouldn¡¯t have approved of me acting on my own! I have to do this! I have to prevent anybody else from getting killed!


    The image of Rina¡¯s body laying slumped against that fence came to his mind, only further feeding the hatred he felt for them. He may not have ever been close to the girl, but she was still an innocent life that was only involved because of his actions. Nigreos and Album had killed so many people that were dear to him and so he was going to kill them, all consequences be damned. They couldn¡¯t harm him with magic and, judging by Album¡¯s limp right arm, while she may have been able to reattach it, she did not have use of it. He kept his magic steady, the wind swirling around him to keep the heat and smoke from harming him as he faced the two Masters.


    ¡°Nothing to say?!¡± he snarled. ¡°You want me, don¡¯t you?! I thought you¡¯d be gloating again! Or are you afraid of me now?!¡±


    ¡°Afraid of you?¡± Much like the previous encounter, it was Album who replied first. ¡°Why would I be afraid of a child like you? Do you think we care about this rundown little house? Why would we? All this serves to accomplish is showing us that you¡¯re no more clever than a child throwing a temper tantrum.¡±


    Ignoring her snide remarks, Eric scoffed and grinned challengingly. ¡°Not afraid, huh? How¡¯s the arm, Album? Feeling any better?¡¯


    She returned his grin with one of her own. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Reiner. And once I return to the Citadel, it will be good as new, with no remnants of your attack left. You¡¯ve lost the element of surprise and now, I have no reason to be afraid. In fact¡­¡±


    Her left fist began to glow, light swirling around it as she raised it toward him. ¡°If you¡¯re so anxious to wrap this up now then let¡¯s do it. Come at me, boy.¡±


    ¡°Album!¡± Nigreos snapped, stepping in between the two of them. ¡°Don¡¯t be an idiot. This isn¡¯t the time or the place!¡± Then, ignoring her furious look, the Master of Darkness turned his attention toward Eric. ¡°You¡¯re acting on emotions, Reiner. I can tell that much. You¡¯re upset that Brooks, Wright, and Davens are all gone. And from the bottom of my heart, I¡¯m sorry that Davens died. She slipped away while I was fighting Brooks and I wasn¡¯t able to find her before she passed.¡±


    Fighting Brooks? So Jay really did turn against them?


    However, as much as that confirmation gave him a little comfort to know Jay returned to himself in the end, he was instead interested in something else the man had said.


    ¡°So you¡¯re still pretending that those you erase aren¡¯t dead?¡± he demanded. ¡°Is there really any reason at this point? We¡¯re not buying it!¡±


    Nigreos shook his head with exasperation. ¡°They aren¡¯t dead. On my life, I swear that the only people we¡¯ve killed were those at the diner and hospital, and Davens. Everybody else is merely in another realm.¡±


    ¡°Paradise, huh?¡± Eric spat.


    Nigreos smiled. ¡°So Mendez told you, did she? Yes, paradise. Everybody we¡¯ve erased in Wilham is there, safe and sound. Soon enough, Clark, Tao, Harper, Mendez, and Hill will be as well. There¡¯s nothing you can do to stop us, but I promise that they will be safe! And if you come with us to Ijiria, you can either live in your mother¡¯s homeland, or we can have somebody else erase you and allow you to be with them.¡±


    To Eric¡¯s surprise, Nigreos sounded almost desperate to convince him, but the boy only found pleasure in how on edge he was. ¡°No,¡± he replied sharply. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere with you! Either release everybody you¡¯ve supposedly locked away or I¡¯ll kill you right here and make you bring them back!¡±


    ¡°So confident,¡± Album mused, stepping to stand beside Nigreos as she regarded him. ¡°You can¡¯t kill us. You aren¡¯t powerful enough, even with that cursed protection you have.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll find some way!¡± he roared. ¡°I¡¯ll take you both down no matter what it takes! You¡¯ve killed my mother, you killed plenty of innocent people here, and you¡¯ve taken so many of my friends away from me! You¡¯re monsters and if I don¡¯t stop you, you¡¯ll kill more people! So I will stop you!¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± she retorted. ¡°You lost this battle the second you activated that stone. No matter what you do, no matter how confident you may sound, it won¡¯t change the fact that this story only has one possible ending¡ªyour death and the loss of everything you love. You will lose, Reiner. And I look forward to that day.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª!¡±


    He brought his mana to his fingers just as her body turned into pure light, but despite having expected an attack, Album instead disappeared in a flash of light, departing through the barrier and vanishing.


    ¡°What the¡ª?!¡±


    ¡°You act like you have won, but all you really accomplished was destroying our base,¡± Nigreos called out. ¡°And now, you¡¯ll no longer know where to find us. We might not be able to attack you, but you can¡¯t stop us from retreating.¡±


    Wait, no!


    ¡°Proto!¡± he snarled.


    ¡°Until next time, Eric Reiner.¡±


    Just as he launched toward the spot where Nigreos was standing, the Master faded into shadow and disappeared into the trees, causing Eric to fly out of the barrier and crash into the ground. He hurriedly got to his feet and frantically scanned his surroundings, expecting the Masters to try and attack, but they never reappeared and he was left sitting in the dirt as he realized just how foolish he had been. He had acted on his emotions, just as they had said, and had gone after them without thinking, only to lose his only advantage over them.


    No! What have I done?! I thought I could end it! I thought I could fight them and finish them before they could hurt the others! I didn¡¯t¡­


    He suddenly jumped to his feet as the barrier that had been concealing the house vanished, revealing the burning shack and releasing the smoke into the air above. His eyes went wide.


    Shit! The fire will spread to the rest of the forest now!


    He rushed to try and put it out, wanting to get rid of it before the fire department showed up. As he rushed toward the blaze, trying to recall every water spell he knew, he could only look upon the fire as the embodiment of his failure.


    What have I done?


    ***


    After Damien walked Liz back to her house, he returned to his own to find his father still not home. He imagined the man was probably out at a bar and for the moment, Damien was glad. While his relationship with his dad wasn¡¯t too strained, they definitely weren¡¯t close, and him rarely coming home had been beneficial for him in the past. He spent much of the time after Liz left thinking about what she told him, and now, he truly felt as if they had a plan of action.


    This could be it. If she¡¯s right, then we might be able to save everybody who¡¯s been erased. We just have to find some way to crack open this paradise and get them out.


    It irritated him greatly that he couldn¡¯t remember any of the people trapped inside, but he knew that most of them had been important to him. Eric had told him quite a bit about Mickelson since his erasure and Damien knew that he had once been a member of their club. If that was true, then he was a close friend and somebody that he was supposed to cherish. That¡¯s why it was crucial that he save them. He wanted to remember his friends and he didn¡¯t want to forget those he still had.


    Especially Liz. I refuse to allow myself to forget her! No matter what happens, I need to retain my memories and keep fighting back! Which is why I have to do this!


    Damien turned and walked up the stairs, heading toward his father¡¯s bedroom. He cautiously pushed open the door, wanting to be careful not to leave any evidence that he was ever there.


    If we lose then it won¡¯t matter whether I¡¯m eventually caught or not, and if we win, I¡¯ll figure out some way to prevent him from finding out. I¡¯ll do what I have to do.


    Damien quietly closed the door and moved inside. There was a large, king-sized bed against the back wall and to its right was the door to the master bathroom. The boy walked inside and made a b-line for the walk-in closet to his left. The inside was full of his father¡¯s shirts ranging from sports jerseys to dress shirts and slacks. But, of course, he wasn¡¯t there to steal clothes. Damien crouched down beside a small, blue safe in the corner and began putting in the code. The only reason he knew it was because his father had told him in the case of any emergency where he would need to defend himself.


    And Dad, while I¡¯m sorry that I can¡¯t tell you about it, that time has come. Not only is my life at risk, but so are the lives of everybody I care about. So, I have to do this.


    With the safe unlocked, he opened the door and peered inside to see numerous handguns placed within, and on the door were various forms of ammo for the different types of weapons that his father kept concealed there. Damien hesitantly reached in and took one of the 9mms, feeling its weight in his hands and remarking on how it was heavier than he remembered. He swallowed in disgust, having never liked firearms or the terrifying power they came with. Unlike his father, he never wanted to touch a gun and had declined going out to the shooting range on numerous occasions. He had hoped to never have to fire one at all, let alone to potentially kill.


    But I don¡¯t have a choice. If killing Album and Nigreos is what it could take to save everybody, then somebody needs to bear that burden.


    He took a deep breath.


    And I¡¯d rather it be me.

 Chapter 35- My Apprentice

    Chapter XXXV


    Completely disregarding Sinna¡¯s sharp warning, the cloaked woman blasted from her spot with a burst of wind, soaring directly toward the two Masters with her sword raised. Sinna didn¡¯t hesitate as she, too, rushed to greet the attack head on.


    ¡°Durumi!¡± the Master of Rock chanted, and as she did so, a layer of hardened stone spread across her fists, encasing them in rocky armor all the way up to her elbows as she swung her powerful arms toward the assailant.


    Yet, the woman was too quick and, rather than meet Sinna¡¯s attack with one of her own, she instead placed her feet firmly on the hardened fists and used them as a platform to propel herself over Sinna, then rushed toward Ryokumo. He was stunned by her graceful movements and instinctively knew that she wasn¡¯t somebody they would be able to defeat with ease. However, he found himself unsurprised. If he was right in his assumption that this person was the one who killed Seiras, then she would almost certainly be quite strong with wind magic. Her ability to fly down the wall of the Citadel and reach the window of the Niras Lounge was proof enough.


    ¡°Infundite,¡± she chanted, softly enough that Ryokumo only barely heard her.


    Wind magic erupted around her rather thin blade as she closed the gap between them, pushing forward to send the tip of her sword straight for his neck. Unfortunately for her, he¡¯d already overcome his momentary surprise and had his mana at the ready.


    ¡°Nex!¡± he snarled, blocking her attack with a shield of wind, which pushed her blade backwards, forcing her to move out of the way just as he went on the offensive. ¡°Perkari!¡±


    Three bursts of wind all shot toward her, but she managed to stop them from reaching her body. With the grace of a dancer, she deflected them with her magic-infused sword, cutting them down and nullifying the spells. It was at this time that Sinna was spinning on her heel, her jaw clenched as she regarded the attacker.


    ¡°Ignoring me, are we?¡± she spat furiously, pushing off the ground and using her powerful legs to cross the hallway swiftly. ¡°I¡¯ll admit you¡¯re strong, but you¡¯re foolish to think you could take on two Masters and live!¡±


    As she taunted the girl, Sinna sent punch after punch toward her opponent¡¯s body, moving with a speed that was impressive for her large frame. Yet, despite the Master of Rock¡¯s speed, she couldn¡¯t match up with the other woman¡¯s wind. Dodging the first two attacks, Seiras¡¯s killer then pushed backwards against the wall before grabbing the windowsill and placing her foot against it to propel herself upwards. The next few attacks happened so fast that Ryokumo barely processed it. The cloaked woman used wind magic to enhance her sword arm, sending a barrage of attacks into Sinna¡¯s chest. Her body was most likely hardened and protected by rock so it undoubtedly failed to pierce her, but the force of the attacks sent her stumbling backwards. This gave the faceless woman an opening, which she used to once again dodge around Sinna and rush Ryokumo.


    Why is she so damned fixated on me?! he thought irritably, once again throwing up a shield of wind just as her blade was about to reach him. What about me would draw her anger?!


    For a moment, he thought it might be simple strategy. Sinna was powerful, but her magic came from the earth. Therefore, being as high up in the Citadel as they were, there was only so much she could do outside of hardening her body for defense. But Ryokumo could use his abilities to the fullest and, despite their attacker¡¯s clear talent with wind magic, she still wouldn¡¯t be able to hold her ground for long against the Master of that affinity. So, if she could take him down fast, killing Sinna would be within the realm of possibility, so long as she didn¡¯t armor up her entire body.


    But¡­what if¡­?


    While that made sense, the other part of him recalled what he¡¯d discussed with Sinna and Nyx a mere hour before. They believed that she targeted Seiras, specifically, and didn¡¯t care for an assassination against the other Masters.


    So if she¡¯s going after me, is it possible she only wants me dead? Have I done something to put a target on my back?!


    Regardless of the answer, he knew he wouldn¡¯t know unless he asked her himself, and the only way to do that would be to take her down. For the beginning of the fight, he had watched her take on Sinna and had resorted only to defense, but now that he had a goal, he was ready to put everything he had into defeating her.


    ¡°Condite!¡± he roared, casting the spell that would send invisible ropes to wrap around her limbs.


    Unsurprisingly, she reacted quickly, cutting each one down before they were able to get a solid grip on her. However, it gave him the chance he needed to set his plan in motion.


    ¡°Cartus!¡± he snapped, sparing a brief glance back at Sinna, all the while keeping the barrage of ropes flying toward his opponent. ¡°Your magic isn¡¯t strong enough at this elevation to take her on, and even if you armor up completely, she¡¯s still too fast for you! So go find Nyx and bring reinforcements! If she¡¯s not dead before you get back, we can take her down together!¡±


    As he expected, Sinna clenched her teeth and shook her head furiously. ¡°You¡¯re telling me to retreat?! Like hell, Caeli!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid!¡± he retorted. ¡°Wind magic is your natural enemy and, take it from me, this woman is strong! Trust me! I¡¯ve got this handled! Go find reinforcements! Please!¡±


    Just as the words left his mouth, the attacker got the upper hand against the ropes and launched herself toward him. He barely reacted in time, casting another shield that blocked her from reaching the two of them.


    ¡°Cartus, damn it!¡± he shouted. ¡°Set aside your damn pride and trust me! We can¡¯t let her get away! If she really did kill Seiras then we need to take her down! Go find Nyx or Iris or even some goodman guards! Anybody will be beneficial!¡±


    Unable to break past his shield, his opponent retreated further back down the hall, putting distance between them and raising her sword before her. He knew he shouldn¡¯t give her time to catch her breath, but at the same time, it gave him the moment he needed to get through to Sinna. He could see the Master¡¯s features tense up in frustration and he feared that her dislike for him would keep her from being sensible, but to his relief and surprise, she finally nodded.


    ¡°So be it,¡± she grunted. ¡°Don¡¯t let her get away, Caeli! I¡¯ll be back as quickly as I can be!¡±


    He forced a strained smile. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    With those curt words, Sinna spun on her heel and hurried back the opposite way, leaving Ryokumo alone in the hallway with the cloaked woman, who was still a dozen yards away, her headless body unmoving, though he knew she must be watching him from behind the distortion. The Master of Wind dropped the shield and briefly scanned the hallway, still finding no sign of anybody wandering around. At that time of evening, most were probably either in the entertainment floors or still in their offices so their fight was unlikely to be interrupted.


    And that¡¯s probably why she chose to confront us when she did.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± he called out to her. ¡°Are you the one who killed Seiras Ka?¡±


    He didn¡¯t expect much of an answer, yet to his surprise, she nodded. He couldn¡¯t tell if she was lying or not, but he supposed it didn¡¯t matter. Whether she was the halfling¡¯s killer or not, she had attacked two Masters and thus, she was a criminal. It would be his job to take her down, and they could deal with questioning her afterwards.


    ¡°You¡¯re talented,¡± he went on. ¡°I¡¯m honestly impressed, but at the end of the day, you won¡¯t be walking away from here a winner. So, I¡¯ll give you one chance to surrender. Otherwise, I¡¯ll be forced to put you down.¡±


    Yet again, she didn¡¯t speak, but instead bent her knees, as if inviting him to make the first move. He narrowed his eyes, bringing his mana to his fingertips as he, too, prepared to strike.


    So be it.


    ¡°Proto!¡±


    ¡°Proto!¡±


    Shouting the same word at the same time, the two mages of wind burst from their spots and launched toward each other, her sword raised to strike and his blades of wind ready to cut her down. Despite knowing how fast she was, he still found himself struggling to keep up with her. Once they reached each other, she swung her sword at his neck and stomach so quickly that he was barely able to deflect it, getting in only a few shots of his own, which she dodged. Ryokumo landed on the ground first and immediately pressed off of it, pushing himself toward the wall before placing his feet firmly against it, using it as another launchpad with which to go after her. She used a similar method and, almost quicker than he could follow, she began ricocheting off the walls and ceilings, taking her swings whenever she got close to him. He did the same, never staying in one spot for long and keeping his shield up when he needed it. Part of him wished he had his own sword on him, but that was left in his quarters since he hadn¡¯t thought he¡¯d be fighting anybody that night.


    She¡¯s fast! Who is she?! I mean, could she actually be a Child of Reiner? But no, we already established that there couldn¡¯t possibly be any Children still hiding within the Citadel. She has to be somebody else¡­ But who?! Who would be this skilled with wind magic and betray us?!


    Deciding to go on the defensive for a moment, Ryokumo launched himself down to the ground and muttered, ¡°Coniune.¡± Instantly, his senses began to speed up and the speed with which he processed everything increased. He could see his opponent¡¯s movements much clearer now and would be able to defend himself with greater ease. His plan was to protect himself for the time being and try to search for any patterns that might enable him to gain the upper hand. But what happened next threw his entire plan out the window.


    The woman suddenly disappeared, throwing up a distortion to conceal her presence.


    What?! How did she¡­?


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    Before he could react, Ryokumo was flung backwards by a burst of wind magic, sending him skidding along the marble floors of the hallway. He was quick to react, using the momentum of his fall to flip back onto his feet, but not before a glimpse of the thin, wind-infused blade poked out of the distortion, aiming for his chest.


    ¡°Nex!¡± he shouted frantically, just barely pushing the blade back before it disappeared into the distortion once again.


    How did she know I was using Coniune?! She reacted immediately, so did she hear me mutter the incantation?


    Clenching his teeth at allowing himself to lose the upper hand, Ryokumo discarded the spell and instead chose to focus on following her mana in order to prevent any more surprise attacks. But just as he found her signal only a few dozen yards down the hall, he heard footsteps behind him.


    ¡°Master Caeli? We heard shouting! What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Ryokumo quickly glanced back to see two guards in their gold and emerald armor hurriedly approaching, their swords in hand as they tried to search for any sign of an enemy. His immediate instinct was to shout at them to turn and run, but before he could even get the words out, he felt two blades of wind shoot past either side of his face. Within a second, he watched both of the guards lurch backwards, their heads separating from their bodies as the blades cut through their necks, killing them on the spot. At the same time, his opponent¡¯s mana signal closed in on him and he hurriedly turned back to put up another shield to shoot her backwards. This time, the distortion came down, revealing her cloaked figure once again as she landed on the ground.


    Damn it! They¡¯re dead! She killed them!


    He wasn¡¯t sure what he was supposed to do. He hadn''t fought an enemy this strong in a long time, and part of him feared he wouldn¡¯t defeat her on his own. He had to hope that if he couldn¡¯t beat her, he would instead keep her at bay until Sinna returned with aid.


    I''ll just have to put everything I have into this!


    ¡°Proto!¡± he snarled, swearing to avenge the lives of the innocent guards she killed.


    He expected her to come at him like she had the last time, but once again, she did something that threw him off. She chanted the same spell he did, but instead of coming at him, she turned and rushed off in the opposite direction, as if fleeing him.


    What?! She¡¯s running?! But why?! What the hell is her game here?!


    Yet, the answer came to him almost immediately.


    Shit! She¡¯s trying to get away from where Sinna left us! If she doesn¡¯t know where we are, it¡¯ll delay the backup and give her more time to take me down! He clenched his teeth. Clever bitch!


    He put more power into his bursts as he used both the floor and the walls as launchpads to pursue her further through the Citadel. He now knew how willing she was to kill anybody who came across them so he had to pray that nobody else showed themselves. He didn¡¯t want any more innocents to die.


    ¡°Perkari!¡± he snarled, hurling more blades of wind toward her, but she dodged each one without fail, not even allowing them to skim her.


    She then spun around in midair and raised her hands toward him, though he didn¡¯t hear what spell she cast. He found out seconds later as ropes of wind came at him. Ryokumo only just sensed their presence before they reached him, allowing him to cut them down with his own attacks. This need for defense gave the woman a chance to gain the upper hand once again. She landed upon the ground, using the momentum to slide further backwards as she hurtled her own blades of wind his way. He reacted the moment he saw them, pushing off the floor and jumping between the two walls as they crashed into them, shattering parts of the silver, with one even cutting through a window, smashing the glass and sending shards scattering across the ground.


    In the midst of his attempts to defend himself, the woman finally decided to move toward him, closing the distance and using her sword to try and cut him down once more. Ryokumo grit his teeth and used his own power to enhance his movements, allowing him to dodge at inhuman speeds, though the blade did manage to nick him across the cheek. He felt the warm blood dripping down his face and knew that if he didn¡¯t stop her somehow, he could actually die.


    She¡¯s so damn quick! And it¡¯s like she knows every trick in my arsenal! Who the hell is this¡ª?!


    As the potential answer to his unfinished question crossed his mind, he instantly wanted to reject it. It couldn¡¯t be possible, after all, but as he reflected on their fight thus far, he realized that her movements were oddly familiar. He¡¯d been too focused on taking her down to notice, but there was a very distinct familiarity to the way she moved around and attacked.


    And she used distortion immediately after I started using Coniune! Just like¡­I taught her last week. Could it be¡­ Could it possibly be¡­?


    ¡°There he goes again, having blind faith in somebody just because he likes them.¡±


    Sinna¡¯s words from the meeting earlier in the day came back to him, causing him to feel sick as he took in what they meant. At the time, he¡¯d been confident that it couldn¡¯t be true, but now, he realized that he was blinding himself with his emotions. Sinna had been right. She had seen the possibility and was ready to look into it. But he hadn¡¯t wanted to accept it. He still didn¡¯t, but¡­


    I have to know! I have to!


    ¡°Proto!¡± he chanted once more, pushing backwards and out of the range of the attacker¡¯s swift strikes. Then, once he had distance between them, he shouted, ¡°Is that you, Hannah?!¡±


    She was already pressing toward him, but her blade stopped midair as she froze in place, her expression concealed behind the distortion surrounding her face. Barely a second later, as if having expected him to say such a thing, it vanished and in its place, the familiar face of his apprentice appeared. Tears were rolling down her cheeks, yet she smiled.


    ¡°I should have known you¡¯d figure it out, Master.¡±


    ¡°H-Hannah?¡±


    He didn¡¯t know what to say. The person he¡¯d been trying to take down was his own apprentice. The one who murdered those innocent guards in cold blood was a girl he¡¯d been training for years, someone he loved and respected.


    ¡°W-why?¡±


    She looked back at him and opened her mouth to reply. ¡°Perkari.¡±


    With a swift move, she raised her free hand and launched a blade of wind straight for his throat. He cursed aloud, frantically throwing up another shield as the blade shot toward him, vanishing on impact.


    ¡°Hannah, wait!¡± he shouted as she launched backwards nearly twenty yards, her sword raised in defense. ¡°Stop this, please! Let¡¯s talk!¡±


    But she shook her head sadly. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about, Master. I betrayed Ijiria. Last night, I flew down to the Niras Lounge and I murdered Seiras Ka. I put two arrows in his chest and then I fled. And just now, you saw me kill those men. Not to mention, I¡¯ve just tried to kill both you and Master Cartus. So what¡¯s there to talk about? It is your duty as Master of Wind to kill me for my crimes. So, I expect you to do so!¡± She smiled. ¡°Proto!¡±


    The world seemed to slow down as she launched toward him, though it wasn¡¯t due to any spell. Instead, he found himself processing every word she said. If she wasn''t lying, which he could tell she wasn¡¯t, then she had murdered a Master and attacked two others. There was no doubt that Reigious would have her executed, and perhaps even tortured, for her crimes. It would be his job to kill her and if he refused to do so, then he would probably be executed for treason as well. He knew that.


    And yet¡­


    Hannah closed the gap in a second, her sword ready to be thrust straight through his throat, and despite seeing his death staring him in the eyes, he didn¡¯t move. Ryokumo Caeli stood in silence as his apprentice went to kill him. Yet, Hannah¡¯s blade stopped mere inches from his throat, her eyes wide as she stared up at him.


    ¡°Master?¡± she uttered. ¡°What are you doing? Fight back!¡±


    He could feel tears rolling down his cheeks as he looked down at her, and he shook his head slowly. ¡°No,¡± he whispered. ¡°I won¡¯t. I will not kill you, Hannah. So, if you want, shove that blade in my throat and end it. I won¡¯t fight back.¡±


    ¡°But Master!¡± she pleaded. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to¡ª! Why? I¡¯m a murderer! You need to kill me! If you don¡¯t, then they¡¯ll kill you! Please, I killed Seiras! I killed a Master!¡±


    He nodded. ¡°I know you did. But¡­¡± He swallowed. ¡°I can¡¯t kill you, Hannah. You¡¯re my apprentice. You have so much potential and you are one of the sweetest individuals I¡¯ve ever met. You¡¯re strong and talented and¡­you¡¯re like a daughter to me. So I can¡¯t kill you.¡±


    ¡°Master!¡±


    ¡°NO!¡± he snarled, causing her to step back in surprise. ¡°Don¡¯t you see? I¡¯ve already done so much I can¡¯t repent for. I¡¯ve helped the torture Abi¡¯s Children. I lost my friends either to death or to this country¡¯s laws. I¡¯m alone already. I¡¯ve done things I can never take back that will haunt me until the day I die! You¡­were one of the few things I still lived for. So¡­if killing you is the price to pay to stay alive, then I¡¯d rather be dead. I have too much blood on my hands already¡­so I will not kill you.¡±


    Hannah was trembling and he could see in her eyes that she wasn¡¯t going to go through with taking his life. He realized now that she never planned to. For reasons he did not know, she intended to die by his hands.


    ¡°Please, Master,¡± she begged. ¡°Please, don¡¯t do this! You don¡¯t understand! You were supposed to kill me! If you don¡¯t, when Ijiria finds out I was the one who killed Seiras, they¡¯ll suspect you were involved, just like they did with Reiner¡¯s rebellion! Unless you kill me, you won¡¯t be able to sever yourself from my actions!¡±


    ¡°Why did you kill Seiras?¡± he asked softly, ignoring her pleas. ¡°Why would you do something like this?¡±


    She clenched her teeth, tears in her eyes. ¡°It was for you,¡± she whispered. ¡°I saw how it was affecting you. I could tell you were scared of Seiras and so, I¡­I decided I would repay you for everything you¡¯ve done! If I could kill him, I could help you! And¡­and I did something else, Master. I saved the Children! I got them out of the Citadel! They¡¯re in the city!¡±


    His eyes went wide. ¡°What?¡±


    The Children? She¡­released them? Which means Arisa Kirisan¡­the guide¡­has escaped?


    ¡°They¡¯re safe,¡± she went on. ¡°You no longer have to worry about hurting them¡­or about Seiras. I made these decisions for you, but the only way my plan works is if you kill me! So please, Master! Kill me! Before somebody finds us! Before Master Cartus comes back!¡±


    She killed Seiras¡­ She released the Children¡­ For me?


    Feeling overwhelming emotion, Ryokumo raised his hand and aimed it at the window to their right.


    ¡°Perkari.¡±


    A wind burst from his hand and smashed through the glass, shattering it and opening the window to the outside to admit the breeze from beyond.


    ¡°Master¡­?¡±


    ¡°Perkari!¡±


    Then, without hesitation, knowing how hard it would be to do if he gave it any thought, he turned his hand upon his own leg and sent a cut straight through it, severing it from the knee down. He cried out in horrid pain as he collapsed to the ground, and grit his teeth against it to stay conscious. Hannah was instantly at his side.


    ¡°Master, please! Why did you¡ª?¡±


    ¡°You were too strong for me,¡± he uttered through the pain, feeling the blood seeping from his wound and knowing he would need to tend to it quickly. ¡°Due to the fact that you knew me so well, you were able to overcome me and cut my leg off. You then fled through the window and escaped into the city. You¡¯ll be a criminal¡­and I¡¯ll personally see to hunting you down. I¡¯ll get my revenge against you for betraying this country¡­and betraying me.¡±


    ¡°Master, please,¡± she repeated once again.


    ¡°Run, Hannah. Please, run,¡± he begged. ¡°Under no circumstances¡­will I ever kill you. You are my apprentice. So go. Cartus will be here soon. It¡¯s my final order to you as your master.¡±


    As he weakly looked up into Hannah¡¯s eyes, he could see the fear and sadness within them. Yet, she must have seen that there was no way she could convince him to do what she wanted him to do. Slowly, she got to her feet, fighting back her tears, and bowed her head.


    ¡°Yes¡­ My Master.¡±


    He then watched through blurry vision as Hannah turned and rushed toward the open window. She looked back at him once more then jumped over the side and vanished from view. Ryokumo let out a sigh of relief and weakly reached his hand down to his severed leg.


    ¡°B-benedio,¡± he chanted, sending enough healing magic into it to stop the bleeding.


    Go, Hannah. Survive. I¡¯ll miss you so much, but I will forever be grateful for what you¡¯ve done for me. Protect those Children¡­ My apprentice.


    And with that last thought, Ryokumo Caeli fell unconscious.

 Chapter 36- Long Days Ahead

    Chapter XXXVI


    When Ryokumo opened his eyes, he found himself staring up at an unfamiliar ceiling. For a moment, he didn¡¯t know where he was or what had happened to him. All he knew was that his body felt weak, but after a few seconds of simply staring upwards, everything came back to him in a painful rush and he immediately lurched up in a panic.


    Hannah?! Where¡¯s Hannah?! Did she get out okay?! Where am I?


    ¡°Calm down, Caeli. You¡¯re alright. Take deep breaths.¡±


    Caught off guard by the sudden voice, he turned to find somebody sitting by the bedside, gazing at him with her yellow, catlike eyes. Iris Mackia smiled, though it wasn¡¯t the warmest smile. Instead, she seemed more intrigued, as well as happy that his being awake meant he could answer whatever questions were clearly on her mind. Ryokumo narrowed his eyes and briefly scanned the room in an effort to get his bearings, realizing that he did in fact recognize it, though he had only ever been there as a visitor. He was in one of the Citadel¡¯s infirmary rooms where those who needed more than basic healing magic were taken. The Master of Wind swallowed and pulled back the blankets only to find his leg perfectly attached, though it was still a tad numb.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the leg,¡± Iris said. ¡°I reattached it, good as new. In fact, I¡¯d give it a few more minutes and you¡¯ll probably be able to walk on it.¡±


    Ryokumo nodded then glanced over the rest of his body. He was wearing one of the white infirmary gowns and, while he did feel achy, everything was as it should be. He grimaced, then looked sidelong at the Master of Nature.


    ¡°What happened?¡± he muttered, his mind still hazy, though clear enough for his stomach to churn at the thought that they might have caught Hannah.


    ¡°Well, we planned to ask you that very same question.¡±


    At the sudden sharp tone, Ryokumo turned his attention past Iris to see Sinna standing in the room¡¯s doorway, her arms folded across her broad chest as she eyed him. The woman then leaned down to step inside and approach the bed.


    ¡°Once I¡¯d gotten Nyx, we ran back to where the attacker appeared and found two guards murdered,¡± she explained. ¡°I didn¡¯t see any sign of you so we went looking and found you laying half-dead by a shattered windowsill with your leg blown off. So, I carried you here and had Nyx go find Mackia. This was about two hours ago.¡±


    Ryokumo sighed, tensing up as he prepared to ask his next question. ¡°And Seiras¡¯s killer? Was she captured?¡±


    Sinna shook her head. ¡°No, she was not. Unfortunately, we think she escaped out the window and flew over the walls, into the city. Princess Piura has Erika on lockdown for the time being so they won¡¯t be getting away, but for now, they have eluded us.¡±


    He refused to let it show on his face, but at that moment, he felt overwhelming relief. He knew Hannah wouldn¡¯t truly be safe until she escaped the capital city, but being stuck in Erika was still far better than being dead. It meant that the risks he would be taking from here out would be worth it.


    ¡°But I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be found,¡± Iris chimed in. ¡°For now, I¡¯m just happy you¡¯re not dead, Caeli. We already lost one Master these past two days so it would be a huge embarrassment on the Citadel if we allowed another to die.¡±


    Ryokumo cocked an eyebrow, realizing he shouldn¡¯t be surprised that she was more concerned about the Citadel¡¯s reputation than his own wellbeing.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± the woman went on. ¡°Prince Reigious told me to go get him once you woke up so I¡¯m gonna go find him. Stay with him for a bit, would you, Cartus?¡±


    Sinna gave a curt nod as Iris got to her feet and skipped from the room, leaving the two of them alone. Knowing Sinna, Ryokumo didn¡¯t think she would want to talk to him, so instead, he was about to turn his thoughts to what he would say to the prince, when she surprised him by breaking the silence.


    ¡°So, you had it handled, did you?¡± she grunted. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that woman was a better wind caster than you.¡±


    Ryokumo scowled. ¡°Shut up. It¡¯s not that. It¡¯s just¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes? What¡¯s your excuse this time?¡± she demanded.


    Part of him wondered if he should tell her about Hannah before deciding that she would probably just find out when Reigious arrived, so he opted to keep it to himself for the time being. Instead, he merely shook his head and sighed.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what my excuse is,¡± he murmured. ¡°Either way, she escaped and Seiras¡¯s killer remains on the loose. I just have to hope that they find her soon and¡­well, let¡¯s just say that I¡¯ve got information that should help.¡±


    Sinna snorted. ¡°Is that so? Well, good, because this situation is a bigger problem than you already know.¡±


    ¡°Meaning?¡± he growled.


    ¡°Before coming after the two of us, this woman snuck down into the dungeon and butchered every last guard that was posted there,¡± she replied bluntly. ¡°She then rescued Kirisan and the other Children and, as of now, we have yet to find any trace of them within the Citadel. It seems they most likely got out into the city as well¡­which means we¡¯ve allowed another guide to be set loose.¡±


    Ryokumo clenched his teeth, having already been told as much by Hannah. Yet, as relieved as he was to know that Kirisan and the others got out alive, he couldn¡¯t help but realize the weight of what his apprentice had done. She both killed a Master and released a rogue guide on the city, two actions that were utterly detrimental to the safety of Ijiria. If Reigious ever found her, she wouldn¡¯t be simply executed. He would do far more to punish her for her actions and, should they ever learn that he allowed her to escape, the same would go for him.


    And she did this all for me. She killed Seiras and released the Children all because she knew it was what I wanted. And in the end, she planned to have me kill her to clear my name and prove that I had nothing to do with her actions.


    He fought back the tears that threatened to flow, not wanting to break down in front of Sinna. His apprentice, while still alive, was gone. She was a fugitive from Ijiria and it wasn¡¯t certain that he would ever see her again. If she escaped Erika, she would most likely flee north to Trovia and when that happened, they would never cross paths. It was what needed to happen if she wanted to survive, but it didn¡¯t make that fate any less painful to him.


    Why do I lose everything I care about? he wondered. What have I ever done to deserve this? First, I lost Abi. Then I lost my relationships with Nigreos and Album, and now my apprentice has left me. I''ve even got a relationship I can¡¯t remember. What do I have left now? What is there to fight for?


    For a moment, his thoughts shifted to Eric Reiner, the son of his best friend, who was currently being hunted by Nigreos and Album in Omaruo. If the two of them erased him rather than bringing him to Ijiria then there truly would be nothing left for him to do. Once Hannah was safely outside of Ijiria, he wouldn¡¯t have any purpose left.


    What reason would there be to live then?


    ¡°You¡¯re not very talkative,¡± Sinna muttered.


    He shrugged. ¡°I was royally defeated, Cartus. I thought I had the situation under control, but in the end, I allowed her to get away. We had an opportunity to learn more about Seiras¡¯s murder and I allowed it to slip through my fingers. What do I even have the right to say after embarrassing myself so thoroughly?¡±


    ¡°Well, in your defense, she was strong,¡± the Master of Rock grunted.


    Frowning, questioning whether he had actually heard her correctly, Ryokumo looked up at her in surprise, wondering why she was defending his actions at all, only to find her staring back with a stern expression.


    ¡°Even I struggled to deal with her,¡± Sinna went on. ¡°And I wasn¡¯t fast enough to return. This defeat is on both of our hands and I refuse to let it remain that way. If you¡¯re willing to work with me, I want to find her. I want to make this right.¡±


    Internally, Ryokumo felt sick at the thought of Sinna trying to hunt and kill Hannah, but he knew he couldn¡¯t allow any conflict to show in his features when he responded.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he said. ¡°I want to fix this as well. I¡¯ll do what I can to make up for tonight.¡±


    At that moment, before she could reply, the door was pushed open and Prince Reigious stalked inside with Iris on his heels. The emerald-haired man glanced between the two of them before regarding Ryokumo with a torn expression. He then smoothed out his clothing and motioned for Iris to shut the door.


    ¡°Good to see you¡¯re alive, Ryokumo,¡± he began. ¡°And while I¡¯m sure you need your rest, we need to discuss what happened. Sinna already told me some of what went down tonight, but I need to know what you saw as well. What happened after Sinna left?¡±


    ¡°Quite a lot,¡± he replied softly. ¡°In fact, I¡¯m not even sure where I should begin.¡±


    Reigious frowned. ¡°Then tell me, what happened to you? Was this woman really powerful enough to defeat you in a fight? And I assume you¡¯ve already been told about the Children, yes?¡±


    The prince seemed slightly unnerved and Ryokumo could tell that he wanted to rush through the conversation so he could get back to his duties. He couldn¡¯t imagine how much chaos had spread throughout the Citadel given the fact that they were once again attacked from within. Seiras was dead, the Children of Reiner had escaped, and one of the Masters had almost been killed. If any of that got out to the public, it could be disastrous for their image.


    ¡°Yes, Cartus already told me what¡¯s going on,¡± Ryokumo confirmed. ¡°And¡­well, I can say that it wasn¡¯t the girl¡¯s power that helped her to defeat me.¡±


    Reigious cocked an eyebrow. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Well, simply put, I noticed something when Cartus and I fought her,¡± he explained. ¡°She was avoiding her as much as she could and going after me directly. I thought it was odd at first, but now I understand why. She had an advantage over me.¡±


    The Prince glanced at Sinna as if for confirmation and the Master of Rock nodded.


    ¡°Yes, it was odd,¡± she agreed. ¡°The woman seemed determined to kill Caeli at all costs, though I was not aware of any advantage she might have had.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because I didn¡¯t realize it until the end,¡± he said. ¡°You see, it was almost as if she knew everything I was going to do. She was ready for every attack I made and never allowed me to gain the upper hand. Even my best tricks were deflected and¡­well, simply put¡­ she knew my attacks so well because I was the one who trained her.¡±


    Iris, Sinna, and Reigious all stared at him in surprise, but he went on before they could interrupt with what he was sure would be a volley of questions.


    ¡°It was Hannah,¡± he muttered. ¡°In the end, I managed to knock her facial distortion down and I got a clear view of her face. But knowing who she was threw me off and before I knew it, she cut my leg off and I had lost. I don¡¯t know why she didn¡¯t kill me when she had the chance, but it¡¯s the truth. You guys were correct to be suspicious of her. She¡¯s a traitor and¡­well, as Cartus put it, I was too blind by my emotions to see it.¡±


    Reigious furrowed his brow as he considered the information he¡¯d just received, his features drawn tightly as if, despite hardly knowing Hannah, this information caused him pain.


    ¡°Sinna,¡± he said after a moment. ¡°Go and make contact with Captain Holm down in the city barracks. Tell him to send every guard at his disposal after Hannah Lynn. I want that girl in our custody as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my prince,¡± Sinna replied with a quick bow and, seeming still on edge, hurried through the door.


    ¡°Well, this certainly is a concerning turn of circumstance,¡± Reigious muttered under his breath. ¡°Do you know of any reason why Hannah would betray us? Did she ever express any frustrations with the Citadel? And for that matter, would she have had any motivations for killing Seiras?¡±


    Ryokumo shrugged, knowing that if he had any chance of keeping suspicion off his back, it would be within these next few moments. Therefore, he put as much effort as he could into his voice to make himself sound as believable as possible.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, honestly,¡± he lied. ¡°She was always such a kind and gentle girl. She was talented and she listened to what I had to say without fail. She was the best student I could have asked for and¡­ Well, I can¡¯t think of any reason why she would have done this. However¡­¡± He paused for effect, wanting to appear distraught in the eyes of the prince. ¡°Despite all that, she still betrayed me. Hannah took that talent and turned it against both her Master and Ijiria. She tried to kill me and almost succeeded. That¡¯s not something I can just ignore. I¡¯m sick and tired of being betrayed¡­so if you¡¯ll allow it, I want to do whatever is needed to track her down and apprehend her.¡±


    He could see both Iris and Reigious looking at him in surprise and he could tell just by their expressions that he was believable.


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    The prince nodded hesitantly. ¡°Yes, I understand how you would feel and I¡¯m sorry you¡¯ve been through this again. Sinna already expressed her desire to go after her so, if you¡¯re willing to work with her, then I will work out what I can to have you heading the investigation. That being said, I do not want to see your emotions getting in the way. Perhaps taking some time to cool off would be beneficial.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, my prince,¡± he said with a weak bow.


    Reigious grimaced and scratched his chin in thought. ¡°Is that all? Or is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all,¡± he confirmed. ¡°Apologies. Outside of her identity, I wasn¡¯t able to gain much else.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s perfectly alright,¡± Reigious replied. ¡°You may have failed to detain her, but at the very least, you got us the identity of the killer. That, alone, is worthy of praise. Thank you, Ryokumo.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    The prince then excused himself and rushed from the room, probably to attend to what other duties the insane night had brought to him. For a moment, he and Iris stared after him before the Master of Nature glanced back over her shoulder.


    ¡°You should be good to go back to your quarters, Caeli,¡± she told him. ¡°Though I would recommend getting some rest. It seems you have a busy schedule ahead of you.¡±


    He grunted. ¡°Yes, it would seem so. Thank you for tending to my wounds, Mackia. I appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°Well, I am a healer,¡± she replied with a wry smile. ¡°It¡¯s my job.¡± Iris then turned and was about to head out into the hallway, but she suddenly stopped and glanced back once again, an almost somber look in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your apprentice. I mean that.¡±


    Then, without waiting for a response, she departed, leaving him mildly surprised. Iris Mackia wasn¡¯t somebody he would probably ever understand and most of the time, her reactions and emotions seemed fake or intentionally misleading. However, earlier that day, he had seen the first genuine side of her when she apologized for failing to save Seiras. And then, as she left, he once again felt as if she meant what she was saying. He didn¡¯t understand what it was that motivated her in life, but he appreciated seeing a more genuine side of her.


    But I guess, it doesn¡¯t matter. Either way, I¡¯m grateful she healed me. And she¡¯s right. I should go and rest. I have a long few weeks ahead of me.


    ***


    When the city went on a full-scale lockdown, Arisa Kirisan hurriedly moved through the back alleys of Erika, making her way toward the slums where few ever visited. It was a place for the unwanted and for those who didn¡¯t want to be found and, at the moment, she considered herself to fit both of those descriptions. While she knew the guards would certainly come searching the slums given the location of her mother¡¯s orphanage, she and the other Children knew it better than them and thus, would have an easier time hiding than others. Eventually, they would have to escape the city if they didn¡¯t want to die, but for the time being, the slums would serve as a great place to lay low.


    And it seems we¡¯re really gonna need it. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening up there, but it can¡¯t be good. I hope Hannah¡¯s okay.


    She couldn¡¯t help but think about the woman who came to her rescue and gave her another chance at life. She had believed herself to be condemned to die in that cold dungeon, yet there she was, out in the city once again, breathing the fresh air of the place that, for better or for worse, was her home. It was all because she had chosen to sacrifice herself so they could live. She murdered Seiras Ka and she saved them from their fates. And in the end, she even gave them a piece of information that could be critical to their survival.


    ¡°If you ever need help, Ryokumo Caeli can be trusted. He is, and will always be, an ally of the Children of Reiner.¡±


    Hannah hadn¡¯t had the time to elaborate before Arisa was ushered out the window, but her words had been so genuine and full of truth that she had a hard time believing she was lying. She wanted to ignore it, knowing that Ryokumo Caeli was one of the Masters who had been overseeing their torture from the very beginning. It seemed impossible that he could ever be an ally to them, yet she couldn¡¯t help but recall the strained look on his face when Seiras was using his spell on her. That expression made her wonder if, perhaps, there was more to the Master of Wind than she initially expected.


    And it¡¯s clear from the way she spoke that Caeli was the Master Hannah was doing all that for. Is it possible that we can trust him? Can Caeli truly be an ally?


    Arisa kept the cloak pulled up over her head, then glanced back at the four figures that were following close behind her. Her plan had been to lose them in the city and go off on her own, but they had been adamant about allowing her to take the lead. She didn¡¯t want to, though. After every mistake she¡¯d made while trying to be a leader, she didn¡¯t want to get them killed like she did to the others. She knew they¡¯d be better off without her and yet, there they were, looking to her as the person they should follow.


    Don¡¯t they realize I can¡¯t help them! The only reason they were even in the Citadel in the first place was because my stupid-ass plan was a failure! Even if we managed to steal a relic, the Children of Reiner are all but extinct because of me! Why would they ever think coming with me is a good idea?!


    Arisa grimaced as she turned down another alleyway before finding herself standing on a rather dirty looking street with rundown wooden houses and the smell of shit and garbage assaulting her nose. She quickly checked to make sure there wasn¡¯t anybody around then took a left and continued on her way.


    Everybody likes to talk about how beautiful and magnificent Erika is, but take one look at this place, and it seems like an entirely different city. Every place has its dark sides, but it¡¯s especially bad here.


    Nevertheless, it was a district that was often forgotten by the higher ups. They didn¡¯t want to dirty their shoes by ever stepping foot there and so, it was a great place for somebody to disappear.


    Arisa led the other Children down the road before stopping just before a decrepit and abandoned apartment building. Nobody lived there anymore. It was just a place for the homeless to sneak into and either sleep or take shelter from the rain. It was where she had hidden with the others after escaping the attack on the Citadel and it was where she wanted them to hide for the time being.


    ¡°Come on,¡± she murmured, then took them through the graffitied doors that led into the lobby.


    There was nothing left inside save the stone floor and the remains of the wooden walls, which were also heavily graffitied. Any furniture or decorations that had once been there had long since been looted. Even the former reception desk had been ripped apart for its wood, leaving the lobby feeling quite empty. Arisa glanced back to make sure they were all still there before going into the hallway in the back and making her way to the staircase. The five of them snuck up to the second floor and into another hallway, only stopping when she reached a rather familiar door. It was the apartment she had stayed in the first time and she only hoped nobody else had snuck in while she was gone. Bringing mana to her fingertips, Arisa cautiously opened the door and peeked inside, but to her relief, it was empty. In fact, it was almost exactly as she left it. The main room was devoid of furniture, but when she poked her head into the single bedroom, she found their blankets still where she left them.


    Glad nobody decided to loot this place.


    Luckily, there were five bags so they would each have something to keep them warm for the time being.


    ¡°Alright,¡± she began, wanting to get this done as fast as possible. ¡°This place should be safe for the time being. However, there¡¯s no doubt in my mind that the guards will come looking in here so you have to be ready to flee should that need arise.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d you find this place?¡± Tylo asked curiously as he eyed his surroundings. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know this building was unlocked.¡±


    Arisa shrugged. ¡°After the Citadel attack, I had to make due one way or another. I stumbled upon this building by accident and realized it could serve as a pretty good spot to lay low.¡±


    ¡°After the Citadel attack?¡± Lyla parroted with a surprised expression. ¡°Wait, but then does that mean you got away? Why were you in the dungeons then?¡±


    She could feel the confused looks of the four as they realized the meaning of what she had said. They were waiting, curious to know what her story was, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to be honest. She didn¡¯t want to think about the event that led to her capture nor the lives she lost because of her actions. If they knew that she foolishly attacked the Master of Darkness and that the blood of more Children were on her hands then they would truly hate her, and she wasn¡¯t sure she had the strength to face that.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± she murmured. ¡°And I don¡¯t feel like reliving it. What¡¯s important is that you have a place to stay for the time being. With any luck, you¡¯ll be able to find your way out of the city.¡±


    As she spoke, Irin stepped forward with narrowed eyes. ¡°Arisa. Why are you talking like you¡¯re not gonna be there with us?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m not,¡± she answered simply. ¡°The best I can do is get you here. Otherwise, I¡¯m going off on my own. You¡¯ll be better off without me.¡±


    ¡°Better off without you?! Like hell!¡± Ardan protested, with the other three voicing similar sentiments. ¡°We¡¯ve been in that dungeon since the attack however many months ago! We don¡¯t know the first thing about how it all went or if we successfully got a relic, or even how many of us are still alive! We don¡¯t know anything! But you said you got away!¡±


    Arisa shrugged, forcing herself to remain calm. ¡°There¡¯s not much to tell. Of those of us who attacked the Citadel, the four of us are the only ones left. Everybody else is dead. As for those who stayed behind, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ve escaped Erika by now and have headed north. I don¡¯t know the fate of the relic. For all I know, Ijiria reclaimed it.¡±


    An ominous silence fell over the room as she told them of their defeat. When thinking about their many brothers and sisters, only to learn that they were all dead, Arisa hated to think what pain they were going through.


    ¡°Even so,¡± Tylo muttered. ¡°It¡¯s all the more reason for you to stay with us. I mean, you were the one who led us after Mom died. So we need you now more than ever.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Arisa growled. ¡°Maybe I did take over the leadership role¡­and how did that turn out? We¡¯re all dead¡­because of my foolish decision to attack the Ijirian Citadel. The Children of Reiner are extinct now because of me! So why would you ever think that I should help you! I¡¯m just going to get you killed, Tylo!¡±


    ¡°But, Arisa,¡± Lyla cut in. ¡°You might have rallied us, but we still chose to go with you. I understand why you would feel some guilt for what happened, but we all had a choice. We could have gone with Malt, but we wanted to make a difference. We wanted to avenge our mother! Our blood is on our own hands!¡±


    Arisa shook her head. ¡°Maybe. But you know what? Malt¡¯s still alive. Those who went with him are probably still alive, too. And of the thirty of us that went with me, there are five left. Five! And that¡¯s not even considering the possibility that some of us were erased. I failed us.¡± She scoffed at how pathetic she was and clenched her fists. ¡°So, I¡¯m going to go off on my own. I¡¯ll cause enough of a distraction that you four can escape into the mines or even the forest. Find Malt and the others and¡­keep them safe.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re just gonna go die?¡± Ardan snapped furiously. ¡°After everything Miss Hannah risked to help us, you¡¯re gonna throw your life away again?!¡±


    ¡°I am!¡± she snarled back. ¡°Because I don¡¯t deserve to live! I broke, guys! I told Seiras Ka about Malt¡¯s and our mother¡¯s guideship! I told them everything! Because of me, Malt¡¯s gonna be hunted down by the Ijirians and more of us will die! Don¡¯t you understand?! Every drop of our blood is on my hands! So I need to die! If I can sacrifice myself for you to escape then I will! It¡¯s for the better that way!¡±


    As she finished her rant, she found herself breathing hard, her eyes directed at the ground so as to not see the looks on their faces at her confession. By telling them about what she gave up to Seiras, they would certainly leave her behind and she would be free to do as she pleased. And yet¡­


    ¡°Then let¡¯s make things right.¡±


    Before she knew what was happening, Irin had moved forward and thrown her arms around her, pressing Arisa¡¯s head against her chest as she stroked her hair.


    ¡°You¡¯re our sister, Arisa,¡± she whispered. ¡°And apparently you¡¯re one of our last ones. If you think we¡¯re going to give you up then you¡¯re wrong. The Children of Reiner must stay together because we¡¯re all each other has.¡±


    ¡°And Mom¡¯s never been more right,¡± Tylo mused, placing a hand on her back. ¡°We can¡¯t lose anybody else. If you told Seiras what he wanted to know, then we need to get out of this cursed city and find Malt so we can warn him. With any luck, he¡¯ll already be in Trovia. We just gotta get there.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± she stuttered. ¡°I¡­ I betrayed us. I told them¡­¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I was probably only a few hours away from breaking, too,¡± Ardan added. ¡°Whatever spell that little shit had, it was awful. If you hadn¡¯t, one of us would have eventually. If not for Hannah¡­I think we all would have broke.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Lyla agreed. ¡°Anybody who holds this against you can¡¯t understand the utter terror that spell inflicted. I¡¯m just happy we held out as long as we did.¡±


    I don¡¯t understand¡­ They still want me? Even after all I¡¯ve done?


    Irin gently released her and allowed her to see their grinning faces as they stared back at her. She could see hope and determination in their eyes, the earlier despair all but gone. Even after all they lost, they were still ready to keep fighting.


    ¡°We need you, Arisa,¡± Tylo said firmly. ¡°You were always one of the best magic users anyway. Without you, we¡¯re dead anyway.¡±


    ¡°So lead us,¡± Lyla added. ¡°Be there with us and help us get out of here. Enough Children have died. We don¡¯t need to add your body to the already massive pile.¡±


    She straightened herself up and looked between them all.


    The Children of Reiner must stay together because we¡¯re all we have. She repeated her mother¡¯s words, realizing that she had almost forgotten how important they were. Even after everything, her brothers and sisters had no intention of leaving her behind. They still want me. I still don¡¯t think I can lead them, but¡­


    ¡°Alright,¡± Arisa replied as confidently as she could. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    ***


    After departing the infirmary, Ryokumo Caeli walked back to his quarters in a daze. He didn¡¯t remember most of the walk. It almost seemed to him that he teleported from the infirmary to his doorstep, but he didn¡¯t particularly care. He didn¡¯t have any motivation left to do anything. In the coming weeks, he would be helping Sinna hunt down Hannah, but he would at the same time be trying to aid his apprentice in her escape from the city. If he was caught, he would die. He¡¯d never been too opposed to going behind the backs of Ijiria for his own gain, but he¡¯d never been so openly defiant. The closest he¡¯d come was putting up this pocket realm at West Wilham High.


    But aiding the killer of a Master is a completely different situation. By letting her go tonight, I committed one of the highest levels of treason possible.


    He unlocked his door with a spell and stepped inside, intending to walk straight to his bedroom and go to sleep, but as he was passing through the living room, he suddenly stopped. He sensed a faint yet foreign mana source nearby and for a moment, he wondered if he was under attack. However, he quickly set the possibility aside, knowing that the source would be much stronger if a mage was in his room. He stepped forward, eyeing the various spots before realizing it was coming from the bedroom. Ryokumo brought what little power he still had left to his fingers and stalked down the hallway, but when he poked his head inside, he didn¡¯t see anything immediately out of place.


    What the hell is in here?


    His eyes darted to one of his bedside drawers where the source seemed to be emanating from. Remaining cautious, he approached it and slowly pulled it open, finding nothing out of place. All that sat within was his spellbook, which typically put out a faint sense of mana anyway, but there was something else mixed within. Ryokumo picked it up and began flipping through it, seeing pages he had written in with notes and spells he needed to remember. However, when he came to the middle of the book, he found something that shouldn¡¯t have been there. Slid between the pages, was half of a page that must have been torn out of a different book.


    What is this?


    He carefully took it out and flipped it over to look at it, only for his eyes to go wide in shock.


    No¡­ This can¡¯t be¡­  Hannah? Did you take this for me? But¡­this means he was lying.


    He wasn¡¯t sure what to make of this sudden revelation, but there was no mistaking what it was that was written on the page. Written upon the page was Seiras¡¯s vision spell, Aniextium, with both the incantation and the instructions on how to cast it.

 Chapter 37- When The End Begins

    Chapter XXXVII


    To the utter horror of each member of the Magic Club, the rest of the week passed without incident. After losing four people in the span of two days, Lilly was certain that their end was right around the corner, and with each day that went by, she feared that Nigreos and Album would make their move and wipe the rest of them out.


    Yet, they never did.


    First Tuesday passed, then Wednesday, then Thursday and Friday, and come the morning of Saturday, the town of Wilham was quiet and uneventful. Originally, they had planned to use the information they got from Alice about where Nigreos and Album were hiding to make their own move, but according to Eric, their hideout went up in flames and the Masters had vanished. While he didn¡¯t give all the details as to what specifically happened, she could tell that it frustrated him that they slipped through his fingers right as they had their first good lead. The burning of their hideout only further made Lilly fear that Nigreos and Album were plotting something, but now that the weekend had arrived, she felt more comfortable, if only a little.


    It¡¯ll be easier to keep an eye on everybody when we aren¡¯t at school. Not to mention¡­


    Lilly took a deep breath, glancing around the road in front of her apartment building as her parents loaded their luggage into the back of a car her father had rented. The trip to visit the University of Alden had arrived and now, her parents and Alexa were heading north so her older sister could see her dream school. Lilly would be remaining behind and keeping an eye on Natalie since Renee was also gone on a business trip that weekend.


    Somehow, we made it to the weekend alive. Now, I¡¯ll have Natalie close by so I can make sure she¡¯s safe. And with my family gone, I¡¯ll be able to deal with all this without making them worry any more than they probably already have been.


    She had been terrible at hiding her recent stress and, despite the fact that neither her mother nor her father had approached her about it, she knew they had noticed. They were simply the type of parents to give her space until she was ready to come to them with her problems. That was how much they trusted her and she was grateful for that.


    Alexa, on the other hand¡­


    Lilly glanced over her shoulder just as the front doors of the building were pushed open and her older sister walked outside, carrying her own suitcase. They were only going for the weekend, yet the case looked packed enough to last her until summer. Lilly smiled softly as the girl walked up to stand beside her, though she wasn¡¯t smiling at all. Instead, she looked pale and tense, with her lips drawn tightly.


    ¡°Are you sure I shouldn¡¯t just stay here with you, Lil¡¯?¡± she whispered. ¡°I mean, how can I leave you here alone with these¡­people coming after you? If I told Mom and Dad I was feeling sick, I think they would¡ª¡±


    ¡°Alexa,¡± Lilly interrupted, forcing as comforting of a smile to her face as she could. ¡°It¡¯s okay. This is for the best, you know? We¡¯ve already talked about this plenty of times and you know as well as I do that you should get out of town until this is all over. If you aren¡¯t here, Nigreos and Album can¡¯t use you against me. The same goes for Mom and Dad.¡±


    Her older sister grit her teeth and scoffed. ¡°You say that, but how are you guys going to stop this? A girl died, Lilly¡­and apparently others have, too. What would I do with myself if something happened to you while I was gone?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d live your life,¡± Lilly replied. ¡°With any luck, if we fail to stop them, then I¡¯ll be erased and you and our parents can go on living without ever knowing you lost anybody. To you, nothing will have changed.¡±


    Alexa shook her head. ¡°But I don''t want that,¡± she snapped. ¡°I don¡¯t want to forget you. You¡¯re my little sister¡­my only sister. There¡¯s no way I¡¯d ever really forget you. No matter what magic they used on me, I¡¯d always know I lost something important to me. So I¡­¡±


    Tears were forming in her eyes and Lilly could tell that she was trying to fight them back so as to avoid their parents realizing anything was wrong. The reason both Lilly and Eric had urged Alexa to still go north was to make sure they were all safe. While they weren¡¯t yet sure how they were going to fight Nigreos and Album, Eric wanted to take advantage of the Harpers¡¯ absence. With them safe in Alden, Eric would be free to come and go from her apartment as he pleased. In addition, the other club members could hide out there and they could collectively keep an eye on Natalie. The little girl was their top priority at that point. No matter what, Lilly refused to allow Natalie to suffer because of them.


    So we need to defeat Nigreos and Album. This weekend will be our last chance. If we succeed, then Natalie and the others will be safe, and if we die¡­ She internally grimaced. Well, then at least Nigreos and Album will leave and Wilham can be safe again. Even if we aren¡¯t in it.


    Lilly leaned forward and wrapped her arms around the girl, pulling her into a hug. ¡°I love you, Sis. I know we¡¯ve butted heads in the past, but no matter what, I will never stop loving you. You¡¯re my only sister, too, and I don¡¯t want anything happening to you. You never touched the stone so you shouldn¡¯t have to be involved.¡±


    ¡°But, Lilly, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Go to Alden,¡± she went on. ¡°See your future college. Think about all the fun you¡¯re going to have there next year. And when you come back, Nigreos and Album will be gone one way or another. We¡¯ll do our best to survive. I promise.¡±


    Alexa weakly nodded and despite the fact that she wasn¡¯t yet crying, Lilly could feel her shaking.


    ¡°Alrighty, Lexi, you ready to go?¡± their father called from the street.


    Alexa took a deep breath and pulled away, her eyes only slightly red. She then faked a cheerful smile and turned back toward him. ¡°Yup, I¡¯m ready, Dad! Let¡¯s get going!¡±


    ¡°Goodbye, Alexa,¡± Lilly said, soft enough that only she would hear. ¡°I¡¯ll see you when you get home.¡±


    Without turning back around, she replied, ¡°See you, Lil¡¯. Be safe.¡±


    As Alexa hurried over to deposit her suitcase in the trunk of the car, Lilly approached where her mother and father were standing, looking at the man¡¯s phone as they most likely tried to set up their GPS to give them directions to Alden. When they noticed her approach, her father grinned slyly.


    ¡°You know, you¡¯re gonna be missing out, Sweetie,¡± he teased. ¡°Alden is really pretty this time of year.¡±


    Lilly shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°I¡¯m sure it is, Dad. However, with school ending in about a month, I¡¯ve just got so much on my plate. I¡¯m way too tired to do a six hour trip just to see some boring old college.¡±


    ¡°Well, suit yourself,¡± he replied. ¡°But we¡¯ll be sending you lots of pictures to make you jealous.¡±


    ¡°Try me, Dad,¡± she retorted, folding her arms across her chest and eyeing him with a grin. ¡°I¡¯m way too stubborn to get jealous over something like this. Trust me, I¡¯ll be perfectly happy having the apartment to myself and Natalie.¡±


    ¡°Well, just be safe,¡± her mother piped in. ¡°And don¡¯t go out after dark, okay? It¡¯s not safe these days.¡±


    Her father chuckled. ¡°And when you secretly throw that wild party with all of your friends, just try not to trash the place too much, you hear? And absolutely no boys, you got me? Even though Mr. Reiner seems like a respectable man, I still won¡¯t trust him alone with my daughter. Teenage boys can be animals, you know?¡±


    Lilly snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad. While I¡¯ll probably have Eric over, Liz and Damien will be there, too. There¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡±


    ¡°Two boys?!¡± he exclaimed.


    Beside him, Lilly¡¯s mom laughed. ¡°Lay off her, Dear. If Lilly wants to have friends over, that¡¯s no problem.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s my little girl, Nora!¡± he whined in a joking fashion. ¡°It¡¯s my job to keep all the nasty boys from touching her!¡±


    As Lilly interacted with them, she silently prayed that it wouldn¡¯t be the last time. When they drove away, it would fall to her and the club to do something about Nigreos and Album, or else this would really be the end. So, continuing to keep herself composed, Lilly stepped forward and put her arms around them.


    ¡°Get going, guys. You¡¯ve got a long drive ahead of you,¡± she said.


    They embraced her back and she enjoyed the comforting warmth of their bodies.


    ¡°I love you guys,¡± she continued. ¡°Drive safely.¡±


    Her father grinned and chuckled. ¡°Yeah, you, too, Sweetie.¡±


    ¡°We love you, too,¡± her mom added.


    With their goodbyes said, Lilly stepped back and stood by the apartment building¡¯s front door, watching as her parents got into the front seats of the car. Behind them, she could see Alexa sitting in the backseat, staring back at her with a pained expression. Lilly weakly waved goodbye to her one last time and she returned it before their father started up the engine and drove off down the road. Once the car was out of sight, she took a deep breath and removed the barrier that had been holding her emotions in check. Tears began to fall down her cheeks and she put her face in her hands as she cried.


    I hope I see them again. I don¡¯t want this to be the end!


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay, Lilly.¡±


    When she heard the comforting voice, she glanced to her left, but wasn¡¯t able to see the boy who spoke, though she had already long since sensed his presence. When the distortion spell engulfed her, Eric, Liz, and Damien all came into view, as well as Alice, who was sitting in a wheelchair that her boyfriend was pushing, her eyes slightly dazed.


    He quickly let go of the handles and walked over to hug her, placing his hand on the back of her head as he rested it on his shoulder. She took that moment to cry, knowing that from there out, she wouldn¡¯t have the chance again. If they wanted to survive, then they needed to be at the top of their game.


    The end was coming and she wanted to be ready for it.


    ***


    Eric kept the distortion spell concealing them as they moved through the lobby and into the elevator and Lilly could see Mr. Alberts, the receptionist, staring at the door in surprise as, from his perspective, it merely opened on its own. However, the man was the only other person in the lobby and he never made any move to check it out, probably assuming it was due to the wind. Once they were safely in the elevator, her boyfriend dropped the spell. The only reason he had put it up in the first place was to avoid anybody seeing Alice since, as far as the rest of the town was aware, she was still missing. When they arrived on Lilly¡¯s floor, she led them to her apartment and went inside where Natalie was sitting quietly on the couch, an earbud in that was probably playing one of her audiobooks. However, when they entered, she quickly took it out and sat up straighter.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Lilly!¡± she cheered, but then quickly frowned in confusion. ¡°And other people? Did everybody else come back or¡­?¡±


    ¡°Uh, no,¡± Lilly replied. ¡°Actually, the club decided to stop by to visit for a while.¡±


    Knowing that, at all costs, they needed to prevent Natalie from finding out they were in danger, Liz was quick to hurry forward and take a seat on the spot beside the little girl.


    ¡°Natalie!¡± she exclaimed cheerfully. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again!¡±


    Natalie smiled, throwing her arms around the other girl for a hug. ¡°Liz! Oh, then is Eric here, too?! And that other boy I met at the festival? What was his name?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Damien,¡± he replied. ¡°And yes, Eric and I are both here, as well. We¡¯re gonna hang out with you guys for the day. Is that okay with you?¡±


    She nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Yeah, of course! I¡¯ve wanted to hang out with you guys again since we went to the pier! And don¡¯t worry! Your secret is safe with me! I haven¡¯t told anybody! Not even Mom!¡±


    Their smiles were strained as she brought up the magic stone, though Natalie was oblivious to their reactions. Lilly could already see Eric glancing around the apartment, almost as if he feared Nigreos and Album would just suddenly appear out of thin air. She knew he would be on alert for the entire night as there was every possibility that they could be attacked. After all, every remaining target of the Ijirians was in that room and as risky as that was, it was what the club had decided was the best decision.


    With Wright, Brooks, and Rina gone, Eric had been insistent that they do something to better protect those that were left and, with Natalie staying at Lilly¡¯s for the weekend, they had decided that the only way Eric could protect them all was if they were together. Thus far, Nigreos and Album had only made their moves when they were in small groups and this last time, Eric hadn¡¯t even known that anything was happening. So, he proposed that they move Alice to Lilly¡¯s apartment and the six of them stay the night until Sunday. That way, if the Masters did go after anybody then Eric would be there no matter what. Damien had expressed his worries that gathering them all together would only make them an easier target, but Eric had stated that it was a risk they had to take. The only person with any chance of defending themselves was him, so they all needed to be close enough to him for safety.


    And on the bright side, they haven¡¯t attempted to break into anybody¡¯s house yet, Lilly thought. They¡¯ve only attacked us where the average civilians wouldn¡¯t see. So hopefully, even if they know we¡¯re here, they won¡¯t come after us yet.


    ¡°By the way, Nat¡¯,¡± Lilly said, interrupting the cheerful conversation that had begun between her, Damien and Liz. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve introduced you yet, but we¡¯ve brought along another friend of ours. This is Alice.¡±


    She omitted her last name for fear that Natalie might have heard the news about her disappearance and, when the little girl turned their way and grinned, she knew she wasn¡¯t suspecting anything.


    ¡°Oh cool! I¡¯m Natalie! Nice to meet you, Alice!¡± she introduced.


    Alice didn¡¯t smile nor did she even really react. She merely responded with a soft, ¡°Nice to meet you, too, Natalie.¡±


    Lilly could tell that Natalie had picked up on Alice¡¯s melancholic tone, so she hurriedly went to change the subject.


    ¡°Anyway, why don¡¯t I get some breakfast going? What does everybody want?¡±


    With that, she was successful in diverting attention away from Alice and was able to start their day. Despite their constant fear that the Masters could come after them, Lilly, Liz, and Damien managed to put on enough of a front so that Natalie didn¡¯t pick up on anything. After they made a breakfast of pancakes, which were weirdly shaped since none of them were very proficient with a grill, the day went on without incident. They played cards with Natalie¡¯s deck, which had brail in the top corners so she knew which card was which. Although, it was just the four of them that really got into it. Eric played with them, but he was constantly looking over his shoulder and only seemed to be half paying attention. As for Alice, she parked the wheelchair in the corner of the room and went to sleep, not bothering to play any games.


    Lilly was still really worried about her, but she knew there wasn¡¯t much she could do. Whatever Nigreos and Album did to her had her truly believing that they should give up and welcome erasure. No matter how many times she or Eric tried to convince her otherwise, Alice wouldn¡¯t budge on the matter. She continued to beg them to give her up to the Masters and, of course, they refused, causing their relationship with her to become strained.


    Although, now we¡¯re not even certain how much of what they said to her was a lie.


    The day after she spoke with Alice, Damien and Liz came to her and told her about their theory that the erased victims might not be dead. Liz talked all about how Rina still had yet to be erased and how that could mean that once somebody was dead, they can¡¯t be erased.


    And what they said lines up with what Alice was saying. Is it possible that there¡¯s some place¡ªsome parallel realm¡ªwhere these people have been sent to? I mean, while it sounds too good to be true, it¡¯s not like I can completely discount it.


    However, even if Damien and Liz were right, she still didn¡¯t think it mattered.


    After all, their theory is that the only way to break them out is to kill the Masters¡­and I¡¯m not sure we would be able to do that. Even Eric doesn''t think he can kill them.


    They had told Eric as well and, while he hadn¡¯t seemed to fully believe in the theory, he had said that he would do his best to look into it. She knew he was also desperate for some string of hope that might be able to return those they lost to them.


    But even if they¡¯re right, that won¡¯t bring Rina back. Even if we somehow beat Nigreos and Album, we¡¯ll never be able to truly say we won. Somebody was killed whether the theory is true or not.


    The day continued to pass on and they did their best to keep Natalie entertained and happy. Soon enough, night had fallen and dinnertime had arrived. Liz offered to make them some pasta and Damien joined her, leaving Eric sitting on the couch with Natalie as he helped her with her homework.


    ¡°So what you¡¯ll want to do is to make sure that whatever you do to the left, you do to the right,¡± he was saying. ¡°So for example, if you divide the right by ¡®two X¡¯ then you have to divide the left by ¡®two X¡¯. Does that make sense?¡±


    Natalie nodded. ¡°Yeah, I think I get it. So then, for ¡®two X squared¡¯, I would square root both sides, right?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Eric replied.


    She grimaced. ¡°I need a calculator then. I don¡¯t think the square root of seventeen is a nice number.¡±


    Lilly watched them with a faint smile, enjoying the sight of the little girl working on her homework. It reminded her of the simpler days that, despite having only been a mere three weeks ago, felt like they were years in the past. So much had happened in so small a time period that it almost felt as if April was never ending. She sighed, then glanced over her shoulder to where Alice still hadn¡¯t moved from her spot by the glass doors. The girl was no longer sleeping, instead staring out the window at the darkened balcony. Coming to a decision, she softly excused herself and got up from the couch.


    ¡°Hey, Alice?¡± she asked quietly. ¡°Can we talk outside for a moment?¡±


    Her friend glanced back at her with a disinterested expression then simply shrugged. ¡°I guess so.¡±


    Lilly whispered her thanks, then opened the balcony doors and pushed the wheelchair outside before closing them behind her. She wanted privacy so they could talk without Natalie hearing. She hadn¡¯t had a chance to see Alice since Monday and, after hearing Damien and Liz¡¯s theory, she decided she wanted to talk about the supposed ¡°paradise¡± once again. The night air was cold and there was a light sprinkle of rain, but the overhead cover prevented any of it from reaching the balcony. The only illumination came from the porchlight and the streetlights below. Up above, the moon and the stars were hidden behind a thick layer of clouds.


    ¡°It¡¯s cold so be quick,¡± Alice murmured. ¡°And if this is about fighting the Ijirians again then¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Lilly quickly interrupted. ¡°Actually, I wanted to ask you about paradise.¡±


    The other girl narrowed her eyes in suspicion. ¡°Why? What does it matter to you anymore? You think I¡¯m lying, right? You think they drove me crazy.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± she snapped firmly. ¡°Look, Alice, I know this is hard, but I need your help. You¡¯ve been through a lot and right now, you¡¯re the only person who has the information I need. So please, I¡¯m begging you to just help me.¡±


    Alice clenched her teeth and Lilly expected her to push back again, but after a moment, her features softened a glimpse of the old her came through. ¡°What do you need, Lilly?¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°Look, I¡¯m not sure how much you¡¯ve talked to them, but Damien and Liz believe you, at least to a certain extent. They¡¯re aware of the possibility that those who are erased are still alive, just in another plane of existence¡­and if they¡¯re still alive, then they can find their way back out.¡±


    Alice nodded. ¡°Well Damien and Liz are right. Nigreos and Album erased me to send me there¡­and I saw Vinny¡­ I spoke to him. I already told you that. And then, once they were done, they pulled me out. I know their theory is right because I¡¯ve lived it. As far as I can tell, Album can put people inside and bring them back at will.¡±


    While that was already Lilly¡¯s understanding of what happened to her, it was good to have it confirmed. ¡°Okay, so then¡­what I want to ask is whether you know of any way that one could potentially use to break out from the inside?¡±


    That was what she was after. As everything currently stood, it was very likely that more of them could get erased, so Lilly wanted to be prepared for that possibility. If she wound up erased, she wanted to have a plan of action that could potentially enable her to break out somehow. After all, she couldn¡¯t kill Album or Nigreos from the inside so she would need another method.


    But to her disappointment, Alice shook her head.


    ¡°No,¡± she whispered. ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything. That world was indistinguishable from ours. It was Wilham, but happier. It didn¡¯t have the suffering that this place has. It¡¯s why I keep telling you to give yourself up to them. Vinny¡¯s there¡­and now Jay is, too. And Audrey and Rina will be there also. I know you¡¯d love it, Lilly. And I could introduce you to Audrey. I always thought you guys were similar so I¡¯m sure you¡¯d get along great.¡±


    Lilly sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alice, but I can¡¯t give up yet. I just wanted to know as a potential failsafe in case we do lose.¡±


    ¡°You will,¡± the girl said without hesitation. ¡°You can¡¯t win. It¡¯s not possible.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t seen what Eric can do,¡± she retorted with a sharper tone than she intended. ¡°He might not have faith in himself, but I have faith in him. I¡¯ve seen his magic in action and I believe that he can beat them.¡±


    Alice snorted. ¡°But you haven¡¯t seen them in action. Eric might have survived an encounter with them once, but that¡¯s it. He was lucky and that luck is going to run out.¡±


    ¡°Alice¡­¡±


    ¡°Look at me!¡± she snarled, causing Lilly to step back in surprise.


    Clenching her teeth, Alice slowly pushed herself out of the wheelchair before using the railing of the balcony to steady herself on her one foot. Lilly moved to help her but one furious look caused her to hesitate.


    ¡°Look at my leg, Lilly,¡± she growled as she propped herself up. ¡°They cut it off without even trying. They cut it off with a shadow¡­a damn shadow.¡± Her arms were shaking but she held firm. ¡°You weren¡¯t at the diner. You didn¡¯t see them butcher my friend without a care in the world or when they erased Vinny before my very eyes. The sight of him bursting into dust and Monica collapsing to the ground in a puddle of her own blood are seared into my head. They tortured me! They crippled me and I was powerless to stop them. You don¡¯t know them, Lilly! Until you¡¯ve seen them for yourself, you won¡¯t know! Look at my leg!¡±


    Swallowing nervously, Lilly looked down at Alice¡¯s right leg, everything below the knee completely gone.


    ¡°But I have both my legs there,¡± she went on meekly. ¡°I¡¯m whole in paradise. Which is why I want to go. So please¡­let them win.¡±


    She could hear the desperation in Alice¡¯s voice and she knew she wasn¡¯t exaggerating. Yet, even knowing that everything she said about Nigreos and Album was true, she still couldn¡¯t back down. As she thought back on her parents and Alexa, people she loved and wanted to see again, she found her resolve to reject Alice¡¯s request.


    ¡°No,¡± she said firmly. ¡°I will not let them win. I¡¯ll keep fighting them until they¡¯re gone¡­or I¡¯m dead.¡±


    The moment the final word left her lips, the porchlight suddenly went out, leaving them standing on the balcony in darkness. Lilly frowned, glancing back over her shoulder to find that not only was the porchlight off but the lights inside the apartment were, too.


    What happened? Why did the power go out?


    But the moment she asked herself that question, she realized that this wasn¡¯t the first time something like this had happened. As the memories of that monster pursuing her through the halls of the school came back to her with a vengeance, her body went cold. And then, a sudden and bright light erupted behind her. She quickly spun back around, facing the spot where her friend had just been standing, only for her eyes to go wide as the flash of light dimmed enough to give her a view of the sight before her. Album Luz was crouching on the railing, her left hand shoved through Alice¡¯s chest as blood dripped from her pale fingers.


    ¡°No,¡± Lilly uttered. ¡°No, please¡­¡±


    ¡°Erasurei,¡± Album whispered.


    Time seemed to slow as Lilly gaped at the woman before her. Despite having never seen her in person, there was no question as to who she was. The Ijirians had found them and were making their move, just as they all knew they would. She wanted to sprint over and save Alice, but her instincts told her that if she did so then she would be running to her death, and in that brief second of consideration, she managed to stay rooted to the spot.


    ¡°Enjoy paradise, Mendez,¡± Album said softly, then, despite her rather small build, used her strength to wrench Alice into the air and fling her over the side of the balcony.


    ¡°ALICE!¡± she shrieked, but it was no use.


    She could only watch powerlessly as Alice Mendez toppled over the railing, her body already beginning to fade into dust. Yet, she also couldn¡¯t miss the relieved smile that the girl had just before she disappeared over the side.


    Wait¡­what just happened? Why is Album here? Why now? I don¡¯t understand!


    ¡°And so, Alice Mendez is gone,¡± the Master of Light said as she dropped onto the balcony. ¡°And it¡¯s nice to finally meet you, Lilly Harper.¡±


    Lilly never even got the chance to reply before the sliding glass door behind her suddenly exploded in a spray of shards.

 Chapter 38- The Last Stand Of The Magic Club

    Chapter XXXVIII


    As the spray of glass shards scattered across the balcony, Eric used his wind magic to keep any of them from hitting Lilly as he landed firmly between her and Album, his arms outstretched with power surging around them. He knew what was happening the moment the power went out and, when he heard Lilly¡¯s scream, he hurriedly barked a few orders to Damien and Liz before launching himself through the sliding glass doors. Had the situation not been so urgent, he wouldn¡¯t have smashed through them, but he didn¡¯t have time to open them, so he told himself he would fix it if he survived this encounter. His breathing was ragged as he eyed the woman in white standing just before him. He was determined not to let her get anywhere near Lilly or the others, but as he quickly took in his surroundings, he realized that Nigreos wasn¡¯t present. He was about to demand where the Master of Darkness was when he realized something else¡ªsomething far more terrifying.


    Alice Mendez, despite having just gone out to the balcony to talk with Lilly, wasn¡¯t there.


    ¡°Glad you could join us, Reiner,¡± Album said with a cocky smirk. ¡°And luckily for you, this should be our last encounter. We¡¯ll be finishing this tonight.¡±


    He clenched his teeth, praying that Lilly would turn and run away, but she never moved from her spot behind him. He kept glancing around for Nigreos, knowing that the man would have to be out there somewhere, but Album¡¯s next words caused him to exhale sharply.


    ¡°Oh don¡¯t worry,¡± she went on. ¡°Nigreos will be here soon enough¡­once he¡¯s finished dealing with Clark, Tao, and Hill.¡±


    No! He¡¯s going after them?!


    His immediate instinct was to turn and run, but he forced himself to refrain from acting irrationally, knowing he couldn¡¯t just abandon Lilly to Album.


    But if I stay here then I¡¯m leaving the others to face Nigreos!


    ¡°So you have a choice,¡± the Master of Light stated. ¡°I can¡¯t harm you with my magic and thus, as long as you place your body between myself and Harper, she is safe. But if you stay here, the rest of your friends will be finished. So, are you going to move and give me the chance to erase Harper, or are you going to let the others die?¡±


    What should I do?! What the hell do I do?! I thought gathering everybody here would make it easier to protect them! But now¡­ I can¡¯t be at two places at once! Damien, Liz, Natalie!


    He swallowed, the images of all those he had lost flashing across his mind. Vinny, Brad, Jay, Rina, and even Evan. He¡¯d already failed so many people and now, he was being told that he had to choose between those that remained. His first instinct was to go after and protect the larger number of people, but by doing that, he would be allowing Album to kill Lilly and he couldn¡¯t accept that either.


    ¡°Make your decision, Reiner,¡± Album pressed when he remained silent. ¡°The clock is ticking¡­and you¡¯ve already failed Alice Mendez. She got the paradise she so wanted.¡±


    He already knew. When he arrived on that balcony and saw Album instead of Alice, he knew that she was gone. He knew that another person had been lost to erasure, yet hearing it directly from Album¡¯s mouth was somehow all it took to make it feel real. Anger boiled up inside of him. As he looked at the smug woman before him, he felt such passionate hatred that if he was given the chance, he knew he could kill her without hesitation.


    ¡°Eric, I¡¯m being serious! I actually think Alice might be right! What if they¡¯re all alive?! What if, by killing Album and Nigreos, we can somehow bring them back?!¡±


    Liz¡¯s words from earlier in the week came back to him and in that moment, he prayed with all his heart that they were true.


    I know it¡¯s unlikely! I know this world of magic is far too cruel for that to be the case, but I want to believe I can save them! I want to believe something can be done to bring everybody back¡­ So then¡­ He grit his teeth. Maybe the only way to save both Lilly and the others would be to beat the shit out of Album Luz right here and now!


    ¡°You¡¯re not as talkative as you often are,¡± Album mused. ¡°But I suppose that¡¯s fine. Take your time and think.¡±


    He took a deep breath, wanting to test one thing before he acted. ¡°Tell me. The ones you erased aren¡¯t dead, are they? They¡¯re alive?¡±


    She smirked. ¡°They are. We¡¯ve been telling you that since the very beginning, haven¡¯t we? They¡¯re merely somewhere else¡­in another plane of existence.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± he growled. ¡°And I don¡¯t imagine you¡¯d let them go?¡±


    Album cocked an eyebrow. ¡°There isn¡¯t a thing you could do to make me release anybody. They will be remaining in that realm for the rest of their lives, and soon enough, the rest of your friends will join them.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± He clenched his fists. ¡°So be it then. If you won¡¯t let them out, then I¡¯ll make you.¡± Then, just as Album seemed to be growing even smugger, he shouted, ¡°Proto!¡±


    The Master of Light¡¯s eyes went wide as he launched from his spot in front of Lilly and toward her, but just as he predicted, she jumped at the opening he had made. Album¡¯s body turned into a bright light as she flashed across the balcony and toward where Lilly was standing. But that was what he hoped she would do. The moment he made his move, he used magic to push himself back, revealing his feint, just as Album reached out for his girlfriend. And the moment her arm of light touched his chest, his mother¡¯s voice echoed through his mind.


    I¡¯ll always be there for you, Eric. I promise I¡¯ll never abandon you.


    As if Album had deactivated the spell, her body instantly regained its physical form, her eyes going wide as his mother¡¯s protection defended him. She immediately pulled her hand away, but the damage was already done. The tips of her fingers on her left hand had seemingly been severed, blood spewing from the wounds.


    You didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be stupid enough to give you that opening, did you?!


    Yet, he knew she did. Every time he spoke with them, he realized just how arrogant Nigreos and Album were. They looked down upon them, saw themselves as superior, and while that may be true in many ways, their arrogance was their weakness and he planned to take full advantage of that.


    ¡°Proto!¡±


    As Album frantically tried to put distance between them, Eric lunged forward, grabbing her by the neck and slamming her body against the railing of the balcony, using wind magic to enhance his strength. However, he put far more magic into the attack, and the force was strong enough to shatter the wooden barrier, sending both of them hurtling over the side and toward the empty street below them. Frantically releasing his hold on the woman, he called out, ¡°Ventus!¡±, causing his fall to slow enough that he was able to land gracefully on the road in front of the apartment building. Across from him, Album used her magic to once again turn her body into light, lessening the impact of her fall. However, it didn¡¯t completely negate it and, when her back hit the concrete, the spell deactivated and she cried out in pain.


    ¡°Eric!¡±


    He heard Lilly¡¯s shout from up on the balcony, but he ignored her, his sights set solely on Album Luz. If he gave her even a second, she would turn back into a being of light and, at that speed, he would never be able to catch her again. He couldn¡¯t allow her to slip through his fingers. He was going to kill her right then and there, and hopefully that would be enough to bring down the supposed paradise.


    He shouted his incantation and launched himself toward her just as she was pushing herself to his feet. Eric used his wind magic to put more force into his right foot as he sent a kick right into her side, sending the woman flying like a ragdoll into the lamppost across the street. Never once breaking his stride, he darted across the road to where she sat, stunned, and sent his fist right into her nose. The audible crack was one of the most satisfying feelings he¡¯d had in a long time.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± he snarled, slamming his fist into her face again, this time against her cheek. ¡°How dare you look down on me! How dare you try to take everything away from me! Bring them back! Bring them back, god damn it!¡±


    I¡¯m going to kill her! I¡¯m going to fucking kill her for this!


    Every time he punched her, he saw images of those she¡¯d taken from him. He recalled Rina¡¯s corpse sitting slumped on the side of the road. He thought about how he felt when the club forgot about Vinny, and when he saw what they did to Jay. They were evil pieces of shit and he was going to make them regret ever coming to Wilham.


    ¡°Luminetta,¡± Album rasped before he could get another punch in, and seconds later, a beam of light slammed into his chest, knocking him backwards.


    Don¡¯t worry, Eric. I¡¯m still by your side.


    The beam dissipated and Album cried out in pain, the bone in her left hand sounding like it must have snapped. Her face was swollen and bloody, and the look of fury in her eyes made him smile with satisfaction.


    ¡°Look who¡¯s powerless now!¡± he roared. ¡°You can¡¯t do a damn thing to me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­¡± she breathed.


    But before she could get another word out, he raised his hand and snarled, ¡°Perkari!¡±


    A blade of wind burst from his fingers and cleaved through her right elbow, blasting her limp arm off and sending it flying onto the road in a spray of blood. She shouted out in pain and, having learned from his last mistake, he sent a burst of flame toward the severed hand, setting it alight and charring it to ash.


    ¡°That was for Vinny,¡± he breathed.


    Album stared at it in horror, seemingly barely keeping herself from screaming, right before he sent a wind-powered kick into the side of her head, knocking her to the concrete. He rushed forward and pressed his foot against the side of her head, then brought his mana to his toes, knowing it would give him the strength to crush her skull beneath him if he chose to.


    ¡°Bring them back!¡± he demanded. ¡°Release them from wherever they are and then leave here! Because if you don¡¯t I will kill you!¡±


    For the first time since they met a little over a week ago, he saw fear in her eyes and he knew that she realized he wasn¡¯t bluffing. He was prepared to kill her for everything she and Nigreos had done. He reveled in her fear and was happy to drag her down to his level.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have underestimated me,¡± he growled.


    For a second, he saw that fear remained in her black gaze, but her pride must have overtaken it because she forced a defiant smile. ¡°Underestimated you?¡± she uttered. ¡°You were only able to do this because of your mother¡¯s damn protection. There¡¯s nothing special about you.¡±


    He increased the pressure on her head and saw her wince in pain.


    ¡°Let them go!¡± he ordered yet again.


    ¡°You can¡¯t¡­kill me,¡± Album spat, blood dripping from her mouth. ¡°Killing me¡­won''t bring your friends¡­back.¡±


    He snorted. ¡°Is that so? Well why don¡¯t we see about that¡ª¡±


    ¡°Let her go, Reiner!¡±


    He froze and when he turned his head to stare back over his shoulders, he saw Nigreos Noctis standing a few yards away with Lilly right beside him, shadows twisting around her body.


    ¡°Let her go,¡± the Master of Darkness repeated. ¡°Or I¡¯ll kill Harper.¡±


    At that moment, Eric didn¡¯t know what he was supposed to do. On one hand, he had Album Luz under his foot, at his mercy, but on the other, Lilly was once again in danger. With Nigreos¡¯s shadows surrounding her, he knew the Master wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill her on the spot. He might prefer to erase them all, but with his partner at risk, Eric couldn¡¯t put it past him to kill Lilly if it meant saving Album.


    And they¡¯ve already killed Rina. I know he¡¯ll make good on his threat if I don¡¯t act now.


    Yet, he knew that if he released the Master of Light, he would be losing his only chance at killing one of them and potentially bringing everybody back. Album had been responsible for so much of his loss and he wanted to believe that her death would solve everything¡ªto undo what she had done.


    But¡­is victory really worth Lilly¡¯s life?! Of course not! I swore I¡¯d protect her! I can¡¯t let her die! I can¡¯t let Nigreos take her away from me! He¡¯s already killed my mother! I won¡¯t let him kill my girlfriend, too!


    ¡°Release her first,¡± Eric spat. ¡°Otherwise, we don¡¯t have a deal.¡±


    Nigreos narrowed his eyes. ¡°Oh really? And if I let Harper go first, what¡¯s preventing you from killing Album?¡±


    ¡°If I release Album, there¡¯s nothing preventing you from killing Lilly,¡± he retorted.


    He could see the unbridled fear in Lilly¡¯s eyes as she watched them, and he could tell that she knew just how at risk she was. Nigreos could rip her apart with a flick of his wrist and her life would be snuffed out. Of course, if he did kill her then Eric wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill Album without mercy. From there, he would do everything in his power to kill Nigreos where he stood. If Lilly died, he would ensure that neither of those Masters ever found their way back to Ijiria. He would protect what little remained of his life with everything he had.


    ¡°I¡¯m not moving, Nigreos!¡± he snarled. ¡°Release Lilly and I swear on my mother¡¯s name that I¡¯ll let Album go! Just don¡¯t harm her any more than you already have!¡±


    He increased the pressure he was putting on Album¡¯s head to show the Master what he was willing to do. As he briefly glanced around, he found that the streetlights all around them had gone dark and shadow was swirling around, blocking them from the view of any civilians that might have been watching.


    ¡°Fine then,¡± Nigreos snapped. ¡°Have it your way, Reiner.¡±


    Then, he grinned and swung his hand out, commanding the shadows not to release Lilly but to hurl her body through the barrier of shadows and out of sight. Acting purely on instinct, Eric propelled himself from where Album stood and shot himself through the shadows, emerging on the darkened road beyond. Lilly¡¯s form was heading straight for the concrete so he launched himself below her just before she hit the ground, wrapping his arms around her and catching her. He let out an exhale of relief and he could see her shaking, her skin pale and her eyes wide.


    ¡°Eric,¡± she uttered. ¡°Thank you. I¡­I don¡¯t¡­ I¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he whispered, grateful beyond belief that she was okay. ¡°Now I need you to run. Please, go to my house and hide with my father. Get as far away from here as possible, Lilly, and find some way to contact Damien or Liz. I¡¯ll¡­find some way to fight Nigreos. Album¡¯s already down so it¡¯s just him.¡±


    She weakly shook her head. ¡°N-no¡­Eric, I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Just go!¡± he urged, frantically glancing back at the mass of shadow, terrified that the Master of Darkness was about to make his move. ¡°Please, get out of here! I can¡¯t go all out with you here! I¡¯ll meet you there, okay?¡±


    He could tell that she didn¡¯t want to leave him but, most likely seeing how desperate he was, she stumbled to her feet and nodded.


    ¡°Please,¡± she said. ¡°Be safe.¡±


    He forced a weak smile. ¡°Of course. Now run, please.¡±


    With one last look of fear, Lilly turned and took off running down the road before disappearing into the dark. Content that she would be safe for the moment, he turned around to face the shadow, bringing his wind magic back to his fists just as the man in black stalked out, an annoyed look on his face.


    ¡°You know it¡¯s pointless to have her run,¡± he stated. ¡°We¡¯ll find her eventually.¡±


    Eric scoffed. ¡°Not if I kill you right here.¡±


    Nigreos shrugged. ¡°Sure, if you were capable. But you¡¯re not. You may have beaten Album with your mother¡¯s blood magic, but you won¡¯t beat me. I can assure you of that.¡±


    Well¡­we¡¯ll see about that.


    ¡°Proto!¡±


    ***


    When the lights abruptly shut off, Damien Clark realized that the time had come¡ªNigreos and Album had made their move. Eric jumped to his feet just as they heard Lilly shout out on the balcony and, in that moment, all his old friend did was look back at him and shout, ¡°keep Natalie safe!¡± before he chanted one of his spells and burst through the glass doors. He¡¯d been expecting an attack though he hadn¡¯t thought the Ijirians would go after them while they were in Lilly¡¯s apartment. However, he knew they didn''t have time to hesitate. He could feel the handgun tucked into his belt, concealed beneath his shirt. He¡¯d kept it on him outside of school since Monday and now, he knew he wouldn¡¯t have an option but to use it. He exchanged a quick look with Liz, but the girl was already on her feet.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Natalie cried out in fear. ¡°What was that crash?! Why¡¯s Eric shouting?! Did something break?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll explain later,¡± he replied quickly, reaching out and scooping the small girl up into his arms.


    Her features were panicked and she tried to struggle against him, but Liz hurriedly cut in to calm her down. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Nat¡¯,¡± she assured her. ¡°We just need to run! Something really bad is happening and we need to keep you safe. Just stay with us! Please.¡±


    The girl looked ready to protest again, but she must have heard the desperation and fear in Liz¡¯s voice because all she did was weakly nod.


    ¡°Okay, but¡­what about Lilly and Eric?¡±


    Damien frantically glanced over his shoulder and instantly felt sick to his stomach. He could see a woman in white that he knew was Album Luz standing on the edge of the balcony and ahead of her was Eric and Lilly. He desperately wanted to rush out and help them, but he didn¡¯t want to give Eric somebody else to protect so he knew he didn¡¯t have a choice but to listen to what he told him to do.


    We need to get Natalie to safety!


    ¡°They¡¯ll be fine!¡± Damien said. ¡°But we need to run! Now!¡±


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    He could feel her trembling in his arms and he couldn¡¯t imagine how confused and frightened she must be, especially given how little they actually said. So it was a testament to her trust in Liz and the rest of the club that she simply pressed her head against his shoulder and nodded once more.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she murmured.


    Knowing they had very little time to waste and praying that Eric and Lilly would be safe, Damien and Liz rushed toward the front door and hurriedly threw it open before rushing out into the hallway. The lights in the corridor were off as well and other tenants had already come outside to see what was happening. The minute the three of them rushed outside, an older woman from next door looked their way with obvious concern.


    ¡°I heard a crash. Is everything okay?¡± she asked.


    Liz forced a smile as she closed the door behind them. ¡°Uh, yeah, we¡¯re fine. Don¡¯t worry about us!¡±


    Then, without waiting for her response, they took off running down the hall, ignoring the protests of the neighbors calling after them. Damien knew there was very little chance that they could hide what was happening from them and since they didn¡¯t have the keys, there was nothing stopping Lilly¡¯s neighbors from looking inside and seeing the shattered glass doors.


    Damn it! And they¡¯ve seen our faces! If we do get out of this somehow, I don¡¯t have a damn idea how we¡¯re going to explain all of this! I guess I just have to hope it was too dark for them to make out any details!


    But he knew that was a problem for another time seeing as there wasn¡¯t any certainty that they would even survive the night. Natalie was crying and shaking and he wished he could offer words of comfort, but he could only press forward and pray they would survive.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he whispered to her as they rounded a corner and rushed toward the elevators.


    Yet, they came to an immediate stop, both his and Liz¡¯s eyes going wide as they gaped in terror and the man in black standing just in front of the elevator doors, his form almost seeming to be merging with the shadows that surrounded him. However, the smug grin on his face was clear as day.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to finally meet you,¡± Nigreos called over to them. ¡°You would be Damien Clark and Elizabeth Tao, correct? Ah, and you¡¯ve got Miss Hill with you, too? Excellent.¡±


    ¡°Who is that?¡± Natalie whispered. ¡°Why does he know my name? I don¡¯t recognize that voice.¡±


    Unfortunately, Damien knew he had to ignore her soft questions as he finally found himself facing the Master of Darkness.


    ¡°Liz, keep Natalie behind you,¡± he muttered.


    She looked confused but still did what he asked as he placed the little girl on the ground. Damien then walked forward, putting himself between the two girls and the Ijirian. Nigreos appeared amused as he folded his hands behind his back and regarded him.


    ¡°You¡¯re Nigreos Noctis,¡± Damien said, more a statement than a question.


    The Master smirked. ¡°I am, yes. Glad to see you¡¯ve heard of me as that should make my job easier. You should know how powerful I am and thus, you should know that fighting is pointless. So you might as well come with me peacefully and we can put this whole situation behind us.¡±


    Damien could see the shadows slowly moving along the wall, seeming to slither toward him and the others, so he slid his hand down to where his weapon was concealed. He couldn¡¯t even begin to guess what a weapon of technology would do against magic, but he considered it better than not being armed at all.


    ¡°Put the situation behind us, huh?¡± he replied, never removing his eyes from his opponent. ¡°You mean you¡¯ll get rid of us¡­send us to that paradise place or whatever?¡±


    Nigreos grinned. ¡°Yes, that would be the case. I can indeed have you sent to a place equivalent to a paradise. I should consider myself grateful that Mendez already told you about what we¡¯re doing to you. It might make this all easier.¡±


    Damien frowned, thrown off by the man¡¯s words. ¡°Mendez?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Nigreos looked confused for a moment before a knowing expression appeared on his face. ¡°Ah, so she¡¯s already been dealt with. Good to know.¡±


    Already been dealt with? No! Wait! Don¡¯t tell me we lost somebody else! Was there supposed to be somebody else here?!


    He¡¯d been under the impression that Liz had come up with the theory of a paradise from the bits and pieces of information they¡¯d been able to gather, but was it possible that there was somebody erased that had set them on that train of thought? He didn¡¯t even want to consider what that could mean, but he didn¡¯t want to let it cloud his judgment at such a crucial moment. The shadows were still getting closer.


    I can¡¯t drag this out. I should just act and hope for the best!


    ¡°So, will you at least cooperate with us, Mr. Clark?¡± Nigreos went on. ¡°I assure you that it¡¯ll be less painful for you if you do.¡±


    He subtly wrapped his fingers around the handle of the gun, knowing that failure could mean either dying or finding himself erased. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll cooperate with you,¡± he said simply, then in one swift move, going through the motions he had been practicing since Monday, he flicked off the safety, took the gun in both hands, and pulled the trigger numerous times.


    The sound of gunshots rang through his ears, seemingly echoing throughout the corridor as if the shadows surrounding them were keeping the sound contained within, but despite the sudden ringing, Damien refused to turn his weapon away from the Master of Darkness. However, not a single bullet landed. The shadows on the walls all burst off forward and placed themselves between Damien and Nigreos, stopping the bullets as if the darkness had become solid. It wasn¡¯t what he had hoped for but it was better than nothing.


    ¡°Liz, go!¡± he shouted, spinning around to find that his girlfriend already had Natalie firmly on her back. He could tell she was shocked to see the gun, but she was quick enough to turn and sprint back in the direction they had come.


    ¡°The stairs, right?¡± she breathed and Damien nodded.


    But of course, he knew it wasn¡¯t going to be as simple as running.


    ¡°Why do you all have to fight back?!¡± Nigreos roared from behind them, and within seconds, the darkness of the hallways seemed to take a solid shape as they burst toward them, seeming to go specifically toward their legs.


    Damien quickly turned the gun toward them and fired off a few more shots, hoping that if the shadows had become solid then he might be able to deal at least some damage. Unfortunately, while it did stop the darkness for a moment, it didn¡¯t cause them to disappear. Cursing the indomitable power before him, he rounded the corner with Liz and Natalie at his side and he knew the stairwell had to be close by. Natalie was crying and he was certain the gunshots only terrified her more than she probably already was. Damien knew they wouldn¡¯t be able to outrun the darkness and reach the stairs in time, but without any warning, the tendrils suddenly vanished and the shadows around them returned to their normal state.


    What the hell just happened?! Why did they stop all of a sudden?!


    ¡°It¡¯s up ahead,¡± Liz called out, making a b-line for a door off to their left.


    Damien picked up his pace and wrenched the door open. Once he was certain neither of the Masters were waiting within, he beckoned Liz to follow after him, then hurriedly closed the door.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move yet,¡± he quickly said, taking heavy breaths as he tried to calm himself. ¡°Nigreos could be waiting for us down at the bottom. For the moment, it might be safer here. At the very least, we can take this chance to come up with a plan.¡±


    ¡°Guys¡­what¡¯s going on?¡± Natalie managed to ask between sobs. ¡°Why are there gunshots? Who was that man? I¡¯m scared.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay,¡± Liz quickly whispered in another attempt at comfort. ¡°I promise.¡±


    The bespectacled girl then glanced over at Damien and eyed the gun still clutched in his hands.


    ¡°Borrowed it from my dad,¡± he answered the unspoken question. ¡°I wanted to have at least something to defend us with, not like it did all that much, though.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I figured that much,¡± she murmured, though she still looked slightly scared by it. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    He could hear a commotion taking place on the other side of the door. Between the power outage and the gunshots, he couldn¡¯t begin to guess what the apartment¡¯s other tenants were now thinking.


    And if anybody discovers the mess in the Harpers¡¯ apartment, then when the police arrive, they¡¯re going to want to talk to Lilly. At this point, I don¡¯t have a damn clue how we¡¯re going to explain away any of this. It¡¯s not like we can tell the cops that some magic wielding maniacs are trying to erase us from existence.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go,¡± he muttered. ¡°Hand Natalie over to me and let¡¯s see if we can get out of here.¡±


    Liz obliged, passing the crying girl over to him so he could hold her firmly on his back. To her credit, as terrified as she seemed, she still latched onto him and held on tight, confirming that she was relying on them to protect her. He kept his gun held in his hands, ready to fire at anything that attacked them. Damien clenched his teeth, then rushed down the stairs with his girlfriend at his side. He went fast but made sure he didn¡¯t lose his footing in the darkened stairwell, all the while waiting for Nigreos, or even Album, to make an appearance, but to his relief, they made it to the first floor without incident. He quietly peeked out into the hallway beyond the door and found he could hear people talking off in the direction of the lobby. They sounded scared and frantic.


    We can¡¯t chance going out the front. I don¡¯t want anybody to see us again.


    Instead of heading for the front doors in the lobby, he motioned for Liz to follow him toward the exit in the back of the building that he knew would lead to a less populated alleyway. As they moved swiftly through the hall, he continued to fear that he¡¯d either run into another tenant or one of the Ijirians, but yet again, they reached the backdoor without an encounter.


    ¡°We¡¯ll head to my place,¡± he whispered as he reached for the doorknob. ¡°Hopefully we can be safe there until we get ahold of Eric.¡±


    Liz nodded, her body shaking as she nervously glanced over their shoulder. ¡°Okay, yeah. Sure.¡±


    Content that they now had a plan to follow, he gently pulled open the door and poked his head out, only for it to fling open further by itself. He cried out in surprise and went to step back, but before he could react, he grunted in pain as something was shoved straight through his chest. But he didn¡¯t have the chance to look down, his eyes already locked on the bruised and bloody face right in front of him¡ªthe face of a woman he knew was Album Luz.


    ¡°You lose,¡± she wheezed.


    ¡°Damien!¡± he heard Liz exclaim. ¡°Natalie!¡±


    Album wrenched her hand free, sending his blood spurting from the wound as she regarded him with hatred and malice. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to speak as the shock and pain brought him to one of his knees. He knew he had to get up and run, if not for his sake then for Natalie and Liz¡¯s, but the sudden pain overwhelmed him. He wanted to raise the gun and fire off a few shots at Album, but his vision was already turning hazy and weak.


    And it was then that he realized he wasn¡¯t the only one gasping for air. Behind him, Natalie¡¯s breathing had become ragged and seconds later, her grasp on his body weakened and she fell from his back to the hallway floor.


    ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± Album rasped. ¡°For all three of you.¡±


    ***


    Just like Album, Nigreos Noctis was an arrogant fool who only continued to underestimate him. Eric was able to use that fact to catch the Master of Light by surprise and take her down before she knew what was happening. That was his plan with Nigreos. They were far too experienced to beat if he took them on in head-to-head combat, but if he could get the upper hand at the very beginning, he would have them. So, he launched himself at Nigreos with everything he had, prepared for him to try and use his darkness to fight back. He knew that as long as Nigreos couldn¡¯t use magic, the fight could be won.


    So, he wasn¡¯t ready when the Master of Darkness met Eric¡¯s charge not with a wave of shadow, but with his fist. It collided with his chin, snapping his head backwards and dropping him to the ground in a spasm of pain. The boy crumpled to the concrete, stars spinning in his vision as he frantically scrambled to get back to his feet.


    What happened?! How was his attack so fast?!


    ¡°You know, something flawed about blood magic,¡± Nigreos began as he watched Eric stumble to his feet. ¡°It only protects against magical attacks. But, should I use magic to simply enhance my physical abilities, the defense is nullified.¡±


    Eric exhaled sharply, seeing the wind magic swirling around his opponent''s fist. He¡­used the same spell I was using on Album?! He amplified the force of his punch with wind magic?!


    ¡°Now, why don¡¯t we talk properly,¡± Nigreos went on.


    ¡°Carseka!¡±


    Pushing through the pain, Eric dropped to the ground and pressed his hands against the concrete, sending his mana flowing into it. Where Nigreos stood, the ground shot upwards, aiming to trap him within rock the same way he did to Jay. Yet the Master simply launched himself from the ground, the explosion of rock missing him entirely as he soared over Eric¡¯s head and landed twenty feet behind him.


    ¡°Honestly, Reiner,¡± he snapped. ¡°This is a waste of both of our time. This is ending tonight whether you like it or not, so we might as well cease the fighting and talk.¡±


    ¡°Perkari!¡± he chanted, ignoring Nigreos once again and sending blades of wind straight for his throat. ¡°Condite! Perkari!¡±


    He continued to chant, but his spells wouldn¡¯t land. Nigreos either dodged the attacks completely, or faded into the darkness and allowed them to pass through him.


    Damn it all! If I can just get close to him then I can get the upper hand!


    ¡°Fine then. If you won¡¯t talk, I¡¯ll just beat you into the ground until you don¡¯t have an option!¡± the Master snarled, his body merging with the shadows once more.


    Eric prepared himself to launch another wave of attacks wherever Nigreos reappeared, but he still wasn¡¯t ready when only the Master¡¯s hand emerged from the darkness, sending a wind-powered punch right into his cheek. The boy cried out in shock and desperately sent another blade of wind hurtling toward where Nigreos had attacked from, but the Master¡¯s fist had already vanished, reappearing to the left as another punch slammed into his stomach, knocking the air out of him.


    What the hell?!


    He kept trying to fight back, but Nigreos¡¯s body wouldn¡¯t fully emerge and instead, the Master of Darkness assaulted him from every direction, sending numerous punches into his body before fading back into shadow. Pain was spreading all throughout him and he felt sick to his stomach before one last attack jammed straight into his nose. Eric lurched backwards, skidding along the concrete before rolling a few feet and going still, stuck on his back as he gaped up at the darkened sky, gasping for air.


    ¡°You see, Reiner?¡± came Nigreos¡¯s voice, though with his body bonded with the shadows, it sounded like it was coming from all around him. ¡°You¡¯re weak. Your blood protection might have worked on Album, but it won¡¯t stop me. You may have taken us by surprise many times, but at the end of the day, your fate was already determined.¡±


    Nigreos emerged right over him, his white eyes staring down at Eric with what seemed a mix of sadness and pity. Eric wanted so badly to use every attack in his arsenal to rip Nigreos to pieces, but he didn¡¯t have the energy. Every part of his body was in pain and he felt like he could puke at any moment.


    ¡°I said it back in the forest and I¡¯ll say it again,¡± the Master continued. ¡°We need not be enemies. You are half-Ijirian and a damn talented mage. You belong in the Citadel, among other people like you, not in this disgusting magicless town. So come with me, Eric. I¡¯ll take you to where you really belong.¡±


    He extended his black hand, a serious look on his face as he tried to convince Eric to go with him.


    Where I really belong? Ijiria?


    The boy grit his teeth, thinking of everything he¡¯d been through in Wilham. He recalled his time spent with the Magic Club, and with Lilly when she joined. He thought about how happy he was when she asked him out and how much fun he¡¯d had over the years with Vinny, Damien, and Liz. Until Nigreos and Album arrived, he had been happy despite losing his mother. He would do anything to go back to those simple days. And so for Nigreos to tell him he didn¡¯t belong there only made his hatred burn hotter.


    ¡°As if¡­I could ever¡­go with you¡­¡± he sputtered.


    Nigreos narrowed his eyes. ¡°Reiner, listen to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Infernus,¡± he spat.


    Using what energy he could, Eric raised his arm toward the Master just as fire exploded from it. He put every last bit of mana into that attack and so, it came out far more violently than he had intended. All the darkness surrounding them was overtaken by fire, its heat scorching and painfully bright. He heard Nigreos cry out in horror though he couldn¡¯t see where the Master was anymore. All he could do was rely on his instincts and run before he was killed. So he rolled over and chanted, ¡°Proto¡±. Fighting through the utter pain, he felt his body soar through the flames and away from wherever Nigreos Noctis was.


    ***


    Liz took an involuntary step back as she stared blankly at the scene before her. Album Luz was standing in the doorway, her black eyes wild and her body covered in blood, the white of her suit and skin dyed with red splotches. Her right arm was completely severed off, but there was no sign of blood dripping from the stump. And right in front of her, Damien was kneeling, clutching the bloody wound in his chest with Natalie collapsed behind him, the same wound spurting blood from her tiny form. Liz had seen it all. She had been standing behind them just as the pale arm was shoved through the both of them and she had heard them cry out in pain.


    ¡°Mommy,¡± Natalie uttered, her breathing ragged. ¡°Mom¡­ Mommy¡­¡±


    No! Please no! Don¡¯t let this be real! We were going to get away! We were going to escape!


    ¡°Liz,¡± Damien rasped. ¡°Get out of here.¡±


    But she ignored him. Relying purely on her instincts, she rushed forward and placed herself between the Master of Light and Damien and Natalie. She knew it was stupid, but she couldn¡¯t allow herself to stand by and watch them either die or get erased. She was shaking with fear, but she thrust her arms out and planted herself firmly in front of the doorway where Album was.


    The woman in white narrowed her eyes. ¡°You know there¡¯s nothing you can do now, girl. It¡¯s over. They¡¯re going to be erased¡­so do you intend to make this easy for me? Would you like to join them?¡±


    Liz clenched her teeth, wanting to do something but not knowing how she could possibly fight this godly being before her. She frantically tried to think of any way to save Damien and Natalie, and for a moment, she glanced down at the gun laying beside her boyfriend. Her first thought was to lunge for it and hope for the best, but they¡¯d already seen how ineffective it had been on Nigreos.


    ¡°Stop this,¡± Liz cried, instead turning back to face Album. ¡°What is wrong with you people?! We¡¯ve never done anything wrong! All we did was screw around with a stupid gemstone! We didn¡¯t know what we were getting ourselves into! We didn¡¯t¡ª!¡±


    She exhaled sharply as Album lunged forward, driving her left hand straight through her chest so fast that Liz hardly processed it. The Master¡¯s face was inches from her own, emotionless as she gazed at the bespectacled girl.


    ¡°Liz!¡± Damien cried weakly.


    ¡°I do not care,¡± Album whispered, ignoring the boy and facing only her. ¡°Why would I care about your feelings? Why would somebody as worthless as you mean anything to me? I have my mission and I will complete it.¡±


    Without waiting for a response, she pulled her fist from Liz¡¯s chest and grabbed her by the face before slamming her into the wall with strength surprising for her smaller build. Liz slid to the ground, feeling her blood beginning to stain her shirt. Damien was slowly rising to his feet, but Album dropped him back to the ground with a blast of light that shot through his leg. Liz desperately wanted to reach out and help him, but she couldn¡¯t get her body to move.


    ¡°Look how pitiful you are,¡± Album spat. ¡°Just like that, you¡¯re all on your knees. You are nothing before me. You thought you could fight back, but you couldn¡¯t. And now, it¡¯ll all be over. Harper and Reiner will be the last ones left, and I will see to it that they die before the dawn.¡±


    ¡°Dami¡­en. Li¡­z¡­¡±


    When Liz weakly turned her head, she saw that Natalie had rolled onto her stomach and was grasping at the air, her hand outstretched toward where they lay. Tears were rolling down her pale cheeks and the sight made Liz want to cry, too.


    ¡°Please,¡± Liz rasped. ¡°Spare Natalie. She¡¯s just a kid. We¡­dragged her into this¡­ She¡¯s¡­innocent¡­¡±


    Album glanced down at her right before a twisted smile spread across her lips. ¡°Erasurei¡­Natalie¡­¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Liz gasped, sending more pain through her body as, right before her eyes, Natalie began to crumble into dust. Liz tried to reach out for her but it was no use, and instead she was stuck with her back up against the wall as she watched the little girl she failed to protect crumble until there was nothing left of her.


    Wait¡­what just happened? Why am I staring at the ground?


    Yet, despite not knowing why she was gazing at the floor, she felt a powerful anger surging through her, as if she had just lost something dear to her.


    ¡°You¡¯ve lost,¡± Album said, turning a sharp look between both Liz and Damien. ¡°It¡¯s over for you.¡±


    Liz grit her teeth, wanting to oppose her with everything she had. If she was reaching the end, she wanted to go out with as much defiance as she could.


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± Liz spat venomously. ¡°We just lost the battle¡­but the war will go on. When you erase us¡­we aren¡¯t dead, right? We¡¯re just somewhere else.¡±


    The Master of Light scowled. ¡°That is correct.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± she whispered. ¡°Then we¡¯ll come back. I¡¯ll find some way¡­anyway¡­to crawl out of that place¡­and find you again. You won¡¯t get away with this. We¡¯re¡­¡± She swallowed back the pain and forced a smug grin to rival Album¡¯s. ¡°...We¡¯re the Magical and Other Anomalies Investigation Team. We won¡¯t go down¡­this easily. We¡¯ll find you¡­and make you regret¡­ever coming¡­to Wilham.¡±


    But Album merely chuckled in the face of her threat. ¡°I would like to see you try.¡± Then she turned her back to them and muttered, ¡°Erasurei.¡±


    Then, with the utterance of that last word, Album Luz vanished in a flash of light.


    Liz felt a tremor run up her body and she knew that whatever Album had just said was the incantation for the erasure. Everything was about to end and she was going to go to the erased world. She was scared, but at the same time, she was determined. She meant every word she said. She and the others would find their way home, one way or another. She refused to let this be the end.


    ¡°Liz,¡± Damien choked as he dragged himself toward her, his arm outstretched to where she was sitting, his body splayed out across the hallway. ¡°I¡­ Liz¡­I¡¯m sorry¡­I failed¡­¡±


    She could see his form beginning to crumble into dust as she weakly reached out and clutched his hand. Her own fingers were already falling apart as they turned to dust as well.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­¡± she whispered. ¡°We haven¡¯t¡­failed yet¡­ We¡¯ll¡­escape from inside.¡± She tightened her grip as her legs fell apart. ¡°We¡¯ll¡­beat them. Just¡­do me a favor and¡­¡± She forced back her tears, not wanting to cry at that moment. ¡°...don¡¯t forget me¡­Damien.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t¡­ I¡­promise.¡±


    Those four words were the last thing she heard before everything went dark and her mind shut down.


    ***


    There was nothing.


    ***


    Nothing existed.


    ***


    She wasn¡¯t real.


    ***


    She didn¡¯t exist.


    ***


    Elizabeth Tao opened her eyes and sat up in bed with a start, breathing heavily and her heart pounding, as if awakened by a nightmare.

 Chapter 39- All Is Lost

    Chapter XXXIX


    When the sudden wave of flames was cleared away by Nigreos¡¯s magic, the Master of Darkness was left standing alone in the middle of the street, frantically scanning his surroundings for any sign of Eric Reiner. Yet, no matter how hard he searched, he couldn¡¯t deny reality. Once again, he¡¯d foolishly allowed the boy to slip through his fingers.


    Nigreos sighed, clenching his fists down at his side as that fact properly sank in. But I suppose it does not matter. He can only run for so long. We¡¯ll simply cut him off at his house and deal with him there.


    He took a deep breath and regarded the destruction left in the wake of the boy¡¯s last ditch fire attack. The streetlamps were shattered, the balconies of the surrounding apartment buildings were on fire, with some of them already having crashed into the road below. He could see glass shards strewn about from the various windows that had been blown apart. Little fires still shone bright across the road, though without any fuel, once the magic sustaining them ran dry, they would extinguish. He didn¡¯t see any bodies so it seemed that Eric¡¯s attack hadn¡¯t caused any casualties.


    But truly¡­he is more powerful than I expected. I knew he was special just by the readings from the Basim back in the Citadel, but seeing it for myself, it¡¯s only more clear how impressive he is. He has Abi¡¯s natural talent.


    Right beside him, a sudden flash of light engulfed his vision and, once it cleared, he found Album standing there, her one good fist clenched tightly as she regarded the destruction surrounding them.


    ¡°Where are Harper and Reiner?¡± she demanded, her voice still weak despite the healing magic he cast on her before confronting Eric. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you let them escape?¡±


    Nigreos shrugged. ¡°I did, but it¡¯s not a problem. We¡¯ll make our way to his home and finish things there. If he and Harper don''t head that way, we merely use his pathetic father as bait and lure him back out. Either way, this mission will end soon.¡± He then regarded her with a cocked eyebrow. ¡°That is, if you succeeded.¡±


    Album scoffed at his implication of the possibility of her failure. ¡°Of course I succeeded. Clark, Tao, and Hill are safely in the erased realm. Harper and Reiner are the last two to deal with.¡±


    For a moment, he didn¡¯t respond, instead choosing to regard her with narrowed eyes. The original plan had been for them to split up and attack the house from both the backdoor and the front. After spending most of the week simply keeping watch on the homes of their targets, they had decided to wait for the weekend and attack Harper¡¯s apartment so they could erase both her and Hill. However, they hadn¡¯t expected them all to gather in one place and so, when they did, Nigreos knew they had to act. He hadn¡¯t wanted to face Eric just yet, but with too good of an opportunity presented to them, he and Album chose to make their move.


    But I underestimated him again. He not only defeated Album, but he had her at his mercy. She may never admit it, but she might have died had I not stepped in to stop the boy.


    Despite having healed what he could, she still looked weak. Her clothes were stained with blood, her face was slightly swollen, though he¡¯d been able to close the wounds and readjust her nose. Eric had burnt her right arm to ash so they could no longer properly reattach it when they returned to Ijiria. She would instead have to rely on a sensium replacement. Yet, despite all that, her features were still and calm, leaving him ignorant as to what she was really thinking inside. He knew Album was prideful so he couldn¡¯t imagine what might be going through her mind.


    ¡°We should move,¡± she said softly. ¡°If we¡¯re lucky, we can catch up to them quickly and finish this tonight.¡±


    Nigreos nodded, content to leave her alone for the time being. ¡°Agreed.¡±


    He could hear sirens in the distance and knew that must mean the authorities were called. He¡¯d done his best to use his darkness to conceal them, so the magicless residents of the apartments shouldn¡¯t ever know what truly went down that night, but he knew they must be frightened. They didn¡¯t have the time to deal with the local police. So, Nigreos threw up a distortion and the two of them began making their way in the direction of the Reiners¡¯ home.


    This is it. We¡¯ve almost finished the mission. If we can erase Lilly Harper, then we¡¯ll have dealt with the final target, leaving only Reiner left. Then, we simply need to locate the relic.


    It seemed simple enough in concept. Two children shouldn¡¯t be an issue for them to deal with, and even if he used healing magic, Eric would still be weak after their battle. He wouldn''t have much mana left to fight with. If both he and Album attacked him at once, even his blood magic wouldn¡¯t allow him to defend Harper for very long.


    Especially at night, he thought with satisfaction. The only issue is what to do with Eric.


    Ever since they learned of his involvement in the loss of the Assassination Stone, the two of them had been on opposing sides of what should be done with him. Album sought to simply kill him if erasing him didn¡¯t work, while Nigreos was in agreement with Ryokumo that they should try and bring him back to be trained in Ijiria. Even now, they had yet to make a decision and, with her pathetic failure in her battle against him, Nigreos knew without a doubt that he would never be able to convince her that they needed to bring Eric to Ijiria. She would do everything in her power to kill him, if only to protect her pride.


    But she may not have an option. Clearly, Album isn¡¯t strong enough to fight against the blood magic. I¡¯m the only one with the right knowledge of spells that can be used to take him on. So, with Album as weak as she currently is, the decision may fall to me whether she likes it or not.


    As they rounded the corner, the sirens only seemed to get louder, and soon enough, he saw two cars with flashing red and blue lights drive past them and curve around toward Harper¡¯s apartment building. Nigreos glanced back at them with a grimace.


    We really should be on our way as quickly as possible. If the police find what happened to Harper¡¯s place, they¡¯ll be after her in order to find out what happened¡­especially considering all the fire and destruction Reiner left out front. If the police get ahold of Lilly Harper, it¡¯ll be far more of a hassle to erase her.


    ¡°Nigreos,¡± Album said softly, bringing him back from his thoughts.


    He cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Yes? What is it?¡±


    ¡°That boy is broken.¡±


    He didn¡¯t need to ask who she was talking about. The anger in her eyes was plenty to tell him that she meant Eric.


    ¡°Whether you like it or not, we can¡¯t save him,¡± she went on. ¡°He was prepared to kill me and if we bring him to Ijiria, it¡¯ll only be a matter of time before he tries to kill us a second time. He hates us. He¡¯ll never forget what happened here and he¡¯ll never be loyal to Ijiria. He has to die and you know it.¡±


    He snorted and shook his head, finding some amusement in the fact that he had correctly guessed her thoughts. ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t. Even with his blood magic, he won¡¯t be able to harm us within the Citadel. Even if he tried to take his revenge, he would just get himself killed. However, I do believe that once he¡¯s lost everything, he will accept that he belongs among other magic users and not the magicless animals of this realm.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a fool,¡± Album growled.


    But he ignored her, knowing that it was no longer her choice to make. Instead, he focused on continuing down the sidewalk as he regarded the houses around them. He knew where Reiner¡¯s home was since he¡¯d spent enough time over the week keeping an eye on it. It wasn¡¯t far from where Harper lived and so, they would be there relatively soon.


    Or at least that was what he hoped for, but as was becoming annoyingly common during their mission, his plans rarely went as he wanted them to.


    Nigreos and Album both came to a stop as they spotted the man standing up against a wooden fence off to the left, his head directed in their direction. After all of his observation of the Reiner household, Nigreos recognized him immediately. It was Scott Reiner¡ªEric¡¯s father and the man who took Abi away from Ijiria. He was no longer the handsome individual Nigreos met that night many years ago. Instead, he appeared much older than he probably was, with unkempt gray hair and a beard. He was fatter and his clothes were old and too tight for his rounder body. When the Master of Darkness first saw him, he thought it couldn¡¯t possibly be the same man. He had fallen so far that it made him want to laugh, and he once again asked himself how Abi could have fallen for such a worthless being.


    But what¡¯s he doing out here? Nigreos wondered. And what¡¯s with the stupid goggles?


    Unlike the few times Nigreos saw him leave the house, Scott was wearing a pair of blue painted goggles, with shaded lenses that blocked his eyes. Paired with the rest of his grimy appearance, he only looked more pitiful and sad. Part of Nigreos wanted to just send the surrounding shadows into his body and kill him on the spot. With the distortion still up, he would never even know what happened before he died. Yet, the other part of him knew there was no point. Scott wasn¡¯t a threat to them.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you again, Nigreos Noctis.¡±


    Nigreos and Album both exhaled sharply as Scott suddenly addressed him, his features stern and his fists clenched.


    What the hell?! He can see us?! How?! Nobody can see through distortion and without magic, he can¡¯t sense our mana!


    ¡°Drop the spell, Noctis,¡± Scott snapped fiercely. ¡°And face me like a man.¡±


    Beside Nigreos, Album was tensing up, clearly on her toes as well. However, despite the new set of shocking events, he decided to do as requested and lowered the spell, revealing them to the man. Scott smirked, then glanced between them both with a scowl.


    ¡°How did you see us?¡± Album demanded, her hand already raised, ready to launch a beam of light straight at his chest. ¡°What sort of tricks do you have up your sleeve, Reiner?¡±


    The man shrugged. ¡°Not telling.¡± He then regarded the woman with interest. ¡°You¡¯re Album, I¡¯m guessing?¡± he growled. ¡°Yeah, Abi told me a lot about you. You¡¯re not as cheerful as I¡¯d heard.¡±


    ¡°What do you want, Reiner?¡± Nigreos demanded. ¡°We don¡¯t have business with you this time. So it¡¯ll be best for you to leave us alone.¡±


    Scott snorted bitterly, a flash of rage crossing his features. ¡°If you¡¯ve got business with my son then you¡¯ve got business with me. I know all about what you¡¯ve been doing¡ªerasing all those children from a damned high school like some kind of heartless monsters¡­though I¡¯d expect nothing less of you.¡±


    Nigreos narrowed his eyes, bringing the surrounding shadows up to swirl around him, ready to be used on the other man should he decide it was necessary. ¡°Watch your tongue,¡± he warned. ¡°Or else you¡¯ll be meeting the same fate as them. Now, walk away.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Scott said bluntly. ¡°You see, Noctis, I¡¯ve been wanting you dead for many years now. I know everything you¡¯ve done. First you take my wife away from me and drag her back to a world she didn¡¯t want to be in and then you kill her! And now you want to take my son from me, too?!¡±


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Nigreos scowled, realizing that Eric must have told his father about his mother¡¯s death. Even though Scott was hardly worth their time, he couldn¡¯t set aside the uneasiness he was feeling after the man saw through their distortion. He didn¡¯t have time for any more surprises with the end of the operation in Omaruo so close.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this moment for years!¡± Scott roared. ¡°I won¡¯t let you harm my son!¡±


    ¡°And what are you going to do to stop us?¡± Album snarled. ¡°What can a mere magicless man do to us? No matter what tricks you have up your sleeve, you will still die. By confronting us, you¡¯re essentially committing suicide.¡±


    Yet, he shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯m not. By confronting you, I¡¯m killing you.¡±


    Nigreos had a bad feeling about what was happening. Part of him wanted to unleash his shadows and kill the man right there, but he was held back by his fear of some unknown trick. Each time he and Album attempted to make a move, they were thrown off by something they couldn¡¯t have planned for, and now Scott Reiner was confronting them as if he was untouchable, only worsening his nerve after a man without magic accomplished the impossible and saw his way past a distortion spell.


    Could Abi have laid another trap for us? I mean, they aren¡¯t genetically related so it can¡¯t be blood magic, but could there be something else? Could the goggles be charmed somehow? But no, I don¡¯t sense any magic in them¡­


    ¡°So, come at me, Noctis!¡±


    With that shout, Scott reached behind him and produced a small knife before charging toward them, screaming like a madman. Within a second of his charge beginning, a flash of light blinded Nigreos¡¯s vision and he knew without a doubt that Album had reacted.


    ¡°Album, wait!¡± he shouted, but it was no use.


    When his vision returned, Album had her left arm shoved straight through Scott¡¯s chest. Nigreos gaped in horror as the man dropped his knife from his weak grasp, and he realized he was holding his breath in both apprehension and fear of what could happen. Yet, there was nothing. There weren''t any surprises or unexpected twists. Album wrenched her hand from his body and kicked him to the ground, sending the pitiful man into the concrete, clutching at the bloody wound in his chest.


    ¡°I expected more,¡± Album muttered. ¡°What a disappointment. Erasurei.¡±


    Nigreos kept his shadows at the ready, knowing he wouldn¡¯t be content until the man was gone, but as was intended, his body began to crumble into dust, just like all the others. Scott only continued to gasp for air as the dust spread up his body until only his torso and head remained. Yet, just as it was about to overcome his head, Scott Reiner looked Nigreos directly in the eyes and smiled smugly, as if somehow, someway, he considered this a victory.


    But how? What does that mean? He¡¯s gone. He¡¯s erased! There isn¡¯t anything he can do to us from within there! So why¡­


    ¡­did he look as if he was the one who won?


    ***


    In the darkness of Eric¡¯s living room, Lilly Harper sat in one of the leather recliners with her legs pulled up to her chest. She was shaking and her mind felt like it was falling apart. Everything had become a blur and she no longer knew what was real and what was fake.


    Everything was gone.


    She couldn¡¯t remember most of what had happened throughout that past year no matter how hard she tried to recall it. There were a few conversations with Eric that she remembered, but all that surrounded it was lost. This told her all she needed to know. Whoever they had been trying to protect that night was erased. She and Eric were the last two left and soon, they would be gone, too. The only one she could remember was Rina, but with the context surrounding their relationship taken away, she no longer recalled much about her either.


    I don¡¯t like feeling like this. This past year¡­it¡¯s just gone¡­like it didn¡¯t happen. This is terrible. This is awful! I don¡¯t want this! I want it back! I want to know what I lost!


    The tears came to her eyes once again and she found herself crying. She was waiting for Eric to come find her because he was all she had left. He was the only one she remembered and he had promised that he would stop Nigreos and Album and come find her. She wanted to believe he could do it, but part of her knew he would be defeated. The Masters of Ijiria had proven time and time again that no matter what they tried, they would lose. Eric might be able to fight them off, but he wouldn''t win.


    Just then, Lilly¡¯s head snapped up in fear as she listened to the door unlocking. She had used a spare key to get in, which she left in its spot inside one of Eric¡¯s plants just in case he lost his own during the fight. But at the same time, it also meant that if Nigreos and Album beat him and came after her, they would be able to get in, too.


    Though¡­it¡¯s not like it matters. If they really wanted to, they¡¯d just blow the door off without a care in the world.


    She tensed up as the door swung open, but when she heard her boyfriend call out, she relaxed a bit.


    ¡°Lilly!¡± he shouted. ¡°Are you here?!¡±


    He sprinted down the hall and came to the family room doorway before she even got the chance to respond, and when she saw the state he was in, her eyes went wide. Eric¡¯s face was bruised and swollen, and his nose was crooked. His shirt and pants looked as if parts of them had been burnt away and ash covered his body. Yet, he was alive and that was what mattered the most to her.


    Lilly got to her feet and looked at him expectantly. ¡°Did you¡­beat them?¡±


    His relief at seeing her alive quickly melted away as pure despair replaced it. Eric collapsed to his knees, his body shaking, and she was quick to rush to his side.


    ¡°N-no¡­I didn¡¯t¡­¡± he uttered. ¡°I almost had Album, but Nigreos was too much for me. He won and I¡­ I barely escaped with my life. And now we¡¯ve lost Alice and¡­¡± He exhaled sharply, as if remembering something, then looked up at her in panic. ¡°Lilly! Do you remember Damien, Liz, and Natalie?! Can you remember them?!¡±


    Damien¡­ Liz¡­ Natalie¡­


    ¡°Who?¡± she whispered, and the moment the question left her mouth, she realized that those must be names of the people they had been trying to protect. ¡°Eric, I¡­¡±


    For a second, he didn¡¯t react. In fact, his features stayed so still that she almost wondered if she failed to respond loud enough. She was about to repeat herself when, without warning, he started to laugh. It was soft at first, but as the seconds went on, it became louder until he was laughing so hard that he almost doubled over.


    ¡°Eric?¡± she pressed. ¡°Eric, what¡¯s wrong?!¡±


    The boy slowly got to his feet and he raised his head to stare at the ceiling. ¡°What¡­the fuck was I expecting? Of course they¡¯re gone¡­ Why wouldn¡¯t they be? I¡¯ve been saying it from the start. It¡¯s only a matter of time before we lose and now¡­Damien and Liz are lost. So¡¯s Natalie. I failed. I failed them all. I was the only one who had a chance in hell and I failed¡­¡±


    ¡°Eric¡­?¡±


    Still ignoring her, the boy turned and stumbled back into the hallway. Fearing for his mental state, Lilly rushed after him as he stalked into his bedroom, not even bothering to flick on the light as he went for his dresser drawers.


    ¡°Eric, please. Talk to me!¡± Lilly urged.


    He reached inside and, to her surprise, he produced a small, orange stone, which emanated a small bit of light despite the room¡¯s darkness. For a moment, he just gazed down at its smooth surface with a weak smile.


    ¡°All because of this,¡± he uttered. ¡°We lost everything because of a simple body-swapping stone. I don¡¯t even understand¡­what¡¯s so important¡­ABOUT THIS FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT!¡±


    He suddenly roared at the top of his lungs and hurled the gemstone across the room, breathing hard as it hit the wall with a loud crack and fell onto the carpet before going still.


    ¡°Why?¡± he shouted. ¡°I just wanted to help people! I wanted to use that stone to help people! We helped Brad improve his grades and become a better student! We saved Alice when she was getting bullied! We used it to bring Damien and Liz back together and their relationship nearly fell apart! We gave Jay a chance to understand how much we cared about him! We gave Natalie sight for an hour! We spent so much time trying to help people and what was it all for?! They¡¯re gone now! Because we tried to help them, they¡¯re gone¡­and maybe even dead!¡±


    Lilly swallowed, wanting to step forward and comfort him, but also fearing approaching him in his current state. It seemed as if everything that had been weighing him down finally broke free, and now, she wasn¡¯t sure even she could bring him back.


    ¡°Where did I go wrong?¡± he muttered, his shouting fading into a whimper. ¡°And when Nigreos and Album came, I did everything in my power to save them¡­but it was all pointless. In the end, they really were too powerful for me. What could I have ever done against them? They¡¯re essentially gods when compared to me¡­and ever since they arrived¡­¡± He scoffed. ¡°No, ever since I found that stone¡­we¡¯ve all been standing in their maw, waiting for them to clamp their jaws down and swallow us. There was nothing I could have done.¡±


    Lilly opened her mouth to say something, but the words wouldn¡¯t come. What could she say to him when she didn¡¯t remember any of the people he was talking about? She didn''t understand anything anymore and all she could do was stare at him like a fool. She tried to think of anything she could do, but with the past year gone from her memories, she felt as if she couldn¡¯t even understand him as a person. He all of a sudden seemed very foreign to her, and all she had to go off of was her emotions. She loved him. She at least knew that much. And so, she abandoned all sense of thought and walked toward where he was standing.


    ¡°Eric,¡± she whispered.


    The boy slowly turned his head to look at her, and the moment he did, she leaned up on her toes and pressed her lips against his. He seemed startled, and part of her was expecting him to push away with how unstable he was acting, yet he didn¡¯t. Instead, Eric returned the kiss as he gently placed his hands on her back, pulling her closer to him. At first, it was just a gentle kiss, but after a moment, it became more passionate, and when they finally broke off from each other, she rested her head against his chest and smiled.


    ¡°You still have me,¡± she told him. ¡°Let¡¯s run away. If we leave Wilham, maybe they won¡¯t be able to find us. Maybe we can go up north to Alden, or even head all the way south and live lower on the coast. If we leave the gem behind and go into hiding, maybe they¡¯ll leave us alone. We could be happy together¡­right?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I wish that was possible,¡± he muttered. ¡°I wish we could run away together. Being with you sounds like a dream¡­but it¡¯s not possible. Nigreos and Album will find us. No matter where we run¡­we¡¯ll never escape them.¡±


    She closed her eyes and fought back her tears, knowing he was right but still wanting to believe that they had a chance. ¡°We won¡¯t know unless we try,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Eric released his hold on her and softly pushed her back so he could look her in the eyes, his fingers moving to gently caress her cheek. His expression was stern and calm, without any sign of the hysteria from moments before. ¡°But you¡¯re right. I still have you, Lilly, and I¡¯ll do everything in my power to protect you.¡±


    He then turned on his heel and stalked back toward his dresser before rummaging around inside once again. She frowned and was about to ask what he was doing, but he started muttering to himself before she could.


    ¡°Yeah¡­I can¡¯t lose you. It doesn¡¯t matter what happens to me. I¡¯ll do what I can to protect you.¡±


    ¡°W-what do you mean?¡± she stuttered. ¡°Eric, what are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­if they¡¯re gonna kill you anyway then maybe it doesn¡¯t matter how dangerous it is? What¡¯s the risk if death is potentially waiting for us on both sides? I¡¯ve got nothing to lose, and because I¡¯ve got nothing to lose, I have nothing to fear. I¡¯ll use it¡­to save you.¡±


    Just as she was about to call out to him again, he produced from the drawer what looked to be a syringe and within the canister, she saw some mass of black and white swirling about within that reminded her ominously of their monochrome enemies.


    ¡°Eric¡­?¡± she repeated his name, for firmly, as he turned back and approached her. ¡°What the hell is that?¡±


    He glanced down at it with a blank expression. ¡°This¡­is going to save us.¡±


    What happened next was so unexpected to the girl that she hardly processed it at all. With a deep breath, Eric reached up and jammed the syringe needle straight into the back of her neck. She exhaled sharply at the sudden movement, though she didn¡¯t immediately feel any pain.


    ¡°Er¡­ic?¡±


    Then, all of a sudden, a sudden spasm of utter pain shot through her that was so intense, her vision went white and just before she lost consciousness, the last thing she saw was Eric¡¯s expression, full of desperation and fear.

 Chapter 40- The Woman On The Mountaintop

    Chapter XL


    When Lilly opened her eyes, she was immediately blinded by a bright light. She reactively squinted and quickly reached up to block it with her hand. For a moment, she just laid there in a daze, unsure of where she was or what was going on. Yet, for some reason, she felt at peace for the first time since before Nigreos and Album arrived in Wilham. She felt calm and, while the light was bright, its warmth was welcome and part of her wanted to just lay there and go back to sleep. The allure of rest was powerful after the night she went through and she almost gave in, but when memories of that night suddenly came back to her, her eyes snapped back open and she hurriedly pushed herself to a sitting position.


    Eric! Where am I? Where is he?!


    Her last memory was of him taking that strange syringe and sticking it into her neck, all the while muttering about how it was going to save her. She didn¡¯t know what he had planned but she knew she had to talk to him immediately and demand some form of explanation. However, as she soon realized when she properly took in her surroundings, not only was Eric Reiner nowhere to be seen, but she wasn¡¯t even in his bedroom, rather she was somewhere else entirely.


    Where¡­the hell is this?


    Lilly was sitting in a field of grass, the sun shining down on her, as well as the many colorful flowers that surrounded her. To her left and right, the field seemed to stretch out for miles without an end in sight and when she glanced over her shoulder, it was the same. But when she looked ahead, the fields seemed to come to a stop at the base of a giant mountain that loomed over her. At first, she wanted to think that she was somehow transported out of the city and to somewhere else in the country, but she immediately discarded that possibility. She couldn¡¯t possibly be in her world. All around her, colorful little lights were dancing in the air. They were no larger than a golf ball and there seemed to be thousands of them among the flowers. It would have been a beautiful sight under different circumstances, but her confusion as to what was going on caused her pause.


    What are these things? she wondered, holding her hand out just as a blue light floated onto her palm.


    It was warm and welcoming, causing her to smile despite the situation. But she was only able to enjoy it for a moment before she was struck by another odd detail. As she looked down at her body, she found that she was completely naked. Lilly jumped to her feet, the blue light remaining perched on her hand as she surveyed herself.


    What happened to my clothes? Did Eric¡­? No, of course he¡¯d never do that!


    She scanned the grass, but couldn¡¯t find any sign of where her clothes might have been. She knew she¡¯d been fully dressed when she fell unconscious so she had to have been stripped naked after then, and while that thought should have terrified her as to why anybody would do that, she still didn¡¯t panic. Everything about her situation was scary, but she felt perfectly calm.


    Is this place doing something to me? Is that why I¡¯m not worried?


    With one last look around the fields, she determined that she was alone, so for the time being, her nudeness wasn¡¯t at the top of her priorities. Instead, she stared back at the light, only to find that a green and red one had joined the blue one on her palm.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± she managed to say. ¡°Can you¡­speak?¡±


    They all flashed brighter, almost like they were confirming that they could understand her, but they didn¡¯t say anything. Part of her wondered if they only reacted to the sound of her voice, and that they actually didn¡¯t know what she said, but for the moment, she had to hope that they could help her somehow.


    ¡°Where am I?¡± she asked. ¡°What happened to Eric? And what are you?¡±


    They flickered again, but this time, all three of them floated back up into their air and circled around her head a few times. She watched the sight with awe, finding the colors truly beautiful, as they then turned and began to fly toward the base of the mountain.


    She frowned. ¡°Wait, hold on a moment!¡±


    They stopped, flashed a few more times, then continued forward. When she didn¡¯t move, they stopped again and blinked.


    ¡°Am I¡­supposed to go with you?¡± she called over.


    Their flashing increased at a rapid pace and she decided that must mean ¡°yes¡±. For a second, she questioned whether they could be leading her somewhere dangerous before deciding that she could trust them. She didn¡¯t know what made her come to that conclusion for she knew she really should be cautious, and she once again wondered if that it was also an effect of the strange place she was in, but nevertheless, Lilly moved through the grass and toward where the lights were waiting.


    She followed the lights out of the grass and soon, she found herself walking on gravel, though despite her lack of shoes or socks, they didn¡¯t hurt her feet. It looked and sounded like gravel, but every time she stepped on it, it felt as if she were walking on a pillow. It only further confirmed for her that wherever she was wasn¡¯t normal.


    Did that syringe send me here? But¡­what even was that thing? Is this where Eric wanted me to go? Did he send me here for some reason?


    As unstable as he had seemed, the thought that he had intentionally sent her to this field only increased her comfort since she knew he wouldn¡¯t have placed her in any danger, and soon, she was standing at the base of a dirt path that led further up the mountain. The lights didn¡¯t hesitate to follow it and so she didn¡¯t either. All she did was stop for one moment to look back at the beautiful expanse of flowers, grass, and lights, taking in the sight so she wouldn¡¯t forget it, then continued on her way.


    At first, the mountain path wasn¡¯t anything too impressive. On either side of her, all she could see were trees and bushes, reminding her of the many hikes she had gone on with her father when she was small. Though, back then, she could see small animals skittering about and birds calling out to each other. Here, there was no sign of any animals she recognized. Instead, there were only the lights, lazily floating around as if they were bubbles.


    They¡¯re so pretty, but¡­are they alive or are they some natural phenomena?


    As she thought that, the blue light flew around her head and rested on her shoulder, sending warmth back through her again. She reached a finger out and it happily bounced onto it to rest on her nail.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± she asked it.


    It blinked twice.


    ¡°That¡­doesn¡¯t help.¡±


    The light then bounced a few more times before joining the other two further ahead. She watched them once again and shrugged, deciding they really couldn¡¯t communicate with her and thus, it would be pointless to keep asking them.


    They walked on for what seemed like another hour or so, but since she quickly realized that the sun wasn¡¯t moving from its spot at the zenith, she knew her sense of time was probably off. As they climbed higher up the mountain, the trees and shrubbery soon thinned out, and after a while, she came to stand just before a natural stone bridge that crossed to the other side of what she guessed was a two-hundred foot ravine. Her eyes went wide and she couldn¡¯t help but smile as she saw the waterfall off to the right, pouring down the side of the mountain and into the river below. A refreshing spray of water hit her body and she took a step forward to gaze over the side, finding herself strangely at ease despite the massive drop.


    ¡°It¡¯s so pretty,¡± she muttered.


    The lights blinked again to get her attention then flew over the bridge and to where the path continued on the other side.


    She laughed. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m coming.¡±


    The stone bridge was about ten feet wide and didn¡¯t have any railings or anything else that could protect her from falling, so she kept to the very center. Off to her left, she got another view of the fields and, from her much higher vantage point, the sight became even more stunning. When she reached the other side, she was sad to see it go, but also intrigued to see what else this strange world had to offer.


    They continued on to higher elevations and she started to realize that they must be leading her to something at the very top of the mountain. Time went on and, by what she assumed was the two hour mark, she realized something else odd. While she was in shape, she wasn¡¯t used to high elevations or climbs as long as this, yet she wasn¡¯t even slightly winded. Her breathing was as steady as when she was sitting down.


    I guess that makes this much easier though. I doubt these little lights would have been patient enough for me to take a break.


    As they got higher up the mountain, the plant life around her gradually shifted from the normal sights to something far more mystical. The trees became red with pink and gold leaves and the grass was now a bright blue. It felt as if she had stepped into some kind of painting or maybe even a dream. There were even more lights dancing around at this height and they only continued to increase as she walked, some even joining the initial three as they led her. Then, nearly twenty more minutes after arriving in the forest of color, she emerged from the trees and found herself at the top of the mountain.


    ¡°Woah¡­¡±


    There was a large, seemingly natural hot spring stretched out before her, the steam rising up to show her just how warm it was. The smell of roses was in the air and she immediately wanted to jump in and relax, but hesitated, seeing that the lights hadn¡¯t moved.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sweetie. You can come in.¡±


    She jumped at the sudden voice and quickly realized she wasn¡¯t alone anymore. Sitting about twenty feet away on the edge of the spring was a woman she didn¡¯t recognize. Her beauty was immediately apparent and she didn¡¯t look as if she could be much older than twenty-five. She was also naked, with all but her shoulders and above submerged in the spring water. Her smile was welcoming and her eyes were bright. Her brown hair had different colored flowers decorating it like a crown.


    ¡°Please, I¡¯m sure you walked for quite a while to get up here. Come take a rest. You¡¯ve earned it.¡±


    Unsure of what she should say in such a bizarre situation, Lilly merely nodded and carefully placed her foot into the water. The warmth was so relaxing that she was quick in submerging her whole body inside, sinking so low that it came up to her neck. She exhaled softly, feeling as if all the stress of the last few weeks simply melted into the water.


    ¡°Tell me, young lady,¡± the woman began. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    For a moment, she wondered if she should be so quick to trust the strange woman, but she soon concluded that she could. There was no basis for it, rather it was just a feeling she had. She instinctively knew this woman wouldn¡¯t harm her.


    ¡°Lilly Harper,¡± she answered.


    The woman smiled. ¡°And how did you find your way here? I don¡¯t sense any magic within you so I must conclude that you aren¡¯t Ijirian, yet here you sit. How did you come across The Angel and why did you inject it into yourself?¡±


    Lilly frowned. The Angel?


    However, judging from her comment about injecting it, she could only assume that she was referring to the strange black and white syringe that Eric had used on her.


    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t really know,¡± she admitted. ¡°My friends and I are in danger. We have been for a few weeks now, and we¡¯ve lost almost everything. And just tonight, everybody except my boyfriend and I were¡­I don¡¯t know, killed? Erased? I really don¡¯t understand it, but with everything gone, my boyfriend suddenly took out this syringe I¡¯d never seen before and placed it in my neck. I don¡¯t know what it was¡­but maybe that¡¯s the angel you¡¯re talking about. That¡¯s the last thing I remember before waking up here.¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± the woman replied calmly, as if she understood everything Lilly said despite how vague she had been. ¡°And this boyfriend of yours? What is his name?¡±


    Lilly smiled as Eric¡¯s features appeared in his mind, though it was not with the somber and defeated expression he had in recent days. Instead, she thought of the cheerful, smiling boy she had met all those months ago in Mrs. Kentz¡¯s class when he made his way through the door.


    ¡°Eric,¡± Lilly answered. ¡°Eric Reiner.¡±


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    To her surprise, the woman smiled, as if that was somehow the answer she was looking for. ¡°Well then, if you are my son¡¯s girlfriend then you must be somebody I can trust as well.¡±


    Lilly didn¡¯t immediately process what she said, but when her words did settle in her mind, she sat up straighter and stared back at the woman in shock. ¡°Your son?¡± she parroted. ¡°Wait, you don¡¯t mean you¡¯re¡­?¡±


    She nodded once Lilly trailed off into silence. ¡°Yes, my name is Abigail Reiner¡­ And while I am not the original Abi, I am at least a piece of her consciousness that was placed by the original to keep watch over this world. I¡¯m its guardian, you see, and I¡¯m supposed to wait until somebody worthy comes to claim the power that The Angel keeps here.¡±


    As Lilly truly took in her appearance, she realized that she had to be telling the truth. While she had never even seen a picture of Eric¡¯s mother, she could clearly make out the resemblance between this woman and Eric. That alone gave her every reason to trust her.


    ¡°Unfortunately, the original died many years ago,¡± Abi went on. ¡°But I know what her intentions were. She left The Angel in Eric¡¯s care, hoping he would be the one to come see us and claim the power. But if he¡¯s entrusted you with it, then you must be an exceptional girl, Lilly. And without magic, you may be even more fitting to claim it. You do not have any magic¡­so you would be able to start from scratch. Yes¡­if Eric has selected you to be The Angel then I will gladly allow you to be.¡±


    Lilly wasn¡¯t following most of what Abi was saying, and she didn¡¯t know what it meant to become The Angel, but she latched on to the part about gaining some sort of power. ¡°Mrs. Reiner¡­¡± she began hesitantly. ¡°If I become this angel, will I be able to save everybody? Can I fight back? Could I undo what¡¯s happened?¡±


    Abi smiled gently, raising a hand to indicate that she should slow down. ¡°And what are you fighting? You said you are in danger? What from? What is trying to harm you?¡±


    ¡°They call themselves the Masters of Ijiria,¡± she responded instantly, praying that the woman could give her the help she so desperately sought. ¡°Nigreos Noctis and Album Luz. They¡¯re coming after us and they¡¯re trying to erase us. They¡¯ve already taken all our friends away and Eric and I are the only ones left. If you can save us¡­¡±


    She realized she had rambled everything off without pausing for a breath, so when she finally did, Abi spoke, a sad look in her eyes.


    ¡°Calm down, sweetie,¡± she said. ¡°I suppose I shouldn¡¯t be surprised. The original always suspected that Nigreos and Album may go after Eric someday, but I think she hoped deep down that it would never come to that. It¡¯s a shame that others were involved, but let me say something. You¡¯re friends¡­the ones that were erased¡­aren¡¯t dead. They are simply in another world¡­a prison of sorts. And they can be released.¡±


    With that, a theory that had been hanging over them for the past few days was finally confirmed. Letting out a soft exhale, Lilly leaned back against the edge of the spring and felt tears coming to her eyes. The relief she felt was so intense that she couldn¡¯t hold her emotions back.


    They¡¯re alive. We were right. It¡¯s not over! We can still save them!


    ¡°How?¡± she managed to ask. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything, Mrs. Reiner. If it¡¯s to save them¡­and protect Eric¡­ I¡¯ll do whatever it takes.¡±


    Abi nodded. ¡°I believe you. I can see the conviction in your eyes, but it won¡¯t be an easy task. There are only two ways to release somebody from the erased realm. One is for Album to willingly set them free, a possibility that I would not count on.¡±


    Lilly grimaced, silently agreeing that it would be a fool¡¯s mission to try and diplomatically deal with Album Luz. ¡°And the other option?¡±


    ¡°To break them out from within,¡± she said simply. ¡°To go into the erased realm and destroy the sources of mana that keep it standing.¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡± Lilly stuttered. ¡°I¡¯d have to¡­go inside? But¡­well, not like I¡¯d necessarily want to do this, but what about killing Album? We were under the impression that without her, this erased realm couldn¡¯t exist. Is that not a possibility?¡±


    To Lilly¡¯s disappointment, Abi shook her head. ¡°Unfortunately not. You see, the erased realm is, in a sense, a twisted pocket realm. Now, I¡¯m not sure how much you know, but I¡¯ll give you a quick rundown. Pocket realms are artificial worlds, created by mages with the mana necessary to sustain one. Now, in order for the mana to get inside, there have to be outlets linked to the other world. In addition, there are many erased realms. The world your friends are in may not be the world past victims are in, so there¡¯s a chance that you won¡¯t wind up in the same one. It¡¯s a gamble¡­but if you could get inside and destroy the mana gates linked to Album, you could dismantle the world and release all those trapped inside.¡±


    Lilly listened intently, not wanting to allow any detail to slip past her. If this was what she had to do, then she would take the risk and give it a try. As it stood, she might not even have an option of avoiding erasure.


    So¡­if Album does succeed in erasing me, then I¡¯ll have this as a plan to fall back on.


    ¡°Now, this world is a similar thing,¡± Abi continued, indicating the surrounding hot spring with a wave of her hand. ¡°It was a pocket realm created by The Angel and was eventually fused with one that the original Abi Reiner had at her disposal. Within this mountain, there are mana gates that are sustaining it, though the mana is currently being supplied through me. But as you know, Abi Reiner is dead¡­yet this place lives on. The erased realms are the same. Album Luz is not the only eraser, and should her realms fall, another eraser will simply take on the burden of supplying mana.¡±


    Lilly grimaced. ¡°So even if we kill Album, we can¡¯t release them?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± she confirmed. ¡°In fact, by killing Album, you would lose your only method of entering the realm. Should she die, releasing her victims becomes impossible.¡±


    Damn¡­ So we have to somehow either convince her to let them go, or get inside and release them ourselves¡­but we can¡¯t kill her?


    She realized with a reluctant sigh that Nigreos preventing Eric from killing Album might have actually been beneficial to them.


    ¡°Now, this is not as simple as I make it sound,¡± Abi said. ¡°We don¡¯t have much more time, so I will be quick. Destroying these mana gates requires a mage and you, currently, are not one. But, if you¡¯re willing to embrace and become The Angel, then you will have the power to destroy the erased realm from within.¡±


    Lilly nodded, deciding then that her answer was an easy one. ¡°Then I¡¯ll become the angel.¡±


    She didn¡¯t even have to consider it. If that''s what she had to do, then she would do it without hesitation. Her friends were all at stake, as was the boy who meant so much to her, so if she needed to embrace some power to save them, she would.


    ¡°But it¡¯s not such an easy task,¡± Abi said softly. ¡°The angel¡­is very powerful¡­as well as unstable. By taking it inside your body, you would be risking your life¡­and your very sense of being. If you aren¡¯t careful, Lilly Harper could cease to exist, replaced instead by a being of pure power¡­ It is why this is only to be used in emergencies¡­ For if you become The Angel, there is no turning back.¡±


    A shiver went down Lilly¡¯s spine and yet, she replied with her true feelings without even missing a beat. Part of her wondered if she was so confident simply because of the calming effect of that world, but as she spoke, she realized without a doubt that they were her true feelings.


    ¡°Even so,¡± she said. ¡°Before I came to Wilham and met Eric, I was an antisocial mess. I thought I liked being alone. I thought I was better off without friends. But once I got them, I realized just how much they mean to me. They made me a better person and taught me that I was looking at the world the wrong way. Even if I can¡¯t remember their faces or their names, I remember their effect on me and without them, I wouldn''t be the girl sitting before you. So¡­despite that risk, I will become The Angel if it¡¯ll save them¡­and if I die in the process, at least I tried. So I¡¯ll do it. I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to bring back those happy days I spent with them.¡±


    For a moment, Abi seemed taken aback, before a satisfied smile spread across her lips. ¡°Yes¡­ I can see why my son likes you. If that¡¯s the case, then I will trust his judgment and turn the power over to you, Lilly Harper.¡±


    Lilly grinned, wanting to show the woman that she was confident in her assertion. ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Reiner. Thank you for everything you¡¯ve told me. I promise that I¡¯ll protect your son and I¡¯ll make everything right. I''ll stop Nigreos and Album¡­¡±


    ¡°I believe you,¡± she replied. ¡°Once I give you The Angel¡¯s power, both I and this place will cease to exist, but I am happy knowing that my Eric has found somebody like you. Protect him, Lilly. And protect yourself.¡±


    ¡°I promise I will,¡± she said firmly. ¡°And¡­if this place really is going to disappear, then I can take a message back to Eric if you want. It¡¯s the least I can do for you after all of this.¡±


    Abi closed her eyes for a moment and then smiled warmly. ¡°Just tell him that I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t make it back to him. I want him to know that I wish I could have made good on my promise and returned home. And tell him I love him so much.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± she assured her. ¡°I¡¯ll tell him that.¡±


    ¡°Good. In that case, everything is ready for you. You will submerge your head in the hot spring and soon after, the power will attempt to enter your body. It will be painful, but do not fight it. Allow it inside. Allow it to become one with you, and you must become one with it. It¡¯s a symbiotic relationship, of sorts. Once you merge, you will be relying on each other. If one dies, so does the other. Keep that in mind.¡±


    Lilly swallowed back her fear, knowing that she didn¡¯t have a choice. Eric had sent her there for a reason and there was no doubt in her mind that this was it. To stop Nigreos and Album, she would become an angel.


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Abi nodded, her body suddenly beginning to turn transparent, and as it did, more of the different colored lights from earlier began to remove themselves from her form, as if she were splitting into them. ¡°Perfect. In that case, be safe, Lilly Harper.¡±


    ¡°You, too,¡± she whispered back. ¡°Again, thank you for everything. Goodbye, Mrs. Reiner.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye.¡±


    With that last word, Abigail Reiner faded away as the little lights began to dance into the air before floating off into different directions. Once Lilly was alone in the hot spring, she took a deep breath and prepared herself for what was to come.


    This was the wildcard we were looking for. If anything can turn this around, this is it. So¡­for Eric and for everybody else we lost, I¡¯ll do what I have to.


    With that final thought, Lilly inhaled as much air as she could and ducked her head under the water. In the blink of an eye, everything changed. The light from above vanished and when she looked up, she couldn¡¯t see the surface of the water. She was floating in an endless black with nothing in sight all around her. Despite being under water, she found herself able to breathe and she assumed that, like before, her lack of panic was due to the world somehow.


    Alright, now what? Where¡¯s this supposed angel?


    ¡°Hello? Is somebody here?¡±


    As the female voice echoed through the water, a small ball of light appeared in front of her. This one was far larger than the little ones from the forest and was a pure white, lacking any color at all. Gradually, it began to shift and expand, forming what looked to be a humanoid shape as arms and legs sprouted from its torso-like form, then ending with a head. From there, it formed feminine features, its body becoming more curved and strands of light falling from its head in what resembled hair.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± the light asked. ¡°I don¡¯t sense any magic inside you. Are you really the one Abi chose for this?¡±


    Lilly opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by another, far more masculine voice.


    ¡°Why else would she be here if she wasn¡¯t the one Abi selected?¡±


    A ribbon of shadow swirled around Lilly¡¯s body before coming to a stop beside the light. It, too, began to take on a vaguely human shape, though its form looked more male, with broader shoulders and shorter hair. Despite everything around them being black, it somehow stood out from the rest. It was distinct.


    A woman of light and a man of black? she thought. This¡­can¡¯t be a coincidence. Are these somehow related to Album and Nigreos?


    ¡°Tell me, girl, what is your name?¡± the darkness demanded. ¡°And why have you come here for our power? What do you need us for?¡±


    The light nodded. ¡°Yes, yes! I¡¯m curious about that, too! You¡¯re really a weird choice. I mean, after waiting for so many years, it¡¯s almost disappointing that it¡¯s a magicless girl!¡±


    ¡°Er, well¡­¡± For a moment, she hesitated, but after recalling how Abi told her to embrace The Angel, she decided she would answer their questions truthfully. ¡°My name is Lilly Harper. Abi Reiner gave me permission to enter here because I need help. My friends and I are being attacked by beings far more powerful than us and, right now, we don¡¯t have the strength to fight back. But she said that if I were to embrace The Angel then I might have a chance at winning. Are¡­one of you this angel?¡±


    ¡°Well, in a way,¡± the light said in her weirdly bubbly voice.


    The darkness nodded his agreement. ¡°We are both The Angel. Together, we make it up. If Abi trusts you with this power then I won¡¯t argue. After all this time, I¡¯m ready to get out of here. But you need to allow both of us into your body if you want us¡­and I can¡¯t even promise that you¡¯ll survive. You come from a very different world than we do, and your body might not be compatible.¡±


    ¡°Abi said something similar,¡± she responded. ¡°But I don¡¯t have a choice. Without you, I could die anyway. So please! I¡¯ll allow you inside of me! Just¡­lend me your strength!¡±


    The darkness laughed coldly. ¡°There is no lending, Miss Harper. If you do this, then we will be together until the day you die. Our strength will be yours, and yours will be ours. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Lilly confirmed. ¡°And I accept.¡±


    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t she full of determination,¡± the light mused. ¡°Well, like he said, if Abi trusts you then I do, too. So, let¡¯s see what you¡¯re made of, Lilly Harper!¡±


    That was the last thing either of them said before their forms began to morph once again. The light being didn¡¯t change that much. In fact, her form only grew a little taller and her hair shortened to her shoulders. The dark being, however, shifted quite a bit. His form became feminine and his hair, too, grew down to his shoulders until both the light and the dark were identical, and when their faces finally formed, Lilly let out a soft exhale.


    They¡¯re¡­me¡­


    With that, the two beings lunged at her and the moment they entered her body, pain the likes of which she had never experienced began to overwhelm her. She let out a shriek as she thrashed around in the water, finding herself unable to breath again. Images flashed through her mind of moments she didn¡¯t recognize and thoughts that weren¡¯t her own. Everything was a jumble and for a moment, she felt herself slipping away, but recalling Abi¡¯s warning, she quickly tried to push past the pain and retain herself. She forced an image of Eric into her thoughts, thinking of him and only him.


    He was the one she would save.


    He needed her and so, she would be the hero that would save him, to make up for all he¡¯d done for her.


    Yeah, I swear! I won¡¯t let this angel beat me! I¡¯ll do this!


    For him, I¡¯ll embrace this power!


    For him, I¡¯ll become an angel!


    ***


    At the same time and without any warning, Album and Nigreos both dropped to their knees, letting out a surprised gasp together. Album¡¯s head felt like it had split open and for a moment, a vision of Lilly Harper shot through her mind, but it was gone so fast that she wondered if she had even really seen it. She could tell that Nigreos¡¯s distortion spell had fallen and when she forced her head to raise so she could scan the darkened street, she found them alone for the time being.


    ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Nigreos gasped. ¡°Was that¡­Harper?¡±


    Album clenched her teeth. ¡°You saw that, too? Why would it¡­¡±


    The Master of Light furrowed her brow and slowly raised her head in the direction they had been heading. All of a sudden, she sensed a congregation of mana stronger than anything she had sensed in that world outside of the pocket realm. It was a foreign yet familiar sense, and she couldn¡¯t figure out what it meant.


    All she knew was that the arrival of this power happening just after that sensation couldn¡¯t be a coincidence.


    ¡°Something happened,¡± Nigreos murmured, confirming he was sensing it, too.


    Album narrowed her eyes, not in the mood for any more surprises to be thrown at her. ¡°Then let¡¯s hurry and end this.¡±

 Chapter 41- The Final Erasure

    Chapter XLI


    Please, let it work! Let it do something, anything! I just don¡¯t want to lose her, too! Please, Mom! Please say this can save her!


    Eric was sitting huddled in the back of his bedroom, his legs pulled up to his chest as he stared at Lilly¡¯s still body which was laying in the spot she had fallen. After realizing that he had failed to save Damien, Liz, and Natalie from being erased, he knew he had to do something. Ever since Album and Nigreos first arrived, he¡¯d desperately wanted to avoid using the syringe his mother had left him despite the emergency he found himself in. This was predominantly due to the terrifying warning she had given him the night she left for Ijiria. That syringe could be dangerous not only to the person it was used on, but even to those around them. He was terrified of using it and accidentally being responsible for potentially hurting, or even killing, one of the others.


    But now, the others are gone. Lilly is all I have left, so if anybody¡¯s going to need protection, it¡¯s her. I already have whatever protection charm Mom put on me, so Lilly can have the syringe. Maybe this way, we can do something!


    The problem was that he didn¡¯t have the first clue what the syringe would do to her. His mother had given it to him in a hurry and hadn¡¯t had the chance to ever explain what it was or where it came from. By injecting it into Lilly, he could have potentially killed her himself.


    And if I did¡ªif Mom¡¯s syringe didn¡¯t work, then I¡¯ll have truly lost everything. If Lilly¡¯s dead¡­then I suppose I¡¯ll just join her.


    He briefly turned his eyes away from Lilly and down toward his left hand where a blueish-green dagger was clutched in his fist. It was the one he had found at the beach all those months ago, laying beside the gemstone. He never understood why, but nobody other than him had been able to see it. He knew as a fact that it was magic, but he didn¡¯t know what its properties were. Ever since his discovery, he had been trying to figure out what it could do, but having been worried about potentially fiddling with something dangerous, he had always been too nervous to properly examine it. But now, he no longer cared. If Lilly died, he would shove it through his throat and leave nothing for Nigreos and Album to find other than corpses. If the theory that they couldn¡¯t erase the dead was true, then he would ensure that the world never forgot what was done to them.


    The room was silent, though barely a minute had passed and, to his pure and utter relief, Lilly¡¯s eyes snapped open. Eric scrambled to his feet and gazed down at the girl as she blinked a few more times, as if trying to gather her bearings. She clutched her head and pushed herself to a sitting position, then glanced up at him, as if noticing his presence.


    ¡°Lilly?¡± he managed to say. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    She rubbed her head a few more times and then, to his surprise, she smiled. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m okay. I don¡¯t feel much different yet, but I¡¯m okay.¡±


    He had expected her to be furious at him for doing something so sudden and rash, not to mention the fact that he put some mysterious, potentially lethal, substance into her body. He was ready for her to scream at him and tell him how much she hated him, but she just grinned like she always did and used his bed frame to pull herself to her feet.


    ¡°Although, a bit of a warning next time would be great,¡± she added.


    Eric found he was shaking and so, he quickly tried to steady his body before replying. ¡°Are you¡­um, what happened? I¡­I was told that the syringe¡­could protect you so¡­ But I don¡¯t know what it does¡­¡±


    He knew he was doing a terrible job of articulating himself due to the emotions he was feeling and the physical fatigue from his battle with the Ijirans. Yet, Lilly didn¡¯t seem to mind.


    ¡°It was weird,¡± she admitted, sounding almost too normal given the circumstances. ¡°I woke up in this field at the base of a mountain where all these pretty little lights were floating around. A few of them led me up to the top where there was a hot spring and¡­well, that was really relaxing. Actually, I was walking up that mountain for a good hour or so, but it doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s been that long here.¡±


    She was so calm despite everything that he couldn¡¯t help but suspect the syringe had done something to her. But having known Lilly for the better part of that year, he didn¡¯t sense anything was too off. She still seemed like herself. Nothing was controlling her, of that he was sure. Instead, it was almost like she had been rejuvenated, like whatever mountain she had seen had given her the strength she needed to move forward.


    And I don¡¯t even know what she means by a mountain¡­ Where did she go?


    ¡°Uh, no, it''s only been a minute,¡± he answered. ¡°Definitely not an hour.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Yeah, I had a feeling time was moving differently there. I just wish you could have seen it. It was one of the most beautiful places I¡¯ve ever been to. I¡¯d go again, but¡­I guess it¡¯s gone now because we used that thing.¡±


    ¡°Lilly,¡± he interjected. ¡°I¡¯m confused. I¡­was told by my mom that this syringe could help us in an emergency, but she never really explained what it could do. So, on this mountain, what happened? Did you find anything that could help us fight Nigreos and Album.¡±


    Lilly grinned. ¡°Yeah, I did. Actually, I met your mother up in that hot spring¡­or at least a part of her.¡±


    Eric exhaled sharply, wondering if he had heard her correctly. ¡°M-my mother? W-what? That¡¯s not possible, Lilly. Nigreos killed my mom!¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± she said softly. ¡°Like I said, it was only part of her. When we spoke, she said that she was a piece of Abi Reiner¡¯s soul that was placed in that world as a guardian of The Angel. It was her, but it wasn¡¯t. She was actually expecting you to show up so I guess my arrival confused her.¡±


    Mom? Mom was there? She spoke to Lilly?


    All of a sudden, he desperately wished he¡¯d used the syringe on himself. He knew it was selfish, but he would have given anything in that moment to speak to her again. He had so many questions about her past and her home that he would never get to ask now.


    But Lilly said¡­that place is gone. So¡­I lost my chance to say goodbye.


    ¡°But, she did have a message for you,¡± Lilly went on. ¡°She said she was sorry¡­that she wished she could have come back to you and kept her promise¡­and that she loves you.¡±


    The boy swallowed, his trembling getting worse as he listened to the message Lilly conveyed to him. There was no doubt in his mind that Lilly was telling the truth. He could see in her eyes the sincerity she was feeling and he only felt horrible for risking her life all over again.


    But maybe it worked. She came back alive so she must have gotten whatever was kept on that mountain.


    ¡°So¡­what happened up there?¡± he pressed. ¡°You said that she was the guardian of The Angel or something? What is that? What does it mean?¡±


    She frowned, seeming to ponder the question. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure. Your mom said that if I embraced The Angel then I could have the chance of taking down the erased realm and bringing everybody back. She said it was possible and¡­she confirmed that Nigreos wasn¡¯t lying. They''re alive, Eric. Everybody who was erased is still alive.¡±


    The possibility had been on the table for a while, but to hear it confirmed was the ray of hope he desperately needed after their utter loss at the apartment that night. He may have failed everybody, but the battle wasn¡¯t over yet. If they could find a way to get them out, then maybe they still had a chance of returning things to the way they were.


    ¡°How?¡± he uttered, not wanting to get his hopes up just yet. ¡°How can we save them all? Did she say?¡±


    Lilly nodded. ¡°There¡¯s two ways and neither are really that easy. Either Album has to release them herself¡­or we have to bust the damn thing open from the inside. However, your mom stressed one thing: killing Album is not an option. By killing her, we¡¯re locking ourselves out forever.¡±


    Eric stood silent for a few seconds as he took in what she was telling him, thrilled that they now had the potential for a plan. ¡°Neither sounds terribly easy. We can ignore any possibility of Album letting them out of her own free will. But if we can¡¯t kill her¡­¡±


    He felt a chill go down his spine. He had almost ended Album¡¯s life back at Lilly¡¯s apartment. If killing her really did lock the erased realm away for good, then he almost made a mistake that he couldn¡¯t have undone. In his blind rage, he almost sealed himself off from his friends for good.


    ¡°But let¡¯s step back a moment,¡± he muttered. ¡°Setting that aside, you said that you had to embrace The Angel? What does that mean? Why does it all sound so vague?¡±


    Lilly grimaced. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t feel any different, but¡­I did what she told me to do. I¡¯m just not sure what I¡¯m supposed to do to fix it.¡±


    Eric clenched his teeth, glancing around the darkened room in thought. He knew they didn¡¯t have much time before Nigreos and Album found them again. Now that they were the only two left, the Masters would do everything in their power to wrap it all up quickly so they could leave Wilham and finish their mission. He didn¡¯t know what embracing The Angel meant, but he knew that had to be what his mother was talking about when she said the syringe could help in emergencies. If they could get out of there and buy time to figure out what it did to Lilly, perhaps they could find some way to turn it all around.


    ¡°By the way?¡± Lilly said. ¡°Where¡¯d you get the fancy knife?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Oh, I found it in¡­ Wait, you can see this?¡±


    He almost didn¡¯t process it at first, but nobody other than him had ever seen the blade. When he first found it, Damien, Liz, and Vinny had looked at him like he was crazy when he asked if they could see it, and Lilly hadn¡¯t noticed it when she first came to his house. It had been sitting on his desk, but she hadn¡¯t ever asked what it was.


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    So why now? What the hell is this blade?


    ¡°Um, yeah, I can see it,¡± she replied, staring at him with confusion. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be able to?¡±


    Cursing the constant barrage of mysteries, Eric shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll explain later. For now, let¡¯s get the hell out of here! We can¡¯t run forever, but if we can flee Wilham and hide for even just a few days to figure out what happened to you, that¡¯ll be plenty. And I¡¯ll¡ª!¡±


    But of course, his luck wasn¡¯t good enough to give him even that much. The sound of the front door being ripped from its hinges sounded from down the hall, and he immediately reacted on instinct, jumping in front of Lilly just as a figure emerged from the shadows in his bedroom¡¯s doorway, sliding out of the shadows like he always did. The man in a black suit stepped into his room, his eyes narrowed as he regarded the two of them.


    ¡°So we meet again, Reiner. Harper,¡± Nigreos Noctis said smugly. ¡°Let¡¯s hope this can be our last confrontation before we put this mess behind us.¡±


    Eric quickly glanced behind him, but for the moment, there was no sign of Album. The Master of Darkness was the only one standing before them, which only alerted him even further. Barely an hour prior, he had made the mistake of focusing solely on Album because she was alone, and due to that, Lilly got captured and used against him. There was no doubt in his mind that Album Luz was nearby and was simply waiting for the right moment to strike and attempt to erase Lilly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit, I was impressed by your skill with fire magic,¡± the man went on. ¡°Like I¡¯ve said numerous times, Reiner, you are a talented mage. You could be one of the best in Ijiria with the right training, and perhaps even become a Master yourself somebody. All you have to do is step aside and allow us to deal with Harper.¡±


    Eric clenched his teeth, his mind frantically considering his options. ¡°How many times do I have to turn you down to get it through your thick skull, Nigreos! I¡¯m not abandoning anybody!¡±


    ¡°And yet, what good has that done you?¡± he inquired calmly. ¡°Everybody except Harper is gone. In the face of our power, you were still incapable of defending your friends. You don¡¯t have a choice in the matter.¡± The Master¡¯s eyes then shifted to the blade Eric was clutching in his hand. ¡°And I see you already have the realm dagger at the ready. I was wondering what happened to it, but it seems you had it, too. I guess that makes sense.¡±


    Realm¡­dagger?


    Eric briefly turned his eyes down to the blade, realizing just how foolish he had been. Realm daggers were the talismans used to jump between worlds. His mother used to have one, though she had never let him see it. She always either kept it locked away or on her person. When she left, he had never known what became of hers.


    But then¡­maybe this thing is our chance. If I cut open the realm and jump inside, maybe I can get away from them! Wherever it takes us, it can¡¯t be more dangerous than here.


    ¡°Now, don¡¯t make a stupid decision, boy,¡± Nigreos growled, as if already seeing through what was going through his mind. ¡°We¡¯ve already proven there¡¯s nothing you can do¡­even with your blood protection. So, stand down.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    He had wanted to deny Nigreos once again, but this time, it wasn¡¯t him who spoke. While she remained behind him, Lilly eyed the Master with a calm expression as she went on.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t as hopeless as you say it is,¡± she said. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll win today, but you won¡¯t win tomorrow. You¡¯re underestimating us, and that¡¯s what¡¯s going to get you killed. We aren¡¯t as pathetic as you think, and even if you erase me right here, it won¡¯t change a thing.¡±


    Nigreos snorted, regarding the girl as if she were nothing more than a mild irritation. ¡°Well aren¡¯t you confident, Harper. But unfortunately, there won¡¯t be a tomorrow for you to fight. Soon enough, you, too, will be wiped from this reality and there won¡¯t be a soul other than Reiner, myself, and Album that¡¯ll remember you. Lilly Harper will cease to exist just like every other friend of yours that we¡¯ve gotten rid of.¡±


    In the face of Nigreos¡¯s words, Lilly merely laughed as if what he was saying was some joke. ¡°No, I won¡¯t be forgotten. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re giving enough credit to human connections. You might erase my name and the memories of me, but you won¡¯t erase me. You see, I might not remember the people you took, but I remember how they made me feel. I remember the effects they had on me, and there¡¯s no spell in existence that can wipe away those feelings. That, I can say with certainty.¡±


    Lilly¡­


    ¡°Can you?¡± Nigreos snapped. ¡°And yet, you don¡¯t know the first thing about magic. You¡¯re a worthless magicless being, unblessed by the evolution of realms. And yet, you choose to tell me how magic works.¡±


    Lilly grinned challengingly. ¡°I do, yes. Because even though I don¡¯t remember them, I still love them. I know that I wouldn¡¯t be who I am today without the people you took. Yeah, I don¡¯t remember them or who they were or what they did, but you can¡¯t take away who I am and they made me, me.¡±


    ¡°Truly, you two are quite similar,¡± Nigreos muttered. ¡°And just as stubborn.¡±


    The girl shrugged. ¡°Maybe. But in the end, I think that¡¯s a good quality we share. You¡¯re not going to win, Nigreos. Somehow, someway, we will defeat you and you will regret ever messing with us. Coming to this town will be the greatest mistake you ever make.¡±


    She spoke calmly, yet Eric could hear the determination in her voice. Whatever she saw on that mountaintop gave her the confidence she needed to stand up to the Master of Darkness and he couldn¡¯t be more impressed. Nigreos glanced to the corner of the room and smirked, then muttered something and flicked his wrist. Eric tensed up, ready to defend himself, but the shadow didn¡¯t go after him. Instead, it picked up the small orange gemstone laying where Eric had thrown it before delivering it to the Master¡¯s hand. Nigreos rolled it around in his palm for a moment and then chuckled.


    ¡°Unfortunately, it¡¯s already over.¡±


    Lilly shook her head. ¡°Not yet.¡±


    As the room went silent, Lilly and Nigreos stared at each other challengingly, and Eric let out a soft exhale. During their argument, he had subtly moved his finger down to the ruby button on the realm dagger and he was certain Nigreos hadn¡¯t noticed. During his few investigations of the knife, he had noticed the button, and pushing it had caused it to flare with a yellow energy. It had startled him at first, and from there on, he avoided pressing it, but if it was a realm dagger like Nigreos claimed it was, then he knew what he had to do. Lilly was still behind him, so he prepared himself to make his last ditch attempt at escape. He didn¡¯t speak or give any indication that he was going to act. He just lunged forward, pressing the button as he did, and sliced through the air before him. That yellow mana swirled around the blade as an opening appeared in midair, which quickly expanded into an oval portal of swirling yellow mana.


    ¡°Reiner, don¡¯t!¡±


    Ignoring Nigreos¡¯s shout, Eric grabbed Lilly¡¯s hand just as a flash of light exploded around his bedroom.


    ¡°Proto!¡±


    He lurched forward, soaring into the portal and putting both his bedroom and his world behind him. The inside of the portal felt as if he was floating inside an ocean and he didn¡¯t know what was going to happen, so he refused to release Lilly¡¯s hand. The sensation lasted only a handful of seconds before he emerged from the portal and barely kept his footing as he landed on firm ground. He was breathing heavily as he frantically took in his surroundings. They were in a world devoid of anything but the black walls that surrounded them. In fact, it looked like a black box of obsidian, and just ahead were two closed doors.


    Where is this place? Where did we go?


    Clenching his teeth, he looked back at Lilly to make sure she had come through safely, only for his eyes to go wide with horror. She was standing just behind him, her hand still clutching his, but there was a bloody wound in the center of her chest, staining her clothes with red.


    ¡°N-no,¡± he stuttered as the sight burned itself into his head. ¡°Lilly? Lilly, what happened?!¡±


    She slowly looked down at her chest, her breathing labored. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­know¡­ I¡­¡±


    Her body then shook as if a tremor had run through it and, right before his eyes, she began to crumble into dust.


    ¡°NO!¡± he shrieked, rushing to her side just as her legs gave out and she crumpled to the floor. ¡°Lilly, please! Stay with me! Don¡¯t go!¡±


    Her legs had completely faded into dust and her arms and hips were already beginning to vanish. He frantically tried to recall every healing spell he knew that might be able to stop it as he hovered his hands over the wound.


    ¡°Benedio!¡± he shouted, placing them against the hole.


    He felt his power flowing into her and yet, it wasn¡¯t working. Her arms crumbled into nothing and the look in her eyes began to grow distant, as if she were truly fading away from him.


    ¡°Benedio! Benedio! BENEDIO!¡±


    He screamed and prayed that it would work, but he couldn¡¯t stop his girlfriend from continuing to fade before his eyes.


    No! Not like this! Don¡¯t leave me Lilly! I don¡¯t want to be alone! I don''t want to be!


    ¡°You¡¯re wasting your time, Reiner,¡± came the voice of Album Luz behind him. ¡°Erasure can not be healed.¡±


    He refused to turn around. He could feel the presence of Nigreos and Album behind him, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to look away from Lilly. He didn¡¯t want to see their smug looks as they watched him lose the last person he had left. He wouldn¡¯t give them the satisfaction.


    ¡°Lilly, please¡­¡± he uttered.


    For a moment, Lilly¡¯s eyes drifted over to him, and a bit of the light returned, and she smiled weakly. ¡°Eric,¡± she managed to say just as the rest of her body began to crumble. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­save them.¡±


    And with those last, weakly-spoken words, Lilly Harper vanished into nothingness, leaving him staring at the obsidian ground of the place he had gone to.


    Lilly was gone.


    In the end, he saved nobody.


    In the end, he was a failure in every sense of the word.


    The syringe¡­was supposed to save her. It was supposed to work! Why didn''t it do anything! Why couldn¡¯t it save her! What the hell was that goddamn thing, Mom?!


    ¡°Like we said,¡± Nigreos growled softly. ¡°No matter how much you might have tried, or how many tricks you had up your sleeve, the ending to this story was always going to be your defeat, Eric Reiner.¡±


    He could feel sadness and anger boiling up inside him, but he knew there was nothing he could do anymore. He couldn¡¯t fight them nor did he even want to. He had been fighting to save his friends, so with the last of his friends gone, there was no reason to fight. All he could do was scream, hoping that Album or Nigreos would just cut his head off and end it all.


    He lost everything.


    He failed them all.


    He wanted to die.


    It was over.


    ***


    Alexa Harper jumped to her feet, her eyes wide and her breathing heavy. Both of her parents, who were sitting on the opposite bed to her right in the small hotel room they were staying in, looked up at her in surprise.


    ¡°Lexi?¡± her father called over with a concerned expression. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Sweetie?¡±


    Alexa frowned, not knowing what the answer was. Why had she jumped up so suddenly? Why did she feel so scared? She wasn¡¯t sure and, gradually, the feeling faded from a powerful surge of terror to more of a nagging in the back of her mind. The girl exhaled softly, then slowly sat back down on her own bed.


    ¡°S-sorry,¡± she muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that was. I guess it just felt like¡­¡±


    Alexa paused, trying to think of the best way to put her emotions into words, before finally settling on how to describe it.


    ¡°Like I¡¯d forgotten something really important.¡±

 Book 2 Epilogue

    Epilogue


    When the sound of her alarm going off finally broke the silence in her bedroom, Lilly Harper felt her stomach churn. The girl scowled and rolled over onto her side, pulling the comforters higher up over her face so she could lay in the comfortable warmth that they brought her. She knew that alarm meant it was time to get up and go to school and, like every other day, she wanted nothing more than to stay laying in bed and go back to sleep. She always dreaded going to school and that day was no exception. It was the end of April so they still had a little over a month to go until summer, and yet vacation still felt like it was an eternity away.


    If only I could sleep through May. With finals coming up, school¡¯s gonna be more of a hell than it normally is.


    Lilly sighed miserably at the sound of her older sister climbing from her own bed and turning the alarm off. There was no doubt in her mind that she was about to hear one of Alexa¡¯s typical morning lectures and, sure enough, she was right.


    ¡°Come on, Sis¡¯,¡± Alexa grumbled. ¡°Get up. I told you that you can have the bathroom first today so hurry it up and get ready. You know Mom¡¯s gonna be pissed if you oversleep again. I mean, how many times have you been late since the start of the year?¡±


    Lilly scowled and pulled the covers down to see Alexa staring down at her with an irritable expression, her hands on her hips as she looked down at her.


    ¡°I dunno,¡± she growled. ¡°Does it even matter? Just mind your own business, Alexa, and let me deal with my own problems.¡±


    Her older sister snorted. ¡°I¡¯m just looking out for you, so you don¡¯t have to get all snippy with me. Believe it or not, I actually do want you to do well in school. After all, I¡¯m going to college in a few months so soon enough, I¡¯m not gonna be here to make sure you wake up on time.¡±


    And what a joyous occasion that¡¯s gonna be, Lilly thought, though she was smart enough not to say it out loud.


    ¡°Yea, whatever,¡± she muttered instead. ¡°Just go ahead and get ready first. I¡¯m gonna lay here a little longer.¡±


    Lilly expected Alexa to argue further but, thankfully, she just sighed and departed the room, leaving her alone with the warmth of her blankets for a few more minutes. While she did appreciate the fact that her older sister cared enough to worry about her, after so many years of her nagging, it had gotten to the point that it was just pissing Lilly off.


    Why can¡¯t she just mind her own damn business? Who does she think she is? Mom? Cause if so, then I wish she would just cut it out. It¡¯s already bad enough to have Mom on my ass all the time. I really wish I didn¡¯t have to deal with Alexa, too.


    Ever since they moved to Wilham the previous summer, Lilly found herself growing more and more apathetic toward school. She¡¯d never been someone who enjoyed it, but for whatever reason, being at West Wilham High only seemed to annoy her even more than her old school.


    And I¡¯m not even sure why. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s any different from my old high school.


    Just like when she lived up north, she still didn¡¯t have any friends, nor did she want any. She had always been perfectly content being alone and she was glad that it stayed that way. There had been a few kids over the months that tried to get to know her, but she successfully pushed them away and now, everybody just accepted that she wasn¡¯t someone to bother. She spent her classes by herself, only interacting with others when she didn¡¯t have a choice. She ate lunch alone in a random corner of the second floor. She spent track practice avoiding interactions with her team members, and when it was over, she went home alone. It was the life she wanted, yet she found herself getting more bored with each passing day.


    I guess it feels like I¡¯m missing something. I just don¡¯t know what that would be.


    After what felt like nearly a half hour of waiting, Alexa walked back into the bedroom, dressed in her school uniform and with the same irritated look on her face.


    ¡°Really? You haven¡¯t moved at all?¡± she snapped.


    Lilly merely grunted in reply, having no interest in responding with any more effort than that.


    Alexa rolled her eyes and shrugged. ¡°Fine. Be that way. Mom made pancakes this morning before heading to work and they¡¯re on the table if you want some. I¡¯ll be leaving in ten minutes¡­not like you¡¯ll walk with me, though.¡±


    Yup. Probably right.


    Alexa went back into the hall without another word, leaving Lilly to begrudgingly get out of the warm blankets and grab her clothes before heading down the hall and into the bathroom. Still unable to shake the intense lethargy she was feeling that morning, she wound up standing in the shower for probably twenty minutes, just letting the warm water wash over her. It was only when it started getting cold that she quickly grabbed her shampoo and tried to hurry out. As was usual, she put very little effort into her appearance. All she did was dry and brush her shoulder-length hair, then changed into her uniform. By the time she had her teeth brushed and was heading out into the front room, she found the apartment empty.


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    Just as I prefer it.


    She took her time warming up the pancakes in the microwave and eating breakfast. Once she was ready to leave, she realized she only had twenty minutes until class started, so she picked up her pace just a little, grabbed her bag, then headed out the front door. She didn¡¯t run into anybody on her way to the elevator and, when she made it into the lobby, only Mr. Alberts was there, sitting at his desk as he worked on his computer. They both ignored each other as she headed outside and turned in the direction of the school.


    Alright, let¡¯s see¡­ Do I have any tests today?


    She couldn¡¯t recall anything and nodded in satisfaction, finding herself far too tired to bother with any important assignments. As she got closer to West Wilham High, the number of students she noticed increased and by the time she reached the front gates, there were quite a few heading into the courtyard and making their way to the main building.


    God, it¡¯s so noisy here. Why is everybody in such a good mood? I¡¯ll never understand being so chipper at barely eight in the morning and at school of all places.


    She kept her head down, not warning to make eye contact with anybody as she headed into the building and trudged her way through the obnoxious crowds of students before reaching the stairs to the second floor where her first period class with Mrs. Kentz was located. She preferred to get to class without incident, yet she was rarely so lucky. It always felt like something stupid was going on in the hallways of the school and that morning was no exception. Right as she made it to the second floor, she suddenly heard shouting off to her right and she irritably turned to see what was going on.


    Two boys were fighting nearly a dozen lockers down from where she stood, violently swinging their fists as if they were trying to kill each other, while many of the students around them backed away to avoid getting hit, though that didn¡¯t stop them from quickly pulling out their phones to record the incident. The faces of the two boys were contorted in utter rage and she could only guess that this had started over something pointless and dumb. They were, after all, two of the school¡¯s most infamous problem students: Evan Wright and Damien Clark. They were shouting curses at each other and within seconds, Clark had Wright on the ground as he continued to try and pound his fists into the downed boy¡¯s face.


    ¡°Hey! Clark! Wright Stop that right now!¡±


    Lilly glanced over her shoulder just in time to see the P.E. teacher, Mr Kurtis, sprinting over to them to try and break it up. Knowing the fight was about to end, Lilly became disinterested and continued to Mrs. Kentz¡¯s class.


    What fucking idiots. But at least they¡¯ll be suspended for a while so I won¡¯t have to deal with them. That is, if Wright doesn¡¯t end up in the hospital and Clark doesn¡¯t get his ass expelled. She snorted. Not like Wright didn¡¯t have it coming. I¡¯ve only been here for barely a year and even I know you don¡¯t mess with Damien Clark. The guy¡¯s a loose cannon that¡¯ll probably wind up in jail before finishing high school.


    Lilly sighed as she arrived at Kentz¡¯s class. Like always, the old woman was standing by the door and said a brief ¡°good morning¡± to Lilly as she passed through. When she looked around, she found most of the usual people already there. Bradley Fischer and his friends, excluding Evan Wright, were sitting in the back corner and laughing to themselves. Near the front of the room, another loner like her was sitting with his head down and was probably asleep, though that wasn¡¯t an uncommon sight for Vinny Mickelson. The only other students already there were two girls sitting in the desks in front of her own, chatting with each other. As Lilly approached, Alice Mendez and Audrey Moore spared her barely a glance before going back to what they were discussing.


    Welp, time to power through another day, she thought irritably.


    Lilly slid her bag under her desk and sat down in her seat before turning and gazing blankly out the window. The last five minutes before class passed far too quickly for her liking and when the bell rang, the rest of the students filed inside and took their proper seats. Lilly absently watched everybody and when the bell rang to signal the start of class, she was about to turn back to the window when something odd caught her eye.


    Why¡¯s the seat next to Mickelson empty? Where¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± she cried out softly, a sudden spasm of pain erupting throughout her skull.


    ¡°Don¡¯t disappoint us, Lilly Harper.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯d hate to see all that confidence go to waste. If you¡¯re so certain you can save them, then let¡¯s see you try.¡±


    She frantically looked around the room, trying to find the sources of those voices, but couldn¡¯t find where they had come from.


    ¡°Miss Harper? Is everything alright?¡± Mrs. Kentz asked from the front of the room.


    Realizing everybody was looking at her with confused expressions, some even trying and failing to stifle their laughs, Lilly felt her cheeks turn red and she hurriedly nodded.


    ¡°Y-yeah, sorry,¡± she murmured.


    Kentz nodded and didn¡¯t press the issue before returning to roll call, leaving Lilly to lean back in her seat and sigh.


    What the hell was that? Where were those voices coming from? Am I just going crazy?


    She spared a brief glance back at the empty desk next to Mickelson and quickly scoffed at herself. Maybe I am. That stupid desk has been empty since the start of the year. I don¡¯t even know what I was thinking.


    Anxious to put the strange incident behind her, Lilly Harper turned back to stare blankly out the window, anxious for the school day to end. Yet, as it went on, she couldn¡¯t help but keep thinking back to those weird voices she heard in her head.


    Save them? Was there somebody¡­I was supposed to save?


    But she couldn¡¯t remember anything and so, she wrote it off as a figment of her imagination and pushed all thoughts of it from her mind.

 Prologue III- A Failure Of A Father

    Prologue


    As the sun was setting over the coastal town of Wilham, Scott Reiner quickly made his way down the neighborhood street that led to his home. Work that day had been long and tedious, so he was anxious to spend time with his family. He knew it wouldn¡¯t exactly be relaxing, but he nevertheless always smiled at the thought of his recently born baby boy. Eric was barely a year old and, whenever he got off work, he would spend most of his time taking care of the child so his wife could rest, but despite the long and busy days, he knew it was all worth it. He was a family man, and ever since he began dating the odd girl from another world, he had envisioned and desired this cozy family life with her. It was exactly what he had dreamed of, and that dream had come to pass. He had married Abigail, they had a child, and life was good. The work they put into caring for their son was worth everything. And yet, there was always a shadow hanging over that ideal life of his. Each and every day, he knew he could lose it all at the drop of a hat and he would be powerless to stop it.


    Scott tightened his lips and swallowed at the thought of the people from the other world that could ruin everything if they ever found out that Abi was there. When he first asked Abi to marry him, she had told him that she would, but only under the condition that he understood the risks. Not only could she be taken from him or even killed, but he could be condemned to a fate that was worse than death.


    Abi spoke of erasure as the worst possible outcome and she had told him all about it. He knew that the Ijirians could take a life and send them to another plane of reality, wiping any trace of their existence away. Everybody who ever knew them would forget about them, and reality would correct itself to make the world consistent. If he were erased, Abi would forget him, but even worse was that if she were erased, then the woman he loved would be gone and he wouldn¡¯t even know it. Even their son was at a high risk of being wiped away due to his very existence being against the laws of Ijiria. He was a boy born of a nonmagical blood and a magical blood¡ªa hybrid between two types of people that the Ijirians determined should never interact. For the time being, nobody from Ijiria knew where Abi was save the two who she trusted more than anybody else.


    But if they ever found her, all would be lost.


    I can¡¯t let that happen. I know I can¡¯t, but these people are beyond me. I¡¯m worthless when compared to them. I¡¯ve seen them in action. I¡¯ve seen what they can do. If they decided to get rid of me, then they could.


    Scott clutched his briefcase tighter in his grasp as he rounded a corner and saw their home just up ahead. The relief he felt every time he returned was intense, and he picked up his pace as he moved up the driveway and toward the front door before unlocking it and stepping inside.


    Yeah, I¡¯m powerless¡­which is why I need to do everything in my power to overcome their might. I don¡¯t want to lose this family. More than anything¡­I can¡¯t lose it.


    ¡°I¡¯m home, Abi,¡± he called out as he slid his shoes off and placed them by the front door.


    Then, when he looked up, he found his wife standing just down the hall with that smile of hers that was still as enchanting as the first time he had seen it. She had a small build, but the power she possessed was obvious in the way she held herself, and especially based on the look in her blue eyes. When he first met her, she always wore a ring of flowers around her head like a crown, but in recent days, she had started tying her brown hair up in a ponytail and leaving it at that. She looked tired, but happy.


    ¡°Keep it down a bit,¡± she said with a teasing smile. ¡°I just got Eric to fall asleep, you know? He¡¯s been so fussy all day and I don¡¯t need you waking him up.¡±


    Scott chuckled, stepping forward to embrace her. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m sorry, honey.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll forgive you, I suppose,¡± she replied. ¡°But only if you promise to stay home tomorrow. It¡¯s a Saturday, you know? You need to relax every once in a while.¡±


    He felt a stab of guilt in his chest. He knew he had been spending more time working on his project than he should have been, but he feared that if he didn¡¯t get a breakthrough soon then all of his effort would go to waste. Yet, he also knew that he couldn¡¯t keep going out on the weekends. Between work and his project, he wasn¡¯t home that often and he didn¡¯t want to lose any of the precious time that he knew could very well be limited.


    ¡°I-I know,¡± he muttered. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Abi, I¡¯ll be home tomorrow. It¡¯s just¡­I get worried, you know? If I don¡¯t finish, then what¡¯s the point?¡±


    She tightened her hug and reached up to run her fingers through his dark hair. ¡°It¡¯s okay. If they find me, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll have a heads-up. The Ijirians aren¡¯t just going to show up out of nowhere.¡±


    ¡°But even if we get a heads-up, what are we going to do if¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Scott. It¡¯s okay,¡± she said in a soothing voice. ¡°You can work all you want on Sunday. Just stay here tomorrow. You¡¯ve had a long week.¡±


    She was right in that work had been far more stressful than normal in recent days, and he was growing rather fatigued. He supposed it wouldn¡¯t hurt to spend the following day with his family, and so, he decided to put his research off until Sunday, like she suggested.


    ¡°Okay, I promise,¡± he whispered as he broke the hug off, wanting to look directly into her eyes as he spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll stay home. Just¡­make sure I have another sample of your blood before Sunday.¡±


    Abi nodded firmly. ¡°Alright, then. I¡¯ll give you more blood, but not until tomorrow night. I don¡¯t want you getting tempted again, you hear me?¡±


    ¡°Loud and clear, honey,¡± he assured her.


    ¡°Perfect. In that case, go say hi to Eric. We can start making dinner once you''ve settled down.¡±


    Being shooed off down the hall, Scott made his way over to the family room, immediately crossing to the other side where a white cradle was set beside the couch. He made sure to walk lightly, not wanting to wake the baby within, and when he looked inside, he smiled as even a second of gazing at the boy managed to quell all of the anxiety that had been tormenting him that day. His son was laying there, sound asleep. It was such a peaceful sight that he couldn¡¯t help but reach down and gently caress Eric¡¯s chubby little face, feeling how soft his skin was. Words couldn¡¯t describe how much he loved Eric. Every time he looked at him, he felt the overwhelming need to be there for him and protect him. He represented everything Scott had wanted in his life and the thought of Ijiria taking him away was painful. If he lost Eric, he wouldn¡¯t know what to do with himself.


    And that¡¯s why I can¡¯t give up. No matter how many times I fail, I have to keep pressing forward. There¡¯s an answer somewhere. I just need to find it. Nothing is invincible. I have to remember that.


    Not wanting to risk waking him up, Scott turned and left the room, heading back down the hall and toward the master bedroom so he could get out of his suit and tie and into something more relaxing. He changed into a tank top and some shorts then made his way into the kitchen where Abi had already gotten the ingredients for dinner out and had moved on to cutting the vegetables. Despite being able to use magic to speed up the process, she always insisted on doing things as if she didn¡¯t have any. It was her way of rejecting that world in favor of this one. There was a time when he teased her for it, but he realized now just how much she wanted to put her past behind her. He knew she never really fit in with that world, and because of her decision to stay in Wilham, they had become her enemies despite having never wronged her. So she abandoned magic, only using it when she didn¡¯t have any other choice.


    ¡°So, is it tacos tonight?¡± he asked.


    She glanced back at him and smiled. ¡°Yup. So if you wouldn¡¯t mind getting the beans and the chicken cooking, that would be great.¡±


    ¡°On it!¡±


    He immediately got to work and together, the two of them prepared their dinner for the evening. This was how they always did it. He would come home from work and they would make their meal together, talking about their days as they did so. When they finished preparing the tacos, they checked once more on Eric, then sat down at the dining room table and continued to chat. It was like that every day, but it was a routine he never grew tired of. It was just one more aspect of his life that he didn¡¯t want to lose. And once again, as they talked, his thoughts shifted to his project¡ªhis one attempt at preserving this life forever.


    ¡°Hey, Abi,¡± he began softly as he finished the last bite of his meal.


    There was something on his mind that he had been meaning to ask about¡ªsomething that he had been considering in the recent days. She had told him almost everything she knew about that other world and about the threat that it posed for them, but there was one thing they had never really touched on, and after the many days of research he had been conducting, it only just occurred to him that there might be a failsafe he could potentially take advantage of.


    She must have noticed his expression turn more tense as she replied with a touch of concern in her voice. ¡°Yes? What is it?¡±


    He cleared his throat and replied. ¡°I promise this will be the only time I bring my research up until Sunday, but there was something I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you¡­ It¡¯s about the erased realm.¡±


    She had touched on it before, saying that it was the place that the erased victims were sent to after being removed from reality. She had told him that it was almost like a prison¡ªa place that nobody could escape from due to its very nature. The world worked against the victims, creating a place that they didn¡¯t even know they should escape from. There was no breaking free. Anybody sent there was never returned.


    ¡°What about it?¡± she replied hesitantly. ¡°What else do you want to know?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°Well¡­you¡¯ve told me quite a bit as far as what happens in this world when somebody is erased¡­and you¡¯ve said that people within that world can¡¯t break free, but you¡¯ve never told me what that realm is like. If I were to be sent there, what would I experience?¡±


    ¡°Hard to say,¡± Abi murmured after a few moments of thought. ¡°It varies quite a bit, and most of what I know came from the little information Album told me. But from my understanding, there are numerous versions of the same realm. If we were both erased, there¡¯s no guarantee we would wind up in the same place. You might be sent to an alternate version of Wilham, while I might find myself in a different version of Ijiria.¡±


    Scott swallowed as he took her words in. So even if we both get erased, we might not be able to be together there, either?


    ¡°And as far as what you would experience,¡± she went on. ¡°It would be the opposite of what people left behind in this realm would experience. While everybody here would have their memories altered to think you never existed, you would have your memories altered to believe that you always existed in that realm. That¡¯s why nobody can escape. Those left here don¡¯t know to rescue you, and you don¡¯t realize you need to be rescued. So, if nobody thinks there¡¯s a problem, nobody is going to try and solve it. Breaking out of the erased realm from within isn¡¯t that hard in concept, but its victims don¡¯t try to escape.¡±


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    ¡°Because they don¡¯t think they¡¯re in a place they need to escape from,¡± he murmured.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Abi confirmed. ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s so dangerous. So if you were erased, I couldn¡¯t rescue you. I wouldn¡¯t know you exist, nor could you try and come back to me.¡±


    Scott clenched his teeth. ¡°But what if I could? What if I found a way to regain my memories while inside. What then?¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t,¡± she whispered with a shake of her head. ¡°The mana of the eraser keeps those memories locked away. There are spells to return memory, but again, if nobody knows they have memories to return, then they aren¡¯t going to cast a spell to bring them back. You would especially be at a disadvantage. You can¡¯t use magic, so even if you knew something was wrong, you couldn¡¯t do anything about it.¡±


    He could see now why Abi was so afraid of erasure. It really did seem like a hopeless case. He had believed that, even if he was erased, then he could fight his way back from the inside, but it sounded like that was impossible even for a magic user, let alone a powerless man like himself.


    Then I simply need to revert back to my original plan. I need to prevent myself from being erased in the first place. I just need to keep working at it. There is a way! I know there is!


    ¡°Scott,¡± Abi continued with a more serious tone, looking at him as if she could see right into his thoughts. ¡°I know you¡¯re scared, but don¡¯t let it take you away from the time we have now. Sure¡­there might come a day when we part ways, and I support your desire to find a way to fight back, but don¡¯t let your fear of losing us stop you from enjoying the time we do have.¡±


    The man nodded, grinning sheepishly. ¡°Y-yeah, I know. Don¡¯t worry, Abi. I¡¯ll still be here for you and Eric. I¡¯m not going anywhere. And I won¡¯t allow you, or me, or him¡­or anybody that we love¡­ I won¡¯t let them get erased or killed. I¡¯m close¡­I feel like I¡¯m close.¡±


    ¡°Alright then,¡± she said. ¡°I believe in you. If anybody can find the answer, it¡¯s you, Scott. And while I don¡¯t understand a lot of what you¡¯re trying to do, I will help you in any way I can. We¡¯ll protect our son¡­together.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± he responded. ¡°Together.¡±


    ***


    ¡°That girl¡­you¡¯re saying he killed her? Nigreos Noctis really is here in Wilham? He¡¯s come back?!¡±


    ¡°He has¡­and he¡¯s here for me. I made a mistake and toyed with magic when I never truly understood the repercussions. And now, not only have I lost friends that meant the world to me, but nobody even remembers them.¡±


    ¡°And this Rina Davens¡­? She touched your magic stone and that¡¯s why they wanted to kill her?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ Nigreos and Album want us dead and erased. Me¡­Lilly, Damien, Liz¡­and anybody else who ever used it. I¡¯ve kept them away for the time being¡­but it wasn¡¯t enough. Rina¡¯s dead¡­ Rina¡¯s dead¡­¡±


    ¡°B-but¡­Eric? Why the fuck would hide this from me?! If that monster¡­if Nigreos Noctis is here then I deserved to know! He¡¯s the one who took your mother away! And if he¡¯s going after you, too, then¡ª!¡±


    ¡°And what could you possibly do? You don¡¯t have magic. You don¡¯t have any means of fighting them. You¡¯re more powerless than I am, Dad. Telling you¡­won¡¯t accomplish anything.¡±


    ¡°But I¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle it¡­ I¡¯ll find some way to stop this. I¡¯ll do everything I can¡­ I¡¯ll kill Nigreos and Album¡­ So just don¡¯t worry about it. Sit here in your cozy house in your cozy chair and watch your damn TV. I¡¯ll fight the Ijirians and¡­well, if I lose, you¡¯ll never know the difference. It¡¯ll be as if I never existed.¡±


    ***


    The rain was pouring hard and his umbrella wasn¡¯t doing much to protect him against it, yet he didn¡¯t care about the chill or the wetness. None of it mattered to him. All that he cared about was getting to his destination as fast as possible and setting everything into motion. The conversation he had with Eric the previous evening continued to play in his thoughts, bringing his regrets and his failures to the forefront of his mind. Throughout the entire discussion, Eric spoke in the most defeated voice he¡¯d ever heard from his son. Despite swearing to fight against Nigreos Noctis and Album Luz, it sounded as if he¡¯d already given up. He didn¡¯t believe he stood a chance against them, but for the sake of his friends, he wanted to fight.


    And his screams¡­ He¡¯s in pain¡­ He¡¯s suffering.


    Scott knew that there would never come a day when his son¡¯s shrieking over the body of Rina Davens would leave him. That gut-wrenching sound would torment him for the rest of his life, forcing him to never forget the consequences of his actions. He was a pathetic man. Yet, despite knowing that, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do what Eric told him to do. With the Ijirians back in Omaruo, he knew he didn¡¯t have any choice but to do something.


    Nigreos Noctis¡­ So you¡¯ve come back to Wilham. Was my wife not enough for you? You couldn¡¯t stop yourself from taking my son, too? You killed Abi, and you intend to erase Eric¡ªto make me forget he ever existed! I can¡¯t accept that.


    Scott clenched his teeth as he walked up the stairs of an apartment duplex located on the southern side of the city. When he reached the platform, he placed his hand on the railing and glanced down at the street below, wanting to make sure nobody was following him. When he felt secure enough, he continued past the various apartment doors, stopping in front of the one at the end of the row. The man then reached into his pocket and produced the key, anxious to get into the warm interior of the building. Scott stepped inside and glanced around the darkened, one bedroom apartment. The main room was empty of any furniture or decorations. If anybody ever peeked through the window, it would seem as if nobody inhabited it.


    He deposited his umbrella by the front door then headed into the bedroom where all of his supplies were kept. When he entered, there was no bed, rather where a bed might have been was a giant workbench with a random assortment of tools and materials. Boxes of different items were stacked around the room in a cluttered mess and the closet was so full of them that the door could no longer slide shut.


    Doesn¡¯t look like anybody touched anything. Everything is as it should be.


    He moved further into the room, making sure to avoid a spilled box of metal parts that he had purchased from different hardware stores. Once he reached the workbench, he glanced around at the items already laying among the scraps and tools. He first picked up a pair of blue goggles that he had recently finished, though he never had the chance to test whether they worked or not. Beside it was what looked like a shotgun, but it was obvious at a glance that it hadn¡¯t been constructed by a professional. In fact, it wasn¡¯t even done. It was only recently that he had started to build it.


    Even after all these years, I haven¡¯t finished. I wasn¡¯t fast enough to save Abi, and if Nigreos and Album have already begun moving against Eric and his friends then I might be truly out of time. He shook his head in frustration. But I have to try. Eric does have magic so maybe he can help me. Maybe if I tell him what I¡¯m up to then¡­


    But as the idealistic thought went through his mind. Scott felt all of his hope leave him.


    No¡­why would Eric ever want to work with me? He¡¯s already told me that he wants me to stay out of this. And what would I even tell him? After all these years¡­ After all of these fucking years¡­


    Ever since Eric was born, Scott Reiner had been doing everything in his power to find a way to defend his family from the strength of the Ijirians. Because of his lack of magic, Abi had always warned him to avoid them if they ever came after her, but being her husband, he knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to abandon her to save himself. He would have rather died than be a coward, but he couldn¡¯t change reality. Ijiria was powerful, so if he wanted to fight them, he needed a way to combat them. All he needed to do was find a way to do that.


    But all this effort¡­ All this research¡­for nothing. It¡¯s been sixteen years and I still don¡¯t have anything to show for it! All this time could be wasted if it doesn¡¯t amount to something, and when Abi needed me most, I wasn¡¯t ready! When Nigreos came for her, I could only stand and watch as he took her away from me! And now¡­


    Eric¡¯s screams returned to him, causing Scott to nearly double over as nausea threatened to overtake him.


    And now¡­I¡¯m still not ready. I still can¡¯t do a damn fucking thing! I¡¯ve spent so many years¡­so much of my waking life trying to find the answer, and I still haven''t! I¡¯m still worthless!


    Feeling anger wash over him, the man grabbed one of the scraps of metal and hurled it across the room, hearing the sound of it slamming into the wall across from him. He then dropped to his knees, still clutching the goggles in his fist.


    Ever since Abi was taken, he had been trying to find a way to go after her and get her back. He abandoned everything, even his relationship with his son, in an effort to fix everything, always telling himself that he would make up for it when it was over. He would make up for all the time he lost with Eric by bringing his mother back. Then they could be a family together. Then everything would be okay again.


    But that never happened.


    One day, four years after his wife left, Ryokumo Caeli arrived in Wilham to bring news of Abi¡¯s death. She was murdered at the hand of Nigreos Noctis, and while Ryokumo kept many of the details to himself, he divulged all that Scott needed to hear. Abi was gone and any hope of putting their family together again was gone. That was the last time he ever saw Ryokumo, and after that, Scott felt himself crumble even further into darkness. He forced himself to focus solely on his research¡ªon making sure that he could defend Eric if the time ever came, or perhaps even go to Ijiria himself and take revenge against the man who murdered his wife.


    He left Eric alone, and as the days went on, he kept telling himself he was almost there, but he never was. Every time he thought he had a breakthrough, it turned out to be a failure, and he had to start from scratch once again. Frustration and anger boiled inside of him, and without realizing it, he had turned to alcohol. It made him more unstable, causing him to take his feelings out on his son. He was always snapping at him for stupid things, and as he realized how much he was damaging their relationship, he tried to pull away so as to not hurt him any more.


    But that only hurt him more. He lost his mother, and I failed to be his father.


    As time passed on, it only became worse. His research failed over and over again, and his life became a blur of drunkenness and hatred for the world that was taking everything from him. He and Eric stopped talking, and before he knew it, his son was in high school, living a life that he wasn¡¯t a part of¡ªthat he didn¡¯t believe he deserved to be a part of. Nothing seemed to matter and as Eric grew hostile toward him, he responded with more hostility.


    And now, the time to defend him has come, and like with Abi, I can''t do anything. He¡¯ll be taken from me, and I¡¯ll forget he ever existed. I don¡¯t have time to prepare to fight Nigreos and Album. There¡¯s nothing I can do. So why bother divulging any of this? Why give Eric hope when there is none? He¡¯ll be erased¡­sent to a realm that he can¡¯t get out of.


    ¡°While everybody here would have their memories altered to think you never existed, you would have your memories altered to believe that you always existed in that realm. That¡¯s why nobody can escape. Those left here don¡¯t know to rescue you, and you don¡¯t realize you need to be rescued. So, if nobody thinks there¡¯s a problem, nobody is going to try and solve it. Breaking out of the erased realm from within isn¡¯t that hard in concept, but its victims don¡¯t try to escape.¡±


    He recalled what Abi had told him about the erased realm and for a moment, he furrowed his brow in thought.


    It¡¯s not hard to escape from¡­but its victims don¡¯t know to try and escape.


    It was something he had thought about time and time again. If he could find some way to bypass the memory loss then he could try and find a way to get out of the realm. As it stood, he didn¡¯t know of any method of accomplishing that, but he had been researching ways to go about it. The problem was that all he had to go off of was the information Abi left behind for him. It wasn¡¯t nearly enough since she never knew of a way to get past it either.


    But perhaps¡­if Nigreos and Album are seeking to erase Eric and his friends¡­then what good am I here? What if¡­an answer lies within that realm? What if the variable I¡¯m missing is in there?


    Scott raised his head, feeling the vestiges of an idea forming in his mind.


    Yeah¡­if we can¡¯t fight them here in Wilham¡­then maybe we can fight them in the erased realm? I could confront Nigreos and Album myself¡­get a chance to see if my research has gotten me anywhere, and when I inevitably lose against them, I¡¯ll enter the erased realm¡­and hope for the best.


    It wasn¡¯t a perfect plan. In fact, it was utterly stupid. He would be throwing himself into a world he knew nothing about, and risking the very likely possibility that his memories would never come back.


    But what do I have to lose? And perhaps I can even fuck with Nigreos¡¯s head on my way out?


    Scott smiled bitterly.


    I¡¯ve been a pathetic excuse for a father¡­but if I can find a way to save my son¡­then maybe I can at least begin to make it all up to him.

 Chapter 1- Bowing To The Enemy

    Chapter I


    The darkness of that dungeon cell was suffocating, yet for whatever reason, he found it strangely comforting. He couldn¡¯t make out his surroundings, but he¡¯d gotten a glimpse of what the cell looked like when he¡¯d first been put inside. It was an empty room with chains hanging from the wall in the back. There were no windows because there was no point in having them. He was underground, though he wasn¡¯t sure how far below the surface he was. When they¡¯d taken him down there on that silver disk, he¡¯d been so out of it that he hadn¡¯t paid any attention to the length of the trip. All he remembered was staring at the ground as Nigreos and Album led him into the dungeon and down the firelit tunnels before dumping him off in the cell. They had used the chains within to bind his hands to the wall and told him that they were charmed to disrupt his mana, preventing him from using magic while he was contained. Sometime after they had left, he gave it a try, but he found that they had been telling the truth. He hadn¡¯t been able to cast any spells.


    But does it really matter? he wondered weakly. What good would escaping even do me? I¡¯ve already lost everything. Vinny, Damien, Liz¡­Lilly¡­and everybody else I cursed with that damned stone. They¡¯ve all been erased¡­and there¡¯s nothing I can do to get them back.


    Eric Reiner clenched his teeth, Lilly¡¯s final moments repeatedly going through his head as he tried to think of some way he might have saved her.


    Could I have been faster in getting her through the portal? Or maybe I should have waited until I knew Album¡¯s location before using the realm dagger? Or perhaps¡­I shouldn''t have used it to begin with. After all, I didn¡¯t have a damn idea where that portal would spit me out. It really wouldn¡¯t have mattered. Even if Album had failed, they still would have erased her after we arrived.


    When he used the realm dagger as his last ditch attempt to flee Nigreos and Album, it really had been his last resort. But as he soon found out, all it accomplished was placing himself right in the hands of the Ijirians, for the place the dagger took him was none other than Ijiria itself.


    Hell, not only am I in Ijiria, but I¡¯m in their home base¡­a place Nigreos referred to as the Citadel.


    He didn¡¯t know what their plans with him were, but he knew that he had lost regardless. Nigreos and Album couldn¡¯t hurt him, so his best guess was that they were keeping him in the dungeon until they made their report to whoever they worked for, and then they would send somebody who could kill him to finish him off.


    Maybe they¡¯ll kill me¡­or maybe they¡¯ll erase me. I think that¡¯s what I¡¯d prefer, if I could make a choice. Lilly said there should be a way to break everybody out from the inside¡­so maybe we could fight from within. Eric smiled sadly. Or at the very least, if we couldn¡¯t fight, at least we could be together. Alice called it a paradise¡­and at this point, I hope she¡¯s right. For their sake, I hope she¡¯s right.


    Eric weakly leaned his head against the wall behind him as he stared up at the darkened ceiling. He wasn¡¯t sure how long he had been down there, but his guess was that it couldn¡¯t be more than a day just yet. His stomach growled, reminding him that he hadn¡¯t eaten since lunch the previous day.


    Lunch, huh?


    That had been at Lilly¡¯s apartment a few hours before everything went to hell. For some reason, he could no longer recall what it was they ate, but he remembered finding a small bit of joy as he watched Lilly, Liz, and Damien playing with Natalie. At the time, he only continued to swear that he would protect them, but as he sat in that cold dungeon, his smile faded as he admonished himself for not being strong enough.


    I wonder what¡¯s going on back in Wilham? The others have been forgotten, but I haven¡¯t been. As far as anybody is concerned, I just up and vanished. I wonder if Dad¡¯s worried about me.


    Part of him wanted to believe that his father cared, but the man had never once showed any sign of love for him. Even when he confessed to Nigreos and Album¡¯s presence, his dad barely batted an eye. All he did was keep Alice safe, but aside from that, there was nothing.


    Dad¡¯s probably more worried about the door Nigreos busted down than he is about me, Eric thought bitterly. Though, he¡¯ll probably be pissed at all the police reports he¡¯s going to have to deal with when the cops try to find me.


    Eric sighed. So much to think about, and none of it¡¯s going to matter if I die or get erased. It won¡¯t be my problem anymore, and maybe that¡¯s a good thing. If I have nothing to fight for, then why fight?


    ¡°Eric¡­I¡¯ll save¡­them¡­¡±


    Lilly¡¯s last words rang through his head and he couldn¡¯t help but flinch. Right in the end, there was a look of determination in her eyes that told him she would do everything she could to break out of the erased realm. She seemed confident that she could do it, and he hoped she would succeed. It was one of the reasons he wanted to be erased. He wanted to be in that other realm to help her.


    Though, I do have to wonder why she felt so confident. She only told me a little bit about what happened after I used Mom¡¯s syringe on her. She said she embraced The Angel and that was how she would fight them¡­but she never told me what that meant and now I can¡¯t even ask. That syringe couldn¡¯t save her. My risk was for nothing.


    His thoughts were then suddenly interrupted by the sound of the door unlocking and Eric smiled in relief, knowing that meant everything would soon be over. He raised his head to face whoever was coming inside, expecting to see Nigreos or Album, but he was quickly blinded by a bright red light. He winced back, his eyes too used to darkness.


    ¡°Oh, sorry about that. Let me dim it a bit for you.¡±


    Eric frowned, not recognizing the voice, as the light darkened just enough for him to see properly. There was a man standing in the cell¡¯s doorway with a small ball of flame in his hand. It was immediately apparent that his earlier guess was correct. This man was not Nigreos Noctis. He was shorter than the Master of Darkness and was wearing a silk-like gown with a sash around his waist rather than the black suit Nigreos always had on. His eyes were dark brown and his slicked back hair was silver. The man also had a small, pointed beard and a curled mustache, but despite his odd appearance, his smile was genuine and comforting. Whenever meeting new people, Eric always relied on his sixth sense, which helped him determine whether to trust somebody or not, and as he regarded this strange man, he found his sense to be calm in his presence. He wasn¡¯t somebody to fear.


    ¡°Who¡­are you?¡± Eric rasped, finding his throat drier than he thought it was as he tried to speak.


    The man watched him for a moment before reaching down to a bag at his hip and producing what looked like a water skin. He then crossed the room and knelt beside him, reaching his left hand out to place against the chains.


    ¡°Pateno,¡± he chanted, and immediately, the chains binding him to the wall unlatched from his wrists.


    Eric watched in surprise as the man handed the water skin out to him. ¡°Here, Mr. Reiner. Drink. And once we¡¯ve finished with our business, I¡¯ll get you some food.¡±


    The boy hesitantly reached out and took the skin, but before taking a sip, he furrowed his brow in confusion. ¡°Business? What business? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Well, simply put,¡± the man began with a wry grin. ¡°His majesty, the king, wishes to speak with you.¡±


    The king? The king of Ijiria wants to talk to me?


    He couldn¡¯t even begin to consider what that could mean or why somebody as important as a king would want to interact with him. His initial guess was that the king would want to be the one to execute him for his supposed crimes, but this man kneeling beside him made it sound like he would potentially be leaving the meeting alive. Feeling sick to his stomach, Eric nevertheless drank some water. The cool liquid felt good against his parched throat, and he had to force himself not to guzzle it. When he removed the skin from his lips, the man reached out and took it back.


    ¡°And to answer your earlier question,¡± he went on. ¡°My name is Ryokumo Caeli. I¡¯m the Master of Wind here in the Ijirian Citadel.¡±


    Eric exhaled sharply, turning to stare back at the man before him, suddenly seeing him in a new light. This man¡­is another Master?


    That alone made him want to doubt his sense, but even with that new information in mind, he still had the overwhelming feeling that this Ryokumo Caeli could be trusted.


    But he¡¯s a Master. Shouldn¡¯t that mean he¡¯s in league with Nigreos and Album?  So why don¡¯t I feel any threat from him? Could there perhaps be some spell that throws my sense off? Or is he really somebody I can trust?


    ¡°Would you like me to heal you?¡± Ryokumo inquired after a moment. ¡°I don¡¯t know all the details about what went down before your arrival, but you look quite weak.¡±


    ¡°Uh,¡± he uttered. ¡°I¡­suppose so.¡±


    Ryokumo nodded and reached the hand not holding the ball of flame out to gently press against his face. ¡°Benedio.¡±


    Eric felt the healing magic start to flow from the Master¡¯s hands and into his body, easing his tense muscles and the numerous cuts and burns from the previous day¡¯s battle with Nigreos and Album.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he muttered. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, by the way. I¡¯m Eric Reiner.¡±


    Ryokumo grinned. ¡°Oh, I know who you are, Mr. Reiner. And I know the significance of that last name of yours.¡±


    The boy narrowed his eyes in suspicion. ¡°You¡­knew my mother then?¡±


    ¡°Better than most,¡± he confirmed. ¡°But that¡¯s a topic we can get into another time. For the moment, I would like you to come with me. A little lesson on life in this Citadel: Never keep the royalty waiting.¡±


    Ryokumo got to his feet and extended his hand to help him up. Still hesitant about the situation but, deciding that he could trust the Master of Wind for the moment, Eric grasped his offered hand and weakly got to his feet. His legs were stiff, but he could tell the healing magic did a lot of help. They weren¡¯t as cramped as they had been just a few moments earlier.


    ¡°Come. I¡¯ll be taking you to the throne room,¡± Ryokumo said, beckoning for him to follow.


    Eric did as he was told, walking behind the man as they made their way through the cell door and out into the subterranean corridor beyond. He quickly tensed up as they passed the guards, and he found himself truly understanding the reality that his life had become. The two men were straight out of a fantasy novel with their green and gold armor, their swords at their hips, and their helmets covering their faces, showing only their stern eyes as the boy passed.  He didn¡¯t have a single idea what type of power they might wield and he didn¡¯t have any intention of finding out.


    As he followed Ryokumo, he expected to see other doors being guarded by soldiers, so he was surprised when he didn¡¯t see anybody else. There were plenty of cell doors on either side of him, but there wasn¡¯t another person in sight. It made him wonder whether they considered him so dangerous that they posted guards right outside his door, or whether he was the only other person being kept in that dungeon.


    Then, as if reading his mind, Ryokumo spoke.


    ¡°Unfortunately, after some recent events, all the other cells are empty,¡± he said with a knowing smile as he glanced back at him. ¡°That¡¯s what you were wondering, yes?¡±


    Eric frowned. ¡°Er, yes, I was. Can you read my mind or something?¡±


    ¡°Oh no, not me,¡± he responded with a chuckle. ¡°It was just obvious by the way you were looking around. Others, however, I would be more careful around. There are those in this world that can, in fact, read some of your surface thoughts.¡±


    Eric narrowed his eyes, finding the man¡¯s warning to be odd.


    He says that like he actually wants me to be careful. Who is this guy? What are his connections with Nigreos and Album? And for that matter, what was his relationship with Mom?


    Part of Eric wanted to press him for answers, but he quickly decided against it. If he was a Master then he would say what he wanted to say and no amount of questioning would get Eric the answers he desired. So, he decided it would be best to walk in silence. His future was so uncertain, therefore he decided that he would deal with this upcoming interaction with the king before worrying about anything else.


    I¡¯m so confused. What¡¯s going on right now? Caeli really makes it sound like I¡¯m not going to die. But why? Why wouldn¡¯t they either kill me or erase me?


    After a little while longer, they came to the silver disk that had brought Eric to the dungeon the first time. Ryokumo stepped on first and Eric moved in beside him right as the Master of Wind chanted the incantation that caused the lift to rise. He could feel his body shaking in both fear and anticipation. He wanted to try and figure out what to do, but his mind was still quite fuzzy from the past day or so in the cell.


    ¡°Do not worry,¡± Ryokumo said softly. ¡°There is nothing to fear. I have this all under control. You will not be dying today, Eric Reiner.¡±


    Eric cocked an eyebrow, once again finding himself staring at the Master in stunned silence. ¡°What do you mean? What¡¯s going on, Mr. Caeli?¡±


    ¡°Ryokumo,¡± he corrected. ¡°Call me Ryokumo. And as for what¡¯s going on, well, the higher-ups in the Citadel are panicking over numerous issues that are currently plaguing us, and the sudden reveal that Abigail Reiner had a son was just another blow nobody was expecting. Your mother was both infamous and beloved, so your existence only adds to the mystery that surrounded her.¡±


    Eric swallowed at the mention of his mom and, despite having wanted to wait before asking Ryokumo anything, he found himself wanting to take advantage of the opportunity being provided to him.


    ¡°So what is the king going to do with me? Am I not going to be erased?¡± he managed to ask.


    Ryokumo shook his head. ¡°Not if I have anything to say about it. Your mother¡­well, let''s just say that she was a very special friend of mine and I owe it to her to keep her son safe. It¡¯s a miracle that you made it here alive, and now it falls on me to protect you. So all I request of you is that you keep your emotions in check and speak to the king with respect.¡±


    ¡°With respect, huh?¡± he murmured.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ryokumo said firmly. ¡°I understand how furious and broken you must feel. Nigreos has yet to tell me the details, but I know that all of your friends have been erased. It¡¯s logical that you would feel hatred for this country and toward Nigreos and Album¡­and I¡¯m not saying those emotions are misplaced.¡± The Master of Wind then turned a determined look on him. ¡°But if you want any hope of bringing those you lost back, then for the time being, you have to be loyal to Ijiria.¡±


    Bring¡­them back? What the hell is he talking about? Is this man saying he¡¯s going to help me? But if I bring them back, isn¡¯t that breaking whatever laws dictated their erasure in the first place? Why would he even say that? He¡¯s a Master right?!


    ¡°You and I¡­have similar goals,¡± Ryokumo went on, his voice dropping to almost a whisper. ¡°And to accomplish them, I need your help. So please, Eric, follow my lead.¡±


    Then, before he could question him any further, the lift came to a stop and Ryokumo stepped off, beckoning for him to follow once again.


    Who is this guy? Ryokumo Caeli¡­could I already have an ally here?


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Despite the tense situation he found himself in, Eric couldn¡¯t help but to stare at the corridor in awe. The walls were a golden color and the carpet spread out before him was a deep green. They were the same colors as the guards¡¯ armor, so he could only guess that green and gold were Ijiria¡¯s colors. There were no windows on the walls so the only light in the corridor came from the fire lamps hanging from the ceiling. Instead, the walls were lined with paintings of what looked to be people of importance and high status, and he wondered if perhaps they were past nobles or even maybe old kings and queens. Between the pictures stood suits of emerald armor holding the pummels of their swords with the blades facing downwards.


    This place is impressive, he thought to himself. I¡¯ve never seen anything like it. I¡¯m really¡­not in Wilham anymore.


    ¡°Ah, there you are, Caeli.¡±


    At the sudden voice, Eric looked past Ryokumo to where a woman was making their way toward them. The boy instantly tensed up, knowing she was a person of high status just based on the presence she exuded. She had long emerald-colored hair which was tied back in a braid and deep blue eyes that held a sense of purpose within them. Her outfit was very military-esque, using the same green color with gold trim.


    ¡°My princess,¡± Ryokumo said with a bow. ¡°I¡¯ve brought the boy.¡±


    Princess?! he exclaimed internally. She¡¯s an Ijirian princess!


    His first instinct was to bow like Ryokumo, but a part of him stopped him. He was conflicted between showing the respect that the Master requested and not bowing his head to the princess of the country that took everything he ever loved away from him.


    The woman stepped forward just as Ryokumo straightened up, and as she looked at Eric, he didn¡¯t sense any irritation at his lack of a bow. Instead, she simply seemed intrigued as she looked him over with an almost nostalgic look.


    ¡°Yes¡­I can see Abi in you,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°You look very much like your mother.¡±


    So she¡­knew Mom, too? Mom knew the princess of this place?! What the hell¡­?


    He wanted to say something to her, but couldn¡¯t decide what the best way to address her would be, and before he could come to a decision, she went on.


    ¡°I am Anna-Piura Iiji,¡± she introduced. ¡°It is nice to meet you, Eric Reiner. I hope we can get to know each other better in the future.¡± Piura then straightened up and nodded to Ryokumo. ¡°Now, if you both would come with me, we can begin.¡±


    Still seeming slightly lost in her thoughts, Piura turned and continued on down the hall. Ryokumo gave him a quick pat on the shoulder and, together, the two of them followed after the Ijirian princess.


    I think the more I see, the more confused I am. For a country who ordered the erasure of all my friends, the princess seems oddly friendly. And she knew Mom, just like Ryokumo and Nigreos and Album! I don¡¯t get it? What role did Mom have here? What was her life like? Maybe¡­if I don¡¯t die, I can find out.


    ¡°Here we are,¡± Piura announced as they came to two double gold doors that were so magnificent that they once again caused him to gape in awe. ¡°The throne room.¡±


    Eric took a deep breath as the woman pushed the two doors open and beckoned for him and Ryokumo to enter first. Based on the rest of the Citadel, he had expected to see a beautiful golden throne room with a man as majestic as Piura sitting upon an elaborately crafted chair. Therefore, he was not prepared for the abomination that awaited him on the other side.


    Stretching out before him was a silver walkway about fifty yards long with railings on either side of them. At the end was a giant box that looked like it was made out of some transparent material that seemed almost like glass, and hanging inside of it was a husk of a man. The shirtless individual was suspended from the top of the box with tattered green hair that fell to his back and a beard of the same color that was untrimmed and prickly. Yet, as horrifying as the image was, it wasn¡¯t even the most terrifying part of him. Extending from his torso where his legs should be was a writhing mass of black that looked both solid and liquid. It stretched down to the bottom of the box and when Eric looked over the railing, he saw that the strange mass covered the entire ground below, swirling and almost pulsating.


    ¡°Behold King Markreas Iiji,¡± Ryokumo whispered softly.


    That man in the box¡­is the king?


    Eric¡¯s eyes were fixated on the deathly skinny man, and just as he pulled his attention away, he realized they weren¡¯t the only ones in the room. Standing at the base of the box were three more figures, two of which he recognized well, and who sent a wave of anger and hatred through him. On the right were Nigreos Noctis and Album Luz and on the left was a man with the same emerald hair as the king and princess, making it clear that he must be a prince.


    Why are Nigreos and Album here? Why do I have to see their damn faces again!


    He could see the apprehension in the Master of Darkness¡¯s face, but Album simply looked furious, as if she would gladly kill him on the spot if she could have done so. His eyes were then drawn to the arm he had just recently severed, only to find a black arm in place of her old one, which looked eerily like the mass coming out of the king.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Father!¡± Piura called out. ¡°Caeli and I have brought Reiner.¡±


    Slowly and weakly, the king¡¯s eyes opened, revealing them to be just as blue as his children¡¯s. They scanned the room until he found Eric, and when he did, he spoke in a raspy tone.


    ¡°Bring him forward. I want to get a better look.¡±


    ¡°Come, Reiner,¡± Piura ordered and he decided to do as Ryokumo requested before, obeying the woman as the two of them crossed the walkway, stopping only when they reached the box.


    Nigreos and Album were right beside him now, but Eric refused to look their way, preferring to focus his attention on the king. Markreas eyed him in silence for a long moment before lazily licking his lips. Eric wasn¡¯t sure whether to kneel or not, but nobody had yet made any move to tell him what to do so he simply stood there in anticipation. Yet, he still wasn¡¯t prepared for what happened next. The black mass began to rise over the side of the railing, moving in tentacle-like tendrils toward him. Eric immediately tensed up, feeling the urge to defend himself and only barely keeping himself in check as they slowly pressed themselves against his body and his face, rubbing up against him in a way that sent shivers down his spine.


    What the hell is going on? What is this stuff?


    One of the tendrils tenderly caressed his cheek before they all gradually descended back over the side of the railing before combining with the rest of the material down below.


    ¡°Interesting¡± Markreas uttered after a moment. ¡°Speak¡­boy¡­¡±


    Speak? Speak what? What do I say?! What the hell am I supposed to say after that?!


    ¡°Kneel and introduce yourself,¡± Piura whispered.


    Eric swallowed, finding it repulsive to kneel before anybody in that world, but wanting to believe that Ryokumo could help him save everybody, he pushed his pride aside and dropped to one knee.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± he said with as much conviction as he could. ¡°My name is Eric Reiner.¡±


    ¡°Son¡­of Abigail?¡± he inquired.


    Eric nodded. ¡°She was my mom, yes. Though I only knew her until I was seven. After that, she was taken away from me and brought here¡­where I was recently told she died.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t sure how much he was expected to say nor what he should say, so he simply spoke what came to mind and hoped he wouldn¡¯t regret it.


    ¡°Yes¡­she is dead,¡± Markreas whispered, confirming what he already knew from Nigreos. ¡°Killed for leading an uprising against this country.¡±


    Eric frowned, wondering if he heard him wrong. An uprising? What? That can¡¯t be right!


    He wanted to press the issue, but Markreas continued before he could further contemplate what to do.


    ¡°Abi¡­is dead. And I wonder whether you should be, too¡­¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°Noctis¡­explain what you know.¡±


    Nigreos nodded, stepping forward to stand beside where Eric was kneeling as he looked up at the king. The boy bit back his burning desire to lunge at the Master of Darkness, knowing that doing so would only lead to a certain and pointless death, and only barely managed to keep his hatred in check. Nigreos then bowed his head to show respect before raising it again and answering.


    ¡°Of course, Your Majesty,¡± he said. ¡°Before heading to Omaruo to reclaim the relic, Ryokumo and I found a rather powerful signal recorded on the QuaerBasim, which if you recall, is the very reason we chose to investigate that world in particular.¡±


    Markreas grunted. ¡°Yes, I remember. Go on.¡±


    ¡°Well, upon arriving, after dealing with a few complications that I have already reported to Prince Reigious, we discovered that the source of this strange reading was due to a rather powerful magic user finding and using the Assassination Stone on multiple occasions.¡±


    Eric immediately furrowed his brow, looking up at Nigreos in confusion.


    Assassination Stone? He can¡¯t possibly mean the gem, right? What in the hell could body swapping have to do with assassination?


    He quickly tried to wrack his brain to figure out if he had forgotten something, but he couldn¡¯t recall a single instance in which that stone displayed any powers that could be used for murder. Nigreos seemed to notice his confusion, but the Master of Darkness didn¡¯t elaborate as he continued in his report to the king.


    ¡°Much to the surprise of my partner and I, we learned that the one who found the relic was related to Abi. You can imagine our shock at learning that she had left a child behind in her Haven¡­a child that she hid from me when I went to retrieve her all those years ago.¡±


    The more Nigreos talked, the more confused Eric became. Nigreos had just told a blatant lie to the king.The Master of Darkness had known about him from the moment he arrived to take his mother away, so why would he tell Markreas that he didn¡¯t know he exisited? Despite being revolted by the man, when Nigreos casually placed his hand on his shoulder and firmly squeezed, he took it as a warning not to contradict the Master¡¯s words.


    But why? What the fuck is he scheming here?


    ¡°So Eric Reiner¡­ Is he half-blood? Or was his father another rogue mage?¡± Markreas inquired.


    ¡°His father was a denizen of the city by the gateway,¡± Nigreos answered. ¡°A pathetic man named Scott Reiner¡­a man Album and I took upon ourselves to erase along with the magicless children who used the relic.¡±


    Erased?! Dad¡­was erased, too? But he¡­


    Nigreos¡¯s grip tightened, but this time, Eric almost ignored the warning. The thought that the two Masters hadn¡¯t even left his father safe pissed him off so much that he only barely controlled himself.


    Why?! Why did they have to take everything?! Does this mean that Dad¡¯s also stuck in that erased realm?! Is there really nothing left for me back in Wilham?! What the fuck is wrong with them?!


    ¡°So this man is gone then,¡± the king muttered. ¡°Good. But let me ask this¡­ How much did the boy know about Ijiria.¡±


    Nigreos shook his head. ¡°Nothing, Your Majesty. After interacting with him, we learned that all Abi left him was a spellbook. He didn¡¯t know anything about our world and so, he was ignorant as to the crime he committed not only by challenging and fighting two Masters, but by taking one of our valuable relics. It is for this reason that I request he be spared.¡±


    Eric grit his teeth together. Nigreos had tried to convince him to come to Ijiria ever since they first met, and it was now apparent that the Master of Darkness fully intended to see that desire come to fruition. Nigreos Noctis wanted Eric¡¯s life saved.


    ¡°From his perspective, foreign beings more powerful than he could imagine had arrived in his quaint little town and were murdering his friends,¡± Nigreos explained. ¡°Abi¡¯s blood magic, which I believe Reigious has already explained to you, prevented Album¡¯s erasure from wiping his memory. He was scared and so, he fought¡­and he fought well. For lacking proper training, this boy is one of the best mages I have ever come across. He has Abi¡¯s natural talent and if he¡¯s willing to pledge his loyalty to Ijiria, then I believe he could be an asset to us! So my request is that he be spared and given training here in the Citadel. If nobody else wishes to, then I will gladly be his Master.¡±


    No! I think I would rather die than be an apprentice to him!


    ¡°I hear what you request, Master Noctis,¡± Markreas rasped. ¡°But I will admit that I find it challenging to overlook his actions. Despite what you say¡­he nevertheless attacked two Masters and refused to return our relic. Mr. Reiner¡­what is your perspective on this? What do you have to say for yourself?¡±


    Once again recalling Ryokumo¡¯s request, Eric decided that he had no other choice but to rely on his sense and trust the Master of Wind. If Ryokumo had a way to save the others, he had to know what it was, even if it was just a lie concocted to keep him docile. At the moment, he had nothing to lose, and so relying on Ryokumo Caeli was his only choice. Therefore, he shoved all of his hatred and pain deep inside of himself and slowly rose to his feet.


    ¡°What Nigreos says is true,¡± he responded. ¡°Mom didn¡¯t tell me anything about this world. All I knew was that both myself and my friends were in danger so I acted accordingly to keep them safe. But I see now what was really happening and I apologize for acting so impulsively. If you would have me¡­I am willing to pledge loyalty to Ijiria.¡± He swallowed back everything he really wanted to say. ¡°After all, Nigreos and Album left me nothing to go back to. I have no life in Wilham¡­or Omaruo as you called it.¡±


    ¡°But can you so easily set aside the loss of your friends?¡±


    Speaking for the first time since his arrival, Album spoke with her distaste for him apparent to all.


    ¡°I find it quite odd that you would so quickly abandon those you lost and join the country who ordered their erasure,¡± she said. ¡°Almost makes it look like you¡¯re taking advantage of circumstance to¡­take revenge, perhaps?¡±


    As she glared at him, he immediately felt the strong desire to lunge at her. Her pompous and arrogant tone infuriated him, and had he not been at the foot of the Ijirian king, surrounded by people far more powerful than him, he might not have been able to control himself. Nigreos must have noticed him tense up since the Master tightened his grip once more and flashed him a brief look of warning.


    ¡°Control yourself if you don¡¯t want to die,¡± his stare seemed to say.


    Damn it! I can¡¯t stand this! Am I really supposed to sit here and bow my head to these people?! The very people who took everything I ever loved away from me?! I know my sense tells me to trust Ryokumo Caeli, but can I really throw away my pride so easily?!


    ¡°Perhaps that is the case,¡± Ryokumo chimed in, quickly moving in to argue against Album. ¡°But let¡¯s not forget that within the Citadel, there is very little he could accomplish. As long as he is kept under close watch, he is harmless. He may be powerful, but Abi¡¯s blood magic won¡¯t apply to everybody. He can be stopped, if necessary.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes,¡± Album retorted. ¡°Like you stopped Hannah Lynn from apparently escaping into the city?¡±


    Eric didn¡¯t recognize the name, but he saw Ryokumo¡¯s features twitch in irritation. But before either could continue on, the man with emerald hair that Eric now knew as Prince Reigious interrupted.


    ¡°Both of you be silent,¡± he snapped. ¡°That is a matter we can discuss another time. For now, I would like to hear what Reiner has to say about Album¡¯s accusation. Admittedly, it crossed my mind as well.¡±


    Eric nodded, seeing all eyes in the room turn to him.


    Just bite your tongue! Don¡¯t say what you want to say, say what they want to hear. Your life¡­and perhaps even the lives of everybody that got erased, are at risk.


    With his thoughts focused on the safety of Lilly and the others, Eric bit back his anger and spoke calmly as he faced King Markreas.


    ¡°What good would revenge get me?¡± he asked those in the room, spreading his hands out. ¡°I can¡¯t bring them back. Believe it or not, but I don¡¯t want to die. Nigreos and Ryokumo are offering me a life here in my mother¡¯s country¡­a place I still know very little about. If I tried to get revenge, I would die. I would be wasting my life. And while I will never forgive Nigreos and Album¡­nobody else in this room has wronged me. After all, it was my own ignorant actions that brought erasure down on my friends. If it is anybody¡¯s fault¡­it is my own.¡±


    Both Ryokumo and Nigreos seemed satisfied by his response while Album looked ready to argue further. As for the royals, all three were unreadable.


    ¡°Reigious. Anna. What are your thoughts?¡± Markreas asked.


    ¡°I have none,¡± the princess answered instantly. ¡°There are arguments for both. However, Eric Reiner broke the laws without knowledge¡­therefore, I think death and erasure are a tad extreme. Let him prove himself. And after the recent incident with Miss Lynn¡­well, I think it will be quite hard to cause any more trouble now that we¡¯re on higher alert.¡±


    Reigious nodded his agreement. ¡°I am of a similar mindset. We give him a chance and if he tries anything, we simply kill him on sight, simple as that.¡±


    Markreas furrowed his brow, but it seemed that he was still not wholly convinced.


    ¡°If I may, your majesty,¡± Ryokumo then said, stepping forward with a confident grin.


    ¡°Yes¡­what is it, Caeli?¡±


    ¡°If you are still on the fence, might I suggest this as a way to pay Abi back?¡±


    ¡°Pay her back?¡± Markreas parroted. ¡°Meaning?¡±


    ¡°Well, despite all of the crimes Abigail Reiner committed, one should not forget that she once saved the life of Prince Reigious,¡± Ryokumo explained. ¡°Without her, your son would be dead. So, to repay her for that, why not save her son¡¯s life in honor of her saving yours?¡±


    Eric could see Album immediately scowl at the Master¡¯s words, but Nigreos, Piura, and especially Reigious seemed to genuinely take Ryokumo¡¯s words into account. Even Markreas looked as if that was the final straw he needed to make his decision.


    ¡°He¡­brings up a good point,¡± the prince muttered. ¡°Abi was many things¡­but I owe her my life. I can no longer repay that debt to her personally, so If this will make it up to her, then I fully support giving Eric Reiner a chance.¡±


    ¡°As do I,¡± Piura agreed.


    When Eric glanced over at Ryokumo, the man simply winked, telling him that he was confident the discussion was concluded.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Markreas rasped. ¡°It is my decision that Eric Reiner¡¯s life be spared. Reigious, I leave it up to you to decide what should be done with him.¡±


    Reigious bowed. ¡°Yes, Father.¡±


    With the meeting with the king reaching its conclusion and Eric¡¯s future suddenly looking far more different than he had predicted just an hour before, the boy took a deep breath and clenched his teeth.


    It seems I won¡¯t yet be joining them in that realm. I just have to hope that I haven¡¯t made a mistake in trusting Ryokumo Caeli.


    Eric exhaled softly.


    But then again, my sense is never wrong.

 Chapter 2- Her Tarnished Legacy

    Chapter II


    Well, I don¡¯t think that could have gone better, Ryokumo thought with an overwhelming sense of relief. After everything that¡¯s happened, I needed a victory like this. And now¡­Eric Reiner is safe, at least for the time being.


    The Ijirian Master of Wind glanced over his shoulder and watched as Princess Piura led the boy from the throne room and out into the halls beyond. He was still having trouble accepting that it was even real. Despite having desperately wanted Eric brought to the Citadel, part of him always feared that it was a foolish and illogical wish¡ªthat there wasn¡¯t a world where that desire would be brought to fruition. And yet, even with the odds stacked against him, Nigreos and Album still managed to return to Ijiria with the mission successful, the relic reclaimed, and Eric Reiner relatively unharmed.


    This means that with him close by, I can keep him safe. Now that King Markreas has decided to allow him to remain in the Citadel, I can move forward with the next step of my plan.


    As the doors of the throne room shut behind Piura and Eric, Ryokumo turned back to face the others still present in the throne room. Nigreos and Album were standing on his left while Reigious was quietly leaning up against the railings, rubbing his chin in thought. King Markreas¡¯s eyes had shut, and he seemed to have fallen asleep, as if deciding that with the matter settled, there was no longer any reason for him to remain conscious. Ryokumo spared a brief glance at the two Masters beside him, only to find that while Nigreos looked just as relieved as him, Album was only barely failing to hide her anger.


    I don¡¯t have to worry about Nigreos. It¡¯s clear to me now that he truly does care about Eric¡¯s safety. Album, however, could be potentially problematic.


    As it stood, the Master of Light would be his primary opponent in the months to come. Ryokumo believed Nigreos could be reasoned with, at least to some extent, but Album was the one that would never budge if she believed herself to be correct.


    And there¡¯s almost certainly nothing I can do to convince her she isn¡¯t. There¡¯s no doubt in my mind that no matter what I say, I won¡¯t be able to convince her to tell me who she erased¡­ Even if I confront her directly, like I have in the past, she will deny it. Which means I have to find some other method of finding out what she knows.


    Ryokumo no longer knew what the future was going to hold for him, but he was more determined than ever to fight for what he wanted, and now, he fully intended to protect the son of his dear old friend.


    ¡°My prince?¡± Nigreos said, finally breaking the silence of the room. ¡°Is there anything else we can do for you? Naturally, we¡¯re still not fully up to speed on what happened here while we were in Omaruo, but if there¡¯s anything you need from us, Album and I will gladly do it.¡±


    Snapping back to the present, Reigious slowly shook his head. ¡°No, for the time being, I think you both should get your rest. Sinna and Ryokumo will be dealing with that matter. However¡­¡± The prince then glanced up at the three of them before his attention settled on the Master of Wind. ¡°I think we should discuss what to do with Mr. Reiner immediately. If he¡¯s staying in the Citadel then we need to determine who will teach him, where he will stay, and how we are going to keep watch on him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I agree,¡± Ryokumo said. ¡°And while Nigreos already offered to be his master, I would actually advise against that¡­especially after everything he¡¯s been through in these past few weeks. After all, as the boy himself said, overlooking what was done to his friends will not be a simple matter.¡±


    Nigreos looked as if he wanted to argue the point, yet he stayed quiet, as if realizing that Ryokumo was right. Even in just the brief interaction with the king, it was apparent by the looks on the boy¡¯s face that he truly hated Nigreos and Album, and as far as Ryokumo was concerned, that hatred was quite valid. If either of them tried to take him on as an apprentice, it would only lead to more conflict, and perhaps even Eric¡¯s death.


    ¡°So, I would request that I be the one to take Reiner on as an apprentice,¡± he went on. ¡°After all, I¡¯m the one who taught Abi her wind magic, so it only seems right that I pass that same information onto her son. Not to mention¡­with recent events, I am in need of an apprentice now¡­¡±


    He internally cringed at the thought of so swiftly replacing Hannah, but he knew this wasn¡¯t a chance he could allow to pass him by.


    Reigious seemed to consider the request before sighing. ¡°Let me think about it,¡± he responded after a moment. ¡°For the time being, I will send word to Sinna, Iris, and Nyx that there will be an emergency meeting of the Masters an hour from now. I want all three of you to be there. And Ryokumo, I want you to bring the boy. I will determine what to do with him there. Otherwise, you are excused. I will be out to guide you to the lift in just a few minutes.¡±


    A meeting, huh?


    Ryokumo couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine how the other Masters would react to Eric¡¯s presence. As it was, only those who were present in the throne room even knew he existed. When Nigreos and Album suddenly returned early the previous morning, they had gone right to Reigious and Piura to make their report. After that, Nigreos had arrived at Ryokumo¡¯s quarters and filled him in on everything that happened in Omaruo. At his request, Reigious then allowed him to be present for the meeting with the king, if only in respect for his old friendship with Eric¡¯s mother.


    The three Masters bowed before turning and making their way across the walkway and heading out into the corridor. Once the doors closed behind them, all three let out a soft sigh as they freed themselves from the mana dense room. Since they wouldn¡¯t be able to find their way to the lift without a guide, they moved off to the side to stand between two suits of emerald armor as they waited for Reigious.


    ¡°I hope the two of you know what you¡¯re doing,¡± Album growled after a moment. ¡°I, for one, think you¡¯re being quite foolish.¡±


    Ryokumo chuckled. ¡°Yes, I think you¡¯ve made that clear. But I also think you¡¯re being paranoid. He¡¯s just a child, after all, and even with the blood magic taken into account, he can be dealt with swiftly. Like I said in the throne room, without that protection, he won¡¯t be much of a threat at all.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I agree,¡± Nigreos added, folding his arms across his broad chest. ¡°And even with his protection, we overcame him in the end. Eric Reiner is not somebody to fear. And I don¡¯t believe he will attempt anything. He will be upset at first, but once he accepts that his friends are not coming back, he¡¯ll settle into life in the Citadel.¡±


    Ryokumo eyed his old friend with restrained amusement. It wasn¡¯t like Nigreos to be so optimistic and he couldn¡¯t help but think that he didn¡¯t even believe the words he was speaking. Instead, it sounded more like he was simply voicing his hopes for the future¡ªa future that was very unlikely.


    No, I do not think Eric will get over this so easily. After all, he has nothing left to lose. Why would he care if he dies trying to get revenge when there¡¯s no reason to live in the first place?


    It was Ryokumo¡¯s hope to give him that reason. Both he and Eric sought to free somebody from one of Album¡¯s erased realms, and neither of them held any love for Nigreos and Album, so it was his hope that he could earn the boy¡¯s trust and work with him to reach their desired ends.


    ¡°You¡¯re both far too idealistic,¡± Album snapped.


    Ryokumo snorted. ¡°And I don¡¯t think you¡¯re being idealistic enough. Album, it¡¯s her son. This boy is the last remaining remnant of Abi that we have and you want to kill him? As her friends, should we not be doing everything in our power to protect and nurture him? Or do you want another tragic end like what befell her?¡±


    ¡°You say that like I should have any love for that woman,¡± she spat venomously, her eyes narrowing in a subtle warning. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why either of you still care about her at all. She betrayed us. She betrayed this country, yet you both talk about her like she was some sort of saint that we should love and respect. Abi Reiner was a treasonist.¡±


    ¡°Even so,¡± Nigreos hesitantly interrupted, his discomfort obvious in his tense features. ¡°Unlike you, I can¡¯t so easily throw away the years we spent together. I can¡¯t forget the many battles we fought at her side and the hardships we experienced. She might have been a treasonist, but she also did a lot of good.¡±


    Ryokumo nodded his agreement. ¡°And besides, Eric is not a treasonist. He has done nothing wrong. He only fought you because he didn¡¯t know any better, but if we teach him the laws of this world, then there is no reason to harm him. And should he betray us like Abi did, then¡­well, he¡¯ll be dealt with like she was.¡±


    Album¡¯s eyes flickered toward him, and his felt those black orbs boring into his head, as if she had some retort she wanted to say, but knew she shouldn¡¯t. It confused him, but before he could press her for details, Nigreos spoke.


    ¡°Yes¡­if Eric fights back, we kill him. But I would hope that we can avoid such an ending.¡±


    The Master of Light eyed them both before shaking her head and looking away. Her left arm, which was completely crafted of sensium from the elbow down, seemed to tense up as she clenched her fist. He knew she would never admit it, but the reason she was so opposed to sparing Eric almost certainly had to do with her lost arm. According to Nigreos, Eric Reiner almost killed her, and to someone as prideful as Album, that wasn¡¯t something that could be so easily overlooked. No matter what they said, she would never accept the boy, and that made her all the more dangerous.


    ***


    After departing the throne room, Eric followed quietly behind the princess, who led him down the hall and toward another set of golden double doors. He found it strange that there weren¡¯t any guards nearby, so he could only assume that there was some sort of spell or charm that protected that floor of the building. Piura pushed the doors open and led him inside to what he quickly realized was a dining hall. A giant rectangular table that he imagined could potentially fit up to forty or fifty people took up the center of the room, and a giant glass chandelier hung over top of them. More emerald suits of armor lined the walls and there was another door in the back that he guessed must lead to some sort of kitchen.


    ¡°Take a seat,¡± Piura ordered before stalking off through that very door.


    Still feeling completely out of his element, Eric obliged and sat down in one of the many chairs on the left side of the table. He waited there for only a few minutes before Piura returned with a small bowl of soup and a spoon that she placed down in front of him.


    ¡°Eat,¡± she said. ¡°I imagine you¡¯re quite hungry.¡±


    ¡°Er, thank you,¡± he managed to say, realizing just how starving he was.


    The smell of the soup made his stomach growl and, despite not wanting to get too comfortable in the presence of the Ijirians, and a princess at that, he still found himself gratefully slurping spoonfuls of the dark brown liquid. It tasted similar to the beef and barley soup he used to make at home, but there was also a distinct difference, as if it was only a similar recipe, though he couldn¡¯t really pinpoint what it was that was different. However, he found himself not caring what it was made of and simply enjoyed getting to eat something after his long stay in the dungeon. He was so hungry, in fact, that he wound up finishing it in just a few minutes.


    ¡°I take it you liked it then?¡±


    He looked up in surprise to find Piura sitting in the seat across the table from him. He had been so engrossed in his meal that he hadn¡¯t even noticed her moving around him or even sitting down.


    Eric nodded and forced a smile, not wanting to come across as impolite.


    ¡°Yeah, it was really good,¡± he murmured. ¡°Thank you again.¡±


    Much like when they first met, Piura seemed to only be partially there, as if she was too engrossed in her thoughts to fully process him. He couldn¡¯t imagine what was going through her mind. He didn¡¯t have the first clue how his mother was remembered by the people of Ijiria. He knew she hadn¡¯t liked it here, and he had known that she hadn¡¯t returned on good terms, but until Album revealed that Nigreos killed her, he had been completely unaware as to what she did after leaving Wilham. So when King Markreas told him that she¡¯d been killed for leading an uprising against the country, he hadn¡¯t known what to make of it. With so much new information getting tossed at him, he hadn¡¯t even had longer than a second to process it before the conversation continued.


    But I just can¡¯t believe that¡¯s true. There¡¯s no way my mother would ever try and overthrow the king. It just doesn¡¯t sound like her!


    Yet, at the same time, he knew that a lot could change in the many years she had been gone. For all he knew, it was the only way she could ever come home and she had simply chosen it to make good on her promise and return to him.


    But she failed. Whatever uprising she supposedly attempted resulted in Nigreos killing her. Her legacy in this world is that she was a failed revolutionary¡­


    He really didn¡¯t want to accept it, but until he was able to gather any more information on the subject, he decided he would push the subject aside. For the time being, he would trust Ryokumo Caeli and with any luck, the Master of Wind would be able to answer any questions he might have had. In such a foreign world, relying on his sense was the best bet. And, as that thought crossed his mind, he frowned and glanced across the table to where Piura was sitting quietly, gazing down at her hands folded atop the table.


    My sense¡­


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    He took a long moment to test how it would react to the Ijirian princess, but what he found was that she didn¡¯t seem to be either trustworthy or untrustworthy. The boy tensed up, having always gotten a straightforward feeling whenever he was gauging someone¡¯s character.


    So what does it mean¡­if she isn¡¯t either? Does that just mean that it¡¯ll depend on my actions?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about all of this,¡± Piura said, distracting him from his internal conflicts. ¡°I know you must be confused, and I truly believe that you haven¡¯t done anything wrong. There are going to be many in this Citadel that will mistrust you simply because of your lineage and the circumstances with which you were discovered. Others will hold you to high expectations for the exact same reasons. Your life in the Citadel will be vastly different from your life in Omaruo.¡±


    As she spoke, he didn¡¯t get the feeling that she was threatening him in any way. She was simply laying the facts out before him.


    ¡°Yes, I would expect so,¡± he replied softly. ¡°But I appreciate that you are giving me a chance. I hope I do not disappoint you.¡±


    Piura smiled sadly. ¡°I do not think you will. And I want you to know that if you ever need anything, do not hesitate to ask me. Regardless of what happened in the end, your mother was still a good friend to my family, and like you heard in the throne room, if not for her, my little brother would be dead. Debts like that are not something that the Iijis overlook¡ªnot under any circumstances. So I will be here to aid you in any way you need.¡±


    Mom¡­was a friend to the royal family? But then¡­


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking¡­¡± he began weakly, ¡°if she was such a good friend to you, then why did she rebel? I never even knew she turned on Ijiria like that until the king said it, so why? It doesn''t sound like the Mom I knew.¡±


    Piura¡¯s features tensed up and he feared she would refuse to answer, but when she did, his confusion only increased. ¡°I wish I could give you a response, Reiner,¡± she replied, ¡°but the unfortunate reality is that Abi¡¯s reasons were lost with her. Nobody knows why she did it. I¡­am just as confused as you are. This whole country is. There are a plethora of rumors, but they are all contradictory¡ªmere attempts by the masses to accept the actions of a woman they loved.¡±


    ¡°So¡­she didn¡¯t tell anybody?¡± he muttered.


    Piura shook her head. ¡°Nobody we know of.¡±


    Eric leaned back in his seat, feeling the nausea in his stomach getting worse as he took everything in.


    Mom¡­what was your endgame then? What were you trying to accomplish?


    The princess seemed pained just thinking about it, which only made him realize how hurt she was over his mother¡¯s actions. In just the brief hour he had spent since leaving the dungeons, his questions only multiplied, and he knew that the only way he would get even a single answer would be to remain in the Citadel and abide by their laws, at least for the time being. If Ryokumo had a way to save his friends then Eric wanted to work with him, but first, he wanted to capitalize on his current situation. He wanted to know just who Abigail Reiner had been.


    ¡°Thank you for telling me this,¡± Eric said after a while. ¡°I suppose¡­I have a lot to think about.¡±


    Piura exhaled softly, and despite her composed demeanor, he could sense her exhaustion. ¡°I would imagine so.¡±


    With their conversation ended, the princess got back to her feet and took his empty bowl back into the kitchen, and when she returned, she told him she had other matters to attend to before departing the dining hall, only informing him that Ryokumo would come to retrieve him soon. Left alone in that giant room, Eric decided his only option was to try and consider every new piece of information he had gained in the throne room. Setting aside the strange contradiction that seemed to be his mother¡¯s life, he turned his thoughts to the gemstone¡ªthe item they referred to as the Assassination Gem.


    Why would they call it that? All it ever did was swap our bodies so how could it possibly be related to assassination?


    He racked his brain, trying to remember any potential detail that he might have come across over the many months he and the club spent testing the gem out, but couldn¡¯t recall anything that might have linked it to death.


    So was there some feature to it that we never found? Could we have been playing with something that could have actually killed us? I just don¡¯t get it! Everything I learn here only contradicts what I thought I already knew!


    He clenched his teeth in frustration, and as the minutes ticked by, he found his thoughts going in circles without any real progress being made. It was only once he heard the doors open that he came back to reality, and when he did, he saw the eccentric looking man that was Ryokumo Caeli standing there, watching him with a smile.


    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting, Reiner,¡± he said.


    Eric got to his feet, anxious to get out of that room and start getting answers. ¡°It¡¯s fine, but¡­what now?  Do I have a room to stay in or¡­?¡±


    Ryokumo shook his head. ¡°You do, but unfortunately, there¡¯s still one more matter we need to attend to. Prince Reigious wants you immediately brought before the Masters of Ijiria.¡±


    The¡­Masters? All of them?!


    ¡°Right now?¡± he stuttered. ¡°W-why? I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Calm down, my friend,¡± Ryokumo said gently. ¡°You¡¯re going to be fine. However, any matters relating to magic such as yourself are under the jurisdiction of the Masters. It is us who will decide what to do with you, and it seems Reigious wants this dealt with as soon as possible. After that, you will be free to rest for the day. So, if you would come with me.¡±


    Feeling his nervousness returning with a vengeance, Eric forced himself to exit the dining hall with the Master of Wind, expecting to be led to wherever the Masters were located by him, but when he walked back out into the hall, he realized they weren¡¯t alone. The prince from earlier, Reigious, was waiting for them just outside.


    ¡°Mr. Reiner,¡± the prince greeted with a stiff smile. ¡°Feeling any better? I imagine you were quite hungry.¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah, I¡¯m better now. Thank you,¡± he replied, all the while trying to get a sense from the man just like he had with Piura. Yet, he was only greeted with the same result as the princess. Reigious Iiji was neither trustworthy or untrustworthy. He was yet another person Eric would have to be extremely cautious around.


    ¡°Good, then let¡¯s go,¡± Reigious said, leading Eric and Ryokumo back down the golden hallway and toward the silver lift he had ridden earlier.


    Unlike when he was traveling up to the throne room, there was no discussion. They rode in silence, and Eric could tell that the prince was just as confused and conflicted as his sister. As for Ryokumo, he kept his emotions hidden behind a composed expression, his hands folded behind his back as he cheerfully watched the floors pass by. They didn¡¯t ride the lift for very long, and when it stopped, Eric found that this hallway didn¡¯t match the gold and green colors that had been so consistent in the building thus far. As they stepped into the new corridor, he took in the silver coloring of the walls and floor, with windows letting the natural afternoon light in. There were a few figures in dark robes walking toward them, but upon noticing the prince, they bowed their heads and waited for him to pass. Eric could see them briefly looking his way, and he found their stares to be full of curiosity as they most likely wondered who he was and why he was in the presence of the prince.


    Soon after, Reigious and Ryokumo stopped in front of an odd slab of obsidian that looked extremely out of place in the bright and shiny hallway. The prince stepped forward and placed his hand into a small indentation that Eric hadn¡¯t noticed before, which immediately caused the slab to swing inwards, revealing it to be a door to a chamber beyond. The three of them moved inside to an empty anteroom and then crossed through a doorway on the opposite side. When they entered the next room, Eric was quickly hit with the realization that they had arrived at their destination.


    It was a large, circular room with a high ceiling. In the center was a giant, round table with eight chairs placed around it, as well as a larger, golden and velvet chair with glittering jewels adorning the armrests positioned across the table from the doorway. He could easily guess that it was Reigious¡¯s seat, but his attention lingered on the chair for only a second before he found himself processing the five people already present, who had stood to bow to Reigious before once again sitting down.


    To his right were Nigreos and Album, the former eyeing him with unrestrained anticipation and the latter refusing to even acknowledge their arrival as she gazed at the table. To the left were three women he had never met before, but he could feel the power that radiated off of them and he knew without a doubt that they were the other Masters of Ijiria. In his desperate attempt to gain whatever information he could, Eric quickly took note of the banners hung behind each Master¡¯s spot. From his many years studying his mother¡¯s spellbook, he swiftly recognized the symbols on the banners as representing their specific affinities and this enabled him to identify which Master the women were.


    The one sitting in front of the banner of rock magic was far taller than anybody else present, with darker skin, amber eyes, and a large frame. Her pitch black hair was tied behind her head in a braid and she wore a sleeveless jerkin that exposed the bulging muscles of her arms. She was staring at him with obvious suspicion, which made him feel uncomfortable to even make eye contact, so he shifted his attention to the much younger looking girl beside her.


    Based on the blue banner and water droplet, he knew this was the Master of Water. Her straight hair was silver and tied back, and her irises were white. She had a much smaller build as opposed to the Master of Rock, and she wore a bluish-white cloak that concealed much of her small frame. Her eyes were half-lidded, as if she could fall asleep at any minute, but at the same time, she seemed to be taking him in with curiosity, as if interested to see what was to come.


    The final Master had the strangest appearance and was, based on the green banner with the oak leaf hung behind her, the Master of Nature. Despite having a human build and expressions, her face was that of a cat¡¯s, with golden eyes and fur, as well as pointed ears that protruded from her mane of golden hair. When she grinned, he could see that her teeth were sharp, and there was an unmistakable sense of mischief as she looked him over.


    He swallowed, realizing just how absurd his life had become as he took in the three women, and all of a sudden, Nigreos and Album¡¯s strange appearances seemed almost normal. As he stood and gaped at the Masters, Reigious crossed the room to take his seat in the golden chair and Ryokumo sat down beside Nigreos. The prince cleared his throat and immediately, all eyes turned to him. Eric wasn¡¯t sure if he was supposed to sit down anywhere, so he just stayed standing and waited for Reigious to give him directions.


    ¡°Apologies for the sudden summons,¡± the prince said. ¡°I know we¡¯re all quite busy after the¡­recent events, but something has come up that we need to discuss immediately.¡±


    Eric frowned and couldn¡¯t help but glance at the two empty seats. It seemed like Reigious was already starting the meeting, but there were still two Masters absent. He recognized that one of them was the Master of Fire, but the other banner¡¯s symbol of an eye within a circle was unfamiliar to him, so he didn¡¯t even know what their affinity was.


    ¡°Something has come up, has it?¡± the Master of Rock asked with a cocked eyebrow before regarding Nigreos and Album with a sneer. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose that means the two of you failed to reclaim the relic, does it?¡±


    Eric furrowed his brow, surprised to see somebody so bluntly challenge the two of them.


    Nigreos snorted with obvious irritation. ¡°No, we have returned the relic safely, if not with some complications.¡±


    ¡°¡®Complications¡¯ seems like a bit of an understatement,¡± the Master of Nature interrupted, glancing down at Album¡¯s black arm with a smirk. ¡°You still haven''t told me how you lost your arm in a place as peaceful as Omaruo, Luz? What happened? I¡¯m curious?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was wondering about that as well,¡± the Master of Rock agreed, seeming almost smug. ¡°I imagine there¡¯s a story there.¡±


    Album went to reply, but Reigious cut her off with a wave of his hand. ¡°We can discuss the mission to Omaruo another time. For now, we have a different issue to address.¡± The prince then motioned toward where Eric was awkwardly standing, and once again, the Masters began to eye him.


    ¡°I was wondering why you brought some random child here,¡± the Master of Water said softly. ¡°But I guess this meeting has to do with him?¡±


    Feeling ridiculously uncomfortable, Eric found himself wishing he could just turn on his heel and run, but he kept himself still as Reigious made eye contact with him.


    ¡°Introduce yourself, boy,¡± he commanded.


    Taking a deep breath, Eric did as ordered.


    ¡°Uh, yeah, hi. Nice to meet you all,¡± he said, trying to sound as polite as he could. ¡°My name is Eric. Eric Reiner.¡±


    Despite expecting his last name to cause a scene, he was nevertheless unprepared for the stunned and silent stares he received. The smugness of Rock was all but gone as she gaped at him with wide eyes, Nature had a similar response, and Water remained calm, though he did notice a slight raising of her eyelids.


    ¡°My prince¡­you can¡¯t mean¡­¡± the Master of Rock stuttered, her head slowly turning to regard Reigious.


    ¡°This is exactly what it looks like,¡± Nigreos answered for the prince. ¡°This boy¡­Eric Reiner, is Abi¡¯s son. Album and I came across him on our mission to Omaruo. In fact, it was him who came across the relic.¡±


    ¡°Abi¡¯s¡­son?¡± Nature whispered, almost more to herself than to anybody else present in the room. ¡°Mr. Reiner¡­that¡¯s true?¡±


    Eric weakly nodded, feeling his body trembling with the stress of what was happening. ¡°Yes, it is. Abigail Reiner was my mother, though I never knew Ijiria was real until just recently.¡±


    When the three Masters only continued to process his identity in silence, Reigious went on.


    ¡°Now, first of all, just so we have a level of understanding, I want the three of you to introduce yourselves,¡± the prince stated. ¡°I request this, because by order of my father, Eric will become a student of the Citadel starting today, and I think it is best that he knows the names and faces of the Masters.¡±


    Reigious looked to the three expectantly and for a second, none of them reacted. However, when it became apparent that the prince was making an order and not a request, Water was the first to recover as she got to her feet and turned a rather soft smile toward Eric.


    ¡°I am Nyx Rana, the Master of Water,¡± she greeted. ¡°It is nice to meet you, too, Mr. Reiner.¡±


    Eric forced a smile of his own, while at the same time, trying to use his sense and get an idea as to how much he could trust these people. Yet, he was greeted with the same uncertainty as before. Like the royal children, Nyx Rana didn¡¯t tilt in either direction, and that made him tense up as he watched her take her seat.


    Following her lead, the next to speak was Rock, though she remained seated.


    ¡°I¡¯m Sinna Cartus,¡± she said sharply. ¡°Master of Rock.¡±


    The boy fought back the urge to step back as he got a similar reaction as he did when he first met Nigreos and Album. Sinna Cartus was dangerous, and as he took in the mix of fear and distrust in her eyes, he warned himself to keep his distance from her at all costs.


    It was Nature who spoke last, but her earlier mischievous act was gone, instead replaced by a look of uncertainty, her eyes directed at the ground rather than at him.


    ¡°Iris Mackia,¡± she introduced. ¡°Master of Nature.¡±


    This time, Eric was completely thrown off. He had expected a similar reaction to her as either Nyx or Sinna, but instead, he found that his sense wasn¡¯t put on alert by her. If anything, the reading he got from her more resembled what he felt when he first tried to read Ryokumo, as if this woman who called herself Iris could be a potential ally as well.


    What the hell is her deal? Could she and Ryokumo be working together or something? Or¡­is Ryokumo not the only Master who could be helpful to me?


    He realized that just being in the presence of the Masters had given him quite a bit more to consider, and he found his brain hurting even more. So much was happening in so little time that he wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d be able to keep up with it all.


    ¡°Now, we will better explain the circumstances of his discovery another time,¡± Reigious said once the introductions were complete. ¡°But first, like I said earlier, I want to decide what to do with the boy. According to Nigreos and Album, Mr. Reiner already has a certain level of training, but seeing as they¡¯re the only ones who have a good idea of his skillset, I thought it would be best if we all got an idea of what he could do.¡±


    Eric¡¯s body went cold, and the implications of what Reigious meant made him realize that he hadn¡¯t been brought there for a simple meeting.


    What¡¯s he going to make me do? Am I going to have to fight one of them?


    But the prince¡¯s next words were just another surprise thrown onto the pile that had been weighing him down since he left the dungeon.


    ¡°Which is why I will be challenging him to a duel.¡±

 Chapter 3- Pretending To Be Loyal

    Chapter III


    ¡°Deep breaths, my friend,¡± Ryokumo said with a grin. ¡°This duel isn¡¯t going to be about beating him. Instead, you¡¯re merely expected to give it your all and show the prince what it is you can do.¡±


    Eric nodded meekly, taking the man¡¯s words to heart but finding that it was doing very little to calm his nerves. The day was moving way too fast for him and he was having trouble keeping up. In barely under two hours, he went from sitting alone in the dungeons under the Citadel to preparing himself for a duel with the Ijirian prince. After Reigious Iiji made his declaration that the two of them would be dueling, Eric was once again led back to the lift and onto a different floor where he and the Masters made their way to an arena. It was fifty yards in diameter and was surrounded by bleachers that reminded him of the football stadium back at West Wilham High. He was on the farthest side of the arena while Reigious was standing opposite him. In the stands to Eric¡¯s left were the other five Masters, serving as the only audience this duel would be receiving. The only Master not in the stands was Ryokumo, who was right at his side, giving him quick tips to prepare him.


    ¡°Out of curiosity,¡± the Master of Wind went on. ¡°What is your magic affinity?¡±


    Eric considered the question for a moment and then shrugged. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m rather proficient in them all, to be honest. At least the basic ones, that is. But if I had to choose, I¡¯d say I¡¯m best at wind magic.¡±


    Ryokumo¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s perfect! I was hoping you¡¯d say that. If that¡¯s the case then you should prioritize wind magic. Like I said, just do your best.¡±


    Eric took the man¡¯s earlier advice and breathed deeply, trying to calm his racing heart as a plethora of questions kept bombarding his thoughts.


    ¡°What¡¯s the prince¡¯s affinity?¡± he asked, finally settling on the most important one.


    But Ryokumo merely chuckled. ¡°All of them.¡±


    ¡°All of them?!¡± the boy exclaimed. ¡°But I thought¡­I thought magic users only prioritized one!¡±


    ¡°That is true,¡± he confirmed. ¡°Almost all of us do, but Reigious is an exception. He is the crown prince and will take over as king once Markreas passes, and it is the duty of the king to be at the head of the Masters. Before Markreas was almost killed, he was the one who led us, and now that Reigious has taken his place, the prince has practiced every known affinity¡­with the exception of a few. Piura, too, is skilled in all affinities, though only because she is Reigious¡¯s successor should anything ever happen to him before he has an heir.¡±


    Eric swallowed as he took the information in, realizing not only how terrifying the royal children were, but also coming to terms that he was about to face one of those children.


    ¡°Does that include¡­dark and light?¡± he managed to inquire.


    ¡°It does,¡± Ryokumo answered. ¡°The only magic he isn¡¯t strong with is mind magic, but that¡¯s only natural. We can¡¯t have a prince risking his sanity, after all.¡±


    Having never heard of mind magic, Eric forced himself to push the oncoming questions aside. He wasn¡¯t even sure he would last a minute against the prince. If not for his mother¡¯s protection, Nigreos and Album would have defeated him quite easily back in Wilham. If Reigious not only had control over both of their powers, but all the other ones, then he was almost assuredly screwed.


    But then again, Ryokumo said I don¡¯t have to win. I just need to give it my all, so that¡¯s what I¡¯ll do.


    ¡°Well, thank you for the advice,¡± he murmured. ¡°I appreciate it.¡±


    The man placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. ¡°Of course. I meant it when I said you could trust me. As long as you¡¯re in the Citadel, I can be your ally and your friend. And perhaps¡­we can help each other.¡± Ryokumo winked, and while it appeared as a simple gesture to comfort him, Eric could sense the hidden meaning behind it.


    ¡°Good luck, Reiner.¡±


    With those final words of confidence, the Master of Wind hopped over the small, silver barrier that blocked the arena off from the stands before heading up to join the others. Eric watched him go, desperately wanting to talk with him more but knowing that he didn¡¯t have any option other than waiting.


    ¡°Are you ready, Mr. Reiner?¡± Reigious called from the other side.


    Eric turned back and frantically nodded. ¡°Yeah¡­er, yes, my prince!¡±


    His attempt to follow Ijirian formalities caused the man to smile ever so slightly before he made a swift motion with his hand. The moment he did, a long item began to float across the fifty yard distance before stopping just in front of Eric in midair. He couldn¡¯t help but stare at the glittering sword floating in front of him for just a second before he reached out and gripped the pommel. He¡¯d never held a real sword in his life and he found it heavier than he expected. It was of simple make, with a leather wrapped pommel that reminded him of the many fantasy books he used to read as a kid. However, he was surprised to find that it wasn¡¯t a wooden training sword, but a real, sharpened one.


    ¡°Now, Reiner,¡± Reigious began, projecting his voice across to him. ¡°I want you to fight like your life depends on it. Try to kill me. Use whatever spells you want. The only rule is that you cannot leave this arena. Remain within its borders. Otherwise, everything is fair game. Understood?¡±


    Try to kill him?! Eric was thrown off by those words before he realized what the implication was. Reigious knows I¡¯d never be able to kill him, so it doesn''t matter how hard I try.


    ¡°Yes, understood!¡± he replied with as much confidence as he could muster.


    With a grin, the prince raised his own sword, and Eric quickly realized that it wasn¡¯t as simple as the one he was given. Even from that distance, the boy could see the emerald colored blade and the golden pommel. It was a beautiful weapon and part of him wished he could get a better view, before reminding himself that he would soon have that opportunity.


    ¡°Nigreos! Count us down!¡± the prince ordered.


    The Master of Darkness nodded then got to his feet and looked between the two.


    ¡°Three¡­two¡­one¡­fight!¡±


    He never even heard the prince speak an incantation. All he knew was that barely a second after Nigreos finished the countdown, Reigious vanished from his spot, immediately reappearing mere feet from where Eric was waiting, the emerald sword arching down toward his head.


    Shit!


    ¡°Proto!¡±


    Eric¡¯s first instinct was to put as much distance between them as he could, so he shouted off the incantation to launch himself to the right, just barely dodging out of the way of Reigious¡¯s blade. The prince grinned, as if having expected him to do something like that, then  spun and turned his body sideways, the sword raised so that its point was directed Eric¡¯s way.


    Ryokumo wasn¡¯t kidding when he said there was no hope of winning! I just need to throw everything I have at him and hope I can at least survive a minute!


    As much as he loathed this country and what they did to him, he still found himself wanting to impress the Masters. He wanted to at least give Reigious a challenge and so, he took every strategy he had incorporated against Nigreos and Album into his mind, ready to do whatever it took to claim victory.


    ¡°Condite!¡± he shouted, casting the spell that would create ropes of air which he hoped would at least hold the man down long enough for him to make some attacks of his own.


    Yet, the ropes never even reached him. With one graceful motion, Reigious swung the blade around and cut each rope before they could touch him, as if he could see their invisible forms, then propelled himself off the ground and crossed the distance between them again. For the second time, Eric barely reacted, this time swinging his sword up to block the strike, only to find utter pain shoot through his arms as the force of Reigious¡¯s attack resonated through his body.


    The prince didn¡¯t give him even a second to think as he sent strike after strike at him, moving so quickly that he could barely follow. Since they were too close for him to avoid the swift attacks, Eric decided that defense was his best bet, and he recalled one of the spells that he hadn¡¯t had a chance to use to its fullest potential back in Wilham.


    ¡°Durumi!¡± he managed to shout, just as Reigious sword swung toward his chest.


    There was an impact as it collided with his left shoulder, but Eric didn¡¯t feel it at all. The spell had hardened his upper body below the neck into rock, protecting his vitals and causing Reigious sword to bounce backwards without harm. The only downside to this spell was that it increased his weight and therefore, would make him far less maneuverable. So, he knew he had to take advantage of the rock magic while he had the chance. He¡¯d hardened his fists as well, so he released his right hand from his pommel and swung toward Reigious¡¯s face. The prince smiled, as if pleased by the sudden move, just as Eric¡¯s attack hit home¡­yet Reigious¡¯s head didn¡¯t even recoil backwards. Instead, he remained in place, as if the attack didn¡¯t hurt him, and when Eric rushed backwards, he found the prince¡¯s face hardened into rock as well, allowing his skull to take the full impact of the punch without taking damage.


    Damn it!


    Knowing he didn¡¯t have much time before Reigious attacked again, Eric returned his grip to his sword, a different idea coming to mind. There was a spell in his mother¡¯s book that he never got the chance to use, but now that he was armed, it was a perfect opportunity to give it a try.


    ¡°Infundite!¡± he chanted, sending wind magic through his hands and infusing it into the blade.


    The spell worked similarly to what Nigreos used the previous night to combat his mother¡¯s protection. The spell enabled him to move faster, decreasing the weight of the blade and amplifying his own movements. It wouldn¡¯t match the prince¡¯s speed, but at the very least, it would cover some ground.


    Eric jumped on the offensive just as Reigious rushed him, both swinging their blades at their opponent. There were numerous clangs of metal on metal as the prince parried Eric attacks with ease, looking as if he were hardly breaking a sweat while the boy was putting everything he had into it. Eric¡¯s moves were faster and more graceful with the aid of his magic and he made sure not to focus on any one spot. He swung for Reigious¡¯s legs, his torso, his neck, and his face, wanting to avoid being predictable in the foolish hope that he could catch him off guard. But of course, he knew he would be the one to tire out the quickest, so he pulled another trick from his bag.


    ¡°Infernus,¡± he breathed, removing his left hand from the pommel and aiming at Reigious.


    There was a brief look of surprise on his opponent¡¯s face just before a massive wave of fire exploded from Eric¡¯s hand. The boy propelled himself backwards, soaring toward the other side of the arena as the giant inferno burned all the way up toward the ceiling, creating a wall of fire in the center. He spared a brief look up at the Masters, and noticed a variety of expressions on their faces, before turning back toward the flames.


    Then, the fire vanished, revealing Reigious unharmed on the other side, already rushing across the arena.


    ¡°Perkari!¡± Eric shouted, sending blades of wind cutting through the air, but Reigious didn¡¯t even break stride as he sliced them down before they could touch him. Realizing that he wouldn¡¯t be able to strike him, Eric hurriedly hardened his body again, just as the prince reached him. ¡°Durumi!¡±


    His wind magic still enveloping his sword, Eric swung it upwards to parry the prince once more, and again, he found himself locked in close combat, frantically trying to prevent his swift strikes from landing a blow. But, just as Eric felt himself slowing down, Reigious smirked.


    ¡°Coreas,¡± he said softly.


    That familiar and terrifying darkness erupted from the prince, rushing Eric before he even realized what was happening. It lunged through his mouth, cutting off his airflow and dragging him into the air. The sword fell from his grasp and he flailed around, trying to escape, but without being able to breathe, he knew it was futile. It was then that he realized just how much Reigious had been holding back. Had he used that spell to start the match, Eric knew he would have lost in mere seconds. It only forced him to truly accept that the only reason he ever survived his encounters with Nigreos and Album was because he was protected. If not for his mother, he would have died numerous times.


    And Reigious is even stronger. How is that possible?


    ¡°That was impressive,¡± Reigious mused. ¡°For a boy without any proper training, you sure had some fascinating tricks up your sleeve. No wonder you gave Nigreos and Album such a hard time. With blood magic on your side, you could be a real challenge.¡±


    With a wave of his hand, Reigious caused the shadow to vanish, sending Eric collapsing to his knees, coughing and gasping for breath. The prince grinned, then held his hand out.


    ¡°Good game, Mr. Reiner.¡±


    Despite his frustration at losing so suddenly, Eric nevertheless reached up and shook the man¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Yeah, good game.¡±


    ***


    With the duel ended, Reigious cast some healing magic on Eric before they all returned to the Chamber of the Masters. Once they were settled down in their seats, Eric found himself once again standing before the table, facing the six Masters, as well as the prince, with apprehension. They all had differing expressions as they regarded him. Ryokumo and Nyx seemed rather impressed, Sinna and Iris were unreadable, Album still looked annoyed, and Nigreos was smiling, most likely having enjoyed watching him fight without his blood protection giving him an advantage.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Mr. Reiner,¡± Reigious began, ¡°I would first like to ask how you became so proficient with magic. If my calculations are correct, your mother would have left sometime when you were seven or eight. That¡¯s far too young for her to have trained you. So who taught you? How did you come to be so good in a magicless world?¡±


    Part of Eric wanted to lie but, fearing that if he did, he would only serve to anger the group, he decided to just tell the truth.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been trained,¡± he answered. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­before Mom left, she gave me her spellbook and told me that, when she returned, she would teach me properly. She said to study it closely so that I would be ready when she came home. Obviously¡­my mother never did come home, but I did as she said and studied that book relentlessly. For ten years, I¡¯ve read it every night, memorizing the incantations. I know that book front to back.¡±


    Reigious considered his words before nodding to himself, as if unsurprised by the answer. ¡°That¡¯s¡­rather impressive. It seems you inherited Abi¡¯s natural talent. And where is this spellbook now?¡±


    Eric glanced away. ¡°Um¡­well, it should be back at my home. I didn¡¯t have it on me when I jumped to Ijiria so¡­¡±


    ¡°Actually, I returned and retrieved it,¡± Nigreos said, reaching into his suit pocket to produce the familiar, leather book.


    Eric¡¯s first instinct was to do anything he could to rip that book from the Master¡¯s grasp, but he held himself in check. He was revolted to see Nigreos touching something so precious to him, but there was no longer anything he could do about it.


    ¡°Good,¡± Reigious said. ¡°Thank you, Nigreos. Now, if you could return it to the boy¡­¡±


    ¡°My prince!¡± Album immediately interjected. ¡°Return it? You can¡¯t be serious?¡±


    He frowned and cocked an eyebrow. ¡°And why wouldn¡¯t I be? It¡¯s his property. Abi entrusted it to him, so it is his. Nigreos, return it.¡±


    To Album¡¯s clear dismay, the Master of Darkness nodded and slid the book across the table. It came to a stop at the edge and Eric gratefully stepped forward and took it, feeling a small amount of comfort just having it in his grasp again. It was one of the only remnants of his mother left to him, and in this foreign world, it was relieving to have it with him.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he managed to say, though he made sure he was looking at Reigious and not Nigreos as he said it.


    ¡°Of course,¡± the prince replied. ¡°Now, I want to discuss your future here in this Citadel. Our duel gave me plenty to consider, and like I said, you have a natural talent that should not be wasted. Normally, in circumstances such as these, you would be admitted to the Academy of Erika and trained there. However, you are a unique case, and I think it would be best for you to remain here where we can keep an eye on you.¡±


    Eric nodded, knowing that after what happened in Wilham, Reigious would want him under observation at all times.


    ¡°After all, I think it would be foolish to believe you don¡¯t hold some resentment toward us,¡± Reigious went on. ¡°And given all that¡¯s happened, I do not fault you for that. Your world was turned upside down and your friends were erased, and now you are being told that you either swear fealty to us or die. It is understandable.¡±


    He could tell that the Masters other than Ryokumo and Nigreos were looking at him with obvious suspicion. Reigious might be understanding and willing to give him a chance, but that didn¡¯t mean the others were. Album had already made it clear that she strongly opposed his presence in the Citadel, so it was only natural that there would be other Masters that would detest him as a criminal.


    ¡°Now, tell me, Mr. Reiner,¡± Reigious said. ¡°How do you feel about us? I do not want you to lie. You will not be harmed for telling the truth. You will, however, be harmed for lying. So, be honest with me. What are your feelings at this moment?¡±


    He took a second to consider the question. He was put into a spot that was hard to get out of. He had a feeling that Reigious would be able to tell if he lied, but he also feared that it was a trap to get him to admit to his hatred for Ijiria. Yet, when he looked to Ryokumo for some form of guidance, the man nodded, as if telling him to be honest. So, deciding to do as he was told, he faced Reigious and replied.


    ¡°If you want my honest answer, then I can¡¯t deny that I am conflicted,¡± he admitted. ¡°Just a month ago, I was living happily with my friends. My life was good. Sure, I lost my mother, but I was enjoying myself at school. Then, in just a few weeks, Nigreos and Album took everything from me. I am left with nothing now. All my friends are gone, sent to whatever place people are kept after being erased. I fought with everything I had, but even my blood magic couldn¡¯t prevent them all from being taken. I wasn¡¯t good enough. I failed in every sense of the word.¡±


    He stopped to gather his thoughts, trying to determine how to best continue. Reigious¡¯s features were still, not showing any of what he was feeling. He didn¡¯t say anything, and before Eric could go on, it was one of the Masters who broke that silence.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say you were a complete failure,¡± Nyx said as she regarded him. ¡°I think the fact that you even made it here alive speaks to your skill. You were never going to be able to prevent their erasure, even if you were trained.¡±


    She didn¡¯t seem to be trying to comfort him as much as stating a simple fact. He knew she was right, but it didn¡¯t change how he felt. So, he went on.


    ¡°My prince,¡± he said. ¡°If I am supposed to be honest, I can¡¯t say there isn¡¯t some resentment to Ijiria, but at the same time, it was my idiotic actions that brought the attack down on me. When I found that stone, I had never used magic before. I had never even properly seen it. So when I learned of its power, I couldn¡¯t stop myself from screwing around with it. I was careless. I never stopped to think about where the stone might have come from or what the repercussions of using it could be. One of my closest friends¡­well, he warned me many times, and I brushed his fears off, simply happy to have found magic. I brought their erasure on them because I was a fool.¡±


    Reigious narrowed his eyes, seeming to process everything before asking, ¡°You say you had never seen magic before finding the relic? Explain that¡­¡±


    Eric shrugged. ¡°W-well, I might have had the spellbook, but I couldn¡¯t cast anything no matter how hard I tried. For a while, I didn¡¯t even think I had magic, and it was a few months after finding the stone that I found myself able.¡±


    ¡°Curious,¡± Sinna mused. ¡°Perhaps your half-blooded nature wasn¡¯t enough for you to be a proper mage. In that case, it must have been the mana in the relic that enabled you to access the power.¡±


    Nyx nodded. ¡°In which case, you have only been able to cast spells for a handful of months. It makes your performance even more fascinating.¡±


    Yeah, I¡¯d considered something along those lines. It probably was the stone that unlocked my potential.


    ¡°Well, go on,¡± Reigious prompted, and Eric composed himself again.


    ¡°So with that said, I am aware that I shoulder much of the blame,¡± he said. ¡°And while I can¡¯t say I enjoy the thought of bowing to Ijiria, I do think I¡¯ll move past it. You¡¯ve treated me well, my prince, and I do think that with time, I¡¯ll move on and come to accept what happened.¡±


    With that, it was enough of a truth that he didn¡¯t think Reigious would notice. Interacting with Reigious, Piura, and Ryokumo, Eric did think that he could come to accept them and not despise them. They had treated him kindly, but at the same time, he knew he would never accept what happened in Wilham. He would fight to bring everybody back until the day he died. So, to mask that brief lie before anybody could find it, he continued on with the pure truth.


    ¡°However, while I do believe I can be happy here and respect you, I will never forgive Nigreos and Album for what they did. I will never be able to overlook the torture and pain they put me through, and I know as a fact that I will hate them with every fiber of my being for the rest of my life. They are despicable pieces of shit and while I swear to you that I will not make any moves to harm them or take revenge, I will never forget what they did to me.¡±


    He spoke as if the two Masters weren¡¯t present, and took great joy in the looks of fury and shock on their faces as he spoke. On the flipside, the other four Masters seemed almost amused by his bluntness, and even Reigious had the ghost of a smirk.


    ¡°Nor do I think they will ever like me,¡± Eric went on, feeling a bit more confidence in himself. ¡°Album, in particular, will probably never forget how I blasted her arm off¡­twice or how I beat her into the ground so hard that had Nigreos not stopped me, she might be dead right now. I will never see eye-to-eye with them, nor will they with me. I will bow to Ijiria. I will refrain from violating any laws. But no amount of time passed will heal the scars they inflicted on my mind and on my life.¡±


    He took great pleasure in the amused grins on Sinna and Iris¡¯s faces, as well as the redness that had creeped into Album¡¯s pale features. He feared he had gone too far, but at the same time, he wanted to embarrass Nigreos and Album. He wanted everybody present to know that a simple untrained boy was responsible for Album¡¯s lost arm. He wanted her humiliated, and if his words caused Reigious to cast him back into the dungeons, part of him felt it was worth it just seeing the loathing that Album Luz fixed him with or to see the embarrassment present on Nigreos Noctis¡¯s features.


    ¡°I see,¡± the prince murmured after a moment. ¡°Yes, well, that would be expected. And I see you didn¡¯t hold back. I asked for the truth and you gave the truth, but I hope you understand that I cannot overlook that hatred for two of our Masters.¡±


    ¡°I am aware,¡± he replied firmly. ¡°But you said that if I lied, I would be harmed, so I told the truth. Honestly, I have nothing against anybody else in this room. I do not know any of you, after all.¡±


    Reigious chuckled. ¡°I suppose so. In that case, I have made my decision. Ryokumo, you requested that you be allowed to train him, and I have decided only to give you half of what you request.¡±


    Ryokumo, having perked up at the sound of his name, then quickly frowned as he took in what Reigious said. ¡°Half, my prince?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he confirmed. ¡°As it stands, I do sense that Reiner meant every word he spoke about Nigreos and Album, and while his hatred is understandable, I fear that he may be overcome by it. Which is why I am banning him from either learning or using combat magic until he has proven his loyalty.¡±


    Yeah, that¡¯s to be expected, Eric thought. It¡¯s not going to be easy for them to trust me, even if I hadn¡¯t been so bold.


    ¡°But, what good will I be to him then?¡± Ryokumo inquired.


    ¡°He will be your apprentice in name only,¡± Reigious answered. ¡°He will live in your quarters and you will serve as a mentor to him. Your friendship with his mother should make you an easier person for him to get along with. I want you to guide him and watch over him¡­as well as kill him should he ever force your hand.¡±


    Reigious¡¯s last words held enough meaning that Eric could tell he fully meant it. If he ever did anything that could be considered treasonous against Ijiria then he would be killed on the spot. That was the condition they were setting.


    Ryokumo bowed his head. ¡°In that case, I thank you. I will watch over him and mentor him.¡±


    ¡°But¡­my prince¡­¡± Album cut in, her teeth clenched as if biting back her humiliation. ¡°Do you think that¡¯s a good idea? Wouldn¡¯t his friendship with Abi make him too emotional to do what needs to be done should Reiner betray us? Should the boy not be entrusted to another? I, for one, do not think Caeli would be able to bring himself to kill Reiner should he force him to.¡±


    Eric noticed Ryokumo¡¯s smile turn stiff and a brief flash of anger entered his eyes. At the same time, Sinna and Iris turned to face Reigious, as if curious to know what his answer would be, and Eric wondered if the two of them shared a similar sentiment. The prince, however, eyed Album with annoyance.


    ¡°Album,¡± he said sharply. ¡°I trust Ryokumo. He has never given me any reason not to. He will do what needs to be done.¡±


    ¡°But do you not think his attachment to Abi would¡ª¡±


    ¡°Abi Reiner was his friend!¡± Reigious snapped, cutting her off. ¡°Regardless of what she did, that hasn''t changed. It is only natural that he would still hold some love for her. In fact, I think it is that attachment that will give him the open mind necessary to take care of the boy in the best possible way. Understood?¡±


    Album grit her teeth and turned a furious look toward Eric, so he grinned smugly back at her. She had always been so confident and arrogant back in Wilham and he quite enjoyed watching her get challenged and shut down by Reigious.


    ¡°Now,¡± the prince went on once Album had backed down. ¡°While Ryokumo will be watching over you, I would still like to help your talent grow, Mr. Reiner. Which is why I have decided it would be best if you follow in your mother¡¯s footsteps. You are banned from using combat magic, but I would like you to learn to heal, which is why I have decided that Iris will be your true teacher.¡±


    Eric raised his eyebrows, having not expected that as, it seemed, Iris didn¡¯t either. The Master of Nature sat up straighter and looked at the man curiously.


    ¡°M-me?¡± she stuttered. ¡°You want me to teach him?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Reigious confirmed. ¡°I believe healing magic is the best route for him to take, and seeing as you are the Master of Nature, it seems fitting for you to teach him. You can consider him to be your apprentice as well. Is that okay?¡±


    Iris hesitated, then turned her yellow eyes over to Eric as if trying to decide. ¡°Um, of course. Yes, my prince. I will teach him.¡±


    ¡°Perfect,¡± Reigious stated. ¡°In that case, Ryokumo and Iris shall be your masters, Reiner. I will be watching over you very closely, boy, and I hope we can have a harmonious relationship in the future. For now, I have more to discuss with the Masters, so if you would wait in the anteroom, Ryokumo will lead you to your quarters when we are done.¡±


    Eric bowed, satisfied to be able to leave. ¡°Yes, my prince.¡±


    He then turned and hurried from the room. He wasn¡¯t sure what to think, but he was happy that he was being given the opportunity to live in the Citadel. Ryokumo and Iris were the only ones his sense didn¡¯t mistrust, so he couldn¡¯t have received better teachers.


    I can¡¯t let this chance slip away. I¡¯ll pretend to be loyal. I¡¯ll do what I have to do to earn their trust. And when the time comes, I¡¯ll take that erased realm down. I will save everybody¡­no matter what I need to do. And if it becomes possible, I¡¯ll take Nigreos and Album down with it.


    ***


    Had she not been in the presence of the other Masters, and especially the prince, Album felt as if she could explode with rage at any moment. It felt as if everybody but her was blind to the risk of allowing Eric Reiner to remain in the Citadel. With the blood protection left on him by Abi, she and Nigreos were disadvantaged, and there wasn¡¯t a doubt in her mind that the boy would try to take his revenge. He wouldn¡¯t bow to Ijiria. If she knew anything about him, it was that he was stubborn. He might pretend to be docile for the moment, but if given the chance to have revenge, he would take it in a heartbeat. That much was clear with his humiliation of her and Nigreos. After he had left, Reigious had ordered that she and Nigreos disclose all that had happened in Wilham, and by the end of it all, she found herself more embarrassed than she had ever been.


    ¡°So you got your asses kicked by a bunch of magicless children?¡± Sinna sneered. ¡°How pathetic. To think that the great Masters of Light and Darkness couldn¡¯t handle something so simple.¡±


    ¡°I doubt you could have done better,¡± Album retorted harshly. ¡°We weren¡¯t prepared for his blood protection. Without that, as well as the strange pocket realm that kept us prisoner for weeks, we would have been done almost immediately.¡±


    Nigreos smirked. ¡°And besides, at least we succeeded in the end. From the sound of it, while we were gone, you allowed Seiras to be killed, Hannah to betray us, and Arisa Kirisan, a guide to run free. Sounds like you were a far larger failure than we were.¡±


    Album took joy in the Master of Rock¡¯s sudden fury. As problematic as their mission in Omaruo had been, she had been shocked when they returned to learn that the Master of the Mind, Seiras Ka, was dead and that both his killer and a guide had been set free. She had never held any love for the halfling, but he was still a Master, and a rare one at that. His death was a massive loss for Ijiria, so for Sinna to insult them was laughable.


    Sinna clenched her teeth, but before the argument could progress, Reigious raised a hand to silence her. ¡°Enough. The past does not matter. We simply need to focus on where to go from here. Reiner¡¯s existence is surprising, but as it stands, he is the least of our worries. Erika is on lockdown. Hannah Lynn and the Children are still in the city so we must do all we can to find them. Nakoma is still up north, and with any luck, he will find Malt Territh soon. We need to focus on the issues here in the capital. The Assassination Gem is safely returned to the vault and Omaruo is cleansed.¡±


    Reigious furrowed his brow then continued. ¡°My only fear is that Eric Reiner couldn¡¯t have erected that pocket realm. Somebody else did that, though I can¡¯t be certain whether it was Abi or someone else entirely. For the time being, Ryokumo, I want you to see what you can learn.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± the Master of Wind said. ¡°I¡¯ll see if I can gather any information from him.¡±


    The prince leaned back in his golden seat and sighed. ¡°The future is quite uncertain, but we must avoid fighting amongst ourselves. Set our sights on killing Hannah Lynn and Arisa Kirisan. That¡­is our biggest priority.¡±


    Album grimaced. They¡¯re being too lenient with Eric. Even Ryokumo and Nigreos have themselves so obsessed with Abi that they¡¯re overlooking his threat level. But I won¡¯t be so foolish. If everybody else wishes to focus on Kirisan, so be it, but I will never take my eyes off of Reiner. If he does anything, I won¡¯t wait for Ryokumo Caeli to act. They might have forgotten, but I won¡¯t. Ryokumo and Eric together are dangerous, so if given the chance¡­


    I will deal with them myself.

 Chapter 4- The Erased Realm

    Chapter IV


    She was moving far slower than she should have been, yet no matter how many times she told herself to hurry up, she found she just didn¡¯t have the energy or drive to do so. All Lilly Harper could do was stare lethargically into her bedroom mirror as she finished putting on the red tie of her school uniform. Once she was finished, she pulled on her dark gray blazer and buttoned it up before stopping for a moment to just gaze at her reflection. That day was her first day of her senior year of high school. In less than a year, she would graduate and become an adult, yet when she looked at herself, she didn¡¯t find herself all that different. Her shoulder-length brown hair was still only slightly combed, her uniform was the same as ever, and her desire to stay home hadn¡¯t lessened. To her, there wasn¡¯t much of a difference between junior year and senior year.


    Well, I guess there is one difference¡­


    She looked over her shoulder and scanned her bedroom, the one that now belonged to her and her alone. Only two weeks prior, her older sister, Alexa, had moved up north to Alden to start college. The girl¡¯s bed was still there on the opposite side of the room, but her boy band posters were gone and her clothes were all removed from the closet. Despite how much she despised Alexa¡¯s constant nagging, she couldn¡¯t deny that the room had seemed oddly lonely in the past few days.


    Not to mention I fell back to sleep after my alarm went off.


    If not for her mother coming in to check on her, Lilly had a feeling she might have been late for her first day of school. Part of her wasn¡¯t all that bothered by the thought, but at the same time, she knew that starting the year off by arriving late would only force her to have to deal with whatever lectures she would wind up getting from both her teachers and her parents.


    And as much as I hate school, I really don¡¯t want to have to put up with that.


    So, giving her reflection one last look, Lilly turned and left her room then made her way down the hall and into the main area where her mother was busy in the kitchen, making what smelled to the girl like pancakes. When she glanced over at the counter, her guess was confirmed by the already present stack that was waiting for her.


    ¡°Good morning, Lilly,¡± her mother greeted with a smile. ¡°Good to see you actually stayed awake this time. I made you some breakfast so please help yourself!¡±


    Lilly forced herself to smile as she stepped forward and grabbed the plate her mom had set out for her before placing two pancakes on top of it.


    ¡°Yeah, thanks, Mom,¡± she muttered, then took a seat at the dining table.


    I really appreciate the thought, but I¡¯m not really in the mood for breakfast. I just want to get to school and get this damned year started. I¡¯m not even all that hungry.


    Nevertheless, not wanting to be rude, Lilly forced herself to eat. Still feeling obnoxiously tired, she didn¡¯t bother striking up any conversation with her mom, who was busy making a few more pancakes that she would almost certainly save for Lilly¡¯s father when he got home from work later. In fact, she made it through the entire meal, which she finished in barely over two minutes, and it was only when she was putting her plate in the sink that her mom decided to spark up a conversation.


    ¡°Now I know you don¡¯t like it when I ask you about school,¡± she began, ¡°but aren¡¯t you at least a little excited for today? I mean, it¡¯s your first day of senior year, Sweetheart. Isn¡¯t that exciting?¡±


    Lilly apathetically shrugged. ¡°Not really. If anything, I¡¯m more excited to just be done with school. High school¡¯s always been boring. Cross country¡¯s really the only thing I look forward to, but even then, I probably won¡¯t miss it too much once I¡¯m out of school.¡±


    ¡°But Lilly,¡± her mother began in her familiar disapproving tone. ¡°Have you ever wondered if maybe you¡¯d enjoy school more if you had some friends. Why not try to get to know somebody? That might help.¡±


    The girl shook her head. ¡°No, I¡¯m good.¡±


    ¡°Look, I just don¡¯t want you to look back on high school and regret anything.¡± Her mom stopped and sighed, as if trying to think of what to say. ¡°I worry about you sometimes. I mean, do you even know what you want to do after high school? Colleges will be accepting applications soon, you know.¡±


    Ah, right¡­ College¡­¡±


    Lilly shrugged once again. ¡°With any luck, I¡¯ll get a cross-country scholarship somewhere. If not, well, I¡¯ll probably just go to the community college on the other side of town,¡± she murmured. ¡°Doesn¡¯t really matter to me.¡±


    Her mom seemed ready to press the subject, so Lilly quickly turned and began walking away.


    ¡°Anyway, I gotta get going. I¡¯ll see you after school,¡± she called back.


    The older woman didn¡¯t immediately reply as Lilly grabbed her backpack off of the couch and slung it over her shoulder. It was only when she was at the door that her mother said anything.


    ¡°Alright, Lil¡¯. Have a nice day at school.¡±


    Lilly quickly slipped her shoes on and headed from her apartment and into the hallway before hanging a right for the elevators. As she walked, she kept her head down like she always did, first taking the elevator down to the lobby and then making her way through the front doors and onto the road outside. West Wilham High wasn¡¯t that far off so it wasn¡¯t long before she found herself walking down the familiar neighborhood streets, watching as the number of students around her gradually began to increase. And soon enough, she had arrived at the gates of the three-story high school. It had only been two months since she was last there, yet for some reason, it felt like an eternity.


    Though, maybe that¡¯s because I spent the entire summer vacation laying around the house.


    As much as she loved lazing around, it did make it feel as if the hot summer days went on for far longer than they actually did. The only times she left was to go on the occasional run to keep herself in shape and to babysit Natalie whenever Renee needed her to. There were a few times where she felt the odd desire to go visit the Wilham Pier, but each time, she came to her senses and stayed home. She certainly never dropped by the school, and so it really did feel as if a lot of time had passed since she was last there.


    When she walked through the gates and into the courtyard, she was greeted with the familiar sight of students sitting at the nearby tables that were scattered around the lawn, chatting with each other and catching up after the break. Despite summer being over, everybody seemed to be in good spirits and, as it did every year, she couldn¡¯t figure out why anybody would be so happy to be back at school. Everybody might be complaining about summer vacation being over, but nobody actually looked all that upset.


    Eh, whatever. Let¡¯s just get to class so I can get settled in before school actually starts.


    Lilly sighed and continued down the cement path that separated the two sides of the lawn before heading into the main school building where it was even more packed with students. She grimaced, taking a moment to recall where her first period class was located that year. Her schedule was tucked in her binder, which was in her backpack, and she really didn¡¯t want to have to get it out, so she did her best to remember where she was supposed to go.


    Oh, right. Room 3-5. Mr. Lowe¡¯s Honors Literature class. Damn¡­that means I¡¯m gonna have to hike all the way to the top floor every morning?


    Knowing she had no other option but to succumb to her fate, she begrudgingly walked through the masses of students and up two flights of stairs before coming to the third floor. 3-5 was relatively close to the staircase so once she reached the top floor, there wasn¡¯t much farther left to walk. She quickly spotted the classroom and hurried toward it, anxious to get through the open door and into the less crowded classroom, but the moment she stepped inside, she abruptly came to a stop.


    What¡­? What the hell? What is this feeling?


    She found herself unable to move as she took in the sight of the classroom before her. As far as she could remember, she had never once stepped foot inside, yet she was suddenly overwhelmed by a nostalgia that almost made her want to cry. Something was wrong with her and she didn¡¯t know what it was. She was overcome by both the urge to run away and to go inside, and it was only finally broken when somebody called out to her.


    ¡°Excuse me, Miss? Are you okay?¡±


    She swallowed back her confusion and slowly turned to see the teacher at his desk, with a balding head and round glasses, looking back with concern. At the same time, she realized the handful of students already present were eying her with clear amusement.


    ¡°Um, yes?¡± she managed to get out.


    He cocked an eyebrow.  ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah! I¡¯m fine! I¡­¡± She paused, trying to gather her thoughts as the odd feeling gradually faded from her body. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Yeah, I¡¯m good.¡±


    The man she assumed must have been Mr. Lowe nodded, though he seemed rather unconvinced. ¡°Alright then. Take a seat anywhere you like. I don¡¯t do seating charts. Just make sure that if you choose to sit by a friend, you¡¯ll have enough self control not to talk. The syllabus is here on my desk.¡±


    Once he was finished giving her instructions, he went back to working on his computer. It was a very different attitude as opposed to Mrs. Kentz, who had always stood outside the door to greet them, and she found that she far preferred his more blunt way of doing things. Now recovered from the sudden nostalgia, Lilly went into the classroom, grabbed a syllabus from the desk, and went to take a seat in the back corner of the room, right by the window.


    God, what the hell was that? Why did that suddenly happen?


    She couldn¡¯t even begin to explain it, but what unnerved her the most was that it wasn¡¯t the first time in the last few months that she¡¯d been overcome by strange and seemingly foreign emotions. The first time had been near the end of April and ever since, there would be random occasions when she would suddenly find herself at odds with her feelings, and they would even be sometimes accompanied by voices in her head. She had yet to tell anybody about it, but she was starting to get really worried that something was wrong with her.


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    She spared a quick look around the classroom, hoping none of the other students were paying her any attention, but they had already returned to chatting with each other. Yet, just as she was about to start looking out the window in the hopes of taking her mind off of it, one of them looked over his shoulder with narrowed eyes, and in that moment, they just stared at each other. He then quickly turned away and put his head back down, but Lilly couldn¡¯t help but keep gazing at him.


    What was up with that? Did I do something to Mickelson?


    She¡¯d never spoken a single word to Vinny Mickelson despite having shared a few classes with him the previous year, so there wasn¡¯t any reason she could think of that would have caused him to look at her like that.


    Was my weird reaction to the room offensive to him or something? Or maybe he just thinks I looked like an idiot? She snorted as she leaned back in her seat. Whatever. No point in worrying about him.


    Still feeling slightly uncomfortable, she turned her thoughts to cross country, wanting to quickly power through the school day and get to practice so she could go running. With cross country on her mind, she did look across the room at two of her teammates from the previous year, Alice Mendez and Audrey Moore, who were sitting on the opposite side of the room from her, excitedly chatting with each other. She hardly ever spoke to them either, but because they were both on cross country and track with her, they had interacted enough for Lilly to consider them acquaintances.


    I wonder if they stayed on the team this year. I can¡¯t imagine they didn¡¯t.


    She was grateful, at least, that they were in the class so that if Lowe ever assigned group projects, she might be able to jump in a group with them. Lilly went to look away and it was then that a trio of girls walked through the door, and she instantly felt repulsed at the sight of them. Lilly knew she wasn¡¯t the greatest at tolerating anybody, but if there was a group of people she truly could not stand, it was the three popular girls who had just walked in. It wasn¡¯t that they had ever done anything to her directly. They were just flat out annoying with their bubbly personalities, pointless gossip, and irritatingly constant giggling. Just the thought of being stuck in a classroom with them all year made her want to jump out of the window.


    Charlotte Banks, Ashley Anderson, and of course, their ever-present ringleader, Elizabeth Tao. Lilly could recall plenty of times she had heard the guys on the cross country team going on about how attractive they were, but she could never understand what they were talking about. With their over-the-top makeup and stupidly long nails, they appeared more like dolls than actual human beings, and in Lilly¡¯s opinion, it made them look absolutely hideous,


    Though, at least Elizabeth tones it down a bit, though not by that much.


    As opposed to the others, Elizabeth went lighter on the makeup and her nails weren¡¯t too much longer, but she still came across as a vain and shallow girl. Her black hair was curled and she wore contacts that made her normally brown eyes look like a lighter amber color. Her giggles were the most annoying to Lilly and she always seemed far happier than she needed to be, almost like she was exaggerating her every emotion.


    ¡°Anyway, Lizzie, I think we should definitely stop by the caf¨¦ after school,¡± the red-haired Charlotte was saying. ¡°That new cappuccino is so good, you just have to try it.¡±


    Elizabeth smiled. ¡°Yeah, definitely. I¡¯d love to stop¡ª¡±


    Mid-sentence, the girl just froze, causing Lilly to frown.


    What the hell?


    ¡°Lizzie?¡± Ashley said. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Er, uh, yeah!¡± She quickly snapped out of whatever trance she had fallen into, though her cheerful attitude from before was almost forced. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Anyway, yeah, Charlotte. We should definitely go, if only to celebrate being seniors!¡±


    The momentary strain all but gone, the girls broke into giggles as they went to grab their syllabuses and take their seats in the back of the class. Yet, Lilly could see that something was off about Elizabeth, as if whatever had caused her to pause was still affecting her.


    That¡­can¡¯t be a coincidence, right? It was almost as if¡­she had the same experience I did.


    Yet, knowing how unlikely that possibility was, Lilly turned away from the girls, but not without catching sight of Vinny Mickelson staring over his shoulder at Elizabeth, his eyes once again narrowed in suspicion.


    ***


    Just like the beginning of the previous year, Coach Francis started the cross country season by having them run the neighborhood loops in order to gauge where everybody currently stood with their abilities. There were a handful of freshmen students who had joined, and they were chipper and excited, already talking to the older kids and fitting in like they had always been there. Unsurprisingly, Matt Briggs didn¡¯t hesitate to welcome them with open arms and take them under his wing, giving them every piece of advice he had. The boy had always been the most charismatic member of the team, and Lilly considered him like their captain even though there was no official position. He was also the only one who could match her speed, but she had spent much of summer practicing in the hopes of putting the boy behind her. Yet, when the time came to start their run, she found him constantly either on her heels or at her side.


    I see he¡¯s been keeping in shape, too. Though, I guess I should have expected that.


    The end of the run was in sight, and when she glanced over her shoulder to see him right behind her, the boy grinned, picking up his pace so that he was right beside her.


    Oh, like hell I¡¯m letting you beat me on the first day, Briggs!


    Determined to start the year out on a high note, Lilly increased her own speed, and was able to just barely keep ahead of him as the two came flying through the gates of the school.


    ¡°Good job, Harper! Briggs! I see you both have been keeping active this summer!¡± Coach Francis called out to them both. ¡°Now go do your stretches and you¡¯re free to go home.¡±


    Smiling to herself and proud that she didn¡¯t let Matt get the best of her, Lilly turned and began heading toward one of the nearby tables, but to her dismay, the boy was right behind her.


    ¡°Damn, Harper,¡± he said with a laugh. ¡°You¡¯re really not gonna let me retake my slot in first place, are you?¡±


    Despite having known him for over a year, and having no issue with him on a personal level, she still preferred to be left alone. Most of the cross country team had taken that hint long ago, but Matt was proving to be more persistent than she would have liked.


    ¡°Nope, probably not,¡± she replied softly.


    That was all she said as she began doing her cooldown stretches, and despite her clear shutdown of the conversation, he simply chuckled and started stretching with her.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s do our best this season, yeah? I¡¯ve got a good feeling about this year¡¯s new recruits! I think with enough practice, we can really take sectionals! Especially with how good you¡¯ve gotten. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if you took first place at some point.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°I hope I do. I came so close last year.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, you¡¯ve got it in the bag this time! I have absolute faith in you!¡±


    She found his confidence to be oddly comforting, and she knew he wasn¡¯t just saying that to be nice. In fact, she got the feeling that he even enjoyed the unspoken rivalry they had built up over the last year, and in a way, she did, too. He gave her a goal, somebody to beat, and it had probably made her a better runner, so as annoying as he could be at times, she was grateful to him.


    ¡°Hey, Matt! Which one of you won today?¡± came a call from across the courtyard, and when Lilly looked up, she saw Audrey Moore approaching them with one of her good friends, Jay Brooks, at her side.


    Matt sighed in an exaggerated fashion. ¡°Unfortunately, I just couldn¡¯t beat her today. Lilly got me by barely a second.¡±


    Jay laughed. ¡°Good for you, Harper. Gotta keep Briggs¡¯s ego in check, don¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Oy, I don¡¯t have that much of an ego, Jay!¡± the blonde boy retorted. ¡°You¡¯re just upset that you¡¯ve never been able to beat me after all these years.¡±


    The other boy cocked an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s not true in the slightest and you know it!¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be like that, Jay!¡± Audrey chimed in with a sly grin. ¡°If I¡¯m remembering right, wasn¡¯t it you that was going on about how this is the year you¡¯ll finally catch up to Matt and Lilly? In fact, I seem to recall you swearing on your first born that you¡¯d take them down at the first race.¡±


    ¡°Oh really? Well, that¡¯s certainly not going to happen,¡± Matt said, joining in Audrey¡¯s teasing. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s unlikely you could beat me, but there is no universe where you would ever catch Lilly. She¡¯s basically the goddess of this team!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m with him,¡± Audrey agreed. ¡°There¡¯s no way you¡¯re beating Lilly, Jay. She¡¯s just too good!¡±


    Jay rolled his eyes and sighed. ¡°Well, sure. Maybe I won¡¯t beat Harper, but you¡¯re going down, Briggs.¡±


    ¡°Bring it on, Brooks!¡±


    Lilly felt her cheeks turn red at the sudden barrage compliments, so she quickly turned her eyes to the grass as she focused on her stretches. Despite the fact that the three were including her in the conversation, she still felt like she was on the outs and just wanted to hurry through her stretches so she could go home. At the same time, she kept glancing over at the gates as other team members came through. She knew that once Alice Mendez and Rina Davens finished their laps, they would come right over and join them. Alice and Rina were really close with Audrey and Jay, and were hardly ever seen without them outside of class. If they came over, Lilly would feel even more on the outs, so she wanted to be done before they arrived.


    ¡°By the way,¡± Audrey began cheerfully. ¡°We were thinking about heading over to Ralph¡¯s Diner to celebrate the start of the season. Would you guys want to join us?¡±


    Matt grinned and flashed a thumbs-up. ¡°Oh absolutely! Is it cool if we drag some of the freshmen along?¡±


    ¡°Oh of course!¡± Audrey replied. ¡°Everybody¡¯s invited. Lilly? You gonna come?¡±


    There was no bone in her body that wanted to go to a group dinner, but not wanting to be rude to the girl, she just looked back up and shook her head.


    ¡°S-sorry¡­I¡¯m¡­er, busy,¡± she stammered. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    She could see a bit of disappointment in Audrey and Matt¡¯s expressions, but she could also tell that they weren¡¯t all that surprised. Inviting her was more of a formality than anything else at that point since she never accepted their invitations. She was just waiting for the day when they stopped trying altogether.


    ¡°Oh, okay then,¡± Audrey muttered. ¡°Well, if you change your mind, we¡¯ll probably be there until seven or so.¡±


    ¡°Noted. Thanks.¡±


    Lilly quickly finished her stretches, bid Audrey, Matt, and Jay goodbye, then turned and began heading back toward the main building so she could get her stuff from her locker. The first day of school was finally over, and thus, the end of high school was truly within sight. That thought was both comforting and terrifying at the same time, but whether she liked it or not, time moved forward and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Part of her thought back to her mother¡¯s words from earlier in the day, and despite usually brushing them off, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if there would come a time when she would regret not going to events like that. And for some reason, deep within her, there was a feeling she couldn¡¯t explain, like some other part of her was telling her that she would.


    Yet even so, Lilly Harper never turned back around.


    ***


    Vinny Mickelson scoffed in annoyance as he closed the door of the counseling office and stepped out into the third floor hallway, which was bathed in the orange light of sundown. It was only the first day, but his counselor had already called him to her office to badger him about his future. He¡¯d only barely passed his classes the year prior and was only one absence away from having to retake the year. He managed to do the bare minimum to become a senior, but his councilor was still obviously worried that he wouldn¡¯t do enough work to graduate in the spring. She wanted him to hit the ground running, but all he could do was scowl and allow her lecturing to go in one ear and out the other.


    Doesn¡¯t fucking matter anyway, he thought bitterly. I¡¯m not gonna go to college. I¡¯ll probably just go get some construction gig or something. I¡¯m not cut out for school. Not like there¡¯s anything I¡¯m gonna do with my life.


    He stuck his hands into the pockets of his pants and turned down the hallway, ready to put the school behind him. Of course, he didn¡¯t plan to go home yet so he¡¯d probably just go wander around town until it got really late. He sighed, but as he was walking, he noticed a single girl heading his way, her head down. Normally, he wouldn¡¯t have paid her any more than a brief thought, but in that particular moment, he couldn¡¯t help but stare at her.


    Right¡­her. What the fuck was her name again? Harper?


    As they got closer to each other, she looked up at him, but she only made eye contact for a moment before she passed him by and continued on her way. Her narrowed his eyes as he watched her receding back, and couldn¡¯t help but recall the strange incident from that morning.


    Is it possible¡­that Lilly Harper felt the same thing I did? Could I not be completely insane? Could there really be something off about room 3-5?


    Ever since the spring festival the previous April, Vinny had felt an odd connection with that room that he¡¯d never been able to explain. The only time anybody else had ever showed a similar fixation on that room was Alice Mendez a few days after, but he¡¯d never worked up the courage to ask her about it again, for fear of coming across as more unstable than the school already thought he was.


    But now¡­in one day, both that wallflower, Harper, and that annoying bitch, Tao, reacted in similar ways. Is it possible¡­that they experienced the same nostalgia? Or have I really just lost my mind?

 Chapter 5- Confession and Rejection

    Chapter V


    With the finish line directly ahead of her, Lilly put the last vestiges of her energy into one final sprint as she attempted to overtake the girl she¡¯d been trailing behind for the majority of the race. The girl seemed to notice since she began to speed up as well, with Lilly just barely keeping pace with her. She could hear the cheers of the crowd around her, and even the distinctive voices of the freshmen and sophomores from her own team, but she only paid them a brief glance before turning her attention back to her feet, not wanting to trip on any stray rocks or pits that might have lined the dirt path. As far as she could tell, the way was clear, and so she continued to sprint and just before they crossed the finish line, Lilly managed to overtake her opponent by a mere step. Feeling overwhelming joy at her performance, Lilly gradually came to a halt, breathing heavily as she gratefully took one of the offered paper cups of water that a young volunteer handed her.


    I did it! I think that has to be my best race time yet! What a way to start the season!


    ¡°Good job,¡± the girl she beat said between sips of water as the two of them moved away from the finish line. ¡°I thought for sure I had you, but you killed it.¡±


    Lilly nodded weakly and shook her hand. ¡°Thanks. You did great, too.¡±


    The other girl smiled then headed off to reunite with her team, who were all grouped nearby, excitedly waiting to congratulate her. Lilly followed suit, moving out into the grassy area beyond the finish line where she found Coach Francis and a few of the younger team members waiting for her.


    ¡°You did so well, Harper!¡± her coach exclaimed. ¡°You got eighth place overall! I¡¯m so proud of you!¡±


    The other team members gave her similar words of awe and cheer, but she hardly processed any of them as she took in what Coach Francis said.


    Eighth place¡­in varsity? Holy shit! Maybe getting a scholarship somewhere isn¡¯t that unlikely after all¡­


    She¡¯d thought about the possibility a few times, but whenever she did, she had to remind herself that she wasn¡¯t the type of person to draw attention like that. She had faith in her running ability, but at the same time, she also knew there were plenty of other runners that far outdid her. After all, most of her ability came from a simple natural talent. She knew she didn¡¯t train nearly as hard as some of her competitors, so it only seemed natural that hoping for a scholarship was far too optimistic, but after putting her all into training over the summer, she was starting to realize that she might actually have a chance.


    Well, Mom was nagging me about my future the other day, but maybe running really will be what I wind up doing.


    ¡°Now, you should do your stretches and then get some rest,¡± the coach went on. ¡°You¡¯ve earned it, Harper.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, thanks,¡± she managed to get out as she downed the rest of her water.


    Anxious to take a moment to calm down, Lilly turned and headed away from the finish line and back toward where the West Wilham High tent was set up among those of the other high schools that were competing in the event. They were currently at a rather large campground about an hour east of Wilham, and so they were surrounded by trees with their foliage keeping the ground rather cool despite it being a warm summer afternoon. As she glanced around, she could see groups of younger girls running around for their warm-up exercises. The boy¡¯s varsity race had just started, so the junior-varsity girls were getting ready for their race, and would probably be lining up in a few minutes.


    For a moment, she marveled at the different colored jerseys that other high schools were wearing before looking down at her own black one. She always thought West Wilham¡¯s colors of black and gold were relatively boring and oftentimes found herself missing the blue and white jerseys of her old school. Lilly then continued on her way across the grass before coming to the rather empty West Wilham tent. Nobody was around since the others were either prepping for the next race or were cheering on the varsity boys so all that remained were various bags of their gear and stray plastic water bottles laying in random positions.


    Happy to have some time to herself, Lilly began her cooldown stretches, allowing her mind to wander to other topics as she went on autopilot. It was already two weeks into her senior year and so far, nothing else of note had happened. After her strange disturbance on the first day, she didn¡¯t experience anything else alarming. Life went on and it didn¡¯t veer from the norm in the slightest. She remained a loner, eating lunch by herself and going right home after cross country practice. If not for her impressive performance on the team, she imagined she probably wouldn¡¯t be interacting with anybody all that much and normally, this was how she liked it. Yet, for reasons she couldn¡¯t explain, it almost felt as if she was missing something important. As each day passed, there was a subtle nagging in the back of her mind that she could only describe as a desire, though a desire for what, she could not say. It just felt as if there was something she needed to do, or even someone she needed to see, but no matter how hard she thought about it, nothing came to mind. It was especially noticeable during Mr. Lowe¡¯s class, and part of her wondered if that had anything to do with the incident on the first day.


    I just wish I knew what I was supposed to do. What am I missing? What is my goal supposed to be?


    She sighed as she continued to stretch, briefly glancing around at the various runners doing their own warm-ups or cool-downs, or even just hanging around in their tents, casually chatting with each other. She was still alone though that didn¡¯t surprise her. She suspected the other varsity girls would hang back by the finish line so they could see the boys finish. Audrey, Alice, and Rina in particular would almost certainly wait for Jay before heading over.


    So, with any luck, I can be out of here before they arrive.


    Yet, she had to remind herself that she didn¡¯t have any luck, as when she glanced off to her left, she saw Matt Briggs heading her way with a bottle of water in hand. He looked exhausted and sweaty, but he was grinning cheerfully as he approached her.


    ¡°Harper!¡± he called out. ¡°You¡¯re so damn impressive, you know that? Eighth place?! That¡¯s so awesome!¡±


    He seemed genuinely happy and proud of her, but for whatever reason, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to smile back. She simply nodded and continued to stretch. ¡°Yeah, thanks, Matt,¡± she replied. ¡°It was definitely a hard run, but I¡¯m happy with how I did.¡±


    He chuckled, stopping just ahead of her to begin his own cool-down. Evidently, he planned to continue talking with her, and she couldn¡¯t bring herself to blow him off.


    ¡°As you should be,¡± he told her. ¡°Honestly, I can¡¯t get over how good you are. You¡¯re gonna keep running in college, right? I mean, with your times, I¡¯m sure you could get a scholarship almost anywhere!¡±


    She frowned at his exaggeration. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure about that. I mean, I¡¯d like to keep running if possible, but I¡¯m not sure about scholarships or anything.¡±


    ¡°Ah, come on! Stop being so humble!¡± he said with a shake of his head. ¡°You¡¯re the best runner on our team! If you can¡¯t get a scholarship then none of us could ever hope to dream of getting one! Give yourself the credit you deserve!¡±


    She felt her cheeks turn red. She appreciated his praise, but part of her really wondered if he was just exaggerating. She didn¡¯t feel like she was anything special, but she also knew that she probably wasn¡¯t giving herself enough credit. She always felt so torn on talking about her skills. She both felt as if she were really good while also not feeling special. It was an odd contradiction that she just couldn¡¯t explain, and that also annoyed her whenever people like Matt would congratulate her and praise her.


    ¡°Yeah, maybe¡­¡±


    She trailed off, unsure of how to keep the conversation going, but Matt just picked it back up without missing a beat.


    ¡°You know, Harper, you mind if I ask you something?¡±


    She shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°Ask away.¡±


    For a moment, Matt¡¯s smile wavered, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel that his question might actually be something serious. When he finally did speak, his tone was more hesitant.


    ¡°Why do you always hang out by yourself? I mean, I always see you at lunch just sitting alone and you never come out to any of the team lunches or anything. I don¡¯t mean to pry, and you don¡¯t have to answer if you don¡¯t want to, but I hope you know that everybody on the team really does want to be your friend.¡±


    Lilly felt a twinge of guilt as she pondered how to respond. It was the first time anybody had come out and blatantly addressed her distance from others. Most of the time, they left her alone and pretended as if she were more a part of them than she actually was. She knew it was something that needed to be addressed, but she also wished Matt would just mind his own business and leave her alone.


    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t really know how to explain it,¡± she muttered. ¡°I guess I just prefer being by myself. It¡¯s nothing against you guys, really. In fact, I think you¡¯re all really nice people, but I just¡­¡±


    How am I supposed to put this into words? How do I explain it to a social king like him? I just don¡¯t like being around other people. I like my time alone and I¡­


    Even in her own mind, she struggled to articulate a reason. For most of her life, she had always felt confidence in her loner mentality, but in the recent months, she found she couldn¡¯t justify herself. Part of her was even starting to wonder if she really was making a mistake and that her whole outlook on life was a bad one, but no matter how much she thought about it, she never changed. It almost felt like Lilly Harper was doomed to be alone whether she wanted it or not.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯ve ever been rude,¡± she went on after a moment. ¡°But I just like being alone. That¡¯s all.¡±


    Matt glanced down at the grass and furrowed his brow in thought. She couldn¡¯t begin to guess how he might respond to such an answer, but for the first time since meeting him, Matt almost seemed embarrassed. He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it, and then opened it again with more determination in his eyes, as if whatever conflict was tormenting him had been resolved.


    ¡°Well, I hope you realize that I do like you, Harper,¡± he said. ¡°I think you¡¯re a really nice person, and despite not talking to you as often as I would like, I respect you. You¡¯re a hell of a competitor and I can tell that you have a passion for running. To be honest¡­¡± He paused. ¡°I really would like to get to know you better¡­¡±


    Lilly tilted her head in curiosity. ¡°Get to know me better? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡­well¡­¡± Matt took a deep breath and stopped his stretching as he stood up straighter and looked her right in the eyes. ¡°Admittedly, I¡¯ve got a bit of a crush on you, Harper, and I was wondering if you¡¯d ever want to go out sometime¡­like on a date?¡±


    His words didn¡¯t immediately process as she stared back at him, but when they did, it felt like her entire system just completely shut down. She didn¡¯t know what to say or how to respond. She even doubted whether she heard him correctly.


    He has a crush on me?! Matt Briggs¡­likes me?


    ¡°Oh, um¡­¡±


    It was the first time a boy had ever asked her out and she had been far from prepared for it. She¡¯d never given romance even a slight consideration. With her distant personality, it didn¡¯t feel as if it was in the cards for her, but here Matt was, providing her with a chance to get to know him in a more romantic way.


    I mean¡­I definitely like him as a person. He¡¯s a nice enough guy, but do I like him? I don¡¯t know! I don¡¯t even know what that sort of thing feels like! Yeah, he¡¯s a good guy, but have I even ever looked at him as a guy?!


    Matt started fidgeting awkwardly and she knew she had to say something, but she didn¡¯t know how to respond. So she panicked and said the first thing that came to mind.


    ¡°I¡¯m really flattered, Matt,¡± she responded. ¡°But there¡¯s somebody else I like.¡±


    What?! Why did I say that?! There¡¯s nobody else I like! I just lied straight to his face! How could I do that?!


    Yet, for some reason, it didn¡¯t feel like a lie. As she gazed back at the boy, she found herself speaking from the heart. She couldn¡¯t think of anybody she liked, yet it felt to her as if there was somebody, and no matter how sweet of a guy Matt was, he would never be him, whoever ¡°him¡± might be.


    ¡°Oh, gotcha,¡± he stuttered, clearly trying to pull himself back together after being so open and honest with her. ¡°That¡¯s fair, and I¡¯m sorry for dropping that on you so suddenly. I don¡¯t know what I was thinking.¡±


    She shook her head and forced a smile. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. In fact, you¡¯re the first person to ever ask me out, and if there wasn¡¯t already someone I liked, I probably would have said yes, but I¡­¡± She glanced away for a moment before looking back at his face, full of a disappointment he was clearly trying to repress. ¡°I hope we can still be friends¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, of course,¡± he said softly. ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡± Matt then cleared his throat. ¡°Well, I think I¡¯m gonna go cheer on junior varsity. I think they¡¯re starting in a minute so¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, definitely.¡±


    He awkwardly waved goodbye and headed off in the direction of the starting line. She watched as he blended in with the others before disappearing altogether. She honestly felt bad for shooting him down so bluntly, but there was nothing she could do. She didn¡¯t want to lead him on.


    But¡­why did I tell him I liked somebody else? There isn¡¯t anybody else I¡¯m close with. It doesn¡¯t make sense so¡­


    ...why did it feel so right?


    ***


    She didn¡¯t interact with Matt again before leaving the venue nor did she seek out any of her other teammates. She simply told Coach Francis that she was heading home, then collected her things and walked down the road and toward the bus stop that would drive her back to Wilham. When the bus arrived, she took her seat and popped in some earbuds so she could listen to music on the hour long ride. The whole way back, she couldn¡¯t help but think about her interaction with Matt, but no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn¡¯t explain why she said what she said, so she instead took the option of pushing it from her mind and forgetting it.


    I feel like cross country is going to get kinda awkward now. Damn it¡­


    All she could do was pray that Matt didn¡¯t tell anybody else about his confession since she knew the others would only want to ask her why she turned him down. Matt was a pretty popular guy and she knew there were other girls who would have loved it if he confessed to her, so she didn¡¯t need to draw attention to herself.


    I just can¡¯t figure out why he would ask me out? He¡¯s got so many other options, so why me? What did I ever do to attract his attention? Is it just because I¡¯m good at running? Maybe he only likes me because of our rivalry.


    She sighed and was grateful when the bus finally arrived in Wilham. She headed out into the hot afternoon and was about to start making her way to her apartment, but decided she would first get a quick snack. There was a convenience store nearby that she sometimes visited after school, so she turned and began heading in that direction. The heat was worse than she had expected, so when she finally arrived at the store, she found the air conditioning to be a welcome reprieve.


    Thank god. I hope summer hurries up and goes away. I want it to cool down a bit.


    Lilly glanced around the store and saw that the only other people inside were the cashier and some young man who looked to be around college-aged. The man was right next to where her favorite brand of chips were so she decided to hang back for a moment, hoping he would move. He actually wasn¡¯t in her way, but she liked to avoid any possible interactions, so she instead pretended to browse the candy aisle. Unfortunately, he appeared unable to decide on what he wanted and since she wasn¡¯t in the mood to wait any longer, Lilly begrudgingly put the bubble gum she was holding back on the rack and walked over to where the chips were located just to his right.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± she murmured and reached for the bag, but just as she did, she noticed that something was off about him.


    He was staring intensely at the other bags of chips. His breathing was slow and his eyes were wide. She could even see that his body was tense and trembling slightly up as he stood in place, as if he were afraid of something.


    What on earth is wrong with him?


    Now even more anxious to avoid talking to the guy, she was about to turn to leave, but his eyes quickly flickered up to look at her, and when they did, she saw unbridled malice in his gaze. A shiver went down her body as every part of her went on alert and she took an involuntary step back.


    ¡°Danger!¡±


    ¡°Danger!¡±


    A feeling so foreign to her sent a tremor through her body, and those voices she occasionally heard in her head spoke one word each. That was enough for her. She spun on her heel and hurried toward the cash register, not wanting to spend even a moment longer anywhere near the man. She walked over to the person at the register and placed the bag in front of him, but while she did so, she could feel the man¡¯s eyes on the back of her head.


    What the hell is going on?! Did I do something to offend him?!


    She anxiously paid the cashier, collected her change and chips, then turned and hurried from the store. The moment she was outside, despite the unbridled heat and her exhaustion from the earlier race, Lilly broke into a sprint, desperate to put the man behind her. It was only once she was coming up on Main Street that she finally slowed down. Main Street was packed with shoppers cheerfully going about their days, and very few seemed to pay her any attention. Part of her considered ducking into one of the shops to hide for a bit, but she felt that would be acting a little too paranoid. Whoever that man was should still be way back at the convenience store and probably wouldn¡¯t come after her anyway.


    Or at least I hope so¡­


    Those voices had warned her to run so she had. There had been something very off about that man, and even though she didn¡¯t know the first thing about the voices in her head, her instincts told her to listen to them. Part of her still feared that she was going crazy. They sounded so real to her, but she was never able to talk to them or interact at all. It was only on rare occasions that they spoke, and most of those occasions had been following some strong emotions abruptly hitting her. They didn¡¯t feel threatening but they also didn¡¯t feel friendly.


    God, I hope I¡¯m not losing my mind.


    Like always, she tried to force herself to forget about them for fear of what confronting that problem could bring about as she continued down the sidewalk, keeping against the curb to avoid running into anybody. Even more anxious to get home, Lilly picked up her pace and was almost running again by the time she put Main Street behind her and was in one of the nearby neighborhoods. Her apartment was only a few minutes away now.


    ¡°Move!¡±


    As if acting on its own, Lilly¡¯s body darted to the right just as a burst of air brushed past the side of her cheek. She hadn¡¯t seen what almost hit her, but she could feel its power as it soured by her.


    ¡°Yeah, I had a feeling you weren¡¯t normal.¡±


    Nearly fifty yards down the road, a young man suddenly appeared out of thin air, and it took only a second to recognize him as the same person from the convenience store. He looked no older than twenty, with messy brown hair and sharp green eyes. In fact, he looked like an average college student with his dark brown tank top and cargo shorts. If not for his sudden appearance, she would never have believed there to be anything special about him.


    But¡­what did I just see? He wasn¡¯t there a minute ago! So where the hell did he come from?! And for that matter, how did he even get here before me?! Was there some shortcut I didn¡¯t know about?!


    She didn¡¯t know what to say. All she felt was an intense desire to run again, but this time, she forced herself to remain in place. She wanted to know who he was and what he wanted with her. If anything, she hoped she could at least talk to the man.


    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s what you want then so be it. But we¡¯ll be ready in case he tries anything.¡±


    For some reason, the voice in her head was comforting, and it gave her some confidence to face the strange phenomenon before her.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± she called out sharply. ¡°What do you want with me and¡­how the hell did you just do that?¡±


    The man laughed bitterly as he narrowed his eyes. ¡°Is that your play? You¡¯re just gonna pretend to be ignorant? Well, unfortunately for you, I¡¯m no longer under that damn spell like everybody else. I¡¯m back to normal¡­and thus, I can sense what you are! You can¡¯t hide yourself from me!¡±


    Lilly swallowed. She didn¡¯t understand a single thing he said, so she didn''t have an immediate response to him. She¡¯d never met him in her life, or at least as far as she could remember, but he spoke like they had some sort of connection, and from the sharp tone of his voice, it didn¡¯t seem to be a positive one.


    ¡°I¡­ Look, I really don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about! I just¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± he snarled, raising his right hand to aim toward her. ¡°What are you doing here? Did you come to finish me off or something? Erasing me was no longer good enough? Or are you scared I¡¯m gonna cause some trouble now that I¡¯ve got my memories back?¡±


    ¡°N-no! I honestly don¡¯t know what you mean!¡± she protested, feeling her fear beginning to return in the face of his hostile attitude and his insane words. ¡°Who are you? Maybe we can at least talk this out?¡±


    ¡°What kind of idiot do you take me for?!¡± The man smiled mirthlessly as he shook his head. ¡°As if I¡¯d ever waste my time talking with a disciple of Nigreos Noctis!¡±


    She couldn¡¯t explain it, but as he spoke that name, something inside of Lilly began to stir. It was a raw fury that she didn¡¯t think she¡¯d ever felt, yet it also seemed quite familiar. She couldn¡¯t take her focus off of that name, and for whatever reason, it was that name that she latched onto.


    Nigreos Noctis?

 Chapter 6- Eyes Wide Open

    Chapter VI


    Lilly Harper clenched her teeth as images began to race through her mind. They were incoherent and each one only remained for half a second before being replaced by others. However, there was one constant element that connected them all: Fear. In some, she saw a man in a black suit with shadows swirling all around him, and in others, it was a young boy she had never met, sometimes smiling and sometimes terrified. People were speaking in a lot of them, but the only words she could ever make out were ¡°Nigreos Noctis¡±. She didn¡¯t know who he was, but she knew he was an enemy of some sort. He had done something to her that could never be forgiven, but she didn¡¯t know what that was. All she felt was unbridled anger, and when the visions subsided, she found the young man still in the same place he had been moments before, a few dozen yards down the empty neighborhood street, with his hand outstretched toward her.


    ¡°Nothing more to say?¡± he growled threateningly. ¡°This world isn¡¯t real so I don¡¯t have a problem taking you on in broad daylight! So if you just want to start this thing, I¡¯ll be happy to oblige.¡±


    She was missing context to whatever he meant, she knew at least that much. But she could feel that context just below the surface, as if it could break free at any moment, and so, Lilly found herself merely relying on instinct as she responded.


    ¡°I am not a disciple of Nigreos Noctis,¡± she called back. ¡°I promise you that I don¡¯t want to hurt you. Like I said, I don¡¯t even know who you are!¡±


    The man cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t. I was erased, after all. However, I doubt Noctis and Luz would have sent you in here without telling you what your job was. Not to mention¡­¡± He narrowed his eyes, his features tensing up as he looked her over. ¡°...there¡¯s something off about you. I definitely sense Nigreos¡¯s magic in you, but¡­I can sense light magic as well. That¡¯s not possible! Or, at least not for somebody who isn¡¯t royal!¡±


    His words were becoming more and more confusing and Lilly was realizing that her attempts at convincing him that he had the wrong person were only annoying him even further.


    But then¡­what the hell am I supposed to do? I¡¯m not this person he¡¯s looking for! I¡¯m not Nigreos¡¯s disciple! I¡¯m not anybody¡¯s disciple for that matter!


    ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t see him standing down. Just give us the word and we¡¯ll kill him.¡±


    ¡°Yup, yup! He¡¯s definitely strong but he isn¡¯t somebody we¡¯d have much trouble with!¡±


    Wait, kill him?! No, I don¡¯t want to kill anybody!


    She took an involuntary step back, realizing this was the first time the voices had said anything coherent to her since they first showed up. Regardless of how scared she was, she definitely didn¡¯t want to hurt the guy.


    ¡°ANSWER ME!¡± the man suddenly snarled, drawing her attention back to him. ¡°Who in the hell are you?! How do you have both light and dark magic?! What are you doing in the erased realm?!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± She frantically shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about! If you could just explain what you mean then maybe we can talk this out!¡±


    He laughed bitterly, as if deciding that he was wasting his time. ¡°So be it then. Perkari!¡±


    She couldn¡¯t see whatever it was he launched at her aside from a slight shine, but she could feel the power coming straight for her. Lilly ducked out of the way the moment the word left his lips, and once again, she felt something just barely soar past her body.


    ¡°Proto!¡±


    Moving at a speed that should have been impossible, he launched himself toward her, beginning to close the distance in the blink of an eye. She didn¡¯t know what she was supposed to do, but it was then that her body began to move on its own.


    ¡°So be it. Sorry, Harper, but it looks like we have to deal with this guy.¡±


    Her arm shot up just as he was about to reach her and her lips moved without her control.


    ¡°Luminetta!¡± she shouted.


    Light erupted from her hand, exploding toward the man in a flash. Yet, despite how bright it was, it didn¡¯t inhibit her vision as she watched him lurch backwards, slamming into the asphalt and skidding across it. Her eyes went wide in fear that he might be dead, but he was quickly back on his feet, grinning darkly.


    ¡°I knew you were lying!¡± he spat furiously.


    ¡°N-no, I didn¡¯t¡ª! I don¡¯t know how I did¡ª!¡± But her protests were cut off as her body once again left her control. ¡°Illumine!¡±


    She felt herself suddenly lose all its weight as her physical form turned into pure white light. Time around her seemed to slow to a stop as she sprinted forward toward where the man was, only returning to normal when she was right in front of him. However, she failed to reclaim control over herself as her arms raised to aim right at his head.


    ¡°Luminetta!¡± she repeated.


    She must have moved faster than he could process because it was only once she spoke the word that he realized she was there, and by then, it was far too late. Light seared across his face, melting off parts of his cheeks and blinding his eyes.


    No, stop!


    Her internal protest managed to cut the phenomenon short, but the man simply fell to the ground, screeching in such pain that she couldn¡¯t bear to listen. He was grabbing his face and shouting words that meant nothing to her, but as he did, she saw the melted parts of his cheeks beginning to reform.


    ¡°Why stop, Harper? If we wait, he¡¯s just going to heal himself and get back on his feet. No amount of talking is gonna convince him that we aren¡¯t his enemy. This guy clearly doesn¡¯t like Nigreos and Album.¡±


    ¡°Agreed. So unless you can explain The Angel to him, which I know you can¡¯t, it would be better to simply kill him and get him out of the way.¡±


    She quickly stepped away from the screaming man, frantically shaking her head yet again. No, I don¡¯t want to kill him! What even are you guys! What are you doing in my head?! How am I even doing this?!


    ¡°I imagine you¡¯ll know in due time. Already, our connection to you is becoming clearer. I would give it a few more hours before your memories start returning.¡±


    My memories? What memories?


    ¡°Well, all of the memories you¡¯ve forgotten about. The stuff about the Magic Club, Ijiria, Nigreos and Album, and of course, Mr. Eric Reiner.¡±


    She froze, once again finding herself assaulted by visions of events that never happened. That same boy from before was in all of them, and this time, he was smiling almost every time. Intense happiness flowed through her and she wanted to reach out and grab him, but the visions faded before she could.


    Eric¡­Reiner?


    ¡°Yes. I see you remember him, at least to a certain extent. And if you want to save him, you can¡¯t let this man get in our way. Therefore¡­¡±


    She felt her hands beginning to raise again, aiming toward the young man struggling to get to his feet. The skin on his face was red, but somehow, it had all grown back. Yet, he must have still been weak because his features were strained as he tried to rise up, and when he turned to look at her, he suddenly seemed afraid. In fact, the stare in his eyes was almost childlike, as if pleading with her not to kill him, and despite him being the one to attack her first, she found herself desperate to resist the voices in her head.


    No! Don¡¯t do it! Don¡¯t kill him!


    ¡°Don¡¯t disobey us, Lilly Harper! If you want our help then you must obey us!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± she screamed. ¡°Don¡¯t kill him, damnit!¡±


    She could feel her mouth trying to move on its own, to chant whatever incantation would end the man¡¯s life, so she bit down on her lip as hard as she could. Energy was surging around her upper back before suddenly bursting free. She couldn¡¯t see what was happening, but she could feel something emerging from her body and when she looked into the man¡¯s eyes, she saw him staring at her in a mix of fear and awe.


    ¡°Harper! Stop resisting!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t! I won¡¯t let him die!¡±


    She could feel her vision becoming blurry and her body was growing weak. It was as if all of her strength was flowing out from her back and slowly, the image of the neighborhood street and the man disappeared, with everything becoming engulfed in a world of white.


    Images once again came to mind.


    She saw that same young boy from earlier, standing tall and smiling as he spoke about the small orange gemstone clutched in his hand.


    Then, people she did recognize began to enter the visions, though she couldn¡¯t explain why it was them in particular.


    Vinny Mickelson, grinning like he used to.


    Damien Clark, sitting in his usual spot in the back of the clubroom.


    Liz Tao, teasing Eric and Vinny.


    She then saw those they helped with the stone. Alice, Jay, Brad, Natalie¡­even Evan and Rina returned to her thoughts.


    Helping with Brad¡¯s test, stopping Evan and Rina from hurting Alice, bringing Liz and Damien back together, giving Jay a reason to live after his attempted suicide, giving Natalie eyesight for her birthday.


    And then, the darker moments came to her¡ªthe events that followed the arrival of Nigreos Noctis and Album Luz. She remembered Vinny¡¯s erasure and the attack by the monster that stole Jay¡¯s body. She remembered the fear she felt after Alice was captured, and the subsequent loss of Brad, Evan, and the death of Rina Davens. After getting Alice back, they made one last stand at her apartment, but it was there that Damien, Liz, and Natalie were erased from reality. And then¡­


    The woman on the mountain¡­ Abigail Reiner¡­ And my mission.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have much more time, so I will be quick. Destroying these mana gates requires a mage and you, currently, are not one. But, if you¡¯re willing to embrace and become The Angel, then you will have the power to destroy the erased realm from within.¡±


    Those were the words Abigail spoke to her¡ªthe mission she was assigned. She needed to destroy the erased realm from within with the power of The Angel. She could now do that. She had been erased and Eric had been left in the real world. If she wanted to get back to him, and to save those Album locked within that artificial world, then she had to wake up.


    Yeah¡­I need to wake up¡­


    ***


    When Lilly finally opened her eyes, everything had returned to her. All that time spent with the Magic Club and those terrifying weeks in April where they fought against Nigreos and Album was as clear in her thoughts as if they had just happened. She remembered it all and with it, came a strong mix of happiness and sadness. She wasn¡¯t as alone as she had believed herself to be, but those days were now lost. She couldn¡¯t return to their time spent in that clubroom. It was a time that had been stolen away from them.


    But at the very least, I¡¯m back. I can do something about this erased realm. I just need to get my bearings.


    As she fully came to consciousness, Lilly realized that the ceiling she was staring at was unfamiliar to her. She blinked a few times, trying to remember where she had been last, before her encounter with that strange man came back to her as well.


    Who was that? He was clearly an Ijirian but I¡¯ve never seen him before. She considered their encounter for a moment before coming to a conclusion. He said he was erased, too. The way he spoke about Nigreos was certainly not with fondness. So he¡¯s a potential ally then.


    Lilly sat up and glanced around what she realized was a bedroom. It was a rather bland room, however. The bed she was laying on was pushed up against the wall and there was a window with the blinds closed just beside her. Directly across the room was a slightly open closet and to its right was a closed doorway. For the moment, she was alone, but she didn¡¯t have a clue where she was. She had no memory of this place.


    She sighed and was about to climb from the bed, but when she tried to move, she felt a tugging against her right arm. She glanced down to find her wrist linked to the bed by a seemingly transparent rope.


    What the hell? I¡¯m tied up? So then¡­did that guy from the convenience store kidnap me or something?!


    Afraid that she might have been violated in some way, she looked down at her body, but she was still wearing her running clothes and for the moment, it didn¡¯t appear as if anything was out of place. She exhaled in relief before the panic set in once again as she tried to figure out what to do.


    Well, I need to first try and get whatever this rope is off. Though, it¡¯s clearly magic so¡ª


    ¡°Coreas,¡± she said and with that, the shadows in the room suddenly came to life, bursting toward the rope and cutting it in half, freeing her.


    She stared in shock as the darkness then receded back into its proper place.


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    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± came the lower voice from within her head. ¡°As annoyed as I am that you fought against us, it seems it might have worked out for the time being.¡±


    Lilly grit her teeth, easily recognizing the shadows as the same ones that Nigreos used back in the real world. In fact, the light magic that she was using back in the street was almost identical to what Album produced in her fight against Eric when they attacked her apartment. She knew it couldn¡¯t be a coincidence.


    ¡°So you guys are The Angel, yeah?¡± she asked softly. ¡°And you¡¯re why I was able to use magic?¡±


    ¡°Yup, that¡¯s the deal. With us now inside of you, light and dark magic are at your disposal. Or at least to a certain degree.¡±


    ¡°And the man that attacked me,¡± she went on. ¡°He claimed I was a disciple of Nigreos. I take it that¡¯s because of you guys?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I would imagine that¡¯s the case. You see, our magic greatly resembles Nigreos and Album. Clearly, that man has experience with them and senses their power within you. It was why I wanted him dead. Cooperating with him won¡¯t be easy and yet¡­he¡¯s spared your life, so¡­¡±


    ¡°He could be an ally,¡± she finished wryly.


    ¡°Perhaps¡­¡±


    She wasn¡¯t sure what to make of any of what they said, but she decided it would be best left for another time. She didn¡¯t like the thought that whatever was inside of her resembled the Masters of Darkness and Light, but she told herself to trust in Abi Reiner and believe that The Angel truly was the key to bringing down the erased realm.


    With her arm free, Lilly crawled along the bed and peeked through the window blinds. She could see a street down below and knew that she must be three stories up in an apartment building.


    It¡¯s probably his home, she thought. And this place¡­this realm¡­it''s identical to Wilham. I wonder why¡­?


    ¡°Well, the eraser can essentially decide what their realms look like. It¡¯s possible Album chose to make it this way for a specific reason.¡±


    Lilly grimaced, that reason coming to her almost instantly. Alice¡¯s paradise¡­


    This specific version of the erased realm must have been created to fool Alice back when they had her captured. It would explain how they managed to get in her head so much to the point that she desired erasure.


    But this isn¡¯t a paradise¡­ That¡¯s already clear to me¡­


    Before she could continue along that train of thought, Lilly sensed a presence on the other side of the bedroom door, and when she turned around, she saw it swing open as the man from before stalked inside, carrying a sword in his right hand, its tip immediately raised to aim directly at her. Under any other circumstances, she might have been surprised by the medieval weapon, but after everything else she¡¯d been through, she was unphased.


    ¡°I see you¡¯re awake,¡± he snapped irritably.


    She nodded. ¡°I see you tried to tie me up.¡±


    ¡°Course I did. You singed half my face off,¡± the man replied sharply. ¡°Though it was more for my own peace of mind. Clearly it didn¡¯t do much to keep you restrained.¡±


    Lilly slid off the bed and stood up straight to face him, feeling oddly calm in his rather threatening presence. ¡°Yeah, sorry about that. Whether you believe it or not, I really didn¡¯t want to do that. Though, I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t just kill me when I passed out.¡±


    The man narrowed his eyes, and it was obvious to her that he was trying to figure her out. Though, she couldn¡¯t help but notice that he seemed slightly less hostile this time.


    ¡°Well, to be perfectly honest, I really would like to kill you,¡± he growled. ¡°But the situation has changed. You¡¯re¡­different from what I expected. When I first sensed you in that store, I thought for sure you were some disciple of either Nigreos or Album, but what I saw down there¡­was something I¡¯ve never seen in my life. What the hell are you exactly? How did you do¡­what you did?¡±


    She smiled awkwardly. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t really explain it. Even I don¡¯t fully know what I did. But I can promise you one thing: Nigreos Noctis is my enemy. I am not his disciple, nor am I Album¡¯s for that matter. They put me in here, too.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± he instantly demanded. ¡°What did you do?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, really. I was just a magicless girl who happened to get her hands on some magic¡­and I guess that¡¯s illegal in Ijiria.¡±


    He cocked an inquisitive and skeptical eyebrow then scoffed, taking a step forward so that that blade was only a few inches away from her throat. She could feel The Angel becoming tense but she did her best to keep it in check.


    ¡°Do you really think I¡¯d buy that?¡± he hissed. ¡°A magicless girl? If you were so magicless then how were you using light magic?¡±


    ¡°Like I said, I don¡¯t really know,¡± she replied matter-of-factly. ¡°Right before I was erased, something weird happened to me, and I only just got my memories back. I¡¯m trying to process everything right now. The best explanation I could give would be¡­¡± She hesitated, not wanting to give too much away but also desperately needing some help. ¡°...that I embraced The Angel. Does that make sense to you?¡±


    The man frowned. ¡°The Angel? No, never heard of it.¡±


    Damn it. I was hoping he could maybe explain some of this to me¡­but I guess not.


    ¡°Look,¡± she muttered. ¡°Could you lower the sword or something? We shouldn¡¯t be going at each other like this. Clearly we have the same enemies¡­right?¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying you want to fight against the Masters, too?¡± he inquired. ¡°Even though you have their magic?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m saying. Whatever magic is inside me was given to me in order to take them down¡­and to get out of this erased realm. I want to escape back to the real world¡­just like you. So please¡­lower the sword and let¡¯s talk.¡±


    She could see how conflicted he was, and for a moment, she really expected him to outright refuse her request, but he finally lowered the blade and sheathed it at his hip before sighing.


    ¡°So be it. We can talk,¡± he conceded. ¡°I¡¯m willing to at least hear you out, Miss¡­?¡±


    She smiled. ¡°Lilly Harper.¡±


    ¡°Harper?¡± He took a second to process her name before scowling. ¡°I¡¯ve never even heard of that family name so¡­how could you possibly have learned something as advanced as light and dark magic?¡±


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°Cause I embraced an angel. I already told you that. Now, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    He was pulled from his thoughts by her question, then begrudgingly stuck his hand out for her to shake. ¡°My name¡¯s Rista. Rista Pine.¡±


    Grateful that the man seemed finally willing to hear her out, Lilly took Rista¡¯s hand and shook it firmly. When they touched, she found she could sense the power inside of him, and it made her wonder who he was and why he was erased in the first place. He was clearly an Ijirian so that meant that those from Wilham weren¡¯t the only ones that she would be able to find in the alternate version of her home that she now found herself in.


    ¡°So, how many others are here? Ijirians, I mean?¡± she asked once she released her grasp on his hand.


    Rista grimaced. ¡°None, as far as I know. I¡¯m the only one here.¡±


    ¡°The only one?¡± she parroted. ¡°Why? I don¡¯t imagine my friends and I are the only other people Album¡¯s ever erased, so why would you be the only Ijirian here?


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­complicated,¡± he admitted. ¡°You see, there are numerous versions of the erased realm where people can be sent. I would imagine Album created this one for the sole purpose of containing you and your friends. If my guess is correct, it was probably created not long after I was erased, and whatever spell Album used to do it must have pulled me here with you simply because I was the most recent victim of this terrible ability.¡±


    Despite willingly explaining everything to her, Rista still seemed as if he was trying to determine whether she was just playing dumb. He had stepped away from her and returned to his spot in the doorway, as if fearing she could attack him again at any moment.


    ¡°So there¡¯s other versions of the realm?¡± she asked. ¡°Then does that mean my friends might not all be here with me?¡±


    Rista shrugged. ¡°Depends, I guess. You said they only went after you because you got your hands on some magic? What¡¯s the story there?¡±


    ¡°Oh, well¡­¡± She glanced down at the ground, recalling the painful days that led up to their erasure. ¡°That¡¯s a long story, but the short of it is that a good friend of mine found this little orange stone that could swap people¡¯s bodies and we screwed around with it. We didn¡¯t understand how dangerous it was until Nigreos and Album arrived on our doorstep and started erasing us. Now, all of us except one have been erased, and I don¡¯t know where he is right now. But I have to get back to him!¡±


    Gathering her resolve, Lilly raised her head to face Rista, only to find him staring at her in shock.


    ¡°W-what?¡± she stuttered. ¡°What¡¯d I say?¡±


    Rista licked his lips, as if his mind had suddenly stopped. ¡°A little orange stone that could swap bodies? Was it by any chance found on a beach or in a cave or anything like that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh¡­yeah, actually,¡± she managed to answer. ¡°How did you know that?¡±


    The man laughed bitterly as he ran his fingers through his dark hair. ¡°Cause I¡¯m the one who put it there.¡±


    ¡°Y-you? What do you¨C?!¡±


    ¡°Almost a year ago in the time of this realm, my people and I led a raid against the government of Ijiria to steal one of their relics¡­all in the hopes of avenging the murder of our mother,¡± he began, cutting her off. ¡°We were successful in sneaking into the vault and swiping a relic, but it was with a great loss of life. So many of us died so that I could take that stone and flee¡­but Nigreos and Album cut me off and I only barely managed to cut open a portal and flee to Omaruo before I was erased. I¡¯ve wondered what happened to the relic but¡­evidently you had it.¡±


    She took everything he was saying in, realizing that the dagger Eric had must have been the one Rista used to flee Ijiria. She had never known what happened to bring the gem to Wilham, but finding out how many people died to steal it only made her understand why Nigreos and Album were so insistent on defeating them. Evidently, it was a priceless talisman.


    ¡°That stone?¡± Rista went on. ¡°What became of it?¡±


    Lilly sighed, wishing she could have given him better news. ¡°Right before I was erased, Nigreos took it back. I imagine it¡¯s been returned to whatever vault you stole it from.¡±


    A twinge of sadness flashed across the man¡¯s face. ¡°I guess¡­I should have expected that. And I don¡¯t think you¡¯re lying to me, Harper. I don¡¯t know what the hell you are, but I¡¯m starting to believe you really are an enemy of Nigreos and Album.¡±


    Lilly smirked. ¡°Damn right I am.¡±


    ¡°Well then, to answer your earlier question, I doubt any of your friends were sent to a different erased realm,¡± he said. ¡°Album would most likely put you all in the same place. That would be my guess, anyway. As for the other boy, I can¡¯t be sure whether he was killed or sent to another realm.¡±


    Lilly cringed at the thought of Eric getting killed, but she told herself that she couldn¡¯t think about that. She had to believe that Eric was still alive back in the real world or else she wouldn¡¯t be able to push forward. No matter what, she had to believe both in his mother¡¯s protection and in him.


    ¡°He¡¯s not here,¡± she said firmly. ¡°I would know if he was.¡±


    Rista shook his head. ¡°You can never be sure with this hellhole of a place. What¡¯s his name? It¡¯s possible I¡¯ve seen him around. After all, I¡¯ve had my memories for quite a while now.¡±


    Despite believing it to be pointless, she nevertheless decided to hope that maybe Rista was right.


    ¡°Eric Reiner,¡± she answered.


    Rista exhaled sharply and this time, he spun around to face her fully, his eyes wide as they locked onto her. ¡°Reiner, you said? His surname is Reiner?!¡±


    She was thrown off by the sharpness of his tone, but quickly collected herself, realizing what Rista¡¯s reaction must mean. ¡°Yes, it is,¡± she repeated, and then, realizing that his reaction could mean something important, she then asked, ¡°Are you familiar with his mother, Abigail Reiner?¡±


    ¡°His¡­mother¡­?¡± he breathed. ¡°Reiner? ¡®R¡¯ ¡®E¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ ¡®N¡¯ ¡®E¡¯ ¡®R¡¯?¡±


    Lilly nodded. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s how it¡¯s spelled. He¡¯s her son, though it doesn¡¯t sound like she told anybody about him back in Ijiria so I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if you didn¡¯t know about him. Did you know Abigail?¡±


    ¡°Know her?¡± he uttered, a weak smile coming to his face. ¡°Of course I know her. She was my adoptive mother. My people that I told you about¡­we¡¯re called the Children of Reiner.¡±


    ¡°The Children of Reiner?¡± Lilly parroted as she gaped at him. ¡°She adopted you?¡±


    Rista laughed softly. ¡°She adopted all of us. Abigail Reiner ran an orphanage in the poorer part of Erika, the capital city of Ijiria. She took in any children who didn¡¯t have a home and took care of them like we were her own¡­always saying that she was doing it to atone¡­ We sometimes wondered if she had a genetic child somewhere but¡­we never had it confirmed¡­ Eric Reiner¡­her son¡­¡±


    Rista¡¯s thoughts seemed to take him into whatever memories he had, giving Lilly a chance to process what he was telling her.


    The Children of Reiner? Eric never told me about these guys so they must have been created after she left Wilham. That¡¯s how it sounds anyway. But this is good! If Rista was one of these Children then there¡¯s no doubt in my mind that I can trust him! And maybe¡­my relationship with Eric will make him trust me.


    ¡°Rista,¡± she said, causing him to look back at her. ¡°Eric¡¯s still out there. When I was erased, Nigreos and Album had him in some other realm, probably Ijiria, if I had to guess. I don¡¯t know what became of him, but I have to break out of here and find out. So, please¡­help me! Help me and we can fight the Masters together!¡±


    Rista hesitated, and she could tell that he was still struggling to trust her. She knew it was understandable given what he must be sensing from her, and the fact that The Angel caused her to attack him, but she knew that if she didn¡¯t get through to this man, then her job to break free from the erased realm would be far harder.


    She needed Rista Pine.


    ¡°For the time being,¡± Rista finally began, ¡°I will work with you. But don¡¯t think I¡¯ve forgotten what I saw. The only reason I spared your life back there was because of how hard you were clearly trying to stop yourself from killing me. But that means that whatever is inside of you did try to kill me. So, I¡¯ll help you, but if that supposed angel goes out of control then I won¡¯t hesitate to try and put you down.¡±


    ¡°Ha! As if he could.¡±


    Ignoring the smug voice within her, Lilly simply smiled back at the young man.


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    ***


    Once Rista decided to trust her, she spent the next few hours discussing with him both her own struggles and his. She told him about the Magic Club and what they used the gem for, as well as about the weeks they spent trying to fight Nigreos and Album. In return, he explained some details about the Children of Reiner, telling her of their attack on what he called ¡°The Citadel¡± and his subsequent escape into the city of Erika. By the time they finished talking, the sun was setting and Lilly agreed to meet up with him again on Monday before school before departing his apartment and heading home. Rista had given her so much to think about, but she felt rejuvenated and alive.


    Her memories were back.


    She was herself again.


    When she reached her apartment building, she headed through the lobby and into the elevator, riding it up to her floor before going to her front door. She was amazed by how identical everything was to the real Wilham despite it being a fake. That surreal feeling was only amplified when she entered her apartment to find her mother and father sitting on the coach.


    ¡°Hey, there¡¯s our girl!¡± her dad called out with a broad grin. ¡°You¡¯re sure back late! How was the race! How¡¯d you do?!¡±


    It wasn¡¯t her real father. The man talking to her was a recreation of him, yet he was so similar that had she not known this world was fake, she would have believed him to be real.


    ¡°Pretty well,¡± she replied with a forced smile. ¡°I got eighth place actually.¡±


    ¡°Eighth?!¡± her mom exclaimed. ¡°Sweetheart, that¡¯s amazing! I¡¯m so proud of you! Tell us all about it!¡±


    Lilly nodded. ¡°Sure. Just give me a minute to change.¡±


    She headed down the hall and into her bedroom, only to stop short in her doorway as she looked around.


    That¡¯s right¡­ Alexa already left for college. It¡¯s fall again.


    She didn¡¯t know how much time had passed in the real Wilham, but she couldn¡¯t help but think about her older sister. When they parted ways, Lilly promised to do her best to beat Nigreos and Album, but she had failed and gotten herself erased anyway. The real Alexa no longer knew she existed.


    I need to get back. I need to break this place open and free everybody within. I¡¯ll help Rista and I¡¯ll help the others. Nigreos and Album haven¡¯t won yet. I¡¯ll make damn sure of that!

 Chapter 7- Battle In The Streets

    Chapter VII


    With the distortion spell concealing her body, Arisa Kirisan crouched low on the rooftop of the building she was currently on as she gazed down at the road below her. Despite using magic to make sure nobody would notice her, she wore a dark cloak with the cowl pulled down over her face to hide her features. It was important to be as careful as possible. After all, she was currently the most wanted person in Erika, if not Ijiria as a whole. The only other woman who could compare to her happened to be on the rooftop in front of her on the opposite side of the road. Hannah Lynn was also distorted so Arisa couldn¡¯t currently see her, but she knew the former apprentice was there, lying in wait. When Hannah first released her and the other Children of Reiner from their cells in the Citadel¡¯s dungeons, Arisa had believed that they would never see her again. So, when Hannah arrived in the Erikan slums nearly a day after their escape, she was shocked. Hannah had planned to die at the hands of her Master, Ryokumo Caeli, but something had caused that plan to fail.


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t kill me,¡± Hannah had told them. ¡°No matter how much I begged, my master wouldn¡¯t kill me. Instead, he cut off his own leg and allowed me to escape. And now¡­I don¡¯t even know if he¡¯s safe or not.¡±


    Arisa sighed, still confused by that turn of events even two months later. Hannah had claimed that they could trust Ryokumo Caeli, but Arisa had been naturally skeptical. Ryokumo was not only a Master of Ijiria, but he helped both Nakoma Taurus and Seiras Ka torture her and the others. So for Ryokumo to willingly let Hannah escape despite knowing that she murdered the Master of the Mind left Arisa even more conflicted.


    But I shouldn¡¯t worry about that now. I have more important matters to focus on.


    She lowered her gaze to the cobblestone road below. There weren¡¯t any people in sight due to the late afternoon hour. Most were either already at work or were shopping in the market just a mile west of where they waited. The reason she was there was because of the information Irin had gathered just a week prior. She said that on her way to purchase some food, she overheard some merchants talking about a delivery that was scheduled to arrive in the capital. It supposedly had all sorts of materials from magical gems mined in Krainin to various forms of weaponry. Most of it was for the blacksmith guilds, but Arisa knew that if she and the other Children could get their hands on it, not only could they cause more chaos for Ijiria, but they might be able to use some of it to their advantage.


    Despite having escaped from the Citadel two months prior, they still hadn¡¯t been able to get out of Erika. The government had strengthened the guards around every gate leading out of the city, and even had battalions of Korrei-Tarr alongside them, one of the most dangerous and elite fighting forces in Ijiria. Their senses were far more refined than the average soldier and so their many attempts to sneak past them hadn¡¯t worked. They even attempted one full scale assault on the western gate, which almost resulted in her death. They only barely escaped and ever since, they had been biding their time until another opportunity arose.


    But, if we can get our hands on some of these supplies, maybe it¡¯ll be enough to give us an edge.


    She knew it was wishful thinking, but as it stood, there was only so long that they could survive in Erika before they were finally caught and killed. They didn¡¯t have any other option but to be bold, so she, Hannah, Tylo, and Irin decided they would take the risk and go after this shipment.


    Let¡¯s just hope it¡¯s worth it.


    Arisa took a deep breath as the sound of wheels on the cobblestone reached her ears and when she turned to gaze off to her left, she saw a rather large wagon approaching them, being pulled by two brown horses. At the head of the wagon were two older men in dirty brown tunics with messy hair. It was obvious that they had been out in the forest for a while and were in desperate need of a comfortable place to sleep. They would be tired and anxious to get their job done, and that would make it far easier for them to take the merchants off guard.


    Too bad they¡¯re not alone, but that was too optimistic of a thought to begin with. As if a shipment like this would be left unguarded.


    The wagons were surrounded by four soldiers with gold and green armor and swords at their hips, mounted on large, black stallions. They had helmets on, but their faces were visible, giving Arisa a good look at each one of them. She was relieved to find that she didn¡¯t sense enough power in them to be Korrei-Tarr and so, it would be simple for the four of them to take them out, especially with the element of surprise.


    Alright, once the wagon is right under us, we make our move!


    Arisa tensed up, bringing her mana to her fingertips, ready to be used at a moment¡¯s notice. It felt like an eternity of listening to the sounds of the wagon and the horses before it had finally rolled right under them.


    Here we go!


    Not making a single sound, Arisa dropped the distortion and launched herself from the rooftop, feeling her body beginning to fall as she chanted, ¡°Perkari!¡±


    A blade of wind burst from her hand and severed the head of the nearest guard just as a chorus of other chants sounded out around her. Hannah, Tylo, and Irin had all jumped into action as well, taking out one guard each, and as Arisa soared down to the bed of the wagon, she watched as all four soldiers toppled from their horses, which were already beginning to panic at the sudden usage of magic. All four cloaked figures landed on the top of the boxes in the wagon bed just as the merchants spun around in surprise, frantically pulling on their reins. But before either could do anything, Hannah stuck both of her hands out and grinned darkly.


    ¡°Get off,¡± she said, her tone calm but with a very clear warning.


    ¡°W-what do you¡ª?¡± the one with the reins sputtered. ¡°If you think we¡¯re just going to submit to you then¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Condite,¡± Arisa murmured, and with a wave of her hand, both merchants were suddenly yanked from their seats by ropes of wind and tossed onto the cobblestone road, where the already fleeing horses of the dead soldiers almost ran them over.


    Tylo and Irin then jumped into the spots and picked up the reins.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get the hell out of here,¡± the former grumbled.


    Ignoring the desperate protests of the merchants as they scrambled to their feet, calling for the guards, Tylo flicked the reins and began taking the wagon down a side street that was just up ahead, getting the horses to increase their speed as they did so. The reason they had picked this place to make their move was because of the position of this particular street. Arisa knew that it would lead them away from the main part of the city and in the direction of the slums, a place where they would be much safer and would have an easier time transporting the supplies they needed back to their base. With Tylo and Irin directing the wagon, Arisa and Hannah remained in the bed, mana at the ready should any pursuit show up.


    ¡°That was easier than I expected,¡± Arisa mused with a soft laugh.


    Hannah nodded in agreement. ¡°I had a feeling it would be. The Citadel can¡¯t defend everything and they probably didn¡¯t think we¡¯d be so bold as to make a move in broad daylight. Especially not with our diversion.¡±


    The diversion Hannah was referencing was an attack they had made at the marketplace the night before. They had attacked a simple herbalist''s shop who sold various plants that were often used to aid healing magic, and there hadn¡¯t been anything they actually needed there. However, the one who ran the shop was well known in the slums for ripping his customers off, so Lyla and Ardan had suggested they make their move against him. With their plan decided, Arisa had gone with the twins to attack the shop. They incapacitated the shopkeeper then looted whatever they could carry before using fire magic to burn the place to the ground, though not without at least evacuating the man first. The hope had been that the Citadel would increase the presence of their guards in the market, fearing another attack there, thus keeping them more occupied while the four of them went after the merchants. As for the herbs they stole, they kept a handful of them and then gave them out to the denizens of the slums who needed them more.


    ¡°Yeah, I think that really helped us,¡± Arisa replied. ¡°And since we technically aren¡¯t supposed to even know about this wagon, they¡¯ll probably assume we¡¯d attack the blacksmith in the market before ever going after these merchants.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just hope we can get back without anybody noticing us,¡± Irin called back. ¡°It¡¯s one thing to steal a couple bags of herbs, but a whole damn wagon is a different story.¡±


    Arisa smirked then turned back to scanning the streets around them. They were sure to be spotted by anybody peeking out of the windows of the buildings on either side of the road, but as long as they could get away before pursuit found them, they would be safe. They didn¡¯t intend to take the entire wagon back to their base. They simply wanted to loot whatever they needed and would probably torch the rest just to keep it from falling back into Ijirian hands.


    ¡°Hopefully whatever¡¯s in there will help us get through the gates,¡± Tylo muttered. ¡°That¡¯s the ideal scenario, but honestly, I¡¯ll take what we can get at this point.¡±


    Hannah sighed. ¡°We were close last time, but I think if we can get even a slight boost in power, we should be able to get away. After all, we don¡¯t need to beat everybody guarding the gates. We just have to get to the other side. And hopefully¡­¡± The woman then paused and suddenly narrowed her eyes, as if noticing something the other three hadn¡¯t, but before anybody could ask what was wrong, Arisa sensed the sudden presence just as Hannah shouted, ¡°Nex!¡±


    A shield of wind went up in front of them just as a man launched out of one of the nearby alleyways, a large sword swinging in their direction. It was just barely repelled by Hannah¡¯s shield, sending the man lurching back onto the road, though despite the speed they were traveling at, he landed on his feet with a catlike grace, giving Arisa a good look at him.


    Oh, shit. No¡­


    She immediately recognized his distinctive red and black armor of the Korrei-Tarr. He was a broad-shouldered man, probably slightly over six feet tall, with intense eyes and a full beard. He wielded a sword in both hands and was already in the process of sprinting after them, his strides enhanced by wind magic, enabling him to not only match the speed of the cart, but to go even faster.


    Damn it! I had a feeling we¡¯d be pursued, but I didn¡¯t think they had any of the Korrei-Tarr on hand!


    What made the members of that force so elite was their special type of magic use. They rarely used magic for offense like most mages did. Instead, they simply used it to enhance their movements, making them faster and stronger than the average soldier. They were more prone to using armor and swords to attack, and despite Arisa¡¯s own affinity being wind magic, she was far outmatched by the Korrei-Tarr she¡¯d fought at the gates.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on back there?!¡± Tylo shouted over his shoulder. ¡°Is there pursuit!¡±


    Arisa clenched her teeth, watching as the man was quickly gaining ground on them, knowing he would catch them and make another strike within a mere few seconds. She didn¡¯t see or sense any other Korrei-Tarr around so she had to pray that this one man was all they had to deal with. But, before she could decide what to do, Hannah called out,


    ¡°Irin! Arisa! Defend Tylo and the wagon! I¡¯ll meet you at base!¡±


    Then, before they could question her, the former apprentice chanted, ¡°Proto,¡± and launched herself from the wagon, her thin sword already drawn as she went to confront their enemy. Arisa¡¯s eyes went wide as Hannah collided with the man, her own blade swinging for his neck as he brought one of his up to block her strike. The swords rang out as he parried Hannah, his second blade already moving at an inhuman speed to make another attack, but the former apprentice was ready for him, using the momentum of her first strike to propel herself over his head.


    Oh, damn it all!


    Coming to a quick decision of her own as she watched Hannah and the Korrei-Tarr getting further away, Arisa propelled herself from the wagon as well, ignoring the sudden protests of Irin and Tylo as she sprinted down the road to bring Hannah aid.


    ¡°Condite!¡± Arisa snarled, once again using the ropes of wind to try and pull the warrior away from Hannah, but unsurprisingly, the ropes failed to reach him. He must have sensed their presence as he hurriedly darted out of the way, using his two swords to cut each one of them down. However, it wasn¡¯t her intention for them to reach him. All she needed to do was be enough of a nuisance to give Hannah an opening. The woman was ready for it, immediately pushing in to take another strike at his neck while Arisa closed the last few meters of distance to attack him herself.


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°Infundite!¡±


    ¡°Corsikei!¡±


    As Hannah activated the spell that would fuse her wind magic with her sword, Arisa sent a powerful surge of air exploding from her hands that violently collided with the Korrei-Tarr. Yet, he was ready for them both. Arisa¡¯s attack barely caused him to flinch as he completely ignored her, sending both blades swinging down toward Hannah. She must have realized at the last minute that she would be overwhelmed as she immediately dropped to the ground, using her magic to slide between his legs, then propelled herself toward Arisa, stopping at her side. Both women readied themselves as the large man spun around, a dark grin on his bearded face as he regarded them.


    ¡°Red hair, huh?¡± he growled, eyeing Arisa with amusement before regarding Hannah. ¡°And you¡­with your dark skin and yellow eyes¡­ You¡¯re of Noranian descent, yes?¡±


    It was only then that she realized her hood had flung off during her attacks, revealing her face to him. The same had happened to Hannah, which meant it was more than likely that the man had already deduced who they were. His next words confirmed this.


    ¡°A very interesting pairing,¡± he growled. ¡°So you¡¯re the infamous Arisa Kirisan and Hannah Lynn.¡±


    Neither spoke, with Arisa taking this moment to catch her breath and try to come up with some strategy that might get them out of there alive. He was by himself for the moment, so as long as others didn¡¯t appear, she was confident that the two of them could at least beat him enough to escape. However, that didn¡¯t mean she could underestimate him. He was still Korrei-Tarr, and so he was dangerous.


    ¡°I honestly thought it was a tad unnecessary to have me watch over that wagon from the shadows, but it seems I was mistaken,¡± he went on, a cocky and pompous edge to his voice. ¡°However, I will give you both the chance to give yourselves over to me peacefully. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll suffer far less if you comply¡­ But, if you don¡¯t¡­¡±


    Hannah slowly crouched down, the point of her sword aimed right at the man.


    Of course, she plans to fight¡­if only to buy enough time for Tylo and Irin to get away.


    So, knowing they would have no option but to take the man on, Arisa followed suit, ready to act the moment Hannah did. The Korrei-Tarr narrowed his eyes, eyeing the two of them with disappointment.


    ¡°Very well,¡± he growled. ¡°Let¡¯s see what the killer of Seiras Ka can do!¡±


    ¡°¡°Proto!¡±¡±


    Arisa and Hannah shouted at the same time, the latter swinging her magic-infused blade while the former moved backwards, wanting to put more distance between them so she could attack at a range. The warrior didn¡¯t even move his lips as he dashed forward to take them on, swinging his giant blades down to meet Hannah¡¯s much smaller one. Yet, despite the size difference between the two, Hannah¡¯s determination did not falter and she matched his speed with ease, deflecting each strike of his with a swift and graceful one of her own. She moved like a dancer, her motions fluid while his were harsh and violent. Arisa had seen Hannah in action a few times before, and each time she couldn¡¯t help but marvel at how impressive she was. It really put into perspective why she, of all people, was chosen by Ryokumo Caeli to be his apprentice and perhaps to even succeed him as the Master of Wind someday. In fact, had she not turned traitor, she would have almost certainly risen to that potential.


    Yet, as strong as she was, the Korrei-Tarr was trained and led by none other than Princess Anna-Piura Iiji, and so the man would no doubt have overtaken her in direct combat had Hannah been alone. But with Arisa there, the tides could be turned in their favor. She launched herself up onto the roof of a nearby building, then began hurling blades of wind, ropes, and shockwaves at the man, forcing him to dodge and cut down her attacks while simultaneously trying to keep Hannah at bay. Based on the way he fought, he was clearly of wind affinity, like them, which Arisa was grateful for. Back during their assault on the gates, she had confronted a Korrei-Tarr of fire affinity, and his flaming strikes had quickly overwhelmed her.


    Come on! Don¡¯t relent! We need to beat him quickly before reinforcements show up!


    Hannah refused to remain in one spot as well, using the surrounding buildings to propel off in attempts to strike him from every possible angle. Arisa decided to follow her lead, moving from her current spot and jumping around to different rooftops, sending a few attacks every time she did so. She could tell the man was beginning to tire, but he wouldn¡¯t back down, no matter what. If he returned to his captain and revealed that he allowed them to escape, his pride would be wounded, and Arisa knew the soldiers of Ijiria could be quite obsessed with their pride.


    The constant clanging of Hannah¡¯s sword colliding with his continued to ring out, and she was sure they would begin to soon draw attention, so Arisa knew they had to hurry and finish the fight. Throwing caution to wind, she jumped from the rooftop, flying back down toward the road with a new plan in mind. Mimicking a move Hannah pulled off earlier, Arisa used wind magic to pull herself along the road, swinging toward the gap between the Korrei-Tarr¡¯s legs. Naturally, having allowed Hannah to get away via the same method earlier, the man immediately went to react to her, so at the last minute, she placed her hand against the cobblestone and sent a burst of mana through her palm, sending her soaring into the sky.


    ¡°Condite!¡± she shouted, giving another attempt at an onslaught of ropes.


    ¡°Condite!¡± came another shout from behind her.


    Hannah must have realized what she was trying to and was providing aid. The Korrei-Tarr had been ready for Arisa¡¯s ropes, but not Hannah¡¯s, and so, while he was able to swing and sever hers, the other woman¡¯s managed to wrap around his right arm, yanking it backwards. Arisa was ready for the opportunity. As she landed on the road just behind him, she sent more ropes toward his left arm before he knew what was happening.


    ¡°No!¡± the man shouted, pulling against the ropes with all his might, but he wasn¡¯t fast enough.


    Not letting the chance go to waist, Hannah sprung forward and, without hesitation, drove the point of her blade straight through the back of his neck, and sliced it open in one swift strike.


    ***


    With their hoods back up and distortion magic concealing them, Hannah and Arisa darted across the rooftops of the city and headed back in the direction of the Erikan slums. They didn¡¯t know whether the Korrei-Tarr had been the only one watching over the wagon, so they wanted to get back to Tylo and Irin as fast as they could. Once they were out of the main neighborhoods and into the grimier streets, the two women dropped down to the old, worn-down road and pressed forward. As always, Arisa felt a sense of anger as she regarded her surroundings. There were people huddled together in tattered cloaks, their eyes down and their bodies shaking. The buildings were covered in graffiti with most of their windows smashed and Arisa knew that if she looked inside, most of them would be looted. It was a place long forgotten by the Ijirian government. They didn¡¯t care what the fates of the poor of the slums suffered through. As long as they weren¡¯t causing trouble for them, Ijiria ignored their struggles.


    After all, why would the people living at the top of the Citadel care about anybody way down here?


    Since they were still stuck in the city, Arisa and the others had been trying to do what they could to help the people who lived there. When they stole food for themselves, they made sure to grab enough to give to those in need. They¡¯d done the same with the healing herbs they stole. She knew they couldn¡¯t help everybody, but the way Arisa saw it, if they all died before they could escape Erika, then at least they would have first done some good.


    The slums had always been her home, for better or for worse. It was there that Abigail Reiner¡¯s orphanage was located, and their mother often did her best to provide aid and support to the people who took refuge on these streets. She took orphaned children in, provided her healing magic to the sick, fed as many as she could. It was the actions of her mother that made Arisa want to follow in her footsteps.


    I want to believe I survived for a reason. I want to make sure that I wasn¡¯t broken free from that cell only to die a couple months later without ever having done anything. No matter what happens, I want my life to have had a purpose.


    She and Hannah continued down the street, their footsteps causing anybody around them to glance their way in confusion since their magic still concealed them. Yet, those who noticed then pretended not to and continued on their way. Arisa smiled, grateful that nobody had yet to try and turn them over to the Ijirians. She knew whispers had spread among the denizens of the slums that they were hiding out there, and Hannah feared that somebody would eventually turn them in, but Arisa had faith in her people.


    They would never turn over Children of Reiner to the Citadel.


    Finally, she and Hannah came to a stop just outside of an old, two-story house. Its windows were cracked and the stonework was chipped and old. Parts of the roof had fallen off and were laying on the street, while the door looked like it would fall apart with just a light tap. However, Arisa knew that despite appearances, it was a relatively safe place now that she and the others had put up some protective charms. They were constantly on the move from hideout to hideout and this old house was just their most recent spot, though she didn¡¯t plan to be there for too long. Since they were suspected of taking refuge in the slums, patrols of guards were hardly uncommon, and they had made their fair share of close escapes just in the past month alone. Arisa walked up to the door first and knocked softly against it while Hannah scanned the road for anybody that might be watching.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± came a harsh whisper from the other side.


    Arisa smirked. ¡°The breadman. I¡¯ve brought the cake you requested.¡±


    ¡°With chocolate sprinkles?¡±


    ¡°No, we were out so I replaced them with pepper flakes.¡±


    With their code phrases complete, the door slowly opened and Lyla hurriedly beckoned for them to come inside. Both Hannah and Arisa slid through the door and closed it behind them, and it was only when they were safely inside that they let their distortions fall.


    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t understand why we have to say those weird phrases,¡± Lyla murmured with a grimace.


    ¡°It¡¯s just to be on the safe side,¡± Hannah replied. ¡°You know that.¡±


    The girl sighed. ¡°Yeah, I know that. But why do they have to be so weird? What kind of psycho puts pepper flakes on a cake? And for that matter, who buys a cake from the breadman?¡±


    Hannah chuckled and shrugged. ¡°The weirder it is, the harder it is to guess, right?¡±


    ¡°I suppose so¡­¡±


    Arisa chuckled at their exchange as the three of them headed further into the house before stepping into the main sitting room. It was there that she let out a sigh of relief at the sight of Tylo and Irin sitting in the back corner of the room, a pile of swords, gemstones, and armor laid out in front of them. Beside them, Ardan was excitedly examining a small red stone. Despite all of the chaos of that day, Arisa couldn¡¯t help but stop and smile at the sight before her. After all of those days spent in the dungeons of the Citadel, she still hadn¡¯t gotten used to being surrounded by her fellow Children again. All four of them had removed their cloaks, giving her a good look at their faces and their childlike expressions as they admired their spoils.


    Irin Vixal was young, around seventeen years old, with pitch black hair that she had tied back in a braid, and brown eyes that were narrow and calming. Beside her was Tylo Tannalo, who was about five years older than her, with broad shoulders and dark hair, and his cheerful smile used to be regarded as one of the most charming smiles among the Children. After they¡¯d first escaped the Citadel, Arisa had rarely seen it, but in recent days, his old personality had been peeking back out. The twins, Ardan and Lyla Tessir, were both Noranian, like Hannah, so they had darker skin and the same yellow eyes that she had. Ardan¡¯s black hair normally fell down to his shoulders, but he had been keeping it tied back in recent days. As for Lyla, hers was in a pixie cut that naturally flowed to the left of her head, coming down just above her ear.


    Arisa proceeded further into the room, which was devoid of any furniture, much like the other buildings in the slums, leaving only the floor to sit on. With most of the windows broken, they always made sure they had distortion spells blocking them so that if anybody happened to peek inside, they wouldn¡¯t be seen.


    Upon their entrance, Tylo looked up and grinned. ¡°Oh good. You guys didn¡¯t die.¡±


    Arisa snorted. ¡°Of course we didn''t die! You honestly think we¡¯d let ourselves be beaten by one dude?¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± he replied, his attention already returning to his loot. ¡°But then again, for all I know, ten other dudes could have shown up after we left! Not sure what you would have done then.¡±


    ¡°Probably run, to be honest,¡± Arisa stated. ¡°But anyway, we don¡¯t have to worry about him. Hannah was able to kill him, so we left his body laying in the street as a nice little gift to whatever bastards try to come after us.¡± She smiled confidently. ¡°Now, what¡¯d the two of you do with the wagon?¡±


    The moment she asked the question, both Tylo and Irin grinned mischievously.


    ¡°Oh, nothing too fancy,¡± Irin said. ¡°We found this really fancy looking inferno stone in one of the boxes, so I just loaded it up with as much mana as I could fit inside it and just left it there. So, whatever poor souls find that thing will most likely be met with a nice and warm welcome.¡±


    The girl winked and leaned back against the wall, clearly proud of herself. Inferno stones were little gemstones often used by fire mages. When infused with the right amount of mana, they would explode with the slightest touch. If Irin truly filled one of those stones to the brim, then whatever guards happened to find the wagon and move that gem even a little would be incinerated on the spot, as would anybody else within twenty feet of the thing.


    ¡°And luckily, there were plenty others,¡± Ardan announced, holding the red stone in his hand up so they could see. ¡°We¡¯ve got about three of them, so if we make them count, I¡¯m sure we could at least bust a few things up next time we attack the gates.¡±


    Hannah nodded. ¡°Good. And what else do we have?¡±


    Tylo shrugged as he sifted through the few sheathed daggers and swords before him. ¡°Nothing too crazy, but it¡¯ll be better if we¡¯re armed. Irin and I snagged five swords and six daggers so we¡¯ve got something for all of us.¡±


    ¡°Perfect,¡± Arisa said. ¡°And the gems?¡±


    Irin smirked. ¡°Still checking. We took at least one of each color, but to be honest, I don¡¯t know what they all do. It might take a bit of trial and error.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Good job guys,¡± she replied with a smile. ¡°I¡¯d say this was a success. And we were even able to take down one of the Korrei-Tarr so¡­¡±


    ¡°The Citadel is going to be pissed,¡± Lyla said with a cocky laugh.


    ¡°Exactly!¡±


    Despite their still grim circumstances, there was a sense of victory in the room. In one day, they managed to both take down the wagon and kill a Korrei-Tarr, increasing the possibility that they could soon escape the city. Arisa wasn¡¯t sure what they would do once they were free, but at the very least, she intended to try and track down Malt Territh and the other Children that decided against the Citadel raid and see if they were safe. After that, it would depend. She wanted to keep fighting Ijiria, but she knew that with the Children of Reiner mostly dead, they would no longer have the force to do much. It was probably smarter to escape up north into Trovia and go into hiding, yet part of her had a feeling she would never truly be able to put Ijiria behind her. She would never be able to forget how they stole Abigail Reiner from them and how Seiras Ka and Nakoma Taurus tortured them.


    And even if we decided to go into hiding, Ijiria won¡¯t ever stop looking for us. I¡¯m a guide, and Hannah killed a Master. And I¡¯m certain they¡¯ll figure out that I gave guideship to Hannah and the others. They¡¯ll know that all of us are huge threats¡­so they¡¯ll stop at nothing to kill us.


    Arisa sighed, then glanced over to where Hannah was leaning against the wall, gazing out the window. It was obvious what she was thinking about.


    Ryokumo Caeli¡­ Hannah trusts him with her life¡­and he spared hers. I doubt the Master of Wind would risk himself for us any more than he already has¡­but I can¡¯t help but wonder¡­

 Chapter 8- His Genuine Smile

    Chapter VIII


    Lilly spent most of her Sunday trying to process everything she had learned from Rista Pine, as well as the details she had been given by The Angel. There was so much for her to take in, not only regarding her own situation, but also about Ijiria. Rista had told her quite a deal about the group known as the Children of Reiner, as well as their assault on the Ijirian Citadel and the theft of what they called a relic. Ever since the Magic Club came across the gem, Lilly had wondered what might have brought such an item to that cave where Eric found it, and now, Rista had been able to tell her everything he knew. He also talked quite extensively about the few years he and the other Children spent under Abigail Reiner¡¯s care. The way he spoke about his adoptive mother was enough to tell her just how much Abigail was loved and respected by her people. At the same time, never once did it seem like Rista was making anything up or lying, nor did The Angel react negatively to him during their conversation. What that told her was that she truly could trust Rista Pine, and with the help of an Ijirian mage, breaking out of the erased realm had become just a tad easier.


    Though, that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s going to be easy. First and foremost, I need to get my bearings in here.


    With her memories finally returned, she now found her mind feeling quite hazy as two versions of the past year began swirling in her head¡ªthe one where she met Eric and the one where he never existed. Every time she thought about her false memories, she couldn¡¯t help but feel sick. She¡¯d never given much thought to what her life might have been without Eric and the club, but now she had her answer. She was a depressed, isolated person who wanted companionship but was too stubborn and prideful to admit it. The junior year without the club was boring and uneventful, and all she did was go through life on autopilot, never really caring about anything or anyone. It terrified her to realize just how close she had been to rock bottom before she met the others.


    Even after I became friends with them, I never realized just how much they saved me by bringing me into their club and accepting me as their friend. I owe Eric and the others so much¡­and that¡¯s never been more clear to me than right now.


    Lilly grit her teeth and took a deep breath as she continued down the street, heading in the direction of the school. It was finally Monday morning, which meant that the time had come for her to truly take a look at this twisted version of West Wilham High. She had planned to meet up with Rista on the way so she was keeping an eye out for the man. Naturally, he couldn¡¯t go into the school, so she had hoped to speak to him before class, but as she glanced around, the only people she could see were the few other students also walking to school.


    I wonder where he is. There was something I needed to ask him¡­


    She sighed, deciding that if she couldn¡¯t find him then she could just send him a text and meet him after school. Despite being Ijirian, it seemed that the time he spent in the erased realm had given him a basic knowledge of technology, so they had exchanged numbers before she left his apartment back on Saturday. He had told her that before he regained his memories, he was living as an average Wilham citizen, with no recollection of magic or Ijiria and now, his mind was in a similar state to hers, with two versions of his life meshing inside of him.


    Hey, Angel? Is this something that¡¯s going to fade or will I always have two versions of my junior year in my head?


    Despite having not heard from either of the voices since Saturday night, the reply was instantaneous.


    ¡°While I can¡¯t say for certain seeing as I do not know of any other erased victims regaining their memory, I would imagine that the fake memories should fade eventually. After all, they didn¡¯t really happen, whereas your real memories have experience and emotions behind them that cannot be replicated.¡±


    Lilly smiled with relief. Good. Thank you.


    She hated the thought that her junior year could be overwritten at all despite how terrifying and hopeless the end of it had become, and so she found comfort in The Angel¡¯s answer. Lilly turned a corner and was continuing on her way when, without warning, her body tensed up, as if the mana inside of her was alerting her to something¡¯s presence. She instinctively knew it was Rista, recalling what his mana felt like, and so she wasn¡¯t surprised when she suddenly heard his voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m here, Harper.¡±


    Lilly glanced over her shoulder only to find nobody there, but having experienced Eric¡¯s distortion spells before, she knew he must be concealing himself so as not to be seen by anybody nearby. She faced forward and spoke softly, not wanting to appear as if she were talking to herself.


    ¡°I was wondering where you were,¡± she said. ¡°There was something I needed to ask you before I get to school.¡±


    She felt his presence move up to stand beside her as he responded. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re so insistent on going. It¡¯s not like this is your real school.¡±


    ¡°I know that, obviously,¡± she muttered. ¡°But I need to get a better understanding of what¡¯s happening in this damn world. Like I said, there should be eight others that got erased and seven of them are at West Wilham. I want to know what¡¯s going on with them and the only way to do that is to go to school and act natural.¡±


    She heard Rista sigh. ¡°You know I could just find them for you. If there really are seven of them at that school then it shouldn''t be hard to track them down.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± she replied curiously. ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°Well, erased victims all have memory spells plaguing their minds, so if I¡¯m within a few yards of one, I¡¯ll be able to sense the faint mana residue it gives off,¡± the man explained. ¡°That¡¯s how I knew there was something off about you. When you walked into that convenience store, I could sense the power radiating off of you.¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± she murmured. ¡°So then¡­I guess that brings me to what I wanted to ask you. You were able to return both your own memories and mine, so would you be able to bring everybody else back?¡±


    She expected an immediate answer, so she was surprised when she didn¡¯t hear his voice until a few moments later. ¡°I think you¡¯re misunderstanding, Harper,¡± he said. ¡°I didn¡¯t actually bring either of our memories back.¡±


    She exhaled sharply. ¡°W-what? But then¡­? How did we regain our memories?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, honestly,¡± Rista admitted. ¡°I mean, I didn¡¯t actually do anything. It was just an average day back in April. I was going about my business when suddenly, I was hit with a  wave of nausea before passing out. When I came to, I remembered everything. As for you, I just took you to my apartment and waited for you to wake up. I didn¡¯t do anything to bring your memories back.¡±


    Lilly¡¯s eyes went wide as she tried to understand what that meant, but before she could question him further, the female voice in her mind spoke.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s probably because of us, actually!¡±


    Her head snapped up. What? What do you mean?


    The voice giggled to herself before responding. ¡°You remember how we told you that our powers greatly resemble Nigreos and Album¡¯s? Well, this entire realm is built and controlled by Album¡¯s mana, so putting you inside of it probably caused a few discrepancies. If I had to guess, your entrance into the erased realm probably caused Album¡¯s mana within you to interact with the only other magical person in the world, being Rista Pine. As for yourself, our overuse of The Angel¡¯s power probably returned your own memories after our battle with the kid.¡±


    Lilly furrowed her brow, struggling to take in everything she was hearing both from Rista and the Voice of Light within her. So then¡­if it¡¯s Album¡¯s mana that brought Rista¡¯s and my memory back, then could I use it to bring back the memories of everybody else in here?


    ¡°That¡¯s a tricky question,¡± came the reply of the other voice in her head. ¡°If you were a stronger mage, I imagine you could do it, but as it is now, your body has not yet adjusted to The Angel¡¯s power, which is obvious by your passing out the other day. If you tried to use Album¡¯s abilities to put their memories back, you would run the risk of both overexerting yourself, and potentially frying the brain of whoever you¡¯re trying to help.¡±


    A chill went up her spine at the voice¡¯s words. Then that¡¯s absolutely not an option. I am not about to run the risk of frying anybody!


    ¡°Uh, Harper?¡±


    At Rista¡¯s hesitant words, Lilly snapped back to reality and glanced sidelong at the empty spot she knew him to be. ¡°Er, sorry,¡± she stuttered. ¡°Just thinking, is all. The voices, they¡­ They¡¯re saying that it might have been my entrance into the erased realm that caused your memories to come back since I have Album¡¯s mana inside of me.¡±


    She decided to be honest with him, knowing that was the only way to keep his trust. Back when they first met, she had decided against her better judgment to tell him everything she knew about The Angel inside her, from their voices in her head to their similarities to the Masters of Light and Darkness. Not only had she hoped it would be a way to prove to him that she was trustworthy, but at the same time, she had wanted an Ijirian¡¯s opinion on the situation. Unfortunately, Rista didn¡¯t seem to have the slightest clue as to what could be happening to her. He was clearly skeptical of her words, though that didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t try to understand what was going on. Even now, he narrowed his eyes in suspicion as she brought the subject of the voices up.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± he grumbled. ¡°Well, that¡¯s certainly interesting. At the very least, it¡¯s an answer.¡±


    She nodded in agreement. ¡°But the problem is, I can¡¯t use that power to bring anybody else¡¯s memories back and¡­I want to help my friends.¡±


    ¡°Well, that shouldn¡¯t be a problem,¡± Rista grunted. ¡°I do know a counter spell to mind magic like that. If I can find the victims, I should be able to bring them back to normal.¡±


    Lilly let out a sigh of relief, having finally received the answer to the question she¡¯d wanted to ask. Perfect. Then that means I can get the others back and from there, we can find some way to break out of this damned place. Abigail told me there was a way to bust out from within, so I just need to find it.


    She smiled. ¡°Thank you, Rista.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± he said softly. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll keep my distortion up and head into the school with you so I can get a visual on everybody who needs help.¡±


    ¡°Okay then. In that case, I¡¯ll just go about my day and see what I can figure out.¡±


    With their plan settled, Lilly and Rista continued until they came to the gates of West Wilham High. She didn¡¯t know what she should feel at that moment as she passed through and walked into the courtyard. It looked the exact same as the real West Wilham, but she knew that it was just fake. The students and teachers here were not real, save for those who were erased. It was just a farce to make them believe that nothing had ever changed, but Lilly knew that the school had one major difference from the real one. In this world, Eric Reiner never existed, so the Magic Club never came into being and Liz, Damien, Vinny, and herself didn¡¯t become friends. Now that she knew that this world was fake, she was more aware of just how terrible of a place it was. She continued across the courtyard and then headed into the building, recalling that her senior year first period was now on the third floor, in none other than Mr. Lowe¡¯s room.


    Of course I¡¯d have class there. It almost seems like this goddamn world was mocking me.


    As she was walking up the stairs, she glanced up to see Matt Briggs making his way toward her. For a moment, the two made eye contact, and the boy managed to smile awkwardly as he passed her by and went downstairs without ever saying a word. She stopped for a moment and watched him turn left down the hall, her thoughts momentarily shifted back to his confession after the race.


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    I wonder¡­how much of what he said was real? Did the actual Matt have a crush on me, too? Or did this version of him only come to like me because of the different circumstances of this world? Is there any way to find out?


    ¡°Not without asking the real one,¡± came the reply of the Voice of Darkness.


    With that answer, Lilly turned back and walked on. She supposed it didn''t matter either way. If the actual Matt Briggs felt the same as the fake one, she still wouldn¡¯t be able to reciprocate his feelings. Eric was the one she wanted to be with, and all she could do was wish Matt well.


    ¡°Did you know that guy?¡± Rista whispered as they arrived on the third floor. ¡°I didn¡¯t sense any mana from him so he¡¯s not erased.¡±


    Lilly shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. He¡¯s just¡­a teammate of mine. Nothing more.¡±


    ¡°Alright then. Well, I¡¯ll be off. I want to see what I can find before the classes start. We can meet again when you have a chance.¡±


    ¡°Okay. See you later, Rista.¡±


    She felt his presence grow distant as he went in the opposite direction of Mr. Lowe¡¯s classroom. As Lilly approached the familiar door, she couldn¡¯t help but feel nostalgia for the days she spent in that room with the others. In this realm, it might not be the Magic Club¡¯s room, but that didn¡¯t mean it wasn¡¯t still special to her and, as she walked through the door, she felt as if she had properly come home. At the same time, she could almost immediately sense the mana residue Rista had been talking about, and it was only then that she realized there were four of the erased victims already there.


    She stopped in place once again, feeling deja vu for the first day of school as she processed the scene before her. Vinny Mickelson was sitting at the front of class, tapping on his phone with a scowl on his face. She hadn¡¯t seen Vinny since the first day of the school festival so the image of him just casually hanging out in the class was relieving, though she did note that he didn¡¯t have the same cheerful grin she remembered so well.


    When she turned to the left, she saw Liz sitting beside Charlotte Banks and Ashley Anderson as they talked and giggled with each other. Her appearance was jarring compared to the Liz Tao Lilly knew. The girl didn¡¯t have her glasses or headphones on, and she was wearing heavy makeup with her hair curled and her nails long and painted.


    That¡¯s right¡­in this world, she¡¯s taken Rina¡¯s place. But¡­how would Eric being gone cause such a drastic shift in her personality. I can understand how Vinny reached this point after the Evan/Rina incident last Christmas, but Liz¡­?


    Lilly shook the surprise off and hurried into the room before she drew anybody¡¯s attention, but just as she reached her desk and dropped her bag off, somebody¡¯s voice caused intense emotions to start welling up inside of her.


    ¡°Hey, Harper! Why¡¯d you take off so suddenly after the race?! I wanted to congratulate you on your time!¡±


    Lilly swallowed, realizing just how surreal it was to hear his voice, as she slowly turned around to see Jay Brooks standing just a few desks away, his hands tucked into his pants pockets and a dopey grin on his face. The last time she had seen him was in January, the day before he tried to kill himself. After that, she only ever got to be with him while he was in the hospital. And even that was taken from her when Nigreos and Album turned him into a monster, then erased him. For so many months, he was gone, but now, he was right in front of her.


    He looked happy and it was then that she realized it was the first time she had ever seen him truly smile. Of course, there were plenty of times he had smiled during their junior year, but looking back, they were all forced as he concealed his true feelings behind a fa?ade of joy. At that moment, there were no hidden emotions. He was just genuinely cheerful, like he didn¡¯t have a worry in the world. When she looked over his shoulder, she could see Alice Mendez and another girl sitting at their desks, glancing over at her with similar smiles. For a moment, Lilly struggled to remember the girl¡¯s name, but when she consulted her fake memories, she realized what had happened.


    Audrey Moore¡­that¡¯s her name.


    ¡°You¡­remind me of an old friend of mine¡­ She was a lot like you, honestly. She was reserved and she didn¡¯t like people but when she did open up, she was one of the sweetest girls I¡¯ve ever known.¡±


    She recalled what Jay had said to her all those months ago when he stole the stone and fled to the diner. There was an old friend of his that had passed away, a girl that had been close with him, Rina, and Alice. She should have been dead, but there she was, alive and happy. She remembered Alice saying that, in paradise, Audrey Moore was okay and that nothing bad had ever happened. Shockingly, Album hadn¡¯t lied. This world had actually become that paradise for Alice and Jay. Their old friend was alive.


    ¡°Uh, Harper?¡± Jay stuttered, suddenly looking worried. ¡°Wait, what¡¯s wrong?! Why are you crying?! What did I say?!¡±


    ¡°Lilly? What happened?¡± Alice said as she and Audrey jumped to their feet.


    Lilly frowned just as she felt the tears rolling down her cheeks, and she realized that she was crying. She hadn¡¯t been ready to face Jay like that. In fact, he didn¡¯t even have first period with them, so he must have only been hanging out with Audrey and Alice before school started.


    She wasn¡¯t ready.


    ¡°Sorry, Jay,¡± she whispered. ¡°I just¡­ It¡¯s not your fault, I¡­ Excuse me.¡±


    Not having the strength to stay there in front of him, she turned and hurried from the room, ignoring the worried calls of those she was leaving behind. She kept her head down so nobody would see her cry, and it was only once she was safely in a bathroom stall that she let her tears flow.


    ¡°Damn it,¡± she uttered with frustration. ¡°I need to¡­keep myself together. How could I break so easily?¡±


    But at least he¡¯s safe. He never tried to kill himself here. He¡¯s happy¡­but¡­he doesn¡¯t remember me anymore. Our friendship¡­everything we¡¯ve been through, is all gone. He and Alice¡­don¡¯t know me. They just know the private and harsh version of me that I was stuck as in that stupid realm. Lilly clenched her teeth. This world¡­is wrong. It¡¯s a twisted version of reality¡­but can I really call it twisted when Jay is that happy? He smiled¡­


    He smiled for real that time¡­


    ***


    When lunch arrived, Vinny Mickelson went to his normal spot in an isolated corner of the second floor where he pulled out a cold ham sandwich and began to absentmindedly eat it. Part of him wanted to just ditch class, but he had a test in his government class in sixth period and he knew his parents would give him hell if he didn¡¯t attend.


    And I¡¯m really not in the mood to deal with shit like that right now.


    Vinny grimaced and quickly finished his food before leaning against the wall and pulling out his phone. His plan was to mindlessly scroll through random message boards until lunch ended, but as always, life never went his way. As often happened whenever Vinny wanted to be left alone, two unfortunately familiar members of the football team called out to him from down the hall.


    ¡°What¡¯re you up to, Mickelson?¡± Evan Wright asked with a cold grin as he and Brad Fischer approached him.


    Right on time, the blonde boy thought as he slowly rose to his feet, ready to throw a punch if either of the two boys forced him to. He knew there was no shot of winning a fight against either of them individually, let alone together, but on the few occasions where he went toe-to-toe with them, he was able to get enough hits in to mess their faces up a bit. In fact, Evan¡¯s face seemed to already be a bit bruised up, and Vinny could easily guess who caused such damage.


    ¡°Same as always,¡± Vinny replied with a challenging smirk. ¡°Just minding my own business, enjoying my lunch. What¡¯s up with you, Wright? Specifically, what¡¯s wrong with your face? You look like you had a bucket of bricks tossed over your head.¡±


    Brad narrowed his eyes and took a threatening step forward. Despite being bigger than Evan, Vinny knew the boy could be talked down with the right words, so he wasn¡¯t too intimidated. Though, that wasn¡¯t to say that Brad and Vinny hadn¡¯t almost thrown a few punches in the past.


    ¡°Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t know why we¡¯d be here,¡± Brad hissed. ¡°Was it you, Mickelson? Were you the one who tipped him off?¡±


    Vinny chuckled mirthlessly. ¡°Tipped who off? You¡¯re gonna have to be a bit more specific. I don¡¯t think I know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    He knew antagonizing them wasn¡¯t going to help him much, yet he couldn¡¯t help but wanting to piss them off. Vinny took some pleasure in the irritated and impatient expressions on the faces of the two football players. He then tensed up as Brad lunged forward and grabbed him by his collar, then pressed his body up against the wall. Some of the nearby students looked over in surprise, but upon seeing who was involved, they all pretended not to notice.


    And why would they care? Vinny thought bitterly. Nobody¡¯s gonna risk getting on their bad side and especially not for somebody like me.


    ¡°Cut it with the fucking games,¡± Brad growled. ¡°Did you tell Clark that we were behind what happened to his locker?¡±


    Vinny winced as the much bigger boy tightened his grip. The truth of the matter was that Vinny had been the one to tell Damien Clark what the football team had done. If there was anybody more infamous than Brad and Evan in West Wilham High, it was Damien Clark. The boy had been an unstable nutcase since they were in middle school and he¡¯d only grown worse in high school. He took offense at even the most minor slight against him and was never opposed to starting fights if he thought his opponent deserved it. What made things worse was that Damien won almost every single fight he ever got into. He was quick on his feet and more strategic than most other boys at school, so that only bolstered his confidence and his willingness to antagonize people. This earned him a hellish reputation as somebody that should be avoided.


    But Brad, Evan, and the rest of the football meatheads refused to heed that warning. Their personalities didn¡¯t clash well with Damien¡¯s, so it wasn¡¯t long into freshman year that problems started arising. Once Evan got wind of the boy¡¯s middle school reputation, he was quick to try and take him down a peg, which only resulted in Evan getting humiliated. For the past three years, Evan had been waging his own personal war against Damien and in all that time, he rarely came out on top. At this point, Vinny found it to be absolutely pathetic.


    As far as Vinny was concerned, he understood Damien. They were both people who were predominantly left alone and forcibly isolated from the rest of the school. The only difference was that people avoided Damien because they feared him, while they avoided Vinny because they pitied him. If anything, Vinny looked up to Damien and wished he could have been more like him. Where Vinny lost all of his fights, Damien always won. It was impressive, and so, he always rooted for him whenever Brad and Evan went after him. It was why, when he stumbled upon the two boys breaking open Damien¡¯s locker, he decided to leave an anonymous note to the boy, telling him what happened.


    ¡°So what if I did tell him?¡± Vinny demanded after a moment. ¡°What¡¯s it to you, Fischer? He was gonna find out anyway? All I did was expedite the process.¡±


    ¡°You little motherfucker!¡± Brad snarled, yanking Vinny forward before shoving him onto the ground. He grunted in pain but was quick to scramble to his feet, wanting to retain some sense of dignity before them.


    ¡°You really do like getting your ass kicked, don¡¯t you, Mickelson?¡± Evan sneered.


    Vinny smirked bitterly. ¡°I could say the same about you. It¡¯s been three years and you still haven''t learned not to fuck with Clark! I¡¯m assuming that jacked-up face of yours is his handiwork?¡±


    ¡°Fuck you, you little¡ª!¡±


    But Evan¡¯s threat was cut off by the sound of someone else¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Uh, Vinny?¡±


    All three boys turned to look down the hall and all three seemed equally surprised. Lilly Harper was walking toward them, eyeing them with apprehension. Immediately, Vinny could tell that there was something different about her. All he knew about her was that she was quiet, antisocial, and a damn good runner. He¡¯d never spoken a word to her nor did he ever intend to. Yet, as he looked at her now, she seemed like a completely different person. She was holding herself with confidence and the look in her eyes was firm and determined.


    Not to mention¡­did she just use my first name?


    ¡°Er, yeah?¡± he managed to reply. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    She glanced once more at Evan and Brad, as if sizing them up, then replied, ¡°Just to talk for a moment. Do you mind?¡±


    Despite how surprised he was, he knew this was a prime chance to get away from Evan and Brad, so he nodded almost instantly. ¡°Alright, sure. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Lilly smiled and began heading back down the hall with Vinny right behind her. He could tell that the two football players wanted to stop him, but they must have decided not to pursue the subject further with Lilly around.


    Well, whatever she wants with me, at least it gave me a convenient excuse to get away.


    Lilly led him to one of the water fountains between sets of lockers then turned and leaned against the wall.


    ¡°Alright, what did you want with me, Harper?¡± he demanded, anxious to deal with whatever she needed.


    But the girl just shrugged. ¡°Nothing much, honestly. I just thought it¡¯d be better to give you an excuse to leave. What was up with all that?¡±


    ¡°None of your damn business,¡± he snapped. ¡°Just tell me what you want or I¡¯m leaving!¡±


    Lilly looked him over and it almost felt like she was deep in thought about something. When she finally answered his question, her voice was soft. ¡°I just want a favor from you. Can you meet me at the dumpsters behind the school when sixth period ends? There¡¯s something really important I want to talk to you about?¡±


    ¡°The dumpsters?¡± he parroted, baffled. ¡°Why can¡¯t you just tell me now?¡±


    She frowned. ¡°It¡¯s¡­complicated. Just¡­please, Vinny. I promise it won¡¯t be a waste of time.¡±


    What the hell is up with this girl? If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d think she was gonna ask me out with how nervous she¡¯s getting. But she hardly knows me so that can¡¯t be it. So¡­what else could she want to discuss with me, and in a place as private as the fuckin¡¯ dumpsters?


    ¡°Just consider it,¡± she muttered, then pushed off the wall and hurried away without giving him a chance to say anything else.


    He watched her depart, stunned, before running a hand through his hair and scowling.


    Lilly Harper¡­


    He recalled the way she reacted when she entered Mr. Lowe¡¯s room on the first day of school, as if feeling the same sensation he had, and it only made him more suspicious.


    It couldn¡¯t possibly be¡­related to that, right?

 Chapter 9- Trust To Be Gained

    Chapter IX


    ¡°I think you handled yourself quite well today, if I do say so myself.¡±


    Those were the first words out of Ryokumo Caeli¡¯s mouth after they had arrived at his quarters following Eric¡¯s first meeting with the Masters of Ijiria. Eric had only spent another half hour waiting for the Masters to finish the rest of their discussion and once they did, Ryokumo immediately began leading him back through the Citadel. After another ride on the lift and a short walk, they came to a rather large apartment-like room with a living area and a connected kitchen, as well as a hallway that most likely led to a bathroom and the bedrooms. It was a rather average place, reminding him more of Wilham than of what he would have expected the quarters of the Citadel to look like, so Eric only spent a brief moment taking it all in before turning to regard Ryokumo.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked softly. ¡°Why have you been helping me today? You said we have similar goals¡ªthat you could bring my friends back. Why? I know you said you were a friend of my mother¡¯s, but¡­¡±


    He found himself just asking every question that came to mind and so, he paused, taking a moment to gather his thoughts while also waiting to see what Ryokumo had to say in response. He just couldn¡¯t ignore what the Master of Wind said on the lift. He had claimed that they could be allies and that he might be able to help him bring everybody back from the erased realm, but Eric just couldn¡¯t fathom why a Master would say something like that. If not for his sense confirming that Ryokumo could be trusted, he would have believed without a doubt that he was being lied to.


    But I don¡¯t think he¡¯s lying. I think I can actually trust him¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­a long story, if I¡¯m being perfectly honest with you,¡± Ryokumo said finally. ¡°In fact, I¡¯m still missing numerous pieces of it myself. But what I told you was not a lie. We can bring the erased back.¡±


    Eric nodded. ¡°I know we can. Either convince Album to do it herself, or go inside and destroy the realm. I already know.¡±


    The man seemed to not expect that, but his surprise was quickly replaced by an impressed look. ¡°Do you now? Well that sure is convenient,¡± he muttered. ¡°Then you know I¡¯m telling the truth when I say I can help. You see, even setting aside my loyalty to your mother, I have goals of my own, and they just happen to align with what you want.¡±


    Eric narrowed his eyes, still not finding any deceit but also hesitant to rely solely on his sense in a place as foreign to him as Ijiria was. ¡°I might know it¡¯s possible to free them, but I also know how hard it is,¡± he admitted. ¡°Album would never willingly let them go. After all, it¡¯s apparently illegal for them to exist now. But the only way to free them would be if Album erased us, yet from what I know, that wouldn¡¯t do us much good either.¡±


    Ryokumo chuckled to himself. ¡°Well, you know far more than I expected you would. That¡¯s good. However, for the moment, I have matters of my own that I need to deal with. Making a move is going to take some time, so I need you to trust me and be patient.¡±


    ¡°How long?¡± Eric inquired hesitantly.


    The man sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. The past few weeks have been a bit chaotic here so I can¡¯t fully predict where the future will take us. So, for the time being, I would like you to simply abide by the rules of the Citadel. Take your lessons with Master Mackia. Behave loyally. I would even suggest avoiding Nigreos and Album if possible. Just try not to make waves and do your best to gain as much trust as you can. Can you do that?¡±


    Eric took a second to consider Ryokumo¡¯s request. He was anxious to save his friends as soon as possible, but he knew that by being in the Citadel, his chances of doing so were slim. All it would take would be one mistake to get himself killed and lose the others forever. He knew that no matter how impatient he was, he might not have another option but to trust in his sense.


    ¡°Alright then,¡± he answered. ¡°I¡¯ll trust you, Ryokumo.¡±


    ***


    With sleep still heavy in his eyes, Eric slowly pushed himself to a sitting position, the  memory of his first night in the Citadel slowly fading away. He wanted to sleep for longer but also wanted a bit of time that morning to just relax before his lessons began. He exhaled softly, then glanced around the small bedroom he was currently in. His bed was up against the wall and his desk was on the opposite corner. From where he lay, he could see the contents of the previous night¡¯s study session he¡¯d had. Three leather-bound books were stacked on the corner with a fourth one in the middle of the desk, flipped open to a page regarding the First Trovian War, which he recalled very little about due to how tired he¡¯d been when reading it. He grimaced, knowing he¡¯d probably have to reread it or face the consequences of failing his next exam. Eric lethargically rubbed his eyes and crawled out of bed before walking over to stand before the desk.


    He had expected his lessons with Iris Mackia to focus solely on studying healing magic, but it seemed that teaching him to be a healer wasn¡¯t the only thing Reigious had intended for her to do. She¡¯d also been giving him extensive lessons on the history of Ijiria and the creation of magic, as well as on the geography and countries of the continent they called ¡°Calkorai¡±. He¡¯d always believed that the name of the realm he was currently in was called ¡°Ijiria¡±, but as it turned out, that was merely the name of the country that dominated most of that world. The continent consisted of three other countries, as well as the Sukonese archipelago just off the southeastern coast, though they paled in comparison to the size and might of Ijiria, something the books he read always made sure to emphasize. He was fascinated by much of what he learned, but at the same time, he felt that taking the time to learn all of it was a waste. He was getting anxious the longer he spent idly passing his days while his friends were stuck in the erased realm.


    But then again, there¡¯s nothing I can do right now. So, I just need to be a good student and a seemingly loyal subject.


    Feeling his stomach growl, Eric turned and headed toward the door, deciding he should get some breakfast before heading off to that day¡¯s lessons. He shuffled out into the hallway and came to the main living room where he found Ryokumo sitting on the couch, reading a book and wearing the same, silk-like gown he always had on, though today¡¯s was a dark orange color with a blue flower pattern.


    ¡°Good morning, Eric,¡± the Master of Wind greeted without looking away from the book. ¡°Sleep well, I hope?¡±


    Eric shrugged as he walked into the kitchen and approached the Ijirian equivalent of a fridge. Something he had quickly noticed was that Ijiria had a lot of similarities to his homerealm of Omaruo, with the main difference being that everything here was powered by magic instead of technology. The ice-chest before him looked almost exactly like a fridge, but what kept everything inside cool was a source of water mana that had been frozen into ice. He had gotten into the habit of calling it a fridge even though it technically wasn¡¯t one.


    ¡°I guess I did,¡± Eric murmured. ¡°I¡¯m still exhausted though.¡±


    Ryokumo chuckled. ¡°Another late night studying, yes?¡±


    ¡°Pretty much,¡± the boy replied as he reached into the fridge and grabbed a small, purple fruit that Ryokumo told him was called a tillyberry. They were really sweet and had become an odd sort of comfort food for him in the recent weeks.


    As Eric turned and took a seat in the chair to Ryokumo¡¯s left, the Master seemed to decide to set his book down on the glass coffee table in front of him before turning to look at Eric with a grin.


    ¡°And how have your studies been going?¡± he asked. ¡°Is Mackia treating you well?¡±


    Eric considered the question before nodding. ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s treating me fine. I mean, she can be a bit weird, but she hasn¡¯t done anything to harm me. In fact, she doesn¡¯t really talk much outside of our lessons. She¡¯s a bit distant.¡±


    ¡°Unsurprising,¡± Ryokumo muttered. ¡°As you know, Mackia is your mother¡¯s successor as Master of Nature, and before Abi passed, she looked up to her quite a deal, though I know she would never admit it. Not now, anyway. So, it must be a tad weird for her to suddenly be teaching her son.¡±


    Eric smiled sadly. He¡¯d wondered as much during his interactions with Iris. While it made sense due to his mother¡¯s reputation, he still wasn¡¯t used to the fact that everybody he interacted with had known her rather well. He had expected he would be treated differently due to his mother, as well as what happened in Omaruo, but knowing that didn¡¯t make it any easier.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess so,¡± he said softly after a moment, then took a bite of the tillyberry.


    He expected Ryokumo to go back to his book, but the Master remained gazing at him for a few more seconds, as if there was something he wanted to say. Eric glanced back at him, wondering what he could want, and it was then that the man finally spoke.


    ¡°Is everything alright?¡± Ryokumo asked. ¡°Is something bothering you?¡±


    The boy shrugged once again, not knowing whether he wanted to answer that question honestly or not. While Ryokumo had treated him kindly ever since his arrival, the Master of Wind was still quite an enigma. He treated Eric as his apprentice and due to their living in the same quarters, they spent most of their afternoons together. He liked him, but despite his sense telling him that he could trust Ryokumo, he was beginning to wonder just what his deal was.


    ¡°I¡¯m just¡­restless,¡± he answered. ¡°I feel like there¡¯s something more I should be doing. It¡¯s been two months and I¡¯ve done exactly what you told me to do. I¡¯m being patient and I¡¯m trusting you, but I¡¯m starting to wonder if you just told me all that to keep me docile so I don''t do anything rash. I¡¯m starting to wonder if you actually have a plan. After all¡­you haven¡¯t told me anything of who you are or what you¡¯re after.¡±


    As he spoke, he felt as if a weight was being lifted from his chest. He had been wanting to confront Ryokumo about his concerns for a few weeks, but each time, he told himself to keep his cool and trust in both his sense and the Master of Wind. Yet, now that he was given the chance to speak it aloud, he realized that he needed to say it.


    When he went quiet, Ryokumo smiled sadly.


    ¡°Yes, I would imagine you would be feeling that way,¡± he said. ¡°And I apologize for not being more upfront with you. But I promise you, Eric, that the time will come when we could have a shot of freeing your friends. I do have a plan¡­or at least the makings of one. I¡¯m still researching certain things, but I am making progress. However, in this Citadel, there are those who can access surface thoughts, and while you¡¯ve been doing a fine job of learning to keep your mind closed, I would prefer not to speak of my plans until the time comes to enact them. Perhaps I¡¯m being overly cautious, but what I intend to do could, if it fails, get the both of us killed. So in my eyes, I need to take the most careful route. Please¡­just trust me.¡±


    The boy glanced away, looking instead at the partially eaten purple fruit in his grasp.


    ¡°You say that,¡± Eric murmured. ¡°But what reason have you given me to do so? Thus far, you¡¯ve done nothing that would give me the impression that you¡¯re telling the truth. You haven¡¯t even explained to me why you would ever want to defy Ijiria in such a way. You say your plans could get you killed? What could be worth such a risk? I mean, you¡¯re a Master! Could you at least explain to me why? How does freeing my friends benefit you?¡±


    His features tensed up a bit and for a moment, Eric wondered if the man was finally going to explain himself, but to his disappointment, Ryokumo shook his head.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    ¡°Let me think about it. But you¡¯re right. I haven''t done anything to earn your trust. Mere words shouldn¡¯t be enough after everything you¡¯ve been through. I honestly understand that. So¡­¡±


    As Ryokumo trailed off, Eric couldn¡¯t help but narrow his eyes in confusion.


    He honestly seems genuine. It really does feel like he wants to help me, but it doesn¡¯t make any sense.


    ¡°Look, Eric,¡± Ryokumo continued. ¡°I have a meeting with the Prince this afternoon. Once that¡¯s over, perhaps we can talk again. But you should prepare for your lesson. You don¡¯t want to keep Mackia waiting.¡±


    Eric exhaled softly. So he still won¡¯t tell me? What¡¯s his game? What is he trying to accomplish by aiding me? If I¡¯ve learned anything about Ijiria, it¡¯s that nobody does anything out of the goodness of their hearts. He wants something from me¡­ That much, I¡¯m certain of.


    ***


    Ryokumo was conflicted.


    On one hand, he knew that by keeping his secrets from Eric, he was risking the boy¡¯s trust, but on the other hand, he knew that there was far too much at stake for him to completely confide in him. Despite having lived in the same quarters as Eric Reiner for the past two months, Ryokumo still knew very little about the boy or his past. Nigreos had told him all about what happened in Omaruo, and he had seen Eric in action during his duel with Reigious, but aside from that, he was still very closed off. His sights were set on freeing his friends from the erased realm and Ryokumo knew he would stop at nothing to achieve that goal, even going so far as to risk his own life.


    And if I keep him in the dark for much longer, who¡¯s to say what could happen. He already told me that he¡¯s worried I¡¯m lying to keep him from making a move, so if I don¡¯t do something to earn his trust soon, it¡¯s very possible he could try to attack the erased realm by himself.


    Ryokumo grimaced as he stepped off of the lift and began striding down the hallway. The truth of the matter was that he didn¡¯t need Eric Reiner to get his answers. He could just as easily leave him behind and go after Album himself. His only two goals were to prevent the Citadel from catching Hannah and the Children of Reiner before they escaped the city, and to learn the truth behind the woman that Album erased. Saving Eric¡¯s friends achieved nothing for him.


    But I can¡¯t leave him behind. He¡¯s Abi¡¯s son and I swore to myself that if he was ever in danger, I would do everything in my power to protect him. I already erected that pocket realm and if I wind up being forced to break open the erased realm, saving Eric¡¯s friends and saving that woman become one and the same. I¡¯m going to help him. I have to help him¡­for Abi.


    However, Ryokumo wasn¡¯t stupid. Just because Eric was Abi¡¯s son didn¡¯t mean he was trustworthy. He knew there was a chance that if he revealed too much to the boy, then he might try and use that to his own advantage. By revealing Ryokumo¡¯s treachery, Eric could swiftly gain Reigious and Piura¡¯s trust, thus putting him in a better position to fulfill his own desires. After all, Eric Reiner didn¡¯t owe him any loyalty. It was something the Master of Wind didn¡¯t want to consider, but knew he would be a fool for failing to do so.


    There has to be a middle ground, he thought. I need to do something that could earn his trust¡­


    He sighed as he rounded a corner and came to a corridor with a golden door at the end, two soldiers standing on either side of it. Their names were Jax Krispin and Cray Pollik, two of Reigious¡¯s personal guards who were often stationed outside his office. Upon noticing him, the two armored men bowed their heads.


    ¡°Good morning, Master Caeli,¡± Jax greeted. ¡°The Prince and Princess are awaiting your presence.¡±


    Ryokumo smiled. ¡°Good morning to the both of you as well.¡±


    With that brief greeting, they moved aside and allowed him to open the door and enter into the silver room on the other side. It was just one extra precaution to protect the prince with its numerous charms put in place to immediately kill anybody who entered with the intent of harming Reigious. Tensing up at the overwhelming magic, Ryokumo quickly crossed the room and pushed open the door that led to the prince¡¯s personal office.


    The office was large, with windows on both the right and left walls, allowing a large amount of natural light into the room. There were four banners with the green flame and golden shield, the royal crest, hung on around the room, and on the wall directly ahead of him was a large painting depicting the royal family. It showed King Markreas standing tall and confident in his gold and green robes, and in front of him was a young Piura and Reigious back when they were sixteen and fourteen respectively. Ryokumo¡¯s eyes then briefly shifted to the late Queen Toranei Iiji, but he only allowed himself to look upon her for a second before he turned his attention to the desk just under the painting.


    Reigious Iiji was sitting in his golden throne just behind it, and looked up at his entrance, as did the two others present: Anna-Piura Iiji, who was standing beside the desk, and Sinna Cartus, who was directly in front of it. Based on the irritable expressions upon both Reigious and Sinna¡¯s faces, Ryokumo already had an idea of why he was called there.


    ¡°Good morning, My Prince, My Princess,¡± he greeted with a bow. ¡°You as well, Cartus.¡±


    Sinna merely grunted her reply while Reigious motioned for him to stand beside her.


    ¡°If only it were a good morning,¡± the man said with a sigh. ¡°Unfortunately, there has been another attack down in the city.¡±


    Yeah, I had a feeling that¡¯s what this was about.


    ¡°What did Hannah and Kirisan do this time?¡± he inquired, ensuring that his expression remained neutral and unreadable. All it would take was a single mistake and everything he was working toward could come crashing down. For the time being, everybody in that room was under the impression that Hannah Lynn had betrayed him and escaped from the Citadel after freeing the Children, but in reality, Ryokumo was the one who allowed her get away and for the past two months, had been carefully doing everything he could to prevent them from getting caught. If Reigious and Piura found him out, there was no doubt in his mind that they would have him executed on the spot.


    ¡°Apparently, they attacked a group of merchants entering the city with gems and weapons for the blacksmith guild,¡± Piura replied. ¡°They surrounded the wagon, killed the escort, then stole it and fled back into the slums.¡±


    Ryokumo cocked an eyebrow. ¡°They stole the entire wagon?¡±


    ¡°To an extent,¡± Reigious answered. ¡°They only took it a few miles into the slums before taking what they needed. Then, one of them rigged it with an inferno stone so that when our guards finally found the damn thing, it exploded, killing most of them and injuring the rest. Now we don¡¯t even know what they took.¡±


    He internally chuckled. Well played.


    Outwardly, the Master of Wind furrowed his brow in faked irritation as he pretended to think about the situation. ¡°That is an issue¡­especially if there were other inferno stones in those crates. It might not be enough for them to escape, but they¡¯ll certainly be able to do some damage.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, it¡¯s very likely,¡± Piura said. ¡°The blacksmith¡¯s guild master informed our men that there should have been at least four in that order.¡±


    ¡°So they¡¯ve got three of them,¡± Ryokumo muttered. ¡°Great. I knew Hannah was talented, but I never thought it¡¯d be this much of a pain in the ass to take her down.¡±


    Reigious leaned back in his seat and scowled. ¡°And to add to make matters worse, we even had one of the Korrei-Tarr stationed to protect this wagon, whose body was found in the middle of the road about three miles west of where the wagon was abandoned.¡±


    ¡°A Korrei-Tarr?¡± the Master of Wind parroted. ¡°Well, had they not attacked that wagon, I would have believed that to be a tad excessive.¡±


    Piura shrugged. ¡°Under different circumstances, I might have agreed, Caeli, but the longer Arisa Kirisan avoids capture, the more of a problem she could become. They¡¯ve already made attacks on the gate and they failed, so it¡¯s only natural that they would seek to arm themselves. Unfortunately, it seems one Korrei-Tarr wasn¡¯t enough.¡±


    For a few seconds, the room went silent, giving Ryokumo time to consider all he had been told. He was proud of how well Hannah was holding her own as the Citadel did everything they could to track her down, but he knew that no matter how strong she was, she couldn¡¯t hide forever. Sooner or later, she would be taken captive and killed, and if he wanted to prevent that, then he needed to find some way to smuggle her and the Children out of Erika.


    ¡°So I don¡¯t imagine we were called here just for this,¡± Sinna said, speaking for the first time since Ryokumo arrived. ¡°How do you want us to handle this? If Kirisan and Lynn have inferno stones then they¡¯ve only become more dangerous.¡±


    Reigious nodded his agreement. ¡°I was thinking of sending the both of you down into the city to speak with the blacksmiths guild. They haven¡¯t been terribly cooperative with our soldiers so perhaps sending Masters to their doorstep will loosen their lips.¡±


    ¡°And what is it we need to learn from them?¡± Sinna inquired.


    ¡°Just the details of that order,¡± Piura responded. ¡°We want to know who it was for, where it came from, and how Kirisan and Lynn could have learned of its existence. Just talk to him¡­and get as much information as you can through whatever means you deem necessary.¡±


    The Master of Rock bowed. ¡°Understood, My Princess.¡±


    It was then that an idea occurred to Ryokumo. It was something he had already been considering, but this gave him an opportunity to actually go through with it. It was definitely a risk, but it was one that he might have to take. In fact, it could potentially deal with two problems at the same time.


    ¡°If I may, My Prince,¡± he began. ¡°Would it be alright if I brought Eric down to the city with me?¡±


    Sinna immediately looked back at him as if he¡¯d gone crazy, but she didn¡¯t speak, instead waiting to hear what Reigious had to say.


    ¡°Why?¡± the prince inquired.


    Ryokumo smiled pleasantly. ¡°Well, to put it simply, Eric hasn¡¯t left the confines of the Citadel. He¡¯s focused only on his studies and it seems to me like he¡¯s slowly being burnt out. So perhaps it would do him some good to get some fresh air, as well as some field experience. After all, he is my apprentice and this would have been the sort of assignment that Hannah would have accompanied me on.¡±


    Reigious considered his request for a moment as he folded his hands together atop his desk. Instead, it was Piura who responded.


    ¡°Normally, I might agree, but do you really think it is a smart idea to involve the boy seeing as this relates so closely to the Children of Reiner?¡± She frowned. ¡°After all, we are still uncertain as to how trustworthy he could be, and I fear what might happen should he come into contact with Arisa Kirisan.¡±


    ¡°Yes, those were my fears as well,¡± Sinna said. ¡°Caeli, this is exactly the type of issue we should keep him away from.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Ryokumo conceded. ¡°But it¡¯s not like we¡¯re actively going after the Children. We¡¯re just speaking to the blacksmiths guild. Not to mention, Cartus, the two of us will be there to keep a close eye on him. And if it makes you feel better then by all means, bring Alucian.¡± He then turned to face the royal children again. ¡°I think by allowing him to go into Erika, we can show him that he isn¡¯t a prisoner here. It¡¯ll do us some good to earn his trust as well. In fact, I was also considering bringing him to his mother¡¯s monument. I¡¯m sure he would like to see that.¡±


    Reigious sighed, then ran his hands through his emerald hair. ¡°Let me think on it. I understand your point, but at the same time, Sinna and my sister aren¡¯t wrong. I¡¯ll let you know by tomorrow morning. With that said, you both are excused.¡±


    Sinna and Ryokumo bowed once more then turned and departed the room. Once they were back out into the hall with the prince¡¯s chambers far behind them, the Master of Rock scowled and shook her head.


    ¡°I will never understand you, Caeli,¡± she growled. ¡°In what world is it smart to allow Eric Reiner to be involved in our hunt for the Children? Do you not think he would align himself with them if he ever got the chance?¡±


    Ryokumo firmly shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t. I¡¯ve already spoken with him about the Children and he knows their days are numbered. The boy is focusing on his studies with Mackia and is adjusting quite well. I trust that he wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to get involved with Kirisan¡­and by bringing him with us, we show him that we believe that.¡±


    Sinna snorted. ¡°You trust him, huh? Just like you trusted his mother and that traitor of an apprentice?¡±


    ¡°Third time¡¯s the charm, they say,¡± he muttered bitterly. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to make that same mistake three times. And for better or for worse, Eric Reiner is my responsibility now. I want to take care of him and show him that Ijiria is not his enemy¡­ That we can work together.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± she grunted. ¡°But there are other ways of doing that. I, for one, don¡¯t trust him in the slightest. Anger is a dangerous emotion, and Noctis and Luz left him with plenty of it.¡±


    Ryokumo shrugged casually. ¡°Then this little outing of ours could be beneficial. Get to know him, Cartus, and perhaps you will feel differently. He¡¯s a good kid¡­who¡¯s just been through a lot.¡±


    Sinna didn¡¯t reply, instead just sighing and turning to look away from him. Knowing Sinna Cartus like he did, Ryokumo didn¡¯t expect her to ever truly trust Eric Reiner, which made her dangerous. She would always be on her guard, and that would make it tough for Ryokumo to do what he needed to do.


    But I¡¯ll deal with her however I can. I¡¯ve made my decision. I know what I need to do, and so I¡¯ll take whatever risks necessary to accomplish that.

 Chapter 10- A Childs Conviction

    Chapter X


    Once school ended, Lilly immediately made her way out toward the dumpsters behind the building to wait for Vinny. She wasn¡¯t sure whether he would actually show up or not, but she had to hope he would. She had decided to return Vinny¡¯s memories first due to the fact that he had been in the erased realm the longest. He wouldn¡¯t know anything about Nigreos and Album outside of whatever he saw the day Ralph¡¯s Diner was attacked, but he would know the most about this version of Wilham. At the same time, the main reason she chose to start with him was simply because he had been gone the longest and she missed him. She spent nearly four weeks without knowing who he was and so, she wanted to talk to him again. Yet, when she approached him, she realized just how different he was in this world.


    That version of Vinny¡­was far different from the one I know. In fact, he reminded me more of the way Vinny was when he used the stone on Evan and Rina back during Christmas. Though, I guess I shouldn¡¯t be surprised. Damien and Eric told me a bit of what he was like before he met Eric, and in this world, the Magic Club never existed. It¡¯s no wonder this Vinny would be so angry and bitter.


    She leaned her back up against the wall of the building and glanced at the two dumpsters to her left. They reeked of trash and she wished she could have met him anywhere else, but she knew this was the most private place on campus. There was always the option of asking him to meet her outside of school, but she had a feeling that he¡¯d be far less likely to show up if she did that since it was less convenient for him. As she was thinking this, she felt a presence approaching her and, moments later, she heard Rista¡¯s voice.


    ¡°So you think this Mickelson kid is actually going to come?¡±


    Lilly shrugged. ¡°Dunno, honestly. I don¡¯t really know much about the erased version of Vinny, and when I talked to him, he wasn¡¯t anything like the Vinny I know. In fact, it¡¯s probably unlikely that he¡¯ll show up.¡±


    ¡°And if he doesn¡¯t?¡± Rista asked.


    ¡°Then we track him down and return his memories the hard way,¡± she answered. ¡°As much as I¡¯d rather not cause trouble in this world, at the end of the day, it isn¡¯t real, so if push comes to shove, we can do whatever we want. I know where he lives so breaking into his house is always an option.¡±


    She said it partially as a joke, though if she became desperate, it wasn¡¯t that bad of an idea. The fact of the matter was that what Rista said on their walk to school was right. This world wasn¡¯t real, and so there wouldn¡¯t be repercussions for their actions. They could do whatever they wanted without it having any effect on the real world, and while Lilly preferred to lay low for as long as possible, she knew there would come a time when she no longer had an option but to do whatever she could to reach her goals.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± she went on, ¡°were you able to get a visual on the erased students?¡±


    ¡°I was,¡± he confirmed. ¡°Five boys, including Mickelson, two girls, and one teacher.¡±


    Lilly cocked an eyebrow then turned to stare at the empty space to her right in confusion. ¡°A teacher? That shouldn¡¯t be right. As far as I know, there was never a teacher who touched the stone.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know what to tell you,¡± Rista said. ¡°It was some history teacher named Mr. Alexander. As of right now, he¡¯s under the same memory spell as everybody else, thus, he doesn¡¯t have the slightest clue that he isn¡¯t in the real world.¡±


    Lilly clenched her teeth in fury as she processed what he said. Why the hell would they erase Mr. Alexander?! He never touched the gem so what reason would they have to get an innocent teacher involved?


    Eric had never told her that the man was erased so either he didn¡¯t realize it, or he simply opted to keep it to himself, but whatever the reason, Mr. Alexander was still another victim of the club¡¯s actions. That meant she had to fight for him as well. She had to take the realm down so that he could return home safely.


    ¡°Harper. He¡¯s coming.¡±


    At Rista¡¯s sharp whisper, Lilly looked up to see Vinny heading her way, his hands in his pockets and an irritable expression on his face. She straightened up and subtly motioned for Rista to put some distance between them. The plan was to keep Vinny distracted so the Ijirian could break the spell on his memories. For the moment, it was best to make sure Rista stayed hidden on the chance that the spell failed. If Vinny¡¯s memories didn¡¯t return after seeing a man appear out of thin air, it would only make gaining his trust that much harder.


    ¡°Alright, Harper, I¡¯m here,¡± the blonde boy grunted. ¡°Say what you want to say so I can get the fuck out of here.¡±


    God¡­it¡¯s so weird seeing such an annoyed look on his face. I miss his cheerful grin and his constant joking around. Please let this spell work¡­ Please¡­


    ¡°Thanks for coming,¡± she replied, putting on as pleasant and sweet of a smile as she could. ¡°I know this probably seems out of the blue, so I appreciate it.¡±


    He shrugged, as if attempting to act like it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Yeah, whatever. It¡¯s not like I have anything better to do so I can spare a few minutes.¡±


    ¡°R-right,¡± she stuttered, then glanced past his shoulder to see Rista¡¯s hand floating in midair as he extended it toward the back of Vinny¡¯s head. ¡°Uh, anyway, what I wanted to, uh, ask you was¡­¡±


    Lilly did her best to drag the sentence out and just as Vinny looked like he was getting even more impatient, Rista¡¯s hand grabbed the back of his head. Vinny flinched at the sudden touch, but before he could turn around, there was a sudden flash of light, causing the boy to cry out in pain. His hands went to his temples and he doubled over while Rista¡¯s hand swiftly returned back into the distortion, but not without a quick thumbs-up to confirm for Lilly that the spell was complete.


    ¡°Ow. god damn it,¡± Vinny growled. ¡°What the hell was that?!¡±


    He weakly raised his head and looked over his shoulder, but when he didn¡¯t see anything, he just furrowed his brow in confusion.


    ¡°Um, Vinny?¡± she said slowly, still unsure of whether it worked or not. ¡°Is everything okay?¡±


    The boy scowled then nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. Just had a sudden headache, is all. Anyway, Harper, just get to it. I¡¯m sick of you stalling! Just say what you want to goddamn say so I can leave!¡±


    Lilly stared at him with wide eyes, realizing both by his addressing her by her last name, as well as his pissed off tone, that the spell didn''t work. Vinny¡¯s memories were still locked away.


    N-no¡­ Why didn¡¯t it¡­!


    When she didn¡¯t say anything, Vinny merely snorted and turned away. ¡°Whatever. I should have known this was just a fucking prank anyway. Leave me alone, Harper. Go bother somebody else.¡±


    What?! Wait, no! I can¡¯t let him leave! I need to do something!


    ¡°Er, Vinny!¡± she frantically called after him. ¡°Just hold on for a moment!¡±


    He turned around and flipped her off with a glare, then continued on his way without another word. She could feel herself becoming desperate but she didn¡¯t know if trying again would work and her immediate thought was to discuss what might have gone wrong with Rista before giving it another attempt. The problem was that if she didn¡¯t do something now, Vinny wouldn¡¯t ever give her the time of day again. So, in her desperation, she shouted out the first thing that came to mind.


    ¡°I just wanted to ask you if you¡¯d go on a date with me tomorrow night!¡±


    She exhaled softly as she watched Vinny pause, then turn around once more with a stunned expression on his face. She swallowed, realizing what she had just gotten herself into, but knowing that she didn¡¯t have any option but to commit now that she¡¯d gone and said it.


    ¡°A date?¡± he parroted. ¡°You want to ask me on a date?¡±


    She hurriedly nodded and forced her sweet smile back to her lips. ¡°Y-yeah, I do. I¡¯m sorry for taking so long to say it, but I was really scared you¡¯d say ¡®no¡¯, so I kept stalling. I didn¡¯t mean to upset you, but I promise this isn¡¯t a prank. I actually think you¡¯re a really cool guy and I¡­want to get to know you better.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t sure how effective her acting was, but the fact that Vinny hadn¡¯t scoffed at her told her that she was at least somewhat convincing. As much as she didn¡¯t want to go on a date with Vinny, and especially not this version of him, it was the first method she could think of that would get them another chance to talk. This way, she could discuss the situation with Rista and then try again tomorrow.


    ¡°I honestly can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re bullshitting me, Harper,¡± he muttered. ¡°You got cameras around here or something?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t. I swear to you, I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°But you hardly know me,¡± he growled. ¡°We¡¯ve maybe spoken five words to each other before today, so why would you ever want to date somebody like me? You must know what I¡¯m like. Trust me, for the sake of both you and your reputation, stay away from me.¡±


    Lilly smile turned sad, seeing the pain in his eyes as he spoke. He wasn¡¯t saying that to be mean. He was actually looking out for her, and that was enough to convince her that parts of the Vinny Mickelson she knew were still inside of the boy before her.


    ¡°Remember who you¡¯re talking to,¡± she retorted playfully. ¡°My reputation is garbage anyway. We¡¯re both loners, you know, so why not stick together? I already eat lunch by myself and I don¡¯t really have friends. I guess¡­I just saw a bit of me in you and thought getting to know you better could be fun. So I was thinking we could go get some dinner at Ralph¡¯s Diner tomorrow night¡­¡±


    ¡°W-well¡­¡± He paused, then glanced around as if making sure they were still alone. ¡°I guess we can get dinner. I just¡­hope you know what getting involved with me could do.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know,¡± she assured him. ¡°And I don¡¯t care.¡±


    For a moment, she thought she saw a spark of admiration in his eyes, as well as a soft blush on his cheeks, as he bid her goodbye and took off back toward the main building. Once he was out of sight, she let out a sigh of relief and leaned against the wall once more.


    ¡°Congratulations on your date,¡± Rista said stoically as his distortion came down, revealing an almost amused look on his face.


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°Oh, shut up. Anyway, what happened? Why didn¡¯t his memories come back?¡±


    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know, honestly,¡± he admitted. ¡°When my mother taught me that spell, it was more out of a precaution than anything. I¡¯ve actually never had to use it, so it¡¯s possible that it won¡¯t work. I have other theories as well, but¡­¡±


    Rista trailed off as he rubbed his chin in thought, leaving Lilly standing there in silence.


    Damn it! If he can¡¯t bring anybody back, then I might be stuck dealing with this all alone. I was hoping I could have everybody at my side, but¡­ She shook her head. No, don¡¯t give up yet. I¡¯m sure I can figure something out and if I can¡¯t return their memories, that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t try to work with this world¡¯s versions of them. I still have options. But, for the time being¡­


    Lilly sighed and put a hand to her forehead. ...I guess I¡¯m going on a date with Vinny Mickelson of all people.


    ***


    Left only with the option of returning home for the day, Lilly began making her way back to her apartment building with Rista tagging along. He said there was something he wanted to look into, and so he requested that she allow him to meet Natalie. He said he wanted to meet the last of the erased victims so that he had a better idea of who they all were, and while she was hesitant to let somebody she hardly knew go near Natalie, she also knew that the power of The Angel would be there to protect the little girl if anything did happen. Therefore, with Rista in tow, Lilly rode the elevator up to the second floor of the building, before heading down the hall to where the Hills¡¯ apartment was. Lilly had yet to visit Natalie since regaining her memories, so she was glad to have a chance to check in with her. She knocked a few times then stepped back, glancing over her shoulder to make sure Rista was still distorted as the door opened.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°Oh, Lilly. I didn¡¯t expect you to visit today.¡±


    Part of her tensed up as she faced Renee Hill, or at least that world¡¯s recreated version of her. Every time she interacted with somebody that wasn¡¯t real, she felt horribly unnerved. She knew they were fake, yet they were so realistic that she would never have known without being told. Because of this, she had been avoiding her parents and considered herself lucky that Alexa was off at college for the time being. Yet, even knowing this, she still forced herself to smile as she greeted Renee as if everything were normal.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not giving you any notice,¡± she said. ¡°I was just thinking that I haven¡¯t seen Natalie in a little while and thought I¡¯d pay her a quick visit.¡±


    Renee smiled. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure she¡¯d like that! Please, come on in!¡±


    Lilly stepped into the narrow entryway, praying that Renee wouldn¡¯t hear Rista¡¯s footsteps while also hoping that he¡¯d be able to make it through the door before she shut it. She wasn¡¯t really sure what would happen if Renee saw magic, but what she did know was that regardless of what happened, it would only make things unnecessarily complicated. To her relief, she could still sense Rista¡¯s presence behind her after the door was closed.


    ¡°Nat¡¯s in her bedroom so why don¡¯t you head on back,¡± Renee told her. ¡°Would you like to stay for dinner?¡±


    Lilly smiled but shook her head. ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯m okay. My Mom¡¯s already got dinner taken care of.¡±


    ¡°Alright, sweetheart, but the offer¡¯s still up if you change your mind.¡±


    Thanking her once again, Lilly then turned and headed down the hall and toward Natalie¡¯s closed bedroom door. She went to knock, but then hesitated. The little girl on the other side was one of the only real people in this world, and the only reason she was there was because of what Lilly did. By going against her initial instincts and using the gemstone on Natalie, she got her wrapped up in a mess she shouldn¡¯t have had anything to do with. They never even explained the situation to her. When the apartment was attacked, Natalie wouldn¡¯t have known what was going on. Lilly didn¡¯t even know what happened to her after Nigreos and Album attacked.


    And now she¡¯s here, without her memories. She hardly knew Eric so hopefully nothing much should have changed. She should just be the same Natalie Hill from the real world.


    She felt a sudden touch against her back, followed by Rista¡¯s soft whisper.


    ¡°You okay, Harper?¡±


    Lilly nodded. ¡°Y-yeah, I¡¯m fine. Thanks.¡±


    She then bit back her fears and knocked a few times. When she heard Natalie¡¯s soft call to come in, Lilly opened the door and walked inside. The bedroom was just as she remembered it, with Natalie¡¯s bed covered in stuffed animals of all shapes, sizes, and colors, though a part of Lilly felt a twinge of sadness at the absence of a certain stuffed rabbit Natalie had gotten during their trip to the pier¡ªa trip that never took place in this world. The little girl was sitting at her desk on the opposite side of the room, probably working on some of the homework Renee assigned her.


    ¡°Hey, Natalie. It¡¯s been a little while,¡± Lilly greeted.


    At the sound of her voice, Natalie¡¯s expression lit up. ¡°Lilly! I didn¡¯t know you were coming today! Is Mom going somewhere or¡­?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just here to visit,¡± she answered. ¡°It¡¯s been too long and since I had some time, I thought I¡¯d stop by.¡±


    Natalie frowned. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m happy to see you, but don¡¯t you have cross country practice after school?¡±


    A sudden jolt of dread went through her body at Natalie¡¯s words as it was in that moment that she remembered that it was already cross country season in the erased realm. Her conflicting memories had been throwing her off all weekend, and after getting so focused on returning Vinny¡¯s memories, cross country had completely slipped her mind.


    Well, it¡¯s not like it matters too much, but now I¡¯m only going to be drawing attention to myself, especially since I¡¯ll have to skip practice tomorrow for my damned date with Vinny!


    ¡°Er, well, it was canceled,¡± she lied, and at the same time, she had a nasty feeling that Rista was quietly snickering behind her.


    She knew that her response was obviously a lie, but if Natalie was suspicious then she kept it to herself. Instead, she tilted her head a little to the side and asked, ¡°By the way, is there somebody with you? I thought I heard someone else walking in.¡±


    Lilly froze. God damn it, I forgot how good her hearing was!


    Realizing just how much of a mess this visit had already become, she did her best to respond as casually as she could. ¡°Huh? No, nobody¡¯s with me,¡± she assured her, and the moment she said it, she felt Rista¡¯s presence begin to carefully move across the room, his footsteps soft but noticeable. Natalie frowned, following the sound with her head.


    Rista, what are you doing?! Stop moving!


    ¡°Um, Lilly? Are you sure? I could have sworn¡ª!¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, Rista¡¯s hand shot out from the distortion, his fingers gently pressing against Natalie¡¯s forehead. The same flash of blue light erupted from his fingertips, causing Natalie to grunt in pain before gripping her head. Lilly exhaled sharply as she rushed to Natalie¡¯s side, but not without sending a furious glare in the direction she could sense the man.


    What the hell did you just do, Rista?! You weren¡¯t supposed to touch her!


    ¡°A-are you okay, Nat¡¯?¡± Lilly managed to stutter, gently placing her hands against the girl¡¯s shoulders. She feared that Renee might hear so she kept her voice lowered to avoid attracting her attention. ¡°W-what happened? Do you have a headache or¡­?¡±


    ¡°L-Lilly?¡± Natalie whispered as her head slowly rose. Her skin was pale, as if she were suddenly scared of something, and her breathing was slightly heavy. When she spoke again, her voice was shaking. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ What happened? Damien and Liz? Are they okay? There was a gunshot¡­and screaming! And I heard a woman''s voice¡­and then¡­¡±


    Lilly¡¯s eyes went wide as she listened to Natalie ask question after question about an event and people she should not have been able to remember. The little girl only continued to tremble, giving Lilly a brief moment to process what happened.


    Rista¡­returned her memories? The spell worked? That¡¯s not¡­? But why didn¡¯t it work on Vinny then?


    ¡°Yeah, I had a feeling.¡±


    Natalie jumped at the sudden voice while Lilly could only round on the still distorted Ijirian in anger. She didn¡¯t have a clue what he was thinking, but in barely five minutes of arriving in the apartment, he had gone and acted against her wishes, and now Natalie remembered everything.


    ¡°Who is that?!¡± Natalie exclaimed as she scrambled to her feet.


    Lilly could tell that the girl was getting more terrified by the second, so she hurriedly put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her before glaring once more at Rista. ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡± she snapped. ¡°I thought you just wanted to see her! I didn¡¯t realize you were going to try the memory spell on her!¡±


    ¡°Of course you didn¡¯t,¡± he replied curtly. ¡°I could tell just from the way you talked about Natalie that you wouldn¡¯t have approved of this, so I decided it would be easier to just act on my own and see what would happen. Like I said, I had a theory for what might have gone wrong with Mickelson.¡±


    ¡°Lilly?¡± Natalie whimpered, clutching at her side. ¡°What¡¯s going on? I¡¯m scared.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Nat¡¯,¡± she replied, placing a hand on her head. ¡°I¡¯ll explain everything in just a moment. But it¡¯s safe. He¡¯s a friend¡­I think.¡± Her words turned sharp as she directed that last part at Rista. ¡°Alright then, explain. I¡¯ll at least hear you out first.¡±


    She wanted to shout at him for doing anything to Natalie without her permission, but she knew that if she showed her anger at Rista then the little girl would only get more scared. She had to remain calm for Natalie¡¯s sake.


    ¡°Like I said back at the school, I¡¯m not that familiar with the spell,¡± Rista answered. ¡°And I¡¯m not that strong of a mage to begin with. You told me that Mickelson was old friends with Eric Reiner, so part of me wondered if the reason the spell failed was simply due to the fact that returning Mickelson¡¯s memories was too hard of a task with my skill level. So, when you said that Natalie hardly knew Reiner, I decided I could test the spell out on her and see.¡± Rista paused for a moment. ¡°And it seemed it worked. Her memories being less altered meant I could bring them back¡­¡±


    Keeping her irritation in check, Lilly took in everything Rista was saying. ¡°So¡­to summarize, you can¡¯t give Vinny his memories back because he has too many to return?¡±


    ¡°Yes, exactly that.¡±


    Then¡­that means he won¡¯t be able to bring Liz or Damien back either. But then¡­how many memories are too much? Jay, Alice, and Brad shouldn¡¯t have nearly as much to return. Would we be able to bring them back? What¡¯s the limit here?


    ¡°Lilly?¡± Natalie whispered. ¡°He¡¯s talking about magic¡­and memories? Is the club okay? Did something happen to them? Did that woman¡­hurt Liz, Damien, and Eric?¡±


    Despite the obvious fear in her eyes, Lilly could see genuine concern for the others. Natalie was worried for the others more than she was for herself.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t know what happened¡­or what¡¯s happened since,¡± Natalie went on. ¡°But somebody was coming after them, right? Somebody magical? Please say they¡¯re okay! Please!¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Lilly hesitated, knowing that while she could confirm that Damien and Liz were alive, she didn¡¯t have the first clue what state Eric might be in. Yet, despite that, she spoke with confidence when she answered. ¡°Yeah, Nat¡¯. They¡¯re alive, but¡­they aren¡¯t themselves. Those people that attacked us¡­took their memories¡­and yours and mine, too, but this man here brought yours back.¡±


    Lilly wasn¡¯t sure how much to tell Natalie, but at the same time, she no longer saw any reason to hide anything from her. She had already interacted with Nigreos and Album, and had been erased herself. By keeping things from her, she would only scare Natalie more, and that was what Lilly wanted to avoid. She would have preferred to keep Natalie ignorant while they dealt with the erased realm, but she no longer had that option, so she didn¡¯t have a choice but to explain everything.


    ¡°You helped us?¡± Natalie asked, turning her head in Rista¡¯s direction. ¡°Are you a wizard, too?¡±


    Rista chuckled softly. ¡°I¡¯m a mage, but yes, I helped you. My name¡¯s Rista Pine. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±


    Natalie smiled, though her fear was noticeably straining it. ¡°I¡¯m Natalie. It¡¯s nice to meet you, too.¡±


    Well, I guess I have no choice. I¡¯ll deal with Rista later, but for now, I have to make sure Natalie¡¯s okay. At the very least, she¡¯s handling this better than I would have thought. She always was a strong girl.


    ¡°Alright, Nat¡¯, why don¡¯t you take a seat on the bed?¡± Lilly suggested. ¡°I guess¡­I have a lot of explaining to do.¡±


    Natalie turned her head up toward her, and despite finding out that Lilly had been lying to her all this time, she still smiled. ¡°Okay¡­ Yeah, tell me everything!¡±


    ***


    At first, Lilly wasn¡¯t sure how much to reveal in regards to Ijiria and the erased realm, but once she started talking, she decided to just be honest. Natalie would know if she were lying anyway and so, she explained it all. She told her about Nigreos and Album, as well as of Ijiria and Eric¡¯s mother. She then went on to describe the events that followed the spring festival¡ªhow she and the club tried to fight the Masters, how those who used the stone were marked for erasure, and how they were all erased one by one. Lilly finished her explanation with the circumstances surrounding the attack on the apartment and the separate reality that was the erased realm they currently found themselves in. The only detail she left out was The Angel, but since she, herself, knew very little about it, she figured there was no reason to discuss it. All the while, Natalie listened silently.


    ¡°So¡­that¡¯s it,¡± Lilly whispered. ¡°That¡¯s what¡¯s going on. Eric¡¯s still in the real world but I¡¯m certain he¡¯s safe. I know he is and so, I just need to break out of this world and reach him. Rista¡¯s going to help me do that. But¡­¡± Lilly paused, deciding to wait and see what Natalie¡¯s reaction would be.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­a lot to think about,¡± the girl murmured. ¡°And¡­does this mean that my mom, or the mom in the other room, isn¡¯t actually my mom?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Rista answered from his spot in the back corner of the room. ¡°Everybody here, except those who got erased, are just rectreations, most likely using your memories of them to make them so accurate.¡±


    Natalie furrowed her brow. ¡°Oh¡­ And these, er, Ijirians¡­ They want me gone just because I used your rock? That¡¯s¡­ so mean.¡±


    Lilly nodded meekly and could feel tears coming to her eyes, so she did her best to fight them back. ¡°Yeah, tell me about it. And I know this won¡¯t make up for it but, I¡¯m sorry, Nat¡¯. I¡¯m sorry for dragging you into this. If I hadn¡¯t used the stone on you then you wouldn¡¯t have gotten stuck here. It¡¯s my fault¡­ I¡¯m really sorry.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Lilly!¡± she insisted, seeming to hear the quivering in her voice. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault! Our trip to the pier¡­it was really fun! In fact, it was the best day of my life! I got to see the sunset¡­ For the first time in my life, I got to see the pretty colors I¡¯ve always heard about¡­ It was the best! I wouldn¡¯t trade it for anything¡­not even going back to the real world. And Mr. Pine¡­¡± She quickly turned her smile toward Rista. ¡°Thanks for giving me that memory back! I really appreciate it!¡±


    Lilly could only gape at her. Despite everything Natalie had just been told, she was still cheerful and grateful for their trip together. It made her realize just how tough of a kid Natalie Hill was. It was impressive.


    ¡°But I want you to promise me one thing!¡± Natalie went on, turning back to Lilly. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me out this time! If you¡¯re gonna break out of here then let me help! I promise I won¡¯t tell Mom¡­er, or my fake mom! But I wanna help you, Lilly! I want to fight Ijiria, too!¡±


    Even though Lilly knew there was nothing Natalie could do to fight the Ijirians, she just couldn¡¯t ignore her enthusiasm. After keeping her in the dark for so long, she couldn¡¯t turn her down. ¡°Alright, sure. After all, we¡¯ll need all the help we can get! Let¡¯s do this, Nat¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Yup!¡±


    Natalie held her fist out and Lilly bumped hers against it, the symbol of a promise made between them. Lilly intended to keep that promise. She would return Natalie to the real world and make everything right. She would undo what Nigreos and Album stole from them¡­for the sake of everybody she loved.


    ***


    After promising to visit Natalie again soon, Lilly and Rista departed the Hills¡¯ apartment and headed out into the hall, entering the elevator that would take them to the lobby. Lilly knew they would have a more extensive talk another time but, since Rista would be leaving in a minute, she decided that she would say one quick thing.


    ¡°Rista, I¡¯m glad we were able to figure out why the spell didn¡¯t work on Vinny. However¡­¡± she said softly, turning to stare directly at the empty spot beside her. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare use magic on any of my friends without my permission. You hear me?¡±


    She kept her voice low, but made sure that he could hear the seriousness in her tone. Somewhere deep inside her, she could feel something stirring with her anger, but she managed to keep it locked within, knowing she couldn''t allow it to break free against someone who was supposed to be an ally. She couldn¡¯t see Rista¡¯s expression, but his curt reply was enough to know how he felt.


    ¡°I apologize,¡± he said. ¡°But unfortunately, I will do what I believe is best regardless of your opinion. You¡¯re a magicless girl, according to you, and so, you don¡¯t understand the situation as well as I do. Natalie Hill is safe and unharmed, and I gained information¡­information for a problem you want solved. Returning your friends¡¯ memories is not a requirement to escape this place. So¡­¡± He laughed bitterly. ¡°Be grateful that I¡¯m helping you with this.¡±


    With that, the doors slid open and Rista moved out, leaving Lilly to glare in his direction as she pressed the button for her own floor.


    ¡°Just say the word¡­and he can be dealt with.¡±


    Lilly shook her head. No, it¡¯s fine. I need him, but¡­I just need to be more careful around him. I don¡¯t want him going behind my back, but I need his help.


    The Voice of Darkness chuckled. ¡°Whatever you say, Lilly Harper.¡±

 Chapter 11- Histories of Ijiria

    Chapter XI


    After realizing that his conversation with Ryokumo wasn¡¯t going to get him anywhere, Eric finished his breakfast and went back into his room to change into his clothes for the day¡ªa dark brown shirt and black pants, both with gold trim, and some boots. He always thought he looked odd when wearing them considering how different they were from his daily clothes back in Wilham, but he found himself growing rather used to the style the longer he was in Ijiria. Though, that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t anxious to get back home and return to his normal lifestyle.


    Then again, I¡¯ve already been here two months which, according to Ryokumo, means that four months have passed back in Omaruo. It¡¯s already August there¡­and my senior year is starting, not to mention that I missed the last handful of weeks in junior year. Even if I save everybody from the erased realm, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever be able to truly go back to normal.


    The thought made him sad and, as he walked through the silver halls of the Citadel, he once again found his thoughts shifting to everybody he lost to the erased realm. Unfortunately, Ryokumo didn¡¯t know much about what that realm was like, so Eric had no way of knowing what state Lilly and the others were currently in. All he could hope for was that they were at least safe and happy. He wished he could see them again. He desperately wanted to be back in that clubroom on the third floor of West Wilham High, planning his next magic investigation with Lilly, Damien, Liz, and Vinny. The realization that he would never be able to return to that life made him want to break down, but he forced himself to keep together. Even if their time in the clubroom was over, that didn¡¯t mean everything was lost. So, he took a deep breath and composed himself just as he came to the silver and black door of Iris Mackia¡¯s office.


    Alright, here we go.


    Psyching himself up for another lesson with the Master of Nature, Eric pulled open the door and stepped inside. He was immediately greeted by the smell of lavender that had overwhelmed him on his first visit, but was now far more tolerable. The room was full of desks, leading him to assume that it was normally used as a lecture hall or a classroom, but all of them were currently empty. The wall on the opposite side from the door was made of glass, filling the room with natural light and revealing the wooden balcony on the other side. Flower pots hung from the ceiling and vines were wrapped around the walls, with bright red roses growing on them. Overall, it was the most unique classroom he¡¯d ever been in.


    ¡°Good morning, Eric.¡±


    At the sound of the Master¡¯s voice, he turned to his left to see Iris waiting for him at the front of the room, a mischievous smile on her catlike features. She was wearing a dark green dress with flowers wrapped around her waist like a sash, and her golden hair was pulled back in a braid, giving her an elegant appearance despite the pointed ears atop her head.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± he responded as he moved through the room to take a seat at one of the desks just in front of her.


    He then reached into the bag he had brought with him to produce the notebook he¡¯d been using, as well as a pen that was magically charmed to never run out of ink. Iris watched him silently as he did, her yellow eyes almost seeming to bore into him until he opened the book and looked back at her, indicating that he was ready to start the lesson. He wasn¡¯t sure whether it would be another history lesson or if she would teach him more healing magic, but either way, he was slightly excited. Despite his circumstances, he did find Ijiria to be fascinating. He had, after all, spent much of his life dreaming of his mother¡¯s home, so he couldn¡¯t deny that he was deeply interested in studying it


    ¡°Now, before we properly begin, I do want to ask if you finished reading about the First Trovian War?¡± she inquired with a knowing grin.


    ¡°Er, well, I have, but to be honest, I was so tired that I don¡¯t remember much about it,¡± he admitted. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Iris laughed then folded her hands behind her back. ¡°No, don¡¯t worry about it. I actually had a feeling you were overworking yourself when we met last. You¡¯re putting in more work than I expected you would, and to be quite honest, I can¡¯t say I¡¯m not impressed. So, I thought I¡¯d give you one more day before we have any exam on the Trovians.¡±


    Eric exhaled in relief, having known that he wouldn¡¯t have done well had she decided to test him on it that day. Iris had told him that his performance on his history tests would determine how much magic she would be allowed to teach him, and she also hinted that the better he did, the more likely it was that Reigious might come to properly trust him. Had it come from one of the other Masters, he would have taken it with a grain of salt, but because his sense was comfortable around Iris, he found himself believing her words. If he wanted to gain the trust of the Ijirians, he needed to perform well in his studies.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he replied. ¡°I appreciate that. And I promise that I¡¯ll give the chapters another read later.¡±


    She grinned with an excited glint in her eyes. ¡°Yes, I imagine you will. Now, since we won¡¯t be discussing the Trovian Wars today, I thought instead, we could discuss something a little more¡­fun.¡±


    Eric frowned. Even though he felt he could trust her, that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t already tell that the Master of Nature was one who enjoyed a bit of mischief and teasing, so he could never tell when she was being serious or not, and it put him a bit on edge.


    ¡°Now tell me, Eric, have you ever heard of the Realm Forgers?¡± she inquired after a moment.


    He considered the question for a moment, recalling both his mother¡¯s old stories and the little Ryokumo had taught him in the weeks since his arrival. ¡°Realm Forgers? N-no¡­I don¡¯t believe I have.¡±


    ¡°Good, that¡¯ll make this all the more fun,¡± Iris chirped. ¡°In that case, we will begin there. Realm Forgers are the legendary blacksmiths who first created the realm daggers¡­a talisman I know you¡¯re familiar with.¡±


    Eric straightened his posture, suddenly intrigued by the turn of the conversation. ¡°The realm daggers?¡±


    He¡¯d never given much thought about how the realm daggers were made, but now that Iris brought the topic up, he couldn¡¯t help but feel his interest growing.


    Iris nodded, beginning to pace around as she spoke, as if she, too, were already enjoying the discussion. ¡°Yes, the realm daggers. They are one of the most valuable items in Ijiria, and that is because there are only four known daggers left in this world, three of which are in the possession of the High Council, with the final one¡¯s location currently unknown.¡±


    ¡°Unknown?¡± he parroted. ¡°Was the final one not mine?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No. Yours was originally stolen by your mother behind the backs of the Iijis. The Citadel always suspected she had it, but after her death, we were never able to properly locate it. It remained missing for quite some time, and it was only when the gem was taken to Omaruo that we learned of it. Unfortunately, the fourth one is a separate matter, and vanished around the same time as your mother¡¯s but the recent interrogations of the Children of Reiner have confirmed that she did not have it.¡±


    Eric cringed at the mention of the Children of Reiner. Ryokumo had explained what they were¡ªorphans that his mother had adopted after returning to Ijiria, who had since been almost completely wiped out after their raid on the Citadel one Ijirian year prior. Ryokumo had told him that a handful still lived, but he also stressed the likelihood that they would soon be dead as well. He didn¡¯t like thinking about them, and so, he tried to push the thought from his mind.


    ¡°But why are there only four?¡± he asked in an effort to change the subject. ¡°You brought up the Realm Forgers so¡­why haven¡¯t they crafted any new ones?¡±


    Iris flashed him a toothy smile. ¡°Good. I was hoping you¡¯d ask that question. You see, it is not the daggers that enable us to jump realms, rather it is the gemstones that make up the blade itself. They are small, bluish-green jewels that are quite rare in this world, and on the few occasions where they are found deep in the mines, it is nearly impossible to melt them down and craft them into blades without running the risk of destroying them. It¡¯s a¡­delicate process.¡±


    Eric listened intently as she explained it to him. ¡°So then¡­are there no more of these stones in existence?¡±


    ¡°No, there are still plenty, though the Citadel keeps a monopoly on them,¡± she answered. ¡°The issue with crafting new ones is that the process has been lost to time. You see, the Realm Forgers no longer exist. Many centuries ago, those with the knowledge came together and decided that life was never meant to explore the multiverse. After a series of atrocities in magicless worlds, the Realm Forgers took their blades and fled into other realms, never to be seen again. The few who remained behind soon died off, and with them, the process was lost. At the time, Ijiria only had six daggers left. Since then, two were destroyed and the third was the one we were just discussing.¡±


    Eric took the information in and found himself feeling some relief.


    So the Realm Forgers no longer exist. Does that mean¡­that if somebody were to take the three that remain and escape into another realm, Ijiria would never be able to return to Wilham?


    He stopped himself from smiling at the thought, knowing that it was far too idealistic and hopeful. He would never be able to accomplish such a feat and especially not if they were as valued as Iris said they were. As he tried to stay focused on the lesson, he asked something else that came to mind.


    ¡°So then¡­does the Realm Forger¡¯s decisions have anything to do with the law that ordered the erasure of my friends?¡± he inquired.


    Iris leaned her back up against the wall and to his surprise, her smile briefly wavered. ¡°Always asking the right questions, aren¡¯t you? Yes. The Realm Forgers weren¡¯t the only ones who noticed the danger of crossing realms. In particular, the difference in power between magical people and magicless people were incomparable. There were a couple of realms that were dominated and enslaved by magical countries. There was¡­a lot of death. In fact, one of the most appalling events in Ijirian history is known as the Kairan Genocide¡­where Ijirian forces invaded a neighboring magicless realm for their resources and in just a few years, killed almost every living being that inhabited it¡­all because they were seen as inferior beings.¡±


    Eric clenched his teeth, recalling the disgust with which Album and Nigreos spoke about his friends back in Wilham.


    I guess that mindset hasn¡¯t changed much since.


    ¡°It was because of that genocide,¡± Iris went on, ¡°that a princess at the time, Oralia Iiji, decided to rise up against her uncle and put a stop to it. Her rebellion succeeded just around the time when the Realm Forgers fled Ijiria and so, with the few daggers left in her care, Oralia decreed that magical people should never enter the realms of the magicless unless absolutely necessary. The Oralian Isolation Act was the name given to it, and once erasure magic was discovered by the Luz family near the middle of the Age of Ascension, the act was amended to include a need to erase all presence of magical influence from every nonmagical realm. It is the reason Noctis and Luz did what they did. Under no circumstances should magic ever come into contact with magicless.¡±


    Eric shook his head and scowled. ¡°Even if the magicless didn¡¯t do anything wrong?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she answered softly. ¡°Even then. It is not a flawless act, but it is tradition, and it is what King Markreas and Prince Reigious decided was best. Realm hopping is no longer as common as it used to be. However, that doesn¡¯t mean we don¡¯t get the occasional visitor from another realm. Ijirian blood was spread back in those days, especially in Kaira, where the genocide took place. Oralia abandoned them in that realm, and if I¡¯m not mistaken, many still live there to this day, though I have never been there myself. Those who come to us are often either killed on the spot or imprisoned for interrogation. You¡­are one of the first foreign visitors who was spared in quite some time.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t sure how he should feel about that, and despite hating what was done to his friends, he was surprised to learn that the reasoning behind it wasn¡¯t as evil as he had initially believed. Ijiria didn¡¯t trust themselves, and so, they tried to keep magic and nonmagic as separate as possible. After what happened to him and the club, he almost found himself agreeing with that assessment. Had they never come into contact with magic, their lives would have been far better.


    ¡°So, I am curious about something,¡± he began after a second. ¡°Why are there magicless realms in the first place? Is it known how this multiverse came to be? Like, is there some higher power or a scientific explanation or¡­?¡±


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Iris considered his question for a moment before folding her hands together and shaking her head. ¡°Nothing is truly known about the multiverse, but there are theories I can tell you about.¡±


    ¡°Yes, please,¡± he replied quickly.


    The Master of Nature paused once again, then began. ¡°To explain how the realms became so different, I must first start with the basic understanding of the multiverse¡¯s structure. Earlier, I referred to the Kairan realm as being a neighbor, and that is because there is actually a set location for each realm. Omaruo and Ijiria and Kaira, as well as two others, are considered neighbors on the hypothetical multiverse plane, and they connect at specific points called ¡®gates¡¯. No matter where you jump from, you will always appear at one of a handful of specific points. Ijiria¡¯s gate is in that room where you first appeared, Omaruo¡¯s is on a beach in your hometown, and Kaira¡¯s is in the middle of some village. It is here that the realms, for lack of a better word, overlap.¡±


    Eric nodded. ¡°Okay, I think I get that, but I¡¯m not sure I understand what this plane is supposed to look like? Is it 2D or¡­?¡±


    ¡°Nobody knows,¡± Iris answered. ¡°As it is, there is no known way to actually observe this plane. All we know is that there are set locations. Like I said, Ijiria has its neighbors, and Omaruo would have a different set than Ijiria. For example, say realm X was a neighbor to Omaruo but not Ijiria. If you wanted to get there from here, you would have to first jump to Omaruo and then jump to realm X from Omaruo. So to us, it almost seems two dimensional even though that¡¯s impossible. Therefore, we represent realm maps as 2D for simplicity¡¯s sake.¡±


    Eric exhaled softly and began writing what she was saying down on his notes. It was the first time he¡¯d ever been given any information about how the multiverse worked, and he was fascinated by what Iris was telling him.


    ¡°Now, I must ask you something else, Eric,¡± she went on. ¡°Have you noticed the fact that our world and yours share some similarities, not only in foods and traditions, but also in language? Have you wondered why we can communicate?¡±


    The boy frowned as he looked back up at her. ¡°W-well, I just figured there was some magic being used or¡­ But, are you saying you¡¯re actually speaking English?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± Iris replied. ¡°In fact, everybody who lives in this country can speak what we all call ¡®English¡¯.¡±


    ¡°B-but then, how do both realms have a shared language? Did the Ijirians bring English to Omaruo or¡­?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No, we didn¡¯t. Instead, our English language evolved from the old Engal Isles of the northern coast of Ijiria. And you? Do you know where Omaruo¡¯s language came from?¡±


    ¡°Er, yeah. It was from the people of Englo, who migrated to our main continent a few centuries ago.¡±


    ¡°Interesting, isn¡¯t it?¡± she said with a grin. ¡°The same language with the same name evolved completely separately from each other, in realms that have barely ever crossed paths. Now think about the fact that humans evolved in both realms with very similar appearances. Or that we have similar traditions, or foods that carry over. If I¡¯m not mistaken, there is pie and stew and pasta in your realm, right?¡±


    Eric nodded, realizing suddenly just how bizarre it actually was. ¡°Yeah, there is. So then, even though they evolved separately, they¡¯re still that similar?¡±


    ¡°They are,¡± she confirmed. ¡°This is called the Torral Phenomenon, first proposed soon after the discovery of realm daggers by researcher Edvik Torral. He was the first to discover that realms appear to have a set path and many aspects of the human race evolve to reach the same point, despite drastically different routes to get there.¡±


    Eric quickly wrote down the name of both the scientist and the phenomenon before turning back to face the Master. ¡°Did he have a theory about why this happened? I mean, what would cause such a thing?¡±


    ¡°There are plenty of hypotheses,¡± she answered. ¡°The most commonly accepted one was proposed by Torral himself, suggesting that each individual realm is a copy of the same planet. He believed that the multiverse started as a single universe, and was only split by what we call ¡°shifts¡±. Shifts are caused when there are two or more possible results from an event, and other universes are created as separate results.¡±


    Eric sat back and frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­get it.¡±


    ¡°Let me explain it like this,¡± Iris said, stepping forward to approach his desk, then picking his pen up and twirling it in her hand. ¡°Right now, there are two options before you. Write down notes on what I am telling you or don¡¯t. This single moment could cause a shift, creating a universe where you don¡¯t take notes and fail your exam, and one where you do take notes and pass the exam.¡±


    Eric stared at her in disbelief. ¡°W-why would something so benign create another universe?¡±


    ¡°Well, we don¡¯t know this for sure,¡± she added, placing the pen back on his desk before walking over to the window. ¡°It was only Torral¡¯s hypothesis, after all. He saw the multiverse as a collection of different timelines, where different events have taken place. Of course, just looking at the differences between Omaruo and Ijiria, you know there had to have been numerous shifts for them to be so unique. Ijiria has never observed another Ijiria, but Torral¡¯s deductions have some merit, and his base evidence is intriguing.¡±


    ¡°And what was that?¡± Eric asked.


    She glanced back at him and smiled wryly. ¡°Torral spent much of his life traveling the realms before he died, and what he learned was that each realm had the same solar system. Most of the time, the planets went by different names, but there was always one sun, one moon, two planets closer to the sun than us, one terrestrial farther, and four gas giants on the other side of an asteroid belt. In addition, each realm had the same constellations. In essence¡­¡±


    ¡°Every realm is a version of the planet Earth?¡± Eric finished, stunned by that revelation.


    Iris nodded. ¡°Exactly. Ijiria is on Earth, as is Omaruo. It was this that made him believe that what set the realms apart was not the planet, but the events that take place on the planet. There are certain things that always happened, but there were many that would decide how different that version of Earth became. Not everybody buys into the idea that every little decision each individual makes creates a new world, but there is significant evidence that some events do shape realms, and the one that we consider the most significant is called the ¡®Origin Shift¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Origin?¡± he parroted. ¡°So then the one that changed the universe into the multiverse?¡±


    ¡°Exactly that,¡± she said. ¡°And the one we believe to have been that shift was whether the world has magic or not.¡±


    Eric wrote that down, part of him having expected such a response.


    ¡°Nobody has even the slightest clue what sort of event could have caused some worlds to have magic and others not to, but if Torral is to be believed, then something must have happened in Ijiria to bring mana into lifeforms while that same event failed to transpire in Omaruo. It is that event that causes the most distinct differences between realms.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­fascinating,¡± he muttered in awe.


    She laughed. ¡°Isn¡¯t it? Some theorize that the Origin Shift took place here on Earth, others think it happened when the universe was created, and others have considered the possibility of an extraterrestrial civilization being behind it. As for me, I don¡¯t know what to think. They all seem equally insane.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± he mumbled. Then, as he processed something she had said, he raised his head and asked, ¡°you mentioned an extraterrestrial civilization? How much do the Ijirians know about space? Back in Omaruo, we¡¯ve only ever gone to the moon, and have barely gotten a chance to study most of the planets. Has magic enabled you to leave Earth?¡±


    Iris was quick to shake her head. ¡°We aren¡¯t sure. About sixty years ago, a group of scientists teamed up with that era¡¯s Master of Wind to try and use wind magic to fly a rocket to the moon. My grandmother told me it was an exciting event, and apparently, the ship succeeded in escaping the atmosphere and going to space but¡­they were never heard from again. We never found out if they made it to the moon.¡±


    ¡°Did Ijiria try again?¡± he wondered.


    ¡°They did. They sent four more ships up into space and never heard back from them again. At that point, they stopped wasting mages and put an end to the project. That was fifty years ago¡­and there hasn¡¯t been anything else since.¡±


    Eric sighed. ¡°I wonder if they made it and just didn¡¯t have a way to get back.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± Iris admitted. ¡°But unlikely. Though, if they did survive, I guess that means they¡¯re up on the moon right now. I sometimes think about that¡­of a civilization up there¡­the descendants of those first astronauts. I also like to think that there¡¯s a realm somewhere where space travel succeeded¡­that humans have reached the stars.¡±


    He was surprised to see an almost childlike glint in her eyes as she gazed out the window and up at the blue sky, as if she could see the stars despite it being just before midday. She was a Master of Ijiria, yet like Ryokumo, he found that he did like her quite a bit. There was something different about her, and even though it seemed like she tried to hide it, every once in a while, it would come out.


    ¡°But I guess we¡¯ll never know,¡± she said after a moment. ¡°I think the Realm Forgers made the right decision. I don¡¯t think we can be trusted with the power of the multiverse, but I do wish we could explore more¡ªto see other worlds and see what they¡¯ve learned. They made the right choice¡­¡± she repeated, ¡°...but if only¡­¡±


    Eric smiled, realizing how much he understood her. All he ever wanted was to know more about the world that was his mother¡¯s, and even though he had to suffer to get there and he would have gladly given it up to save Lilly and the club, he did find himself grateful that Iris told him all of this.


    ¡°I hear you,¡± he whispered. ¡°If I learned anything back in Wilham, it¡¯s that magic should never cross with nonmagic, but if only we could explore more. So many coincidences¡­ So many theories¡­with no way to prove them.¡±


    Iris turned away from the window and looked back at him, a warmer smile on her face this time. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m getting off track. Back to the Realm Forgers¡­¡±


    With that, her serious and mature persona came back, but Eric found himself glad that he got her as his teacher over any of the other Masters. She reminded him of himself, and he was sad to think that he would have to throw away what she was teaching him to save his friends.


    But I don¡¯t have a choice¡­do I?


    ***


    Once his meeting with Reigious and Piura ended, Ryokumo headed back to his quarters to await Eric¡¯s return. The events down in Erika had given him a lot to think about, and after spending a few hours alone with his thoughts, he had made his decision on what to do with Eric. Not only would bringing him into the city do him some good, but Ryokumo decided that he would reveal one piece of information to the boy¡ªone that he hoped would earn enough trust to keep Eric in check if he was allowed to accompany them into the city. As he considered everything, Ryokumo sat quietly on the couch, and it wasn¡¯t until a little after four o¡¯clock that the door opened and Eric walked in, looking rather tired.


    ¡°Hard lesson?¡± Ryokumo asked with as comforting a smile as he could manage.


    The boy shrugged. ¡°To a certain extent. It was really fascinating, but there was a lot to take in.¡±


    Eric made a b-line for the ice chest to get himself a snack and for a moment, Ryokumo simply watched him as he grabbed another tillyberry.


    ¡°Earlier, you asked me what my motivation in helping you was,¡± he began, drawing the boy¡¯s attention. ¡°And you¡¯re right in that I¡¯m not being forthcoming enough. If I want you to trust me then I need to earn it so¡­I¡¯m willing to tell you why I¡¯m helping you.¡±


    Eric seemed surprised, but that expression was soon replaced by intrigue. ¡°Alright then.¡±


    Ryokumo took a deep breath, gathered his thoughts, then went on. ¡°For the last three years, I¡¯ve had my suspicions that there were gaps in my memories. There were details that didn¡¯t add up, and feelings that I couldn¡¯t quite place. I¡¯ve suspected Album of erasing somebody for quite a while, but due to recent events, I now know as a fact that there is somebody¡ªsomebody important to me that I can no longer recall.¡±


    The boy frowned. ¡°Album erased somebody? But¡­why would she do that? I wouldn¡¯t think she¡¯d erase anybody close to a fellow Master.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what worries me,¡± he replied. ¡°Because she¡¯s erased, I can¡¯t begin to guess the circumstances that led to her erasure. Album¡¯s denied it when I¡¯ve confronted her, but I know she¡¯s behind this. So¡­I¡¯ve decided that I want to free this woman and learn the truth about her. In order to do that, I must destroy Album¡¯s erased realm. Talking her into giving the woman back is impossible so my only option is force¡­and if I destroy her erased realm, then everybody she¡¯s ever erased will return¡­including your friends.¡±


    Eric exhaled sharply, understanding dawning on his youthful features. ¡°So that¡¯s why¡­? But¡­why didn¡¯t you just tell me that before?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple,¡± he answered. ¡°In this Citadel, information is power and I wasn¡¯t sure whether I could trust you with information as critical as that¡­but if I seek your help, then I have no choice but to prove to you that I do trust you. So there you have it. We both want Album¡¯s realm destroyed¡­¡±


    Eric stood silently for a moment, his brow furrowed as he processed Ryokumo¡¯s response. ¡°Thank you,¡± he finally said. ¡°That makes sense¡­ In that case, I¡¯ll trust you. After all, without you, there¡¯s very little I could accomplish anyway.¡±


    Of that¡­I¡¯m not so certain¡­ Give yourself credit, boy¡­


    Though he didn¡¯t say that out loud. Instead, he simply nodded, then got to his feet. ¡°Now, I¡¯ve got some business to attend to and I imagine you have to study, so I¡¯ll leave you be,¡± he said, then departed the room, heading down the hall and toward his bedroom.


    The Master of Wind felt a sense of relief at finally getting that off his chest as he closed the door behind him and crossed the room to his desk.


    Now I just need to figure something out. There might be a way to destroy the erased realm¡­one separate from what I¡¯ve already discussed with Eric, but before I even begin dealing with that, there¡¯s something else I need to determine¡­


    He reached for the desk drawer and pulled it open, then reached for the spellbook laying within. Ryokumo flipped it open to a specific page then sat down in his chair, scanning the contents of the book.


    This¡­is what could make or break me. If I can succeed here, it could change the way I approach this plan. I know it¡¯s crazy¡­ I know what could happen to me if I overdo it¡­but I don¡¯t have a choice.


    Ryokumo exhaled softly, read the word scribbled on the small slip of paper, then spoke the single incantation.


    ¡°Aniextiam.¡±

 Chapter 12- Back To The Diner

    Chapter XII


    Setting aside her irritation with Rista, Lilly could still admit that the information they gained from his experiment on Natalie was very useful. Rista¡¯s memory returning spell worked, but only to an extent, and that was the reason that they failed to return Vinny to his normal self. With that in mind, Lilly had a feeling that bringing Damien and Liz back wouldn¡¯t work either, but that didn¡¯t necessarily mean they couldn¡¯t bring some of the others back. It all simply depended on how many memories Rista could restore. Setting aside the members of the Magic Club, the other erased victims were Alice, Jay, Brad, and Evan. All four of them had known of Eric for all of their high school life, but it was only during their junior year that he started having a significant effect on them. They were all relatively balanced, so if Rista wasn¡¯t able to return one, it was unlikely he could bring the others back. That was what she wanted to test and she preferred to get her answer as quickly as possible.


    The only issue is, which one of them do we start with? she thought to herself as she sat at one of the courtyard tables, her hands folded and her foot impatiently tapping against the grass. Evan obviously wouldn¡¯t do me any good, so that only leaves Jay, Alice, and Brad.


    She knew the answer should have been easy. She and Brad were very close, but Jay and Alice were her first friends in Wilham, and they had been through quite a lot together. She should have immediately gone to one of them and tried to return their memories and yet, every time she thought about them, she felt a pang of guilt in her chest. She had watched them over the course of the previous day and it only proved to her just how happy they were in the erased realm. In the real world, Audrey Moore and Rina Davens were dead, but here, they were alive and well. That group of four was never shattered and they lived together happily. To add onto that, Alice had both of her legs, and Jay never tried to kill himself. It was an ideal reality for them, and by returning their memories, she was not only robbing them of that happiness, but also revealing that she would be permanently destroying it. If the erased realm fell, so would their paradise.


    Maybe it would be better if they remain blissfully ignorant until it¡¯s over¡­


    But even as she thought it, she knew she was being selfish. Just the memories of how broken Alice became in the real world¡ªhow much she longed for the paradise of the erased world and how she welcomed her erasure when Album finished her off were enough to convince Lilly that something had to be done. If she wanted any hope of giving Alice and Jay a happy life on the other side, then her only chance was here in this realm where they still had an opportunity to find closure.


    And yet¡­I can¡¯t bring myself to do it¡­ Not yet, at least.


    That was why, when she looked up to see Brad Fischer and the fake Steven McCormick walk through the gates of the school, she took a deep breath and stood up.


    ¡°Fischer it is then?¡± Rista whispered from behind her, distorted as always.


    ¡°Yup,¡± she confirmed, then hurriedly began walking across the courtyard and in the boy¡¯s direction. ¡°Hey, Brad! Can I talk to you real quick?¡±


    Brad stopped mid-conversation and turned his attention toward her, a curious look on his face. She knew that, despite having never become her friend in this world, he was still a nice person at heart. Interacting with the Magic Club hadn¡¯t turned him into a good person. Instead, it simply brought that person out of his shell, so the Brad Fischer she knew should still be somewhere inside of him. If she was polite about it, he would probably hear her out.


    ¡°Uh, Harper?¡± he asked with a cocked eyebrow. ¡°W-what about?¡±


    McCormick was glancing between the two of them and, with a sudden wry smile, he patted his friend on the back and laughed. ¡°Good luck, man.¡±


    The red-headed boy then headed off on his own, chuckling as he left a glaring Brad behind him, and while Lilly didn¡¯t appreciate the implications of McCormick¡¯s words, she was nevertheless grateful that he left them alone since it made her plan that much easier.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she assured him. ¡°I¡¯ll be quick. I just wanted to talk to you about something¡­well, private, if that¡¯s okay with you?¡±


    Brad narrowed his eyes, as if trying to tell if she were being serious or not. However, he must not have found anything to be suspicious of since he eventually shrugged and nodded.


    ¡°Alright sure,¡± he said. ¡°You want to talk here or¡­?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I prefer to talk alone,¡± she replied, deciding to play off of McCormick¡¯s implications and act like she might be asking him out. Even though she knew he¡¯d never go out with her, she knew Brad well enough to know that he wouldn¡¯t just turn her down in front of a bunch of people. He would, at the very least, do her the respect of talking in private.


    His cheeks had turned a soft red hue, so he cleared his throat and tried to play off his embarrassment. ¡°S-sure. Lead the way, I guess.¡±


    Hook, line, and sinker. Now I just have to hope that Rista¡¯s spell works on him. If I can get Brad back then¡­well, it¡¯ll be nice to have somebody else to talk to.


    She took him around the side of the building and to a more secluded part of the courtyard. There were fewer students in this part of the school, with only a handful sitting at the nearby tables. It was few enough, however, that Lilly was comfortable trying the spell, so they stopped in front of a water fountain before turning to face one another.


    ¡°Alright, Harper, what did you want to talk about?¡± Brad inquired.


    Lilly glanced over her shoulder, ensured that the nearby students were too engulfed in their own morning conversations to be paying them attention, then exhaled softly.


    ¡°Go ahead, Rista,¡± she said.


    Brad frowned. ¡°Huh? What does that¡ª?!¡±


    Before Brad could finish his sentence, Rista¡¯s hand emerged from the distortion bubble and grabbed him by the head. It was followed by the familiar flash of blue light as Brad lurched forward, his hands going to his temples while he grit his teeth in pain. On the chance the spell failed, Rista was quick to return to his bubble as Lilly stood in place, her muscles tensed up in anticipation.


    Please work¡­ Please let it work¡­


    Brad slowly raised his head to look at her, still wincing from the pain, though it seemed to be gradually easing up. Based on Vinny and Natalie¡¯s reactions to the spell, she knew it shouldn¡¯t last long and, after another few seconds, he shook his head and spoke.


    ¡°Lilly? The hell¡¯s going on?¡±


    Lilly? He called me by my first name? Then that means¡­?


    ¡°Do you¡­remember who I am?¡± she asked cautiously.


    The big boy blinked a few times then scanned the courtyard, as if trying to get his bearings. ¡°Yeah. Of course I remember you. You¡¯re Lilly Harper. What kind of question is that? How could I ever forget you?¡±


    Thank god! It worked! Brad¡¯s back!


    Overwhelmed by the sudden joy, Lilly leaned forward and threw her arms around him, clutching her surprised friend in relief.


    ¡°Uh, Lilly? Are you okay?¡± he stammered.


    She smiled, feeling tears coming to her eyes that she quickly forced back down. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just¡­glad to see you again. It¡¯s been a long time, Brad.¡±


    ¡°A¡­long time? What do you¡­?¡± He then exhaled sharply, and she could hear the realization dawning on him. ¡°Wait, what happened?! Are Evan and Rina okay?! We were in the forest and those guys¡­those people you warned us about¡ªthey were there! They attacked us and¡­and I don¡¯t remember what happened after that¡­¡±


    She remained hugging him as he stuttered through his sentences, knowing that she would once again have to explain everything. Yet, when he asked about Rina, she felt her stomach churn. She was the only one of Nigreos and Album¡¯s victims that wouldn¡¯t be in that realm and that was because she had been killed in her attempt to save Alice. That wouldn¡¯t be an easy thing to reveal to him.


    ¡°Lilly, please,¡± he muttered. ¡°What¡¯s happened? I¡­I know it¡¯s September, but I can¡¯t remember what happened in the forest that day. In fact, I don¡¯t remember anything about how we dealt with those mages. Did we win¡­or¡­?¡±


    Finally, she released him from her hug and looked him straight in the eyes. She could see the panic within them, and knew she would have to explain, but with class starting in a few minutes, she knew it would have to wait.


    ¡°Listen to me, Brad,¡± she began. ¡°There¡¯s a lot I need to tell you, but can you please do me a favor and go through the school day like normal. Don¡¯t say anything to anyone about Nigreos and Album, not even Evan or anybody else from the club. If you do that, you¡¯ll start to understand what''s going on. I¡¯ll explain everything else at lunch, okay? I swear.¡±


    He frowned, his lips drawn taught in concern. Yet, despite that, he still sighed and nodded. ¡°O-okay then. As long as you promise to tell me what¡¯s happened. But¡­just answer this one question: is everybody okay?¡±


    She flinched away from the question. ¡°A-almost everybody. Evan and the club are alive and safe¡­but¡­¡± She wasn¡¯t sure whether to tell him about Rina or wait until later, but luckily she was saved by the ringing of the school bell. ¡°I¡¯ll explain at lunch. But¡­it¡¯s good to have you back.¡±


    The fear lingered within him, but he still managed to respond with a soft grin. ¡°Er, yeah. I¡¯m happy to see you again. I just¡­need to process a few things. I guess¡­we¡¯ll talk at lunch. See you later.¡±


    Once Brad had departed for his first period, Lilly remained in place for a moment and spoke quiet enough that only Rista would hear. ¡°It worked,¡± she stated. ¡°Which means¡­we could probably bring Alice, Jay, and Evan back if we wanted to.¡±


    ¡°And do you?¡± he muttered back.


    She bit her lip in thought then shook her head. ¡°Ask me again tomorrow. For now, I need to focus on explaining the situation to Brad and dealing with my date with Vinny later.¡±


    ¡°Your date?¡± Rista parroted. ¡°You¡¯re actually gonna go on that? But why? I can¡¯t bring Mickelson¡¯s memories back so you might as well save yourself the time. That guy doesn''t seem like he¡¯d be a fun person to have dinner with.¡±


    But Lilly shook her head once again. ¡°Just because we can¡¯t put his memories back doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t try and get through to him another way. The Vinny Mickelson I knew was nothing like that¡­ He¡¯s miserable here, Rista, and I want to help him. I owe a lot to the Magic Club¡­so I need to do whatever I can to save them.¡±


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°So what then?¡± he demanded. ¡°What¡¯s your plan, Harper?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll use this date to get my bearings, and then if I have to, I¡¯ll do whatever I can to help him¡­¡± She grinned. ¡°...even if I have to try and jog his memory without magic.¡±


    ***


    When the end of the school day arrived, Lilly once again skipped cross country practice and headed straight for the front gates. The plan was to meet Vinny at the diner and, since she didn¡¯t want to keep him waiting for fear that he might leave, she walked as fast as she could away from West Wilham High and toward Main Street. She was careful to avoid any of the cross country members so that she wouldn¡¯t have to try and explain why she kept missing practice, and figured she could just come up with some bullshit excuse another time. After all, she kept reminding herself, the world was fake and thus, she wasn¡¯t obligated to go to practice.


    Though, since I stopped going right after Matt asked me out, I totally look like I¡¯m avoiding him. Lilly sighed. Ah, stop thinking about that. Matt isn¡¯t real either! I¡¯ve got more important issues to deal with.


    After making her way down Main Street, she arrived at a crosswalk that would take her to a familiar diner on the other side. As she waited for the light to turn green, she looked over at the building, feeling a wave of sadness wash over her. She wasn¡¯t sure why she picked Ralph¡¯s of all places considering what happened to it in the real world.


    Though, maybe it¡¯s because of what happened in the real world that caused me to choose this place.


    She¡¯d never actually been to the diner for a meal. Her only visit before the attack was on the day Jay stole the stone from her and accidentally used it to swap bodies with Alice. Even during her time with the club, she¡¯d never been hugely into going out after school, so when one of the others invited her out to dinner, there were plenty of occasions when she turned them down.


    And because of that, I never got to come try this place out. Jay, Alice, and Vinny all tried to convince me to go and I just didn¡¯t¡­


    Lilly pushed the thoughts aside when the light turned green, and as she crossed the street, she tapped into that innate sense to see if she could feel Rista¡¯s presence anywhere, but she still couldn¡¯t find him. Since they now knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to return Vinny¡¯s memories, he hadn¡¯t seemed terribly keen on accompanying her, so she wasn¡¯t all that surprised that he wasn¡¯t there.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I need to look into,¡± he¡¯d told her. ¡°If I get done with it fast enough then I¡¯ll join you. Otherwise¡­¡±


    I guess he didn¡¯t finish in time. Oh well, it¡¯s not like I need his help for this anyway. He might be pretty different, but this is still Vinny. I can handle it on my own.


    Before heading inside the diner, she stopped just outside the door and pulled her phone from her skirt pocket, checking to see if she¡¯d received any texts from Brad, but unfortunately, he hadn¡¯t responded yet. During their interaction at lunch, she had told him everything about what happened after his erasure and about the erased realm they were currently trapped inside. By the time she was done, Brad seemed so overwhelmed that she decided it would be best to give him some space to take everything in, but before they parted ways for fifth period, he had said one thing:


    ¡°Thanks for telling me all this, Lilly. It¡¯s a lot to think about, but if you say you can bring everybody¡¯s memories back and get us out of here then I¡¯ll do everything I can to help you. Just¡­give me some time to process it.¡±


    I¡¯m glad he¡¯s still willing to work with me after everything I dragged him into, she thought as she pulled the diner¡¯s front door open. Both he and Natalie¡­ Neither of them are blaming me, even though they really should. I have to do everything I can for them. I have to save them.


    ¡°Good afternoon! Welcome to Ralph¡¯s Diner!¡± greeted the rather enthusiastic hostess. ¡°Table for one?¡±


    Lilly shook her head then glanced around the almost completely empty diner, only to quickly find Vinny sitting off to the left, up against the window. He looked over at her and made eye contact, though he didn¡¯t wave or even smile. Instead, he just seemed surprised, as if he really hadn¡¯t expected her to show up.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m meeting somebody and he¡¯s right over there,¡± Lilly replied as she turned back. ¡°I just need a menu, is all.¡±


    The young woman smiled. ¡°Perfect. Let me just get that for you.¡±


    As the hostess leaned down to grab a menu from behind the podium, Lilly¡¯s eyes wandered to her nametag and upon reading her name, she found herself wondering where she had heard it before. Her initial assumption was that the hostess must have been present the one time she was here, but just as she was about to brush the strange familiarity off, she was suddenly hit by the realization of where she¡¯d heard the name.


    Monica¡­


    Her thoughts flashed back to her conversation with Alice in Eric¡¯s house a few months back, and the anger and pain that Alice spoke with.


    ¡°I still hate them. Those people didn¡¯t need to die¡­¡± Alice had said. ¡°Rina didn''t need to die. But none of that matters anymore because Rina and Monica and everybody else they killed will be there.¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s your menu, Ma¡¯am,¡± Monica said cheerfully as she handed it over.


    Lilly took it, softly thanked her, then turned to walk toward where Vinny was sitting, all the while trying to shove aside the nausea that was now assaulting her.


    That girl¡­was one of the victims of the diner attack. Alice talked about her a few times¡­saying that she was dead but that she would be here in paradise. Monica¡­ The girl behind me is a fake, just like everybody else here, but unlike the others, she won¡¯t be there in the real world.


    Album truly had made this place a paradise for Alice, and the reason was almost certainly to force her to reveal her secrets. It was all pure manipulation. Audrey, Rina, and Monica weren¡¯t put there to make Alice happy, but to make her cast off the real world in favor of a fake one. It was evil, and yet, despite being evil, Alice and Jay were happy.


    God damn it¡­ I can¡¯t afford to get distracted by this! I need to focus on Vinny right now! I¡¯ll deal with Jay and Alice another time!


    ¡°You okay, Harper?¡± Vinny grunted as she slid into the seat opposite him. ¡°You look sick.¡±


    Lilly did her best to keep her feelings buried inside of her as she looked up at him. ¡°No, don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m fine.¡± Then, wanting to push the conversation away from herself, she asked, ¡°By the way, how¡¯d you get here so fast? I left immediately after school.¡±


    Vinny shrugged as he fiddled with the straw poking out of what looked like a glass of soda. ¡°I didn¡¯t feel like going to fifth and sixth so I didn¡¯t. I just wandered around Main Street until it was time to meet up.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay¡­¡±


    So this world¡¯s Vinny skips class all the time. God, he really is a mess without Eric around. I mean, I know Vinny said that joining the club changed him for the better, but I never realized just how important Eric¡¯s influence was until I came here.


    With neither knowing how to approach the conversation, they wound up sitting in silence until one of the waiters came to take their order. Since Lilly arrived slightly late, she also ordered a glass of water alongside the relatively small serving of pancakes she decided to get.


    ¡°So, uh¡­¡± Lilly began awkwardly, knowing she needed to try and get a conversation going. ¡°How¡¯s¡­classes been?¡±


    Yeah, great question, you idiot¡­


    Vinny glanced across the table at her and scoffed. ¡°Terrible. If you know anything about me then you should know I¡¯m not really a studying type of guy. All I want to do is power through one more year of high school so I can be done.¡±


    ¡°R-right¡­ Yeah, silly question¡­¡±


    God damn, I thought interacting with him wouldn¡¯t be that hard, but he¡¯s just so different. The Vinny I know would have been smiling the whole time and probably would have made one too many stupid jokes by this point! She clenched her fists under the table. Should I just come out and tell him that this realm isn¡¯t real? Or should I be more careful. I told Rista I only wanted to test the waters, but¡­


    ¡°Hey, Harper,¡± Vinny began softly.


    She sat up straighter, trying to appear as calm and casual as possible. ¡°Uh, yeah?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to ask you something,¡± he went on. ¡°I just¡­want to know what happened to you?¡±


    ¡°W-what happened to me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Just last week, you only ever sat quietly by yourself in some random corner of class. You always seemed bored out of your mind and from what I can tell, you don¡¯t really go out. But yesterday¡­there was just a different air about you¡­like something changed, and I was just wondering what that was.¡±


    For a moment, she wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. After all, the only way she could really answer that question was by explaining the erased realm to him, and she still wasn¡¯t sure she wanted to do that. However, just as she was considering some lie she could give him, she realized that there was actually a way to answer that question truthfully.


    ¡°Well, there was this really good friend of mine that talked some sense into me,¡± she explained with a nostalgic smile. ¡°He got me to break out of my shell and be more open to people¡ªto not close myself off like I always did. He¡¯s a bit weird but he¡¯s a great person once you get to know him¡­ He¡¯s somebody who always does whatever he can to help both his friends and people he hardly even knows¡­¡± She chuckled at the memories that began pouring into her mind. ¡°Maybe you know him? His name is Eric Reiner?¡±


    She stared directly into Vinny¡¯s eyes as she said Eric¡¯s name and didn¡¯t miss the brief moment of recognition within them, though it faded fast enough that she knew something as simple as a name wouldn¡¯t be enough to break the spell of the erased realm.


    ¡°Uh, never heard of him,¡± Vinny grumbled. ¡°But he sounds like a great guy so¡­why are you sitting in a diner with me instead of him. He seems like a far better match for you to ask out on a date.¡±


    Well, you¡¯re right about that one, Vin¡¯, she mused internally.


    ¡°He¡¯s not around right now,¡± she said instead. ¡°He¡¯s off somewhere else¡­somewhere far away, though I think I¡¯ll see him again someday soon. After all, he was the leader of a group called the Magic Club, so I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll use some of his magic to get back to us.¡±


    Vinny cocked an eyebrow in confusion, as if internally questioning whether he heard her correctly. ¡°Magic¡­Club¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yup. It¡¯s short for ¡®Magical and Other Anomalies Investigation Team¡¯,¡± she replied proudly as she puffed out her chest. ¡°It¡¯s a pretty well known group. I¡¯m surprised you¡¯ve never heard of it.¡±


    The blonde boy snorted then eyed her with a suspicious stare. ¡°Are you high right now, Harper?¡±


    Lilly rolled her eyes. ¡°No, I¡¯m not high, Vinny! Nor am I kidding around here!¡± She put her hand to her forehead and sighed. ¡°Look, I know this must all seem weird. I know it all sounds like gibberish to you, and that my recent shift in personality is odd, but I want you to know that I do care about you and I want to help you.¡±


    ¡°Help me?¡± he parroted. ¡°How so? I don¡¯t need help with anything. I¡¯m perfectly content as I am.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°Maybe, maybe not! But regardless, I am going to help you the way you helped me! You might not know what the hell I mean by that, but it¡¯s how I feel and I¡¯m sticking with it! Look me in the eyes, Vinny Mickelson!¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help but grin at his utterly baffled expression, and when he didn¡¯t interrupt her, she finished her declaration.


    ¡° I will do what I can to help you¡­because you are and will always be one of my closest friends!¡±


    ***


    After Lilly¡¯s strange outburst at the diner, Vinny found the rest of their so-called date to be ridiculously awkward. He was starting to find it more likely that something had caused her to snap and she¡¯d simply lost her mind. While he spent the rest of their meal in silence, Lilly just talked about random topics that came to mind, her tone casual and friendly, as if they were old friends, and Vinny couldn¡¯t deny that there was something strangely familiar about it all. It almost felt like it wasn¡¯t their first time interacting like that even though he knew as a fact that it was. Even hours later, as he lay on his bed staring at his ceiling, Vinny couldn¡¯t fully understand the nature of that date. In fact, it hardly seemed like a date at all.


    So what was the point of all that? There was some other reason she invited me out and I¡¯m pretty damn confident that it doesn''t have to do with anything romantic. But¡­I don¡¯t think she¡¯s pranking me. Hell, she doesn¡¯t even seem put off by me like so many other people are. But why? Why me of all people? Why would somebody like her ever give a damn about me, and what was the real reason she invited me out?


    Vinny narrowed his eyes as he recalled her parting words after they left Ralph¡¯s.


    ¡°Tomorrow afternoon, after school, could you drop by Mr. Lowe¡¯s classroom? There¡¯s something really important I need to show you.¡±


    Mr. Lowe¡¯s classroom? Why does it seem like Harper has some connection to that room? First there was that strange incident on the first day, and now she wants me to meet her there? And for fucking what?! I can¡¯t follow anything she¡¯s saying, and especially not after that weird-ass rant of hers! Vinny rolled over on his side and grimaced. She wants to help me¡­because I helped her? Because I¡¯m one of her closest friends? Since when? I barely know the girl!


    He sighed, knowing that the only way he would have even a chance of solving the mystery that was Lilly Harper would be to go to Mr. Lowe¡¯s classroom the following afternoon. He knew that if he didn¡¯t, it would bother him for the rest of his life. And just as he was about to turn his light off and go to bed, he recalled one other odd thing she spoke of¡ªsomething that caused very familiar emotions to rise up inside of him.


    That¡¯s right¡­ Maybe if I go, I¡¯ll also get more information on who that Eric Reiner guy is¡­and maybe I¡¯ll be able to figure out why that single name hit me so hard.

 Chapter 13- Down In The City

    Chapter XIII


    The gardens at the base of the Citadel were full of color, a welcome contrast to the constant silver and white of the tower¡¯s interior. It was late spring in Ijiria so almost all of the flowers were in bloom, and many of them reminded Eric of the types of plants he could find back in Wilham. Yet, there were a few that seemed quite exotic, and he couldn¡¯t help but linger on those the longest. One particular bush had a collection of pitch black roses with thorny stems that wrapped around each other in tangles, bringing each individual flower so close to the others that they appeared like one larger rose. Part of him wished he had more time to admire the garden, but this wasn¡¯t their destination, so he instead followed the stone path silently until he and his three companions reached the southern gates of the Citadel. The walls were so tall that, from the base, he couldn¡¯t see the top, and he guessed that it had to be hundreds of meters tall. The gates themselves paled in comparison, reaching only twenty or so feet. At the moment, they were wide open, though there were about a dozen guards in gold and green armor gathered around, probably there to make sure that any trouble caused would be quickly dealt with.


    ¡°Why are the gates open?¡± he whispered to Ryokumo, who was walking right beside him, garbed not in his typical flowery gown, but in a black and gold tunic and pants, with a small dagger sheathed at his hip. ¡°Is the Citadel open to the public or¡­?¡±


    The Master of Wind shook his head. ¡°Not the tower itself, but the gardens serve as a park for anybody to pay a visit. In fact, for the right price, it¡¯s even been rented by some of the richer denizens of the city for celebrations. Come the season of the Holy Night, its uncommon for it to not be rented out.¡±


    Eric raised his eyebrows in surprise, having believed the entire premises to be locked off and heavily guarded, especially due to the recent attacks on the tower by the Children of Reiner.


    Though then again, they¡¯d have to be crazy to come anywhere near the Citadel with how much effort is being put into capturing them. Perhaps they still leave the gardens open in the hopes that they¡¯ll try to sneak back in.


    He internally cringed, once again trying to prevent himself from allowing his thoughts to linger on his mother¡¯s adopted children. After all, there wasn¡¯t a single one left alive that wasn¡¯t considered a highly wanted criminal. A few of them even remained in Erika and it was because of those individuals that he now found himself walking through the Citadel¡¯s gates and into the capital city of Ijiria for the first time. Just that morning, Ryokumo had requested that he accompany him down into the city in the hopes of learning more about what the


    Children were up to. According to the Master of Wind, Arisa Kirisan and her group attacked and looted a wagon carrying supplies for the blacksmith¡¯s guild and Prince Reigious hoped to use the attack to finally capture them.


    ¡°Master Cartus and I have been ordered to go speak to the head of the blacksmith¡¯s guild in a few hours and, since I know you¡¯ve been stuck inside for two months now, I thought it was a prime opportunity for you to finally see the city, and I was luckily able to convince the prince to authorize it.¡±


    Part of Eric wished he could have just remained behind, but the other part did want to get out of the tower into the city and see what his mother¡¯s home was like. He didn¡¯t want any part in the hunt for the Children of Reiner, but at the same time, he knew that if he at least appeared like he was aiding the Citadel then it might help him to truly gain the trust of both the Masters and the royals.


    Eric glanced up at the two mages walking just ahead of them¡ªMaster of Rock, Sinna Cartus, and her apprentice, Alucian Carrowey. He¡¯d only ever met Sinna once and that was on the day he dueled Prince Reigious, but this was his first time meeting her apprentice. Alucian looked no older than him, with short, jet black hair and violet eyes. His shoulders and chest were broad, and his muscled arms were visible due to the sleeveless jerkin he wore in a similar style to Sinna. The boy hadn¡¯t spoken much since they met up on the Citadel¡¯s ground floor, but Eric didn¡¯t miss the few suspicious glances sent his way.


    I suppose it isn¡¯t surprising that he would be distrusting of me. Ryokumo said that Sinna doesn¡¯t like me so it¡¯s only natural that her apprentice would be weary. Though, maybe this would be an ideal chance to get on their good side.


    That was his hope, anyway, but with his sense so on edge in their presence, part of him felt it might be better to avoid them altogether and just rely on Ryokumo to interact with them. In the end, he chose to keep quiet as they emerged on the other side of the wall, giving him his first real look at the capital city of Erika.


    To his surprise, it wasn¡¯t the traditional fantasy city he had envisioned during the many stories his mother had told him. Instead, it seemed more like a hybrid between what he¡¯d imagined and the modern cities of Omaruo that he was used to. The district surrounding the southern gates of the Citadel were residential, though the two to three story mansions were almost certainly owned by the rich and powerful. When he asked Ryokumo about it, he told him that they were predominantly owned by successful merchants, nobility, or denizens of the Citadel that wanted a place in the city where they could relax and be apart from their work. He even told him that two of the Masters, Nakoma Taurus and Nyx Rana, owned property in that district.


    ¡°And what about you?¡± Eric asked softly. ¡°Why don¡¯t you have a place down here?¡±


    Ryokumo shrugged, glancing around at the high-end mansions on both sides of the street. ¡°I suppose I have no reason to. While the Citadel might not be the most comfortable place, it is still my home and I have lived there for quite some time. Though, perhaps someday¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t finish the thought and a slightly sad look overcame him as he turned his attention away from the buildings. Eric left it at that, deciding instead to focus on taking in the sights as they finally emerged from the upscale neighborhoods and came to Erika¡¯s most famous attraction just under the Citadel itself: Market Street. It was a sharp contrast from the quiet neighborhoods, with shoppers crowded together on the road and on both sidewalks as they went about their business. The market was a mix of portable stalls and large stone shops and as Eric scanned his surroundings, he found a variety of products being sold from people of all different appearances. He didn¡¯t know what most of the products were, and instead found himself surveying the shopkeepers and their customers.


    While there were plenty of individuals that looked like normal human beings, there were a good handful of people that appeared far different from what he was used to. Off to his left, just behind one of the stalls, was a small green man with dark brown eyes and pointed ears, who couldn¡¯t be taller than two or three feet, and Eric guessed he must have been perched on a stool. The man appeared even smaller due to the presence of the massive, eight-foot tall troll-looking creature just beside him, burly arms folded across his broad chest, leading the boy to wonder if he was some sort of bodyguard. His skin was gray and his face was covered by his black beard and a mane of long hair. Though, his red eyes were still visible, and when he turned and looked over at Eric, the boy quickly averted his gaze, not wanting to risk offending the creature.


    I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever get used to being in Ijiria. Every time I think nothing can surprise me anymore, I¡¯m shown just how wrong I am.


    Instead, he turned his attention to the smell of the market. There were both familiar and foreign scents in the air, causing Eric¡¯s stomach to grumble and reminding him that he had forgotten to eat breakfast before leaving. Had Sinna and Alucian not been there, he might have asked Ryokumo if they could stop to eat, but unfortunately, they had more important business to attend to.


    After a few more minutes of pushing their way through the market, Sinna brought them to the doorstep of a two-story stone building and, based on the anvil-shaped sign hanging beside the door, Eric knew they had arrived. The Master of Rock didn¡¯t bother to knock as she grabbed the door handle and swung it open before stalking inside with Alucian following obediently at her heels. Ryokumo gave Eric an encouraging pat on the back, then the two of them followed suit.


    They entered into a small tavern which, due to the early hour, was relatively empty, save for one older man sitting in the back corner, quietly eating his breakfast, never once even sparing them a glance. Eric¡¯s stomach only grumbled more at the smell of cooked meat and eggs, but he once again forced himself not to think about it.


    ¡°Good afternoon. How may I help you?¡±


    A short, stout woman wearing a white apron and with her hair tied up in a bun appeared through a doorway in the back of the tavern, a warm smile on her face as she glanced between them.


    ¡°Good afternoon,¡± Sinna replied curtly. ¡°We¡¯re here to speak to Guild Master Varr. Is he here?¡±


    The woman hesitated, then glanced at them all again, as if trying to determine who they were. ¡°Er, well, he is, but he is quite busy at the moment. D-do you have an appointment or¡­?¡±


    The Master of Rock snorted as she reached into the pocket of her jerkin. ¡°I don¡¯t need a damn appointment.¡±


    She then produced a small silver coin with a snowy mountain peak engraved upon it¡ªthe symbol of rock magic. The woman¡¯s eyes went wide and she appeared to immediately tense up as she beheld the item that identified Sinna as a Master. Ryokumo followed her lead, producing his own coin from his tunic and displaying it for the woman to see.


    ¡°I am Sinna Cartus, Master of Rock, and this is Ryokumo Caeli, the Master of Wind,¡± Sinna snapped. ¡°We wish to speak to Gillian Varr so if you would be so kind as to take us to him, we would be grateful.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, of course, Master,¡± the woman stuttered, backing away and clearly intimidated. ¡°Right this way, please.¡±


    Nearly tripping over her feet, the barkeep turned and ushered for them to follow her into a hallway in the back left corner of the tavern. This time, Sinna and Ryokumo took the lead, leaving Alucian to fall back and walk beside Eric, though neither of the two boys made eye contact with one another. They were led up a staircase in the back of the building and into another corridor. Banners lined the wall with the anvil and hammer that was the guild¡¯s emblem. Between the banners were weapons of all different types, ranging from swords and axes to bows and spears, all displayed on shelves, their metal glittering in the sunlight that filtered through the windows. They stopped at the door at the end of the corridor and the barkeep hurriedly knocked.


    ¡°What is it? I thought I told you not to bother me?¡± came a gruff call from within.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Master Varr, but¡­well, two Masters from the Citadel have come to speak with you,¡± she called back.


    There wasn¡¯t an immediate response, though Eric thought he heard some movement inside, and he figured the guild master was rushing to make himself presentable. From the sound of it, he had been on a break.


    ¡°Uh, yes! Send them in,¡± he finally replied.


    The woman opened the door then stepped aside as the four of them went through, giving Eric his first look at the blacksmith¡¯s guild master. The first thing that caught Eric¡¯s eye was the large burn mark down the side of his face, as well as the eyepatch he wore over the same side. He couldn¡¯t be any older than forty or fifty, with a clean shaven face and an amber eye. The man was well dressed in a fancy suit that reminded Eric of Nigreos and Album¡¯s typical attire, making it clear that he was quite wealthy. As the door shut behind them, he gave a bow and smiled broadly, though it was obvious to the boy that he was forcing it.


    ¡°My Masters,¡± he greeted. ¡°I am Gillian Varr, Master of the Blacksmith¡¯s Guild. To what do I owe the pleasure?¡±


    Ryokumo chuckled softly and eyed the man wryly. ¡°Oh, I think you know why we are here, Master Varr. After all, from what I¡¯ve heard, your guild has had a recent¡­problem with a handful of Children of Reiner, has it not?¡±


    Gillian¡¯s face twitched and his smile became even more strained. ¡°Y-yes, well, we are dealing with that issue and I promise you it will not happen again. The Children caught us by surprise and it is clear that we need to increase our security to prevent any other incidents and I promise¡ª¡±


    ¡°I do not care for your promises,¡± Sinna growled sharply. ¡°And I¡¯d really rather not be here longer than necessary, so all we wish to do is ask you a few questions regarding that particular shipment and then we can be on our way. From what I¡¯ve been told, you haven¡¯t been terribly cooperative with the soldiers we¡¯ve already sent so I would warn you to do as we say if you don¡¯t want things to get out of hand.¡±


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Gillian cleared his throat nervously and glanced away from Sinna¡¯s piercing glare. ¡°W-well, you see, Master¡­?¡±


    ¡°Cartus,¡± she said.


    ¡°Y-yes, Master Cartus,¡± he muttered. ¡°You see, the records of the blacksmiths guild are quite confidential. We don¡¯t often allow those outside of the guild to see them. It is simply our tradition in order to prevent some of our¡­er, opponents in this market from gaining any sort of information that could be detrimental to the guild. So¡ª¡±


    ¡°Well, you need not worry about that with us,¡± Ryokumo quickly interrupted. ¡°We do not involve ourselves in market politics as long as everything taking place is legal. All we need is to know specifically what was in those shipments so that we can have a better idea of what the Children might have. You have my word that we will not be telling any of your competitors any of what we see.¡±


    Gillian hesitated then glanced over at Eric and Alucian, as if sizing them up, before sighing and nodding.


    ¡°Just one moment, please,¡± he grumbled. ¡°I shall be right back with our records.¡±


    The guild master excused himself and stalked from the room, leaving the two Masters and their apprentices to wait. Neither of the other three spoke, so Eric decided to entertain himself by surveying the room. It was rather large, probably twice the size of the main room of his quarters up in the Citadel. A large window covered the southern wall, letting natural light illuminate the room. More banners with the guild house symbol hung behind Gillian¡¯s desk and on the wall across from it was a giant map of Calkorai, with colored lines indicating what Eric guessed were various trade routes leading to all of the major cities. Iris had been making him memorize the Calkorai map so he was already pretty familiar with most of the cities, especially those in Ijiria. And as his eyes wandered down to one city in particular, he recalled a question he¡¯d been meaning to ask Ryokumo for a while now.


    Noctalus, he thought. It can¡¯t be a coincidence, right?


    Just as that particular city entered his thoughts, Gillian returned moments later, holding a leather-bound book under his arm.


    ¡°Here are the records,¡± he said. ¡°Everything in that shipment should be in here, but from what I was told, there wasn¡¯t anything left after the inferno stones destroyed the wagon so we can¡¯t be sure what they took and what was left behind.¡±


    ¡°Well do not worry about it. That will be for us to figure out,¡± Sinna replied irritably as she swiped the book from his hands. ¡°Thank you, Master Varr. That wasn¡¯t so hard, was it?¡±


    His lips tightened as he stiffly shook his head. ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m sorry for the delay.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll be off. Have a good day.¡±


    As quickly as they arrived, they turned and departed the office before making their way back through the guild house and out onto Market Street. The road somehow seemed more crowded than just mere moments before so the four of them pulled up alongside the guild house wall and stopped.


    ¡°Well, that went well,¡± Ryokumo mused. ¡°Reigious should pleased.¡±


    Sinna nodded. ¡°Yes, well, we shouldn¡¯t have needed to be here in the first place. These market masters are far too pompous for my liking. They think money is power, but I¡¯d be interested to see how well their precious coin defends them against my rock-infused fist.¡±


    Ryokumo chuckled. ¡°Yes, they can be a bit arrogant, but at the end of the day, if Varr were stupid then that visit would have been a tad longer¡­and a bit bloodier I would imagine. Let¡¯s be thankful he knows when to give in.¡±


    ¡°Well, regardless, I¡¯m glad to be done. Let¡¯s get back to Citadel. Come, Alucian.¡±


    ¡°Actually,¡± Ryokumo interrupted as they were beginning to head off. ¡°You go on without us. I promised Eric I¡¯d show him his mother¡¯s monument so we¡¯re going to take a quick stop there before heading back. I¡¯d invite you to come along, but¡­well, I know how you feel about people who visit it.¡±


    Sinna narrowed her eyes and sneered at him before turning her irritated glare toward Eric. He wasn¡¯t sure what to say and, under her probing eyes, he found himself quickly turning his gaze toward a random stone in the road.


    ¡°Very well,¡± she grunted. ¡°I shall make the report then.¡±


    Ryokumo smiled. ¡°Much appreciated, Cartus.¡±


    Eric finally felt some of the tension easing up as Sinna and the ever silent Alucian departed back toward the Citadel. Both of them set him on edge so he was grateful to be alone with Ryokumo. He wondered if he could finally ask to stop and get some food, but his master was already turning and heading in the opposite direction of Sinna.


    ¡°Come along, Eric,¡± he said. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be long.¡±


    The boy hurried up to walk alongside him and frowned, realizing that something was off. ¡°I-isn¡¯t my mother¡¯s monument on the western side of the city. Why are we heading south?¡±


    The Master of Wind grinned then shrugged. ¡°I see you¡¯re learning about Erika. Good for you, boy. However, I might have told Master Cartus a little white lie. You see, we¡¯re actually heading somewhere else¡­somewhere she might not have approved of me taking you.¡±


    Eric cocked an eyebrow, glancing back in fear that Sinna might come back, before responding in a hushed voice. ¡°Then¡­where are we going?¡±


    ¡°Yesterday, you asked me to prove to you that I am your ally,¡± he responded softly. ¡°And while I have revealed to you my motive for helping you deal with Album, I still have not proved my trustworthiness with action. I intend to do that now, so if you come with me, you¡¯ll see what I mean.¡±


    Prove to me¡­with action? What the hell is he going to do? And if he doesn¡¯t want Sinna knowing, then it must be something illegal.


    However, knowing that he needed to trust Ryokumo Caeli to get what he wanted, Eric decided to bite his tongue and go with him, his concerns be damned. Ryokumo led him further through the market before taking him down a side street that sent them back into neighborhoods, though the houses here looked more affordable, with some even reminding him of the houses in his own neighborhood. Yet, the further they went, the dirtier things seemed to get, and within ten minutes, he knew they had entered the slums of Erika. There was a pungent odor in the air and many of the buildings around them looked run down or deserted altogether. As they passed by a group of men huddled around a makeshift fire, part of Eric wondered if they should put up a distortion spell for fear of being recognized, but he supposed that if Ryokumo hadn¡¯t done so already then there was no reason to.


    The boy swallowed nervously and, wanting to take his mind off his worries, he decided to ask a question that had come to mind back in Gillian¡¯s office.


    ¡°Ryokumo,¡± he began, ¡°could you tell me a bit about the city Noctalus?¡±


    The Master of Wind laughed then glanced down at him with another grin. ¡°Ah, Noctalus. I was wondering when that particular topic would come up. Sure, ask away, boy.¡±


    ¡°W-well, I don¡¯t imagine its name is a coincidence, right?¡± he said. ¡°Is Nocta derived from Noctis and Lus from Luz? Does that city¡­relate to Nigreos and Album in some way?¡±


    ¡°It does,¡± Ryokumo answered. ¡°In fact, it¡¯s where their families are from and it was where they were born and raised before coming to Erika.¡±


    Eric frowned. ¡°Their families? What are their families like?¡±


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s just say they were once quite powerful and influential,¡± he responded. ¡°Noctalus is the ancient home of the Noctis family, and in recent centuries, the Luz also gained some control over it, bringing the two clans together under the one city. Ever since its creation, a Noctis has ruled over Noctalus, and even now, distant cousins of Nigreos and Album are in charge of it.


    ¡°Distant cousins? W-why?¡± Eric inquired. ¡°Do Nigreos and Album not have any siblings or¡­what about their parents?¡±


    Ryokumo shook his head, a distant look coming over him. ¡°Nigreos was an only child, and while Album had an older brother, he is now dead, as are their parents. Nigreos and Album are the only living members of their families, and they denounced their claim over the city when they became Masters, though not because they were forced to. They simply didn¡¯t want it.¡±


    Their families are dead? I guess I never really thought about what their pasts might have been like¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ve actually been to Noctalus,¡± Ryokumo went on. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful place, especially in the summer, though I have not been for a few years. I¡¯d offer to take you sometime but¡­I do not think you are long for Ijiria¡­at least, not if all goes well.¡±


    Eric exhaled softly, finding himself wondering more about Nigreos and Album¡¯s history. He only ever saw them as the scum who took his life away, but at the end of the day, they were still human beings like him and they had experiences of their own that created the monsters they became.


    ¡°Anyway, enough about that,¡± the man said. ¡°We are here.¡±


    They came to a stop in front of a two story building that looked no different from those around it. The door was hanging off its hinges and the windows were shattered. The roof had caved in and the walls were charred black, indicating that the building must have been burned down at some point.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Your mother¡¯s orphanage.¡±


    With that sudden response, Ryokumo stalked inside, leaving Eric standing there gaping at him.


    Her orphanage? This is where she raised the Children of Reiner?


    He hurriedly followed after him and went into the front room, only to find that it was just as rundown and destroyed as the exterior. Everything of value had either been lost in the fire or looted so the room was barren and empty. Yet, knowing that his mother called this place a home made him glad to see it, even knowing that it was now in the past. In a way, the Children of Reiner were his siblings. They called his mother ¡°Mom¡± just like he did, and they fought Ijiria in her name. He knew very little about them, but knowing his mother raised them was enough to tell him that they were good people.


    ¡°You know, Abi often told me that she bought this place to atone for her failure to care for you,¡± Ryokumo said as he stared up at the rafters of what was once a ceiling. ¡°She said she couldn¡¯t be a proper mother for you, so she would instead be a mother for those who needed her here¡­and one day, she wanted to return home to you. Part of me wonders if she intended to take these children with her¡­but I suppose there¡¯s no way to know now.¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah¡­I guess,¡± he murmured, feeling emotions welling up inside of him that he quickly tried to repress. He didn¡¯t want to cry in front of Ryokumo. ¡°Those Children¡­ my mother wasn¡¯t gone that long before she died so¡­how long did she care for them?¡±


    Ryokumo thought for a moment. ¡°Four years, give or take. It wasn¡¯t that long, so it¡¯s a testament to your mother¡¯s character that they loved her as much as they did. Many of them came to her as teenagers though there were plenty of small children as well.¡±


    ¡°Do you know where those small children are?¡± Eric wondered. ¡°Are they safe or did Ijiria¡­?¡±


    The Master of Wind shook his head. ¡°Do not worry, Eric. Reigious and Piura would have never authorized the execution of little kids. They were smuggled out by the Children who didn¡¯t attack the Citadel¡­or as far as we know, at least.¡±


    He felt some relief knowing that the younger ones were most likely already beyond the borders of Erika and perhaps even out of the Ijirian country completely, and he hoped the ones still in the city managed to escape.


    ¡°Perhaps we could ask them,¡± Ryokumo suggested.


    Eric frowned. ¡°Ask¡­them?¡±


    ¡°Yes, ask the Children if the little ones escaped. What do you think, Hannah? Feel free to undistort and tell me. The boy is trustworthy. So, has Kirisan ever told you what became of them?¡±


    The boy stared at him in utter confusion, but when Ryokumo slowly turned around and eyed an empty corner of the room, he realized that his master wasn¡¯t speaking to him.


    ¡°Should have known I couldn¡¯t hide from you, Master.¡±


    The distortion spell fell, revealing a young woman in her early twenties standing where Ryokumo was gazing. She wore a cloak with the hood pulled over her head, but Eric could clearly see her yellow eyes and her smile that had a similar level of mischief as Ryokumo¡¯s often did. Had the Master of Wind not been grinning back at her, he might have worried that they were under attack.


    ¡°Oh please, don¡¯t act like you were trying,¡± he retorted. ¡°You and I both know that you wanted me to know you were here.¡±


    She laughed softly. ¡°Perhaps.¡±


    With that, the woman named Hannah rushed toward them and threw her arms around Ryokumo, pulling him into a tight hug. Eric soon realized that he recognized the name, knowing her to be his former apprentice, the one who went rogue after killing the Master of the Mind and fleeing the Citadel with the Children. When they broke off the hug, Hannah was still smiling, but she quickly stepped back before regarding Eric with a cocked eyebrow.


    ¡°So who is this?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Oh, this is my apprentice, Eric,¡± he introduced. ¡°Eric, this is my criminal apprentice, Hannah Lynn.¡±


    The boy hesitated, not knowing how to react to the girl, before finally deciding to force an awkward smile of his own. ¡°Uh, nice to meet you, Miss Lynn.¡±


    Hannah regarded him for a moment before turning a sly grin toward her former master. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s only been two months and you¡¯ve already replaced me? I¡¯m slightly offended.¡±


    ¡°Well, actually, he came into my tutelage hardly a week after you left,¡± he teased back. ¡°Truly, I was actually quite lucky that I got a new apprentice so easily. And he¡¯s just as much a treacherous bastard as you are.¡±


    Eric was stunned by how blunt the man was acting as Ryokumo gave him another pat on the back, all the while Hannah continued to stare at him, as if trying to figure out just who he was and why Ryokumo trusted him so much.


    ¡°Anyway, Hannah, I was hoping you¡¯d sense me,¡± he went on. ¡°And I was wondering if you could do me a favor.¡±


    The girl furrowed her brow in thought. ¡°W-well, I¡¯ll do anything for you, Master, but is it really okay for you to be here? If you get caught with me, they¡¯re going to kill you for certain.¡±


    ¡°Then I won¡¯t get caught,¡± he said simply.


    She seemed exasperated as she looked back over her shoulder and through the orphanage¡¯s door. ¡°Gosh, what am I going to do with you? Very well, what do you need?¡±


    Ryokumo chuckled. ¡°Nothing too troublesome. I would just like you to take us to see Arisa Kirisan and her siblings. I have somebody they might like to meet.¡±

 Chapter 14- The Simple Act Of Talking

    Chapter XIV


    Elizabeth Tao let out a sigh of relief when the bell finally rang, signaling the end to fourth period and the beginning of lunch. She had her required political science class during fourth and she considered it to be the most boring part of her senior schedule. All Mr. Callahan ever did was lecture them in his monotone voice and force them to take notes, though Liz tended to zone out hardly five minutes in, resulting in her low performance on tests and her relatively empty notebook. She considered herself lucky that it was only a semester class and would be replaced with something else after Christmas.  The room was abuzz with chatter as her fellow students rushed to pack their things away and meet up with their friends before heading out to enjoy their break period. The brunette girl did the same as she slid her notebook into her bag, along with the pencil she hadn¡¯t once picked up since third period just as her good friend, Charlotte, approached her.


    ¡°You ready to go, Lizzie?¡± she asked cheerfully. ¡°Ash¡¯ said she had some make-up test she had to take so it¡¯ll just be the two of us today.¡±


    ¡°Ooh, poor Ashley. What class was it in?¡±


    Charlotte thought for a moment then laughed. ¡°She said it was in math so she¡¯ll be stuck with Mrs. Randyll all break. God, I wouldn¡¯t wish that on my worst enemies. That woman is such a cranky old bitch.¡±


    Liz couldn¡¯t help but laugh as well at the thought of Ashley stuck in a room with that ever-scowling old lady. Mrs. Randyll was a grouch to begin with, but it always felt like she had a personal vendetta against Charlotte and Ashley, and Liz could only guess that it most likely had to do with how chatty the two girls could get, which unfortunately got her roped into their punishments more often than she would have preferred.


    ¡°Well my thoughts go out to her,¡± Liz joked. ¡°And I hope she survives cause she isn¡¯t gonna want to miss tomorrow¡¯s karaoke night. I know how much she looks forward to those.¡±


    Charlotte smirked. ¡°I know, right?¡±


    With all of her stuff put away, Liz got to her feet and headed through the door of Mr. Callahan¡¯s classroom. She normally ate lunch in Mrs. Lee¡¯s room, which was her history class from the year prior, so she and Charlotte headed down the crowded hall full of rowdy students and made their way to the staircase. All the while, the red-haired girl talked about the boy she currently had a crush on and how she happened to get put next to him in her second period. Liz didn¡¯t say much, content to simply listen and to enjoy how happy Charlotte was. This was their typical dynamic. She considered Charlotte and Ashley her good friends, and she knew the school saw her as the ¡°queen bee¡±, but the reality was that she was often the one feeling as if she didn¡¯t belong. It was a hard thing to describe, and so, she tended to try and push those thoughts aside and write them off as being paranoid.


    Yet, there were moments when she couldn¡¯t help herself and for whatever reason, she found herself currently in one of those moments. Her friends never treated her like an outsider. On the contrary, they were really sweet and were always looking out for her. There was nothing about them that would make her feel like she didn''t belong, which was why she knew it had to be a problem with her.


    There¡¯s something wrong with me. I know there is¡­


    Liz spared a brief glance out the window to her left, seeing the student-filled courtyard three stories below.


    Why do I always get like this? Why can¡¯t I just be happy that I have friends that care about me? I mean, I am pretty popular and I¡¯ve had my fair share of fun in high school. I really can¡¯t complain, but I can never shake this feeling that I¡¯m missing something. But what in the world could I possibly be missing?


    Without warning, Charlotte went silent, and Liz turned away from the window to see what was wrong only for the girl to move up against her, her body so close that Liz was almost sandwiched between the wall and her friend.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Liz whispered, but Charlotte merely motioned forward with a nod of her head, and when she turned to look, she realized what had the girl so worked up.


    Damien Clark, a boy anybody in their school would recognize with a single glance, was walking their way, his head down and his hands shoved in his uniform¡¯s pants pockets. He wasn¡¯t looking at anybody, but most of the students in the hall were either sparing subtle glances of their own, or were avoiding eye-contact completely. The only one who didn¡¯t react much to his presence was Liz, and that was because she didn¡¯t see any reason to be afraid of him. It was another odd feeling that she was never quite able to explain, but unlike almost every other student she¡¯d spoken to, she didn¡¯t find Damien to be all that scary. Part of her felt that the rumors about him were exaggerated, and so she never went out of her way to avoid him, though that didn¡¯t mean she¡¯d ever bothered speaking to him directly either.


    She wondered if Damien somehow noticed her staring because he suddenly looked up and gazed back at her. For just a second, the two of them faced each other, giving her a good look at his face. She had a feeling that he would have been quite handsome if there hadn¡¯t been such irritation in his eyes or if his lips hadn¡¯t been drawn so tightly. He didn¡¯t trust her, and his gaze silently told her to leave him alone, so to assure him that she didn¡¯t have any issue with him, she smiled and nodded her head in greeting. The irritation turned to surprise before he quickly looked away and continued down the hall, never once glancing back.


    ¡°I¡¯ll never understand how you can be so calm around him,¡± Charlotte muttered, staring over her shoulder as if fearing Damien would come back. ¡°He¡¯s such a creep.¡±


    Liz shrugged as they came to the stairs and made their way down to the second floor. ¡°I really don¡¯t think he¡¯s all that bad. I mean, sure, he gets into fights all the time and I¡¯m not going to condone that, but¡­ There¡¯s just something about him, Charlie. I can¡¯t really put my finger on it, but it¡¯s there¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, whatever you say, Lizzie,¡± the other girl murmured, clearly unconvinced. ¡°Just don¡¯t come crying to me when he starts getting all handsy with you.¡±


    ¡°He would never do that,¡± she replied firmly.


    Charlotte cocked an eyebrow. ¡°And what makes you so sure of that?¡±


    ¡°W-well¡­¡±


    Once again, she couldn¡¯t explain herself. She¡¯d spoken without thinking, allowing her emotions to drive her odd faith in Damien Clark. Liz clenched her teeth, feeling herself growing progressively more frustrated with each unexplainable feeling that forced itself out of her.


    ¡°I just know,¡± she finally asserted, wanting to prevent any further room for arguments.


    Luckily, Charlotte took the hint and didn¡¯t press the subject any further until they reached Mrs. Lee¡¯s classroom. Liz went in first, ready to just sit down and get something in her stomach in order to turn her thoughts away from Damien Clark. The class was relatively empty, with only a few groups of students gathered there to eat lunch, and just as they began heading across the room, Liz stopped in surprise to find somebody already sitting in their usual spot. The girl had her hands folded on the desk and her eyes were closed, but upon hearing them, they opened and she turned to gaze up at them.


    ¡°Uh, Harper?¡± Charlotte began with a sneer. ¡°That¡¯s our spot so if you would please go sit somewhere else, that would be great.¡±


    Lilly Harper cocked an eyebrow at Charlotte, then narrowed her eyes in unrestrained disgust. ¡°Yeah, you don¡¯t have to worry about me. I¡¯ll get going in just a moment. I was just hoping to talk to Liz for a second.¡±


    Me? She wants to talk to me? But why? I don¡¯t really know her all that well and, to be honest, I think this is the first time I¡¯ve ever heard this girl speak. All she¡¯s ever done is sit quietly in the back of class, so¡­


    ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡± Liz asked softly.


    Lilly shrugged. ¡°Hard to explain, honestly. In fact, it would take so long to explain that it would probably take most of our lunch period to do it and, well, I¡¯ve got other things to deal with today.¡±


    ¡°I thought you said it would just take a moment?¡± Charlotte snapped. ¡°What the hell is your deal, Harper?¡±


    Lilly smirked, a look of amusement coming over her. ¡°My deal? Well, that¡¯s not something you¡¯d ever understand.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?!¡±


    ¡°Which is why I don¡¯t want to talk to you, Banks,¡± she went on, talking over Charlotte before turning to stare at Liz with a smile. ¡°Look, could you just do me a favor and meet me in Mr. Lowe¡¯s classroom after school today? I promise it won¡¯t be a waste of time.¡±


    Charlotte still looked furious at being so blatantly ignored but luckily for Liz, she didn¡¯t antagonize the girl any further, giving her time to collect her thoughts before replying to Lilly¡¯s request.


    ¡°Why?¡± she inquired. ¡°We¡¯ve never even spoken before so why do you want me to go to Lowe¡¯s all of a sudden? I¡¯m willing to hear you out if you¡¯ve got something important to say, but I¡¯ll need you to at least explain what you need me for.¡±


    Charlotte gaped at her like she was crazy for even entertaining the request, and Liz wondered if maybe she was. Once again, she was just letting her emotions guide her response, and in that moment, they were telling her that she could trust this girl. Lilly Harper wouldn¡¯t have come to her if it weren¡¯t important.


    Lilly seemed to consider her words before nodding. ¡°Fair enough. Then let¡¯s say this: Eric Reiner has called the Magic Club together for a meeting, so you¡¯ll need to be there.¡±


    Liz felt as if she¡¯d been shot in the chest as an overwhelming amount of nostalgia went through her body, followed by a wave of sickness, before everything went away as fast as it arrived. She let out a soft exhale as she watched Lilly¡¯s smile turn smug, as if she¡¯d just achieved a victory in whatever game she was playing.


    ¡°That¡¯ll be all,¡± she said as she got to her feet. ¡°See you later, Liz.¡±


    With those abrupt words, the girl turned and left the classroom, leaving Liz and Charlotte to stare after her in confusion.


    ¡°What the hell was her problem?¡± Charlotte growled. ¡°Since when did she get all cocky like that? Seriously¡­¡±


    Liz managed a weak nod before slowly sitting down in the desk Lilly had just vacated. ¡°Y-yeah, tell me about it.¡±


    What just happened? How did she do that to me? My head feels like it¡¯s spinning and I¡¯m barely keeping my body from shaking. And she¡­looked like she knew that would happen. Eric Reiner¡­ The Magic Club¡­ I don¡¯t have a clue what that means and yet¡­do I?


    ¡°I wonder if she¡¯s drunk or something,¡± Charlotte went on as she took the desk across from Liz and spun it around so they were facing each other. ¡°I bet it¡¯s some sort of prank. She¡¯s probably just jealous that you¡¯re a million times cuter than she is, Lizzie. I wouldn¡¯t let her bother you.¡±


    Eric Reiner? I know that name, I think. It¡¯s familiar but¡­who is it? Who is he?


    ¡°Lizzie?¡± her friend pressed. ¡°Lizzie, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    She opened her mouth to speak, but found herself unable to find the right words. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t¡­¡± Liz stopped, took a deep breath, and went on. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to have to bail on our trip to the cafe later.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Charlotte hissed. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious! Are you actually going to¡ª?¡±


    She stopped mid sentence as Liz turned a determined look her friend¡¯s way, and spoke with as much conviction as she could muster.


    ¡°I am. I can¡¯t really explain why, but I just have this feeling¡­that I have to be in that room after school. Whatever Harper wants to tell me¡­ Whoever Eric Reiner is¡­ I have to know¡­¡±


    ***


    Alright, that¡¯s all three of them down, Lilly thought with satisfaction. That look in Liz¡¯s eyes when I brought up Eric and the club¡­ It was the same that Damien and Vinny had when I talked to them, so I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be there. All that¡¯s left for me to do is not screw up this chance.


    Lilly smiled to herself as she rounded a corner and took the stairs down to the first floor. Her confidence was growing the longer she was in the erased realm, and with Brad and Natalie¡¯s memories returned to them, she was slowly putting her world back the way it was supposed to be. For the moment, she didn¡¯t have any interest in dealing with Evan Wright, so if her plans in the clubroom succeeded, that only left Jay and Alice to deal with before she turned her attention to actually breaking the erased realm down.


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The only issue is¡­what am I supposed to do about them? I can¡¯t leave them the way they are. I know that. But at the same time, whenever I look at them and see how happy they are here, I just¡­ She bit her lip in frustration, knowing she couldn¡¯t afford to be so indecisive but also failing to find an easy answer to the dilemma. Whatever. Rista still hasn¡¯t made contact with me since before my date with Vinny so I couldn¡¯t bring their memories back even if I wanted to. Maybe¡­the best thing I can do right now is at least gain this world¡¯s Alice and Jay¡¯s trust.


    With that in mind, once Lilly was on the first floor, she headed straight for the courtyard where she knew her good friends always ate lunch with the erased realm¡¯s knock-offs of Audrey Moore and Rina Davens. Every time she looked at the two of them, she felt her hatred for Album increase. Despite the happiness those recreations brought Alice and Jay, they still only existed for manipulation. They were evil because of the happiness they brought. It enabled Album to create a world that fixed the issues of the real one, allowing her to turn Alice against them and acquire the information that eventually resulted in the rest of them being locked within this realm. Part of Lilly wondered if there might be a way to get rid of the fakes, and as that question went through her mind, the Voice of Darkness was quick to reply.


    ¡°Yes, there is a way to get rid of them and it just so happens to be the same way you¡¯d get rid of somebody in the real world.¡±


    Lilly grimaced. So you¡¯re telling me I¡¯d have to kill them? And what would happen if I did that? Would they vanish or¡­?


    ¡°Nope!¡± came Light¡¯s reply. ¡°All that would accomplish would be turning the erased realm¡¯s Lilly Harper into a cold hearted murderer!¡±


    Fantastic. So getting rid of them isn¡¯t an option. I guess I¡¯ll just have to find some way to get around them and the best way to do that would be to interact with the four of them. Maybe then, I¡¯ll be able to figure something out.


    Lilly emerged out into the rather hot courtyard and glanced around the numerous tables full of excitable students enjoying their lunches. She¡¯d been doing her best to observe the erased victims over the past week so she was quick to find the table where the four of them were sitting. Alice, Jay, Rina, and Audrey were all gathered around a table on the far left lawn, laughing with each other and just having a good time. Jay, in particular, didn¡¯t look anything like the boy she remembered. There was never a time when she saw him that happy, and it made her want to turn around and run away at that very moment. Yet, she knew that wasn¡¯t an option, so she grit her teeth and was about to cross the lawn, when her name was suddenly called out.


    ¡°Hey, Lilly.¡±


    She turned around in relief at having an excuse to put off her talk with them as she saw Brad hurrying over to where she stood. After explaining everything to him the previous day, she had decided to give him his space to take everything in and process their strange reality. Her plan had been to wait for him to approach her, and it seemed that time had already come.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she greeted. ¡°I was surprised to see you at school today. I¡¯d have figured you¡¯d stay home.¡±


    The big boy grimaced. ¡°Honestly, I wish I had, but¡­I can¡¯t, can I? Obviously I never thought you were lying, but getting to see everything for myself, well¡­we really aren¡¯t in our world. This¡­erased realm is insane.¡±


    ¡°Tell me about it,¡± she muttered.


    ¡°So, can we talk for a moment? Or are you busy?¡±


    She glanced once more at Jay and Alice¡¯s table before turning back and shaking her head. ¡°No, I¡¯m not busy at all.¡±


    She and Brad then moved off of the path and up against the shaded wall of the main school building where they were apart from the other students while still having a good view of the courtyard. From where they stood, she could still see her friends, and for a few seconds, she watched them going about their lives with a soft smile on her face before Brad began the conversation.


    ¡°So¡­who¡¯s that girl with Brooks, Mendez, and Rina?¡± he asked. ¡°My memories from this world tell me her name¡¯s Audrey, but¡­I don¡¯t remember her from the real world, so¡­who is she?¡±


    Lilly¡¯s smile turned sad at the question. ¡°She¡¯s¡­an old friend of Jay and Alice, but in the real world, she passed away when they were in middle school. I don¡¯t know the details of how she died, though¡­ All I know is that Rina blamed Jay for it, and that¡¯s what caused them to split up.¡±


    Brad furrowed his brow. ¡°She died? But then¡­why is she here? I thought you said every difference in this realm is caused by Reiner¡¯s absence?¡±


    ¡°Almost every difference,¡± she corrected. ¡°Audrey¡­was put here by Album intentionally to get Alice to turn our names over to them. In fact, it¡¯s because of her presence here that Album and Nigreos knew to find you guys out in the forest.¡±


    ¡°O-oh¡­¡± He watched them for a moment with a sad look on his face. ¡°And now¡­Rina¡¯s dead, too? They¡­killed her?¡±


    Lilly nodded. ¡°They did. Audrey and Rina won¡¯t be in the real world when we break out of here. Jay and Alice¡­have lost a lot.¡±


    Brad clenched his fists and shook his head. ¡°Then I failed, didn¡¯t I? When I saw that man¡­Nigreos Noctis, out on that road, I knew they were the ones you guys warned us about. I didn¡¯t want Evan and Rina to get hurt, so I tried to stand in their way, but¡­ I failed. Everything goes dark after that moment and I¡­¡±


    She gently placed a hand on his shoulder to let him know that she was there for him. ¡°Brad¡­ If you failed then so did I. We did everything we could and it was never enough. Even with Eric¡¯s magic, we still couldn¡¯t beat them, so there was never anything you could have done. You should be proud that you stood up to them at all. That, alone, says a lot about you.¡±


    He sniffled and it almost seemed like he was fighting back tears, so she refrained from looking up at him. ¡°Thanks, Lil¡¯. I just wish I could have done more. I went out like a bitch and wasn¡¯t there when you guys needed me. Everything happened without me and now, being here, I see just how powerful magic is. In this realm, Evan¡¯s somehow worse than he was back there. Tao replaced Rina as the popular girl, and then there¡¯s everything going on with Clark and Mickelson. I guess¡­I never realized how much Reiner helped us.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it really puts it all into perspective, huh?¡± she whispered. ¡°Before my memories came back, I was alone and depressed. I wanted friends but I was too stubborn to accept that, so I was alone. I guess I¡­needed the club to force me out of my shell more than I ever realized.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and I never got my grades up here. I was still in danger of failing my classes,¡± he added. ¡°God damn it. Reiner always pissed me off and yet, whether I like it or not, we needed him. That bastard really was a great guy.¡± Brad paused as he reached his hand up to place on hers. ¡°I¡¯m not going to be useless this time. I¡¯ll do whatever you need me to do. Let¡¯s bust this world down and bring ours back. Let¡¯s save Eric fucking Reiner.¡±


    His presence was comforting, and she found some of her earlier confidence slowly returning. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s do it. Thank you, Brad.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Now, go to Alice and Jay. Talk to them. That¡¯s why you came out here in the first place, right? Lunch is gonna end soon so just get to it.¡±


    She frowned, then glanced up in surprise only to find him smiling back down at her, letting her know that he¡¯d seen right through her.


    ¡°R-right,¡± she stuttered. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll do that.¡±


    He gave her an encouraging pat on the back, which helped her more than she could articulate as she bid him goodbye and crossed the courtyard. At first, they didn¡¯t notice her approach, but just as she was passing by a few tables, Audrey looked up at her. Lilly forced a pleasant smile as the other three turned to stare at her as well.


    Alright, I can do this! Come on, Lilly Harper, don¡¯t be such a loser! Just talk to them! It¡¯s not that hard!


    ¡°H-hey, guys,¡± she greeted with a half-hearted wave. ¡°You mind if I join you for just a moment?¡±


    The few moments of silence that followed were the most awkward she¡¯d ever felt in her life. Audrey, Jay, Rina, and Alice all just stared at her in confusion, as if wondering if she was pulling some sort of prank on them. In fact, their stares were so similar to Vinny, Damien, and Liz that she was beginning to realize just what her loner personality had done to her reputation.


    ¡°Er, don¡¯t take this the wrong way, Harper,¡± Jay began after clearing his throat. ¡°But why?¡±


    ¡°Uh, well, I just, um, wanted to hang out for a bit, you know? I¡¯m kinda sick of sitting alone and all that, so I just wondered, well, um¡­¡±


    She was stuttering over her words so much that she would have been surprised if they understood what she was trying to say. Luckily, Alice came to her rescue.


    ¡°Well, I never really thought the day would come that you would want to hang out with us so, sure, by all means.¡±


    She indicated the seat between Jay and Audrey so Lilly quickly sat down, not wanting to give them a chance to change their minds. The two on either side of her scooted apart with uncomfortable looks though neither made any move to protest.


    God, if Brad¡¯s watching this then he¡¯s probably laughing his ass off.


    She didn¡¯t try looking for him, but something told her that she wasn¡¯t far from the truth.


    ¡°So, do you have a lunch, or¡­?¡± Rina began with a cocked eyebrow.


    ¡°Hmm? Oh, uh, no. I didn¡¯t, uh, I ate it already.¡±


    Very articulate, Lilly. Good job.


    After sarcastically berating herself, she took a moment to eye Rina, realizing just how different this world¡¯s version of her was now that they were in such close proximity. Her black hair was tied back in a ponytail rather than hanging down like she remembered, and she was wearing significantly less makeup. The girl also seemed far happier, just like Alice and Jay, which only served to prove just how badly Audrey¡¯s death had messed them all up.


    ¡°So, Harper, are you feeling any better?¡± Jay inquired. ¡°Last time I saw you, you suddenly burst into tears and ran off, and now you¡¯ve skipped practice the last two days. What¡¯s up with that? Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Not to mention you¡¯re a little more cheerful than I¡¯ve ever seen you,¡± Audrey added with a smile. ¡°So I can¡¯t really tell if something good happened to you or if something bad happened.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well.¡± She wasn¡¯t sure how to answer their questions since every explanation involved magic. ¡°I guess you could say¡­both? Uh, it¡¯s just personal matters, but it¡¯s not that big of a deal. I¡¯ll be back at practice¡­next week at some point.¡±


    Alice smirked. ¡°Well, Coach isn¡¯t gonna like that. She¡¯s been having a fit the past two days. She also said you¡¯re not responding to her emails.¡±


    Oh right, I haven''t even checked my emails here. Not like it really matters though.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll make sure to get back to her,¡± Lilly muttered awkwardly. ¡°So don¡¯t worry about me! I¡¯m perfectly fine, and you can assure the coach that I¡¯m doing training on my own while I deal with my¡­er, business.¡±


    ¡°Okay, are you high or¡­sick maybe?¡± Rina asked with genuine concern.


    Lilly sighed. ¡°No, I¡¯m not¡ª! Why does everybody think I¡¯m high? I¡¯m perfectly sober and healthy. I¡¯m just¡­feeling a little more sociable than usual. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Rina quickly defended. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­this is so unlike you that I¡¯m a little worried. If something¡¯s the matter then you can tell us, you know?¡±


    ¡°T-thanks, but I promise that I¡¯m okay,¡± she responded. ¡°Look, you guys have always been so nice to me, and I¡¯ve only ever blown you off. I know I¡¯ve acted like a bitch and you don¡¯t deserve that. Let¡¯s just say that I¡¯ve done some personal reflection and I want to be different. So¡­I¡¯m reaching out a hand. You don¡¯t have to take it if you don¡¯t want to, and I understand if you don¡¯t, but I thought this needed to be said. I mean it.¡±


    As she spoke, she made sure she looked at each one of them in turn so they could see how much she cared. No matter how much it hurt her to be in Jay and Alice¡¯s presence, she needed their trust if she wanted to free them from their memory spells. This was her first step toward that goal.


    ¡°Wait, what the hell is that?¡±


    The Voice of Darkness suddenly spoke up, and a cold feeling settled over Lilly¡¯s body, causing her to shiver.


    What? What¡¯s wrong? she internally demanded.


    ¡°I sense something¡ªsomething unnatural. But I can¡¯t figure out why it would be here in a place like this?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I sense it, too. It¡¯s close. Should we do something about this?¡±


    What?! No, don¡¯t do anything! We can¡¯t risk revealing anything to these people! No matter what you¡¯re sensing, just leave it be for the moment!


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that, Harper. This could be dangerous, and you are our priority. Don¡¯t take this the wrong way, but I don¡¯t give a damn about anybody else but you. You¡¯re our host, so I will do what it takes to protect you.¡±


    Do not¡ª!


    ¡°Wow,¡± Alice murmured, forcing Lilly to cut off her argument with the voice and pray that her features didn¡¯t reveal any of her internal problems. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure what changed, but I¡¯m glad. If you¡¯re open to it, you should join us on one of the post-practice dinners the team goes on. I¡¯m sure the others would appreciate that.¡±


    Another shiver ran down her spine and she could feel her body breaking out in a cold sweat as the Voice of Darkness began reaching its senses outwards.


    ¡°Er, yeah, I¡¯ll definitely do that,¡± she stammered, all the while internally shouting for the voice to stop. ¡°Just give me a time and a place and¡ª Ah!¡±


    She cried out in pain, her hands going to her head. And at the same time, Jay Brooks grunted, too, gripping his own head.


    ¡°What is this? What is inside this boy?¡±


    Stop it! Don¡¯t do anything to him, you hear me?! Whatever you¡¯re doing, cut it out!


    ¡°Harper, Jay?!¡± Rina exclaimed. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you guys okay?!¡±


    Audrey was quick to jump to her feet and rush around Lilly so she could stand beside her friend. ¡°Jay, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t¡ªAh! Damn it!¡±


    Lilly struggled to get herself to speak as both of their bodies convulsed, so she quickly grabbed the table with her left hand to prevent herself from falling to the ground. She could hear Rina and Alice trying to get through to both of them, with Audrey suggesting they call the nurse, but just as Lilly tried to assure them everything was fine, the pain gradually began to subside. Other students were now looking back at them and mutters had spread around the table. As her breathing got slower, she felt a presence behind her, and turned back to see Brad standing there.


    ¡°Are you okay, Lilly?¡± he immediately asked. ¡°What the hell happened?¡±


    Him being there had Alice, Rina, and Audrey looking over at them in confusion, but when Jay slowly raised his head, their attention quickly returned to him.


    ¡°Jay, are you okay?¡± Audrey repeated. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    The boy stopped and stared at her before blinking a few times. His eyes went wide and he hurriedly turned to look first at Alice, then at Rina, before finally stopping on Lilly. They stared at each other for a moment, and it was then that she realized what had happened. The look in his eyes¡ªthat ever familiar look of pain and sadness¡ªconfirmed it before his words could.


    ¡°Audrey?¡± he uttered, turning his gaze back toward the girl. ¡°You¡¯re¡­alive?¡±

 Chapter 15- Brothers And Sisters

    Chapter XV


    Without warning, the hideout of the Children of Reiner had become painfully tense and for a moment, Arisa felt the burning desire to rip her sword from her sheath and go after the new arrivals with everything she had. It was a testament to her faith in Hannah that she kept herself still, though she ensured that her fingers were always hovering over her pommel. If either of the newcomers so much as looked at her the wrong way, she was prepared to do whatever it took to cut them down. After all, she¡¯d be stupid not to be ready, for mere moments ago, Hannah had walked through the door of their hideout with some random boy and the Master of Wind, Ryokumo Caeli. Behind Arisa, Tylo, Irin, Ardan, and Lyla were all in a similar state as her, and she could sense their mana at the ready. The room was a powder keg waiting to explode in a flurry of wind magic. Hannah was standing off to the side as she glanced around awkwardly, the unfamiliar boy looked like he wanted to bolt, but Ryokumo Caeli was calm and composed as he surveyed the five of them.


    ¡°Good afternoon to all of you,¡± the Master finally said. ¡°I know it¡¯s hard to believe, but you do not need to be so on edge. I promise you that I mean you no harm. I am here as an ally.¡±


    ¡°An ally?¡± Tylo spat furiously. ¡°Is that supposed to be some fucked up joke? You tortured us, you sick bastard! You worked with Taurus and Ka to screw with our heads and repeatedly burn us, and now you want to pretend to be our ally?! Give me a break!¡±


    ¡°Tylo, please,¡± Hannah began carefully, inching between them and Ryokumo. ¡°I swear to you that he¡¯s not lying. He spared my life. Even after I confessed to killing Seiras, he still did everything he could to help me get away. He isn¡¯t our enemy.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Lyla breathed. ¡°Hannah, I understand why you would trust him, but you didn¡¯t experience the pain that we did¡ªthat he helped inflict on us. I still wake up in a panic because of nightmares about it. And when I do have nightmares, I always see his face beside the other two. So why¡­? Why would you bring him here?¡±


    Arisa never turned her gaze away from Ryokumo, but she could hear Lyla¡¯s voice shaking, as well as the terror she was failing to fight back. At the same time, Ardan¡¯s mana became stronger, as if preparing to defend his twin sister. Arisa narrowed her eyes, wanting to see how the Master of Wind would react to her words, but his expression never changed. She couldn¡¯t see what he was feeling. For a moment, she glanced at the boy, who was staring at Lyla with a pained expression.


    I understand why Hannah would bring her former master here. We¡¯ve talked about Ryokumo before and I know she loves and respects him, but who the hell is this kid? Why would she bring some random boy to our hideout?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lyla,¡± Hannah whispered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to you all, but the fact of the matter is that we almost died during our attack on the gates, and even with all of this equipment, I don¡¯t think another attack is going to go our way. We need him whether we like it or not. We need his help¡­if we want to finally escape this hell hole of a city.¡±


    The emotion in her voice was genuine, but as helpful as Hannah had been to them, she wouldn¡¯t be enough to sway the others toward trusting Ryokumo. The only way to convince them would be for Arisa, their elected leader, to voice her opinion in support of the man.


    But I don¡¯t know if I can do that¡­ I know how Hannah feels, but I can¡¯t forgive this man¡­ Like Lyla, I can¡¯t forget his face and what he did to us. But¡­


    Amid the nightmarish experiences she suffered in the Citadel dungeon, she couldn¡¯t help but to recall one instance in particular that took place the very first time Seiras Ka used his magic on them. When she returned from the vision, she looked up to see Ryokumo¡¯s eyes filled with pain and pity, a far cry from the glee and excitement in the face of the deformed halfling. She remembered wondering if she could perhaps reach through to him, but at the time, she had believed that to be wishful thinking. Now, she wasn¡¯t so sure. Which is why, rather than arguing with Hannah, she instead stared right at Ryokumo and addressed him directly.


    ¡°Hannah says we need your help if we want to escape Erika¡­¡± she stated. ¡°But you haven¡¯t yet said you would be willing to help us. All you¡¯ve said is that you aren¡¯t here to hurt us. So tell me, Master Caeli, what is your business here?¡±


    She could feel the surprise from the Children behind her as she humored Hannah and Ryokumo, but she knew it was a question that needed to be asked. She wanted, or rather needed, to hear what he had to say for himself.


    ¡°A valid question,¡± the Master admitted. ¡°It is as Hannah says, I am here to help you. In fact, I want nothing more than for the six of you to safely reach the other side of the walls and perhaps to even flee Ijiria altogether. It may be hard to believe, but I¡¯ve never wanted any harm to come to you.¡±


    Ardan scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that bullshit! What are you really after?! Why would you ever care about us, let alone enough to break the law to help us?!¡±


    Ryokumo¡¯s lips tightened, and for the first time, she was able to see the conflicted emotions roiling within his eyes. ¡°I do not expect you to trust me completely. I have never done a thing to deserve it, but if it means anything to you¡­¡± Pausing mid-sentence, the Master surprised Arisa by slowly kneeling down and bowing his head before them, his forehead nearly touching the dirty ground of the abandoned house. ¡°I am sorry¡­ I¡¯m sorry for what I did to you. I have nightmares about it as well, you know, and I¡¯m sure my actions will haunt me until the day I die and I deserve it. I never wanted any of that to happen to you, and while I do not have the right to ask for your forgiveness, I would at least beg for you to allow me to do what I can to help you escape. If there¡¯s anything I can do to begin to atone, it¡¯s making sure that each and every one of you arrives on the other side of those walls alive. I¡¯ll risk whatever it takes to see that happen.¡±


    Ryokumo¡¯s voice was shaking, and Arisa realized that he was fighting back tears. As impossible as it might have seemed, she didn¡¯t sense any deceit in his words, and she found herself believing that he wasn¡¯t making it up. And not only that, but he had set aside his pride and bowed his head before them¡ªa Master of Ijiria bowing before criminals. His remorse was real, but¡­


    ¡°Then why do it?¡± she demanded. ¡°Why do all of that to us if it hurt you this much?¡±


    Ryokumo slowly raised his head to look up at her. ¡°I did what I had to do¡­to keep up appearances. What good am I to anybody if I¡¯m dead¡­or rotting alive in a cell next to you? I¡¯m a Master¡­and that is a valuable ally.¡±


    ¡°Or a dangerous enemy,¡± Irin muttered. ¡°You do realize the risk we take by trusting you, right?¡±


    Ryokumo nodded. ¡°Of course I do, Vixal.¡±


    The girl paused and stared at him in surprise. ¡°You¡­remember my name?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± he whispered. ¡°I told myself to never forget your names¡­or your faces, for that matter.¡± The Master of Wind gazed quietly at Irin for a moment, then slowly turned his head to stare at each one of them in turn. ¡°Irin Vixal. Tylo Tannalo. Ardan Vessir. Lyla Vessir. Arisa Kirisan.¡± He spoke their names with conviction, his voice still shaking. ¡°You are the children of the greatest woman I¡¯ve ever known, and you meant the world to her just as she did to you. I know this because she told me so plenty of times before her death. The Children of Reiner¡­her pride and joy¡­ I helped torture you for the sake of not showing my hand to the Citadel, and had Hannah not acted when she did, I would have left you to die in those cells. Hannah¡¯s actions¡­were behind my back, but they gave me an opening¡ªan opening to save your lives. She gave up everything to give me this chance, and I¡¯m not going to let it pass me by!¡±


    Arisa and the others remained silent as they listened to him speak, and while she couldn¡¯t know what the other four were thinking, she knew that she believed his words were real¡ªthat he was tormented by the actions he took for what he perceived to be the greater good. And, even after apologizing and declaring his desire to work with them, he still didn¡¯t lie. He admitted that without Hannah, he would have left them for dead. As far as Arisa could tell, he spoke only the truth.


    So can we trust them? Am I willing to take this risk? If we had a Master on our side, helping us from within the Citadel, our chances of surviving increase by a significant margin. But like Irin said, if I¡¯m wrong and he is lying to us, then I¡¯ll once again be responsible for more death.


    Arisa internally cringed, recalling the faces of those she got killed during their attack on the Citadel, as well as the four she led to their deaths in her foolish and impulsive ambush of Nigreos Noctis.


    ¡°You say our mother was your friend?¡± Tylo growled softly. ¡°So where were you the day she died? Why couldn¡¯t you save her? Or did you let her die to keep up your damn  appearances as well?¡±


    Ryokumo averted his gaze, his jaw clenched. ¡°I was¡­not present for her death. My memory of that day is hazy, and I don¡¯t remember much of it anymore. But if I had been there¡­you have my word that I would have done everything in my power to protect her, my reputation be damned.¡± He shook his head firmly. ¡°And if I can, I will make up for those mistakes now! I¡¯ll avenge Abi! My plans do not only involve getting you out of the city! By the time this is over, I will make sure that Nigreos Noctis and Album Luz are dead, no matter what it takes!¡±


    His bold declaration left Arisa staring at him with surprise, but even more surprising was the look on the boy¡¯s face as Ryokumo spoke, as if even he hadn¡¯t known the true goals of the Master.


    ¡°You¡­want to kill Noctis and Luz¡­ Your fellow Masters?¡± Tylo stuttered.


    ¡°I do,¡± he growled. ¡°Nigreos took Abi away from us, and Album¡¯s robbed me of my memories¡ªmemories that I know are precious to me!¡±


    Nigreos Noctis¡­ Ryokumo says he could kill that man for me¡­but¡­


    She recalled how terrifyingly powerful he had been when they crossed paths in the city, and she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if even the Master of Wind stood a chance against such intense savagery.


    ¡°Stand up, Caeli,¡± she said sharply. ¡°Stop kneeling. It¡¯s weird.¡±


    Ryokumo hesitated, then did as she demanded and rose to his full height.


    ¡°How do you plan to do it?¡± Arisa inquired. ¡°How would you ever hope to kill a man as powerful as Nigreos Noctis?¡±


    The Master smiled bitterly. ¡°Well, you see, Kirisan, I have my ways. Album and Nigreos are powerful, but they are not immortal. They are human, and thus, they have weaknesses that can be exploited and manipulated. I¡¯ve known them for a very long time, so I know better than most how to kill them, and my plans begin with him.¡±


    Ryokumo raised his hand and pointed at the boy behind him, who thus far had only stood awkwardly in the doorway of the room, as if unsure of what he should be doing. He was a very average looking individual, appearing either barely of age or slightly younger. He was tall, with short brown hair and a rather slim figure. However, there was something about his eyes that made her feel comfortable with his presence, though she couldn¡¯t quite figure out why.


    ¡°And who is he?¡± Ardan demanded. ¡°Who is this random kid you¡¯ve brought with you?¡±


    Ryokumo chuckled, then patted the boy on the back. ¡°Go ahead, boy. Introduce yourself, and use your full name.¡±


    He stumbled forward then looked around the room in apprehension, as if wondering how to begin, until finally, he took a deep breath and did as requested. ¡°Er, hi,¡± he mumbled. ¡°Uh, it¡¯s nice to meet all of you. My name is¡­ Er, my name is¡­¡± He was stuttering over his words and, after stopping and composing himself, he went on. ¡°My name is Eric Reiner. I¡¯m Abigail Reiner¡¯s son.¡±


    Arisa stared blankly at him, utterly stunned by the words that left his mouth. Her first instinct was to lash out at him, wanting to call it some ridiculous trick by Caeli, but as she held herself back and took the boy¡¯s appearance in, she realized that the feeling from before came from his resemblance to her mother. His eyes had the same strength that Abigail Reiner¡¯s had, and before Arisa had even processed everything properly, she found that she had already accepted his words as the truth. Back in the orphanage, they had always believed that their mother had a genetic child out in the multiverse somewhere, though she never stated it outright. Yet, in the way she spoke, the older kids always theorized that there was something or someone she left behind and that one day, she might return to them.


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    Eric Reiner¡­


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me,¡± Irin whispered. ¡°He¡¯s¡­her son?¡±


    Tylo stepped forward, his features a mix of anger, shock, and awe. ¡°You''re¡­lying. You¡¯ve gotta be lying. Her son¡­? Why would her son be here, and in the company of Ryokumo Caeli, no less? Where would you have come from? I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°I promise¡­¡± Eric replied softly, clearly uncomfortable. ¡°I¡¯m not lying. I¡¯m from a small town in Omaruo called Wilham. My mother lived there for a time, had me, and then returned here to Ijiria when I was seven. I¡¯ve only recently been brought to Ijiria¡­and very few people even knew I existed. But I swear that I am her son. I¡¯m¡­¡±


    Arisa stepped forward in the middle of his attempt to convince them, feeling powerful emotions welling up inside her, and before she could even think about what she was doing, she threw her arms around him and pulled the boy into a hug. Both him and the others in the room seemed surprised by her actions, but she ignored them, feeling only the touch of Eric¡¯s body. After a moment, he raised his arms and embraced her back, and it was then that she knew without a doubt that he was who he said he was.


    His embrace reminded her of her mother.


    ¡°I always wondered¡­¡± she whispered. ¡°...if there was a true Child of Reiner out there somewhere¡­and now you¡¯ve found your way to us. Thank you¡­¡± Arisa smiled as she placed her head against his chest. ¡°Thank you, Eric Reiner.¡±


    ***


    On the second story of the run-down house that was the Children¡¯s hideout, Eric stood alone with Arisa Kirisan at his side as the two gazed through the window and down at the empty street below. They were in what he assumed used to be a bedroom, though there was nothing left in it anymore. The window they were in front of was cracked, with some shards missing completely. He feared they would be spotted by anybody that happened to be passing by, but Arisa assured him that distortion magic was covering the glass so they were perfectly safe. Neither of them talked and he didn¡¯t know what the red-haired girl was thinking, and when he glanced at her from the corner of his eye, he found her eyes still red with tears. After hugging him, she had cried, and he could only imagine what it must have felt like to meet her mother¡¯s son, especially after everything she had been through. Meeting her and the others left him with a lot to think about too, but after this visit, he knew one thing for certain.


    There¡¯s no doubt about it anymore. Ryokumo is on my side. He¡¯s going to work with the Children and help them escape, and he seeks to kill Nigreos and Album¡ªto betray Ijiria even more than he already has by being here. Though, as much as I would love to see Album get what she deserves, he does know that killing her won¡¯t save the people in the erased realm¡­so perhaps he plans to kill her after they¡¯re free?


    He wasn¡¯t sure, but now he knew he was free to ask, and with any luck, the two of them could begin to make their move against the Masters of Light and Darkness.


    ¡°You know,¡± Arisa began, drawing him from his thoughts. ¡°In a way, I guess you¡¯re my little brother, yeah?¡±


    ` Eric smiled and laughed. ¡°Yeah, I guess so. But little? How old are you?¡±


    ¡°Nineteen. You?¡±


    ¡°Seventeen, I think,¡± he answered with a grimace. ¡°Though I¡¯m not really sure at the moment. Apparently, Omaruo passes time twice as fast as Ijiria does. So, even though my birthday has passed there, I¡¯ve technically only aged two months, which means I¡¯m physically sixteen¡­so¡­it¡¯s weird.¡±


    Arisa stared at him with mild amusement before grinning. ¡°Yeah, that is weird. So if that¡¯s the case, then you were born when I was eleven, but now you¡¯re only three years younger than me? Odd. I¡¯ve never thought about multiverse time zones like that.¡± She chuckled. ¡°But that still means you¡¯re my little brother.¡±


    ¡°It does¡­ Wow, I¡¯ve always been an only child and now I¡¯ve got five older siblings and then some.¡± He sighed. ¡°My life just gets weirder and weirder with each day I spend in this damned city.¡±


    ¡°Well, actually, you¡¯ve got some younger siblings now, too,¡± Arisa corrected. ¡°Ardan and Lyla turned sixteen a few months back and Irin¡¯s only seventeen so she¡¯s barely older than you.¡±


    ¡°And Tylo?¡± Eric asked. ¡°How old is he?¡±


    Arisa thought for a moment. ¡°Twenty-two, I think. He¡¯s the oldest of the five of us, though I wouldn¡¯t say he¡¯s more mature than any of us.¡±


    The two of them laughed together and Eric found himself loving the fact that he was getting to interact with somebody his age again¡ªnot to mention Arisa wasn¡¯t someone he had to be cautious around. She was an ally, so he could be himself and not put on a mask like he had been with the denizens of the Citadel.


    ¡°So,¡± he began once the laughter subsided. ¡°How old were you when Mom adopted you?¡±


    ¡°Me? Oh, I was around twelve, give or take. She found me out on the streets right as I was about to be killed by some shady bastards, so she scared them off and took me in.¡± Arisa¡¯s eyes turned distant as she gazed through the cracked glass of the window. ¡°She gave me a place to belong and somewhere to be safe and¡­loved. My parents died in a skirmish on the Trovian border when I was really young so I never really knew them. But Abi Reiner¡­filled their role. She was my mother¡­and she always will be.¡±


    Eric felt a pang of sadness in his chest. Since he had been so young when Nigreos took his mother back to Ijiria, Arisa and the other Children probably knew her far better than he ever would. In some ways, that made them more her children than he was, and there was no longer any way for him to make up for that lost time. All he could do was learn about her through those who did know her.


    ¡°What was she like?¡± he whispered. ¡°What kind of person was my mother? I have memories, but they¡¯re from when I was really young. Can you¡­tell me about her?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I could tell you so much about her that it''d be winter by the time we finished talking,¡± Arisa joked, a nostalgic look of longing in her eyes. ¡°She was¡­amazing. No matter who you were or what your story was, if you needed a home then Abi welcomed you. She loved us and gave us affection, while also being stern when she needed to be. She earned our respect, so much so that we were only ever loyal to her and never really to Ijiria.¡± The girl sniffled a bit and choked back whatever emotion she was keeping inside. ¡°She even taught us everything we know about magic. She was a jack of all trades, though she was predominantly skilled with wind and nature. Everything I know about everything came from her¡­¡±


    Eric lowered his head and gazed down at the street below them, specifically at a small boy and his mother who were walking down the road, hand in hand, garbed in tattered rags that failed to completely conceal how unhealthily thin they were.


    ¡°She made it her duty to make these slums a better place,¡± Arisa went on. ¡°These streets have been all but forgotten by the powers that control this country. The people here are left to starve and die because they aren''t useful to Ijiria. It costs money to put this place back together, and it seems Prince Reigious and the High Council have no interest in using their money on us. Abi¡­was the only one who cared, and for a long time, she was succeeding. But then¡­¡±


    ¡°She died,¡± Eric finished when the girl didn¡¯t.


    ¡°She was killed,¡± she corrected. ¡°She was killed by Nigreos Noctis for leading a rebellion against the crown.¡±


    Eric furrowed his brow as the mother-son duo disappeared into an alleyway. ¡°But did she? Everything I know about her leads me to doubt that she would ever violently rebel against this country and nobody in the Citadel seems to know why she would.¡±


    Arisa shook her head. ¡°I don''t know. She didn¡¯t tell us much about what she did in the Citadel. All we know is that one day, our mother departed for Noctalus on what she claimed was a very important trip and never came home. We only heard about her death when a soldier was sent to the orphanage to inform us two weeks later.¡±


    So she went to Noctalus? I wonder why? What did she plan to do there, and how did it result in her death?


    He wanted to ask it, but instead, another question came to mind.


    ¡°And what happened to you guys after that?¡± he inquired. ¡°She died three Ijirian years ago, and yet, you guys attacked the Citadel only one year ago. What were you doing in those two years?¡±


    Arisa gave a self-deprecating smile. ¡°Nothing. We sat around, cursing Ijiria and wishing we could have done something. Some of us investigated, and we heard a rumor that it was Noctis who killed her, though many didn''t want to let mere supposition send us down the wrong path. For those two years, the orphanage was led by the older children, myself included, and we spent so much time trying to come up with a plan¡ªa way to avenge Mom.¡±


    ¡°And that wound up being the Citadel raid?¡± Eric asked.


    Arisa nodded. ¡°Yeah. Before she died, she granted four of us guideship behind the government¡¯s back, though she never said where she got it from. In fact, she didn¡¯t even tell us why she was giving it to us. She said she¡¯d explain it when she came home, but she never did, so four of us were guides without knowing why. Attacking the Citadel was my idea. I figured that we could really kick Ijiria in the balls by stealing one of their precious relics and fleeing the city. We had a realm dagger so a few us thought we¡¯d go to another realm, while others preferred Trovia in hopes that we could use the relic to barter for our safety.¡± She scoffed. ¡°But in the end, it didn¡¯t matter. We lost the relic, the realm dagger, and two of our four guides. I never even found out which relic we got.¡±


    Eric cringed, knowing that it was him who allowed the relic and dagger to fall back into Nigreos¡¯s hands. As for the guides, he understood a bit about what that meant after a few conversations with Ryokumo, and he realized just how bold they had been.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he muttered. ¡°I wish I could have gotten the relic back to you, but I wasn¡¯t strong enough to beat Nigreos and Album.¡±


    He¡¯d already told her much of what happened in Omaruo, so she had a decent understanding of what he went through and who he was. Yet, rather than upset that he lost the spoils of their attack, she simply shook her head and chuckled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize,¡± she told him. ¡°Just be proud you took them on and lived to tell the tale. Blood magic or not, it¡¯s¡­no easy feat to stand up to the Master of Darkness and walk away.¡±


    ¡°Th-thank you, Arisa.¡±


    Their conversation was then interrupted by a knock at the door, and when they turned to look over their shoulders, they saw Ryokumo standing in the doorway. He¡¯d remained downstairs with Hannah and the others, having chosen to take his time to talk to them and do his best to earn their trust. Arisa had requested that the other Children at least hear him out, and after that, they had been just a tad bit less confrontational.


    ¡°Sorry to interrupt,¡± he said. ¡°But I wanted to speak with the two of you.¡±


    Arisa narrowed her eyes as she regarded Ryokumo, yet she still motioned for him to enter. ¡°By all means, Caeli. In fact, I was interested in talking to you, too. Eric says he trusts you, so for the moment, I¡¯ll trust you, too. However, I¡¯ve still got an eye on you.¡±


    Ryokumo nodded. ¡°As I would expect you to. I don¡¯t need you like me. I simply need you to allow me to help, and if you do that, I can get you out of Erika and you¡¯ll never have to see me again.¡±


    ¡°I look forward to that day,¡± she grunted. ¡°Now, what did you need?¡±


    Ryokumo glanced over at Eric, who was content to let them do the talking, before facing Arisa once again. ¡°I have a request to make of you,¡± he answered. ¡°You see, I would prefer it if you and the other Children were out of the city before Eric and I make our move against Nigreos and Album. After all, attacking two Masters of Ijiria is a risky move and if it fails, the boy and I will be dead. Can¡¯t help you escape if I¡¯m dead, can I?¡±


    Arisa snorted. ¡°No, I suppose not.¡±


    ¡°I have an associate that might be able to smuggle you from the city, but unfortunately, he¡¯s not in Erika at the moment. However when he returns, I intend to act as fast as possible,¡± Ryokumo went on. ¡°Yet, for the plan I intend to use against Nigreos and Album, I will need you to do one thing for me¡­¡± Ryokumo paused and then sighed. ¡°I would ask you to give me guideship.¡±


    Eric and Arisa both stared at him in surprise.


    ¡°Guideship?¡± the latter parroted. ¡°Why? What could you possibly need guideship for?¡±


    The Master of Wind grinned. ¡°Why else? To enter the Vault of the Relics without Reigious and Piura knowing I¡¯m there.¡±


    ***


    Eric and Ryokumo returned to the Citadel shortly before sundown and once they arrived back on the residential floor, the boy stepped from the lift and parted ways with the Master, who continued further up to give his own report on the blacksmith guild to the prince. And, as Eric made his way back toward his quarters, his mind was spinning. After requesting guideship from Arisa Kirisan, he finally went on to explain his plan to both take down Nigreos and Album, as well as to open the erased realm, and Eric couldn¡¯t help but to be in awe. It was an utterly insane plan with plenty of variables that needed to work perfectly, but it might be the only path to victory for them. It was genius, and Eric found himself feeling hope for the first time since before Vinny was erased.


    But I¡¯ve just got to prepare. He said that he¡¯d take care of everything¡­I just need to do one thing.


    ¡°You are going to be teaching yourself light magic, Eric,¡± Ryokumo had said. ¡°Learn as many spells as you can as quickly as you can. It will take time for us to make our move. Not only do I have to wait for my associate in order to help the Children escape, but I also have business of my own to finish. However, when the time comes, you must be ready to put everything on the line. If we win, Nigreos and Album die, and if we lose, you and I die.¡±


    Arisa had seemed just as stunned by the plan as he had been, yet once she heard what he had to say, she obliged his request. Now, both Ryokumo and Eric were guides.


    If this works¡­then I win. After everything I¡¯ve been through¡­ After everything they took from me, I could finally win.


    He forced himself to hold his smile back as he rounded a corner and began to approach the door to his quarters, but when he arrived, he stopped and stared at a young man already standing by the door. Based on his attire, Eric could tell that he was one of the Citadel¡¯s squires who usually ran errands and carried messages for the more powerful individuals of the tower.


    But why¡¯s he on our doorstep? Does he need Ryokumo for something?


    ¡°Can I help you?¡± Eric called over.


    The man glanced back in surprise, before stepping back and bowing. ¡°Oh, good evening. You¡¯re Mr. Reiner, correct?¡±


    He was uncomfortable being bowed to, but he knew his status as a Master¡¯s apprentice carried some weight with some of the workers in the Citadel.


    ¡°Yeah, I am,¡± he confirmed. ¡°Can I help you? Master Caeli isn¡¯t home at the moment, but if you need me to relay something to him then I¡¯d be happy to.¡±


    But the squire shook his head. ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯m actually here to deliver a message to you?¡±


    ¡°To me? From who?¡±


    ¡°From Master Nigreos Noctis,¡± the squire replied. ¡°He sent me to deliver a formal invitation to have dinner in his quarters tonight.¡±

 Chapter 16- A Meeting Of The Magic Club

    Chapter XVI


    ¡°Um, yeah, I¡¯m alive,¡± Audrey stuttered awkwardly. ¡°Why wouldn''t I be, Jay?¡±


    This has to be some trick! It has to be! What did those goddamn sorcerers do to me this time?! Audrey can¡¯t possibly be here! And she¡¯s¡­older? She looks like a high schooler? But that¡¯s impossible because she¡¯s dead! I watched her die so what kind of fresh hell is this?! What did they do to me?!


    ¡°No,¡± he breathed. ¡°No, get away from me!¡±


    Jay frantically jumped to his feet, shoving the fake Audrey¡¯s hand away as he nearly tripped over the seat he had been on. The girl flinched back as if he had just struck her across the face while Jay barely managed to stabilize himself. The throbbing from his headache was still coursing through his skull, and his memories were all a jumble of images that were either nightmarish or too good to be true. He didn¡¯t have a damn clue what was going on, but he did know that the girl he was looking at was fake. All of them were.


    Audrey was dead.


    Rina would have never let herself be seen with him.


    And Alice was missing a leg.


    All three of these things were being contradicted by the scene before him, and after everything he had been through at the hands of those sorcerers, he knew as an absolute fact that he was being tricked. The last thing he remembered was Alice being released from their old hideout before they were attacked by Nigreos and Album. Everything started to get fuzzy from there, but he remembered Rina¡¯s bloody form splayed out across the floor of the shack, followed by his violent rage toward that black-clad man. After nearly getting killed, he and Evan Wright gave one last ditch attempt to take them down, before everything went dark.


    And then? What then? What happened after that?! Why can¡¯t I remember?!


    All he could see were happy images of him living the rest of his junior year, as well as the beginning of his senior year, with Alice, Rina, and Audrey, as if none of the pain they suffered had ever happened. He felt as if he had been living in a dream, one that had abruptly come to an end.


    But it was a dream. It couldn¡¯t have been real. I should be in the hospital right now! Either that or I should still be under the control of that monster Nigreos put inside of me! How am I here, at the school?! And what about the club?! What about Lilly and the others?!


    ¡°Jay? Don¡¯t shove her away!¡± Rina snapped furiously. ¡°Jeez, dude, what the hell is wrong? Do you need to go to the nurse or¡­?¡±


    He could feel the eyes of a growing crowd on him as he quickly turned his head toward where Lilly Harper was getting to her feet, with Brad Fischer right behind her. He once again stared into her eyes before completely ignoring Rina and the others, focusing only on her.


    ¡°Lilly?¡± he uttered. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Where am I? What happened to Nigreos and Album? Was Alice saved? Did Rina get her away? Is she safe?!¡±


    He was frantic, barely processing what was going on in his desperate attempt to figure out what was happening within his head.


    ¡°Jay, of course I¡¯m safe!¡± Alice anxiously assured him. ¡°I¡¯m right here. Why wouldn¡¯t I be safe? Just take deep breaths and explain what¡¯s going¡ª¡±


    ¡°Lilly, answer me!¡± he snarled when his friend remained silent, cutting off the now startled Alice. ¡°Please, I have to know what¡¯s going on! My head¡­ It¡¯s a jumble of information that doesn¡¯t make any sense! Where¡¯s Eric and the rest of the club? Where are Nigreos and Album? Where¡¯s the real Alice and Rina, not these fakes standing here!¡±


    He could see their stunned gazes out of the corner of his eyes, but he didn¡¯t give a damn how the knockoffs felt. He couldn¡¯t let himself be manipulated by Nigreos and Album any more than he already had been. He needed Lilly¡¯s confirmation, and he was desperate to know if she was fake, too. For all he knew, everything surrounding him was fake.


    ¡°Just¡­come with me, Jay,¡± Lilly finally said. ¡°I¡¯ll explain everything.¡±


    Jay nodded. ¡°Alright, good. Yeah, please.¡±


    ¡°W-wait, Jay!¡± Rina protested, but he ignored her, following after Lilly and Brad as the two of them began hurrying from the courtyard. ¡°Harper! Jay! What¡¯s going on?!¡±


    Lilly stopped, allowing Jay to catch up with her, before glancing back at them with a pained expression. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­explain it later. Just stay here for the moment!¡± She then turned to Jay and whispered, ¡°Run.¡±


    He did as she ordered, deciding to trust Lilly until he had a better idea of what was happening. Jay, Lilly, and Brad all took off running for the school¡¯s entrance, not paying any heed to the protests from Alice, Rina, and Audrey behind them. His mind was in tatters and he couldn¡¯t bring himself to look back, so he just stared at Lilly as they rushed into the building and headed down the hall. He didn¡¯t know where she was taking him, but as they were pushing past the few students still walking around, one of the classroom doors swung open, though Jay couldn¡¯t see who opened it. All he heard was a hushed, ¡°In here,¡± as Lilly darted inside, followed by Brad, and then him. Once they were safely in the classroom, the door shut and locked itself without anybody touching it, leaving Jay¡¯s already confused state even more intense. This was only furthered by the sudden appearance of a young man Jay had never seen before popping out of thin air.


    ¡°What in the living hell just happened, Harper?¡± he demanded, his features contorted in fury. ¡°I was just heading back here to make contact with you when I felt Noctis¡¯s magic surge, and then all hell broke loose out in the courtyard. What did you do?¡±


    Jay stumbled backwards, grabbing an empty desk to balance himself as he glanced around the room. The classroom was devoid of anybody save for an old man that must have been the teacher, snoring at his desk, his head resting on its surface. Lilly glanced past the newcomer, but he waved in impatience.


    ¡°He¡¯s under a sleeping spell,¡± he told her. ¡°He won¡¯t wake up for a good fifteen minutes or so. Now, explain yourself, damn it!¡±


    ¡°H-hold on just a moment!¡± Brad intervened, seeming just as surprised by his appearance as Jay was. ¡°I don¡¯t know who the fuck you are, but don¡¯t you dare talk to her that way! I don¡¯t care if you''ve¡­got magic or whatever!¡±


    Lilly took a deep breath and rubbed her temples before glancing back at both Brad and Jay. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Brad, he¡¯s an ally. His name is Rista Pine and he¡¯s an Ijirian that Album erased before coming to Wilham. I told you about him, remember? He might be a bit rude at times, but he is on our side.¡±


    Brad clenched his teeth and glared at the man named Rista before taking a step back and allowing Lilly to handle the situation. Jay was content to do the same, feeling his body trembling in the presence of who he now realized was yet another magical individual from the realm that Nigreos and Album came from. Just knowing he was the same as them made him want to run, but when Lilly gave him a quick comforting smile, he felt some of his fear ease up.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a damn idea what just happened,¡± she explained calmly, facing Rista once again. ¡°I was hoping to try and gain the trust of Jay, Alice, Audrey, and Rina, so I approached them to talk when The Angel suddenly got all antsy. It then proceeded to ignore me and reached out to whatever it was feeling and when it did, Jay¡¯s memories returned. I¡­don¡¯t fully understand what happened, but¡­¡±


    Rista narrowed his eyes then turned his sharp stare toward Jay. ¡°So then, Brooks? You have your memories? You remember magic and the real world?¡±


    ¡°The real¡­world?¡± he stuttered. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ What do you mean? I do remember magic and all that but why wouldn¡¯t I? I mean, I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s happening. Lilly!¡± He turned away from the Ijirian and instead faced his trusted friend, who he far preferred to have this conversation with. ¡°What¡¯s happening? Why is Audrey here? How is she alive and¡­and older? Are Nigreos and Album doing this? Is this some trick?¡±


    Lilly took a deep breath and nodded. ¡°Yes, this is their doing. The Audrey you see out there is not real. Album created her to manipulate you guys. In fact¡­this entire world is a sham. Almost nothing here is real.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± he uttered in disbelief. ¡°But how is that¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you,¡± she answered. ¡°But it¡¯s going to take a bit so¡­¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s fine. I just¡­need some sort of explanation as to what the fuck is going on! Please¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay then¡­¡±


    Lilly didn¡¯t waste any time as she got into explaining what she referred to as the erased realm. She told him what erasure was and that Album had erased them all, save for Eric, which caused them to be sent to the fake Wilham they were currently in. In addition, she also explained that their memories had been altered to accept the new world as the one they¡¯d always lived in, and that Jay, himself, had been blissfully ignorant to it until just moments ago. Since he hadn¡¯t been present for the majority of their fighting with Nigreos and Album, Lilly also went on to describe those few weeks where the Magic Club tried to stop the Ijirians before each one of them eventually went down, though Jay noticed with a twinge of dread that Lilly failed to elaborate on what happened after he and Evan were erased. Finally, she explained Rista Pine and how he was there to help them break the erased world open so they could get back to their own realm.


    ¡°And that¡¯s¡­more or less everything,¡± Lilly muttered, glancing up at the clock on the wall as if afraid that lunch period would soon be over. ¡°Rista¡¯s the one who gave Brad and Natalie their memories back, but I don¡¯t really know why you returned to normal. I didn¡¯t actually do anything so¡­¡±


    Jay swallowed back his fear and looked down at his hands. ¡°You said¡­your memories only came back because of whatever angel thing is inside of you. So¡­what if my memories are back because of that thing Nigreos put in me? What if it¡¯s still inside me, Lilly?¡±


    His recollection of it was hazy, but he knew that the monster inside of him was violent toward everybody he loved. If his erasure didn¡¯t flush that creature out, then it was possible that he could turn on them again, and that wasn¡¯t something he wanted.


    Lilly shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know, honestly. I still don¡¯t even know what that thing was. Rista? Do you¡­?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± he said firmly. ¡°When you first told me about it, I did my best to try and remember everything I¡¯d ever read but unfortunately, I¡¯m not very educated on dark magic. I¡¯ve never even heard of a monster that could control someone¡¯s body like what happened to Brooks. It could still be in him but at the moment, I don¡¯t sense anything off.¡±


    The girl let out a breath of relief. ¡°Well, that¡¯s at least good. The Angel went quiet again, so maybe it was something else. I really can¡¯t be sure.¡±


    Jay, however, didn¡¯t find that comforting in the slightest. If there was even a tiny chance of that monster coming out again then he wanted to get away from people and hide somewhere he couldn¡¯t hurt them. According to Lilly, he nearly killed Eric twice, and he even tried to kill her. If anybody died by his hand then he wouldn¡¯t ever be able to come back from that. He still struggled to move past Audrey, after all.


    ¡°And this angel,¡± Brad cut in. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me about this before. What exactly is it?¡±


    Lilly shrugged. ¡°I really don¡¯t know. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t bring it up. It¡¯s just¡­something that can supposedly take down Nigreos and Album. It allows me to use magic, at least to an extent, but it¡¯s really easy to lose control over. So far, I¡¯ve been mostly keeping it at bay, but I was told that using it to its full potential could¡­result in my death so¡­¡±


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°What?!¡± the larger boy exclaimed. ¡°Then don¡¯t use it! If it¡¯s dangerous then we should find some other way to fight this damn realm! You can¡¯t die, Lilly! Not after¡ª!¡±


    Brad caught himself before he went on, but Jay didn¡¯t miss the sidelong glance he sent his way. Even though he had so much to process, and his mind was still pulling itself together, he was able to tell that Brad and Lilly were keeping something from him. They were holding information back, and he had a disturbing feeling that he knew what it related to.


    ¡°Not after what, Fischer?¡± he whispered, and when neither Brad nor Lilly managed to say anything in reply, he pressed forward with the terrifying question nagging at his mind. ¡°What happened after Rina and Alice escaped the shack that day? Evan and I were erased, but what happened to them? And don¡¯t lie. I can tell that you left a detail out.¡±


    Lilly¡¯s features tensed up and he could see her mind working through various responses she could give him. Yet, in the end, she slowly stared down at her feet, and he could tell by the look on her face that whatever she was about to say would be the truth.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jay.¡±


    He clenched his teeth, his heart beating so fast that it felt like his ribcage was shaking. ¡°Sorry? About¡­?¡±


    ¡°Rina¡­ She managed to get Alice safely to Eric¡¯s house, but by the time she arrived, she was already beyond saving. She¡­¡± Lilly¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°She¡¯s dead. She died saving Alice.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± he breathed so softly that he doubted anybody else in the room could hear. ¡°Is that¡­so?¡±


    Rina¡¯s dead? She¡¯s gone¡­ So when Nigreos hit her with those shadows, it really was enough to kill her?


    ¡°Alice was eventually erased so she¡¯s really here,¡± Lilly went on. ¡°But the Rina you saw out there¡­is fake, too. She isn¡¯t real. I¡­I¡¯m so sorry, Jay. I¡¯m sorry that Eric and I couldn¡¯t be there to help her! I¡¯m sorry we failed her!¡±


    She was crying now and he could see just how torn up she was to bring him this news. He realized that it didn¡¯t really process at first. He had believed that when he woke up from that coma, he and Rina could start taking steps to patching their relationship up. He entrusted her with Audrey¡¯s piece of their medallion as a symbol of his willingness to come back to her and give her a second chance, as well as earn one from her. He wanted to start putting everything back together again.


    But I always forget¡­my life has never gone my way. Every time I think I can be happy, that happiness is taken away from me. Audrey¡¯s gone. Rina¡¯s gone now, too. And Alice¡­ I failed her miserably. We lost everything. That place¡­is a living hell, isn¡¯t it? I always told myself I¡¯d protect Alice and look what I¡¯ve done? I led Rina to that shack! I brought her to her death! It¡¯s my fault! It¡¯s my fault, goddamnit!


    He felt his legs suddenly give out and he collapsed to the floor of the classroom in a daze. Lilly and Brad called out to him and rushed to his side, but their words weren¡¯t reaching him. All he could see was the two images, side-by-side, of Audrey and Rina being taken away from him. Wanting to free himself from that torment, he instead thought about other memories, the ones from the past few months. He had believed they were fake, but according to Lilly, his time in this erased realm had actually happened, even if the setting and people were all fake. What he focussed on the most was Alice¡¯s smile. She was happy here. It was¡­


    ¡°...a paradise,¡± he muttered.


    Yeah¡­I couldn¡¯t protect her there, but here, she can be happy. We haven¡¯t lost anything here. If we just stay here¡­ But¡­Lilly wants to destroy this place. She said that¡¯s the only way to escape, but if this realm gets destroyed, then Alice has to go back to that hellish reality. If we just stay here¡­


    Jay slowly raised his head and looked Lilly in the eyes, seeing her lips moving but still not hearing the words of concern she was almost certainly speaking.


    I can¡¯t let her¡­ I can¡¯t let her ruin this world. I can¡¯t let her take Alice¡¯s paradise away from her¡­ I understand why Lilly would want to escape but¡­


    I can¡¯t let her do this¡­


    ***


    When sixth period ended, he genuinely considered just going through his normal routine of collecting his books from his locker and leaving the school. Every part of his brain told him that abiding by Lilly Harper¡¯s request and going to room 3-5 was stupid. More likely than not, the strange girl probably had some prank up her sleeve and this was some other method by the popular assholes of the school to try and get another rise out of him. That was how it always went for Damien Clark, after all, so why should he let it happen again? The only reason he found himself heading up to the third floor of West Wilham High was because of something that Lilly had said to him when she approached him that morning.


    ¡°Eric Reiner is calling together a meeting of the Magic Club, so that obviously means you have to be there. Trust me, Damien, you won¡¯t want to miss this. It¡¯s really important.¡±


    Most of that should have been nonsense to him. He didn¡¯t know who Eric Reiner was and he¡¯d never heard of the school having a ¡°Magic Club¡±, yet despite that, those words had sparked such foreign yet familiar emotions in him that he couldn¡¯t even come close to explaining, and to top it all off, it seemed like the girl had expected such a reaction from him. She knew something he didn¡¯t, and while that could definitely mean he was walking into a prank, he just had to know what her deal was. He needed to know who Eric Reiner was, and he wanted an explanation about the Magic Club.


    And not to mention, there was something about her. Almost everybody else in this school looks at me like I¡¯m some sort of fucked up monster, but Harper talked to me like I was her friend even though I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve ever talked before. Nobody¡¯s ever treated me that way. She didn¡¯t even seem like she was pretending. She actually seemed comfortable around me. But why? What have I ever done to earn Lilly Harper¡¯s trust? I didn¡¯t even know her damn name until she introduced herself.


    Damien sighed as he arrived on the third floor before turning and heading toward Mr. Lowe¡¯s room. As he walked, he could feel the ever present glances his way, as if every student in that hall thought he was about to go on a sudden rampage and start beating the shit out of them all.


    What kind of brute do they take me for? If they don¡¯t do anything to me then I won¡¯t touch them.


    While rumors always made him out to be the antagonist, it was rarely ever Damien to start the fights. Yet, because it was the popular guys who often went after him, they got to tell the story to the student body because their opinions were more valued and respected. Nobody cared what he had to say, so people like Brad Fischer and Evan Wright could lie all they wanted and as far as anybody was concerned, that would become the accepted truth. It didn¡¯t matter how many fights Evan started. Damien would always be seen as the aggressor, and there was very little he could do to change that. His only option would be to refrain from fighting back, but if he did that then Evan and Brad would only walk all over him. At the end of the day, his only option was to keep fighting and when high school finally ended, he could go to a college so far from Wilham that nobody would know a thing about what his past was like.


    And that¡¯ll be for the best. It¡¯s not like I¡¯d be leaving anybody behind.


    Damien kept his head low, refusing to look at anybody, until finally coming to the closed doorway of room 3-5. He gazed at the white lettering on the door for a moment, feeling the same odd emotions he always felt when he arrived at Mr. Lowe¡¯s classroom. He exhaled softly, then shook the feelings off and pulled the door open. He wasn¡¯t really sure what he had been expecting upon his arrival, but at the very least, he thought he¡¯d find Lilly already there. Yet, there was no sign of the girl. Instead, there were two other students from his year sitting at desks on opposite sides of the classroom: Elizabeth Tao and Vinny Mickelson. Both of them looked up at him in confusion and he could only stare back with a similar look.


    What the hell is going on? Why are Tao and Mickelson here, of all people? Did Harper invite them, too?


    ¡°Uh, yo,¡± Vinny grunted. ¡°Why¡­are you here?¡±


    With Lilly absent, he found himself really wanting to turn around and leave, but he forced himself to instead go inside. ¡°Harper asked me to stop by. She said she had something she wanted to talk to me about.¡±


    A bitter smile twisted the blonde boy¡¯s lips as he leaned back in his chair. ¡°Of fucking course she did. What is going through her damn head?¡±


    Vinny muttered the words under his breath as he turned to gaze through the window on his left. The way he spoke pretty much confirmed that Damien¡¯s earlier assumption had been correct, but he still felt the need to be sure, so he turned and looked at Elizabeth.


    ¡°So¡­Harper asked you guys to come, too?¡± he inquired.


    The girl nodded, eyeing him now with an expression of curiosity. ¡°Yeah, she did, though she didn¡¯t really elaborate on why. She just said¡­something about a Magic Club and¡­¡±


    ¡°Eric Reiner?¡± Damien finished.


    ¡°Uh, yeah, exactly that,¡± she confirmed. ¡°Do you know what that means cause I don¡¯t have a clue, and Mickelson said he wasn¡¯t sure either?¡±


    The boy slowly shook his head. ¡°N-no, I don¡¯t. In fact, I¡¯d never met Harper before today, so I¡¯m still not sure what her game is. I¡¯m even more confused now that I see I¡¯m not the only one she talked to. How do you two know her?¡±


    ¡°Oh, well, I don¡¯t really,¡± Elizabeth murmured. ¡°I mean, I¡¯ve had my fair share of classes with her but we¡¯ve never really talked. What about you, Mickelson?¡± She then turned to face the other boy in the room, who still had his head turned away from them. ¡°Are you friends with Harper?¡±


    Vinny snorted and smirked. ¡°I would say no, but apparently she would disagree.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Damien asked with a cocked eyebrow.


    ¡°I don¡¯t fuckin¡¯ know. Two days ago, out of the blue, she asked me on a date even though we hardly know each other,¡± he answered. ¡°I was suspicious but I went anyway, and when I did, she went on this rant about how I¡¯ve helped her and how we¡¯re such good friends so she¡¯s gonna save me or whatever. Not sure what she¡¯s saving me from though.¡±


    Both Damien and Elizabeth just stared at Vinny as he finished his explanation, and the boy wasn¡¯t really sure what to make of it.


    Okay, now I¡¯m really confused. What the hell is going on here? Why would Harper want to talk to us? Not only do they clearly not know her well, but the three of us have never even spoken either. I don¡¯t fucking get it.


    ¡°So, Clark, are you gonna sit down or¡­?¡±


    At Elizabeth¡¯s question, he realized that he was still standing like an idot at the front of the room, so he moved to take a seat at one of the desks closest to the front. He didn¡¯t feel like talking to the two any more than he already had, so his plan was to sit quietly and wait for Lilly to arrive. As strange of a group as this was, he found himself lucky that neither of them seemed to harbor any ill will toward him. While he didn¡¯t know Vinny all that well, he did know that the boy was in a similar situation as he was. They were both loners who were rejected by the rest of the school, and so he felt a certain camaraderie with him.


    As for Elizabeth, she was a total enigma. She was one of the most popular girls at West Wilham High, so she should hate him just as much as people like Evan Wright and Charlotte Banks did. Yet, she was the only one who never looked at him like he was scum. In fact, just that afternoon, she¡¯d smiled at him in the halls and it hadn¡¯t seemed like it was fake.


    And now, she talked to me like I was a normal guy. Is it possible that I just misread her? Is she actually a decent person?


    Against his better judgment, Damien glanced over his shoulder to where she was sitting, absently fiddling with a strand of her hair as she stared at her desk. He found himself realizing that she was actually quite pretty and for a moment, he couldn¡¯t help but watch her. Yet, she soon noticed him when she raised her head and looked right at him. He expected her to scowl or to call him out for staring like a creep, but once again, she just smiled.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s your story, Clark?¡± she asked.


    Damien frowned. ¡°My¡­story? Meaning what?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I guess¡­I¡¯m just curious to know what your deal is? Obviously I¡¯ve heard all the rumors and such. I mean, I doubt anybody in our grade hasn¡¯t heard them, but¡­I suppose I¡¯ve just always gotten this feeling that there¡¯s more to you than what I¡¯ve been told.¡± She shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°And I was just curious what that might be? Of course, if the rumors are true then fair enough but¡­¡± Elizabeth paused, and as she did, Damien noticed Vinny turn his attention toward them, as if mildly curious to hear his answer as well. ¡°...I really don¡¯t think they are.¡±


    ¡°You¡­don¡¯t?¡± he parroted. ¡°Why not? I mean, I¡¯m sure Wright and Banks and Fischer have told you all about me. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡±


    She laughed. ¡°Come on, give me more credit than that. Charlotte and I might be good friends but it¡¯s not like I take everything she says as gospel. And as for Wright, well, I can tell he has his own issues. So¡­what is your side of the story?¡±


    As nice as she was being to him, Damien knew he should be as guarded as possible around her. She had never done anything to prove that she was different from the others, so her words could just be a hollow way to manipulate him. Yet, he really did believe she was different from the other popular kids. He prided himself on his ability to tell if he was being lied to¡ªa skill he had picked up after getting tricked by his supposed ¡°friends¡± plenty of times in the past. He didn¡¯t think she was lying and because of that, he would have chosen to open up to her had the door to the classroom not opened at that very moment.


    He quickly spun around, wondering if Lilly had finally arrived or if it was somebody else she had invited, only to gape as a boy from their class walked in. His name was Jay Brooks and all Damien knew about him was that he was on the cross country team. That told him that Jay at least had some connection to Lilly, but just as he was about to ask what he was doing there, another boy walked in behind him, and this time, both Damien and Vinny jumped to their feet in fury.


    ¡°What the fuck are you doing here?¡± Vinny spat as Brad Fischer slowly surveyed the room before glancing over at Vinny.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see, Mickelson, but I promise I¡¯m not here to bother you,¡± he murmured.


    Damien narrowed his eyes as he glanced between Brad and Jay. The former didn¡¯t have his typical, arrogant look and he spoke in a calmer tone from the one he was used to. As for Jay, the boy looked like he could drop over at any moment with how much his legs were wobbling, and he was looking at the three of them with a mix of fear and grief.


    ¡°What the hell does that¡ª?!¡± Vinny began, but he stopped midsentence as the very girl they were waiting for walked through the doorway.


    All five of those who were already gathered remained quiet as they watched Lilly Harper slowly stare at each one of them in turn, a determined look on her face as she moved to stand behind the teacher¡¯s podium at the front of the room. Damien wanted to immediately demand what was going on and why Bradley Fischer had come, but before he could speak, the girl suddenly grinned. It wasn¡¯t the soft smile she had given him that morning, rather it was one of pure excitement that looked out of place with her typically bored-looking features. And then, she threw her arms out wide in an extravagant manner and began to laugh in an almost maniacal way.


    ¡°I thank you for coming here on this lovely afternoon, my dear friends!¡± she began theatrically. ¡°And I assure you that this will not be a waste of your time, for we have important matters of the supernatural realm to discuss here today!¡± She chuckled almost to herself then continued. ¡°For I am officially declaring this the first meeting of the Magical and Other Anomalies Investigation Team for our senior year of high school!¡±


    She paused for effect.


    ¡°And attendance is mandatory.¡±

 Chapter 17- Dining With The Devil

    Chapter XVII


    At first, he¡¯d told himself to spit in Nigreos¡¯s face the next time he saw him. After all, the man had to be crazy to think he¡¯d ever want to be anywhere near him again, let alone sit down and have dinner with him. Eric had considered himself lucky that, in the two months since arriving in Ijiria, he hadn¡¯t seen Nigreos or Album once. He¡¯d avoided them and they hadn¡¯t made any move to interact with him. That was how he liked it and he¡¯d hoped that the next time he saw them, it would be the moment they died. So he almost decided to send the squire back to Nigreos to tell him that he wouldn''t come, yet in that moment, he made a sudden decision to do the opposite. He told the young man to inform Nigreos that he¡¯d be there, then headed into his quarters to prepare himself, and the reason for that was because he knew he couldn¡¯t allow his emotions and hatred to get in the way of a prime opportunity to get some information.


    For better or for worse, Nigreos was my mother¡¯s friend and, according to Ryokumo, he was one of her closest. There¡¯s a lot I might be able to learn from him. Not to mention, he¡¯s also the one who killed her. He was there the moment she died¡­


    ¡°All we know is that one day, our mother departed for Noctalus on what she claimed was a very important trip and never came home.¡±


    Arisa¡¯s words from earlier caused him to grit his teeth in anger.


    Noctalus. If Nigreos killed her then that means he was in that city. Is it possible that he might know why she went there? Could he have a piece of the puzzle that the others don¡¯t? I know he¡¯s claimed not to know, but¡­


    He recalled how Nigreos told King Markreas that he never knew Eric existed despite having met him the day he retrieved his mother. At the time, his actions had confused the boy, and ever since, he had failed to understand just what Nigreos¡¯s motives were.


    He¡¯s already proven to me that he¡¯s willing to lie to the king, so it¡¯s possible he knows more than he lets on. This dinner¡­ It¡¯s too important of an opportunity to pass up.


    With that in mind, Eric quickly changed from his travel wear and into a lighter tunic and pants, then departed his quarters and began making his way toward where the Master of Darkness lived, though not without leaving a note telling Ryokumo where he had gone. All of the Masters had their quarters on the same level of the Citadel so the walk was barely five minutes long, and when Eric arrived, he found the front door no different than his own. He took one last second to collect his thoughts and come up with every possible question he could ask, then knocked a few times.


    ¡°It¡¯s open!¡± came the call of a voice that caused shivers to run down his spine.


    Eric then went inside and found himself in a room that was almost identical to the main living space of his quarters, though Nigreos¡¯s lacked a kitchen, leaving him to assume that the Master typically ate in the dining hall. Eric¡¯s eyes slowly shifted to the far left side of the room and in that moment, he found his fists clenching almost on their own. Nigreos Noctis was sitting at a small, wooden table that was placed just beside a window, watching him with his piercing white eyes. He wasn¡¯t wearing his typical black suit, instead having replaced it with a black, silk robe with a sash tied around his waist.


    ¡°Good evening, Eric,¡± he greeted, an uncomfortably pleasant tone in his voice. ¡°Please, take a seat.¡±


    Nigreos indicated the chair across from him and Eric silently obliged, crossing the room before sitting down at the table. Right in front of him was a plate with some gravy-covered meat that resembled steak, as well as a salad on the side. There was also a glass of what looked like wine, though Eric wasn¡¯t certain exactly what it was. The room was lit by balls of fire magic that were floating around the ceiling, blinking occasionally and casting a rather dull and depressing orange hue.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯m surprised you actually came,¡± Nigreos said with a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯d considered this a long shot, to be honest.¡±


    Eric narrowed his eyes as he regarded the man¡ªthe very man who took his mother and his friends away from him. He was about to share a meal with the Master of Darkness, but he told himself to power through his disgust for the sake of his goals. If all went well, this man could be dead within a month. He had to keep reminding himself that or else he wouldn¡¯t be able to focus.


    ¡°Then why¡¯d you ask?¡± he grunted. ¡°Why invite me here?¡±


    Nigreos shrugged, then indicated the plates of food. ¡°I promise you that this is nothing more than what it appears to be. I simply wanted to have dinner with you and check in on you¡­and potentially come to some sort of understanding.¡±


    ¡°Understanding?¡± Eric spat the word like a poison. ¡°What¡¯s there to understand? I think I understand everything perfectly. You¡¯re so dedicated to your duty that you¡¯ll do whatever you¡¯re ordered to, no matter how wretched of an order it is. You can defend your actions all you want, but I¡¯ll never forget what happened in Wilham. I¡¯ll never forget how you butchered the innocent people at that diner, or how you erased high schoolers because they happened upon magic that you failed to keep contained in Ijiria. I understand you perfectly.¡±


    He saw Nigreos¡¯s jaw tighten before the Master awkwardly cleared his throat and turned to gaze out the window to his right. ¡°Be that as it may, I still do not wish to argue with you. Rather, I would like to get to know you, so please, enjoy the meal I prepared and let¡¯s just talk.¡±


    Eric scoffed then looked once more at his food with a cocked eyebrow. ¡°Is it poisoned?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not poisoned,¡± Nigreos snapped, the first hint of frustration poking through. ¡°Why would I poison it? Don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re an apprentice of this Citadel now, so killing you is treason. What kind of fool do you take me for?¡±


    Realizing that he had a point, Eric begrudgingly picked up his fork and knife and began to cut at the meat. While he wouldn¡¯t have said so aloud, he was surprised at how good it was. It tasted as if his guess about it being steak was correct, but he still couldn¡¯t identify the gravy-like substance on top of it. It gave it a very savory taste and as he chewed, he realized just how hungry he had been. He also realized that the ¡°wine¡± was actually a fruit juice, and he wondered if there were laws against underage drinking in Ijiria. Either that or the Master was just familiar with Omaruan laws, Eric supposed.


    Despite Nigreos¡¯s request to talk, they ate in silence, the only sound in the room being the clinking of their silverware and their chewing sounds. Every once in a while,  Eric would look up and watch the Master as he enjoyed his meal, though Nigreos never looked back. Instead, he seemed lost in thought and Eric couldn''t help but wonder what could possibly be going through the mind of someone as monstrous as him.


    Nigreos picked up his glass and downed the last sips of his juice, then exhaled softly and spoke. ¡°So how have your studies been?¡±


    Eric shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°They¡¯ve been fine. Master Mackia is a great teacher, and she¡¯s probably more lenient with me than she should be. She¡¯s¡­a good person.¡±


    ¡°She is,¡± Nigreos agreed. ¡°In her own twisted way, that is. Under that mischievous and teasing persona, she¡¯s not a bad individual, and I do not think you could have asked for a more knowledgeable teacher when it comes to the history of this world.¡± The Master folded his hands on the table and smiled. ¡°And what about Ryokumo? How has it been living with him?¡±


    ¡°Also fine,¡± he muttered. ¡°He¡¯s treated me well and I like him enough.¡±


    The Master of Darkness nodded. ¡°That¡¯s good. Ryokumo is an honorable man and he was a good friend of your mother¡¯s. I would trust him with my life, as should you. In fact, I¡¯ve known Ryokumo just a bit longer than I knew Abi.¡±


    Eric kept his face from showing his surprise, but he was shocked to see just how much Nigreos trusted a man that, not two hours prior, had declared his intent to kill him. In fact, considering how little Album trusted the Master of Wind, he had expected a similar level of suspicion from Nigreos.


    But Ryokumo¡¯s managed to manipulate him. He¡¯ll never see it coming¡­


    The thought of being able to puppet Nigreos like Ryokumo wanted to made him anxious to finally go after him, but he knew they couldn¡¯t be hasty, and thus, he kept his feelings as far inside of him as he could.


    ¡°Both of you talk about my mother,¡± Eric began, ¡°but you¡¯re never very specific. How did you know her? What was your relationship like and¡­why would you ever murder somebody you speak so highly of?¡±


    Nigreos flinched at his final question. ¡°Our history is¡­complicated, to say the least. I met Abi at the Academy of Erika, where most mages who are worth anything are trained. She, Ryokumo, Album, and I were all very close friends¡­and we weren¡¯t all that different from your Magic Club.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t imagine Nigreos ever being a student nor was he able to contain his surprise at the thought that Album could have ever been close to his mother and Ryokumo given how cold she always acted toward them. In some ways, the Master of Light was the biggest enigma of the Citadel to him.


    ¡°After graduating, we fought together as a group for quite a while until your mother left for Omaruo, and we had our fair share of dangerous encounters,¡± Nigreos went on. ¡°In fact, we were there when¡­¡± He paused, as if trying and failing to recall certain details about his past. ¡°...when the Battle of Stellaried took place.¡±


    Eric frowned, trying to recall what the Battle of Stellaried was, before deciding that Iris must not have covered that topic yet. He made a mental note to ask Iris or Ryokumo about it another time since he didn¡¯t trust Nigreos to give him an accurate telling.


    ¡°We were inseparable,¡± he whispered softly, his eyes glazing over for few seconds. ¡°All four of us¡­¡±


    The boy snorted, knowing he shouldn¡¯t antagonize him but feeling himself unable to hold back. ¡°Then why¡¯d you do it?¡± he demanded sharply. ¡°If you were so damn close to her then why did you kill her?¡±


    Nigreos averted his gaze and stared down at his mostly empty plate. ¡°When Abi came back from Omaruo, she was never the same. She treated us well, but she was always distant. It was far from the loving and close relationship she had with us before. As Master of Nature, she was beloved by the commoners and her Children of Reiner became quite famous around Erika. Everybody loved her, but she was closed off. Then¡­she rebelled.¡±


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    The Master slowly turned to stare out the window again, stopping for a moment to watch as the sun slowly moved behind the nearby mountains. ¡°Without any sort of warning, a small army of rebels led an assault on Noctalus from the inside. Skirmishes erupted in the streets and in the midst of it all, we got wind that Abi was the one behind it. I¡¯d been in the city at the time with Ryokumo and Album and when I heard, I¡­¡±


    He swallowed back the pain that the story was clearly causing him. ¡°I had to confront her. I had to know for myself¡­and she admitted to it without any hesitation. I begged her to stand down but she wouldn¡¯t. Things escalated and soon we were in open conflict, and¡­when I realized she wouldn¡¯t relent and that the only way to stop the attack was to kill her, I¡­ I did what had to be done¡­¡±


    The last words were barely a whisper and his eyes were wet with tears he was fighting back. It was the first time he had ever seen such emotion in the man and yet, he found himself unable to trust him. There was something wrong in that story, and he couldn¡¯t pretend to accept it.


    ¡°My mother¡­would have never done such a thing,¡± he growled.


    Nigreos smiled bitterly. ¡°I know that, Eric, believe me I do. For three goddamn years, I¡¯ve been trying to understand why it came to that. I wanted to know why she would rebel against her country, but I can¡¯t figure it out. When I confronted her, she wouldn¡¯t tell me.¡±


    Eric grit his teeth, his rage growing further beyond his control as the conversation progressed. ¡°Then why kill her? Why not take her captive? Why not question her? Why did it have to come to murder?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have a damn choice,¡± he breathed. ¡°She¡­was too strong.¡±


    ¡°Too strong?!¡± he spat furiously. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that shit! I¡¯ve seen what you can do! I¡¯ve seen your power firsthand! There¡¯s no way you couldn¡¯t have used your magic to contain her!¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t there,¡± Nigreos uttered. ¡°You didn¡¯t see¡­what I did. You didn¡¯t know your mother like I did.¡±


    Eric smirked irritably, speaking through clenched teeth. ¡°I don¡¯t need to! You could have found some other way! My mother didn¡¯t need to die, and you failed to find a way to prevent that! If you were truly her friend, you wouldn''t have let it escalate! If you cared for her like you say you did then you could have figured out something else! But you stooped to murder! You killed her, you fucking monster.¡±


    ¡°I LOVED HER!¡±


    Without warning, Nigreos jumped to his feet, his features contorted in utter fury. Eric jumped up as well, his mana instantly at his fingertips while the sudden movement sent the small table toppling over, the plates crashing into the ground. The fireballs floating around the room all flickered at once before stabilizing while the shadows on the wall all started to move.


    ¡°Your mother meant the world to me!¡± Nigreos snarled. ¡°I was in love with her! I would have done anything and everything for her if she¡¯d asked me to! But she chose to betray this country! She betrayed me! She chose to turn traitor and lead the first assault on Noctalus in centuries! I wanted to spare her! I wanted her to live, but I had no choice! Do you hear me?! I had no choice!¡±


    The Master was shaking with rage and Eric half-expected him to attack, yet he never did.


    ¡°Do you realize how much it¡¯s tormented me?¡± he hissed. ¡°Do you realize how many nights I¡¯ve woken up in a cold sweat with the image of her bloody corpse burned into my eyes? I can¡¯t forget it! I can¡¯t change the past no matter how much I wish I could! I killed her¡­ Her blood is on my hands and no amount of scrubbing will ever make them clean again. I know I failed her and I don¡¯t need a child who hardly knew her to tell me that!¡±


    Eric took great joy seeing how worked up Nigreos became and, despite knowing he needed to deescalate the confrontation, he just couldn¡¯t keep his mouth shut. ¡°I¡¯m glad,¡± he whispered. ¡°I¡¯m glad she still torments you¡­and I hope you continue to suffer for what you did until the day you finally die.¡±


    Nigreos smiled bitterly. ¡°You need not worry about that, boy. There¡¯s no doubt in my mind that I will.¡±


    After that, the two of them stood in silence, glaring across the table at each other before Eric finally snorted and backed away. ¡°I guess this is as good a time as any to leave. Thanks for the meal, you bastard.¡±


    Wanting to be anywhere but there, Eric turned and stalked toward the door, but to his dismay, Nigreos still had one more thing to say to him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think this changes anything,¡± the Master called after him. ¡°Even if we never see eye to eye, you¡¯re still her son and I won¡¯t ever forget that. Protecting you is the only way I can ever atone for what I did¡­ It¡¯s why I lied to Prince Reigious about knowing you existed. I¡¯ve been protecting your ass for years.¡±


    The boy snorted. ¡°Do you think I care? I¡¯d have preferred to get erased with the rest of my friends than get stuck here with you. My blood magic never saved me. It just condemned me to live alone, always remembering how I failed them. If you protected me only for me to wind up like this, then I wish you had just sacrificed me to Ijiria.¡±


    Eric refused to turn around so he didn¡¯t know what Nigreos¡¯s face looked like, but when the Master spoke again, his voice was weak, as if all his previous rage had left his body.


    ¡°Please, Eric. Whatever you do, just obey Ijiria. Hate me all you want, but I beg of you¡­ Don¡¯t put me in the position where I would have to kill you, too. I can¡¯t¡­have your blood on my hands, as well.¡±


    Eric never replied, instead pushing through the door and leaving Nigreos behind. If anything, he hoped Nigreos would be the one to kill him should Ryokumo¡¯s plan fail. If he had to die, then he wanted his death to drive that man so insane that he would never be able to move past it. He wanted Nigreos to suffer for all the misery he inflicted on him.


    But with any luck, I¡¯ll be the one to strike him down, Eric thought. I want to see the look in his eyes when his entire world falls apart. But to do that, I need to practice light magic like Ryokumo ordered me to. The pieces are being put in place¡­and I couldn¡¯t be happier.


    Eric grinned. Vinny, Damien, Liz¡­Lilly. I¡¯m coming to save you. Just¡­wait for me a little longer, okay?


    ***


    ¡°Well, it sounds like your ridiculous little dinner went just as I expected it would,¡± Album mused as she fiddled with one of the forks still laying on the table.


    Behind her, Nigreos was pacing around the living room, his features twisted in disappointment. He didn¡¯t respond to her, so Album merely brought her mana to her fingers and began using her magic to repair the broken plates and glasses that had fallen off the table. At the same time, she brought the few scraps of food off the ground as well, but knew that it would take a bit more effort to scrub the juice from the carpet, so she decided to leave that particular task to Nigreos. It was his room, after all, and the only reason she was bothering to clean up was to entertain herself while waiting for her partner to pull himself together.


    He should have known it was only going to end like this. I¡¯m just surprised Reiner showed up in the first place. If I were in his position, I would have laughed in Nigreos¡¯s face. So¡­since the boy actually showed up, he must have believed he could gain something from this particular interaction. Album narrowed her eyes. I wonder what that was¡­


    ¡°I wish¡­things could have been different,¡± Nigreos murmured after a moment. ¡°I want to help him, Album. I want him to be happy here¡­but I just can¡¯t get through to him.¡±


    She laughed mockingly. ¡°Of course you can¡¯t. Snap out of it, Nigreos. You''re usually far more logical than this! Do you not realize that by doing what we did, we¡¯ve essentially broken the boy. He¡¯s lost everything with no hope of getting it back and in his eyes, the blame falls on us. He will never move past that. He will never see us as anything other than killers.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± he grumbled. ¡°But¡­maybe if I keep trying¡­¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s a waste of time. For the moment, you should leave him to Caeli and Mackia. For better or for worse, they¡¯re the ones in charge of him, and if he¡¯s taken a liking to them then we should rely on them to keep him from doing anything stupid.¡±


    The Master of Darkness stopped his pacing and turned an irritated glare on her. Expecting him to continue to argue against staying away from him, she was surprised when that wasn¡¯t what he said.


    ¡°Ryokumo,¡± he snapped. ¡°For god¡¯s sake, Album, his name is Ryokumo! You¡¯ve known him for years so I don¡¯t understand why you insist on being like that! Stop calling him ¡®Caeli¡¯!¡±


    Album grit her teeth, a million different retorts coming to mind, but she refrained from speaking any of them, knowing that she didn¡¯t have the option.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do as I please,¡± she growled threateningly, warning him not to correct her again. ¡°You can go on ahead and be best friends with him, but I have chosen not to. I do not trust Ryokumo Caeli, especially not with Reiner. I wish anybody else could be watching over him, but since Reigious refuses to listen to reason, there¡¯s nothing I can do about that.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Nigreos demanded. ¡°What changed between the two of you? I¡¯ve been asking you for years and you refuse to tell me! Is this not the greatest opportunity to mend our friendship? Eric Reiner is her son! If we take him under our wing and guide him in Ijiria, we can make up for our mistakes. Ryokumo, you, and I have a chance to put the past behind us, but you keep standing in our way! You slander Ryokumo in front of the Masters and you refuse to give Eric a chance! It¡¯s like you¡¯re trying to prevent us from fixing everything!¡±


    Album smiled bitterly. ¡°I¡¯m not preventing anything. I¡¯m just the only one of us two that¡¯s logical enough to realize that it can never be fixed. You¡¯re stuck in the past, wishing it to come back, when there¡¯s no way it ever could! Abi is dead and you can¡¯t replace her with Eric! Come back to the present, Nigreos, and take a good look at the world around you! This is what our actions brought us and there¡¯s nothing we can do about it!¡±


    Trust me! If I could tell you, I would, but there isn¡¯t any way to bring the past back! We can¡¯t trust Ryokumo! We can¡¯t trust, Reiner! I just wish you could see that!


    ¡°Why are you so pessimistic?¡± he snarled.


    ¡°Why are you so idealistic?¡± she retorted.


    Nigreos exhaled softly, his body shaking. ¡°I¡¯ll never understand you, Album.¡±


    No, I know you won¡¯t¡­


    ¡°Anyway, enough of this nonsense,¡± Album snapped irritbaly. ¡°Were you able to get any information out of him regarding that damned pocket realm? Was he the one who put it up?¡±


    The man¡¯s lips tightened in frustration. ¡°No, unfortunately the conversation deteriorated before I could ever get to that point, but I honestly doubt it. Reiner is good, but everything he learned was from his mother¡¯s spellbook, which wouldn¡¯t have anything about pocket realm creation.¡±


    Album sighed. ¡°That, I agree with, but it¡¯s possible he knows who was behind it. There wasn¡¯t a soul in Omaruo that had the power to do something like that, which means somebody was trying to aid him. And if I had to make a guess, that person might be related to whoever gave Abi guideship. We have to know if Reiner knows anything.¡±


    ¡°Well, by all means, talk to him yourself,¡± Nigreos muttered. ¡°After tonight, he¡¯s not going to come by for a long time.¡±


    ¡°Ha! As if that would work. I think he¡¯s less willing to speak with me than he is with you,¡± she said, cringing at the memory of their fight outside Harper¡¯s apartment. Her left hand slowly raised to grip her right arm, which was sensium from the elbow down. ¡°And I would rather not go anywhere near him¡­not while that blood magic remains.¡±


    She turned and gazed out the window at the city lights down below. There was so much to think about and she found herself wishing that Eric Reiner would just vanish. She wanted nothing more than to erase him and send him somewhere she would never have to see him again. The amount of stress his existence caused her was getting to be too much, and his connection to Abi would only cause more chaos.


    He needs to die. We need to get rid of him somehow, but I¡¯m the only person who shares this sentiment. Nigreos, Ryokumo, Reigious, Piura¡­ They¡¯re all blinded by his last name, and I¡¯m powerless to do anything about it. And I can¡¯t help but feel that if they don¡¯t come to their senses soon, it¡¯ll be too late.

 Chapter 18- The Resolve of Lilly Harper

    Chapter XVIII


    God, this is so damn embarrassing! Brad and Jay are never going to let me live this down, and I¡¯m sure that when Damien, Vinny, and Liz get their memories back, they¡¯ll be milking this for all it¡¯s worth, too. Lilly internally sighed. But I need to do this. I¡¯ll put on this show for them, and I¡¯ll do whatever I can to jog their memories! I will revive this club, no matter what stupid shit I have to do!


    Gathered around the classroom, Damien, Vinny, and Liz were all staring at her as if she¡¯d lost her mind, but luckily for her, they hadn¡¯t yet made any move to leave. She had their attention for the moment and that was all she could ask for. On her left, Brad was barely holding back a smile as he stood by the door, ready to act if any of them did try to leave. Jay was on her right, though his features were unreadable, so she didn¡¯t know what exactly was going through his mind at that moment. At first, she hadn¡¯t wanted to bring him, but now that he had his memories back, she thought it was necessary for him to see just what the erased realm was and how it affected everybody else. Finally, the seventh person in the room, Rista, was standing just behind her, cloaked in distortion so that he would be invisible to all gathered. She hadn¡¯t originally planned for him to be present, but since he was, she had altered her plan ever so slightly, and he had agreed to help, if only so he could keep a closer eye on Jay.


    ¡°The Magical¡­¡± Vinny uttered, clearly baffled. ¡°What? What the fuck does that even mean, Harper?¡±


    Alright, just keep it going. Mimic Eric¡¯s mannerisms as best you can, and recreate the typical club atmosphere! That¡¯s my goal here.


    Lilly glanced over at him, grinned, then stuck out her hand to point directly at him. ¡°Please, dear Vinny, do not forget our name! The Magical and Other Anomalies Investigation Team, or MOAIT, as you loved to call us! In other words, we are the Magic Club and our job is to investigate all supernatural incidents and learn all we can about the other realms in this multiverse of ours!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± Vinny muttered before his features turned furious and he began to shout. ¡°I really don¡¯t fuckin¡¯ get you! What the hell is your goal here?! We¡¯ve never talked before, then you ask me out on a date, and now this?! I don¡¯t appreciate getting fucked with, Harper! Not to mention¡­¡± The blonde boy turned a glare toward Brad and clenched his teeth. ¡°Why the fuck are you here with him? I didn¡¯t know you were buddies with one of the biggest assholes in this school!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s the deal here?¡± Damien demanded. ¡°I was willing to hear you out, but now I¡¯m not so sure. Why is Fischer here?¡±


    Lilly glanced sidelong at Brad and motioned for him to answer in her place. The big boy seemed hesitant, but still stepped forward and looked between the two boys.


    ¡°I¡¯m here because Lilly wanted me to be,¡± he told them with a sad smile. ¡°And I understand why you wouldn¡¯t want me here. I know we don¡¯t have the greatest relationship in this world, though it¡¯s not like we did in the other one either, but I swear to you that we aren¡¯t here with any bad intentions.¡±


    Vinny scoffed. ¡°And you expect me to believe that? Bullshit! I¡¯ve been tricked and fucked with too many times to fall for something as messed up as this! I gave you a shot, Harper, but now it¡¯s clear that I shouldn¡¯t have! You¡¯re clearly just a fucking freak!¡±


    The anger in Vinny¡¯s eyes caused her to flinch despite having prepared herself for such a reaction. Even though she knew he wasn¡¯t the Vinny she knew, it still hurt her to see how serious he was when he hurled his insults at her.


    ¡°Vinny,¡± she said calmly. ¡°Please just listen to me.¡±


    ¡°And why should I?!¡± he roared. ¡°Why should I trust you?! Why should I trust him?¡±


    He looked ready to lunge at Brad and, behind her, she felt Rista tense up, telling her that he was aware just how chaotic the room could get at any moment. However, she had faith in her friends and so, she subtly motioned for him to stay quiet for the moment.


    ¡°You should trust me because we are friends,¡± she declared, once again pointing her finger toward him. ¡°We were a part of the Magic Club together, along with Damien and Liz, as well as the president of our beloved club, Eric Reiner!¡±


    Using his name seemed to once again do the trick. Damien, Liz, and Vinny all reacted to the name, confirming for her just how much they loved and respected their friend even when they couldn¡¯t remember him. The Magic Club was a close-knit group, so Album¡¯s memory magic simply wasn¡¯t enough to erase their feelings. If she could capitalize on that, she hoped she could force their memories back out without having to resort to magic.


    ¡°And who is that?¡± Liz asked as she slowly rose to her feet. ¡°You keep referencing Eric Reiner, but I honestly don¡¯t know who that is. We were never in a club together, and we weren¡¯t friends, so why are you saying we are?¡±


    ¡°And please, drop the stupid circus act,¡± Damien growled. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re trying to accomplish here, but just act fucking normal or I¡¯m going to leave right now.¡±


    Lilly nodded, taking a deep breath before setting aside her impression of Eric. ¡°Yeah sure, sorry about that. But you see, Damien, I was hoping that by acting like Eric, it would get past the spell on your memories and help you remember your real past, not the bullshit one that you think you have. Did my personality seem familiar to you? To any of you, for that matter?¡±


    As irritated as the two boys seemed, neither responded right away. Instead it was Liz, who thus far hadn¡¯t reacted in any significant way, to speak.


    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not really sure,¡± she admitted. ¡°But¡­I won¡¯t deny that when you say Eric Reiner¡¯s name, I feel like I¡¯m just moments away from remembering something very important to me. And this room¡­¡± She motioned around for emphasis. ¡°...definitely means something more than it should. Ever since the first day of school, I¡¯ve felt something off about it all. Yet, none of that changes how ridiculous you sound. What do you mean by ¡®real past¡¯? And did you say ¡®spell¡¯?¡±


    Damien and Vinny both turned to her with suspicious glares, but she could see in their eyes that what Liz said applied to them as well. Eric and the club weren¡¯t completely gone from their minds, so if she played her cards right, she hoped she could pull those memories out.


    ¡°I meant exactly what I said,¡± she stated. ¡°What you remember about your past starting from around middle school is wrong. They¡¯re fake memories put there by the Master of Light, Album Luz, to make you believe that you¡¯ve always been this way, when in reality, you¡¯re missing a very important variable: That you knew Eric Reiner and that he brought you into the Magic Club!¡±


    After a few seconds of silence, Vinny laughed softly to himself as he ran a hand through his hair. ¡°I can¡¯t fucking believe it¡­ You sound like you actually believe this? Were you dropped on your head as a child or something?¡±


    ¡°No, I was not, Vinny,¡± she snapped. ¡°I¡¯m dead serious here. This world isn¡¯t real! It¡¯s a constructed reality called the erased realm that exists for the sole purpose of keeping us ignorant to what actually happened, while we go about lives that aren¡¯t ours! You¡¯re living lies, guys! Liz, you were never one of the popular girls! In fact, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve ever spoken a word to Charlotte Banks! Vinny, you were never this angry and bitter, rather all you ever did was smile and joke around! And Damien, while your reputation did exist in that world, you had friends and a place to belong! Hell, you and Liz were dating and honestly, you were the sweetest couple I¡¯ve ever met! I swear to you that this place is a fake¡ªa prison!¡±


    No matter how insane it sounded, she had to tell them the entire truth. If she left anything out then she was running the risk of losing their trust, and if they didn¡¯t trust her, then her chances of reviving them were slim.


    ¡°You¡¯re insane,¡± Damien spat. ¡°And you¡¯re a fucking idiot if you think I¡¯m going to believe that. As nice as that world sounds, I¡¯m not so idealistic to think a place like that exists. And magic? Really, Harper? What are you, five?¡±


    ¡°Damien, Liz, look into each other¡¯s eyes, right now,¡± Lilly commanded sharply.


    Liz frowned. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Just do it, please.¡±


    While both seemed hesitant, Lilly was grateful that they still opted to listen as Damien turned around and stared back at Liz. They waited a moment and clearly felt rather awkward, but they remained doing as she asked.


    ¡°You feel it, right?¡± Lilly inquired. ¡°That the two of you are not strangers nor even classmates or aquantiences? There¡¯s more to your relationship than you know and I promise that you two were dating in the real world.¡±


    Liz turned her head away and stared down at the desk beside her while Damien simply shook his head and glanced back at Lilly. ¡°Don¡¯t fuck with me, Harper. Tao¡¯s a nice enough girl, but there¡¯s no world where the two of us would ever date. We¡¯re way too different.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you are,¡± she quickly retorted. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t change anything, Damien. You dated Liz and no matter what the two of you went through, you rarely ever left the other¡¯s side. You cared for her and she cared for you. You can deny what I¡¯m telling you all you want, but you know there¡¯s some truth to what I¡¯m saying. If you can just break past the memory magic¡ª¡±


    ¡°There it is again,¡± Damien interrupted sharply, his features contorting into a furious glare. ¡°Magic? Harper, there is no such thing as magic! Open your eyes and come back to reality!¡± He then shook his head and looked at Vinny and Liz. ¡°If you guys want to stay here and listen to this nonsense then be my guest, but I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    Neither of them responded as Damien turned and began stalking toward the door. Knowing it was now or never, Lilly gave a quick thumbs up just behind the podium where only Rista would see, before raising her hand toward Damien.


    ¡°Stop, Damien,¡± she commanded.


    Right as she said those words, she heard Rista chant something behind her, and all of a sudden, Damien froze. He frowned and seemed to be trying to move his body, but as he struggled, he remained frozen in place, as if something were preventing him from taking another step. Vinny and Liz stared at him in confusion before slowly turning their heads to gaze at Lilly.


    ¡°What¡­the fuck are you doing?¡± Damien grunted. ¡°How did you¡­?¡±


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Magic,¡± she said simply, then waved her hand to her right.


    Damien was then flung off his feet and tossed over the desks and toward the back of the room, being pulled by what Lilly knew to be Rista¡¯s invisible ropes. It was the same trick Eric had used on Evan back in April and it had worked back then, so she hoped it would be effective for her as well. She gradually moved her hands, wanting it to appear like she was casting the spell as Damien slammed into the wall before remaining there, struggling a few feet above the ground.


    ¡°What the hell is this?!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°This isn¡¯t¡­possible!¡±


    Lilly laughed as she stepped around the podium and walked toward the desks. ¡°Oh but it is, dear Damien. Magic is real, and that¡¯s something the old you knew quite well. I know it¡¯s hard to believe. In fact, you were the most skeptical when you originally learned about it, but seeing is believing so I thought I¡¯d offer proof that what I say is true.¡± She could feel Vinny and Liz¡¯s eyes on her as she waved her hands out once again. ¡°Curtains, close!¡±


    Just as she ordered, the curtains over the windows swung shut, bathing the room in darkness.


    ¡°Illuminate the room!¡± she chanted just as Rista sent four glowing orbs flying out of his distortion before settling up near the ceiling, giving the clubroom a dim, reddish glow.


    ¡°Like I said,¡± Lilly went on, this time making sure she looked at all three of them. They all appeared terrified, but at the same time, she could make out intrigue and awe mixed in as well. ¡°Magic is real and you all knew about it! Back in the real world, we got our hands on a magical relic and we messed with it more than we should have! Because of that, the Masters of Darkness and Light, Nigreos Noctis and Album Luz, came after us and erased us, sending us to this world where Eric never existed and we never became the Magic Club! But those experiences were real! We spent the happiest times of my life together, and we fought and bled together in our efforts to fight the Ijirians! You three were some of my closest friends, so I¡¯ll be damned if I let you suffer in this fucked up world any longer than you already have! Do you hear me?! Vinny? Liz? Damien? Magic is real and we are the Magic Club!¡±


    She exhaled softly as she finished her declaration just as the ropes binding Damien released, sending him toppling to the floor, gasping for air. Vinny looked ready to throw up, but to her surprise, Liz¡¯s features were no longer showing an emotion, giving Lilly little insight into her reaction.


    ¡°I love you guys,¡± Lilly said softly. ¡°You mean the world to me. So I will save you from this hell. And when I do, we¡¯ll break out of this world and we¡¯ll go find Eric. We¡¯ll reunite the club. We¡¯ll put everything back the way it should be.¡±


    With that, there was nothing more she could say. If her words and actions didn¡¯t reach them then she had failed. She had shown them all magic, so if they decided to trust her, then she wanted to work with them to break out, whether it was the old them or the current them. Lilly held her breath as she watched Damien scramble to his feet, and her heart felt like it stopped when he looked even angrier than before.


    ¡°Fuck you!¡± he snarled. ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of monster you are, but stay the hell away from me!¡±


    ¡°Damien¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± He stalked across the room, his body trembling from rage as he pushed past her. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you ever again. Whatever trick you just pulled on me¡­ There¡¯s no way it¡¯s magic and I¡¯m not going to be stupid enough to fall for it! Now get out of my way, Fischer! I¡¯m leaving!¡±


    Brad hesitated but one look from Lilly got him to step aside as Damien flung the door open and departed the room. She slowly turned back to look at the other two only to find Vinny already grabbing his backpack and moving to leave.


    ¡°Please, Vin¡¯,¡± she whispered, but he ignored her without speaking a word as he followed in Damien¡¯s footsteps.


    No¡­ It wasn¡¯t enough. I did everything I could, but¡­ I just couldn¡¯t do it. No matter how hard I try, I can¡¯t do what Eric did. I know he could have succeeded, but I¡­


    The only one still left was Liz, who was now sitting quietly at her desk, her hands folded on the table and her brow furrowed in thought. Part of Lilly wanted to call out to her, but she forced herself to stay quiet and give Liz time to think until finally, she rose to her feet as well.


    ¡°I want to think about this,¡± she whispered. ¡°You¡­said a lot that I can¡¯t just ignore¡­ Not to mention this.¡± She waved toward the glowing balls of light still hovering in the air. ¡°I just need time. Is that okay, Harper?¡±


    Lilly nodded, grateful that at least Liz hadn¡¯t fully rejected her. ¡°Of course it is. Take whatever time you need. You¡¯ll know where to find me.¡±


    ¡°C-cool. Thank you.¡±


    With that, Liz left the clubroom as well and moments after she was gone, Rista let the distortion spell drop. ¡°That could have gone better,¡± he grunted. ¡°Perhaps we shouldn¡¯t have attacked the poor kid. That might have helped gain his trust.¡±


    Lilly rolled her eyes. ¡°Shut up. He was threatening to leave so I just wanted to do whatever we could to keep him here. I dunno, I¡­¡±


    ¡°So what now?¡± Jay murmured when she trailed off. ¡°I mean, you weren¡¯t kidding when you said that they were really different here. I¡¯ve never seen Clark so pissed off before. If you can¡¯t bring their memories back then¡­?¡±


    ¡°Then they¡¯ll just have to stay like this until we destroy the realm,¡± she answered firmly. ¡°According to the Voice of Darkness, everybody¡¯s memories should return to normal if we can break down the realm. I really wanted to help them now, but it doesn¡¯t seem like I have a choice. If they don¡¯t trust me, then I¡¯ll just have to abandon the idea.¡±


    Brad sighed. ¡°So then what? Aside from the club, there¡¯s still Evan and Mendez to think about. What are your thoughts with them? Are we putting them back or¡­?¡±


    ¡°Honestly Brad, I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m going to do with Evan,¡± she muttered. ¡°He¡¯s never really liked us so I don¡¯t see much coming from bringing him back. Alice, on the other hand¡ª¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Jay quickly interrupted. ¡°D-don¡¯t bring Alice back, Lilly. Right now, she¡¯s happier than she¡¯s been in a long time! There¡¯s no reason to take her paradise away from her, right?¡±


    Lilly hesitated so instead, it was Rista who responded in a sharp tone. ¡°Of course there¡¯s a reason. Like she said, if this realm comes down, her memories are coming back regardless, and from what I¡¯ve been told, she¡¯s lost quite a lot. The only way for her to truly accept reality is to help her find peace in this supposed paradise. If you fail to do that, you¡¯ll only be hurting her.¡±


    ¡°B-but¡­¡± Jay stuttered.


    ¡°He¡¯s right, Brooks,¡± Brad agreed. ¡°We do have to bring Mendez back at some point, however, I think we should hold off on that for the moment. Instead¡­¡± He took a deep breath then turned to stare at Lilly. ¡°I actually would ask you to give Evan¡¯s memories back.¡±


    Lilly frowned, surprised by his request. ¡°Why? Evan doesn¡¯t like us, Brad. He never has. If we return him to normal, he¡¯ll probably just get in the way.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s true,¡± the boy assured her. ¡°I¡¯ve known Evan for a long time, and while I understand that he has his issues, I think he deserves to know. Whether we like it or not, he¡¯s been involved since the moment Mickelson used the stone on him. Not to mention, he might be useful, if only to serve as another hand on deck.¡±


    If Brad wasn¡¯t the one making the request, she probably would have dug her heels in further. Yet, she trusted him enough that if he said Evan should regain his memories then she would oblige.


    ¡°Fine then,¡± she conceded. ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯ll find Evan and give his memories back. After that, we¡¯ll see where the club members stand and then make a decision about Alice.¡±


    She saw Jay flinch and had a feeling he was going to protest again, but before he could, Rista stepped forward with a stern expression on his face. ¡°That¡¯s all well and good, Harper, but I do need to ask when you plan on actually breaking out of this place. Like you said, returning their memories here isn¡¯t a requirement. We could always leave them as they are and deal with them in the real world.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± she responded calmly. ¡°But I worry about what that might do to them. The shock of waking up in the real world without understanding this one isn¡¯t going to be something they can just shake off. I want everybody to understand what this place is before we go back, so while I understand why you would want to act now, I refuse to start our breakout until I¡¯ve helped my friends, Rista.¡±


    The Child of Reiner narrowed his eyes and his lips tightened. ¡°I¡¯m well aware why you¡¯re so insistent here, but I can¡¯t just sit around and do nothing. I¡¯ve helped you only because I need your help to get out of here, but there¡¯s only so long I can wait. I¡¯ve been in here for over a year now without any idea as to what¡¯s happened in Ijiria. I need to get out now.¡±


    Lilly shrugged. ¡°Then let¡¯s help Alice and Evan and then we can break out. I¡¯ve done my best to help the club members so that¡¯s all that¡¯s left. We just need another day or so and then we can get out of here. Trust me¡­I want to get to Eric as soon as possible, too, but there are other people I need to help first. I trust that Eric can hold his own, so I¡¯m going to do what he would do¡­and save the others.¡±


    Rista sighed and shook his head. ¡°Very well. But let¡¯s be quick about this.¡±


    Lilly smirked, facing the Ijirian mage with confidence. ¡°That¡¯s the plan.¡±


    ***


    It had been two days since Natalie¡¯s memories had returned and Lilly had been too busy with Vinny and the rest of the club to go back and visit her, so once the meeting in the clubroom wrapped up, she parted ways with the boys and headed back to her apartment building. She was hesitant to leave Jay alone after everything that happened that day, but he had assured her that he would be fine and that he merely needed his space. After lunch, the two of them skipped class so Lilly could answer any other questions he had and then they both bailed on cross country practice. Of course, she didn¡¯t care if they got in trouble since the world was fake, but Lilly worried about what might happen if they continued to draw the attention of Alice, Rina, and Audrey. She didn¡¯t have a clue what they would be thinking after Jay¡¯s outburst and they would almost certainly try to talk to him, something that would be hard for her friend.


    Not to mention, we¡¯ve completely blown any shot of gaining their trust. I know Jay doesn¡¯t want to, but maybe it would be best to just bring Alice back to normal. After all¡­the damage is already done¡­


    She shook her head, turning her thoughts instead to Brad and his earlier request. He¡¯d been confident that bringing Evan back was a good idea so she had reluctantly decided to go along with it, but she still feared the possible consequences. Evan had never seen eye to eye with the Magic Club and in the end, he had been erased defending Rina, who wound up dead anyway. How would that affect him after everything else? Could Brad actually keep him in check?


    And then there¡¯s Rista¡­


    The two of them were working together out of necessity, but she could tell that he still didn¡¯t completely trust her and while she did trust him to an extent, she knew their goals didn¡¯t fully line up. He wanted to break the erased realm down immediately, but she just couldn¡¯t bring herself to leave her friends out to dry. She understood Rista¡¯s points, and she knew he was right, so she was determined to help everybody as quickly as she could.


    With these thoughts going through her head, she made her way to the Hill¡¯s apartment, greeted Renee, then headed inside and down the hall where she found Natalie sitting on her bed, hugging a stuffed bear. She had a single earbud in, which most likely meant she was listening to one of her audiobooks. The little girl¡¯s head slowly turned her way as she approached.


    ¡°Hey, Nat¡¯,¡± Lilly greeted.


    Natalie immediately sat up straighter and smiled. ¡°Finally, Lilly! I was wondering when you¡¯d come see me again! Is everything okay? Did you help the others?¡±


    Lilly chuckled as she closed the door behind her, always amazed by her enthusiasm. ¡°I¡¯ve helped a few, but Damien, Liz, and Vinny are still under the memory spell. I did my best, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Her smile wavered for a moment. ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you let me talk to them? I¡¯ll knock some sense into them! I promise!¡±


    ¡°I believe you,¡± she replied. ¡°And you know what, if they decide to give me another chance, maybe I¡¯ll let you do that. It¡¯s hard to say no to you, after all.¡± They laughed as the older girl took a seat on the edge of the bed so that she could place a hand on Natalie¡¯s head. ¡°But if it doesn¡¯t work, then we¡¯ll just need to go to Plan B and take this place down. You¡¯re gonna help with that, right?¡±


    ¡°Yup!¡± Natalie chirped. ¡°Not sure how, but I¡¯ll find a way! Though, I¡¯m not sure Fake Mom is gonna let me go running around town with you.¡±


    Lilly shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, I can be quite persuasive. I¡¯ll just tell her I¡¯m taking you out for dinner or something. And with that in mind, I was wondering if you¡¯d want to come with me tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Really?!¡± she exclaimed excitedly. ¡°Yeah, yeah! Where are we going!¡±


    ¡°Rista¡¯s apartment,¡± Lilly answered. ¡°Whether I can help the club or not, we need to start planning a way out of here, so that¡¯s what we¡¯re gonna do. And since I promised not to leave you out this time, I thought it only fair I ask you to come.¡±


    Natalie gave two thumbs up and nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll go! Let¡¯s break this dumb erased world and go save Eric!¡±


    The two girls fist-bumped then laughed once more, and despite the failure of that afternoon, Lilly found her spirits gradually rising once again. Natalie always seemed to have that effect on her, and for that, she was beyond grateful. She would have preferred to keep Natalie in the dark as long as possible, but now that the option was lost, she realized just how bad of an idea it was. She needed Natalie and she liked to think Natalie needed her.


    Just like everybody else, I¡¯ll protect her, too. I failed her the first time, but this time, I know what I¡¯m doing. I¡¯m not powerless anymore. I can do this¡­


    For her¡­


    ...and for everybody else.

 Chapter 19- A Merchants Honor

    Chapter XIX


    The last time Nigreos Noctis had gone to the Night Market had been the night Arisa Kirisan made her foolish attack against him, which resulted in her capture, and part of him hoped she would try it again. If she were intelligent enough to learn from her mistakes then she would almost certainly never come after him again, but considering how arrogant he knew her to be, he didn¡¯t believe it was out of the realm of possibility that he might encounter her a second time. That was why he took a longer route through the neighborhoods where he was attacked, hoping he¡¯d bait her into showing herself and provide him with the opportunity to deal with her for good, but to his disappointment, he made it to the Night Market without incident.


    I suppose there¡¯s always the chance she goes after me on my way back. Oh well, it¡¯s not like I came out here for Kirisan anyway. Ryokumo and Cartus should have her dealt with soon enough so I¡¯ll just focus my attention on my own problems. I need to make this quick, after all, and I just wasted more time than I have.


    Nigreos tugged on the cowl of his black cloak, making sure it was pulled down on the unlikely chance that the shadows concealing his face dissipated. He knew he was being slightly paranoid, but he always preferred to be as cautious as possible, especially when he was doing something illegal. One wrong move could be disastrous so he considered it smarter to be slightly paranoid than overconfident. Keeping his head low and his posture casual, Nigreos blended in with the other shoppers of the market and followed the flow of people toward his destination. As always, a variety of smells wafted through the air, reminding him that he had yet to eat dinner, but he knew he could eat once he returned to the Citadel.


    Yet, as he tried to push his thoughts back toward the reason he was in the market, he picked up the smell of cooking steak, and despite his desire to push the memory from his mind, he couldn¡¯t help but think back to his failed dinner with Eric Reiner just a few nights prior. It had gone exactly as he feared it would, and not only had he failed to gain the boy¡¯s trust, but he also lost his temper and snapped at him, which only widened the gap between them even further. He hated to admit that Album was right when he had been so confident that he could try and mend that gap between him and Eric, but there was no denying how pathetic his attempt had been.


    I shouldn¡¯t have shouted at him. I know that. Keeping my cool was essential to gaining his trust, but¡­I just couldn¡¯t stop myself. I know he was just trying to get under my skin, but he doesn¡¯t realize what I went through that day¡­how hard I tried to find a way to spare Abi¡¯s life. So for him to tell me I didn¡¯t try hard enough¡­


    Even now, thinking about it made his blood boil, and he found his fists clenching so tightly that his skin was hurting. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself, allowing his pounding heart to reach a slower pace before glancing around to make sure nobody around him had noticed.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad she still torments you¡­and I hope you continue to suffer for what you did until the day you finally die.¡±


    Eric¡¯s words came back to him once again, bringing that familiar sick feeling to his stomach as he recalled the venom in the boy¡¯s voice as he spoke. Those weren¡¯t words said in the heat of the moment. He meant them and he meant them with a passion. That sentence alone was enough to convince Nigreos that the bridge between them was burnt beyond repair.


    Even if I brought all his friends back and smuggled him to Omaruo myself, he¡¯s going to hate me forever. There truly is nothing I can do anymore, but even so, I¡­don¡¯t think I could kill him if it came down to it. If he does what Album thinks he will and betrays Ijiria like Abi did, I¡¯m not so sure I could do what I did back then. So I just have to hope that Ryokumo and Mackia keep him docile¡­for my sake as well as his.


    Nigreos¡¯s lips tightened in frustration as he slowly pushed his way from the crowd and approached the rather large, two-story wooden building that always drew quite a bit of attention. It was one of the only buildings in that part of the market, which was predominantly filled by portable stalls, though he knew that was an intentional choice by the shop¡¯s owner. As Nigreos approached the door, he glanced briefly at the sign hanging above it reading ¡°Tannath¡¯s Talisman Tavern¡±, before swinging it open and stepping inside.


    He entered into a rather crowded tavern and found that almost every table was filled by patrons drinking their ale and having dinner. Four scantily-clad serving girls were moving about the room, tending to the mostly male customers. Nigreos always found the place to be rather uncomfortable, which was why he only ever came to this particular shop when he had business with the owner. So, wanting to hurry up and get his work done so he could leave, he raised a hand and waved over one of the girls.


    ¡°Good evening, sir,¡± a young, blonde woman greeted him with a bright, innocent smile that he was sure she was faking. ¡°How may I help you today?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to speak with Nuvo Tannath,¡± he answered. ¡°Would you please tell him that the Black Night has business with him?¡±


    She tilted her head and looked him over, as if suddenly finding him intriguing, before bowing. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Nigreos moved off to the side and watched as she headed into the hall in the back left corner of the tavern. He could feel the occasional glances toward him, but they rarely lasted long before the customers either went back to their meals or to chatting with the girls. He knew the shadows over his face would interest some, but in the Erikan Night Market, he could hardly be considered strange when considering some of the other types of people that could be found there. In fact, he was sure that an individual seeking to hide his identity was rather common.


    After a few more minutes of waiting, the blonde woman emerged from the hallway and headed back over to him.


    ¡°You¡¯re free to go up,¡± she said in a bubbly tone.


    He nodded his thanks then gratefully departed the tavern for the empty hallway. Nigreos knew the route to Nuvo¡¯s office well, so he made a left turn at the end and headed up the staircase and onto the second floor, before stalking toward his destination. Nigreos could sense the slight deviation in mana levels on the other side of the door before him, which told him that the merchant would, in fact, be inside.


    Alright, let¡¯s get this done with.


    The Master of Darkness reached for the doorknob and pushed it open, then stepped into the office, immediately finding the master of the establishment sitting on his velvet couch in the corner of the room, tapping his foot impatiently. Nigreos instantly noticed that something was wrong. The man was always good at hiding his true emotions, but there was something distinctly unusual about the way his beady brown eyes flickered toward him before moving to stare at the ground. In addition, his bald head seemed sweaty and he was scratching his dark brown beard, as if anxious about something.


    The hell is wrong with him? Nigreos wondered, instantly on his guard. However, seeing as he didn¡¯t sense anything off about the room, he took a step inside and closed the door.


    ¡°Good evening, Tannath,¡± he greeted calmly as he dropped the shadows around his face, revealing his features to the overweight man. ¡°What¡¯s got you looking so nervous? Are you that upset that I¡¯ve come to pay you a visit?¡±


    Nuvo licked his lips and slowly rose to his feet, tightening the velvet sash around his waist as he did so. ¡°Let¡¯s just say it¡¯s been a long day, Noctis,¡± he grumbled. ¡°After all, I¡¯ve only just returned to this damned city and I¡¯ve already got a shitload of problems to deal with. Your arrival is just the cherry on top.¡±


    Nigreos cocked an eyebrow, not sensing any deception in his words. ¡°Well then I suppose we both want this meeting to be quick. I had hoped to meet with you the day I returned to Ijiria, so imagine my surprise to learn that you were away on a business trip for the last few months. Where did you go?¡±


    Nuvo snorted then shrugged. ¡°An associate of mine had a business opportunity up in Trovia so I left soon after you did to see what it was all about. Unfortunately, all the tension around the border made it a living hell to get into the damned country, and by the time I made it to Harunhein, I found out the bastard who wrote to me had gotten himself killed. It was a waste of my fucking time, it was.¡± The merchant folded his hands behind his back and narrowed his eyes. ¡°But I doubt you care to hear my stories. After all, you¡¯re not one for small talk, Noctis.¡±


    Nigreos smirked. ¡°No, I¡¯m not, but you see, I was simply curious. After all, I found it interesting to learn that you departed so soon after¡­¡± He paused and stared at the man. ¡°...well, after selling me a faulty nerich.¡±


    The Master of Darkness watched carefully to see what the man¡¯s reaction would be. One of the reasons he had come to this place was to confront Nuvo about the nerich, which was a far cry from what he was promised. Their partnership was based on a certain level of mutual trust, and if Nuvo was scamming him, then it would be in Nigreos¡¯s best interest to get rid of the man and cover up any evidence that they ever had dealings together.


    Yet, Nuvo didn¡¯t even bother hiding the confusion that spread across his face. ¡°Excuse me? Faulty nerich? The fuck are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s an interesting story,¡± Nigreos replied. ¡°You see, when I arrived in Omaruo, I used that creature on a crippled, magicless boy¡ªa target that should have been controlled with ease. And yet, after only a few days, the boy overcame its control and used its powers to attack me. Now, that should be impossible, should it not? A nerich under the control of the Master of Darkness should be able to control someone like him, so¡­the only reason I could see for why it would fail is¡­¡± Nigreos smiled darkly. ¡°...an issue with the product.¡±


    Nuvo returned his smile with a challenging one of his own. ¡°Are you questioning my word?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± he stated sharply. ¡°You see, I do not appreciate being lied to. Do not forget that I could have your entire establishment taken down with but a single word to the prince. So you would be wise to tell me the truth. What did you sell me?¡±


    The merchant¡¯s teeth clenched tightly and Nigreos could see the rage in his eyes. ¡°Exactly what I fucking told you. But if you¡¯ll recall, I did warn you that it wouldn¡¯t necessarily work on everybody. Clearly this boy wasn¡¯t as weak as you believed him to be.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Nigreos narrowed his eyes. ¡°So you mean to tell me that despite being Master of Darkness, the nerich failed because the crippled child was too strong for me? Does that make sense to you, Tannath?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t be sure since I wasn¡¯t there myself,¡± Nuvo snapped at him. ¡°But I am a man of my word, especially with a client as¡­powerful as yourself. I take great pride in my honor, so I will not stand here and allow you to drag it through the mud. If that nerich failed then the problem lies not with the product, but with you.¡±


    Nigreos paused, taking a moment to discern whether the man was lying. He still didn¡¯t sense any deceit in his words, but the Master knew there had to be more to the story. It just wasn¡¯t possible for Jay Brooks to have broken out on his own. He was a shell of a person when they found him in that hospital bed, not to mention he lacked magic. His will couldn¡¯t be stronger than Nigreos¡¯s power, so there was no doubt in his mind that there was more than Nuvo was letting on.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    But he¡¯s doing a damn good job of keeping the truth hidden. He almost seems believable. However, if he¡¯s learned how to keep secrets from me then perhaps it is time I sever this agreement of ours. It might be safer to have Album erase him.


    ¡°Now, if you have the nerich on hand, perhaps I can take a look to see if it was tampered with?¡± the merchant suggested. ¡°But if not, then I can not help you.¡±


    Nigreos shook his head. ¡°No, I do not have it. When we lost control of the boy, we were forced to erase him, and unfortunately, the nerich being bonded with his body sent it away, too. If I had to guess, it¡¯s probably still inside him, wherever it is he may be.¡±


    ¡°Then this conversation is done,¡± Nuvo growled. ¡°So unless you have business to bring me, I would appreciate you taking your leave.¡±


    ¡°Watch your tongue,¡± Nigreos retorted, bringing mana to his fingers as the shadows on the walls began to move and shift. ¡°Let¡¯s not forget who¡¯s in charge in this deal of ours.¡±


    The other man grinned challengingly, and in that moment, Nigreos could see his right eye suddenly start to glow a dim, reddish color, as if to serve as a warning of his own. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m well aware of your strength, Master Noctis, but I also know how little you want the Citadel to know of your relationship with me. I might not win a fight, but I could certainly cause you plenty of trouble if I wanted to.¡±


    Nigreos took a threatening step forward but Nuvo didn¡¯t flinch, and that was enough to tell him that he was serious. For a moment, the room was silent as the two men faced each other, and when it was clear that the conversation had reached its end, Nigreos flicked his hand and put the shadows back to their original positions. At the same time, Nuvo¡¯s eye returned to its typical brown color.


    ¡°Good choice,¡± he muttered with a grin. ¡°Now is that all?¡±


    Nigreos scowled. ¡°No, unfortunately it is not. Regardless of whether that nerich was faulty or not, I am still in the market for business. I need a talisman of sorts and I imagine you¡¯re the only one in Erika who would have something along the lines of what I seek.¡±


    ¡°Perfect, then I¡¯m willing to hear you out.¡± His charming merchant¡¯s smile replaced the threatening one from before as he prepared for a deal. ¡°As long as you do not question my honor, then I am perfectly willing to speak with you. What are you looking for?¡±


    ¡°Something that could potentially break blood magic protection,¡± he responded. ¡°You see, there is an individual currently residing in the Citadel that I cannot currently touch, and that makes him dangerous. He has a powerful charm protecting him from me and I need it taken down.¡±


    Nuvo clicked his tongue as he considered the request. ¡°Blood magic, you say? Well, that¡¯s certainly a rare occurrence. I¡¯m not sure I have anything like that on hand at the moment, but as you know, I have my contacts. If you give me a few weeks, I may be able to track something down for you¡­for the right price, or course.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Nigreos growled. ¡°You will be paid handsomely for this, I assure you of that. Just get me what I seek.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± Nuvo answered. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do. I shall reach out to you when I have it in my possession.¡±


    As important as it was to break Eric¡¯s blood magic, part of Nigreos didn¡¯t want to keep Nuvo around that long. The man was getting bolder, and he knew what type of power he had over Nigreos. It would be smart to erase him as quickly as possible, but against his better judgment, he decided he would at least use him to get one last deal before cutting ties.


    The Master nodded. ¡°Fine then. But be quick about it.¡±


    ¡°As quick as I can be, Master Noctis.¡±


    ***


    He watched silently as Nigreos Noctis turned and made his way from the office, the aura his mana gave off gradually getting further and further away. After a few moments, he could sense it down on the street below and soon, he was so far away that he had blended in with the other auras in the market. As he waited, he watched Nuvo Tannath standing in place, his lips drawn tight and his foot once again tapping against the carpeted ground. Once they were both sure the Master of Darkness was long gone, Nuvo turned around and started directly into the corner where he was concealed.


    ¡°Are you certain he didn¡¯t sense you?¡± the merchant demanded.


    Ryokumo Caeli let his distortion drop before chuckling softly. ¡°You need not worry about that, my friend. I¡¯ve known Nigreos for a long time and my distortion is one of the few that can get past even his strong senses. You have my word that he believed you both to be alone.¡±


    Nuvo grimaced before plopping himself down on his couch, his hands going to his temples. ¡°So are you satisfied, Master Caeli? He arrived, just as you said he would and he was just as angry as you claimed he¡¯d be, as well. You hit everything on the head.¡±


    ¡°Of course I did,¡± Ryokumo replied calmly. ¡°Nigreos trusts me quite a lot and so, I knew he was upset about his failed nerich. Out of curiosity, did you scam him?¡±


    Nuvo rolled his eyes. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. Like I said to him, if that creature failed then it simply means his target had too strong of a will. Nothing is ever guaranteed to work and I told him so when he purchased it. It was his shitty choice of a target that fucked him over.¡±


    That is interesting, Ryokumo thought. You truly were unlucky when you went to Omnaruo, weren''t you, Nigreos?


    ¡°So what is it you want from me?¡± the merchant went on. ¡°I doubt you bothered coming all the way down here just to watch Noctis threaten me. If I¡¯ve learned anything from dealing with that fucker, it¡¯s that you Masters always want something. So let¡¯s hear it, Caeli.¡±


    Ryokumo grinned, knowing that he would have to be careful with what he said. He was walking on a very dangerous path by being there, but now that he had succeeded in making contact with Hannah and Arisa, as well as deciding on how to go about getting what he wanted, he knew that he didn''t have any choice but to take risks.


    ¡°Well, you see, Mr. Tannath, I¡¯ve been keeping close tabs on Nigreos for quite some time,¡± he explained. ¡°My powerful distortion spells have enabled me to do so, and because of this, I¡¯ve known about your relationship with him for a while now. Naturally, I also decided to do some research on you, and what I found was truly interesting. You operate out of the black market, yes?¡±


    Nuvo narrowed his eyes and Ryokumo could see the gears turning in his head. He knew the man before him was clever and cautious, so he couldn¡¯t be underestimated under any circumstances. Just the fact that Nigreos saw him as an asset was a testament to how powerful he was.


    ¡°And if I do?¡± he demanded. ¡°You gonna turn me in?¡±


    Ryokumo nonchalantly shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t plan to, no. In fact, I can understand why Nigreos would risk working with you. You could be a very valuable ally.¡±


    ¡°You planning to blackmail me, too?¡± Nuvo grunted. ¡°I do you some favors and you don¡¯t tell the fuckers up in the Citadel what I¡¯m doing? Is that your game here?¡±


    Ryokumo chuckled, then turned to gaze out the window in the back of the room, seeing the bustling market down below. ¡°You¡¯ll be happy to know it isn¡¯t. In fact, I intend to pay you for your services¡­with more than just coin.¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡± The man then got to his feet, his eyebrow cocked in clear intrigue. ¡°Well, business is business. Tell me what you want and what you¡¯re offering and I¡¯ll see if we can come to some sort of agreement.¡±


    ¡°Well, I should warn you that what I¡¯m asking for isn¡¯t going to be easy¡­or legal, for that matter,¡± Ryokumo said. ¡°That won¡¯t be a dealbreaker, will it?¡±


    ¡°Depends how hard and illegal it is,¡± Nuvo replied. ¡°Now get to it. What do you want?¡±


    The Master of Wind grinned then turned back around to stare the other man directly in the eyes. ¡°I want you to smuggle Arisa Kirisan and the Children of Reiner out of Erika. I¡¯m assuming you know who I mean?¡±


    There was a brief flicker of surprise in his eyes but, being as experienced as he was, it was so quick that Ryokumo wasn¡¯t even sure he saw it within his stoic expression.


    ¡°Now that¡­is interesting, indeed,¡± Nuvo muttered. ¡°A Master of the Citadel¡­asking me to save some of the most wanted fugitives in the city. Should that ever get back to the Citadel then you¡¯d surely be executed, Master Caeli. This is a high level of treason, so it¡¯s curious that you would be so willing to ask this of a man you hardly know.¡±


    ¡°Well, it just goes to show how desperate I am,¡± Ryokumo told him, spreading his arms out before him. ¡°You see, Tannath, the reason that I am refraining from blackmailing you is because I¡¯m already just as much a criminal as you are. We can have some mutually assured destruction here. I keep your secrets if you keep mine¡­and of course, I¡¯m willing to pay for your services.¡±


    A sly grin spread across the merchant¡¯s face. ¡°Willing to pay? And where are you getting this money?¡±


    ¡°As a Master, I have access to the Citadel¡¯s treasury,¡± he explained. ¡°And seeing as I am currently designated as one of the leaders on the hunt for Kirisan, I can justify the sudden spending as being a part of the search. I¡¯ll tell Prince Reigious that I¡¯m paying some individuals in the market to keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. Simple as that.¡±


    Nuvo furrowed his brow and turned to begin pacing around the room. ¡°And what makes you think I could smuggle the Children from this city. From what I¡¯ve heard, it¡¯s on high alert right now. The Masters really don¡¯t want those Children getting away to the point that they¡¯ve got Korrei-Tarr at every single one of the gates.¡±


    ¡°True, which is why I warned you that it won¡¯t be easy,¡± Ryokumo retorted. ¡°However, I have faith that you can find a way. Like I said, I¡¯ve done my research on you and I¡¯ve noticed that there have been a few reports where soldiers came to this shop to investigate your dealings¡­but for some reason, they never find anything. And now that I¡¯ve met you up close¡­I do sense some power within you.¡±


    Nuvo laughed softly. ¡°What are you implying?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, really,¡± the Master of Wind murmured. ¡°Yet, I find it unlikely that with all of these black market talismans at your disposal, you¡¯ve never used one for your own benefit. So, I¡¯m just hoping that, perhaps, there¡¯s something in this tavern that could aid you in your smuggling run.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Well, I guess we can negotiate. Earlier, you said you could offer more than just money so¡­what was it you were willing to put on the table?¡±


    ¡°Something I think you¡¯ll quite like,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s just say it¡¯ll solve a problem that¡¯s been plaguing you for quite a while, and that it won¡¯t get a drop of blood on your hands.¡±


    ¡°And what problem would that be?¡± Nuvo inquired.


    Ryokumo took a few steps toward him, his hands folded behind his back and his posture straight. ¡°I can make it so that the Masters get off your back. You see, I do not intend to survive my personal endeavors. In fact, after I finally get my answers, I hope I am dead. And I promise to take everything I know about you to my grave.¡±


    Nuvo raised his eyebrows, his hand rubbing his bearded chin. ¡°It doesn''t seem like you¡¯re lying, but then again, who knows how good you are at hiding it. However, that doesn¡¯t solve all of my problems. If you say you can rid me of the Masters, am I right to assume that you can get rid of Noctis?¡±


    ¡°I can,¡± he confirmed. ¡°You see, getting Kirisan and her allies out of Erika isn¡¯t my only goal nor is gaining the information I seek. It is my promise to you, that by the time the dust settles, Nigreos Noctis will be dead.¡±


    A dark smile twisted Nuvo¡¯s features. ¡°Almost seems too good to be true. A Master claiming he will betray Ijiria and slay the Master of Darkness¡­ I find myself skeptical. Are you really telling the truth? And If you are, could you even kill a man as powerful as him?¡±


    ¡°I am and I could,¡± he confirmed. ¡°Unfortunately, I am unable to provide proof, but I am willing to pay you everything upfront. And by all means, once you¡¯ve smuggled them out, avoid the city for a few days, and when you return, Nigreos will be dead. Tonight could be the last time you ever have to deal with him.¡±


    Nuvo paused, then turned his eyes to the ceiling, as if considering his offer. After a few more seconds, he laughed to himself once again and then held his hand out for Ryokumo to shake.


    ¡°Good,¡± he said with a rather sly grin. ¡°Cause I don¡¯t actually know of a way to break blood magic.¡±


    The Master of Wind smirked back at him, pleased that his plan was already moving so smoothly, then gripped Nuvo¡¯s hand in a firm shake, acting as the official seal for their temporary partnership.

 Chapter 20- Not In The Cards

    Chapter XX


    ¡°We spent the happiest times of my life together, and we fought and bled together in our efforts to fight the Ijirians! You three were some of my closest friends, so I¡¯ll be damned if I let you suffer in this fucked up world any longer than you already have! Do you hear me?! Vinny? Liz? Damien? Magic is real and we are the Magic Club!¡±


    Lilly Harper¡¯s words and the passion in which she spoke refused to leave Liz¡¯s thoughts, and no matter how many times she tried to brush them aside as the insane ramblings of a troubled girl, she just couldn¡¯t stop herself from thinking about them. She knew she should have been more hung up on the magic she displayed. Everything she did to Damien, to the curtains, and with those balls of light were impossible so Liz knew that she should have been struggling to wrap her head around it, but instead, she was stuck on Lilly¡¯s declaration that they were friends and that she loved them. She and Lilly Harper didn¡¯t know each other. They weren¡¯t friends and they had never been.


    So why¡­did I get so emotional when she said that? Why did it feel like I was reuniting with somebody I care about? And this Eric Reiner¡ªthis boy she says started our Magic Club¡­ I feel like I do know him. He sounds familiar, like it¡¯s on the tip of my tongue¡­


    Liz clenched her teeth as she strode down the halls of West Wilham High the day after the events in Mr. Lowe¡¯s classroom. It was their lunch period and where she would normally be sitting in Mrs. Lee¡¯s room, enjoying her meal with Charlotte and Ashley, on that particular day, she was instead searching for somebody.


    I need to talk to Clark. I know Mickelson isn¡¯t here today, so he¡¯s my only option. I don¡¯t know where he eats lunch, but I have to find him and see what he thinks about all this. I can¡¯t be the only one¡­who feels like Harper might not be lying¡­


    She knew it was ridiculous to think that she was an alternate version of her real self¡ªthat her friendship with Charlotte and Ashley was fake and that her entire high school experience was fabricated by magic. She didn¡¯t want to believe that because if it were true, then what did that mean for her? Was she just an imposter of the real Elizabeth Tao? Was she an invader in her own life, a barrier between her real personality and her body? That thought terrified her and yet, in a weird way, she couldn¡¯t deny that there was an odd sense of comfort as well.


    She truly did love Charlotte and Ashley. They were her best friends and they had always been there for her. She liked being popular and she liked having as many friends as she did. Yet, she had always known that there was something wrong with her. She never felt like she fit in with them, and that her popularity at school wasn¡¯t as great as she thought it would be. She had everything she could ever ask for, and yet none of it felt satisfying. It felt like she was piloting a life that wasn¡¯t hers, and that no matter what she did, she would never understand why.


    After all, what more could she ask for?


    So¡­what if this is the reason why? What if I am a fake? What if I don¡¯t fit in because this isn¡¯t where I¡¯m supposed to be? I mean, I can¡¯t deny that a Magic Club sounds like fun. And Harper showed us just how real magic is¡­


    Liz stopped in the middle of the second floor hallway, noticing the boy she was looking for just up ahead, sitting alone with his back up against the wall as he munched on an apple. She could already tell that there was an unspoken rule by the students in the hall to keep their distance, so there wasn¡¯t anybody else within twenty yards of him. Damien¡¯s eyes seemed distant, as if he was eating on autopilot and not processing what he was actually doing. Everybody else avoided him, but she walked forward without a care in the world. The boy seemed to snap out of his haze as he noticed her approaching, though he didn¡¯t give any greeting as she plopped herself down right beside him and exhaled softly. She could feel the stares of the other kids, but she found herself not giving a damn what they thought.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she greeted with a smile. ¡°I was hoping I¡¯d find you around here.¡±


    Damien furrowed his brow, as if already on his guard and suspicious of her. ¡°Did Harper send you to talk to me?¡±


    ¡°No, she didn¡¯t,¡± Liz replied matter-of-factly. ¡°I talked to her briefly this morning and all she did was tell me where to meet her after class if I decided to hear her out. And now she¡¯s not even at school so I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s up to.¡± The girl chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s crazy though. Magic is real¡­¡±


    Damien scoffed. ¡°So you actually believed that? You know there¡¯s got to be some trick to it. Magic¡­can¡¯t be real. I mean, it doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡±


    ¡°And how exactly could Harper have thrown you against a wall without some sort of magic?¡± Liz inquired slyly. ¡°Or what about those lights she produced? Where did they come from and for that matter, what in the hell were they?¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re just prepared to believe her?¡± he asked dumbfounded. ¡°She sounded like she¡¯s lost her mind.¡±


    Liz nodded. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s definitely true. She sounded outright crazy. And yet, I really can¡¯t think of any way that she could have done what she did. Nothing about it makes sense. I mean, I can¡¯t say I¡¯m ready to just believe her that our lives here are fake and that there¡¯s a whole other world out there where we¡¯re actually from, but¡­¡± Liz paused and stared directly into his dark eyes before her features turned serious. ¡°Can you really tell me that you¡¯ve never felt like you were missing something? That something about your life was¡­wrong?¡±


    The boy grimaced and tossed his half-eaten apple back into his paper bag. ¡°Everything about my life feels wrong, Tao. It¡¯s a living hell. I¡¯m alone and I¡¯ve always been alone. I¡¯ve already accepted that. I just¡­¡± He paused, as if trying to find some way to phrase the emotions he was feeling. ¡°...I feel like it¡¯s too convenient for there to be a world where I¡¯m happy¡ªwhere somebody accepted me. What Harper said¡ª¡±


    ¡°Can you deny that she believed it?¡± Liz interrupted. ¡°Can you really tell me that her declaration yesterday was a lie? Do you really think Harper lied to us?¡±


    He scowled. ¡°I don¡¯t know, honestly! It didn¡¯t seem like it, but what does it mean if she¡¯s not lying? That this world is fake? That our memories are fake? That there¡¯s a world where the two of us and Mickelson were all friends? I mean, it doesn¡¯t make sense! I doesn¡¯t make any fucking sense, Tao!¡±


    ¡°And why not?¡± she asked calmly, despite herself not knowing what to think of it all. ¡°If magic is real, then what¡¯s so unbelievable about this? Why can¡¯t you bring yourself to believe that there¡¯s a world where you have friends?¡±


    ¡°Because!¡± When he nearly shouted that word, causing other students to turn his direction in fear, Damien¡¯s cheeks turned slightly red and he lowered his voice. ¡°Because that¡¯s just not in the cards for me. Simple as that, and it¡¯d be arrogant to think that fate has some paradise for me somewhere else. If you¡¯re willing to believe Harper then by all means, go see her, but I won¡¯t. I¡¯m not going to entertain this shit.¡±


    Liz twisted her lips in thought, and she realized that she understood where he was coming from. His life wasn¡¯t so convenient and easy like hers was. Damien Clark was naturally skeptical and untrusting, making it nearly impossible for him to just accept what he saw in the classroom the afternoon before.


    And maybe that¡¯s why Harper used her magic on him, specifically. Maybe she realized that he would be the hardest one to convince.


    Part of her felt she should just leave him be and figure everything out on her own, but a part of her just couldn¡¯t allow herself to get up and leave him there. Her instincts were practically commanding her to find a way to convince Damien to go to the meeting place later that day. And as she thought about everything Lilly told them, she wondered if that feeling was also due to her blocked memories.


    ¡°You know what I thought was interesting,¡± she mused aloud. ¡°Harper said you and I were dating in her world. What do you make of that?¡±


    She watched him from the corner of her eye as his body tensed slightly, though he didn¡¯t look back at her, instead choosing to reach into his bag and produce his apple again.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± he grunted. ¡°I don¡¯t make anything of that. It¡¯s just another convenient detail Harper threw into her dumbass story. There¡¯s no way¡­that you would ever fall for me.¡±


    She shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°We don¡¯t know that. I mean, I don¡¯t really know you right now, but what if I got to know you? What if we spent some time together? I already think you¡¯re a cool guy so it wouldn¡¯t be that much of a stretch to think I¡¯d fall for you?¡±


    His apple stopped just inches from his mouth before he slowly lowered it back down, his head turning ever so slightly to stare back at her. ¡°W-well¡­why would we ever spend time together? You¡¯ve got everything set, Tao, so why would you trash your reputation for me?¡±


    ¡°Damien¡­¡± she began softly, turning now to look him dead in the eyes as she spoke his first name. ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn what other people think of me. I will do whatever I want to, and if they don¡¯t like it, then they can screw off. It¡¯s my life so it¡¯s my choice.¡±


    She found herself weirdly enjoying the stunned and embarrassed look on his face as she watched him trying to come up with a response. Jeez, everybody makes him out to be the most terrifying monster ever created, but he¡¯s just a shy guy. Honestly, he¡¯s kinda cute¡­


    ¡°W-well¡­you should care a little more about that type of stuff,¡± he muttered, his eyes flickering everywhere except her face. ¡°People can be nasty, you know?¡±


    She shrugged once more. ¡°I can handle nasty.¡± When he didn¡¯t reply, she went on. ¡°Look, one of the reasons I¡¯m willing to at least entertain Harper is because I do feel as if I¡¯m missing something. It can¡¯t be a coincidence that we all felt a strange familiarity with Lowe¡¯s room or with the name Eric Reiner. And for that matter, Harper proved that magic has to be real. So¡­I can¡¯t just write this all off as nonsense. At the very least, I want to investigate it and the only real way to do that is to entertain Harper¡¯s requests, if only for a little. I¡¯m willing to do that alone, but¡­I would like it if I had a partner.¡±  She raised her hand for him to shake as she grinned teasingly. ¡°So why don¡¯t you come with me later, Damien?¡±


    He hesitated and she could tell he was trying to think up any way to decline. ¡°But¡­how am I supposed to take her seriously with Brad Fischer working with her? You know how that asshole gets. He has to be in on this somehow.¡±


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡°I do know how he gets,¡± she responded. ¡°And yesterday¡­there was something different about him. Brooks was a similar thing. Neither of them seemed like their normal selves, so what if they weren¡¯t? What if they were different versions¡­say, from another world?¡±


    Damien shook his head. ¡°You really believe this is possible?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± she said firmly. ¡°So please. Let¡¯s look into this further.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± He clenched his teeth then begrudgingly took her hand in his and shook. ¡°...are a hell of a girl, Tao.¡±


    ¡°Liz,¡± she corrected. ¡°Apparently you and I are boyfriend-girlfriend so it¡¯s weird if we aren¡¯t familiar with each other. My name is Liz, Damien.¡±


    His incredulous expression only increased before he chuckled ever so softly and nodded. ¡°Fine then. Yeah, you¡¯re a hell of a girl, Liz.¡±


    ***


    While Lilly and Brad only came to school to tell Liz where to meet them, Jay decided he would remain behind for the day. He still had so much to think about and he decided he needed to speak with Rina, Audrey, and Alice again. His phone had practically been exploding with texts and calls after his outburst the previous day and thus far, he had ignored them all. In fact, he hadn¡¯t even arrived at school until just before lunch period started so that he wouldn¡¯t have to see them until he was ready. But now, he knew he didn¡¯t have a choice. No matter how much it might hurt him, he couldn¡¯t put it off any longer. So, committing himself to joining up with Lilly, Brad, and Rista after school, he walked down the flight of stairs that led to the bottom floor and entered the courtyard, ready to go to where he normally ate lunch with them in this universe.


    But what am I even going to say to them? Even setting aside the fact that I acted like I¡¯d lost my mind yesterday, I haven¡¯t seen Audrey since the day she died, and Rina¡­well, our relationship has always been complicated. Can I really face either of them, especially knowing they aren''t real?


    He didn¡¯t have an answer for that question. He wasn¡¯t even sure how he was supposed to handle his current existence within the erased realm. His memories were overlapping, but he remembered everything in the forest the day Rina died, and he remembered the days spent in this blissful paradise that followed. But they were so disconnected. One moment, he was a wreck, being controlled by a monster and the next, he was back at school as if he¡¯d never jumped from that balcony¡ªas if he had never lost anything.


    This world¡­ It¡¯s like my own personal reset. Everything bad that¡¯s ever happened to Alice and I has been wiped from the slate. It¡¯s¡­wonderful, but Lilly wants to get rid of it. She wants to destroy it despite what that might do to Alice and yet, I don¡¯t blame her. I saw Liz, Damien, and Vinny yesterday. I saw how this world is hurting them, so it¡¯s only natural that she wants to help them. I just wish¡­


    ...that saving Alice and saving the club could be one in the same. But they aren¡¯t, so I¡¯ll do what I have to in order to protect her.


    Jay exhaled softly and spotted Alice, Rina, and Audrey sitting at their table, talking to each other in quiet tones that were drowned out by the rambunctious chatter that surrounded them. For a second, Jay paused and just watched them. It was a sight out of a dream and one he wished could last forever.


    I¡¯d do anything to make this last forever¡­


    Feeling his body twitch ever so slightly, Jay proceeded forward once more and was soon noticed by Alice. She immediately jumped to her feet and when Audrey and Rina glanced back at him, they, too, jumped up and faced him with expressions of anger and relief.


    ¡°Where the hell have you been?¡± Audrey demanded, quickly stepping over the bench to approach him. ¡°I¡¯ve been worried sick, you jerk! Couldn¡¯t you at least answer your damn phone when your friends are calling you?!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s the deal here, Jay?¡± Rina snapped. ¡°You¡¯ve got a ton of explaining to do!¡±


    He wasn¡¯t sure what to say in response, so instead he just turned and stared down at Audrey, her childlike features contorted in irritation¡ªan expression that he found oddly cute. It was a surreal sight for him. Her body was clearly that of a high school girl, but her face and attitude still resembled the girl he remembered from middle school. Before he knew it, he had wrapped his arms around her and hugged her, relief flooding through his body at the touch of a friend he had believed he would never experience again.


    ¡°J-Jay?¡± she stuttered. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    He smiled sadly, knowing he was attracting the attention of tables around them but realizing that it didn¡¯t matter in the erased realm. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for everything. I should have answered your calls, but¡­I wasn¡¯t feeling well yesterday. My mind was kinda blurred, and I spent most of the night asleep. I¡¯ll be better about that next time.¡±


    Tenderly, she hugged him back and for that minute, he was in middle school again. No matter what happened in the future, this would be a moment he would never allow himself to forget.


    ¡°Well¡­that¡¯s fine, I guess,¡± Audrey muttered. ¡°But you still owe me an explanation. Why did you say I was fake yesterday? That wasn¡¯t very nice.¡±


    ¡°And why¡¯d you run off with Harper and Fischer all of a sudden?¡± Alice cut in as Audrey released him. ¡°What exactly was going on with them?¡±


    Jay stepped back and regarded the three girls for a moment before smiling cheerfully. ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain, honestly. But you guys don¡¯t have to worry about it. Lilly isn¡¯t going to be a problem. I¡¯ll make sure she doesn¡¯t bother us again.¡±


    Rina frowned. ¡°Bother us? What do you mean? It was weird and all, but she wasn¡¯t exactly bothering us¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe not,¡± he admitted. ¡°But it¡¯s going to stay this way. I promise you guys.¡±


    Yes, she¡¯s an issue. I owe Lilly everything. I know that. She¡¯s done so much for me. But Alice has always been my priority. Whatever the cost, I can¡¯t let that girl get in my way. This world needs to be preserved. For Audrey. For Rina. And for Alice.


    Once again, he felt his head twitch, and for a moment, he furrowed his brow, feeling like the world had become blurry, but after a moment, everything became clear again. Jay could see the worried expressions on his friends faces so he forced another smile and motioned for the table.


    ¡°I¡¯m feeling much better today so why don¡¯t we have lunch?¡± he suggested. ¡°Unfortunately, I will have to skip practice later, but I should have everything figured out in a few days or so.¡±


    Alice cocked an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re skipping practice again? Why? What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Lilly just needed my help with something,¡± he replied. ¡°But it shouldn¡¯t last too much longer, so don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m just helping out a fellow cross country member, yeah?¡±


    They all just stared at him awkwardly and he knew he was being stupidly suspicious, but he also knew there was no way he could explain anything without revealing magic and the erased realm, so they would simply have to accept his vague explanations. For the moment, the three of them seemed content to do exactly that as they took their seats around the table. Those who had been watching them lost interest and went back to their own meals, giving Jay and his friends the privacy they preferred.


    While they did grill him a bit more here and there, he was mostly able to brush aside their questions and focus on just hanging out with them. Now that he was conscious of the real world, he wanted to just enjoy their presence. He never thought he would get to have this high school experience with them. He remembered talking about the future with them back in their secret hideout, and how they were excited to grow up. Audrey, in particular, always had high hopes for the future, so the fact that she got hers taken away was nothing more than a cruel joke. When high school finally arrived, it wasn¡¯t the dream they had been awaiting but a nightmarish reality that turned everything on its head.


    But here we are, in our senior year, hanging out at lunch like we used to. In this world, nothing bad ever happened. It was all undone by Album¡¯s magic. Maybe the Masters weren¡¯t the villains we thought they were. They gave us this place where we can be happy, free of the tragedy that the real world brought us. How could this be considered bad?


    Though, as he thought that, images of the Magic Club came to mind, reminding him that not everybody got the treatment they did.


    Though, then again, it''s only because they resisted. If Eric had accepted his fate and come here with them then maybe they could have been happy, too. The gem would never have existed and they could have all been happy with us. Yeah¡­it¡¯s their fault. They could have been happy, but they fought.


    So how can Lilly dare to try and destroy this paradise when she and Eric brought it on themselves? I can¡¯t let her. I¡¯ll stop her, and Rista, and Brad, and whoever else wants to fight this world.


    Slowly, Jay¡¯s smile turned dark and once again, he could feel his vision growing slightly blurry. For a moment, he wondered why that was happening, but that wonder was quickly shoved back inside of him where it couldn¡¯t bother him.


    I owe you so much, Lilly, but please¡­just accept this ending.


    This is where we were meant to be¡­


    ***


    Without warning, a sudden pain began to spread through his body, starting from the back of his head. He cried out in surprise, his hands going to his skull, but before he could shout out and demand to know what happened, he found himself stopped, his eyes growing wide as images returned to him. They were his life, but they weren¡¯t. Almost everything was the same, with the exception of a few details that then split off into a completely different reality. Images of a boy he didn¡¯t know sending him flying across the room before slamming into the wall came to mind, as well as a forest and two individuals in white and black suits.


    There was fear and anger, and it could all be connected to people he hated. The Magic Club, a name he hadn¡¯t heard in months, began to assault his mind, reminding him of his failures and the incident that took place at Christmas of his junior year. Everything fell apart because of them, but when he did as he was asked and avoided them, they brought him right back into another catastrophe¡ªone brought about by the tiny orange stone that ruined his life.


    Without warning, he and Rina became the targets of a powerful magic that they didn¡¯t stand a chance against, and it was then that he remembered that house in the woods, with rain pouring down around them, and those same mages standing just ahead of them. He remembered fighting them and declaring his feelings for Rina, and he remembered Album Luz stabbing him with her arm, something that should have finished him off. Yet, he persisted, and when Jay Brooks reached the clearing, the two of them fought until there was nothing left.


    Then, none of it ever happened. He lived his life as if the Magic Club didn¡¯t exist¡ªcompletely oblivious to the trauma he went through.


    ¡°What the fucking hell?¡± he growled, realizing that he was currently kneeling on a carpeted floor, his hands shaking and his heart beating fast.


    Slowly, Evan Wright raised his head and remembered just where he was. It was a random apartment that he¡¯d never been in until that day. Just after school ended, he¡¯d been approached by two people and they¡¯d asked him to come with them to this place, and those two were currently standing right in front of him.


    Lilly Harper and Brad Fischer.


    ¡°Evan? You okay?¡± Brad asked carefully, kneeling down beside him with a look of genuine concern. ¡°Do you¡­remember?¡±


    Evan grit his teeth. ¡°Remember? Yeah, I fuckin¡¯ remember. Didn¡¯t you get stabbed, too?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± he admitted with a grimace before a sudden smile overtook him. ¡°So you¡¯re back, huh? It worked?¡±


    He narrowed his eyes, gradually getting to his feet as he surveyed the room. ¡°What worked? What the fuck did you do to me? What in the living hell is going on? And for that matter, who the fuck is he?¡±


    Evan indicated a man that hadn¡¯t been there before, who was now standing in the corner of this apartment¡¯s main room, his arms crossed over his chest. He looked to be in his late-teens, early twenties, with dark brown hair and a stern expression. At the moment, the man was regarding him like he was disgusted, which only made Evan immediately dislike him without even knowing who he was.


    ¡°He¡¯s a friend,¡± Brad assured him. ¡°I promise.¡±


    Evan turned to stare at the bigger boy, still struggling to gather his thoughts and process the conflicting memories swirling around in his head. Another scan of the room showed that Lilly Harper was the only Magic Club member present, however, he now noticed a young girl that was probably around eleven sitting quietly on the couch. He didn¡¯t know who she was either, which only made him more suspicious, so he turned and addressed Harper next.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he demanded sharply. ¡°Who¡¯s the little girl? Where¡¯s Reiner and his other fucks? Why¡¯s it just you? And what¡¯d you do to me? And¡­¡±


    He paused, his thoughts suddenly overwhelmed by memories of that day in the forest when he and Rina followed Jay to save Alice. A feeling of dread washed over him and before he realized it, the question he wanted the answer to more than anything came to his lips.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Rina?¡±

 Chapter 21- His Quest For Answers

    Chapter XXI


    ¡°Concentrate. Don¡¯t let your mind wander to anything but the task at hand. Feel the mana flowing through your body and to your fingertips while visualizing exactly what it is you want to do. And as for the pain, you simply need to set it aside and keep it from disrupting your mind.¡±


    Eric listened to Iris¡¯s words as he bit back the agony resulting from a large, bloody cut that ran down the length of his left arm. It was a few hours past sundown, a rather late hour for their lessons, and Eric found himself sitting at his usual desk in Master Iris Mackia¡¯s classroom. The plant-filled room was dimly lit by the firelights hung from the ceiling, giving the room a dim orange tint. Unlike their recent classes, the current one wasn¡¯t about the history of Ijiria or the multiverse, but instead was focused on teaching him nature magic. The specific lesson centered around healing himself, which was why Iris had taken the dagger at her hip and gently sliced open his arm. She wanted him to learn how to heal even under conditions of intense pain.


    ¡°Remember, in battle, you could easily suffer wounds far worse than this one,¡± Iris went on. ¡°So you must be able to pass this first hurdle. If you can¡¯t even heal a surface wound such as this, then your magic won¡¯t be able to save you when you need it most.¡±


    Eric nodded to silently let her know that he was paying attention as he slowly ran his fingers along his arm, muttering ¡°Benedio¡± as he did so. Iris kept urging him to visualize what he wanted to happen, so he tried to think only of the cut closing. Back in Wilham, he only ever used healing magic for others, so he was unfamiliar with healing himself under any conditions, let alone while enduring the stinging sensation in his arm.


    ¡°Benedio,¡± he repeated, watching the wound gradually closing while the blood began to pull back inside of him. He remained patient until finally, the cut closed completely, freeing him from the pain and returning his forearm to its normal state.


    ¡°Very good, Eric,¡± Iris said with a pleased smile. ¡°You were a little slower than I would have liked but that just means we¡¯ll have to keep working at it. However, I don¡¯t want to overexert you so why don¡¯t we take a teensy little break, yeah?¡±


    The boy nodded, his body still feeling a bit weak as he leaned back in his chair. ¡°Yes, please. Thank you, Master Mackia.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± she replied. The woman then walked across the room to her desk where a small cup of tea was waiting for her. She muttered a soft incantation, which caused her hand to glow red, and seconds later, steam began rising from the cup before she brought it to her lips. ¡°Honestly, you are remarkably talented. When I first tried that spell, I only the wound half-closed. To think you grew up in a magicless realm¡­¡±


    Eric grinned proudly at her praise. ¡°I appreciate that, but I¡¯m not that talented. The only reason I can do this is because of how often I¡¯ve read my mother¡¯s book. Like I told you and the other Masters, I used to read it every night before I actually acquired magic. So in that sense, you could say I¡¯ve been studying since I was seven.¡±


    Yet, despite his insistence that it wasn¡¯t anything remarkable, the Master just shook her head and laughed. ¡°Give yourself more credit. There is quite a significant difference between knowing what to do and actually being able to do it. You can read about how to cast a spell all you want, but there isn¡¯t a book in the multiverse that could truly convey how hard it is to cast certain spells. That one in particular is easy at its base, but when fighting through pain, it becomes quite challenging.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡­suppose you have a point,¡± he admitted softly. ¡°But to be honest, as much as that hurt, I¡¯ve been through worse.¡±


    He shuddered at the memory of how much pain he went through the night Nigreos beat him bloody outside of Lilly¡¯s apartment. He hadn¡¯t had time to heal himself then, so he had to power through it as he struggled to get back to his house. That pain had been a million times worse than a mere cut on his arm.


    ¡°Yes, I imagine you went through a lot in Omaruo,¡± Iris whispered. ¡°And for what it''s worth, I am truly sorry you went through what you did. Fate had it out for you, it seems.¡±


    Eric frowned, seeing the distant look in her eyes as she stared down at her tea.


    ¡°Can I ask you something, Master?¡± he began.


    She looked back at him, her previous smile quickly returning. ¡°Anything.¡±


    ¡°W-well¡­¡± The boy took a second to think about how he could phrase his question without coming across as disrespectful before deciding to just speak his mind. ¡°With all due respect, while they have said that you are a commendable mage, both Ryokumo and Nigreos have warned me that you can be sneaky and manipulative, but¡­you¡¯ve been nothing but nice to me. In fact, you¡¯ve been nicer than almost anybody except Ryokumo so¡­ Why do they think I should be weary of you?¡±


    Iris stared at him in surprise before bursting out laughing. He felt his cheeks turn red from embarrassment, realizing that even after his pondering, he still phrased the question poorly.


    ¡°Honestly, I can¡¯t say it surprises me,¡± she finally said after pulling herself together. ¡°Caeli and Noctis have never really been fond of me. Perhaps they already told you this, but I went to the Academy with them when we were younger. I was in the year below them.¡±


    Eric shook his head. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t talk with Nigreos much, but Ryokumo never told me that. Did you know them well?¡±


    ¡°Oh, not at all,¡± Iris stated with a wave of her hand. ¡°In fact, I probably spoke a total of ten words to them collectively before I became a Master. Your mother, on the other hand¡­¡± The Master of Nature paused, a nostalgic expression crossing her feline features. ¡°I talked to her a lot. You see, she and I were both top of our classes in nature magic, so the headmaster personally requested that Abigail train me a bit.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Eric asked with intrigue. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­realize you knew my mom that well.¡±


    Iris shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really talk about it much anymore after what happened to her. But yeah, there were plenty of nights I spent just discussing nature magic with her. She was a pioneer in her field, and was admitted to the Academy in the first place for creating a new spell to cure a disease that the Citadel had been struggling with at the time. She taught that one to me personally.¡±


    Eric didn¡¯t say anything, instead content to just let her talk. Any information he could get about his mother was valuable, and his sense told him that anything Iris said would be the truth.


    ¡°She was my idol,¡± the woman went on. ¡°I respected her so much, so it was a little shocking when she suddenly vanished. That was around the time the Kosah-Rei Cult was at its height of power, so a lot of us were afraid she had been killed by them.¡±


    Eric quickly tried to recall the cult she mentioned, which Iris had told him a few weeks prior, was a group of religious fanatics that went rampant around Ijiria while his mother was still in school, causing a lot of death and destruction before their leader was finally killed only a few years ago.


    ¡°She was gone for three years of Ijirian time, give or take, before she suddenly returned,¡± Iris told him. ¡°Though I never found out where she went until after she died, I was just relieved that she was okay. Upon returning, she became Master of Nature, set up the Children of Reiner, and made a real name for herself in this city. During that time, I strived to train enough to become her apprentice, but before I could, the Battle of Noctalus took place and she was killed. Instead of becoming her apprentice, I took her spot as Master of Nature¡­a spot that I was never certain I deserved.¡±


    Eric nodded, seeing the sudden pain in her eyes, as well as the slight trembling of her teacup. ¡°Well, if it means anything, I think you¡¯re a fantastic Master, and I¡¯m certain my mother would agree.¡±


    Iris¡¯s lips tightened for a moment, but when she looked back at him, he could tell that his words had comforted her. ¡°Thank you, Eric. I like to think so, too, but¡­ Well, her actions in Noctalus just tell me that I didn¡¯t truly understand her.¡± Iris then shook her head and chuckled. ¡°But I totally just went on a tangent there. You asked why the other Masters say such nasty things about me, yes?¡±


    ¡°I think that is what started this, yeah,¡± he replied with a laugh of his own.


    ¡°As for that, I can¡¯t say I haven¡¯t brought it on myself,¡± she said. ¡°I like my fair share of pranks and, while they were fun back at the academy, they aren¡¯t as welcome here in the Citadel. I got in a good bit of trouble with the prince when I planted a flower bomb in Master Taurus¡¯s quarters. It blew up all over his face and he smelled like lavender for nearly a month. And something you should know about him is that he doesn¡¯t appreciate jokes.¡±


    Eric smirked, imagining the look on Nigreos and Album¡¯s faces if Iris ever did that to them. Part of him wanted to ask if she had ever pranked the two of them, but she was already going on before he could.


    ¡°Though, my pranks aren¡¯t the entire reason. I don¡¯t exactly make it known that I cared for Abi as much as I did. The reason for that is because she is hated by most of the Masters now, and voicing any love for her makes you a target of their scorn. Caeli knows that better than anybody.¡± Iris shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m the most recent addition to the Masters, and I¡¯ve always wanted them to like me, but unfortunately, it seems I¡¯ve failed that goal. They know I hide things, so they don¡¯t trust me and call me a liar. They dislike my sense of humor, so they call me mischievous. And I think¡­I¡¯ve started falling into the mold they made for me. Perhaps I have become a manipulative liar.¡±


    Eric exhaled softly and shook his head firmly. ¡°And yet, you¡¯ve sat here and told me all of this. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re either, Master Mackia. Though¡­I am curious why you would tell me all of this considering how little I¡¯m trusted around here.¡±


    ¡°Well, I suppose it¡¯s the same reason I¡¯m nicer to you than everybody else,¡± she told him with a sly grin. ¡°We¡¯re peas in a pod, it seems. Everybody mistrusts us so I guess we have to stay together. And of course, well¡­¡± Iris set her teacup down, her eyes focused on him. ¡°...you remind me of your mother.¡±


    ¡°Funny,¡± he murmured. ¡°You¡¯re not the first person to tell me that.¡±


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Nigreos, Ryokumo, Reigious, Piura, and even Arisa had all said the same thing to him. He reminded them of the idol that his mother was despite the fact that he knew he could never live up to her majesty. She had become a legend and that wasn¡¯t a role he could ever fill. He knew there would only come a time when he would disappoint those who saw Abigail Reiner in him, and for that, he was sorry.


    ¡°I don¡¯t imagine I am,¡± Iris said. ¡°Especially since I didn¡¯t know her that well compared to Noctis, Luz, and Caeli. Those four were not only famous at the academy for being prodigies, but they were the closest friends you could ever find. They knew her better than anyone, and Abi talked about them with quite a bit of respect.¡±


    Eric felt a twinge of pain hit him at her words. ¡°And yet¡­she¡¯s gone. I wonder what happened between them. Nigreos killed her¡­and Album doesn¡¯t even sound like she ever liked her.¡±


    ¡°Luz is lying,¡± Iris stated simply. ¡°Something interesting about that is¡­that in some ways, she was closer to her than Noctis and Caeli, and Abi once told me that Luz was like a sister to her.¡±


    The boy sat up straighter, his brow furrowed in surprise. ¡°W-what? Album was? Album Luz?¡±


    ¡°Shocking, isn¡¯t it?¡± the Master responded. ¡°But it¡¯s the truth. Abi and Luz were best friends, and while I don¡¯t know how they met or what happened between the two of them over the years, I know that your mother absolutely adored her.¡±


    Eric leaned his back up against the chair, his mind suddenly spinning at this new revelation. Between his meeting Arisa Kirisan, his dinner with Nigreos, and now his talk with Iris, he was beginning to get a clearer picture of what his mother was like in Ijiria, and the fascinating thing was that they all had a different perception of her. Ryokumo considered her one of his best friends, Arisa saw her as a mother, she was Iris¡¯s idol, and Nigreos claimed to have fallen in love with her. They were all so different, yet everybody reached the same conclusion: That her rebellion simply failed to make sense. There was something they all were missing.


    I had hoped Nigreos would have answers, but at the very least, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s hiding anything. So¡­is it possible that Album¡¯s the one I have to speak to if I want information.


    He grimaced at the thought of the Master of Light, knowing she was his most dangerous enemy within the walls of the Citadel. Should she ever figure out a way to erase him, she could defy Reigious and wipe him from their memories, dealing with him without any consequences. She hated him and he hated her, and yet, she might be his only option. Yet, as he considered what Iris said, he also thought back to what Ryokumo told him about his belief that she might have erased somebody important to him.


    And if this person was important to Ryokumo, then they must have known my mother to some extent. Album would know whoever this is, meaning she¡¯s the most likely to know something everybody else doesn''t. Perhaps¡­the time has come to have a little chat with her¡­


    ***


    Eric took some satisfaction in the confused and inquisitive expression on the face of Album Luz when she opened the door of her quarters to see him standing before her. A multitude of emotions seemed to flash across her eyes, and he was certain they were all negative. The hatred she felt was never more clear than when he was in her presence, and he knew that this conversation was far more likely to deteriorate than the one he had with Nigreos.


    But I have to do this. I have to know if she¡¯s hiding anything!


    That was why, when his lesson with Iris wrapped up, he headed straight for Album¡¯s quarters rather than his own. He knew that if he took the time to think things over, he might change his mind. So he acted on his impulse and planned to be ready to adapt to whatever happened on the spot.


    ¡°What do you want, Reiner?¡± Album growled finally, her eyes narrowing in disgust.


    He made sure to remain calm, not wanting to antagonize her like he did Nigreos. ¡°To talk, that¡¯s all. After two months, I thought it was time we had a little heart-to-heart.¡±


    The Master of Light scoffed. ¡°Is that so? Well, I don¡¯t have any interest in talking with you, so if you would please leave, that would be appreciated.¡±


    With that curt comment, she went to slam the door in his face, but Eric didn¡¯t have any plans to take ¡°no¡± for an answer.


    ¡°Parasis,¡± he chanted, causing the door to suddenly stop, and no matter how hard she might try, she would be unable to close it without undoing the spell. He was certain she knew how to do that, but he didn¡¯t intend to give her the chance.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± she demanded, but he ignored her, stalking forward and grabbing her by the shoulder to push her back into the room. She quickly raised her hand and he could tell that she was about to chant something, so he spoke before she could.


    ¡°You know you can¡¯t hurt me,¡± he said challengingly. ¡°Go ahead, Album, hit me with something. Let¡¯s see how you like having two prosthetic arms.¡±


    She froze, her eyes wide in fury. ¡°Are you threatening me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± he replied sharply. ¡°I just want to talk, so we¡¯re going to talk. Don¡¯t worry, though. I¡¯ll be quick. I don¡¯t want to be in your presence any longer than necessary either. Now move.¡±


    Despite telling himself to remain calm and composed, he just couldn¡¯t help but taunt her a bit. While Nigreos had ways of overcoming his blood protection, Album was completely at his mercy. There was nothing she could do to him and because of that, he knew she feared him. It was probably the primary reason she detested him as much as she did. Their battle outside Lilly¡¯s apartment had surely remained clear in his thoughts. He could see her internally considering every action she could take but, in the end, she lowered her hand, shook his hand from her shoulder, then stepped aside.


    ¡°Very well,¡± she hissed. ¡°Then come on in, why don¡¯t you?¡±


    Eric grinned wryly then stepped past her and into the main room, which was more or less the exact same as Nigreos¡¯s with its lack of a kitchen, its small seating area, and the hallway in the back of the room. Since he didn¡¯t intend to sit down, Eric simply headed toward the couch and leaned up against it, his eyes always focused on the Master of Light. As for Album, she closed the door behind them and turned back into the room to face him, her black eyes piercing.


    If looks could kill¡­ he internally mused.


    ¡°Well, get to it,¡± she snapped. ¡°Ask whatever it is you wish to ask and get out of my sight. I doubt it¡¯s any surprise to you that I have little interest in interacting with you at all. I believed you¡¯d feel the same, and yet here you are. If Nigreos gave you any impression that I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Nigreos is not the reason I am here,¡± Eric interrupted her. ¡°In fact, my dinner with him made me want to talk to you two less. I came here because I wanted to discuss my mother.¡±


    She seemed slightly surprised for a moment before composing herself yet again. ¡°I suppose that makes sense. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard plenty about her since you arrived here¡­and I¡¯m sure Mackia and Caeli haven¡¯t hesitated to tell you about me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, they haven¡¯t,¡± he stated. ¡°Both of them have told me that you were close friends with my mother. In fact, I was told that you were one of her best friends.¡±


    Album sneered. ¡°Maybe I was, maybe I wasn¡¯t. Regardless, it¡¯s all in the past now. What happened doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is where it ended, and it ended with your mother turning on this country and getting herself killed. She was a smart woman so she knew the consequences of her actions. She deserved what she got, and no matter what the others say, I will never change my mind.¡±


    It took a lot of willpower not to lose his cool in the face of her declaration that his mom deserved to die. He took another deep breath, told himself to remain composed, then went on.


    ¡°You say the past doesn¡¯t matter, but I hardly believe that,¡± he said. ¡°The past is what made the present. We wouldn¡¯t be who we are without our experiences. Therefore, your relationship with my mother was important, and what I want to know is what it was like. What did you know about her, and why have you come to hate Ryokumo the way you do? And¡­what do you know about why she rebelled?¡±


    Album shook her head and smiled bitterly. ¡°Well, aren¡¯t those some personal questions? Reiner, I don¡¯t have any interest in discussing my past with you. What happened between me and your mother is my business, so why don¡¯t you focus on yourself and leave me alone. If you walk away right now, I¡¯ll forgive your disrespect and we can go our separate ways.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible,¡± he growled. ¡°Whether we like it or not, you and I will never truly be rid of each other until one of us is dead. At the end of the day, you¡¯re the one with the power to bring my friends back from the erased realm, and my existence is a threat to your life. I doubt you¡¯ll forget about that any time soon.¡±


    He indicated her sensium arm with a nod of his head, and he could see her skin turn paler than it already was.


    ¡°Are you telling me that you plan to kill me?¡± she demanded.


    He shrugged. ¡°Doesn¡¯t really matter, does it? If I¡¯ve learned anything about the type of person you are, it¡¯s that you will never be able to overlook the possibility that I will. I¡¯m a stain on your reputation¡ªan untrained child who kicked your ass more than once.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t take credit for any of that,¡± Album hissed, taking a threatening step toward him. ¡°If not for that protection, I could have fried you beyond recognition. You didn¡¯t defeat me once! Your mother did! Even in death, that vile woman is still tormenting me!¡± The Master of Light smiled darkly, and he could see utter hatred in her eyes. ¡°You want to know what I thought of your mom? I hated her! I hated everything she did to this country! She was a manipulative fool and without her, this world would have been far better off. Everybody praises her as a saint, wishing she could still be alive. She has them all enchanted by that larger-than-life persona, but in the end¡­¡± Album clenched her teeth. ¡°In the end, Nigreos, Ryokumo and I¡­would have been happy if not for her. I wish she¡¯d never have tainted this city.¡±


    He could see Album breathing heavily as she finished her rant and Eric could see conflict and even a touch of insanity in the black orbs that were her eyes. Even if he learned nothing else, that rant alone told him quite a bit about the relationship between his mother and the woman before him.


    ¡°And yet,¡± he began, once again struggling to keep his tone calm. ¡°You were her best friend.¡±


    Album shook her head. ¡°Yes¡­ Once upon a time¡­I was her friend. And what an idiot I was.¡±


    ¡°Well then, if you¡¯re the only one intelligent enough to see through her mask, then do you know why she rebelled?¡± he inquired. ¡°Do you know what nobody else does?¡±


    The woman¡¯s smile turned bitter once more. ¡°You don¡¯t know what kind of question you just asked. I can see in your eyes that you think you want to know the answer, but I assure you that you don¡¯t.¡±


    He hesitated, realizing that she had partially admitted to knowing the truth.


    ¡°So you do know?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that,¡± she whispered. ¡°But heed this warning: Knowledge is a curse, Eric Reiner. It¡¯s far better to be blissfully ignorant than to know a nightmarish truth.¡±


    He clenched his fists, feeling his frustration and anger beginning to break past his control. ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know that? My mother¡¯s protection made it so that I was the only one who remembered those you erased. Do you know how painful it is to remember somebody when no one else does? Don¡¯t tell me knowledge is cursed when I know that because of you.¡±


    Album narrowed her eyes and laughed softly to herself. ¡°Part of me almost wishes you knew¡­just so that it could torment you, too. I would love to see the hatred and rage overtake you if you found out the answers you seek. It would bring me so much pleasure to watch it destroy you. But unfortunately, I have my priorities. Walk away, boy, and never come back. Even if you threatened to kill me, you would never get your answer.¡±


    ¡°Just by saying that¡­you¡¯ve already given me what I came here for,¡± Eric muttered. ¡°Have a nice night, Album.¡±


    Eric didn¡¯t say anything else as he turned and departed the room. He was surprised that she even admitted to knowing what she did, and it only confirmed for him that the only route to answers would be Album Luz. Ryokumo¡¯s plan was already in motion. In fact, he should be down in the market at that very moment, speaking to the man that could potentially get Arisa and the others out of the city. Things were starting to fall into place, and with any luck, when the dust settled, they would have their answers.


    If my mother¡¯s rebellion has anything to do with the person Ryokumo thinks she erased¡­then shattering that realm should reveal everything.

 Chapter 22- A Truce Between Rivals

    Chapter XXII


    All he could think about was what he could have done differently. Could he have convinced Rina not to go into the forest that day? Or perhaps it would have been smarter to run back to the school and get Eric. Maybe he shouldn¡¯t have fought back and allowed them to take him instead? In hindsight, he knew just how stupid he had been to allow her to go into the forest with Brooks, especially considering the state that boy was in and how dangerous they knew the Masters of Ijiria to be. It could have all been avoided. There were so many different things they could have done that might have changed the outcome, but now, there was nothing he could do.


    Rina Davens was dead and there was nothing he could do to change that.


    Evan Wright sat on the apartment¡¯s couch with his head in his hands as Lilly and Brad finished describing everything that happened after his erasure in the forest. They filled him in on what the erased realm was and how it affected their memories, as well as that they intended to break their way back out into the real world. According to Lilly, everybody in that room had managed to regain their memories and were prepared to fight back against the erased realm¡¯s captivity. He clenched his teeth, then glanced up and looked at each one of them in turn.


    In the back corner, beside the door, was an Ijirian named Rista Pine who had been defeated by Nigreos and sent to the realm. Part of Evan hated the thought of working alongside somebody from that other realm, but he also knew how valuable a magic user would be if he was on their side.


    On the wall by the window was Jay Brooks, who had arrived sometime during Lilly and Brad¡¯s story, and was now standing silently with his head down. While Evan didn¡¯t know most of his past with Rina, he knew they had once been close friends, and Jay had been there at Evan¡¯s side the day she died. Every part of him wanted to put the blame for her death on that boy¡ªthe one who had led them to the house in the woods, yet every time he got angry, he could only think of every way he fucked up, too. He couldn¡¯t blame Jay without first blaming himself, and he could see grief in Jay¡¯s eyes, telling him that he was feeling the same pain that Evan was.


    He then turned his attention to the small girl sitting on the opposite side of the couch from him. Lilly had explained her situation as well. Her name was Natalie Hill, and she was yet another victim of Nigreos and Album¡¯s assault on Wilham. Her presence in that room was just another piece of evidence that told him how fucked up the Masters were.


    They erased a little girl, huh? They were willing to go that fucking far on their quest to eradicate us. They erased a kid, murdered Rina, and waged war on a bunch of high schoolers who wanted nothing to do with them. I hate them! They¡¯re a bunch of despicable scumfucks! What did Rina ever do to them?! Why did she have to die?! Why did any of us have to come here?! I never asked for this! I never asked to get involved with their magic!


    Evan swallowed back his emotions, refusing to cry in front of Brad and the others, as he slowly rose to his feet and stared directly into Lilly¡¯s eyes. ¡°What do you need me to do?¡±


    She gaped back at him, as if surprised that he was willing to cooperate as easily as he was. ¡°So you¡¯re going to help us?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, Harper,¡± he quickly snapped. ¡°I fucking hate you. I hate you and Reiner and every other piece of shit that makes up your retarded Magic Club.¡±


    ¡°Evan, keep the language at a minimum,¡± Brad interrupted, indicating Natalie with a nod of his head, but he just ignored him and went on.


    ¡°When this is all over, I never want to see you again. I want us to go our separate ways,¡± he stated. ¡°But Nigreos and Album murdered Rina. They killed her without giving a damn how innocent she was. You and I have had our differences, but Rina and I never did a thing to them, yet they killed her anyway. So I want to fuck those bastards up the ass! Just tell me what you need me to do and I¡¯ll fucking do it.¡±


    Beside him, Natalie was holding back her giggles, which caused Lilly to click her tongue in irritation, yet the girl seemed to be fighting back a smile of her own. ¡°Well, for one, I agree with Brad. Don¡¯t curse in front of Natalie, got it?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lilly, I¡¯ve heard those words before,¡± the little girl chimed in. ¡°My Mom doesn¡¯t get angry too often, but whenever we¡¯re in the car, she likes to curse under her breath at other drivers when she thinks I can¡¯t hear her. It¡¯s really funny actually!¡±


    Evan couldn¡¯t help but smirk as the kid took his side, but Lilly just shook her head and sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t curse in front of Natalie,¡± she repeated. ¡°Otherwise, all I need from you is your help with our escape. The more people we have, the easier it should be.¡±


    ¡°And¡­how exactly do we get out of here?¡± Jay inquired. ¡°You¡¯ve said a few times that you can use The Angel to escape, but you haven¡¯t said how.¡±


    Lilly nodded, then glanced back at Rista. ¡°You take the floor here. You¡¯ll probably explain it better than I could.¡±


    ¡°Alright then.¡± Pushing himself off the wall, the Ijirian stalked forward to stand beside Lilly, his expression stern and confident as he glanced around at those gathered in the room. ¡°First off, I need to ask you all one question, although I probably know the answer. Do any of you know what a pocket realm is?¡±


    ¡°Is it a realm that fits in your pocket?¡± Natalie asked with a tilt of her head.


    Evan chuckled, having a feeling that wasn¡¯t the answer but also realizing he wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if it was considering all the crazy shit he¡¯d seen since getting wrapped up with the club.


    Rista shook his head. ¡°No. While there are certain enchantments that can enlarge a space in one¡¯s pocket, that¡¯s not what this is. Then am I right to assume that the rest of you don¡¯t have a clue what I¡¯m talking about?¡± Everybody shook their heads so Rista nodded and went on. ¡°Essentially, it¡¯s a very small realm, no larger than a city, that can be created by the more powerful mages, though each mage can usually only support one.¡±


    ¡°Woah, woah,¡± Brad interjected. ¡°Excuse me? You guys can create realms?¡±


    ¡°Small realms,¡± Rista corrected. ¡°And like I said, very few can actually do it. Off the top of my head, the only people I can think of would be the Masters of Ijiria, and other high ranking mages among the Academy and the governments of the country. I can¡¯t make any, nor could any of my fellow Children. Our mother could, though we never knew what hers was like.¡±


    Evan furrowed his brow, feeling a knot forming in his stomach as Rista put into perspective just how powerful their enemies had been. It was in that moment that it dawned on him how little of Nigreos and Album¡¯s power had been on display when they crossed paths.


    They can create whole-ass realms, huh? Then Rina and I really were fucked when we went after Mendez.


    Another twinge of pain knotted his stomach, but he did his best to shove it from his mind and focus on the conversation. He could mourn Rina later, but he had too much to think about at the moment to let himself get distracted.


    ¡°Anyway, pocket realms are always supplied their mana by the ones who cast them,¡± Rista went on. ¡°Therefore, there are routes to the outside world with which that mana enters the realm. Cut off the mana ports, and the realm can no longer be sustained, thus causing it to completely collapse and release those trapped inside. Mages could theoretically eject themselves through those ports, but seeing as Harper is the only one here with magic aside from me, and neither of us know how to do that anyway, that option isn¡¯t really on the table.¡±


    ¡°So then, if you¡¯re telling us all this, does that mean the erased realm is a pocket realm?¡± Evan asked.


    Rista nodded. ¡°Yes, though it isn¡¯t a normal one. Erasure is even harder to accomplish than making a pocket realm, and as far as I know, Album is one of only two people in Ijiria who can even do it. What it does is bind the user¡¯s pocket realm with the erasure magic, which sends any of her victims into it with their memories wiped, while also altering the entire fabric of reality in the world they¡¯re from. It¡¯s an insanely old magic whose origins aren¡¯t shared with the common masses.¡±


    ¡°But hold on,¡± Lilly interjected. ¡°You¡¯re saying this realm is Album¡¯s pocket realm, but I¡¯ve left the city before. I thought you said it couldn¡¯t be that big?¡±


    ¡°A normal one can¡¯t,¡± Rista explained. ¡°But an erased one can. Like I said, erasure is linked to memories, so this realm is no different. Everything you see is based on memory of some sort, whether it be yours or someone else''s. It¡¯s all observation based. If an erased victim isn¡¯t observing it then it doesn¡¯t actually exist. So, if none of the victims are at the high school, then the high school won¡¯t exist until one of you goes to observe it. Therefore, you can go as far as you want because the realm is only creating what¡¯s being observed. Album cannot create something from scratch, after all.¡±


    ¡°Fucking hell,¡± Evan muttered.


    Lilly and Brad both glanced back at him with a glare before the latter turned back and spoke. ¡°Okay, but then who saw this apartment? I didn¡¯t think any of us had been here before so who¡¯s memories are creating it?¡±


    Rista shrugged. ¡°That, I¡¯m not sure of. If I had to guess, it¡¯s just creating what a typical Wilham apartment would probably look like based on your past experiences. In fact, if none of you have observed this particular apartment in the real world then it probably doesn¡¯t exist as you¡¯re currently seeing it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so cool,¡± Natalie said with a childlike smile.


    ¡°Okay, so to get back on track, to escape this realm, we just have to destroy the mana ports, right?¡± Lilly clarified. ¡°It should work like a normal pocket realm?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it should,¡± Rista confirmed. ¡°And with The Angel on our side, it should be really easy. For better or for worse, Album¡¯s mana is currently inside of you, Harper, which means you can take these ports down easily. All you need to do is use Album¡¯s power to command them to shut down.¡±


    ¡°Then why haven¡¯t you?¡± Evan snapped. ¡°If it¡¯s that easy, why wait so long?¡±


    The Ijirian grimaced. ¡°Because I don¡¯t have a damn clue where the ports are.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Jay interrupted. ¡°You can¡¯t find them?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Rista growled irritably. ¡°They could be anywhere in Wilham, but the erased realm is so mana dense that I can¡¯t track them down. They¡¯re the one exception to the observation rule. They exist in the same space no matter what, but it¡¯s not easy to locate that space when everything around it only exists some of the time. I¡¯ve already found one of the two down at the beach, but the second remains hidden. I¡¯ve been spending most of my time searching for it, but no luck yet. I suspect Harper would have an easier time, but she¡¯s been too busy dealing with all of you.¡±


    The man glanced irritably at Lilly but she simply grinned challengingly, as if telling him that she didn¡¯t give a damn what he thought.


    ¡°And unfortunately, I can¡¯t attack the first one until we have the second one,¡± Rista explained. ¡°If we destroy one then Album will know what we¡¯re up to and if she enters the realm, we¡¯re all screwed. The fact that we¡¯re in here at all means that we wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against her.¡±


    Brad sighed, running his hands through his hair as he seemed to process it all. ¡°So we have to destroy them at the same time? In that case, if we find the second one, we can get out?¡±


    ¡°But what do we do when we¡¯re out?¡± Jay demanded. ¡°If Album can sense us destroying the ports then won¡¯t she just come after us again?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s possible,¡± Rista conceded. ¡°But that¡¯s where I¡¯m choosing to rely on this ¡®Angel¡¯. Harper says it might be able to take Album on and win, so if we can get out of her own personal realm, I want to believe that it¡¯ll be enough to kill her.¡±


    Evan furrowed his brow before glancing sidelong at Lilly. She only gave a vague description of The Angel inside of her, but if it was strong enough to defeat that woman in white, then what exactly was it?


    ¡°So that¡¯s the plan then?¡± Brad murmured. ¡°Find the last port, destroy them together, then deal with Album in the outside world? That¡¯s¡­not going to be easy.¡±


    ¡°I believe in Lilly, though,¡± Natalie chirped. ¡°If she says she can beat that evil lady then I think she can do it.¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s my problem with that, though,¡± Brad began, but Lilly immediately interrupted him.


    ¡°Brad¡­it¡¯s fine,¡± she said firmly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. As long as the realm is gone and Album is defeated, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    The big boy scoffed then shook his head. ¡°It does matter! Brooks, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re okay with this? You remember what she said yesterday! About what The Angel could do to her!¡±


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Jay immediately hesitated, and Evan could see conflict in his expression as he looked between Lilly and Brad. While this happened, Rista, too, seemed slightly uneasy, which told Evan that they had left a rather significant detail out. Before he could interrogate them, though, Natalie spoke.


    ¡°Brad? What do you mean?¡± she asked. ¡°The Angel¡­can do something to Lilly?¡±


    Natalie¡¯s question caused the room to go quiet as both Lilly and Brad stared back at the girl, the former seeming to be holding back panic and the latter clearly internally debating his response. Evan wasn¡¯t sure whether it was a good thing or a bad thing, but before anybody could speak on the matter further, a knock at the door caused all eyes to turn toward it.


    ¡°Wait¡­did they actually¡­?¡± Lilly whispered as she exchanged curious glances with Rista.


    The Ijirian then stepped forward and opened the door to reveal those on the other side, and when he did, Evan found himself unsurprised to see Liz Tao and Damien Clark standing there. He had expected the magic nuts to show up eventually even if their memory was wiped, so he had just been waiting for them to arrive. But just as he was about to turn away, he stopped, noticing a third figure just behind them¡ªa boy he hadn¡¯t seen in quite some time.


    You¡­


    It was him. It was the boy who first dragged him into everything, the one who always looked at him like he was scum and the one who assaulted Rina with Evan¡¯s body. It was him who first used that stone and it was him who got Rina involved. If he¡¯d just taken his anger out on Evan, she would have been safe. Nigreos and Album would have only gone after him, and not her.


    Rina would still be alive¡­if not for that boy.


    If not for Vinny Mickelson¡­


    ***


    Vinny hadn¡¯t been sure what to expect when he finally decided to give in and go to the apartment, and seeing Brad Fischer involved in the whole mess the previous afternoon only made him that much more skeptical. Yet even so, he hadn¡¯t been prepared for Evan Wright to also be among those gathered at the apartment, and it seemed Damien and Liz were in a similar state of surprise. Both of them were gaping at the boy with Damien¡¯s features already twisting in utter hatred. As for Evan, he was already glaring at Vinny with a look that told him everything he needed to know. The scene was only made more confusing by the presence of the other two individuals he didn¡¯t know¡ªa little girl sitting on the couch and the man who answered the door, his eyes narrowed in what seemed surprise as he regarded the three of them. Yet, Vinny found he didn¡¯t care much about them as his sights remained fixed on Evan.


    ¡°And here I thought I might actually give you a chance, Harper,¡± Vinny snapped. ¡°Fischer is one thing, but if you¡¯re working with Wright then you all can go fuck yourselves!¡±


    Evan snorted and grinned challengingly. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Mickelson, and I see you¡¯re just as unpleasant as ever.¡±


    ¡°A long time?¡± the blonde boy parroted. ¡°You hit your head or something? You and Fischer were just threatening me not four fucking days ago! What in the hell am I supposed to make of this, huh? Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s from your alternate reality, too?!¡±


    Vinny eyed Lilly with a furious glare, finding himself more and more fed up with her the more he interacted with her. After seeing her magic the day before, he hadn¡¯t known what to think, especially when she claimed that his memories were faked. There was so much he had to process, but even with that in mind, after some thought, he truly believed that her words were genuine. Both times she claimed to care for him, he found himself unable to just brush it aside as a lie or a trick no matter how much he wanted to. So after taking the day off school to just wander around, he finally decided to go to the address Lilly had sent him and see what else she had to say.


    But Evan Wright wasn¡¯t a part of this deal! If he¡¯s working with her then there¡¯s no way this isn¡¯t some lie! He wasn¡¯t there yesterday so maybe that magic stunt was just a trick he was pulling off behind the scenes to fuck with me! If any of what Harper said was true then Wright shouldn¡¯t have been involved!


    Vinny could tell that Brad wanted to interject, yet to his surprise, the boy was remaining quiet, as if waiting to see how Lilly would respond. The man by the door also seemed to be deferring to her while Jay and the little girl were just uncomfortable. But Evan was the same as always with his sneer and his cocky expression.


    ¡°Um, Harper,¡± Liz began hesitantly when the room stayed quiet. ¡°What¡¯s this about? Why is Wright here?¡±


    At that moment, Vinny saw the little girl sit up, a sudden expression of recognition in her features, but Lilly replied before she could say anything.


    ¡°Yeah, Wright¡¯s one of the erased victims, too,¡± she admitted. ¡°Nigreos and Album sent him here the same as us, but Rista and I were able to return his memories.¡± She indicated the man beside them, who was apparently named Rista, before going on. ¡°He can do magic, too, and we decided that we needed to return the memories of everybody who was sent here. Our magic isn¡¯t working on you guys, which is why¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Damien suddenly grunted, his lips tightened as if he was struggling to fight back his fury. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to bother with you at all, but Liz convinced me to come, so I did¡­and now this is what I see? It¡¯s fucking pathetic, Harper. I was right. I shouldn¡¯t be here.¡±


    ¡°Wait, Damien,¡± Liz quickly protested, but the boy was already turning around to leave.


    ¡°Damien!¡± Lilly called out as well, but Vinny could tell by the irritated look on his face that he wasn¡¯t going to hear her out any more than he already had. Vinny was ready to follow in his footsteps and would have had it not been for the sudden call of the little girl.


    ¡°Wait, Damien, Liz!¡± she cried out, stumbling to her feet before using the couch¡¯s armrest to steady herself. ¡°Please don¡¯t go! That is you, right?¡±


    Liz¡¯s eyes went wide as she regarded the girl and even Damien stopped before glancing back at her with a cocked eyebrow. Vinny noticed that her eyes didn¡¯t seem to be directed at them, rather she was looking only in their general direction, as if she had a decent idea of where they were without knowing exactly where to look.


    ¡°Please!¡± she repeated. ¡°I-I know Lilly said you guys don¡¯t have your memories, and I don¡¯t know why you don¡¯t like Mr. Evan, but still¡­ I don¡¯t want you to go! It¡¯s me, Natalie! Liz, you and I went to the pier with Eric for my birthday and then I saw you guys at the festival when Mom and I came to visit! And¡­¡± Natalie stopped, as if unsure of how to continue. ¡°And you were there when we got erased! You tried to save me from the wizards, er, mages! So please don¡¯t go! Please just give us another chance!¡±


    Even Lilly seemed thrown off by Natalie¡¯s sudden outburst, but when she finished talking, a soft smile appeared on her lips, as if proud of her.


    ¡°So I¡­knew you?¡± Liz whispered. ¡°In that other reality?¡±


    Natalie nodded hurriedly. ¡°Yeah, you did! You were always really nice to me¡­and you tried to save me. Please¡­¡± She slowly raised her hands to reach out to them despite being on the opposite side of the room from them. ¡°I can¡¯t see you¡­because my eyes don¡¯t work like they should, but I know you¡¯re there and that it¡¯s still you. Please¡­don¡¯t go. Mr. Evan will be nice, I promise! Right?¡±


    She tilted her head in the boy¡¯s direction, and for a moment, his sneer faltered, as if even he didn¡¯t have the heart to completely disregard her request.


    ¡°Er,¡± he stuttered. ¡°Well, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Mr. Evan!¡± Natalie repeated, though her tone was less sweet. ¡°Be nice to Damien and Liz! They¡¯re good people, I promise!¡±


    ¡°W-whatever,¡± he grumbled, looking away with a scowl. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll be nice.¡±


    Natalie¡¯s smile instantly brightened as Vinny just gaped at him. ¡°Thanks! See, guys! He¡¯ll be nice! So please stay! Lilly¡¯s telling the truth! You guys are friends!¡±


    What the hell even is this? Did Harper and Wright pay this girl to ramble all this off?


    That was what made the most sense to Vinny, yet just like with Lilly, Natalie¡¯s words didn¡¯t feel fake or scripted. It actually sounded like she was making a sincere request and that she actually believed Evan would be nice to them. It was so innocent that Vinny couldn¡¯t completely write it off as manipulation.


    Every time I interact with Harper, I¡¯m just more confused!


    Finally, breaking the odd tension that hung over the room, Liz silently moved forward and crouched down beside the girl. She must have heard her approach because her hands were instantly up again and when Liz reached out and took one in her own, Natalie smiled happily.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name again?¡± Liz asked.


    ¡°Natalie Hill!¡±


    ¡°And¡­we were friends, you said? You knew this other me that supposedly exists?¡±


    Natalie nodded. ¡°Yup! And I love her! Oh, but I love you, too! I¡¯m sure you¡¯re still awesome no matter what memories you have! So please stay so that we can help you go back to normal! I want to help you like you helped me! You, too, Damien!¡±


    ¡°Me, too, huh?¡± the boy grunted, finally turning back and moving into the room.


    ¡°Yeah! I didn¡¯t really know what was happening, but you did everything you could to keep me from getting killed by the Ijirians,¡± Natalie said. ¡°I was really scared, and I know you were, too, but you still tried to keep me safe. Even if we still got stuck here, I won¡¯t forget that! You¡¯re my friend, too!¡±


    The hand Liz wasn¡¯t holding reached out for Damien and despite his clear skepticism, he nevertheless crossed the room and knelt beside Liz to hold Natalie¡¯s hand. At his touch, she laughed and leaned her head forward to rest against his chest.


    ¡°So please stay,¡± she repeated once more. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure Evan isn¡¯t mean to you! And Lilly will, also! Right, Lilly?¡±


    The girl chuckled softly to herself and grinned then turned a smug look toward Evan. ¡°Yup, we¡¯ll make sure he doesn¡¯t cause any problems. After all, no matter how angry he is, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that he needs us if he wants to get out of here. So, if you meant what you said earlier¡­¡± Lilly then began addressing Evan directly. ¡°...about doing anything necessary to beat Nigreos and Album, then you¡¯ll play nice with Damien and Vinny? Got it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Evan snapped irritably. ¡°I already told the kid I won¡¯t do anything. Just¡­¡± The boy turned his glare on Vinny, his eyes narrowed in poorly restrained hatred. ¡°...don¡¯t expect me to forget what he did to us.¡±


    ¡°What I did to you, huh?¡± Vinny growled. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really remember what you¡¯re talking about, but I¡¯m sure you deserved it.¡±


    Evan¡¯s jaw clenched but, to Vinny¡¯ surprise, he didn¡¯t shoot back. ¡°This¡­is to avenge Rina. I hate it¡­but I¡¯ll do whatever I have to in order to avenge her. One day, Mickelson, you and I won¡¯t ever have to see each other again. But mark my words¡­¡± He smiled bitterly. ¡°Give me any reason to kick your ass, and I will¡­¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t kick his ass!¡± Natalie protested immediately.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t say that word!¡± Lilly quickly interjected. ¡°Wright, what did we say about profanity! Don¡¯t do that in front of Natalie!¡±


    The little girl frowned. ¡°Aw, Lilly, but it¡¯s funny!¡±


    ¡°It is not! There will be no cursing!¡±


    With Damien and Liz next to Natalie, Vinny was left standing alone in the doorway, still with the option to turn around and ignore everything he was seeing. The conversation before him was so disjointed with what he remembered, and he couldn¡¯t convince himself that Natalie and Lilly were lying. He just couldn¡¯t.


    But then¡­what does that mean? Are there memories I don¡¯t have? Is there really another life that I lived¡­one different from this one, where I was in a damn Magic Club? What is this all? What am I supposed to make of it?!


    I really don¡¯t know¡­


    ***


    As the sun began to set, Evan and Brad departed Rista¡¯s apartment and started making their way home. So much had happened in such little time and Evan was still trying to make sense of both his fake memories and his real ones. Lilly and Rista had laid everything out for him, and seeing Damien, Liz, and Vinny in their erased realm state only further convinced him just how real it all was. They weren¡¯t the same people he knew, and they had a different image of him¡ªone that matched his erased counterpart. It was all so surreal, only adding to the stress and confusion that had been created by the initial reveal of magic nearly a year prior. So much happened in such a short time and he felt as if he¡¯d accidentally stumbled into it, as if he didn¡¯t belong in such a world.


    And I honestly don¡¯t. If not for Mickelson, I never would have known about magic and I never would have been here. The same can be said for Rina. He used that stone on her and condemned her to her death! But¡­


    When he first saw Vinny, he had been overwhelmed by hatred for the boy, a feeling that always came to him whenever they saw each other. Yet, in the time since Evan last saw him, he¡¯d come to see a lot of the events of that Christmas in a different light. When they talked about it, Rina never held their actions against them. She always knew that the blame for what happened lay with the two of them¡ªthat the Magic Club never would have touched them if they hadn¡¯t forced their hand.


    So in that sense, it really does all come back to me. It was me who tried to rope Rina into my stupid war against Mickelson. I¡¯m the one who took advantage of her history with Mendez to convince her to work with me. I was so blinded by my hatred for Mickelson that I never stopped to think about how our actions would hurt her. I just wanted to get under his skin and¡­I wanted to be close to the girl I fell for. Evan snorted. A girl who was already taken. A girl I never had a shot with. And it was that selfishness that¡­got her killed.


    He clenched his teeth as the reality truly settled in. Rina was dead. No matter what he did, he would never see her again. Nigreos and Album had taken her life from her and now, it was over. Not only did he lose Rina, but everybody who cared about her lost her, too.


    I wonder what that did to Charlotte or to Steven? I wasn¡¯t even there to see the consequences of my stupid actions. I wasn¡¯t able to be there for my friends¡­not like Steven would have wanted me there, though. He and I¡­stopped getting along after my suspension. He only put up with me cause we were teammates.


    Evan no longer knew what he would do when all was said and done. He was determined to do everything he could to get his revenge on Nigreos and Album. He wanted to escape the erased realm and he wanted to fight back, but he didn¡¯t know what came after that. He lacked a goal in life. Most of his so-called friends seemed to only be irritated by him, and now Rina was dead.


    Where would he go when it was over?


    ¡°Hey, Brad,¡± Evan grunted, wanting to break the silence and get out of his own head. ¡°Do you think we can do this?¡±


    His old friend glanced sidelong at him before chuckling softly. ¡°I do. I have faith in Lilly. I always have.¡±


    ¡°Of course you would,¡± Evan grumbled. ¡°I don¡¯t even know why I asked that.¡±


    ¡°And you? Do you think we can get out of here?¡±


    The boy shrugged. ¡°Dunno, honestly. I don¡¯t even know what to think anymore. I mean, this entire damn world is fake, Harper¡¯s supposedly some sort of angel, and even if we get out of here, we have to fight that white bitch and not get ourselves fucking murdered! And with all that, Reiner¡¯s not even here and he was the only guy who stood a chance against them in the first place. Not to mention¡­¡±


    He paused, realizing he was about to turn the conversation toward Rina. He bit back the rest of his sentence and glanced down at the sidewalk, his features tensed up as he once again felt a wave of sadness wash over him.


    ¡°Just so you know,¡± Brad began softly. ¡°While she¡¯s not the same, there is a Rina in this world¡­if you need a way to get some closure.¡±


    Evan stopped and stared back at his friend in surprise at how easily his mind had been read before scowling. ¡°And who said I needed closure? I¡¯m perfectly fine!¡±


    ¡°Just thought I¡¯d remind you,¡± Brad said casually before continuing on his way.


    Evan stared after him for a moment, then rolled his eyes and followed him, all the while annoyed that Brad¡¯s words remained in the back of his mind.

 Chapter 23- Moving Up The Timetables

    Chapter XXIII


    In the aftermath of Eric¡¯s departure, Album immediately cursed herself for letting her emotions get the better of her. She had been telling both herself and Nigreos that they couldn¡¯t afford to lose their composure when dealing with the boy, and not less than a week ago, she criticized her partner for doing just that. And yet, there she was, making the exact same mistake. Eric Reiner was good at getting under her skin, and as he kept pushing for answers he didn¡¯t need, she found herself growing more and more angry before lashing out with what she knew would cause him the most pain. But by doing that, she essentially confirmed for him that she knew something everybody else did not, and that single mistake could be detrimental. Of course, she wasn¡¯t worried about him telling Reigious or the rest of the Masters for she was certain most of them would never take his word over hers. Instead, she was worried about him bringing that information back to Ryokumo.


    He already suspects I¡¯m lying to him, so if Eric tells him what I just said, I doubt I¡¯ll be able to convince him that the boy is wrong. And if Ryokumo starts putting his theories in Nigreos¡¯s head, I may not be able to keep denying it. Damn it!


    Album slammed her fist against her coffee table before putting her head in her hands.


    I¡¯ve gotten so good at keeping my emotions in check, then this damned child comes along and suddenly I¡¯m making amateurish mistakes? Why? Why does he have this effect on me? Why do I care so much about shutting down this little investigation into his mother? Have I been wrong all this time? Does Abi still have such power over me, even now?


    The Master of Light clenched her teeth before leaning her back up against the couch. Eric needs to go¡ªeither to erasure or to death. He has too much power over us between his blood protection and his resemblance to his mother. I don¡¯t believe Nigreos when he says he can kill Eric if he¡¯s forced to. When the time comes, he won¡¯t be able to do it, which means I have to be the one to kill him. It has to be me. If Nigreos has to bear the burden of killing Abi then I¡¯ll bear the burden of killing her son.


    She just hoped that Nigreos was able to acquire anything useful from Nuvo Tannath that might enable them to break past the blood magic. If that trip into the market was successful, then she wouldn¡¯t even need to kill him. She could just erase him the same way she had with the others in Omaruo. That way, everybody would win. Nigreos, Ryokumo, and the rest of Ijiria would forget he ever existed, and Eric could spend the rest of his days with his friends, oblivious to magic once more. It was the ideal conclusion.


    And you¡¯re preventing it, Abi. If you hadn¡¯t put that protection over him, he could be happy right now. But instead, he¡¯s pushing far too close to a truth that could ruin everything. Was this what you wanted? Was this what you foresaw when you protected him from me?


    Part of Album wished that Abigail Reiner could be there to see what her protection had done¡ªfor her to know that even that had failed. Everybody praised her like a golden child, and yet, when had she ever truly succeeded when it mattered? She failed her family, she failed her adoptive children, she failed her friends, and she failed Ijiria.


    And all for what?


    Album¡¯s thoughts were then cut off by a knocking at her door, telling her that Nigreos had returned from his meeting with Nuvo. She quickly calmed herself and got to her feet before calling out for the visitor to come in. Yet, to her utter dismay, Nigreos Noctis wasn¡¯t the only one who entered into her quarters. Following right behind him was Ryokumo Caeli, a smug grin on his face, telling her that he had expected such an irritated expression from her upon his arrival.


    ¡°What are you doing here, Caeli?¡± she demanded instantly, briefly glaring at Nigreos before turning back to stare at the Master of Wind.


    The man chuckled and shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°Good to see you, too, Album. As it so happens, I ran into Nigreos on my way back from investigating in the market and, when he said he planned to come speak with you, I thought I¡¯d tag along. We haven¡¯t spoken in quite some time, after all, and it saddens me that our relationship has become so distant.¡±


    Album narrowed her eyes, sensing sarcasm behind his tone. ¡°And why were you in the market so late at night? Cartus has been here all day so I didn¡¯t think there was any investigation taking place today.¡±


    ¡°Yes, well, as it so happens, I am an adult and, therefore, do not need Sinna Cartus to chaperone me every time I head into the city,¡± he replied wryly. ¡°And besides, it wasn¡¯t officially an investigation. I suspect that Hannah and Kirisan go into the market for food and other supplies and, since I spent so much time with them in the dungeons, I know their mana signatures quite well. I was hoping I might find them, but alas, I found nothing aside from my dear friend.¡±


    He indicated Nigreos with a wave of his hand, and when Album turned to regard her partner, she could see him staring at the ground, as if feeling awkward while listening to their back-and-forths.


    ¡°And while it¡¯s on my mind,¡± Ryokumo went on. ¡°What were you doing in the market, Nigreos? I didn¡¯t realize you appreciated shopping.¡±


    The Master of Darkness shrugged. ¡°Nothing all that interesting, to be honest. I just went down there to visit Abi¡¯s monument. Everything going on with Eric has made me think of her more often than usual, so I thought it was time to pay my respects again.¡±


    Album internally scoffed as she realized that, while Nigreos had left out the details surrounding Nuvo, he wasn¡¯t lying. He must have actually stopped by her monument before returning to the Citadel.


    Well, that explains what took him so long.


    ¡°Ah, that makes sense,¡± Ryokumo said, his tone suddenly softening. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about her alot, too. It¡¯s been a strange few months, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It has,¡± Nigreos murmured.


    For a moment, the room went quiet, and Album could tell that both men had gone deep in thought, probably reminiscing about the past, much like she had been before they arrived. However while she was certain that they were looking at it with fondness, she had only seen it with anger and anguish.


    ¡°So, why are you two here?¡± Album inquired, wanting to move the conversation along so she could get Ryokumo out of her quarters. ¡°What did you want to discuss?¡±


    She knew Nigreos had intended to fill her in on what happened with Nuvo, but with Ryokumo present, he would have to come up with some other excuse.


    ¡°Nothing all that important,¡± Nigreos said. ¡°I guess¡­I just didn¡¯t feel like going back to my quarters yet so I figured I¡¯d check in with you.¡± He paused for a moment as he took a seat on the couch, then went on as if something had occurred to him. ¡°Have you spoken to Reigious within the last few days?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. Why?¡±


    ¡°Well, it seems he¡¯s considering sending the two of us up north within the next few weeks or so,¡± Nigreos replied with a grimace. ¡°Tensions on the Trovian border are getting worse and he fears a potential uprising in Harunhein. While we were in Omaruo, he sent Master Taurus up there to deter any attacks, but with the hunt for Malt Territh going on, he hasn¡¯t been able to return to his post.¡±


    ¡°And so he wants the two of us to trek up there just to scare off some Trovians?¡± Album rolled her eyes. ¡°He¡¯s being too paranoid. Trovia¡¯s all talk. They¡¯re not stupid enough to actually wage a war against us¡ªa war they know they¡¯ll lose. Say what you wish about King Tyrus, but he¡¯s not that much of a fool.¡±


    ¡°While I agree with you there,¡± Ryokumo chimed in, ¡°It does make you wonder if perhaps the Trovian King knows something we do not. Malt Territh is a guide, and if he were to find his way into Trovia and make contact with the capitol, then the entire army could be granted guideship, making the protections on the Citadel pointless.¡±


    Nigreos nodded solemnly. ¡°And I¡¯m sure the prince has that in mind, but Album isn¡¯t wrong either. After all, any Trovians gifted guideship would still have to reach the Citadel to make it worth anything, and there isn¡¯t a version of reality where they ever achieve such a thing.¡±


    ¡°Which is why I think sending us to Harunhein is unnecessary.¡± The Master of Light scoffed. ¡°No¡­ If I had to guess, Reigious isn¡¯t considering sending us north for the Trovians. I think¡­he simply seeks to separate us from Eric Reiner for a little while.¡±


    Nigreos sighed as he leaned forward and folded his hands on his lap. ¡°The thought¡­had crossed my mind.¡±


    ¡°Well, can you really blame him, though?¡± Ryokumo muttered. ¡°I do think Reigious wants Eric to feel comfortable here. He¡¯s cautious of the boy, as we should all be, but at the end of the day, he has Abi¡¯s blood and he has talent. Should we succeed in gaining Eric¡¯s trust and loyalty, then he could be a valuable asset to both this Citadel and this country. Reigious no doubt understands that¡­as I¡¯m sure he understands just what stands between gaining Eric¡¯s trust and losing it.¡±


    Album noticed Nigreos¡¯s features tense up out of the corner of her eye, and she knew that her partner was already thinking along the same lines as Ryokumo. However, she didn¡¯t feel that it was a problem at all. Especially after talking with the boy herself, she knew she couldn¡¯t allow him to remain in Ijiria.


    ¡°Yes, as long as Nigreos and I remain alive, Eric will never truly become loyal to this country,¡± she growled. ¡°After Nigreos¡¯s dinner with him the other night, that¡¯s crystal clear. Were you told about that incident, Caeli?¡±


    The Master of Wind chuckled. ¡°Yes, Nigreos and I already spoke of it. It¡¯s unfortunate that it didn¡¯t go well, but I do agree that the outcome was inevitable.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was, and conflicts between us will never end,¡± Album said. ¡°You¡¯ll both probably be interested to know that, not ten minutes before you arrived, Eric Reiner stopped by to speak with me.¡±


    Since she expected Nigreos¡¯s surprised expression, she focused her attention on how Ryokumo reacted. She wanted to know if he had been behind Eric¡¯s visit or if the boy was acting on his own. She assumed it would be the former, so she was slightly thrown off when she found his confused look to be genuine.


    ¡°Did he now?¡± he stuttered. ¡°And what about?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± she snapped irritably. ¡°He¡¯s investigating his mother¡¯s rebellion. He used his blood protection to force his way in here and then grilled me to see what I know about Abi and her death. I can tell he¡¯s already decided he¡¯s going to learn the truth behind why she rebelled and his forceful actions only prove how far he¡¯s willing to go.¡±


    Nigreos grit his teeth. ¡°And what does he think he¡¯s going to learn by doing this? Nobody knows why Abi rebelled except her. There¡¯s nothing he can learn from us.¡±


    ¡°Unless he suspects you¡¯re hiding something, Album¡± Ryokumo suggested. ¡°Which isn¡¯t impossible. Perhaps he thinks one of you¡­knows something more than you¡¯re letting on?¡±


    Album narrowed her eyes as she noticed her old friend¡¯s eyes briefly shift her direction, as if wanting her to understand that he was speaking only to her. She knew Ryokumo suspected her of hiding something, though she had always denied it. Part of her had expected him to confront her again once she returned from Omaruo, but to her satisfaction, he had left the subject alone.


    But I know Ryokumo well. I never truly convinced him that I¡¯m not keeping something from him. If he hasn¡¯t confronted me again, it means he doesn¡¯t have anything new to confront me with. So he¡¯s almost certainly going to try and find something else to use as leverage¡­and I just gave it to him by saying what I did to Eric.


    ¡°Well, that wouldn¡¯t surprise me,¡± Nigreos grunted. ¡°He doesn¡¯t trust us so there¡¯s no reason for him to believe us when we say we don¡¯t know anything. What about you, Ryokumo? How much do you think he trusts you?¡±


    The Master of Wind considered the question for a moment before shaking his head. ¡°I can¡¯t really say for sure, but I like to think I¡¯ve bonded with him, at least a little bit. If anything, I think he trusts me as much as any other Ijirian. It¡¯s only been two months since our country took everything from him, so there¡¯s only so much trust he¡¯s willing to give.¡±


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    ¡°Well, at the very least, could you do your best and try to convince him that there¡¯s nothing more for him to investigate?¡± Nigreos requested. ¡°I understand why he would be so insistent to understand what happened. Hell, I probably want to know the truth just as much as he does, if not more. But the truth died with Abi, and I fear what Eric might do on his misguided quest for answers.¡± He clenched his fists and Album could see the conflict and fear in his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything to happen to him. I want him to be happy, Ryokumo, and I¡¯m not just saying that because he¡¯s her son. Eric isn¡¯t a bad person. He¡¯s a good kid with a bright future and I don¡¯t want him to throw that away.¡±


    Ryokumo stared back at his friend, his eyebrows raised in what appeared to be surprise, before a warm smile spread across his face. ¡°Do not worry, Nigreos. I¡¯ll take good care of Eric. I¡¯ll make sure he¡¯s safe. I swear it on my life. So if the two of you are sent to Trovia, you can rest easy knowing that Eric will be in my care.¡±


    Album kept her features unreadable as she listened to Ryokumo¡¯s response, and couldn¡¯t help but feel as if she would be more worried about leaving Eric in his care than anybody else¡¯s.


    I don¡¯t trust this. I have to talk some sense into Reigious. Going north and leaving Eric with Ryokumo and Mackia¡­ I just¡­have a bad feeling that this can¡¯t end well. Something has to be done! I can¡¯t stress this enough and yet¡­


    ...there isn¡¯t a soul in this Citadel that shares my sentiment, and that¡¯s going to be Reigious¡¯s biggest mistake.


    ***


    After leaving Album and Nigreos, Ryokumo headed directly toward his own quarters where he hoped Eric would be waiting. There was a lot the two of them needed to discuss, and now that he knew that the boy had paid Album a visit, he was curious to know what he might have learned. So, the Master of Wind quickened his pace and soon arrived at his front door. With a brief flick of his wrist to unlock it, Ryokumo stepped inside and entered his living room where he found Eric quietly sitting on the couch, his right arm stretched out and his palm facing the ceiling where a small ball of light was hovering. However, Ryokumo¡¯s sudden arrival must have thrown off his focus as the light suddenly flickered, before going out all together.


    The Master couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly. ¡°I see you¡¯re already getting the hang of light magic.¡±


    ¡°Somewhat,¡± Eric replied with a frown. ¡°I mean, I¡¯ve gotten as far as producing light but there¡¯s not much I can do from there.¡±


    Ryokumo crossed the room and took a seat on the couch¡¯s armrest as he regarded his apprentice. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry too much about it. As long as you understand the basics of light magic, the plan should be able to work. Have faith in your abilities, Eric. That being said, it¡¯s possible we may have to move our schedule up a bit, so it would be smart to keep at it as best you can.¡±


    ¡°Move it up? W-why?¡± the boy stuttered, sitting up straighter to face him. ¡°I thought you said you needed a few more weeks.¡±


    ¡°I did, but it sounds like circumstances are changing. Nigreos has informed me that Prince Reigious is considering sending him and Album up to the Trovian border. If he does that, the two of them might not return to the Citadel for weeks, or perhaps even months.¡± Ryokumo paused and took a moment to collect his thoughts. ¡°The longer we wait, the greater the chance of us getting caught, especially now that we¡¯ve made contact with the Children, so I would rather act sooner than later. That means we have a few weeks at best to make our move.¡±


    Eric nodded, his eyes focused on the surface of the coffee table before him. ¡°And Arisa? Were you able to get her and the other Children passage out of Erika?¡±


    ¡°I spoke with my associate and have confirmed that he can smuggle them out of the city in a little over a week¡­¡±


    ¡°And can we trust this guy?¡± the boy quickly demanded. ¡°You said he was some black market merchant, right? Are you sure he won¡¯t sell them out?¡±


    Ryokumo shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not certain of anything, but we don¡¯t have much of a choice. From what I know, Nuvo Tannath is our best shot of slipping them out of Erika. It¡¯s either trust him or have the Children fight their way through the gates, and unfortunately, trusting Tannath has the lowest likelihood of death.¡± Ryokumo sighed. ¡°But I have enough information on him to drag him down with us if he betrays us so I¡¯m choosing to believe that he is intelligent enough to not try anything.¡±


    ¡°Alright then. If that¡¯s what we have to do,¡± Eric murmured, ¡°then I¡¯ll trust him, too. Have you told them yet?¡±


    Ryokumo shook his head. ¡°No, not yet. I planned for the two of us to head back down there in a few days to fill them in and so I can meet with Tannath to finalize the deal. Which means it¡¯s probably time for me to make a move of my own.¡±


    ¡°A move? Against Album, you mean?¡± Eric frowned. ¡°That¡¯s the one thing you still won¡¯t explain to me. I can¡¯t see any way she ever willingly tells you what you want to know so¡­what exactly do you plan to do?¡±


    He paused and glanced down at his hands, folded atop his lap. Eric was right in that it was the only part of their plan that he had kept to himself, though it wasn¡¯t out of any lack of trust in him. In fact, it was because he trusted and respected the boy so much that he chose to keep it secret. What he intended to do was risky and dangerous, but as he kept telling himself, it was those risks that needed to be taken.


    ¡°That is because it¡¯s between me and her,¡± he answered after a moment. ¡°For better or for worse, Album and I have known each other for a long time, and while our history is complicated, that¡¯s not something I can forget. I need to confront her myself¡­for my sake as well as hers.¡±


    The boy seemed like he wanted to press the subject further, but to Ryokumo¡¯s relief, he merely nodded and turned back to look at the spellbook he was holding. When he didn¡¯t speak, the Master decided to bring up the topic he had intended to discuss when he first arrived.


    ¡°So, Album told me that you paid her a visit earlier,¡± he said with a sly grin, watching as the boy¡¯s posture stiffened. ¡°She also said you were there to investigate your mother¡¯s rebellion. Kind of an interesting thing to do considering you just told me that you don¡¯t think she¡¯ll tell us anything.¡±


    Eric sighed, closing the spellbook before settling on the coffee table. ¡°Yeah, fair point, but¡­I just had to talk to her, Ryokumo. I think I understand Nigreos, at least to a certain point, but her¡­ She just doesn¡¯t make sense to me. Master Mackia told me that Album and my mother were really close back at the Academy, yet Album has never once looked as if she cared for her at all. I can¡¯t even imagine my mom ever getting along with somebody like her so¡­I just¡­wanted to see what she would say if I confronted her.¡±


    I suppose I can understand that. Especially given the fact that, should our plan succeed, Nigreos and Album will soon be dead, it¡¯s only natural that he searches for answers while he can. I can¡¯t fault him for that.


    ¡°And?¡± Ryokumo inquired. ¡°What did she say?¡±


    ¡°That she hated my mom,¡± he replied softly. ¡°That she believes my mother deserved to die for what she did and that¡­the three of you would have been better off without her.¡±


    The Master of Wind let out a soft breath and then got to his feet. He was sad to realize that he wasn¡¯t surprised in the slightest, and yet, he didn¡¯t think that was the entire truth. Album most likely believed everything she said, but Ryokumo knew those were only her present emotions. There wasn¡¯t a chance in hell that she always felt that way.


    After all, if that were true, then you wouldn¡¯t have been so torn up over Abi¡¯s disappearance, now would you, Album?


    ¡°And, one last thing,¡± Eric went on hesitantly. ¡°When I confronted her about possibly knowing why my mother rebelled, she said¡­that I was better off ignorant. She said it was a  nightmarish truth and that she wished she could tell me, if only to torture me with that knowledge. It was like¡­she was admitting to knowing something.¡±


    Ryokumo was careful to keep his body calm but inside, he found his thoughts racing. He had considered the possibility that whoever Album erased may be related to the rebellion, so he wasn¡¯t too surprised by that. What threw him off the most was that she essentially admitted as much to Eric.


    You¡¯ve stated for years that you don¡¯t know a thing no matter how much I questioned you. You were so stubborn about it¡­but Eric confronts you once and you admit to knowing something? What¡¯s your game, Album?


    ¡°That is interesting,¡± Ryokumo murmured. ¡°I¡¯ll have to give it some thought, but thank you for telling me this, Eric. You did well.¡±


    The boy smiled. ¡°T-thanks.¡±


    ¡°Now, go back to your training. I¡¯ll be in my room if you need me. Have a nice night.¡±


    Ryokumo then turned and headed to his room and it was only once the door was shut and he was alone that he clenched his fists and shook his head.


    I never expected him to get a confession out of her. This doesn¡¯t change much, but it¡¯s at least solid confirmation that she knows something she isn¡¯t telling me. But why? Why would she tell him? What scheme is she working on by doing this? It just isn¡¯t her!


    The man crossed the room and sat down at his desk before sliding open his drawer and producing his own spellbook. His mind continued to consider possibility after possibility as he flipped to the page where Aniextiam was kept. Then, just as he was about to brush the issue aside and begin his own practice, a possibility came to mind that he should have immediately set aside. It wasn¡¯t anything like the Album Luz he knew in the present. Instead, it was a possibility that should have only applied to the woman he once knew.


    Could it be¡­that she told him that to try and get him to stop investigating. Could Album¡­actually be trying to protect him from whatever horrible truth she¡¯s keeping locked away?


    There was a sudden pang in his stomach as he furrowed his brow.


    Is that possible¡­?


    ***


    When sleep failed to come to her, Arisa Kirisan slowly crawled out of her blankets and walked toward the window on the far side of the room. After meeting with Ryokumo and Eric, they had moved to a different location on the chance that they were being lied to, though Arisa didn¡¯t think that was the case. The others had told her that she¡¯d been too quick to believe Ryokumo Caeli, but she trusted her instincts and she would never mistake that look in Eric¡¯s eyes. He was who he said he was. He was Abigail Reiner¡¯s son and that made him one of them. She didn¡¯t need to know anything about him. The Children of Reiner were a family and that meant that he was her brother. She would protect him the same way she intended to protect the other Children currently sleeping in that abandoned house with her.


    I just wish¡­I could get the chance to know him better.


    Based on the plan Ryokumo Caeli put forth, she would likely never see him again after she and the others were smuggled out of Erika. If she had any other option, she would have fought for it, but she knew that their choices were limited. There wasn¡¯t much she could do anymore so she had to focus on keeping the survivors of the Children alive. Ryokumo and Hannah had sacrificed a lot for her, and so, she needed to be ready to do everything she could.


    After a few more moments of gazing down at the darkened and empty street below, she heard rustling behind her, and when she glanced back, she saw Irin sitting up and staring back at her. A quick glance around told her that the only other person in the room, Lyla, was still sound asleep, so she turned back to Irin and whispered, ¡°Did I wake you?¡±


    The girl shook her head and got to her feet before moving to join her at the window. ¡°No, I couldn¡¯t sleep either. Too much to think about.¡±


    Arisa smirked. ¡°Yeah, honestly. Between everything Caeli told us and meeting Eric, I feel like my world¡¯s been turned upside down for the millionth time.¡±


    ¡°Do you¡­?¡± Irin paused, her features strained as she attempted to pull her thoughts together. ¡°Do you believe him?¡±


    ¡°Who? Caeli or Eric?¡±


    ¡°Oh, er, well¡­I meant Eric, but both, I guess,¡± the other girl muttered. ¡°I just¡­  The thought that Mom¡¯s son could not only exist, but actually be in Erika and be willing to help us¡­ It just sounds a little convenient for me.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to find out that Caeli made it all up to manipulate us.¡±


    The older girl smiled, then placed a comforting hand on Irin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I understand that, and I think it¡¯s a good thing to be cautious, but¡­I honestly do believe Eric. After talking to him and getting to know him a bit, I just can¡¯t see any way he was lying. His words were genuine and his emotions were real. He¡¯s Mom¡¯s son, so he¡¯s our brother.¡±


    Irin placed her hand atop Arisa¡¯s and leaned her head against her shoulder. ¡°I feel like there¡¯s so much about Mom that we don¡¯t know. I wish she was here. I wish she could tell us what to do. I don¡¯t like putting our lives in the hands of¡­¡± She grit her teeth, probably biting back the fear and pain and that always came to mind when thinking of their time in the dungeon. ¡°...Ryokumo Caeli. He scares me, Ari¡¯.¡±


    ¡°And I don¡¯t fault you for that,¡± she replied. ¡°I don¡¯t like trusting Ryokumo either, so instead, I choose to trust Eric and Hannah. They both say we can trust Ryokumo, so I¡¯ll trust them.¡±


    Irin laughed softly. ¡°I guess¡­that¡¯s one way to look at it. And I do trust Hannah. Without her, we¡¯d be dead¡­or we¡¯d be getting tortured by Master Ka. Or Master Taurus, if he ever returned.¡±


    ¡°God, I never thought I¡¯d have considered Taurus to be the easy one,¡± Arisa mused in an attempt at a joke. ¡°His fire suddenly seems warm and welcoming whenever I think about Seiras and that cursed spell.¡±


    ¡°Honestly,¡± Irin whispered. ¡°What a shitty year this has been. I just hope¡­the future can be a bit brighter. I don¡¯t want to lose anybody else. I¡¯m sick of death.¡±


    Arisa leaned her head against her little sister¡¯s. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let anything happen to you guys. I promise I¡­¡±


    She trailed off as she noticed something down on the street below and for a moment, she couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. It was a small, blue light casually floating down the road and normally, she would have believed it to be a threat, but this time, she knew that wasn¡¯t the case. It was a signal¡ªa signal she never expected to see in the streets of Erika again.


    ¡°Irin, do you see that?¡± Arisa breathed. ¡°That light?¡±


    ¡°Light?¡± The girl raised her head and stared out the window, and the moment she saw the entity, her eyes went wide. ¡°There¡¯s¡­no way. That can¡¯t be¡­¡±


    Arisa didn¡¯t hesitate to lean forward and push open the window before holding out her hand and whispering, ¡°Ekidon.¡± In the palm of her hand, a small red light began to appear and after a few seconds, it took the shape of a small bird before fluttering out the window and gliding down to the blue one below. The two girls waited with bated breath as the blue light stopped, and when the red one reached it, they began to circle each other, as if they were old friends greeting each other for the first time in years.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­him¡­¡±


    Arisa turned and departed the room with Irin close on her heels. The two rushed down the stairs to the main room where Hannah was sitting on the floor, her legs folded and her eyes closed, as if meditating. When she heard the two, she glanced up at them, but Arisa merely nodded to confirm that they were okay before rushing through the front door and stalking out onto the street. The blue and red birds were still fluttering around one another, but now, they were no longer alone. A large man was standing beside them, garbed in a pitch black cloak with his cowl pulled over his face. His shoulders were broad and his arms were large, giving him an intimidating presence, especially in the dark. Had she not known who he was, she would have already been prepared to fight.


    But she knew this giant figure was a friend.


    ¡°Arisa Kirisan. Irin Vixal,¡± he said, his voice a deep baritone. ¡°You look like shit, little sisters.¡±


    Arisa grinned smugly as she folded her arms across her chest.


    ¡°Malt Territh. How in the living hell did you get into this city, big brother?¡±

 Chapter 24- Yet Another Date

    Chapter XXIV


    It was already dark by the time Vinny was crossing the street on his way to Ralph¡¯s Diner to get something to eat. Despite Evan and Brad both being involved in it all, when Damien and Liz decided they would stay, he realized he didn¡¯t want to be the only one to leave. He was already hung up on everything Lilly had told him, so he didn¡¯t want to let Evan get in the way of the possibility of learning more. Under most other circumstances, he would never have even humored what they discussed in that apartment, but Lilly had already proven that she could do magic, and now they knew that the strange man, Rista Pine, could as well. Denying magic¡¯s existence was already getting hard, and if magic was real then anything could be possible¡ªeven the idea that his memories had been altered and that the very world around them was fake.


    After Natalie had convinced them to hear them out, Lilly and Rista went on to explain more details regarding the erased realm, magic, and their pasts. She told stories of what the Magic Club had gone through together and of the boy named Eric Reiner, whose existence had been wiped from their current world. Finally, she explained the ¡°Master of Ijiria¡± known as Nigreos Noctis and Album Luz, who were responsible for their containment in this realm. Evidently, they were prisoners there for breaking the laws of Ijiria, the realm that magic came from, and so, Lilly intended to break out and take them down.


    Well, if Harper is lying about all this then she¡¯s damn creative. It¡¯s far too detailed to be a lie or a stupid prank by Wright and Fischer. She showed us magic so maybe all of this is true. Maybe I just need to accept it. Vinny grimaced. Though, I guess I¡¯ll find out soon enough. If they succeed in destroying the erased realm then they said my memories will come back anyway.


    He sighed as he reached the other side of the crosswalk before making his way through the parking lot and to the diner¡¯s front doors. He didn¡¯t feel like going home since his parents had certainly received a call from the school telling them he ditched, so instead, Vinny decided he wanted to get some dinner and take time to gather his thoughts. He wasn¡¯t sure why he picked the diner of all places, but having been there on his date with Lilly just a few days prior, it was fresh in his mind and he remembered really enjoying the food. When Vinny entered the building, he found that it wasn¡¯t too busy, with only a handful of tables occupied, which was something he was grateful for. It meant the place wouldn¡¯t be too noisy and he could just enjoy his food in peace.


    ¡°Good evening, sir,¡± greeted the blonde hostess at the front. ¡°Just a table for one or¡­?¡±


    Vinny nodded. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s just me, thanks.¡±


    ¡°Perfect! Right this way then!¡±


    She led him to a table in the corner of the establishment, handed him a menu, and then headed off to give him some time to think. For some reason, he was in the mood for some breakfast, so he decided he would just get some pancakes and eggs before setting the menu aside and sitting back to wait. Luckily, it wasn¡¯t long before one of the waitresses began making her way toward his table, but when he glanced her way, Vinny instantly sat up a bit straighter. Not only did he recognize the girl as someone from his class, but he had just been discussing her with the others barely an hour prior.


    Alice Mendez¡ªone of the supposed victims of the erased realm. Lilly had said that, aside from the club members, Alice was the only one whose memories were still blocked, so she would be oblivious to the fact that the world was fake. Yet, that wasn''t the only reason Alice¡¯s sudden appearance threw him off. During their meeting at the apartment, Lilly and Brad answered plenty of questions about their forgotten lives, and one that Vinny asked suddenly came back to him.


    ¡°So Harper, you said yesterday that Clark and Tao were dating in your world, and you¡¯ve now told us that you were dating this Reiner guy. What about me? Did I have any girlfriend in this world?¡±


    He¡¯d asked it more as a joke without expecting an answer, so he hadn¡¯t been ready when he¡¯d gotten one.


    ¡°Yeah, actually. Sometime around last Christmas, you and Alice Mendez began dating. You guys were really close to the point that you would have done anything for her. She cared about you a lot and I know you cared about her.¡±


    Vinny took a deep breath, having not expected to run into Alice so soon after being told they dated in some alternate reality, and knowing that her memories could soon return made him all the more hesitant to speak with what would be the fake version of her. Unfortunately, she seemed to recognize him as well, and when she arrived at his table, her smile widened.


    ¡°Hey, Mickelson,¡± she greeted. ¡°Can I get you started with anything to drink?¡±


    ¡°Er, uh, yeah, I¡¯ll have water,¡± he stuttered, already cursing himself for stumbling over his words. He couldn¡¯t deny that she was attractive, and where he¡¯d never really noticed her before, with everything Lilly told him at the forefront of his mind, it felt like he was seeing her in a completely different light.


    She and I dated, huh? I¡¯ve never really given romance much thought since nobody ever bothered to talk to me, but knowing that in the other world, Mendez gave me a shot¡­


    ¡°Water? Okay, I¡¯ll get that right out for you,¡± she replied. ¡°And I can take your order if you¡¯re ready?¡±


    Vinny hurriedly nodded. ¡°Oh, yeah, I¡¯m ready. Uh¡­¡±


    Once again trying to pull himself together, Vinny put in his order, thanked her, and watched as she took his menu and left. The interaction was brief, and all it consisted of was her doing her job. She didn¡¯t seem to see him as anything special, and he knew that should have been what he expected. They didn¡¯t know each other. Alice didn¡¯t have a reason to spend any more time talking to him than she needed to, and on any other day, he would have expected as much. Yet, with Lilly¡¯s claims in the back of his mind, he realized he was disappointed that she didn¡¯t show any interest in him past being a customer of the diner.


    God, stop being an idiot, Vinny! Get this nonsense out of your head!


    From there, he waited patiently until Alice brought him his water and, twenty minutes later, his pancakes and scrambled eggs came out. He took his time eating his dinner since he wasn¡¯t in a rush to get home, and as he did, he constantly realized that his attention was wandering toward the girl as she went about her business. She spoke with the few other customers with a bright smile and a peppy attitude and just seemed to be enjoying herself. Her smile was vibrant and the way she moved was oddly cute.


    How the hell could I ever end up with someone as enchanting as her? That¡¯s almost more unbelievable than magic being real.


    He was mostly joking, but at the same time, he had come to accept magic already, whereas he was still doubting that he ever had somebody who cared about him. In so many ways, his life was a failure and he knew he only had himself to blame. When he was younger, all he wanted to do was fit in, and in that quest to be one of the popular kids, he only wound up allowing himself to be used and manipulated by them. His supposed friends only ever kept him around for their own amusement, but he was never strong enough to fight back, and when he did, he got himself suspended more times than he could count. He knew that if he¡¯d just had more self-control, or if he¡¯d abandoned his dumb desires to be popular, he could have avoided it all, but in the end, he made enemies out of the wrong people and wound up an outcast. So he stopped caring. He didn¡¯t have any motivation to do anything, and he hesitated to trust anybody. He retreated into his own personal bubble and stayed there.


    So is that where my current reality split off from the one Harper knows? If Eric Reiner had been here, would he really have reached out to me and become my friend? Could I have had a happy high school life? Could I really have fallen for somebody like Mendez?


    He doubted it.


    He doubted it because it seemed too good to be true. He supposed he and Damien were similar in that aspect as well. They both had pretty trashy lives that never worked out the way they wanted them to, so it was far too convenient to be told that they could just flee to another reality where everything was okay. Vinny could only smile in a self-deprecating way as he finished the rest of his food and got up to go pay the check at the front. When he looked around, he didn¡¯t see Alice anywhere so he could only assume she went home already.


    Well that¡¯s for the best. Harper¡¯s gonna give her memories back so I should probably just wait until she does.


    He waited for the blonde hostess to come back and when she did, he was quick to pay for his food and leave. Vinny then turned and walked through the doors and out into the warm summer night so he could head home and deal with his parents¡¯ wrath before going to bed. Yet, when he arrived outside, he was surprised to find Alice waiting by the door, her hands clutched together in front of her and her smile directed at him.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she greeted casually. ¡°Heading home?¡±


    Quickly recollecting himself, Vinny nodded and replied, ¡°Er, yeah, I am.¡±


    ¡°You mind if I walk with you for a bit? I wanted to talk to you.¡±


    She wants to talk to me? Why? About what? Did Harper already return her memories without telling me or something? No, there¡¯s no way!


    Unsure of how to respond, the boy smiled awkwardly. ¡°S-sure, if you want to.¡±


    ¡°Great! Let¡¯s go then!¡±


    Together, the two of them began making their way across the parking lot and back to the crosswalk that led to the other side of Main Street. Since she was the one who offered to chat, Vinny had planned to wait for her to begin, but by the time they¡¯d reached the other side, she still hadn¡¯t said anything. So, against his own preferences, Vinny wound up beginning the conversation.


    ¡°So¡­what did you want to talk about?¡±


    Alice smiled wryly and spared him a sidelong glance, as if getting ready to tease him. ¡°Well, I noticed you staring at me the whole time so I figured you might want something from me.¡±


    He could only gape back at her, realizing that not only had he failed to be subtle, but she had noticed him as well. He could feel his cheeks heating up from embarrassment and he wondered if he¡¯d creeped her out so much that she was about to tell him to stay away from her.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡± he quickly apologized. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to creep you out or anything. It¡¯s just¡­¡±


    He paused, trying to find a way to explain that he was watching her because he was told that she was his girlfriend in an alternate reality, before coming to the conclusion that if he did say that then he would only wind up looking like both a creep and a freak. Once again, he tried to find the words to use, but Alice only began laughing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mickelson, you weren¡¯t creeping me out. Though, I did wonder why you¡¯d be watching me of all people. Did you need something from me or¡­?¡±


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    She left the rest of the question open but Vinny got the feeling that he knew what the implication was. He was relieved that she wasn¡¯t creeped out, but since he¡¯d expected her to be, he hadn¡¯t been prepared for the conversation to keep going in a positive direction. He didn¡¯t talk to people, let alone a girl that was far out of his league like her.


    But then again¡­I scored a date with her before, right? Doesn¡¯t that mean I could probably do it again? Of course, that is assuming that I believe in Harper¡¯s story, but if she¡¯s telling the truth then¡­


    For a moment, he imagined himself going on a date with Alice and the thought of being close with anybody in that way made him want to smile. He wanted to ask her out. Despite not ever really paying attention to her before that night, he suddenly felt as if he¡¯d had a crush on her for years.


    So could these feelings be¡­from the other me?


    Vinny turned and glanced around at their relatively quiet surroundings. Where Main Street was normally bustling, most people were either having dinner in the various restaurants or were at home. There were only a few people browsing store windows and he noticed that most of them were couples. For a second, he was hit by an intense feeling of deja vu, as if he¡¯d been in that exact place with Alice before, and before he knew it, he was asking the first question that came to mind.


    ¡°Mendez?¡± he began softly.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Have you¡­ever felt like you were missing something? Like you¡¯ve forgotten something very important? Or that you have emotions that don¡¯t match up with your memories? I know that sounds weird and all but¡­I just wanted to ask.¡±


    If she was truly from the other reality, then it was possible that she would have similar experiences to Damien, Liz, and himself. So he decided he would just ask and see how she responded.


    Alice tilted her head, her eyebrow cocked in interest. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure what you mean? I forget things all the time. Just yesterday, I forgot my math homework at home. But¡­something tells me that isn¡¯t what you¡¯re referring to.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sorry,¡± he muttered. ¡°That was a weird question. Forget I said anything.¡±


    ¡°Although,¡± she went on as if she hadn¡¯t heard him. ¡°I think the closest thing I can think of would be¡­right now. I feel like I know you, Mickelson, even though we¡¯ve hardly ever talked before. Right now, I feel comfortable with you, and it almost seems like we¡¯ve done this already.¡±


    He stared back at her in surprise, only to find her smiling in a cutely bashful way.


    So it¡¯s not just me¡­ She really does have some sort of memory of this.


    ¡°You know,¡± she said. ¡°A friend of mine bought tickets for the pier this Saturday but unfortunately, she had to bail so she gave them to me so I could still go. Would you¡­like to join me? I know we just kinda met, but¡­¡±


    ¡°The pier?¡± he parroted. ¡°You mean, like a date?¡±


    Alice paused as she glanced down at the sidewalk. ¡°Yeah, like a date. Would you want to go out with me this weekend?¡±


    Vinny wasn¡¯t sure what to make of it, but somehow, he¡¯d scored himself the first proper date he¡¯d ever been on, and despite knowing it probably wouldn¡¯t matter when Alice got her memories back, he found himself desperately wanting to go to the pier with her. He wanted to get to know her better. He wanted nothing more than to say yes.


    So he did.


    ***


    Vinny was the first to leave once the meeting wrapped up, then Brad and Evan followed him out, and while she expected Damien and Liz to leave soon after, Lilly was surprised when both of them remained in the apartment. The two of them were sitting on the couch beside Natalie, listening as she rambled on about their trip to the pier for her birthday back in April. Despite how different the two of them were, Natalie didn''t seem to care, and she interacted with them as if they were the same Damien and Liz that she knew. As for them, Liz was listening with a smile and Damien, while still appearing skeptical of the entire thing, was also watching her with a soft grin. It was the first time Lilly had seen this Damien show any signs of joy and it told her that bringing Natalie to the apartment had been the best move.


    Though I should probably be getting her back home soon. I need this world¡¯s Renee to trust me so that it won¡¯t be a hassle to keep bringing Natalie here.


    Lilly glanced back to see Rista once again leaning up against the wall, his head down and his eyes closed, which told her he was deep in thought about something. As for Jay, he was still keeping to himself in the opposite corner by the window as he stared out at the night beyond. Occasionally, he would glance back at her and she knew why. With Evan now back to his normal self, that left Alice as the only one left to bring back, and Jay had already made his stance on that matter clear. He didn¡¯t want Alice to regain her memories, and while she didn¡¯t need his stamp of approval to do it, she felt she owed it to him as his friend to convince him first.


    ¡°Jay,¡± she began, causing Natalie to go silent and Rista to open his eyes. She hadn¡¯t intended to draw the attention of everybody present, but at the same time, she knew it was something they should all discuss. ¡°How are you holding up?¡±


    The boy glanced back at her, and for just a brief moment, he narrowed his eyes before his features returned to neutral. ¡°I¡¯m doing fine. Just worried, is all. But you¡¯re not talking about my mental state, are you, Lilly? You¡¯re asking about Alice.¡±


    There was a sharpness to his tone that put her on edge, and she could feel The Angel tensing up inside of her, though it didn¡¯t speak. In fact, it hadn¡¯t spoken to her since it brought Jay¡¯s memories back, so she was still in the dark about what happened that afternoon. But she could still feel its presence, and that both scared her and comforted her at the same time.


    ¡°I am,¡± Lilly stated. ¡°You know we can¡¯t leave her like this. Now that Evan¡¯s back, Alice is the only one whose memories we can put back, so we have to do it. Tomorrow morning, Rista and I are going to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch her!¡± he suddenly snapped, turning around fully now so he could face her.


    Lilly hesitated, having known Jay opposed the idea but not expecting him to raise his voice like he did. To her appreciation, the others in the room remained silent, allowing her to deal with the problem herself.


    ¡°Jay,¡± she said firmly. ¡°I understand why you would be worried about her. I honestly do. I spent nearly a week with her after she was freed from Nigreos and Album. I saw how broken she was by them, but it¡¯s because of what happened to her that I believe she needs to be helped.¡±


    Jay vehemently shook his head. ¡°And how is reminding her of everything she lost going to help her? I understand wanting to help Mickelson, Clark, and Tao, but Alice isn¡¯t suffering here! She¡¯s suffering there! But you want to take that from her? You want to steal her paradise away from her?!¡±


    The word ¡°paradise¡± caused Lilly to flinch as she recalled the passion that Alice had when she talked about the erased realm. Alice had wanted to be here more than anything. When Album finished her off, she¡¯d even smiled. To her and Jay, the erased realm had become a perfect world¡ªa utopia.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice,¡± Rista intervened. ¡°Mendez will return to normal once the erased realm falls so it¡¯s in her best interests to regain her memories now. In this place, she may be able to find closure with those girls who died. She can talk to recreations of them that are as faithful as possible and perhaps she can come to terms with her losses. But if you keep her ignorant, it will only harm her! Is that what you wish to do, Brooks?¡±


    Jay clenched his teeth and eyed Rista with fury. ¡°What do you know about it? You don¡¯t know her! You don¡¯t know what she¡¯s been through! Alice lost Audrey, she lost Rina, and now she¡¯s even lost her damn leg! She can¡¯t run in the real world! She¡¯ll be a cripple there! But here, she¡¯s not! Don¡¯t you see that?¡±


    ¡°I see it perfectly,¡± Rista retorted sharply. ¡°But there¡¯s nothing we can do about that. Like I said, when the realm falls, her memories return. So unless you¡¯re suggesting we don¡¯t destroy this place, then it¡¯s better for both you and her to help her now.¡±


    ¡°And what if I am suggesting that?¡± Jay spat.


    Rista grinned challengingly. ¡°Then you¡¯re my enemy¡­ I have to get back to my people, no matter what. I can¡¯t be stuck in here any longer, and especially not for the sake of a girl I hardly know. So if you want to get in my way, Jay Brooks, then I won¡¯t hold back.¡±


    ¡°Rista!¡± Lilly snapped as she sensed his mana flow down to his fingers, as if he really was considering attacking Jay. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare lay a finger on him!¡±


    The Ijirian glanced back at her and scoffed. ¡°Or what, Harper? You going to unleash your angel on me?¡±


    ¡°If you make me,¡± she warned. ¡°So put your mana away and stand down. I¡¯ll deal with this.¡±


    She didn¡¯t know what was going through his head, but she was relieved when Rista merely shook his head, scoffed, and stepped back. She knew Jay was being emotional and illogical, but she would not stand for him threatening the boy. Jay was one of her best friends, so she would let The Angel loose if it was for his sake.


    ¡°Now, Jay,¡± she began, but before she could, her phone started to ring. Lilly sighed, then reached into her pocket to check who it was, only to swallow back a sudden onslaught of emotion when she saw the name ¡°Alexa¡±. She had yet to speak with the erased realm¡¯s version of her sister. It was painful enough interacting with the fake versions of her parents, so she wasn¡¯t sure she could handle speaking with her older sister. It only made her think about the real Alexa, stuck back in the real world without any memory of who Lilly was.


    I promised I¡¯d get back to her. I promised her that we¡¯d defeat Nigreos and Album and make everything okay again. I still mean that. I still intend to uphold that.


    ¡°Jay,¡± she said once the ringing ended. ¡°I know how you feel, but there¡¯s nothing we can do about it. Paradise or not, this world is wrong. It¡¯s a fake made by the despicable people who killed everybody at Ralph¡¯s Diner, who murdered those nurses, and who¡­took Rina¡¯s life.¡± She raised her head and stared the boy in the eyes. ¡°This world is a lie¡­and no matter what, I will take it down.¡±


    She watched as his jaw clenched tightly and she could tell that he was taking her words into account. She hoped he would see her logic and understand what they had to do, but those hopes were quickly dashed, replaced by frustration and disappointment.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch Alice, Lilly. Don¡¯t even go near her.¡±


    ***


    Despite knowing what they had to do, Lilly couldn¡¯t bring herself to go behind Jay¡¯s back, and so, Friday passed by without Alice returning to normal. She knew she was being stupid, but she wanted Jay¡¯s blessing even if she didn¡¯t need it. The two of them had been through a lot and she needed to keep that in mind. So instead of helping Alice, she and Rista spent Friday searching for the second mana port that would help them in their mission to escape. Unfortunately, the day ended without any success, so when Saturday morning arrived, she got up early, got dressed, and left her apartment building to make her way to Rista¡¯s place so they could continue the search. Her current plan was to give Jay until Monday and if he still wasn¡¯t on board by then, she would simply have to do what she needed regardless of how he felt.


    As for the club members, Liz kept texting and calling her to ask about her real self, and Lilly gladly told her what she wanted to know. Vinny and Damien hadn¡¯t spoken to her once since Thursday night, but Liz said that Damien was slowly starting to believe them. Natalie¡¯s speech seemed to be exactly what they needed to start breaking down his walls. She really didn¡¯t know where Vinny¡¯s head was at, so she considered stopping by his house before going to Rista¡¯s, but quickly abandoned the idea, wanting to give him time to process everything for himself.


    Right now, we just need to find this mana port. If we can do that, then we¡¯ll be ready to make our move. Then I can get back to Eric and use The Angel to help him, wherever he is. He has to be out there somewhere, alive, and so I need to be there with him.


    ¡°Harper!¡±


    She stopped in surprise at the sudden voice from just a few yards down the quiet, morning street, only to see Rista appear out of thin air, his face contorted in both confusion and anxiety.


    ¡°R-Rista?¡± she stuttered. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? I thought we were meeting at your place.¡±


    ¡°We were, but¡­¡± The Ijirian hesitated, as if trying to gather his thoughts into something cohesive. ¡°I got up early this morning to do some searching on my own and, well, I found something that I thought you should know about. You said the only people that were erased should be students from that school, and that one teacher, right?¡±


    Lilly nodded. ¡°As far as I know, yeah. Why? Did you find somebody else?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± Rista confirmed. ¡°This older man living a few streets down from me. He was out on a morning walk when I passed him and sensed the memory charm over him. But the thing about it is¡­his name.¡±


    ¡°His¡­name?¡± Lilly furrowed her brow in fear. She had hoped that the only victims of Nigreos and Album were limited to the school, so to know that somebody else had been erased only caused her more guilt knowing they brought the Masters to Wilham in the first place. ¡°Who was he?¡±


    And yet, when Rista answered her question, she realized she shouldn¡¯t have been surprised.


    ¡°Scott Reiner.¡±

 Chapter 25- Tensions In The North

    Chapter XXV


    When Nigreos walked through the door of the Chamber of the Masters, he found that he was the last one to arrive. The only two chairs that were currently vacant belonged to the Master of Fire, Nakoma Taurus, who was currently leading a group of Korrei-Tarr to track down Malt Territh, and the recently passed Seiras Ka. He still found it a bit odd for there to be any Masters missing, let alone two, as in his experience, meetings among them rarely took place if they weren¡¯t all present. The fact that there had been numerous meetings without certain Masters in attendance only proved just how unusual of a time it was. In addition, it was almost unheard of for Masters to be assassinated, so the fact that Seiras had been murdered at all, let alone within the protective walls of the Citadel, only made them seem all the more vulnerable.


    And his murderer escaped, succeeding in wounding Ryokumo in the process. Now that Hannah¡¯s joined with the Children, they¡¯ve become one of the biggest threats to this country since the damned Kosah-Rei. How far we¡¯re beginning to fall¡­


    ¡°Good evening, Nigreos,¡± Reigious greeted from his golden chair at the head of the table. ¡°Please, take a seat. We have a lot to discuss and I don¡¯t want to keep you all here for longer than is necessary.¡±


    The Master of Darkness bowed before the man then made his way to his own spot between Ryokumo and Album. ¡°Of course, My Prince.¡±


    Once he was seated, Reigious leaned forward and folded his hands on the table before eyeing each one of them in turn. Nigreos could sense the tension in the room, so he was certain Reigious could as well. The prince didn¡¯t just call the Masters together for benign reasons. If he had gone through the trouble of summoning them then something important must have come up, and Nigreos knew it couldn¡¯t possibly be anything good. While Album and Nyx were both talented at hiding their emotions, Sinna, Iris, and Ryokumo were clearly anxious when the prince¡¯s eyes settled on them. Finally, as if seeming satisfied, Reigious cleared his throat and spoke.


    ¡°There has been a riot in Harunhein,¡± he said simply, and immediately, the strained air in the room became significantly worse.


    Harunhein was the city on the border between Trovia and Ijiria and currently fell under Ijirian jurisdiction, though it was inhabited by almost as many Trovians as it was Ijirians. Because of that fact, whenever tension between the two countries began to rise, so did tension between the citizens of the city, and it became a powderkeg that could explode in violence at any moment. When this happened, Masters were often sent north to keep an eye on everything and deter rioting from getting out of hand. A few months back, Reigious had sent Nakoma up north to deal with the problem, but with his attention now turned to apprehending and killing Territh, Harunhein was left unchecked.


    So if there¡¯s been a riot in the city¡­then I¡¯m almost certain I know where this conversation is going to go, he thought with a grimace.


    Nigreos glanced sidelong at Album, whose lips were drawn tight, indicating that she had reached the same conclusion he had.


    ¡°A riot?¡± Sinna finally murmured, breaking the silence. ¡°By whom?¡±


    Reigious tapped his finger against the table for a moment and sighed. ¡°According to the reports we received just last night, it was conducted by a group of radicals who still believe Harunhein is the rightful territory of Trovia. They used illegally-acquired inferno stones to attack and bomb the home of Mayor Callora, killing both her and her husband, as well as setting the entire building on fire.¡±


    ¡°Callora¡¯s dead?¡± Ryokumo parroted with concern. ¡°And was this uprising dealt with or are they still causing problems?¡±


    ¡°The city guard has done its best to put the uprising down, and most of them have already been killed or captured, but those who are still free have inspired other attacks. Now that Callora¡¯s gone, they¡¯ve been attacking indiscriminately, as if their only goal is to cause chaos.¡± The prince shook his head. ¡°Though, it didn¡¯t seem like they were terribly proficient in using magic without the aid of talismans, so most of them were dealt with rather swiftly.¡± Reigious then furrowed his brow and rubbed his temples in annoyance. ¡°Their leader, however, has been reported to be quite strong with fire magic. Their identity has not yet been confirmed, but there have been a handful of reports claiming to have spotted Sarillia Martov within Harunhein in the days preceding the attack.¡±


    ¡°Forgive me, my Prince,¡± Ryokumo cut in. ¡°I take it she is someone of significance but the name is unfamiliar to me.¡±


    Reigious went to reply, but seemed to think better of it before turning and addressing the Master of Water. ¡°Nyx, if you wouldn¡¯t mind bringing Ryokumo up to speed?¡±


    The woman nodded softly before turning her half-lidded eyes toward Ryokumo, speaking in the quiet and sleepy tone that was commonplace for her. ¡°Sarillia Martov is the current Speaker of the Flame in Trovia. I expect you know who the Trovian Speakers are?¡±


    Ryokumo exhaled softly before glancing down at the table. ¡°Ah, I see. So Martov is their equivalent of the Master of Fire. Then that is interesting that she was spotted in the city just before a fire based attack took place against the mayor.¡±


    ¡°But if she¡¯s their Master of Fire, then was she sent to Harunhein by King Tyrus? Or is she acting on her own?¡± Nigreos inquired, addressing both Nyx and Reigious.


    ¡°On her own, I would imagine,¡± Nyx answered airily. ¡°Martov is well known for having quite radical views when it comes to their relationship with us. It would not surprise me in the slightest if she went to Harunhein for the sole purpose of sparking a riot.¡±


    ¡°Though that¡¯s not to say the King didn¡¯t support this, whether openly or secretly,¡± Album growled. ¡°It¡¯s possible he wants chaos in Harunhein so why wouldn¡¯t it be in his best interest to allow Martov to go ¡®behind his back¡¯ and take all of the credit?¡±


    Ryokumo smirked wryly. ¡°Well, if King Tyras did back this, then it¡¯s a good thing we got the Assassination Stone back, yes?¡±


    Nigreos glanced sidelong at him, knowing that he was joking but also understanding the implications. The Assassination Stone had been what ended the last war against Trovia, having been used against both their king and his eldest son. However, very few even knew that it was involved in their deaths, and each person who did know was a high ranking official within either the government, or among the Masters.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s hope it doesn¡¯t come to that,¡± Album snapped irritably. ¡°But regardless, you can¡¯t deny that this works in Tyras¡¯s favor. After all, Mayor Callora is dead, so the city lacks proper leadership¡ªa spot that could easily be filled with someone far more sympathetic toward Trovia.¡±


    Nigreos clenched his teeth at the thought of their relationship with the north deteriorating any further than it already had. ¡°Who¡¯s leading the city now? Did Callora have anybody that could step in for her or¡­?¡±


    ¡°The city guard has seized control,¡± Reigious answered. ¡°And like I said, they are trying their best to put down this uprising, but the Trovians are slippery. Ijirian citizens are being killed, and more will die if something isn¡¯t done soon.¡±


    ¡°So then¡­am I right to guess that you¡¯ve called this meeting together because you intend to send one of us north?¡± Iris inquired with a curious expression. ¡°Or have you sent Taurus back to Harunhein?¡±


    ¡°No, unfortunately it¡¯s been a few weeks since we¡¯ve received word from Nakoma,¡± the prince murmured. ¡°So even if I wanted to send him back, we don¡¯t have the means of contacting him, which is why your initial guess is the correct one, Iris. I want two of you to go north tomorrow morning and make for Harunhein. If two Masters show up, I like to believe it¡¯ll be more than enough of a deterrent to shut this down¡­and if it isn¡¯t, well, I trust it can be handled with a less peaceful method.¡± Reigious grimaced. ¡°On top of that, if these reports are correct, you¡¯ll be authorized to apprehend Sarillia Martov under any means deemed necessary.¡±


    Nyx tilted her head as she regarded the prince. ¡°And who are you planning to send? I¡¯m not currently doing anything, so if you would like, I can depart at once. I¡¯ve known Martov since my time at their capital, so I know I can beat her if she forces me to.¡±


    But Reigious was already shaking his head, and Nigreos was unsurprised.


    ¡°I appreciate it, but I want you in Erika for the time being, Nyx. No, instead I was thinking that Nigreos and Album would be better suited to this particular job.¡±


    Yup¡­ So I was right, after all.


    As important as quelling the uprising was, Nigreos wanted nothing less than to depart the Citadel while the situation with Eric was so uncertain. Despite the fact that his attempt to bridge the gap between them failed, he still wanted to be close by, especially after finding out that the boy went to Album to demand information from her. Eric was an unpredictable variable, and as much as he trusted Ryokumo to keep an eye on him, he just didn''t feel comfortable leaving.


    But if Reigious demands it, I can¡¯t exactly refuse¡­


    ¡°With all due respect, My Prince,¡± Album began sharply. ¡°Would it not be better to have Rana go north? She was an envoy to Trovia for years, and like she said, she knows Martov. Not to mention, her water magic would be the perfect counter to a master of fire.¡±


    Reigious leaned back and suddenly, his calm expression turned tired, as if he could no longer hide the stress the situation was putting him under. ¡°Everything you just said was correct, Album, however, I have faith in both you and Nigreos. You¡¯re powerful enough to do it yourself. I have another assignment for Nyx.¡±


    The Master of Water frowned as she sat up straighter in her chair, her white eyes becoming slightly more alert. ¡°You do? And what is that?¡±


    ¡°Well, that was the other matter I wished to discuss,¡± he replied. ¡°In the midst of this mess, the hunt for Kirisan and Lynn has remained static. We¡¯re certain they¡¯re still in the city, but unfortunately, they know the slums better than anybody. Sinna and Ryokumo can only do so much, so I¡¯ve decided I want you to join them.¡±


    At this, Sinna, who had remained relatively quiet throughout the meeting, also sat forward as the conversation turned to her current assignment. ¡°You think that¡¯ll help? I mean, it¡¯s not like Nyx knows much more about the slums than we do.¡±


    ¡°No, she doesn¡¯t,¡± the prince conceded. ¡°But as of tonight, I¡¯ve made my decision on how to proceed with that matter.¡±


    ¡°How to proceed?¡± Ryokumo muttered, a flicker of nervousness crossing his otherwise calm features. ¡°Meaning?¡±


    Reigious glanced between Ryokumo, Sinna, and Nyx before his jaw tightened, as if whatever decision he¡¯d reached wasn¡¯t one even he was happy with. ¡°We¡¯ve let this go on for far too long. I¡¯ve wanted to avoid causing any unnecessary damage, but clearly the Children of Reiner are more cautious and clever than I expected them to be. Something needs to be done. We can¡¯t let the guides, and especially Seiras¡¯s killer, escape this city. So after Nigreos and Album have departed for the north, I intend to rally our forces here in Erika to surround the slums and do whatever it takes to smoke them out. Sinna, Ryokumo, and Nyx will be there as well, prepared to kill any of them should they show themselves.¡±


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    ¡°You want to smoke them out?¡± Ryokumo parroted, his brow furrowing. ¡°You don¡¯t mean, like, hurting any of the people in the slums?¡±


    Reigious flinched, as if the question caused him physical pain. ¡°If Arisa Kirisan is anything like her adoptive mother, then she won¡¯t stand by while innocent people are getting hurt. I don¡¯t intend to kill anybody, but I want her to believe we will. If she thinks it¡¯s them or her, she¡¯ll show herself.¡±


    Nigreos could see Ryokumo gazing at the prince in shock, and for a moment, the Master of Darkness could see some of Abigail in him. They were always more similar than Ryokumo would admit, and it was unlikely that his friend was even close to being okay with Reigious¡¯s plan. Nigreos, however, knew Reigious was right. Should the guides escape Erika then the defenses on the vault and the throne room would become pointless, and the Citadel would be vulnerable. Especially with Trovia was getting more aggressive, should Kirisan, Territh, or anyone else with guideship reach somebody like Martov, Nigreos feared the results could be disastrous. How could one compare the safety of a few slum-dwellers with the safety of Ijiria as a whole? Reigious might not like the idea, but he knew it was their only option.


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t answer my initial inquiry,¡± Album growled. ¡°In fact, I feel that Nigreos and I would be better suited to this job than Rana. So why not leave us here to deal with the Children and send her to Harunhein?¡±


    Reigious¡¯s features tightened, but before he could speak, there was a soft giggle from the only Master who was still quietly observing the conversation. When they all turned to regard Iris, the Master of Nature was smiling slyly.


    ¡°Oh come on, Luz. Does he really need to spell it out for you?¡± she asked. ¡°Prince Reigious wants to separate you and Noctis from Eric Reiner for a little while. It¡¯s no secret that he hates you and you hate him, so if we want the boy¡¯s trust, would it not be best to send away the very people he despises?¡±


    While Reigious had seemed to prefer beating around the bush, Iris was as blunt as ever, and she seemed to enjoy the irritated glare she received from Album. The Master of Light scoffed, then immediately turned away from Iris to stare down Reigious.


    ¡°Is that your real reason?¡± she demanded.


    ¡°Look, Album,¡± he began hesitantly. ¡°I want Reiner to trust us. I want to make up for what we did to him in Omaruo, but we can¡¯t do that while your relationship remains as tense as it is. Ryokumo has told me about the boy¡¯s dinner with you, Nigreos, and Iris suggested that it might be best to send you away from Citadel, if only for a little while.¡±


    Album¡¯s furious gaze shifted back to Iris, who just smiled back at her, then to Ryokumo, who refused to look back, instead choosing to remain gazing at the table. As for Nigreos, he wasn¡¯t sure what to make of what he had just heard. He didn¡¯t like that Iris was the one behind putting the idea in the prince¡¯s head, but what bothered him the most was that Ryokumo told Reigious about his dinner with Eric. He had preferred to keep that secret and he thought his old friend knew that.


    So¡­does he also believe that sending us away would be a good idea? But no¡­ Just the other day, he agreed with us that it was a foolish move.  What the hell was Ryokumo thinking?


    ¡°So, my final decision is that tomorrow morning, Nigreos and Album will travel north to Harunhein and handle the uprisings,¡± Reigious declared. ¡°And a week from tomorrow, Ryokumo, Nyx, and Sinna will lead an assault on the slums to deal with the Children of Reiner once and for all.¡±


    Iris frowned with a clearly faked pouty face. ¡°Aw, now I¡¯m feeling a bit left out.¡±


    ¡°You, Iris, just need to keep training Eric,¡± the prince said. ¡°And for that matter, keep an eye on him the night we go after the Children. Regardless of what they¡¯ve done, they are Abi¡¯s children, so I don¡¯t imagine it will be easy for him to know they¡¯re getting killed. Just¡­keep him company, okay?¡±


    The Master of Nature grimaced but bowed her head regardless. ¡°Yes, My Prince.¡±


    ¡°Perfect,¡± he said with a clap of his hands. ¡°Then let¡¯s discuss the finer details and you may all be excused.¡±


    ***


    When the meeting ended, Album was livid. The thought that Iris Mackia was the one who convinced Reigious to send them away infuriated her more than she liked to admit, and it only made her wonder just what the conniving woman was plotting. From the very beginning, Album didn¡¯t trust Ryokumo and Iris with the responsibility of caring for and watching Eric and that still hadn¡¯t changed. In fact, her discomfort only increased with that meeting, and now there was nothing she could do about it. The following morning, she and Nigreos would be going to Harunhein to deal with the rogue Speaker and, under Reigious¡¯s orders, would remain in Harunhein until the uprising was properly dealt with and another leader placed in charge of the city. That process could take months, and she didn¡¯t even want to imagine what might happen in Erika while they were gone.


    And there¡¯s nothing I can do! Whether I like it or not, I can¡¯t just defy Reigious! God, this would be so much simpler if it wasn¡¯t for¡­


    She paused mid-thought, not even wanting to go down that train of thought as she once again shut those memories away. Now that she had to plan a trip to Harunhein, she wanted to keep her mind as calm as possible to prevent herself from losing her cool. Yet, that immediately became nearly impossible when she rounded the corner of the hallway and spotted Ryokumo Caeli waiting just outside the door to her quarters, his dark brown eyes directed her way and an infuriatingly pleased smile twisting his lips. She came to a stop and just glared at him, her fists clenched in unrestrained frustration.


    ¡°Leave,¡± she demanded. ¡°I have nothing to say to you.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunate,¡± he replied, ¡°as I have plenty to say to you, Album. But I shall only be a minute. I know you have preparations to deal with now that you¡¯ve got a fun little vacation ahead of you.¡±


    Swallowing back her fury, Album stalked forward until she was right beside him before grabbing him by the collar of his flowery gown and yanking him forward so that their faces were only inches away from each other. And even so, his smile never faltered.


    ¡°Read my lips, Caeli,¡± she hissed. ¡°I have nothing more to say to you. I¡¯ve put up with you for long enough, but I¡¯m done. Go continue your embarrassing friendship with Nigreos, but never speak to me again.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t intend to,¡± he muttered. ¡°In fact, if all goes well in this conversation, you and I can go our separate ways for good. I simply wish to know the answer to one question, one you are quite familiar with at this point¡­¡± At that, his smile instantly vanished, replaced by a firm and piercing stare. ¡°Who did you erase from my memories?¡±


    Ah, so that¡¯s what he wants? But why now? I figured he wouldn¡¯t bother me again until he had something more concrete to accuse me with, so unless this has to do with what I said to Eric the other day, is it possible he¡¯s trying to confront me before I leave?


    ¡°Are you a halfwit?¡± she snapped. ¡°How many times must I tell you that I have erased nothing from you. I do not know why you believe you have gaps in your memories but it has nothing to do with me!¡±


    The man shook his head firmly. ¡°You¡¯re lying. I know you are and the way I know is that Seiras Ka confirmed it for me.¡±


    The mention of Seiras¡¯s name caused her chest to tighten with anxiety, and for a moment, she wondered if the Master of the Mind¡¯s new spell had somehow managed to break past the erasure charm on his memories, before quickly shoving the paranoid thought aside.


    Instead, she simply smiled sarcastically and sneered.


    ¡°And you trusted that little monstrosity? From what I heard, he got himself killed while lording his damned power over you, but you¡¯re going to take his word over mine?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not Seiras¡¯s word I¡¯m taking. It¡¯s what I saw in my visions that tell me what I want to know,¡± he said.


    ¡°Visions?¡±


    She had been informed as to what went down with Seiras Ka during her mission in Omaruo. She knew he had invented a spell that forced the victim to face their greatest regrets and fears, and that he not only used it to force information out of Kirisan, but had also weaponized it against his fellow Masters on the night he was killed. Ryokumo would have faced visions as well, but until that moment, she had never humored the possibility that he may have seen something she didn¡¯t want him to see.


    But this was a new spell. Only Seiras knew anything about it, so could it be possible that the spell did manage to break past the erasure charm on Ryokumo? Could he actually know more than he¡¯s letting on? The Master of Light grit her teeth. Curse it all! That means I can¡¯t just blow this off!


    Album scoffed, then released Ryokumo¡¯s collar and unlocked the door to the quarters, motioning for the Master of Wind to enter. He grinned smugly, as if already believing himself to have won, and she followed him inside. Once they were alone, she watched as he turned and leaned up against her couch, then regarded her with a chuckle.


    ¡°Intrigued, are we?¡± he inquired wryly.


    She nodded. ¡°I am. After all, I know I have nothing to hide so I¡¯m curious to know what nonsense Seiras fed you with that ridiculous magic of his.¡±


    ¡°Well, most of it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if you know anything about my past,¡± he began, pushing off the couch and beginning to pace around the room, his hands folded behind his back. ¡°But one vision in particular stuck out to me. I was in a bedroom¡ªa rather fancy one at that¡ªand there was a woman. Well, more specifically, there was the voice of a woman. It felt familiar, but I couldn¡¯t quite place it, and she kept demanding to know why I¡¯d forgotten her¡ªwhy I¡¯d abandoned her.¡±


    A chill went down Album¡¯s spine and she did everything in her power to keep her features from showing any of her internal reaction. So the visions got that far, did they? Then perhaps it''s a good thing that Seiras is dead. If that spell had been used again, could Ryokumo have gotten even further into his lost memories?


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s certainly fascinating, but once again, can you really trust the creation of a man like Seiras?¡± she demanded. ¡°He was the only one who knew anything about that spell, so for all you know, it was fabricated.¡±


    ¡°Fair point,¡± Ryokumo conceded. ¡°But the other visions I had were all accurate, and I¡¯ve already suspected that I was missing something, so to me, it just seems too coincidental. After all, not only do I feel as if I¡¯ve lost a person close to me, but we still never learned what became of The Angel, did we? Or at least I didn¡¯t. I suppose I can¡¯t speak for you.¡±


    She kept her features calm, refusing to give him anything to work off of. As a matter of fact, she didn¡¯t ever learn what became of The Angel, and she always suspected it was either stolen behind her back either by Abi or by her, so she couldn¡¯t be sure if returning Ryokumo¡¯s memories would solve that particular mystery.


    Though, if she did take it, then Ryokumo almost certainly knew. Out of everybody, she would not have hidden that from him.


    ¡°Must I repeat myself?¡± she hissed with frustration. ¡°I. Do. Not. Know. I have not erased anything from you, so¡ª¡±


    ¡°And what of what you said to Eric just a few days ago?¡± he interrupted swiftly. ¡°That thing about how if he knew the truth regarding his mother¡¯s rebellion, then he would suffer? Seeing as I was under the impression that nobody knew the truth but Abi, I am curious to know why you would say such a thing.¡±


    Yeah I should have been ready for this. I brought this one on myself.


    ¡°Use your damn head, Caeli,¡± she snarled. ¡°I said that to try and shut his stupid investigation down. There¡¯s nothing for him to learn, so I thought it best to make him believe that the truth was cruel so he wouldn¡¯t waste his damn time!¡±


    Ryokumo chuckled and finally ceased his pacing. ¡°So you were being considerate of him? That doesn¡¯t sound like you at all, old friend. Or at least, it doesn¡¯t sound like the woman you¡¯ve become.¡± His laughter subsided and all of a sudden, his eyes turned sorrowful. ¡°I miss her, you know? The old you. The one who loved us and the one we loved. I honestly wonder why you must be this way, Album¡­¡±


    His words triggered a wave of anger deep within her¡ªemotions that she didn¡¯t think existed anymore, and she stared at him with a twisted smile. ¡°You miss her, do you? You rejected her, Caeli, and now you¡¯re saying you want her back? My younger self was weak and pathetic and idealistic! I changed for the better! I changed because I learned that the world was never going to love me¡ªthat being weak like that would only ever bring me pain! This world is a cruel hellhole, so I adapted to it¡ªsomething you should consider doing someday!¡±


    ¡°Is that what you tell yourself?¡± he asked calmly. ¡°That this you is better? I disagree. Abi would as well. And something tells me¡­that Nigreos would, too.¡±


    She sneered at him. ¡°And you think I should care? You think I should give a damn what you all want? You rejected me. Abigail left me. And Nigreos¡­¡± She paused for a moment, her eyes narrowing in disgust. ¡°...is nothing more than a fool. So if this is all you have to say then leave. I have not erased anybody and no amount of grilling me is going to change that. I have to prepare for tomorrow so be off, Caeli.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡± Ryokumo twisted his lips in thought then shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry it came to this Album.¡±


    ¡°Is that s¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Aniextiam.¡±

 Chapter 26- His Fathers Plan

    Chapter XXVI


    To Lilly¡¯s surprise, Rista didn¡¯t lead her toward where she remembered Eric¡¯s house to be, rather they were in a neighborhood that was unfamiliar to her, a little further from the school than the other place. He had told her that he followed Scott Reiner to his home after running into him and had been able to gather that it was most likely where he lived so she trusted that they were going the right direction, but it only made her wonder why the man would have a different house in the erased realm. Her best guess was that he had bought a smaller place since there was only one resident instead of two, but when they arrived at their destination, she could only gape in confusion at the fact that it seemed no bigger than what she remembered. With that, she decided that if she wanted answers then she would simply have to speak to the man himself and see what she could learn.


    But what the hell should I even expect? If Eric¡¯s father is in the erased realm then he¡¯s going to be like everybody else. He won¡¯t have any memory of Eric and forgetting a son is a completely different matter than forgetting a friend. For all I know, he might not have met Abigail in this reality and might not know about magic. He could be a completely different person!


    Yet, as she recalled the irritable and lazy Scott Reiner she had met all those months ago, she couldn¡¯t help but realize that it might not be a bad thing. He could potentially be more cooperative with them in this state than in his old one.


    Then again, that¡¯s probably wishful thinking.


    Lilly glanced to her left where Rista was standing, staring up at the building with a tense expression. Being a Child of Reiner, his thoughts were probably a jumbled mess of emotion at the prospect of meeting his adoptive mother¡¯s husband. This would be the man she fell for¡ªthe one who she loved so much that it led to her departure from Ijiria.


    I just hope he doesn¡¯t get his hopes up. If Scott hasn¡¯t changed then this could be a really hostile visit.


    She then looked to her right where Brad and Evan were standing with her, the former staring back as if waiting for her signal and the latter scowling like he didn¡¯t want to be there. The two boys had planned to stop by Rista¡¯s apartment to help them look for the mana ports so when Rista finding Scott caused the plans to change, Brad opted to go with them and pressured Evan into doing the same.


    ¡°So are we heading up or are we just gonna fuckin stand here like a bunch of creeps?¡± Evan grunted.


    ¡°Shut up, dude,¡± Brad snapped back. ¡°Give them a moment.¡±


    Lilly took a deep breath, knowing that Evan was right and that they needed to get moving, before taking the lead and heading up the driveway and toward the porch, the three boys right behind her. With one last inhale, she reached up and knocked on the door then stepped back to wait. However, there was no response and, having seen the car in the driveway, she knocked again, then a third time before she finally heard shuffling on the other side right before the door swung open.


    ¡°The fuck do you want? I don¡¯t want to buy any shit so if you¡¯re here to sell me something then go fuck yourselves!¡±


    Lilly took an involuntary step back as she gazed at the overweight man standing before her, his blue eyes staring back at her with utter irritation. He appeared somehow worse than she remembered him. His graying hair was sticking out at odd angles and his white tank top and boxers looked like they hadn¡¯t been washed in weeks. His beard was barely trimmed and there was a beer bottle clutched in his right hand. To make it worse, the stench that permeated off of him caused her to visibly cringe.


    Yeah¡­hoping he¡¯d be easier to deal with really was wishful thinking¡­


    ¡°Er, no, we¡¯re not selling anything, Mr. Reiner,¡± she managed to say.


    He snorted. ¡°I don¡¯t want to join any fucking religion either.¡±


    ¡°N-no! That¡¯s not¡­why we¡¯re here. We just wanted to talk to you about something really important.¡±


    Scott glared at her and she could feel his eyes sizing her up, which only managed to send a shiver down her spine. A brief glance at the others showed that all three of them were just gaping at the man, as if he was a far cry from what they expected out of Eric Reiner¡¯s father.


    ¡°¡®Bout what?¡± he muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t want to deal with anything stupid so if you could be quick about it¡­¡±


    She paused for just a moment as she debated how blunt she should be before deciding that there was no point in beating around the bush.


    ¡°You¡¯re Abigail Reiner¡¯s husband, right?¡±


    His sudden shift from furious to surprised was enough to confirm for her that he had met his wife in the erased realm¡¯s version of Wilham, which she hoped would also mean that he knew about magic. Naturally, if Rista couldn¡¯t give the club¡¯s memories back then fixing Scott would be impossible, but she was hoping she could at least learn something from him. Back when she confronted him in the real world, he had claimed that he hadn¡¯t been merely sitting on his ass while Nigreos and Album hunted the club. Scott had been allegedly planning something and whatever it was must have caused him to wind up trapped there, too.


    So if he knows something... If he can tell us anything, it could be beneficial.


    ¡°How do you know Abi?¡¯ he grumbled with suspicion. ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Lilly Harper,¡± she answered. ¡°And who I am, well, it''s hard to explain. We didn''t know your wife personally, but he did.¡±


    She motioned toward Rista, who seemed reluctant to interact with Scott, yet he stepped forward regardless. ¡°It¡¯s¡­nice to meet you, Mr. Reiner. My name is Rista Pine and I knew your wife when she returned to Ijiria.¡±


    ¡°Iji¡­¡± Scott''s jaw hung open as he stared wide-eyed at Rista before his lips curled in a snarl. ¡°So you¡¯re a fuckin¡¯ Ijirian, huh? You got magic and shit? Did Noctis send you to finally finish me off!?¡±


    At the sudden namedrop, Lilly was quick to capitalize on it and try to turn the situation to her advantage. ¡°No, Sir, we were not sent to hurt you! Nigreos and Album aren¡¯t our friends! Far from it, actually! We¡¯re trying to take them down and I was told that you might be able to help us!¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯m damn stupid?¡± he shouted. ¡°You think you can just trick me like that?! Why would anybody think I could hurt that fuck of a man?! I know the truth and I won¡¯t go down without a fight!¡±


    The man lunged forward with the bottle raised, causing Brad and Evan to both grab Lilly and pull her back, but before either of the boys could take their own strike against him, Rista shouted out an incantation, causing the man to freeze in place the same way Damien had in the clubroom, his arm outstretched and his eyes wide. Rista just gazed at the man like he couldn¡¯t believe his eyes.


    ¡°What did you¡­?¡±


    ¡°Please, Mr. Reiner,¡± Lilly quickly interrupted him, straightening herself back up. ¡°We don¡¯t want to hurt you! We¡¯re friends of your son! We¡¯re friends of Eric!¡±


    Just like with Damien, Liz, and Vinny, Lilly hoped that using Eric¡¯s name would cause a stir of emotions that would at least cause him to think, and to her relief, the man¡¯s enraged expression softened as his eyes flickered toward her. There was recognition within them, as well as confusion, and she knew she had gotten through to him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­have a son¡­¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°You do. You just don¡¯t remember him anymore because of what the erased realm¡¯s magic is doing to you! It¡¯s affected your memories but I know the feelings are intact! You know I¡¯m not lying!¡±


    ¡°Girl¡­¡± he began softly. ¡°Harper, was it? You just said erased realm? Do you mean to say we¡¯re in the erased realm right now? As we speak?¡±


    Having not expected that term to mean anything to him, she was thrown off by the understanding look he gave her. ¡°Y-yeah. We¡¯re in the erased realm. Do you know what that is?¡±


    Scott¡¯s lips tightened and she could tell that he was trying to process everything when he finally turned back to Rista. ¡°Let me go, Pine. I won¡¯t do anything to you. I want you guys to come inside and tell me everything you know. I¡¯ll do the same.¡±


    Lilly let out a breath of relief, having expected it to go a lot worse than it had, before motioning for Rista to cancel the spell. He obliged, if reluctantly, and flicked his wrist, allowing Scott to move freely.


    ¡°Come in. I¡¯ll make tea,¡± he said then moved into the house, leaving them standing alone on the porch.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me,¡± Evan grumbled. ¡°That¡¯s Reiner¡¯s father? What a fucking nutjob. I mean, Reiner was crazy, too, but not like that.¡±


    Ignoring Evan¡¯s comment, Brad turned to Lilly and frowned. ¡°Are you sure we can trust this? I-I mean, that man just tried to hit you with a beer bottle! He¡¯s clearly not sane and I don¡¯t want anything to happen to you! I know you said this was important, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Brad,¡± she assured him with a smile. ¡°His fear is justified. Ijiria took a lot from him so of course openly stating Rista¡¯s got magic would agitate him, but I get the feeling we¡¯re safe now.¡± She chuckled. ¡°Though, if he does try anything then the three of you are allowed to do whatever you want. I¡¯ll do the same. Now, let¡¯s go¡­¡±


    Brad and Evan still looked unconvinced and Rista only continued to stare at the ground. But when Lilly began making her way into the house, the three of them followed after her regardless, and she felt safer knowing she wasn¡¯t alone.


    ***


    Much like she had with every other erased victim, Lilly explained the realm and what brought them there to Scott Reiner, who sat in his old and tattered leather armchair with his hands over his face as he listened. After making them some tea, which Brad and Evan refused to touch, they gathered in his ridiculously cluttered living room to begin the conversation. There were empty pizza boxes, beer cans, and various other pieces of garbage lying around, making the smell from earlier even worse. Evan was antsy the whole time, his disgust at being there clear to all, which only seemed to piss Scott off, though he only interrupted Lilly to tell the boy off once. Otherwise, the man was silent until she finally finished and, when she did, he just stared blankly at the stained carpet.


    ¡°So¡­¡± he whispered. ¡°Noctis came back for us, did he? I knew he fuckin¡¯ would, but¡­I can¡¯t believe it already happened. Harper, you said you don¡¯t know how I got erased?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Yeah, I wasn¡¯t there and Eric never told me that anybody forgot you so unless he just kept it secret, you had to have been erased either right before I was or after I was. But you never touched our gem so¡­they went after you for different reasons.¡±


    ¡°Of course he did,¡± Scott growled. ¡°And this son of mine? Eric? What was he like? Who was he? Who was he to you? In this world, Abi and I were never able to conceive so¡­I¡¯m just curious.¡±


    ¡°Well, to me¡­¡± she began, her eyes briefly going distant as she thought back on all of the fond memories she shared with Eric. ¡°He was my boyfriend, actually. He¡¯s an amazing guy, always going out of his way to help everybody no matter who they were. When he got that gem, he only ever wanted to use it for good, and it was that personality of his that got through my¡­shall we say stubborn personality. He gave me a friendship I will treasure for the rest of my life, and I will do everything I can to get back to him.¡±


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    A very faint smile appeared on the corner of the man¡¯s lips. ¡°He sounds¡­like his mother.¡±


    ¡°From what I know about Abigail, I would agree,¡± she replied.


    Scott closed his eyes and leaned back in the chair before clicking his tongue. ¡°So I¡¯m in the erased realm. I actually got here¡­¡± He furrowed his brow then muttered, ¡°Those stuck here don¡¯t know they need to be rescued, huh?¡± He then smirked and glanced back at her. ¡°If this truly is the erased realm then how¡¯d you get your memories back? The entire threat of this place is that it prevents the victims from knowing anything¡¯s wrong. So how do you?¡±


    Lilly considered the question, deciding whether to make something up or not. She didn¡¯t know too many details about The Angel past that Eric had it on hand as a last resort. Would Scott have known about it? Would Abigail have consulted with him?


    Well, if she told Eric then maybe she did tell Scott¡­


    ¡°Mr. Reiner,¡± she said. ¡°Did Abigail ever tell you anything about an item called ¡®The Angel¡¯?¡±


    He sat forward the moment she asked the question, a shocked look on his face. ¡°The Angel? How do you know about that?¡±


    ¡°Your son, Eric, showed it to me,¡± Lilly quickly answered, encouraged by his obvious recognition. ¡°He said his mother entrusted it to him as a way to protect him if he was ever in mortal danger. It was supposed to be a way to defend himself and perhaps even be used against Album¡¯s erased realm. It was meant for him¡­but like I said, he was always more worried about us, and in the end, he used it on me to keep me safe.¡±


    Scott¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up and it felt as if he were now looking at her in a different light. ¡°So you¡¯re saying¡­that The Angel is inside you?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, it is,¡± she confirmed. ¡°Do you¡­know what it is?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t. Abi only ever told me what you already know.¡± He frowned with intense thought, and for a moment, he seemed to fade out as he considered the implications of her words. ¡°Even she didn¡¯t really know what it was. It wasn¡¯t even hers to begin with. Apparently it was entrusted to her by somebody else so she only knew how it could be used.¡± As he spoke, his smile grew wider and wider until he looked almost wild. ¡°But if you''re The Angel and that¡¯s what helped with your memories, then we have hope! We might actually be able to destroy the erased realm!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the plan, Sir,¡± Rista chimed in. ¡°I know where one of the mana ports are so we just need to find the other and I¡¯m hoping Harper¡¯s power will be enough to break it down.¡±


    Scott laughed to himself and slowly rose to his feet. ¡°Yes¡­ Yes, yes, yes, yes! This could be it! We could actually get out of here! There¡¯s a way¡­ Come with me!¡±


    Before anybody could protest, Scott spun around and headed into the hall, muttering to himself all the while.


    ¡°Um, are we gonna follow him?¡± Brad asked hesitantly.


    Without waiting for a response, Rista stalked around the garbage and went into the hallway. Curious about what he wanted to show them, Lilly also got to her feet and went after him, Brad and Evan once again reluctant but willing to follow. They headed into what appeared to have once been an office of sorts though, much like the main room, it was covered in boxes and trash, yet even with it in such a terrible state, Lilly still immediately noticed the desk on the opposite wall, a slew of pieces strewn about and a set of glass vials containing a red liquid right beside an old pair of goggles. Yet, what was most surprising was the pistol laying in the center that Scott walked straight toward and picked up. Brad, Evan, and Rista all tensed up, as if expecting him to suddenly shoot one of them, but Lilly remained calm. She knew that if he was a real threat to her well-being then The Angel would intervene.


    ¡°This,¡± he said in his raspy voice. ¡°This is the key. Or at least could be. In this world, I¡¯ve never known whether I succeeded or not but if I¡¯m here, maybe the other me did.¡±


    ¡°Er, sorry, Mr. Reiner, but shooting them isn¡¯t going to work,¡± Lilly told him, recalling Natalie¡¯s account of how Damien attempted to fight Nigreos with a gun. ¡°One of my friends already tried and it wasn¡¯t enough. The shadows were too powerful.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t sure what sort of reaction she expected, but she hadn¡¯t been ready when Scott began to laugh once more, vigorously shaking his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s not the gun that could be important. It¡¯s what we put on the bullet that we shoot Noctis with that matters.¡±


    ¡°Did you not hear her?¡± Evan growled. ¡°Who the fuck cares if we can¡¯t shoot him to begin with.¡±


    Wanting to avoid Evan and Scott getting into any argument, knowing they were both a bit aggressive, Lilly quickly stepped between the two and asked, ¡°What do you mean? What would you put on a bullet that would make a difference?¡±


    Scott stepped back and set the gun onto the desk before picking up one of the red vials and swirling it around in his hand. ¡°Tell me if you already knew this but I used to work at a research facility,¡± he explained excitedly ¡°I specialized in biological research and honestly, I¡¯ve been fascinated by living things since I was young. I used to read books on evolution and physiology and cell behavior. I loved it.¡±


    ¡°I-I didn¡¯t know that,¡± she admitted. ¡°To be honest, we didn¡¯t talk much back in our world and Eric never said much about you.¡±


    Scott sighed as he clutched the vial. ¡°Well, you know now. So, imagine my surprise when out of nowhere, two individuals barely older than me arrive in our quaint little town, pulling off feats that were supposed to be impossible outside of the movies. Healing wounds in a matter of seconds, zipping around the city like they could fly, and hurling balls of flame they produced in the palms of their hands. And a young, beautiful woman with flowers in her hair¡ªthe most gorgeous sight I ever and will ever see.¡±


    ¡°That was Abigail then,¡± Rista murmured. ¡°And the other? I wasn¡¯t aware anybody else had come here with her?¡±


    Scott snorted. ¡°Ah, the bastard rarely stuck around and I don¡¯t think he liked me much, but he was Abi¡¯s friend so I kinda had to like him. Caeli, his name was. Ryokumo Caeli.¡±


    The name didn¡¯t ring any bells for Lilly but she watched Rista¡¯s expression and could tell he was trying to hold back his surprise. His voice was calm when he spoke next, but there was an edge to it he couldn¡¯t hide.


    ¡°Ryokumo¡­Caeli? He knew about you?¡±


    ¡°He did,¡± Scott confirmed with obvious disinterest. ¡°But anyway, he¡¯s not fuckin important. My point is, I learned magic was real and it defied everything I thought I knew about our world. I fell in love with Abi and she fell for me. She came here often and after a while, she stopped leaving and we moved here, to this house.¡± He motioned to the room around him with a nostalgic yet pained smile. ¡°And to satisfy my curiosity, she let me study magic and I learned just what mana is from blood samples she gave me.¡±


    ¡°Meaning what?¡± Brad inquired. ¡°You experimented on your wife?¡±


    Scott glared at him. ¡°With her consent, Fischer. She was curious what Omaruan technology would find. It wasn¡¯t some one-sided venture, that I assure you. Now, to reiterate what I meant, I learned what mana was by learning that its existence was impossible. It was a phase of matter that was produced by magical cells, though I never had the tech to see what happened within the cells themselves. All I knew was that this substance tapped into a power that was impossible for people like us to use.¡± He grinned darkly. ¡°But it was biological. There was a process that created it so¡­what if I could create something to disrupt this process? What if I could stop mana from being produced? What then?¡±


    Lilly and Rista both gaped in shock as the implications of what he meant processed within them and while Brad and Evan weren¡¯t as knowledgeable about the Ijirian realm, even they seemed to understand the weight of Scott¡¯s words.


    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t be able to use magic,¡± Evan uttered. ¡°They¡¯d be powerless.¡±


    Scott nodded. ¡°Yes, powerless. If my research finally succeeded, then even a man as powerful as Nigreos Noctis would be no different than us. If we can¡¯t become gods like them, why not drag them to our level and shove their heads in the mud?¡±


    ¡°And did it work?¡± Rista pressed. ¡°Did you succeed in creating this substance? Is that what¡¯s in the vial?¡±


    The man held the red vial up again and gazed at it, his earlier excitement diminishing within a second. ¡°Perhaps¡­ Perhaps not. I never found out. My research was still ongoing when Abi was taken from me, but I had enough samples of her blood left to try again. I was close, I tell you. I know I was, but¡­I didn¡¯t have a magical subject to test them on.¡± He shook his head. ¡°This vial¡­could be the key to Noctis¡¯s death, or just a vial of red shit.¡±


    ¡°So what¡¯s the idea?¡± Evan asked. ¡°You gonna coat some bullets in that stuff and shoot Noctis in the ass? Like we said earlier, it doesn¡¯t matter how potent that shit is if he doesn¡¯t get stuck with it!¡±


    Scott scowled and glared at the boy. ¡°You think I¡¯m fuckin stupid, Wright? I designed these to kill the Master of Darkness, so I thought further than this. Yes, if it interacts with the bloodstream, it should theoretically cut off his connection to mana, but the substance only does that by reacting with mana particles. It should neutralize any power they create, so in theory, they should be able to cut through his shadows and get to him.¡±


    ¡°Cut through his shadows?¡± Lilly parroted. ¡°You mean, if you coated a knife or something like that, we could cut the shadows down?¡±


    ¡°In theory,¡± Scott repeated once again. ¡°That¡¯s only if I succeeded¡­or if the other me succeeded. But I don¡¯t have a test subject so¡­¡±


    Evan rolled his eyes. ¡°What are you talking about? Pine¡¯s an Ijirian, right? Just shoot him in the fuckin¡¯ leg and if it shuts his mana down, then you win, right? Then all you gotta do is mass produce that shit and we¡¯re ready to go.¡±


    It took a second for Evan¡¯s suggestion to truly process for them all, but when it did, Scott and Rista¡¯s reactions were complete opposites. While the older man suddenly began grinning as he eyed the Ijirian, Rista was vehemently shaking his head.


    ¡°Absolutely not!¡± he snapped. ¡°I am not about to risk my mana circuits shutting down at a time like this! If we actually succeed in getting out of here then I¡¯m going to need my powers to even have a shot of taking Nigreos and Album on!¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, Mr. Pine,¡± Scott intervened. ¡°It¡¯s not supposed to be permanent. After all, I don¡¯t have the technology to completely shut the cells down if I don¡¯t understand how mana is produced in the first place. These are only designed to inhibit magic production for an hour at best.¡±


    Rista scowled. ¡°Sure, they¡¯re supposed to! But you don¡¯t have a damn clue what the side effects would be! Or for all you know, it would permanently disrupt it!¡±


    ¡°Okay, then can¡¯t it be tested without shooting him,¡± Brad asked before the argument could progress any further. ¡°Like, is there another way or¡­?¡±


    Scott shrugged. ¡°Yeah, probably. I could take samples of his blood and test it on that, but that would take me at least a day or two. I have a personal office elsewhere in Wilham where my tools are, but I haven¡¯t used them in a few years so it would take time to get it moving. If you¡¯ve got the time to spare, we can do it that way.¡±


    ¡°Well we don¡¯t have the time to spare,¡± Rista grunted. ¡°We have to find this mana port now. We don¡¯t have days¡­¡±


    Lilly could see his impatience and knew how desperate Rista was to get back to the other Children of Reiner, yet at the same time, that desperation was getting in the way of rational thought.


    ¡°It might be worth it though,¡± Lilly pointed out. ¡°If he can actually get something like this to work then combine a power like that with The Angel and we have twice the advantages against them. It might take a few days to get it ready, but in that time, I can search for the port. That way, when Scott finishes, we¡¯ll be ready to move.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°Rista,¡± Lilly interrupted. ¡°Please. I understand how you feel. I want to get back to Eric as soon as possible, too, but this¡­¡± She indicated Scott¡¯s work station with a wave of her hands. ¡°This is incredible, if it can work. I knew Scott Reiner was working on something but I didn¡¯t realize it was to this scale. If your blood can help him create this, then maybe you can take some of the serum back to Ijiria. Wouldn¡¯t that be an enormous help to the other Children?¡±


    She knew that was what got through to him as his eyes went wide before darting around the room, telling her that he was now considering it.


    ¡°If that¡¯s your price,¡± the older man grunted. ¡°Then I¡¯ll give you some to take back. Though, if you want it faster then I¡¯m gonna need some help.¡±


    ¡°Oh, fuck yeah, I can help,¡± Evan quickly declared. ¡°You¡¯re telling me this stuff can pull those magic fucks to my level then you can bet your ass I want some. I¡¯ll do whatever you need, old man, just tell me what.¡±


    Brad nodded his agreement. ¡°Same here. Whatever it takes to get us out of here, I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can once I¡¯ve found the mana port and dealt with some other issues,¡± Lilly said, her thoughts briefly flashing to the current predicament with Jay and Alice. ¡°So Rista? Can you do this? Can you help him finish this research?¡±


    The Ijirian clenched his teeth then glanced between the four of them once more before letting out a soft sigh. ¡°Very well. If you promise that I can take some of this stuff back to Ijiria when we get out of here then I¡¯m in. I¡¯ll do what you need, Reiner.¡±


    Scott¡¯s grin widened in what was the first real joy she¡¯d ever seen in the man. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Pine. Let¡¯s be off then.¡±

 Chapter 27- The Days Only She Remembers

    Chapter XXVII


    The living room of her quarters faded away the second that unfamiliar word left Ryokumo¡¯s lips, and before she could even wonder what he had done, Album found herself in a different place entirely.


    What the hell just happened?! What did he do to me?!


    She spun around, trying to get her bearings as she brought her mana to her fingers, ready to unleash her power against Ryokumo, yet when her surroundings became clear, she froze, her eyes growing wide as she took in the painfully familiar scene before her. It was a room from an era of her past that she never wanted to think about again¡ªthat she had blocked out with every wall she could put up. It was her dormitory in the Academy of Erika, the school she lived in for the four years during what she once considered the happiest days of her life. She was standing in the main room, which consisted of a rather large table, a sitting area in the back left, and a balcony beyond. Yet, her eyes were immediately drawn to the table where five individuals were sitting, playing a game of cards and laughing with each other.


    What is this? What did he do to me? How am I¡­here?


    Nigreos looked younger, not yet having experienced the ritual of darkness, so his skin was a tanned color and his eyes were dark brown rather than pale white. His charming smile was an expression she never saw on his face anymore and his boisterous laugh was a sound of what felt like the distant past.


    To his left was Ryokumo, his facial hair not yet grown and his hair dark brown rather than the silver he currently had it dyed. His personality had been quite similar to the way he was now, but there was more of a carefree attitude than his somewhat mature demeanor of the present day.


    Sitting beside him was Album, herself, also prior to the ritual, with her dark brown hair and blue eyes, and a smile that seemed like it belonged to another person and not herself. She couldn¡¯t even recall the last time she had looked like that, and she almost wanted to release her mana and blow the young girl¡¯s head off for being na?ve and ignorant¡ªan utter fool of a girl that didn¡¯t understand what was to come.


    Album¡¯s eyes then wandered to the other two, the women who caused her such utter pain, agony, and betrayal. Abigail was sitting on Nigreos¡¯s right, her brown hair braided and a crown of white daisies surrounding her head. She lit up every room she was ever in and this wasn¡¯t an exception. Abi had such a comforting presence¡ªone that had once charmed Album as much as it did the others.


    And sitting beside Abi was a woman whose face and features Album couldn¡¯t see, as if the dreamworld was blocking her from being able to perceive her. She was a featureless individual, but Album could vividly remember what she looked like and how she sounded. That fifth member of their group¡ªthe one who nobody would have ever forgotten if not for erasure magic.


    Album just stood quietly and watched as the five of them played their insignificant card game, completely oblivious to the utter hell that would rip them apart years down the road. It made her mad that they would dare laugh with each other. She hated that a day like this ever existed when she remembered what was done to them. She couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying, and she knew this vision was somehow preventing her from doing so.


    All she could do was observe.


    ¡°Stop,¡± she whispered, and when nobody reacted to her words, she screamed, ¡°STOP IT!¡±


    Once again, not a single one addressed her presence as they continued on with their game. They were mocking her. They were showing her what she lost¡ªwhat was taken from her. They laughed in her face, enjoying her hatred and enjoying the pain that they were causing her. She wanted the laughter to stop. It was grating on her ears, invading and defiling her mind, crawling its way into every part of her body and sending shivers over her skin. She took an involuntary  step back, her body shaking as the laughter continued.


    ¡°SHUT UP! PLEASE SHUT UP!¡± she shouted. ¡°LUMINETTA! LUMINETTA!¡±


    Album snarled the word, raising her hands and sending bursts of light straight through the skull of the faceless woman, wanting to watch as it burst open and covered the table with her brains. She wanted to see her head pop, yet with every burst of light she cast, they just harmlessly passed through her and vanished, failing to deal any damage to her or to stop the cutting laughter.


    ¡°DIE! WHY CAN¡¯T YOU SHUT UP AND DIE! I GOT RID OF YOU! I ERASED YOU! SO WHY ARE YOU STILL TORMENTING ME?!¡±


    Her breathing was heavy and they ignored her, and just as she thought the laughter might break her, the scene vanished as abruptly as it began, replacing itself almost instantly by a different sight. She was standing alone in the guest quarters of a mansion, though there was very little of the building left. The windows were all shattered and the ceiling had been blown off, leaving debris resting around her. She stared out at the city beyond and the smoke rising from the houses, the flames eating at the buildings and ruining what she knew was a beautiful place. Beyond the city was the sea, sparkling in the pale light of the moon. There was screaming and flashes of magic being hurled at each other as a battle waged on.


    So I¡¯m here now? In this place? On this day? Then¡­?


    Album slowly lowered her head to stare at the floor around her and the numerous bodies that littered the ground. None of them were recognizable as people anymore, their chests blown open and their ribs sticking out at odd angles. Their heads were in a similar state, as if something had exploded from within and seared through their faces, leaving nothing left but a cavernous hole that showed their charred brains resting within. They were all burned, like they¡¯d been set on fire, leaving every part that remained black.


    This day¡­ The day my future changed. The day that set me on my path¡­a path that should have been an honor. Album¡¯s lips tightened. Am I supposed to feel something as I look at these bodies? Should I care that they¡¯re dead? Should I feel something, because I don¡¯t.


    Album turned away to gaze back out at the seaside city, her eyes shifting to the massive clocktower off in the distance where she knew she would be, fighting alongside the others. Down there was the beginning of the end.


    Is this supposed to cause me pain like that other one? Why am I here? Is it just to remind me of what I lost? Or is my lack of feeling anything the reason I was shown this? I don¡¯t care. I don¡¯t care! I DON¡¯T CARE!


    Without warning, Album dropped to her knees and threw up, feeling her stomach heaving everything out of her. The sickness was sudden and terrible, and she could feel tears forming in her eyes, as if her emotions were forcing their way out of her.


    No¡­ I don¡¯t want¡­to feel anything! I don¡¯t care! I didn¡¯t need them! They were nothing to me and I was nothing to them! I don¡¯t care, damn it!


    Album¡¯s eyes went wide as she noticed how different her arms and hands were. They weren¡¯t the pale white that she was now used to, but the natural skin tone she had before the ritual turned her into the Master of Light. She slowly rose to a sitting position and just gazed at herself, having never thought she would see her normal body again.


    But once again, the scene made an abrupt shift, and within a mere second, she was standing amidst another city not at night, but in the middle of the day, yet the screams of battle she heard before were louder now, surrounding her despite being unable to see anybody nearby. The cries of enchantments and the shouts of pain felt like they were inside of her head rather than in the real world, and they made that sick feeling return with a vengeance. This time, however, she held it back as she turned to gaze down at her hands. They were pale white and she was wearing her typical suit, though it was torn in many places, revealing bloody wounds that she had yet to heal. Album bit back her sickness and raised her head once more.


    Noctalus. There¡¯s no doubt in my mind where I am now. The day of the Battle of Noctalus. Which means it''s over. I¡¯ve already done it and Abi¡¯s dead, killed by Nigreos in the heat of battle.


    The city¡¯s streets were stained with blood and bodies of both rebels and Noctalus soldiers alike. The dark stone buildings that surrounded her would have been beautiful on another day and to a different person, but Album only saw them as disgusting and tarnished. The city that had once been her home, defiled by the blood of a rebellion that took the last vestiges of joy away from her.


    Moving on instinct alone, Album walked forward, stepping past the bodies as she began making her way toward the castle built in the center of the city and the ancestral home of the Noctis and Luz families. It was where she felt she needed to go, so she made her way in that direction, ready to round a corner and enter a battle yet still never finding the fighting that she could hear deep within her mind. Perhaps the battle was already over and the screaming she was hearing was nothing more than the memory constantly echoing in her mind.


    The failed rebellion.


    The death of Abigail Reiner.


    The erasure of that woman.


    That day was the true end of everything. This was the one she tried to think about the least, and so she wasn¡¯t surprised that she was here now. Every part of the vision was tormenting her so of course she would be here. Noctalus was her greatest failure and thus, she had a feeling that whatever she saw here would be the end of the vision.


    But she still wasn¡¯t ready when she rounded the corner and came to a small plaza with a large, marble fountain constructed in the center, and beside that fountain, sitting quietly with her back up against it, was the forgotten woman, a bloody hole in the center of her chest. Once again, Album failed to make out any distinguishing features despite having a clear look at her, so she had to use her own memory to recall how she once appeared.


    ¡°I was wondering when you¡¯d get here, Album,¡± the woman grunted. ¡°I wanted you to see this all¡ªto know just what happened.¡±


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Her voice was the same as her face¡ªindistinguishable from anything else, yet the meaning still reached her, forcing her to accept that she was talking to that person once again. It may have been a recreation of her, but Album felt her presence and her pain.


    ¡°I know what happened,¡± the Master of Light replied sharply. ¡°I¡¯m the only one who does.¡±


    The woman laughed bitterly which then quickly turned to a couch as she sputtered up blood. ¡°Then you know who¡¯s to blame for all this. You know who bears the burden of the tragedy that befell this city and the rest of Ijiria.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you,¡± Album spat. ¡°If not for you, none of this would have happened. You caused it all, manipulating Abi and Kumo and stringing them along like your damn puppets, marching them to their fates. You¡¯re the one who caused this.¡±


    ¡°When are you going to learn, Little Light,¡± she whispered softly, yet still loud enough for Album to hear over the screaming in her head. ¡°How many times must you say ¡®if it weren¡¯t for you¡¯ before you realize if it weren¡¯t for you? You try to blame everybody but yourself, believing that you did what must be done, when in the end, you were wrong. You think you¡¯re without blame when you bear most of it.¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Album uttered, but the woman just kept talking.


    ¡°Erasing me didn¡¯t bring about the ideal world you thought it would,¡± she stated. ¡°No, it only brought about a world more painful than the one you left. I could have saved us, Album. I could have brought about that happiness you wanted. But you were too damn prideful. You were too loyal to your prior beliefs that you couldn¡¯t see my vision, and instead, you ruined it all.¡±


    ¡°Stop. Stop talking.¡±


    ¡°Yet you¡¯ll always blame them. If it weren¡¯t for Ryokumo doing what he did¡­ If it weren¡¯t for Abi doing what she did¡­ You blame them while failing to blame yourself. Your erasure changed the outcome and you know it, but you think you¡¯re blameless¡ª¡±


    ¡°I SAID SHUT UP!¡±


    Finally losing her composure, Album raised her hands to aim at the woman just like she did back in the dorm, but this time, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to unleash the light. The woman was smiling, as if hoping she would cast her spell and free her from her pain, but Album held back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t act like you understand me!¡± she shouted through tears. ¡°You never did! You never understood me so don¡¯t pretend to! I know this was my fault! I know I made a mistake and that it cost us everything, but I can¡¯t turn back time! Bringing you back won¡¯t bring Abi back! It¡¯ll only hurt Kumo and I won¡¯t let that happen! I won¡¯t let you take Ryokumo away from me!¡±


    ¡°You say that¡­but you¡¯re already taking him away from yourself,¡± she countered softly. ¡°You¡¯re pushing him away, making an enemy out of him where he was supposed to be your friend. You¡¯ve harmed your relationship more than I ever could have.¡±


    Album clenched her teeth so hard that she could feel blood pooling up in her mouth. ¡°Then it¡¯s for the best! At least he¡¯ll be okay! At least he¡¯ll be able to live!¡±


    ¡°Will he?¡± She laughed mockingly. ¡°So are you saying that you won¡¯t turn him in for casting this spell on you? You¡¯re going to let him walk away without consequences? If you turn him over, what then? What will this have been for?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t¡­¡± Album shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s not for you to worry about! I¡¯ll figure it out! I always have! It¡¯s for¡­his own good!¡±


    ¡°Such a contradiction,¡± she muttered. ¡°You are the embodiment of hypocrisy, Album Luz. Your words defy your actions, and your actions defy your words. You tell Ryokumo you hate him while claiming to be doing this for him. You claim Abi brought her fate on herself when you know that¡¯s not the case. And you¡­berate Nigreos for caring about Eric Reiner when you care about him even more. You play at being cold and emotionless when you care more than anybody.¡±


    As she spoke those words, Album felt a sudden stab of pain in her heart, and the blood in her mouth began spilling out.


    ¡°You¡­don¡¯t know¡­me,¡± she choked, the light in her palms wavering.


    ¡°I know you¡­better than you know yourself,¡± she retorted. ¡°You think you know what you feel, but you don¡¯t. After all, I don¡¯t exist, right? This entire vision is your mind, so deep down, you know that everything I¡¯m saying is the truth.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Album couldn¡¯t get another word out before she dropped to her knees and coughed out the blood, the screaming in her head suddenly increasing in intensity to the point that she felt blood dripping from her ears as well. ¡°You don¡¯t¡­know anything¡­ Ilirianna!¡±


    When she spoke the name of the woman she erased, that plaza in Noctalus vanished and Album found herself twitching on the floor of her quarters back in the present day Citadel. She frantically thrashed around, her mind a jumbled mess, as she tried to get her bearings and process everything she had just seen when another voice caused her to freeze.


    ¡°Ilirianna, huh?¡±


    Album rolled over onto her stomach and pushed herself to her hands and knees before staring up at Ryokumo Caeli, standing just a few feet away in the doorway. There was tension in his facial muscles, as if he were in pain, too, but mixed in with that confusion was satisfaction, as if he already believed he¡¯d won.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Album breathed. ¡°What did you do to me? That was¡­Seiras¡¯s spell, wasn¡¯t it? How do you have it?¡±


    Ryokumo smirked softly. ¡°I stole it from his quarters after he died. I thought¡­it might be useful in getting information out of you. Now, when you came back, you said Ilirianna? Was that her name?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­a traitor,¡± Album spat viciously as she pulled herself to her feet, using the coffee table for help. ¡°Reigious will have your head.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to make me do it again?¡± he snapped. ¡°Do you want to suffer more than you already have? Just tell me what I want to know and we can be done. Who is Ilirianna? Who was she to me? To us?¡±


    ¡°Luminetta!¡±


    Not giving even a moment of thought to his question, she hurled a burst of light straight for his chest, wanting to incapacitate him on the spot, but it seemed Ryokumo had been ready for her. He quickly raised his hand and chanted, ¡°Diasio.¡± In the split second between their chants, the air around Ryokumo seemed to twist and distort and as the light reached him, the photons split apart, as if the very air was changing their direction, launching them all around him before they recombined behind him and smashed into the wall, sending a burst of debris breaking off.


    ¡°Condite!¡± he snarled.


    Because of the mind spell, her thoughts were already weakened and thus, her reaction time wasn¡¯t fast enough. The ropes of air wrapped around her neck and arms before she could shoot off another spell, yanking her backwards and blocking off her windpipe, preventing her from chanting anything else. She once again flailed her limbs as her body lifted from the ground but she wasn¡¯t strong enough to break from his grip.


    ¡°Who was she, Album?¡± he demanded. ¡°I¡¯m giving you a chance to be honest. If you tell me what I want to know¡­then perhaps we can end this peacefully.¡±


    His previous smugness almost vanished, replaced by genuine desperation and desire for her to help him. The ropes eased up enough for her to inhale some air, and when she was able to speak, she simply said, ¡°There isn¡¯t a thing you can do to convince me to tell you. Torture me all you want, Caeli. Do what you wish to me. I will never answer that question.¡±


    She meant it.


    With all her heart, she meant it.


    No matter what, she could never reveal what she kept hidden behind the walls of the erased realm. It was for his own good, and the good of Ijiria, that the truth of the Battle of Noctalus stay locked away. Only she could willingly open the erased realm, so if she died, the truth would die with her. Ryokumo would know that and thus, it was impossible for him to ever get what he wanted.


    He couldn¡¯t win.


    ¡°So be it.¡±


    With a flick of his wrist, the ropes binding her to the wall released her, sending her to the ground gasping for air as he turned and began moving through the door. She knew she should just let him leave, but she couldn¡¯t stop herself from calling out once more.


    ¡°So you¡¯re just going to walk away?!¡± she snarled. ¡°You think I won¡¯t turn you over to Reigious?! You think I can¡¯t have you locked up for what you just did.¡±


    Ryokumo stopped in the doorway and glanced back at her with a dark stare. ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ll tell him why I went after you, and then we¡¯ll see what he thinks. If you want to pull Reigious into this business, then by all means.¡±


    With that, Ryokumo departed, leaving her kneeling on the floor as she took another deep breath. She was still shaking both from the vision and from her confrontation with him. She no longer knew what to do. He¡¯d gotten bolder, and Seiras¡¯s spell gave him power over her that he shouldn¡¯t have had. From what she knew about that spell, it was capable of dropping four Masters at once, so if Ryokumo had enough control over it to do that then she would be at his mercy.


    I need to turn him in. If I tell Reigious, then he can be arrested for both attacking a Master and the theft of Seiras¡¯s spell. I can take him down easily but¡­


    ¡°So are you saying that you won¡¯t turn him in for casting this spell on you? You¡¯re going to let him walk away without consequences? If you turn him over, what then? What will this have been for?¡±


    Ilirianna¡¯s words from the vision came back to her almost instantly and she knew in that moment that she could never bring herself to tell Reigious.


    Then do I only have one option? Has it truly come down to this? Am I going to lose him after all this time? Or was Liri right? Have I already lost him? Does it even matter¡­if it means he¡¯d be safe and happy? If I do it, nobody will know. It can be one more secret I can take to my grave.


    She clenched her fists at her side. Has the time really come¡­to erase Ryokumo Caeli?


    ***


    Ryokumo departed Album¡¯s quarters as fast as he could, not wanting her to see the utter agony he was going through. He knew mind magic took a toll on the caster but he still hadn¡¯t been ready for the violent shocks that shook his brain when the spell left his lips. It felt like his head was going to rip itself open and he had the unnerving feeling that if he cast it again, something would break beyond repair. That was why he didn¡¯t cast it when Album attacked him, instead choosing to use a spell that would counter hers. And despite the pain, he could only call that interaction a success. While she still refused to open the erased realm, he had gained something that told him very little, yet still comforted him more than he could articulate.


    Her name¡¯s Ilirianna.


    The name felt familiar and he knew that had to be the identity of the woman he lost. She was the one he spoke to in Seiras¡¯s visions and she was the one who he needed to get back. Even if he died before he could meet her again, just knowing that she was safe would be enough for him. Regaining the memories he rightfully owned and knowing what experiences he shared with her would grant him that final moment of peace before he died.


    I just need to go through and execute the plan. I need to get Hannah and Arisa out of the city and I need to get Eric back to Omaruo. Then, if we can take down Nigreos and Album, and I can pass on from this world, everything will be alright. Everything will be fixed.


    However, his plans had been unexpectedly sped up. He knew Reigious wanted to send Nigreos and Album to Harunhein, but he hadn¡¯t thought they¡¯d go so soon. That meant that they had to enact the plan that night or else they would have to wait weeks, or even months, for Nigreos and Album to return home. He couldn¡¯t do that. They needed it wrapped up quickly before any of his dealings with Nuvo Tannath and the Children were exposed.


    This is it. It all comes down to this. I¡¯ll go get Eric, we¡¯ll go down to the city to alert Hannah and Nuvo that it¡¯s time to leave, and then I¡¯ll go to the Vault and set everything in motion. I wish Album could have given me what I wanted. I wish this could have gone a different way, but there¡¯s nothing I can do anymore.


    It all comes down to tonight.

 Chapter 28- A Thinning Of The Haze

    Chapter XXVIII


    The sun was already halfway below the horizon when Vinny arrived at the entrance to the Wilham Boardwalk, the location where he was supposed to meet Alice for their date. He¡¯d been nervous as all hell ever since she asked him out on Thursday and had trouble focusing all throughout Friday¡¯s classes, especially the ones they had together. He wasn¡¯t sure whether it was due to Lilly telling him about his other self, but he was suddenly far more aware of Alice¡¯s presence and of her beauty. He couldn¡¯t get her out of his mind, which caused his anxiety regarding the date to be mixed with anticipation of its arrival. He was an emotional mess as he switched between the two feelings and that hadn¡¯t stopped even as he walked down the streets and toward his destination. In fact, on that very walk, he felt both like turning around and running away and speeding up his pace so he could get there quicker. He¡¯d never felt like that in his life and he couldn¡¯t tell whether he liked it or not.


    But whatever. There¡¯s no helping any of that now. I told her I¡¯d be there so I¡¯m gonna do this. I¡¯m gonna go on a date with her.


    The thought was utterly surreal. He had come to terms with the fact that he would probably never have a girlfriend in high school and so, he¡¯d stopped even entertaining the thought. He wondered if that might have been why he hadn¡¯t had a crush on anybody since early freshman year. He had shut everyone out so he only noticed the negative aspects of those around him, completely failing to take in anything positive. That applied even to Alice before they spoke in the diner. Her peppy attitude had annoyed him whenever he overheard her in class, and to him, she was no different from the other bubbly and excitable girls around her.


    Yet that all changed so quickly and now I¡¯m going on a date with her with all the magic shit going on in the background. Am I wasting my time? Is any of this going to matter when Harper puts Alice back to normal? Is there any point to this date?


    Vinny sighed, briefly checking his phone to see if he¡¯d received any texts either from Lilly or from Damien and Liz. The former had texted the three of them that morning to tell them about Scott Reiner and his supposed anti-magic experiments. She¡¯d given them his address and asked if they could help. Naturally, Vinny had ignored her and he never saw replies from the other two, though that didn¡¯t mean they didn¡¯t call her instead.


    Scott Reiner, huh? So that Eric guy¡¯s dad is in here, too? Fucking hell¡­


    Vinny pocketed his phone once more and stepped onto the boardwalk, wanting to push any more thoughts of magic from his mind so he could just enjoy the evening despite knowing that probably wasn¡¯t going to happen. There were groups of people crossing the boardwalk as well as a slew of couples that would have once caused Vinny to scowl. It was already far more lively than he preferred and he wasn¡¯t even in the pier yet. However, he quickly found himself smiling slightly when he noticed Alice just ahead, leaning up against the railing as she stared out at the ocean.


    ¡°Hey, Mendez,¡± he called out as he approached.


    The girl glanced back and smiled warmly at him as she straightened up and waved. ¡°Hey, Mickelson. Glad you could make it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, me, too,¡± he replied, already feeling his stomach tightening up as he took in the sight of the beautiful girl before him.


    He¡¯d only ever seen her in either her school uniform or her diner uniform, so he couldn¡¯t help but notice how cute she looked in her baby blue tank top and her jean shorts, with her dark black hair pulled up in a ponytail. Vinny only stared for a moment before realizing his mistake and looking right at her eyes, hoping she hadn¡¯t noticed, though if she had, she didn¡¯t say anything about it.


    ¡°Ready to head in then?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go in.¡±


    Still feeling a bit awkward, the two of them made their way down the rest of the boardwalk and toward the entrance. Alice already had tickets purchased so she pulled them out of her purse and after receiving little yellow wristbands, they headed into the pier. Vinny had only gone a few times with his family and that was when he was much younger, but it looked just as he remembered it. There were carnival games with giant stuffed toys among other prizes and there were plenty of places to get food and go on rides. Since it was already getting dark, everything was lit up in various colored lights, and the ferris wheel in the distance had them flickering on and off in different patterns that made up a rather entertaining light show. There was so much to do that he was soon overwhelmed, so he turned to Alice.


    ¡°So what do you want to do first?¡± he asked, glancing down at her. ¡°I don¡¯t really know what¡¯s fun here so I¡¯m down for whatever.¡±


    She looked back at him and frowned. ¡°Do you not come here often?¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± he muttered. ¡°I never have much of a reason to come.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­well then I¡¯ll make sure to show you as much as I can!¡± Her eyes lit up, as if she really was excited to show him around. ¡°We¡¯ll definitely have to do the ferris wheel but that¡¯s much cooler after sunset so we¡¯ll save that for later. Why don¡¯t we go there first?¡±


    Alice pointed over Vinny¡¯s shoulder to the giant drop tower looming over the entire pier and he immediately felt his fear of heights cause his stomach to get worse. He found himself already regretting his claim that he was good with anything she picked.


    How could I forget about that one?! I hate that one!


    ¡°It¡¯s smart to go on it before dinner if you don¡¯t want to puke,¡± she went on. ¡°Does that sound good to you?¡±


    ¡°Yup,¡± he forced himself to say, not wanting her to realize that he was scared of the ride. ¡°Yeah, sure. Let¡¯s go on that one.¡±


    He allowed Alice to take the lead so she wouldn¡¯t notice him failing to hide his nervousness as the two of them got in line to wait. As they stood, he and Alice talked a bit about school and how their senior years were going. Vinny tried to avoid talking about any depressing topics and instead stuck to pretending he actually enjoyed school. As time passed, he found himself truly understanding how he could have fallen for her in a different world. She was really fun to be around and she was already causing him to smile in a way he couldn¡¯t remember doing for a long time. Her cheer was contagious and even standing in the line for the drop tower wasn¡¯t enough to sour his mood.


    Surprisingly, the tower wasn¡¯t as terrifying as he remembered, though that wasn¡¯t to say he had fun on it. Yet, Alice clearly enjoyed it and to him, that was what mattered the most. Once they got off the ride, they wandered around the game stalls until Vinny noticed the ring toss station and the handful of giant stuffed bears hanging over it. Deciding he wanted to try his hand at winning one, he led Alice over and purchased a few tickets so they could both try. To his disappointment, he wasn¡¯t very good at the game and only succeeded in landing one of his rings while Alice made two. Neither was enough to win anything so Vinny begrudgingly decided to start looking for other stalls he¡¯d be better at. The sun had now set and the pier was fully lit up and there was a light breeze in the air that was soothing.


    From there, they checked out and tried more games without ever winning anything, though he wasn¡¯t particularly bothered by that fact. As he watched Alice, he could tell that she was having a lot of fun, and he realized that he was, too. He was actually having fun with another person, and that meant more to him than he could ever describe. Her laugh made him laugh and her smile made him smile. He felt happy for the first time in a long time. It felt like they¡¯d been together for months rather than just a mere couple hours.


    And maybe we have been together longer. Is this what Harper¡¯s world is like? Is this what my alternate persona experienced every day? If we destroy this so-called erased realm, then is this what my life can be like all the time?


    He told himself that couldn¡¯t be the case¡ªthat it was a far too convenient reality for him. Life just didn¡¯t work out like that. Everything good always turned out to be bad, and he was only ever hurt. He knew that he should expect a similar result from Alice, but despite that, he didn¡¯t. He didn¡¯t feel as if Alice was going to screw him over, and it made him long for that other world. He wanted his memories back. He wanted to remember everything else he¡¯d done with this girl so he could treasure it like he did this moment.


    As they finished up with their games, Alice led him to a food stall selling ice cream and bought them both a chocolate waffle cone before they headed off to find a spot to sit down and enjoy them. All the while, she talked about herself and her stories from the cross country team, as well as of her good friends, and Vinny listened intently. He wanted to know more about her and he wanted to avoid telling anything about himself. When they finished their dessert, Vinny suggested they start heading toward the ferris wheel and Alice agreed, so they got up and began making their way back along the pier.


    ¡°So, Mickelson,¡± Alice began, her hand gently sliding along the railing of the pier. She addressed him but her eyes were directed at the moon in the sky, its silvery light reflecting off the ocean.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    The girl then glanced back at him, still smiling like she had been all night, then went on. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to pry into any of your business, but I was just wondering why you¡¯re always alone at school. You¡¯ve been really fun to hang out with so¡­I feel like you would be really popular.¡±


    He grimaced at her words, recalling a time where he had been one of the popular kids. Yet, it was that very popularity, as well as the people he surrounded himself with, that caused him to fall into his current situation.


    But how do I tell her that? I really don¡¯t want to get into my past but, well, it¡¯s not surprising that she would want to know.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± he murmured. ¡°Let¡¯s just say I got burned and leave it at that.¡±


    She tilted her head and gazed at him with interest. ¡°Burned? So, like, you had friends but they turned on you or something?¡±


    Despite having said to leave it that, Alice pressed anyway, and despite his preference, he found himself replying.


    ¡°Yeah, something like that. I used to be on the rugby team back in middle school,¡± he explained. ¡°I wasn¡¯t the biggest into sports but my stupid middle school brain thought joining would get me in with the right crowds. I wanted to be popular more than anything, but as you can tell, I¡¯m not the biggest kid, so I tended to be the butt of the jokes and the weakest player.¡±


    Alice didn¡¯t interrupt but the look in her eyes told him that she was listening and that she wanted to hear more, and that made him feel oddly comfortable talking about a time in his life he had wanted to abandon.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡°They didn¡¯t bully me in the traditional sense. In fact, they rarely laid a finger on me. Instead, they mostly pressured me into doing stupid shit that would get me suspended, and it did. I got suspended constantly because I joined my dumbass friends on their little pranks and whatnot. Around eighth grade, after I already had a reputation for being a troublemaker, I started realizing that my friends weren¡¯t really friends, so I started challenging them and, well, one thing led to another and fights broke out¡ªfights I never won.¡±


    He swallowed back his emotions and started down at the wooden walkway below him. ¡°And when you had the reputation I did, it wasn¡¯t hard to convince everybody who was in the wrong. My entire school avoided me, and by the time I reached high school, I just didn¡¯t feel like trying again. Why should I bother making friends when middle school made it clear how unwanted I was? So I just didn¡¯t. I kept to myself and I tried to avoid conflict, even if that didn¡¯t always work.¡±


    His thoughts shifted to Brad Fischer and Evan Wright, the two who always seemed to be his biggest enemies at the school, and who were now supposedly on his side with the erased realm.


    ¡°So yeah,¡± he finished awkwardly. ¡°That¡¯s the story. And I¡¯m sorry for suddenly bombarding you with all that. I didn¡¯t mean to be¡ª¡±


    It struck him at that moment how surprisingly easy it was to talk to her and how simple it had been to say things he had never told anybody else, and as that realization hit him, he suddenly saw an image. It was brief but it was long enough for him to take in a quiet park in the snow and Alice sitting beside him on a swing set. It was as if this conversation had happened before and he got the unnerving feeling that he had just seen into the other world. A spark of pain shot through his head but he forced himself not to react to avoid startling Alice.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that happened to you,¡± she said softly. ¡°That sounds horrible. I couldn¡¯t imagine being alone like that for so long.¡±


    He shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°You get used to it, honestly. And when you do, it stops being a problem.¡±


    ¡°Well, I hope you know that I want to be your friend,¡± she replied with a smile. ¡°Or maybe even more than a friend. And I mean that. If you ever need somebody to have lunch with or to call on the phone, I can be there for you.¡±


    Taken aback by the genuine nature of her words, he wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. ¡°B-but¡­you hardly know me, Mendez. I mean, I appreciate the sentiment and all, but¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± she muttered. ¡°Like I said the other night, it¡¯s hard to explain, but I feel like I know you better than I do, and whether that makes sense or not, it doesn¡¯t change how I feel. I¡­want to be there for you, Vinny.¡±


    Vinny? She called me Vinny?


    As the two of them continued on their way to the ferris wheel, he found himself happier than ever as he walked alongside her, like he was finally beginning to wake up from a dream¡ªlike the haze that floated within his mind was thinning.


    ¡°Thank you, Alice.¡±


    ***


    Hours after departing Scott Reiner¡¯s house, after the sun had set, Lilly was waiting quietly in Rista¡¯s apartment. Only the light over the sitting room was on so the rest of the house was dark and quiet. She was the only one currently home since Rista, Brad, and Evan had all gone to Scott¡¯s workshop. As for the club, Liz agreed to go help them but Damien and Vinny never replied, so she didn¡¯t know what they were up to. And as for Jay, he should be already heading up the stairs and to the front door at that moment. She had texted him to meet her at Rista¡¯s that night and to her relief, he had agreed. Everything felt like it was falling into place. Between her gaining some of the club¡¯s trust and Scott¡¯s research, as well as only having one more mana port to locate, she could tell that the end was drawing near.


    Which means I have to reach an understanding with Jay and put this whole situation behind us. I can¡¯t leave Alice without her memories. She needs to use this place to come to terms with what really happened, and whether Jay likes it or not, I can¡¯t take no for an answer. I¡¯ll do my best to convince him to see my side of this, and if he doesn¡¯t, then I¡¯ll just have Rista help Alice anyway. Lilly sighed. I no longer have the time to appease Jay.


    She folded her hands on her lap and shook her head, wondering what she could do differently that might get through to him. He had been more hostile with her than he ever had been, and it was starting to scare her. She understood why he would be on edge, especially after finding out that Rina was dead and seeing Audrey Moore alive and well, but she got the feeling that there was more to it.


    The Angel brought him back somehow so there has to be something different about him. Is it possible¡­that the creature is still inside of him? She narrowed her eyes. You gonna answer that question yet, Angel?


    There wasn¡¯t a response and she could only scowl. Ever since Jay had been brought back, The Angel had been silent, but she could feel its presence so she knew it was still inside of her. It was staying dormant for a reason and she wanted to know what that was, but unfortunately, before she could pry any further, she heard a knock at the front door, indicating that Jay had arrived.


    ¡°It¡¯s unlocked!¡± she called out, and seconds later, Jay Brooks walked into the living room.


    Lilly slowly got to her feet, knowing that she had to be very careful with what she said and how she said it. Whether due to the monster or not, Jay was strangely unstable and she didn¡¯t want to risk setting him off. He was one of her best friends and she was determined to help him the same way she was trying to help the others.


    ¡°Hey, Jay,¡± she greeted softly. ¡°Thanks for coming by.¡±


    He frowned and then glanced around the room before eyeing her suspiciously. ¡°Where¡¯s everybody else? Are you the only one home?¡±


    ¡°I am, yeah. I thought it would be better if we handled this alone. The others don¡¯t need to be here.¡±


    The boy scoffed. ¡°So this is about Alice again? Lilly, how many times do I have to tell you not to go anywhere near Alice with your damn magic? She¡¯s suffered more than enough and she¡¯s finally been given a place where she can be happy! But you want to wrench that away from her?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice,¡± Lilly replied. ¡°This realm is coming down no matter what and when it does, her memories return regardless. You know this, Jay, and I know you¡¯re not stupid. We should be using this place to help Alice cope, and if we don¡¯t do that, she¡¯ll only return to the real Wilham in an even worse state than before. So tell me¡­do you want the erased realm destroyed?¡±


    Jay clicked his tongue and slowly began to pace and, as he did, Lilly began to move as well, wanting to keep him at a certain distance as they spoke. She could see the anger and pain in his eyes and was growing more and more convinced that Jay wasn¡¯t completely himself. He clearly wasn¡¯t fully controlled by the monster, but it was affecting him somehow.


    It¡¯s possible I can¡¯t get through to him right now. If that thing is getting in the way¡­


    ¡°You know, Lilly, I¡¯ll be honest with you,¡± he grunted. ¡°I don¡¯t want the erased realm destroyed. I want this place to last forever. Audrey and Rina are alive here. Magic never tainted the school and Nigreos and Album never ruined anything! So of course I want to stay! I want Alice to stay, too! So why can¡¯t we put that world behind us?!¡± His voice got louder as he began to sound almost desperate to convince her. ¡°Why can¡¯t we just live here? Why do we have to go back? Why do we have to keep fighting when we have a paradise right here?!¡±


    ¡°Because this isn¡¯t a paradise,¡± she countered immediately. ¡°This is a lie, Jay. This world exists to keep you complacent. If not for The Angel, we¡¯d all be stuck here, ignorant to what really happened out there.¡±


    ¡°And would that not be better?¡± he demanded. ¡°Why would we even want to remember all that? Lilly, if we just stop all this right now, then we can live peacefully. We can be happy here.¡±


    But she was already shaking her head. ¡°I can¡¯t. I don¡¯t want to be stuck in Album¡¯s supposed paradise. I need to get to Eric¡ªto help him. And I want to see my sister and my family again. Not the fake ones here but the real ones. And it¡¯s not just me. Rista has people who need him out there as well, and Damien, Liz, and Vinny¡­ They¡¯re all unhappy here. This isn¡¯t a paradise for everybody.¡±


    ¡°But it can be!¡± he vehemently insisted. ¡°It¡¯s over, Lilly. We lost. Nigreos and Album beat us and we¡¯re lucky as all hell that we¡¯re not dead. We were given a place to live so let¡¯s accept that as our loss and put it behind us.¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t lost,¡± Lilly snapped. ¡°Just the fact that I have The Angel is proof of that. If we destroy this place, I can fight Nigreos and Album. They aren¡¯t the gods they made themselves out to be. They can be killed and I will kill them, if I have to.¡±


    ¡°Just stop this!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t. Jay, I¡¯m sorry, but I will do what has to be done. I will bring Alice¡¯s memories back and I will take this realm down.¡±


    ¡°DON¡¯T YOU DARE!¡±


    His scream caused her to flinch back as his face contorted into a glare of pure hatred that she never thought she would see directed her way. She tensed up and she could feel The Angel squirming inside her but she kept it in check, refusing to allow it to unleash against Jay.


    ¡°I hope this doesn¡¯t destroy our friendship,¡± Lilly replied calmly. ¡°I love you, Jay. You¡¯re one of my best friends and I hate that it¡¯s come to this, but I have to get to Eric. I wanted your blessing. I really did. But it¡¯s too late now. I¡¯ll do what I have to do to win this war against Ijiria.¡±


    Jay frantically shook his head, his eyes wide and his breathing ragged as he regarded her. ¡°Are you really going to do this to me? You? Of all people, you? I thought I could at least trust you, but I guess I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You can trust me, Jay¡ª¡±


    ¡°NO I CAN¡¯T!¡± he snarled, taking a threatening step toward her, and she could see that the conversation was deteriorating far faster than she had been ready for. ¡°If I could trust you then you would be doing everything in your power to save Alice! You would want her to be happy! Don¡¯t you see what you¡¯re trying to do to her?! In that world, Audrey and Rina are dead! Alice lost her friends, lost her leg, got herself tortured¡­! She suffered so much and now she¡¯s free from it! She¡¯s safe and happy and you want to throw her back into that hellish life?!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice,¡± Lilly said firmly. ¡°I can¡¯t change the past. What happened in our world can¡¯t be undone, not even by a place like this. She¡¯ll know something¡¯s wrong here. We all had a feeling before our memories returned. Alice needs to accept what happened¡­and so do you¡­¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Jay spat. ¡°I don¡¯t have to accept anything. I just have to help Alice! I have to help her! I failed everybody else, after all! Audrey is dead because of me! And Rina¡­ I led Rina to her death! She followed me into the forest and now she¡¯s dead! The three of them were my family when my actual family didn¡¯t want me! I cared about them more than anything! I would have died for them and it was me who got them killed! I couldn¡¯t save Audrey! I couldn¡¯t save Rina! And I couldn''t save Alice.¡± His breathing was heavy and his body shook as he spoke as he continued moving toward her. ¡°But now I have a chance. Alice can live here and if you want to get in my way¡­¡±


    Lilly swallowed nervously but held her ground, refusing to back down as Jay walked right up to stand in front of her, his face right in front of hers.


    ¡°Then you¡¯re our enemy, Lilly.¡±


    The sensation was so fast that Lilly didn¡¯t even realize what had happened until it was too late. Her hand lurched up and grabbed Jay by the face as her lips began to move.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Harper. I really am.¡±


    No! Don¡¯t!


    ¡°Coreas,¡± her mouth said on its own, and to her horror, shadows exploded from her palm, engulfing Jay¡¯s face and sending his body lurching backwards, bursting through the balcony doors in a spray of glass before disappearing over the side with a feral scream.


    What the hell did you do?! she snarled internally as she sprinted forward, avoiding shards of glass, before coming to a stop by the railing of the balcony.


    ¡°Jay!¡± she shrieked, but the moment she saw over the side, a feeling of dread washed over her.


    Jay''s body was convulsing on the ground as inhuman screams escaped his lips while his limbs began to grow, turning more spindly and spider-like. At the same time, claws grew from his nails and she could see his skin turning gray in the dim light of the streetlamps. Hair sprouted around his body and his teeth turned sharp and jagged as he raised his head to turn his pitch black eyes toward where she stood. It was a sight she recognized and a sight that still haunted her nightmares, and she could only remember the last time she had seen that monster.


    She¡¯d hoped to never see it again, but she had already gotten a nasty feeling that wouldn¡¯t be the case.


    ¡°What did I do?¡± the Voice of Darkness asked in a smug tone. ¡°I saved you from that.¡±

 Chapter 29- No Choice But To Lie

    Chapter XXIX


    Even though Ryokumo had already warned him that their plans may have to be moved up, Eric still hadn¡¯t been prepared when the man returned to their quarters to tell him that they would be acting that very night. In just a handful of hours, the two of them would begin their attempt to take down the erased realm and kill Nigreos and Album. It meant that his brief few months in Ijiria were coming to their end and he would never be able to return. He knew he belonged in Omaruo, in Wilham, and yet he couldn¡¯t deny that part of him was sad that he wouldn¡¯t ever see Erika and the Citadel again. Not everybody he met there was bad. He had become close with both Ryokumo and Iris, and had even found himself caring for the Children of Reiner despite their brief time together.


    Not to mention, if I leave tonight, then I won¡¯t ever find out the truth about my mother¡­


    He and Ryokumo had come to the conclusion that the woman Album erased might hold the answers to his mom¡¯s rebellion, so if he wanted to know the truth then his only choice was to hope that they were right. Yet, despite not trusting Album, he found he couldn¡¯t stop thinking about her warning. She had claimed he would only suffer if he knew what really happened, which both scared him and intrigued him.


    But what could be so bad that Album thinks it¡¯ll make me suffer? Could she just be saying that, or is there some truth to it? And for that matter, why would she even admit that to me? Why would she risk me bringing such valuable information back to Ryokumo? I mean, she must have known I would tell him.


    Eric sighed as he rounded the corner and came to one of the Citadel¡¯s lifts. While Ryokumo was making preparations for the two of them to head back into the city and inform Arisa that the plans had changed, Eric had been summoned up to the office of Prince Reigious. He didn¡¯t know what the prince would want with him, nor had Ryokumo had much of an idea, so Eric was slightly on edge as he stepped on the lift and began to ascend.


    I¡¯ve hardly spoken to Prince Reigious so I don¡¯t really know what I should expect. Why would he want to talk to me after all this time? Is it possible that he¡¯s caught on to what Ryokumo and I are up to?


    When he¡¯d voiced these concerns, Ryokumo had simply brushed them aside and told him that it was unlikely Reigious knew anything yet. It was slightly relieving to know his master wasn¡¯t worried, but Eric was still apprehensive about being in the presence of the prince at all. He could still remember the overwhelming power the man had displayed during their sparring match and it served as a reminder that Reigious could end his life on a whim. The prince didn¡¯t strike him as the type of person who would do that, but the thought was stuck in the back of his mind as he stepped off the lift and entered another corridor.


    He only made a few steps, however, before he heard the sound of footsteps and looked up to see two women approaching him. It was Iris and the Master of Water, Nyx Rana, who Eric hadn¡¯t even seen since that first day. He only recognized her because, like the other Masters, her appearance was very distinct, with her pale blue robes and her silver hair. She also seemed to be half asleep as she walked beside Iris.


    ¡°Oh, Eric, good morning,¡± Iris greeted cheerfully, upon which Nyx¡¯s head slowly rose so she could look at him. ¡°What brings you all the way up here? Did Reigious need something from you?¡±


    While he was perfectly comfortable around Iris, Nyx¡¯s presence caused him to hesitate a bit, but he forced that pressure down and responded as casually as he could. ¡°Yeah, actually. I¡¯m not sure what he wants, but a summons from the prince isn¡¯t exactly something you can question.¡±


    Iris chuckled. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s for sure. Well, Rana and I just got finished talking with him so he¡¯s all yours. And don¡¯t forget that you and I have a test tomorrow morning on Kalkorai geography and I expect to see a good performance, yes?¡±


    A sickening feeling assaulted his stomach as Iris smiled pleasantly at him. It hadn¡¯t even occurred to him until that moment, but his lessons with the Master of Nature had ended the previous day. By the time that test arrived, he would either be in the dungeon, dead, or back in Omaruo with the club. Iris would probably hate him and see him as a traitor and there was nothing he could do about that. She had shared some personal experiences and placed her trust in him, and his actions that night would only be the equivalent of him spitting in her face. Their lessons meant more to him than he expected they would, so ignoring his better judgment, Eric made a choice. Iris and Nyx had already passed him by and were getting ready to step onto the lift, so he turned around and called out to her.


    ¡°Master Mackia!¡±


    Iris stopped and glanced back at him in surprise. ¡°Yes, Eric? What is it?¡±


    The boy carefully lowered his head in a bow. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to say this for a while now, but thank you for teaching me. You¡¯ve made my time in the Citadel easier despite how foreign and scary it all is. You¡¯ve treated me well, and that¡¯s not something I¡¯ll ever forget, no matter where the future takes me.¡± Realizing he had just rambled everything off, he paused and took a breath. ¡°So yeah. Thank you for everything. I¡¯ll make sure to do my best on that test tomorrow.¡±


    At first, he didn¡¯t hear anything from her, so he worked up the courage to raise his head and gaze back at her, only to see her feline features appearing almost sad. He didn¡¯t know what he said that would elicit such a reaction from her, but before he could ask, her smile returned.


    ¡°Of course, Eric. I¡¯ve been happy to teach you. Thanks for being such a good student. I¡¯ll see you in the morning. Goodbye.¡±


    With those parting words, Iris turned and stepped onto the lift with Nyx. The Master of Nature then chanted the incantation and the two of them descended from his view. Eric let out the breath he¡¯d been holding in, then turned back around and continued toward Reigious¡¯s office.


    I know that was stupid. I know I¡¯ve only made myself look suspicious, but¡­I wanted her to know that no matter what, I did appreciate her. I needed to tell her that.


    The rest of the walk was uneventful before he came to a golden door at the end of a corridor with two armored guards quietly standing outside. He could feel them watching him as he approached and, when he did, the one on the left spoke.


    ¡°What¡¯s your business here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Eric Reiner. Prince Reigious sent for me.¡±


    The guard nodded then stepped aside, allowing him passage through the golden door. He immediately entered into a silver, unfurnished room that consisted only of a door on the opposite side. The mana was dense and uncomfortable so he picked up his pace and crossed through the other doorway, grateful to be free of the suffocating aura. The next room was far more pleasant and he knew this was the office proper. It was far more befitting of the title ¡°Throne Room¡± than the place where he met the king. The windows on the right side were large, letting in a lot of morning light. Banners with the royal crest surrounded them and just ahead was a large emerald desk and a golden throne upon which Reigious Iiji sat, absorbed in some papers.


    ¡°Good morning, My Prince,¡± Eric said with a bow, recalling the formalities Ryokumo and Iris both taught him.


    Reigious glanced up at the sound of his voice before smiling softly. ¡°Good morning to you, too, Eric. Give me just a second. I need to finish something real quick.¡±


    Eric remained where he was as he waited for the prince, and as he did, his eyes gradually wandered to the large painting above him, which left him quickly intrigued. It depicted what he knew had to be the royal family. He recognized Reigious and Piura, though they both looked to be in their teenage years, with Piura no older than Eric was. But what truly caught his attention were the older individuals behind them.


    The man must have been Markreas Iiiji, the king, though he was far different from the crippled man in the box that Eric met. He stood tall with a beaming smile and shoulder length emerald hair, a golden crown upon his head. He wore gold and green robes and had a familiar sword at his hip that Eric recognized from his spar with Reigious.


    Beside him was who Eric guessed was the former queen of Ijiria¡ªReigious and Piura¡¯s mother. Unlike Markreas, she wasn¡¯t smiling in the slightest. Her features were stern and her eyes¡¯ piercing. Her emerald hair was pulled back in a tight bun and her gown seemed almost simple when compared with the lavish appearance of her husband. He got chills just looking at a painting of her, so he couldn¡¯t imagine what she must have been like in person.


    ¡°It¡¯s a nice picture, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Reigious¡¯s comment brought him out of his thoughts as he looked down to see the prince grinning warmly as he, too, gazed at the portrait.


    ¡°Yeah, it is. I¡¯ve never seen any art of the king and queen so I didn¡¯t know what they looked like,¡± he replied. ¡°It¡¯s a gorgeous piece.¡±


    ¡°I would hope so,¡± the prince replied wryly. ¡°My father spent a fortune on what he believed to be the greatest painter in the land, much to the dismay of my mother. She was never really one for trivial matters such as this, but I¡¯m glad it was made, if only to remind me of them.¡±


    There was a tone of nostalgia in his voice as he spoke, as if the man was thinking back to a time long past. He knew it was impolite to pry, but Eric couldn¡¯t stop himself from asking the question that popped into his mind.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, what happened to them? Ryokumo¡¯s never really explained it and Iris told me we¡¯d discuss it another time. Is it not common knowledge what happened or¡­?¡±


    Reigious glanced down at the desk and shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s well known, but¡­ Well, many of those in the Citadel tend to avoid the subject if possible. It¡¯s not one of our finest moments.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then I¡¯m sorry for asking,¡± he quickly muttered. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to be rude.¡±


    ¡°Not at all, Eric. It¡¯s perfectly natural to be curious, especially when it comes to something as significant as what happened to my parents.¡± He smiled sadly as he fiddled with the pen on his desk. ¡°An assassin snuck their way into the building and used a rather powerful talisman to attack them. That era¡¯s Master of Nature did everything he could to save my father and only barely succeeded. My mother, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t so lucky.¡±


    Eric gaped at the man in shock. He¡¯d been told that the Citadel was rarely ever breached by enemies and that the Children of Reiner¡¯s attack was a massive anomaly. It was no wonder that the subject was taboo if the assailant not only got into the building but succeeded in reaching the king and queen.


    ¡°It was actually the same night I nearly died, and it¡¯s because your mother arrived when she did that I¡¯m here today,¡± Reigious went on. ¡°I owe her my life, and I hope that helping you can atone at least a little bit.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­sorry for your loss,¡± he said when nothing else came to mind. ¡°Obviously¡­I know what it feels like to lose a parent. It¡¯s hard. Even after so many years, I still sometimes find it hard to accept that she''s gone.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s weird how that happens, isn¡¯t it?¡± the prince whispered. ¡°You think one day you¡¯ll be able to move on, but it¡¯s just not that simple. My mother was a harsh woman and I can¡¯t even say we were particularly close, yet she was still my mother. She was the woman who raised me and no matter how strained our relationship got, that never changed.¡±


    As Reigious spoke, Eric couldn¡¯t help but to think about his father. Reigious had a point. He hadn¡¯t been close with his dad in years, and he hated him in so many ways, yet when he learned that Nigreos and Album erased him, he was furious. It only made him hate the two Masters even more.


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    Parents are parents, I suppose. I do hope that, maybe, after this is over, my dad and I can reach some sort of understanding, even if we¡¯re never close again.


    ¡°But I¡¯m sorry,¡± Reigious quickly added. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to go off on a tangent there. It¡¯s just¡­when the subject comes up, I can¡¯t help but think about it. Anyway¡­¡± Before Eric could even reply, the man sat up straighter and smiled charmingly, his handsome features completely devoid of the longing they displayed moments earlier. ¡°I just wanted to check in with you. It¡¯s been a few months now and while I¡¯ve spoken with Iris and Ryokumo a number of times, I thought it was proper to talk to you. How have your studies been?¡±


    The boy considered the question for a moment as his thoughts briefly shifted to the plan he and Ryokumo would enact within the next few hours. The man sitting before him was just another individual he would be tossing aside and betraying, and while he didn¡¯t have the same type of relationship with Reigious that he had with Iris, it was still hard to look the man in the eyes and lie through his teeth. That just wasn¡¯t who Eric was. It wasn¡¯t easy to betray people who had only ever helped him.


    Nigreos and Album are the ones who assaulted Wilham. They¡¯re the ones who ruined everything. But Reigious and Iris didn¡¯t do any of that. They¡¯ve only ever helped me, and I¡¯m betraying them.


    ¡°My studies have been going well,¡± he answered. ¡°The stuff Master Mackia teaches is really fascinating, and Ryokumo¡¯s been good to me. I¡¯m finally starting to get used to life here in Ijiria.¡±


    Reigious nodded. ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯m glad to hear it. Though, I was informed that you had dinner with Nigreos last week and that it, well, went poorly. What was the deal with that?¡±


    ¡°Well, Nigreos requested that I join him and I was hoping to try and see if we could come to some sort of understanding,¡± he lied. ¡°But I just couldn¡¯t. Every time I look at him, I only see the man who killed my mother and tortured my friends. I just¡­can¡¯t unsee it.¡±


    A flash of melancholy returned to the prince¡¯s features. ¡°I suspected as much but I commend you for trying. I¡¯m sending Nigreos and Album north tomorrow so they won¡¯t be in the Citadel for some time. Hopefully that¡¯ll make things easier for you. Perhaps you¡¯ll feel more comfortable without them here.¡±


    His words seemed genuine, like he really did worry for Eric¡¯s well being. It didn¡¯t make what he had to do any easier, but the time had come and no matter how much he wished it could¡¯ve been different, there was simply no other option. The Magic Club and West Wilham High were his top priorities and he would follow Ryokumo wherever he needed in order to save them. What he would do to Iris and Reigious couldn¡¯t be helped.


    It couldn¡¯t be helped.


    ***


    The sun was setting by the time Eric arrived on the doorstep of the Children of Reiner¡¯s most recent hideout. After departing the Citadel with Ryokumo under the guise of investigation business, the two of them split up, with the Master going to speak with Nuvo Tannath about the change in plans and Eric making his way to the ruins of the orphanage to make contact with Hannah Lynn. She must have been expecting him because Ryokumo¡¯s former apprentice arrived soon after he did and, after he gave her a quick rundown of what was going on, she led him back through the Erikan slums and to front door of yet another rundown house, though this one was only one story and was further to the south than their last place. Hannah knocked a few times on the door and stepped back before glancing back at Eric.


    ¡°By the way, Arisa didn¡¯t tell Ryokumo when he came down here the other day, but another one of the Children joined us so¡­¡± Hannah paused and smirked. ¡°...Just don¡¯t be alarmed. He¡¯s a friend.¡±


    Eric cocked an eyebrow, unsure of how to feel about that sudden revelation but before he could press the issue, a voice sounded from within the house.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    Hannah sighed. ¡°The herbalist, here with the order you requested.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s the weather like?¡±


    ¡°Cloudy, but I wouldn¡¯t bet on snow.¡±


    Eric realized just as the door was opening that it was a code to verify their identities and soon after, Lyla was beckoning them both into the cramped entryway of the building before quickly shoving the door closed.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t realize he was stopping by today,¡± she murmured, eyeing Eric with an expression that told him she still wasn¡¯t completely sold on who he claimed to be.


    ¡°Things have changed,¡± Hannah grunted. ¡°Is everybody here?¡±


    Lyla nodded. ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re in the main room.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    With that sharp response, Hannah and Lyla both led Eric down the hall before hanging a left into a living room that greatly resembled the one they¡¯d been in last time. It was clearly looted of all furniture, and the windows were cracked and charmed with what he sensed was distortion magic while little balls of fire floated around, giving the room some light. When they arrived, he spotted Ardan, Tylo, and Irin all sitting against the far wall, but what caused him to stop was the man Arisa was standing next to, who turned back and gazed straight at him with an expression that sent shivers down his spine. He was around six and a half feet tall with a large chest and muscled arms that were just barely visible with his cloak wrapped around his body. His head was shaved and he had a thin beard, with dark skin and dark eyes that seemed to already be sizing him up.


    ¡°This him?¡± he growled.


    Arisa laughed softly. ¡°Yup, this is Eric Reiner, Mom¡¯s genetic son. Eric, this is one of our fellow brothers, Malt Territh.¡±


    Eric recognized the name almost instantly as he recalled the other guide that Ryokumo said the Master of Fire was currently pursuing, though he was believed to still be somewhere up north.


    So what¡¯s he doing here?


    ¡°How¡¯d you get into the city?¡± Eric asked in awe. ¡°They¡¯ve got Korrei-Tarr all over the place and from what I¡¯ve heard, you¡¯re a wanted man.¡±


    Malt chuckled. ¡°Ah, so my reputation precedes me, does it? I¡¯ve lived in this city all my life, kid, so I know the ins and outs, and who can be trusted. I have my ways, and that¡¯s why I¡¯m here. I heard Ari was alive so I came as quickly as I could to get her and the rest out of here. Though, I didn''t expect to meet somebody like you. Kinda coincidental that Abigail Reiner¡¯s son suddenly showed up with a man like Caeli, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Eric immediately got the implications of what he said and could already tell that Malt wasn¡¯t going to be as easy to convince as the others. They all relied on Arisa, so her word was enough to get them to at least give him a chance. But Eric could already tell that Malt wasn¡¯t one to rely on the opinions of others so if he wanted to gain his trust, he would have to earn it. His sense told him that the big man was trustworthy, so he knew his skepticism was only out of a desire to protect his brothers and sisters.


    ¡°Malt, please,¡± Arisa cut it with a roll of her eyes. ¡°I already told you, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s lying.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, maybe not,¡± he replied with a shrug. ¡°Either way, I want to hear from him myself. It¡¯s a wild claim to call yourself her son from another realm. And perhaps I would have trusted him had Ryokumo Caeli not come in alongside him. A Master of Ijiria can only be an enemy. I know that well.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s fair,¡± Eric conceded before Arisa could cut in a second time. ¡°I was prepared for a reaction like that, and under other circumstances, I would have tried to alleviate those fears, but unfortunately, I don¡¯t have time. Arisa.¡± He then turned away from Malt to address the girl beside him. ¡°Things have changed. Ryokumo and I are acting tonight.¡±


    ¡°Tonight?!¡± she exclaimed, standing up straighter as she stared back at him. ¡°What do you mean? I thought Caeli said we had more time?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s the deal here?¡± Tylo demanded, jumping to his feet as Irin and Ardan did the same. ¡°You can¡¯t just go changing it like that!¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice,¡± Eric assured them. ¡°Prince Reigious is sending Nigreos and Album to Harunhein tomorrow morning so if we want to take them down then tonight¡¯s the only night to do it. Ryokumo¡¯s at Tannath¡¯s right now and when he gets here, he wants you guys ready to leave.¡±


    While he expected them to be apprehensive, he hadn¡¯t expected the sudden awkward silence as the seven of them stared back at him. He could tell by their reactions that he was missing something so he glanced around in confusion. Unfortunately, it was Malt who responded to him.


    ¡°You can tell your black market merchant we don¡¯t need him anymore. I¡¯ll take it from here. They¡¯re safer with my contact than with some random guy Caeli dragged out.¡±


    ¡°Your¡­contact?¡± Eric prompted, knowing it should comfort him that Malt knew somebody more trustworthy, yet he couldn¡¯t deny the bad feeling he was getting. ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°An old friend of mine from the slums,¡± Malt answered. ¡°He and I grew up on the streets together before I went to my mother and he joined the army. He¡¯s no fan of Ijiria and he owes me some favors. Smuggled me in and is willing to smuggle me out with them.¡±


    The boy swallowed nervously before glancing around once more. Arisa was the only one staring back as the other four avoided eye contact. As for Hannah, she seemed displeased, and he got the feeling that she didn¡¯t approve of abandoning her former Master¡¯s plan.


    ¡°And you¡¯re okay with this?¡± he asked, looking back at Arisa. ¡°You want to back out of Ryokumo¡¯s plan?¡±


    She sighed with clear regret before nodding softly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Eric, but it¡¯s just too hard for us to trust Caeli. I was willing to work with him when we didn¡¯t have other options, but I trust Malt so I trust his plan. I¡¯m grateful that you guys want to help, but we¡¯ll take it from here.¡±


    Eric wanted to argue, but he never got himself to speak even a word against her reasoning. He only wanted them to go along with Ryokumo because he knew the Master of Wind better than he knew Malt Territh. But the opposite was true of Arisa and the others so it made sense that they would be more comfortable going with him. At the end of the day, as long as they survived then Eric was happy.


    ¡°Tell my master I¡¯m sorry,¡± Hannah said, drawing his attention to her and her torn expression. ¡°I tried.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ Thank you,¡± he muttered. ¡°I¡¯ll let him know then. I¡¯m glad you guys have an option you¡¯re more comfortable with, but I still urge you to flee the city tonight, if you can. Once Nigreos and Album are dead, it¡¯s going to go on a lockdown worse than it already is. Your best shot of escaping is now.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    He expected one of the Children to argue but he hadn¡¯t expected the first to speak to be Arisa.


    ¡°Does it really have to be that way?¡±


    Eric frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    The red-haired girl¡¯s hesitant expression turned firm as she raised her head and stared him directly in the eyes. ¡°Do you really need to go after them? It¡¯s dangerous, Eric. You could get yourself killed! So¡­why not come with us? Why not put Erika behind you and be with us¡­ Your mom is our mom so you¡¯re our brother, too. I want to get to know you better. Three conversations just isn¡¯t enough. You¡¯re her real son so who better to take her place and lead us but you? We can flee to Trovia and give them guideship! We can fight Ijiria together¡­as the Children of Reiner!¡±


    As Arisa stuck out her hand for him to grasp, he found himself imagining her suggestion. The emotion in her voice was real. She wanted him to join them and part of him wished he could have. In just the few days he¡¯d known her, he had grown to like and respect Arisa Kirisan and what she was able to do. In another reality, they would have probably been really close¡ªa true brother-sister relationship. But¡­


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± he told her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Arisa, but I have people who need me back in Omaruo. My friends have suffered because of me and they need me to save them. I can¡¯t abandon them so I have to finish what we started. I have to kill Nigreos and Album.¡±


    ¡°But, Eric¡ª!¡±


    ¡°I know I could die,¡± he went on, talking over her. ¡°I know how risky it is, but it¡¯s worth it for them. You don¡¯t need me to lead you because I could never be better than you. I believe in you.¡± He smiled sadly. ¡°I wish I could have known you better. I wish I could have known all of you, but my home is there, not here. I¡¯m not some revolutionary or some hero who can fight Ijiria nor do I want to be. I¡¯m just some dumbass teenager who stumbled into a world he didn¡¯t belong in. I¡¯m not Ijirian so it¡¯s not my fight.¡±


    ¡°But Mom¡­¡± she started softly. ¡°They killed her. Don¡¯t you want to make them pay for that?¡±


    Eric let out a weak exhale and nodded. ¡°I will. Nigreos Noctis dies tonight and Mom will be avenged. Anything else¡­is for you to do. But please¡­don¡¯t fight anymore. You don¡¯t need to fight. Flee to Trovia and settle down. Live in peace and live happily. I¡¯ll avenge Mom¡­so you don¡¯t have to.¡±


    Hannah and the other Children remained silent as Eric and Arisa spoke, but he knew that his words had reached them, too. He watched as Arisa slowly lowered her hand back to her side and he once again wished there could have been a way to take it.


    ¡°Take care then,¡± she muttered. ¡°If you die¡­I¡¯ll be pissed.¡±


    ¡°Rightfully so,¡± he quipped. ¡°Then I''ll just have to live, simple as that. Territh.¡± Eric turned to eye the man, whose features were completely unreadable as he watched the exchange. ¡°Can your contact get you out tonight?¡±


    Malt narrowed his eyes then shrugged. ¡°Probably, if I asked him. We planned to leave tomorrow but I¡¯m sure I could work something out.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Eric said. ¡°Then run. All of you run. I¡¯ll go meet up with Ryokumo and tell him what¡¯s going on. Get out of Erika as soon as possible and then run as far away from here as you can. That way¡ª¡±


    ¡°Guys, stop talking,¡± Hannah suddenly hissed, and Eric fell silent as the seven of them turned to look back at her.


    She was staring through the window with a furrowed brow and her hand raised to signal for them to remain silent. The sun had set sometime during the conversation so it was pretty dark outside. He didn¡¯t know what she was seeing but he opted to do as requested and remain quiet.


    ¡°Hannah?¡± Arisa whispered.


    There was a tense pause as they all waited for her to say something, before she suddenly spun around and shouted, ¡°SHIELDS NOW!¡±


    Hannah sprinted backwards and lunged for Eric as she and everybody else in the house screamed out incantations.


    Half a second later, everything exploded in a wave of fire.

 Chapter 30- Jay Brooks

    Chapter XXX


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think we should head back? Those storm clouds look a little close.¡±


    Jay and Audrey both glanced back at Rina¡¯s concerned question as she stared off into the distance where there was a mass of dark gray clouds headed their way. Alice was standing beside the girl, seeming a little worried as well, but neither Audrey nor Jay were bothered by the prospect of a storm. In fact, Jay could see in his good friend¡¯s eyes that she was excited by the idea of rain.


    That weekend, Alice¡¯s parents had taken them up to Coralton, a small town in the mountains a few hours north of Wilham, where they were staying in a lodge to enjoy the hot springs. It was their second day of the trip and they had decided to go out on a hike by themselves, much to the clear dismay of Alice¡¯s mother. At the moment, they were walking along a cliffside path on their way to the summit where the hiking trail led. They were already within a mile of the top so Jay simply shook his head and brushed Rina¡¯s concerns aside.


    ¡°Nah, we¡¯ll be fine,¡± he called back to her. ¡°A little rain never hurt anybody.¡±


    Audrey nodded her agreement. ¡°Yeah, we can¡¯t head home already. This could be our last real trip before school starts. If we head home now then it¡¯s already over. Come on, Rina, you worry too much.¡±


    Their friend hesitated once more, clearly unconvinced, before sighing and shrugging. ¡°Fine, fine, whatever you idiots say. Just don¡¯t come crying to me if you get hurt.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t. Don¡¯t worry,¡± he replied. ¡°We¡¯ll cry to Alice instead.¡±


    Alice rolled her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it either. I do think we should go home but, then again, I didn¡¯t really want to go hiking in the first place. So how about we just pick up the pace so we can get back to the lodge where it''s warmer?¡±


    Audrey laughed as their friend pulled her jacket tighter around her body. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s hurry up then! Last one to the top owes the rest of us an ice cream!¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª?! Wait a second, Audrey!¡± Rina protested, but both she and Jay ignored her as they picked up their pace and began to sprint further to the top.


    They were laughing like they didn¡¯t have a care in the world. All they wanted to do was have fun, and with the end of summer vacation looming before them, there was never a better time to enjoy themselves. Nothing could go wrong, after all. That was how Jay always thought. His life was happy. Despite his distant relationship with his parents, he considered his life a good one. He never even considered the possibility that he could lose that happiness, let alone that it could all end on that day.


    Even as the rain picked up, they smiled.


    Even when the path got muddy and slippery, they smiled.


    Even as the wind got more intense, they smiled.


    But the lifespans of those smiles were shorter than they should have been. That was the day it ended. That was the day Jay¡¯s life changed and could never go back.


    It was the day his paradise died.


    ***


    And yet, you have that paradise back, don¡¯t you? The erased realm has given you what you lost. It''s given Alice what you lost. Lilly Harper intends to take it all away from you. She¡¯s going to take Audrey and Rina away from you. But you can stop her, can¡¯t you?


    I can stop her, can¡¯t I? But I don¡¯t want to hurt her! I know she means well!


    Whether she means well or not is unimportant. Alice Mendez is your life. Alice Mendez is who you live for. She is your reason to live and she always has been.


    But I was supposed to live for myself, too. That¡¯s what I promised Alice, that day in our hideout.


    But how can you live for yourself if you lose Alice? Harper wants to take her. Harper wants to steal the last piece of happiness you have. We can¡¯t let her do that. If we kill Lilly Harper, then the erased realm becomes eternal. They can¡¯t escape without The Angel. Kill The Angel, save Alice.


    But, it¡¯s Lilly. It¡¯s my friend! I can¡¯t kill her!


    You must. You must choose between Lilly and Alice¡­ Is that not a simple choice?


    ***


    With a scream, the monster that had once again taken control of Jay¡¯s body launched itself from the ground and flew toward where Lilly stood on the balcony of Rista¡¯s apartment. She didn¡¯t even have time to think before The Angel reacted, casting a spell that controlled the shadows of the night around her. She could feel her body melting into the darkness, as if her very form had become shadow, and she moved through them, avoiding the sharp claws of the creature. As she watched the balcony explode into shards of wood, she felt her feet reform on the street below as her body emerged from darkness, becoming herself again.


    ¡°I am sorry about this, Harper, but I¡¯m going to have to kill this thing. It¡¯s a puppet of Nigreos Noctis that will only hinder our success here. The nerich must be stopped. So please do not resist.¡±


    Wait! You can¡¯t! I don¡¯t care what that thing is! Do not kill Jay!


    What the voice referred to as the nerich sunk its claws into the wall of the apartment building as it turned its head around one-hundred and eighty degrees, its black eyes seeking Lilly before settling on where she stood in the middle of the road.


    Where have you even been this whole time?! You brought Jay¡¯s memories back and then just disappeared on me!


    ¡°Yeah, sorry about that, but we thought it might be better to observe the nerich without allowing you to hear our thoughts. He didn¡¯t want you to be aware of the possibility that we may have to kill Mr. Brooks.¡±


    You are not killing him, you hear me!


    Before she could get another word in, the nerich propelled itself off the building and flew down toward her, moving just as fast as she remembered. Lilly¡¯s arm swung upwards and she could feel her mouth beginning to move as The Angel tried to speak an incantation, but Lilly was adamant about preventing Jay from getting hurt. Using all her strength, she bit down on her tongue so hard that she could taste blood.


    ¡°Idiot! Don¡¯t resist us!¡±


    Lilly¡¯s body lurched sideways just as the nerich¡¯s claw swung down toward her, missing her by barely an inch as it slammed the blades down into the concrete of the road. But of course, it was fast, and was already turning to land another strike. By this point, The Angel had broken past her resistance and shouted, ¡°Luminetta!¡±


    In Lilly¡¯s left hand, a ball of light suddenly erupted, bursting so quickly that it was gone before she had even processed its presence, but that momentary flash was enough to cause the nerich to flinch backwards, frantically clawing its way down the road to put distance between them.


    ¡°Illumine!¡± she shouted.


    It was a similar sensation to just moments before, but this time, her body became pure, bright light. It was so fast that she didn¡¯t even know what had happened before she was physical again, yet as she frantically looked around, she realized that she was no longer on the street. Somehow, she had reached the roof of the Rista¡¯s apartment building and could hear the nerich¡¯s screams down below.


    ¡°What in the hell are you doing?! We need to kill that thing! Why did we run?!¡±


    At first, Lilly thought the Voice of Darkness was addressing her, but when the other voice responded, she realized that wasn¡¯t the case.


    ¡°I was just thinking that maybe we need to think about this more diplomatically. After all, it''s not like it''s impossible for us to save Brooks and kill the nerich, right?¡±


    ¡°I never said it was impossible! However, that thing is bonded with Nigreos, so we can kill it in mere seconds if we go all out! Trying to save Brooks would just put Harper in unnecessary danger!¡±


    It¡¯s not unnecessary! Lilly hurriedly interjected. Light, you said there¡¯s a way we can save him? How? I mean, what even is that thing? What did Nigreos put inside him?!


    ¡°Oh, it''s a nerich. It''s a sort of parasite that bonds really well with dark magic users. My best guess is that Nigreos put it inside of him to gain an edge over the Omaruans. However, it''s a being that bonds with the soul, not the body, so it came here when Brooks was erased. Therefore, if we can pull the creature out of his soul then Jay Brooks himself can be left intact.¡±


    Then let¡¯s do that! she internally shouted, and as she did, she could hear more screams and the sound of metal against concrete, which she feared could only mean that the nerich was climbing the building to get up to her.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple! In order to extract the nerich, we¡¯d have to hold Brooks down for long enough to finish the process! And if we¡¯re not fighting to kill then our arsenal isn¡¯t as strong!¡±


    And? Eric told me he held the thing down with rock magic back in Wilham! Can we not do the same?


    ¡°Unfortunately, we only know dark and light magic and those are pretty focused on murder, so we don¡¯t have a ton of options.¡±


    Lilly grimaced and impatiently ran her hands through her hair. Fantastic! Well, what about that spell Nigreos used to hold us down with shadow?! What about that?!


    ¡°Probably our best bet, but the nerich is a being of darkness so it won¡¯t be as effective as it was on you humans.¡±


    But it''s still effective to some extent, right?!


    She could feel her heart beating in her chest as the violent scraping drew closer so she clenched her teeth and thought, Just do whatever you need to! Use as much power as necessary, but save Jay! Get that damned nerich out of his mind once and for all!


    A loud noise rang out behind her and when she turned around, she saw the creature¡¯s claws gripping the side of the roof and, moments later, its twisted face rose over the side to stare at her, a wicked, toothy grin directed her way, like a predator that was enjoying its hunt for its prey.


    ¡°If we use too much power, it¡¯ll hurt you,¡± the Voice of Darkness warned.


    I don¡¯t give a fuck. Use what you need. Just save him.


    At that moment, Lilly felt her body surging with energy in a way that she hadn¡¯t felt since her fight with Rista and, much like that day, she could feel vast amounts of power centering around her back, telling her that The Angel was taking over.


    ¡°Very well, Lilly Harper. We¡¯ll do what we can. But if this doesn¡¯t work¡­ Jay Brooks dies.¡±


    ***


    It wasn¡¯t supposed to go like this! This wasn¡¯t what should have happened! We just didn¡¯t want it to end! We didn¡¯t want summer to end just yet! So why?! WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?!


    Jay had seen her slip.


    He had seen Audrey¡¯s foot lose balance due to the mud and the strong winds up on that mountain path. They¡¯d been heading back to the lodge when the storm got really bad and the wind was blowing far harder than was safe. They needed to get back. Rina kept urging that they go back to the lodge, and Audrey and Jay had finally agreed that they were out for longer than was safe. They picked up their pace, anxious to get to the warm interior of the lodge.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go so fast!¡± Rina had shouted over the rain.


    Audrey merely glanced over her shoulder and winked. ¡°Which is it, Ri¡±?¡± she teased. ¡°Do you want us to hurry back or do you want us to go slow? We can¡¯t do both!¡±


    It was a joke. Audrey had been telling jokes even in such an arguably dangerous moment. In fact, despite the wind and rain, she was beaming like she was having the time of her life.


    Then she lost her footing.


    She slipped and the slickness of the mud caused her other foot to catch on a stray rock, causing her body to lurch to the left, the direction of the cliffside, before she tumbled over the edge. That smile had faltered slightly when she tripped, but she must not have believed it would be that big of a deal as she almost laughed.


    ¡°AUDREY!¡±


    Jay was the one who shouted. He and Audrey were up front, a good few yards ahead of Alice and Rina, so he saw her go over first. He stood right beside his best friend as her body went over the side¡ªas that smile faltered. He reacted on pure instinct and jumped for her, barely managing to grasp her wrist and stop her fall into the trees far below. Time seemed to slow as he stared into her eyes.


    The smile was gone.


    The happiness and excitement were gone.


    The only thing left in her eyes was terror as the reality of what was happening settled in. That image seared itself in Jay¡¯s memory as his own body began to slip along the mud, and if nobody intervened then he and Audrey would go over the side together. He heard Rina and Alice screaming behind them. He could feel Audrey¡¯s slick arm slipping through his grasp, his strength not good enough to hold her up.


    In hindsight, Jay always wished that he could have gone over the side with her. For the years that followed that moment, he wished that he and Audrey could have died, side-by-side, hand-in-hand. They could have been together in whatever afterlife existed beyond.


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    But that wasn¡¯t what happened. Instead, he stared over that cliffside as his childhood friend¡¯s form got further and further away, accompanied by her screams of terror until they abruptly went silent. He didn¡¯t know whether it was Alice or Rina trying to pull him away from the cliff. He just remembered shrieking his lungs out, begging for her to come back, apologizing for dropping her¡ªfor not being fast enough nor strong enough to protect her. The one pulling him back wrapped her arms around him but her touch was cold.


    He would never forget the terror in her eyes.


    He would never forget her screaming.


    The day Audrey Moore died was stuck on an endless loop in his mind, reminding him of what he did to his best friend.


    ***


    And that is why we must protect the erased realm. That moment didn¡¯t happen here. In this world, that trip never happened. You went to high school with them. Audrey Moore didn¡¯t die. Rina Davens didn¡¯t detest you. Alice Mendez never suffered. And you never tried to kill yourself.


    But to protect this world, I have to kill Lilly? Can I really do that? I already killed Audrey and Rina. I can¡¯t have Lilly¡¯s blood on my hands, too. It¡¯s just too much! I can¡¯t do this any more! I just can¡¯t!


    And that is why you must pick. Alice or Lilly? Heaven or Hell? The choice is yours, boy, and you know the answer without me telling you. Look upon her. She¡¯s ready to kill you¡­


    Jay¡¯s eyes flickered open and he found himself peeking over the side of the building¡¯s roof, gaping at the surreal sight before him. Lilly Harper stood just a few yards away, but it wasn¡¯t the girl he was used to seeing. Her eyes were gazing at him, one white and one black, and her hair had turned both colors, split down the center. There were patches of her skin that had gone pale or black as unbridled power radiated off of her. But what truly left him stunned were the giant masses of black and white mana surging out from her back, seeming to have burst from under her shirt, and taking a form that could be perceived as the wings of an angel. They spread out for five feet in both directions, floating in the air as bolts of mana sparked off of them.


    Do you see? The Angel has come out¡­to kill you.


    The moment that sentence echoed through his mind, Lilly Harper, The Angel, smiled darkly and pushed off her back leg, lunging forward.


    ***


    Pain erupted through Jay¡¯s head and he felt himself collapsing backwards before colliding with the ground of his empty apartment. His hands went to his forehead, the place where she struck him, as he turned his stunned stare up at Rina Davens, who stood over him as she moved through his apartment¡¯s doorway with a hatred in her eyes that he had never seen directed his way by anybody, let alone a dear friend.


    ¡°Rina!¡± Alice shouted from somewhere behind him, but the girl that was supposed to be his friend just glared down at him, ignoring Alice.


    ¡°This is your fault!¡± she snarled. ¡°Do you understand that, Jay?! Audrey died because of you! If you¡¯d just listened to me and Alice and gone back when we saw the storm then Audrey would be alive right now! But no! You just had to keep going!¡±


    ¡°B-but¡­¡± he sputtered.


    ¡°No! You did this! You didn¡¯t listen! You never listen! And then you failed to catch her! You were right there and you still failed! You were next to her and you dropped her! You failed! You failed her, Jay!¡±


    As he listened to Rina shout at him, he wanted so desperately to argue back. He wanted to explain that it wasn''t his fault. He didn¡¯t want to see Rina, a girl he cared so much about, staring at him like he was a monster. Her eyes were pained as she looked at who she must have considered to be Audrey¡¯s killer¡ªher murderer. Jay murdered Audrey. She looked at him like he did it himself. It made him want to cry. He wanted to beg Rina to understand that it wasn¡¯t his fault. He wanted her to know that he had done everything he could, yet he realized that he couldn''t say any of those things. He couldn¡¯t save Audrey. He was right there and he couldn¡¯t save her.


    I killed her. I¡¯m the one who killed Audrey. It''s my fault. I did this. I failed. I was useless. I was stupid. I was fucking stupid! I should have listened to Rina! She was right, damn it!


    ¡°Nothing to say?¡± Rina spat. ¡°Do you honestly have nothing to say for yourself, you piece of shit?!¡±


    The girl stalked forward, as if ready to kick him in the face, and Jay forced himself not to flinch away so he could take the punishment he deserved, but the attack never came. Before he knew it, Alice had jumped in between them, her arms outstretched.


    ¡°Rina, stop it!¡± she begged. ¡°It wasn¡¯t Jay¡¯s fault! It¡¯s nobody¡¯s fault! It was an accident! It was¡­ It was just an accident.¡±


    Rina violently shook her head. ¡°But it could have been avoided! We could have avoided it if he just listened to us!¡±


    ¡°But it wasn¡¯t just him!¡± Alice shouted back. ¡°Audrey didn¡¯t listen either! Audrey refused to go back to the lodge! She wanted to keep hiking just as much as Jay did! So if you want to blame Jay then you have to blame Audrey, too! But it wasn¡¯t their fault! It wasn¡¯t¡ª!¡±


    A loud crack erupted through the room as Rina slapped Alice across the cheek, causing the girl to stumble backwards.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare blame Audrey for this!¡± Rina breathed. ¡°It was not her fault. If Jay had just conceded, Audrey would have come with us. You know she praised the ground he walked on! If he had just listened!¡±


    Jay wasn¡¯t sure what he expected out of Alice and he wanted to intervene, but he couldn¡¯t. He couldn''t get himself to stand. And as he watched like a coward from the ground, Alice¡¯s features twisted into an anger of her own as she rose to her full height.


    ¡°You honestly think anybody could have convinced Audrey to listen?!¡± Alice snarled. ¡°She never listened! She did whatever the hell she wanted and even Jay couldn¡¯t have changed that! There was nothing we could have done!¡±


    Rina laughed bitterly as she took a step backwards, her eyes flickering between the two of them. ¡°So you¡¯re going to take his side? You¡¯re gonna defend him even after what he did?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t do anything wrong,¡± Alice growled. ¡°He¡¯s suffering just like us. He just lost a friend so of course I¡¯m going to defend him if you¡¯re going to make stupid claims like that! Get a grip on yourself, Rina! You¡¯re not an idiot!¡±


    She flinched back as she had just been struck and stared blankly at Alice. ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot, huh? You think I¡¯m being stupid right now? You¡¯ll see, Alice. You know the truth. Go ahead. Defend him! I don¡¯t want anything to do with him so if you want to stay at his side then you can both burn in hell!¡±


    ¡°Wait, Rina,¡± Jay rasped, but the girl never heard him as she turned and stalked through the open doorway.


    She never came back.


    Their friendship ended that very moment, and Rina Davens and Jay Brooks went their separate ways. She never heard them out again. She wouldn¡¯t even look at Jay, and when she glanced at Alice in the halls, it always felt like she was waiting for Alice to come back and get her. But Alice never did and soon enough, high school began, and never interacted with each other again until Christmas of their junior year.


    Jay would often think back to that moment as well. He first failed Audrey and then he failed Rina. He let her go and now, she was dead, too. Nigreos Noctis killed her. When she walked through the door, their friendship permanently ended.


    He remembered Alice dropping down beside him and wrapping her arms around him, repeating the same thing over and over¡ªthough it never truly sank in. He never truly believed it.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Jay.¡±


    ***


    But it was your fault, wasn¡¯t it? Everything Rina said was true. If you had simply listened and gone home, Audrey would be alive. It was your fault. But you can make things right here. The erased realm has given you that chance. Don¡¯t screw it up, Brooks.


    ***


    When the power of The Angel fully awoke, it didn¡¯t feel the same as when she had cast spells before. She never even spoke incantations as she controlled the shadows that filled the darkened street. The Angel merely moved her limbs and shadow and light moved. Her body could be darkness or it could be light, and sometimes it was both. It was an experience she couldn¡¯t quite put into words. She existed and she didn¡¯t. The Angel controlled her, but she was conscious of everything, making decisions without being sure if they were hers or not. It felt like she was making them, though, and it almost seemed like the Voices had merged with her consciousness.


    They were one.


    They were the Angel.


    She pressed off her back foot, shadows swirling around her right hand and light encircling her left, as she crossed the distance between herself and the nerich in the blink of an eye. The creature hesitated and it was that momentary hesitation that gave Lilly the advantage. She was faster than she ever had been as she sent a silent burst of shadow toward it, hoping to incapacitate it like Nigreos had done to her back in Wilham, but like the Voice of Darkness had warned, it wasn¡¯t as strong due to the monster¡¯s dark nature. The shadows collided with its black form but they failed to get inside of it, and instead wound up sending the nerich back over the side before it could get a better grip on the rooftop railing.


    The momentum sent Lilly soaring over with it, but where she would have once been terrified to be plummeting to the ground, the energy surging from her back enabled her to glide down to the road while the nerich smashed into the concrete, black ooze bursting from its body. Lilly didn¡¯t waste time before she¡¯d spun around and sent beams of light flying toward it. This got a strong reaction out of it as it swiftly reoriented itself and sprinted out of the way, causing the bolts to smash into the apartment¡¯s walls.


    She knew she would be attracting attention from the nearby residents and that the cops had probably been called because of the shrieking, so she wanted to wrap the fight up as quickly as possible. While exposing magic wasn¡¯t a problem in the erased realm, their actions still had consequences within its reality. If reports of monsters and magic started spreading through the town, it would only complicate their situation and make their escape unnecessarily complex. It would be best to dispose of the nerich fast.


    Yet even with The Angel fully awakened, it wasn¡¯t an easy feat. She remembered the speed and agility the nerich displayed during hers and Eric¡¯s flight back during the spring festival and that power was front and center as it dodged her attacks, using the light posts to swing off of and using the buildings as launchpads. Lilly remained in place, controlling her light magic to ward it off while trying numerous times to lock it down with shadows.


    I have to do this! I have to beat this thing! For Jay¡¯s sake, I have to free him from this nightmare!


    Deciding that remaining in place wasn¡¯t working, Lilly decided to use a similar tactic that Eric had employed all those months ago. Using the power in her back, she pushed off the ground and leapt into the air, going higher than even she realized she could as she landed first on a nearby lamppost then to the roof of the next building over. And when she glanced back over her shoulder, she was pleased to see the nerich in pursuit.


    Perfect. Let¡¯s have a little chase again, shall we? Only this time, I¡¯m going to take you down!


    When she and Eric had run, their only goal was survival since they didn¡¯t know what they were up against or if they could beat it, but Lilly was both in possession of magic and knew what it was, so it no longer felt hopeless to her. A victory was not only possible but plausible if she played her cards right.


    She jumped to the next building and spun around to wait for the nerich to climb up to the top of the other one. Being on the rooftops would make it hard for anybody down below to see them, so it was here that she wanted to finish things. After just a few seconds of waiting, the nerich yanked itself up onto the roof then turned its black eyes toward her, that ever-familiar monstrous grin on its face as it located her. Lilly returned its smile with a challenging one of her own.


    ¡°Come and get me,¡± she hissed.


    Without so much as a sound, the nerich broke into a sprint, crossing its roof and launching itself toward her in a matter of seconds and in that time, Lilly had already started to move. Using her now enhanced speed, she hopped to the next building over before spinning around and hurling bolts of light straight for it, hoping to at least wound the creature. But each attack missed, forcing her to turn and run, and this time she pushed herself off to her left, crossing over the street to land on the buildings on the other side.


    With the nerich constantly on her heels, Lilly rarely remained in a single spot, constantly moving from roof to roof while occasionally jumping back to the bottom or even using the lamp posts as platforms to stand on. Everything she did, she took out of Eric¡¯s book, knowing that it had worked for him. All he¡¯d needed was a bit more power and that was what she had. Every time she jumped, she brought shadows and light to her arms, shooting everything she could at it in hopes of beating it. Yet nothing was working. The creature was too fast and she was too inexperienced with magic.


    But I could¡­ If I just allow more power to go through me¡­ But that could hurt me¡­ If I use too much¡­ Though if it''s to save Jay¡­


    For a moment, it felt like her collective consciousness reached an understanding of what might have to happen. If she reached in and used more of The Angel¡¯s power, she could probably incapacitate it, but just like Abi and The Angel had already warned her, her body might not be able to handle it.


    It could push her beyond repair.


    Then again, my body in the erased realm isn¡¯t the same as my one in the real world. As long as I don¡¯t die, I can suffer whatever pain I need to! It won¡¯t carry over! As long as I don¡¯t die¡­it doesn¡¯t matter what happens to me!


    She hadn¡¯t known that before that very moment, and it felt to her like The Angel had given her guidance. She just needed to win. No matter what happened to her body, as long as her soul remained intact, she could take as much damage as she needed, so she did what she had to do. Lilly turned and vaulted over the side of the roof she was on, gliding down to the street once more with the screams of the nerich right behind her. She knew without having to look that it would pursue her so all she had to do was go with her instincts and let The Angel handle it. The moment her feet hit the ground, Lilly spun around and extended her arms, this time shouting out an incantation.


    ¡°Devare!¡±


    The sound that left her lips resembled her voice, but she felt as if she could hear two others screaming with her. The world seemed to stop as she stared up at the nerich, which was midair as it soared down to her, its clawed hands reaching out toward her throat.


    But the incantation had done its job.


    All the shadows of the night around them lurched toward it, wrapping themselves around its arms and legs and neck, even going through its open mouth. With the entire night turned against it, even a creature of darkness like the nerich didn¡¯t have the power to fight back, yet Lilly knew it was unfortunate that she had to reach that point. The more the shadows shook the creature around, the more pressure she felt inside her. She could see the skin of her arms beginning to crack with blood oozing from within. Similar sensations spread to her legs, torso, and face, as if her body was beginning to burst from the inside.


    Now! Take it down now!


    With that internal scream, the nerich still thrashing around in the air, she felt The Angel separate from her once again, the power in her back beginning to diminish, and the Voice of Light reply, ¡°On it!¡±


    Lilly¡¯s legs moved on her own as the shadows pulled the nerich closer to the ground where her outstretched hands could press against its chest.


    ¡°Iluio,¡± she uttered.


    Light began to form in her hands once again, and this time, the energy surged outward and entered Jay¡¯s body through his mouth, combining with the shadows that held him in place. It engulfed him and soon, the shadows had vanished, leaving only light.


    ***


    Without warning, it felt like a weight was finally being lifted off his shoulders, as if the cloud of darkness within his head was being forcefully ripped out of him. That soothing and hypnotic voice that had been egging him on since he awoke in the erased realm began to get more and more distant. He could still hear it urging him to hurt Lilly, but he didn¡¯t want to, so he rejected it.


    Get out of my head. I don¡¯t want you here any more! I don¡¯t want to fight her! I don¡¯t want to kill her! I told you that! I won¡¯t do it!


    Then you choose to abandon Alice? You choose to leave her to suffer in the real world? You want to fail in protecting her?


    I won''t fail. I¡¯ll stay by her side like I promised her. We¡¯ll handle it together¡­ Now go away. I¡¯ve had enough of you!


    There was no response from the voice and soon enough, his head felt clear. It was a feeling he hadn¡¯t experienced since the day he jumped from his balcony. There wasn¡¯t anybody in his mind anymore. He was free. It was like he was waking up from an endless nightmare, free of a torment that he thought he¡¯d never escape.


    Jay slowly opened his eyes to find his head resting against someone¡¯s shoulder, but he knew without having to look up that it was Lilly whose arms were wrapped around him. Her breathing was ragged and he knew she must have fought hard, yet even though he let that thing take control and hurt her, she still hadn¡¯t abandoned him. Even after all the trouble he had caused her, Lilly Harper had never abandoned him.


    ¡°Thank you, Lilly,¡± he whispered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for everything.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Jay. It¡¯s over now. You¡¯re free. The nerich is gone. I killed it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯m finally free¡­¡±

 Chapter 31- Fire In The Slums

    Chapter XXXI


    Nuvo Tannath gaped in shock as Ryokumo set a large pouch of coins on his desk before turning his head to gaze at him. The Master of Wind could only smirk, knowing that the man must now be internally debating what to do without wanting to show his surprise, something he was already failing at. Due to his sudden demand for Nuvo to change their smuggling from the following week to that very night, Ryokumo had doubled the amount of money that was being offered. After all, he didn¡¯t intend to survive very long after this attack so it didn¡¯t matter to him how much money he stole from the treasury. As long as Hannah and the Children were safely out of Erika, he didn¡¯t care what he had to do, and he was more than ready to pressure Nuvo with all he had until the merchant took the new deal. They were currently in his office and the sun had set, so the only light they had was from the fire lamps attached to the walls.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be shitting me, Caeli,¡± he finally grunted. ¡°Tonight? You want me to do all this shit tonight?¡±


    Ryokumo nodded firmly. ¡°I do. Unfortunately, Nigreos won¡¯t be in the Citadel tomorrow so I have to take him down now, but I refuse to do something so risky unless I know that Hannah Lynn and the Children of Reiner will be safe. I¡¯ve doubled our coin for the more challenging request so I hope that¡¯s satisfactory.¡±


    ¡°And what about my plans, huh?¡± Nuvo demanded. ¡°I¡¯ve got a really important sale to make tomorrow so I can¡¯t just go running off to Trovia out of the blue. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯ll look suspicious if I suddenly disappear the night the Children escape?¡±


    ¡°You can tell your business associate that the item was purchased for a higher price by someone else,¡± Ryokumo replied. ¡°And as for suspicions, if you do this well enough, nobody should know that the Children escaped. The Citadel will be under the impression that they¡¯re still in the city as long as you aren¡¯t spotted.¡±


    The merchant leaned back in his desk chair and put his fingers to his bald temples. ¡°I fucking hate Masters. You¡¯re all so unreasonable and impulsive.¡±


    ¡°And soon enough, you¡¯ll be rid of us,¡± he reminded the man. ¡°In fact, you¡¯ll be rid of us tonight if you just do what I¡¯m asking you to do. And if you can¡¯t do it then I¡¯ll simply have to find another way, but the money will be leaving with me.¡±


    Nuvo¡¯s beady eyes narrowed as he no doubt considered his options. In actuality, Ryokumo wasn¡¯t sure what he would do if the man turned his request down. There wasn¡¯t time for him to come up with an alternate solution and there was nobody else he could trust with the matter. Of course, he didn¡¯t trust Nuvo as a person, but he trusted his sense of survival, and Ryokumo had made it clear that he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to drag the man down with him should he be betrayed. He didn¡¯t have dirt on anybody else in Erika so this was his only route to successfully saving Hannah and the others.


    But if push comes to shove, I can always help them lead one last assault on the gates. The Korrei-Tarr are tough, but I¡¯m still stronger, and with Hannah and the Children helping, we could probably win.


    However, that would only be a last resort. Sneaking them out of the city was the best option since there wouldn¡¯t be an immediate pursuit. If they could get over the Trovian border before the Citadel knew they were gone then they would be safe. Then they could use their guideship to barter for protection. Reigious would think twice about waging a war against another country just to kill them, especially if he never had any proof they were there.


    Nuvo twisted his lips and sighed then shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re damn lucky that I made my preparations early just in case some shit like this came up.¡±


    Ryokumo refused to let his relief show as he smiled smugly, wanting him to think that he¡¯d been confident he¡¯d say yes. ¡°So you can do it then?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I can fuckin¡¯ do it,¡± he grunted, swiping the sack from the table and pocketing it within his coat before getting to his feet and stepping around the desk. ¡°If it¡¯s to get rid of Noctis then I¡¯ll work something out. Just give me an hour and I¡¯ll be ready. I¡¯ll also need to know where to meet them because I¡¯m sure as hell not letting them get sighted in here.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± Ryokumo responded. ¡°In one hour, can you meet them at Abigail Reiner¡¯s old orphanage?¡±


    The man was already pacing around, collecting various items from the office before shoving them inside his rather large coat as well. Nuvo barely even glanced over his shoulder as he said, ¡°The orphanage, huh? Sure, I can do that. Now get the fuck out of here, Caeli. If you do get yourself caught after all of this, I don¡¯t want anybody seeing you in my shop either, you got that?¡±


    The Master nodded. ¡°I do. I¡¯ll be off now. Though¡­¡± Just as he was turning around, something occurred to him and he stopped. ¡°I suppose this will be the last time I see you, isn¡¯t it? Come the morning, everything will be all over and with any luck, you won¡¯t even be in the city anymore.¡±


    ¡°And it can¡¯t come soon enough,¡± he growled. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re getting sentimental. I met you barely a week ago.¡±


    Ryokumo laughed softly before shaking his head. ¡°Of course not. But I do have to thank you. Money or not, this is still a huge help to me and for that, I will be forever grateful. So thank you.¡±


    Nuvo snorted, his back still turned to him as he rummaged through a box in the corner of the room. ¡°Yeah, whatever. Just make sure Noctis never bothers me again. I¡¯m gonna be pissed if I come back to find out you lost and that fucker is still running around.¡±


    ¡°I will win,¡± Ryokumo assured him. ¡°Do not worry about it. Now, take care of yourself, Nuvo Tannath.¡±


    ¡°And you, Master Caeli. Now get out.¡±


    With that gruff goodbye, Ryokumo pulled the hood of his dark brown cloak over his head and distorted his face before departing the office and heading back through the building. As the time to begin drew near, he found himself getting apprehensive.


    I¡¯m actually going to do this. I¡¯m finally making a move against Nigreos and Album. I¡¯ll save Ilirianna, whoever she was, and I¡¯ll get Eric back home to his friends. Yet, as the moment to fight drew closer, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of regret deep in his chest. I know they aren¡¯t the people I met at the Academy all those years ago, but that doesn''t change the fact that they were my best friends once upon a time. And I¡¯m going to have them killed. He reached the staircase and began to descend to the first floor. Though it feels like I¡¯m being cowardly by having Eric be the one to do it. It really should be me who takes their lives, but he insisted so¡­


    Ryokumo arrived in the tavern only to find it more packed than it had been when he arrived barely ten minutes earlier. He knew it was a relatively popular place, but those who frequented weren¡¯t the types of people he liked to associate with. The rambunctious chatter and laughter was almost overwhelming and he quickened his pace to reach the door, yet just as he did, he noticed a particular individual sitting alone at a table in the far right corner, their head directed his way. A white cloak was wrapped around their body, concealing most of their physical features and their face was covered by a white mask with two little horns on the forehead just between the eyes, which were yellow. He didn¡¯t know who they were, but he suddenly had a bad feeling, so he quickly pushed the door open and stalked outside without ever looking back.


    The dark market street was crowded as always, but whenever he wanted to avoid being seen, he was grateful that it allowed him to blend in. The lampposts illuminated the street in that familiar reddish glow of fire magic and the market¡¯s many scents wafted around, a sensation that was both nostalgic and uncomfortable. His destination was Abi¡¯s orphanage where he would hopefully meet up with Hannah or one of the other Children. Eric would have already filled them in on the new plan so his hope was that they would be ready to wait for Nuvo.


    After a few more minutes of moving with the crowd, Ryokumo broke off and headed down an alleyway that he knew would take him to the slums. There was only a single light connected to the building on his left right beside an overfilled dumpster. He needed to be quick so he and Eric could return to Citadel within the hour, but as the sound of his footsteps against the cobblestone ground echoed in his ears, he realized that there was something off about it. Ryokumo immediately came to a stop, brought his mana to his fingers, and spun around, his hand raised to fire off blades of wind should he need to.


    ¡°Who are you and why are you following me?¡± he demanded.


    The cloaked individual from the tavern was standing just beside the dumpster and he could tell now that they were slightly shorter than he was. There was a small laugh as they raised their hand and gave a little wave that was so casual that it gave him the feeling they didn¡¯t feel threatened. He didn¡¯t have the time to be dealing with the games of some thief so he was about to repeat himself when the individual spoke first.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you enjoyed Tannath¡¯s tavern, Caeli.¡±


    He could only stare in utter horror as she reached up and removed her mask, though it wasn¡¯t because she knew who he was despite the distortion. It was because of the woman''s identity¡ªsomebody who never should have known where he was. Her feline features curled in a smug smile as she tilted her head and laughed.


    ¡°So what were you doing in there? Had business with the owner?¡± Iris Mackia asked, an innocent look on her face. ¡°Oh, and could you take the distortion down? I have a feeling your face is probably really funny right now. Were you shocked? Did I surprise you, Caeli?¡±


    At that moment, he genuinely considered casting Perkari and cutting her down where she stood. As Master of Nature, most of her magic was based around healing, so he knew he could beat her in a fight without breaking a sweat. She wasn¡¯t the fighter that Abigail had been, after all. The problem was that there wasn¡¯t a doubt in his mind that Iris knew that, and someone as clever as her wouldn¡¯t have confronted him on a whim. She must have had some sort of plan.


    So are there others around? Is she not alone?


    He tried sensing his surroundings, but he couldn¡¯t feel the mana signatures of anybody except Iris. There wasn¡¯t a distortion powerful enough to get past his refined senses except Reigious or Piura¡¯s, but he didn¡¯t think the Iijis would hide in the shadows. They would come out and face him, so for the moment, he was certain Iris was alone.


    So then what¡¯s her angle? What trick does she have up her sleeve?


    ¡°So are you satisfied yet?¡± Iris inquired. ¡°I promise I¡¯m alone, though I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve figured that out already. And I haven¡¯t told anybody about this. Only I know you¡¯re here so why don¡¯t you at least do me the respect of talking to me. It¡¯s rude to ignore a lady.¡±


    Damn it! I don¡¯t know what¡¯s true here and I don¡¯t have time to be dealing with Iris Mackia! I need to get to Eric and the others now, but I can¡¯t just ignore her! Mackia could send this entire plan up in smoke and if she does, then it¡¯s all over! All of my planning will have been for nothing!


    Clenching his teeth in pure frustration, Ryokumo slowly lowered his hand and did as she requested, removing the distortion so she could see him. ¡°How did you find me?¡±


    Iris shrugged. ¡°I followed you,¡± she said simply. ¡°I waited for you and Eric to leave the Citadel and then I watched as you guys split up. I figured you¡¯d be more fun to tail so I went with you to Tannath¡¯s and here we are, easy as that.¡±


    ¡°And why did you follow us?¡± he demanded, trying to keep his voice in check and prevent his panic from showing. ¡°What¡¯s your plot here, Mackia?¡±


    ¡°The same as yours, I imagine.¡± Iris took a few steps forward, allowing the red light of the flame lamp to illuminate her features. ¡°I don¡¯t want Eric to get hurt. I want him to be safe, and that¡¯s why I¡¯m here. So what are the two of you plotting, Caeli? Where is the boy right now? He wouldn¡¯t happen to be with Arisa Kirisan and your little traitor of an apprentice, would he?¡±


    Ryokumo swallowed back his horror at her words, fearing that she already knew the answer, but still hoping he could somehow salvage the situation. ¡°Of course not. I would never send him anywhere near them even if I knew where they were. He¡¯s out on an errand while I deal with some investigation business. I heard rumors that Nuvo Tannath might have information on the Children so I went to interrogate him.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± She tilted her head in mock consideration, drawing out her word in an obnoxious fashion. ¡°But Cartus said she was heading into the city to investigate and never said anything about Tannath.¡±


    ¡°I don''t report to Cartus,¡± he said sharply, though he couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of dread at the revelation that Sinna was in the city. ¡°I report to Reigious, so I thought I¡¯d look into the matter before bringing it to his attention. Unfortunately, it was a dead-end so I have nothing to tell him.¡±


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Iris reached one of her fingers up to her chin and grinned, her teeth glinting in the light. ¡°But didn¡¯t Reigious order you to keep Eric close when you leave the Citadel? So where is he? What errand is he on?¡±


    ¡°I¡­I sent him to the bakery,¡± he lied, hurriedly coming up with an excuse. ¡°I thought he deserved a nice treat before his exam with you tomorrow so I gave him some coins to go pick something out. I trust him so I thought he¡¯d be fine. Now, I need to go meet up with him so if you¡¯ll excuse me¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re meeting him in the slums?¡± she quickly interrupted. ¡°Why?¡±


    He could feel her catlike eyes boring into him and her gleeful expression only told him that she was enjoying toying with him. ¡°It¡¯s a damn shortcut, Mackia. I¡¯m not meeting my apprentice in the slums.¡±


    The Master of Nature frowned before sighing. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m stupid, Caeli?¡±


    ¡°No, I think many things about you but stupid is certainly not one of them,¡± he grunted.


    ¡°Oh really?! I thought for sure you had a low opinion of me! Especially with how poorly you¡¯re lying to me right now! I mean, if you honestly think I¡¯m going to believe you then you must believe my brain fails to function.¡± Her cheerful expression vanished on the spot as her features turned stern. ¡°Tell me the truth. What are you doing with Eric? What do you have him wrapped up in?¡±


    I should have known that wasn¡¯t going to work. She¡¯s far too clever!


    Yet, he refused to give in. Subtly bringing his mana back to his hands, he continued to argue.


    ¡°And why would you think I have him wrapped up in anything?¡±


    ¡°Well I¡¯ve always suspected, but earlier today, I ran into him in the halls and he decided to thank me for teaching him.¡± She clicked her tongue. ¡°It was so out of the blue that I couldn¡¯t help but wonder¡­ And the way he spoke made it seem like he¡¯d never see me again. Almost like he doesn¡¯t expect to attend class  tomorrow¡­or maybe he won¡¯t even be in the Citadel anymore.¡±


    Damn it, Eric! What did you do?!


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s certainly interesting,¡± Ryokumo muttered. ¡°If he¡¯s planning anything then it¡¯s news to me.¡±


    ¡°No it isn¡¯t,¡± she said bluntly. ¡°No, if he¡¯s planning anything then he knows he can win. He¡¯s got you on his side and tonight, you¡¯re going to make your move. But for the life of me, I can¡¯t figure out what you¡¯re going to do. Do you think rebelling is going to help him? Do you think leading him down his mother¡¯s path will be good for anybody? I know he¡¯s with Kirisan and Lynn. That makes the most sense to me.¡± She giggled softly. ¡°Did you order your apprentice to kill Seiras? Did you stage your little battle in the Citadel?¡±


    She was seeing right through him. With just a few key pieces of information, Iris Mackia was putting everything together and she was enjoying having him at her mercy.


    ¡°I did not,¡± he answered. ¡°Hannah acted of her own accord. I may have wanted Seiras dead but I would never have ordered my apprentice to kill him. I would have sooner sacrificed myself than let her take the fall.¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°But tell me, what¡¯s it to you? Why are you so worried about Eric?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± she countered. ¡°I¡¯m his master, too, you know, and I¡¯ve really come to like him. He¡¯s special. He¡¯s a good, talented boy who has a bright future ahead of him. His mother had that, too, but she let it all go. I don¡¯t want him to make that same mistake. I want him to be happy.¡±


    For the first time since that conversation began, he got the sudden feeling that Iris wasn¡¯t teasing him. At the very least, that much was true, and he realized it was one of the only times he had ever gotten a glimpse of the real her.


    ¡°Do you?¡± he said. ¡°Then if you really want him to be happy, you know what he needs. You know what he wants more than anything else.¡±


    She furrowed her brow. ¡°If you mean his friends then you¡¯re kidding yourself. Luz is never going to let them out and you should know that better than anyone.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know that,¡± he growled, preparing himself for the possibility that he may, in fact, have to take Iris down if she gave him an opening. ¡°But there¡¯s a way to force her. I can get them out of the erased realm. That¡¯s what Eric wants more than anything so if you want him to be happy, then you¡¯ll stay out of this, Mackia.¡±


    ¡°You¡­have a way?¡± She took another step toward him and stared right at him, as if trying to read his thoughts. ¡°But there isn¡¯t one. Only Album can release them and there¡¯s no way she will. You can¡¯t bring them back.¡±


    ¡°You''re right, I can¡¯t,¡± he admitted. ¡°But I will. Or perhaps I will say that she will. Album is the only one who can do it, so I will make her. I will bring Eric¡¯s friends back to the real world, and I will give him what he wants. He doesn¡¯t belong in Ijiria. He belongs in Omaruo, so if you want to get in my way¡­¡± His wrists erupted in a burst of magic and wind began swirling around them. ¡°Then I¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    Iris didn¡¯t even flinch as she stared him down with a stunned expression. ¡°You really mean that? You¡¯re really willing to go to war with this country just for him?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± he confirmed. ¡°I have no loyalty to Ijiria. I respect Prince Reigious as a person, but I am loyal to Abigail Reiner and to one other, who I will save tonight. I¡¯ll go to war if that¡¯s what it takes to help them.¡±


    Iris closed her eyes and inhaled softly as a soft breeze blew through the alleyway. They were both silent for a moment as Ryokumo waited for her to make a move that would force him to fight. Seconds later, her eyes opened and she grinned that mischievous smile that was so common for her.


    ¡°Then it seems that you and I are on the same side.¡±


    ***


    When Arisa Kirisan finally escaped the flaming house, she no longer had the strength to remain standing as she collapsed to her knees on the cobbled floor, coughing up the smoke that invaded her lungs and feeling the utter pain of the burn marks that she failed to protect herself from. The blaze of the fire behind her was hot against her back and she knew she needed to get up and run that very moment, but she couldn¡¯t feel her legs. She didn''t know where the others were or what had happened, but she knew in her heart that they had been found. All she could pray for was that the others managed to get away unharmed, and when she slowly raised her head to stare at the road in front of the burning house, she could only smile bitterly.


    ¡°Good evening, Arisa Kirisan. It¡¯s been a few months now, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    The Master of Fire, Nakoma Taurus, was standing only twenty yards away, his crimson eyes gazing directly at her and a casual smile on his face, as if he were merely greeting an old friend. His red hair was combed back and well kept and his dark red overcoat fell down to his legs, unbuttoned so that it revealed the two swords strapped to his hips. He was a powerful presence, the oldest of the Masters and the most experienced. Even if he were alone, she never could have beaten him.


    And he wasn¡¯t alone.


    On his right was the Master of Rock, Sinna Cartus, standing nearly two feet taller than him, her muscular arms protected by a layer of rock and her dark eyes glinting in the firelight as she regarded her with unrestrained disgust. In addition, there were five Korrei-Tarr, three to their left and two on their right, dressed in their intimidating red and black armor, their faces covered by helmets and their weapons all gripped in their hands. It was a variety of swords, axes, and spears. They were an elite force and the Masters were the elite of the elite.


    Even at my full power, I¡¯d be dead within seconds. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m getting out of this. I just have to hope that the others escaped¡­ I don¡¯t see or sense anybody else so maybe¡­


    But the moment she thought that, her hopes were dashed. Nakoma indicated the Korrei-Tarr on his left, and one of them silently reached down and grabbed a figure that had been collapsed, out of Arisa¡¯s sight, before dragging her to her knees and pulling her toward the Master of Fire.


    ¡°No, Irin!¡± Arisa rasped in an effort to scream.


    Irin Vixal was covered in ugly burns, telling Arisa that she hadn¡¯t been able to put a shield up in time. More likely than not, one of the others flung her from the house in a desperate attempt to save her life. Her eyes were barely open and she seemed close to death as the Korrei-Tarr held her in place while Nakoma drew one of his swords before placing its blade against her neck.


    ¡°Stop,¡± Arisa breathed, forcing feeling into her legs as she rose to a weak stance. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt her, you bastard.¡±


    But Nakoma merely continued to smile in a carefree manner as he regarded her. ¡°You know, so much of this could have been avoided if you¡¯d just done as I asked and told me what I wanted to know. You wouldn¡¯t have suffered through Seiras¡¯s spell and we would have only executed you and Territh as guides.¡± Nakoma chuckled. ¡°But now, you¡¯ve left us with no choice. You¡¯ve almost certainly spread guideship to your friends and thus, you all must die now. Each and every one of you¡­because you were stubborn.¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± Arisa begged, knowing it was pointless but still wanting to do everything in her power to save Irin. ¡°Don¡¯t kill her. Don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re pitiful,¡± Sinna sneered. ¡°You were always so defiant, Kirisan, and you¡¯ve been a headache ever since we found you, yet now that you¡¯ve lost, you beg for mercy? Do you think you deserve mercy after everything you¡¯ve done?¡±


    Somewhere in the distance, she heard shouts of incantations and she prayed it wasn¡¯t the other Children who were fighting despite knowing how likely it was. Nakoma glanced off to Arisa¡¯s right before motioning for two of the Korrei-Tarr to go help. Both moved at once, and even with only three Korrei-Tarr left, she knew she was still in a hopeless situation.


    ¡°You know, I like to consider myself a reasonable man,¡± Nakoma said. ¡°I can hear people out, even when they don¡¯t deserve it, so why don¡¯t we make a deal, Kirisan? I can spare Miss Vixal and anybody else who decides not to fight back as long as you do as I ask.¡±


    ¡°Taurus,¡± Sinna snapped. ¡°We are not making deals with guides. We were ordered to kill them and that¡¯s what we¡¯ll do.¡±


    But Nakoma merely waved her comment aside. ¡°Violence isn¡¯t always necessary, Cartus. Sometimes being a bit diplomatic can be helpful. As it stands, my attack didn¡¯t smoke them all out, and thus, Kirisan can be useful. Now¡­¡± Nakoma turned back to Arisa and raised his eyebrows, his blade pressing closer to Irin¡¯s neck. ¡°Call your friends back. Order them to stand down. I¡¯m certain they¡¯re all still nearby. They wouldn¡¯t abandon you. So make this easy for us, and you can return to a nice cozy life in the Citadel dungeons. I¡¯ll even have Mackia heal Miss Vixal up for you, good as new.¡±


    Countless scenarios were going through her mind as she tried to find any possible solution. She didn¡¯t care if she died, but she couldn¡¯t let Irin or any of the others get hurt any more than they already had. She promised her little sister that she would protect and lead them. She¡¯d already gotten too many of her fellow brothers and sisters killed so she couldn¡¯t allow anybody else to die. She had to come up with something, but she didn¡¯t have strength and if she failed, Irin would suffer. There was no doubt in her mind that Nakoma was lying about sparing them. This was the same man who just burnt their house away without a care for who was inside. For all she knew, one of the others could be laying dead inside, a charred husk, and more could be dying by the hands of the Korrei-Tarr elsewhere. He wouldn¡¯t spare them.


    But do I have an option? If he isn¡¯t lying, then¡­


    ¡°No,¡± Irin suddenly choked out, her burnt face twitching in pain. ¡°Run¡­ Ari¡­ Leave¡­ me¡­¡±


    Her breathing was ragged and her body was trembling, but Irin¡¯s eyes were full of determination. She wanted Arisa to sacrifice her to live and she kept muttering even when she didn¡¯t have the strength to be loud enough to hear.


    But I can¡¯t do that. I won¡¯t! I won¡¯t leave her! There has to be something! There has to be¡ª! Right¡­ I¡¯ve got a play.


    ¡°Well look at that,¡± Nakoma mused. ¡°Such a loving little sister. It¡¯s actually touching that she would be so ready to die for a fool like you. Almost brings a tear to my eye.¡± He chuckled, his eyes dry and his expression neutral. ¡°Well, what¡¯ll it be, Kirisan? You gonna make this easy for us?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll make it easy,¡± she said, then with the quick whisper of an incarnation, a small object burst from her pocket and flew into her hand, its dark red surface glittering in the firelight. Nakoma and Sinna both stared in surprise before the latter¡¯s features turned furious while the former grinned excitedly.


    ¡°An inferno stone,¡± Nakoma exclaimed. ¡°So that¡¯s your move? You¡¯re gonna suicide bomb us?¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± Arisa said through gritted teeth. ¡°If you touch her, I¡¯ll blow us all away. You kill her, I kill us.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re insane!¡± Sinna spat.


    Arisa smiled darkly, her breathing heavy with smoke still in her lungs. ¡°You¡¯re right, Master Cartus. I¡¯ve lost my mind. I lost it long ago when my mother was taken from me¡­ When my brothers and sisters were butchered in your fucking tower¡­ Or when I was tortured¡­and burnt¡­and violated. I am insane¡­and I¡¯m ready to die if you force my hand.¡±


    The pain from the burns was causing her mind to get hazy so she fixated all her anger and hatred on the two Masters before her. If they killed Irin, she would load the stone up with mana and take them all out. Even if it didn¡¯t kill them, it would incapacitate them for long enough to let anybody still out there get away.


    ¡°You know, I believe you,¡± Nakoma said. ¡°So let¡¯s test that.¡±


    And with that, Nakoma sliced his blade across Irin¡¯s neck as the Korrei-Tarr released her, allowing her body to begin falling forward. Yet, both Nakoma and Arisa frowned at the strange sound of metal against rock and it was in that brief second that she saw what happened: a small portion of Irin¡¯s neck had been hardened into stone by rock magic, saving her life.


    When did she cast that spell!?


    Yet, Arisa never got the chance to fully process it before everything erupted into utter chaos as a clear voice echoed out through the night.


    ¡°Condite!¡±


    Nakoma Taurus lurched backwards as if pulled by invisible ropes as a figure launched herself toward the Korrei-Tarr that had been holding Irin. She was so quick and graceful that the man never knew what had happened before her thin blade pierced his neck through the thin gap in his armor, sending blood splattering out onto the concrete before she pushed backwards and spun around, shouting ¡°Nex!¡±


    Hannah Lynn must have known what was coming as her shield of air went up to meet a sudden rush of flames from Nakoma just in time, holding him at a standstill. Yet as impressive as the sudden attack was, there were still two Korrei-Tarr and Sinna Cartus, leaving Hannah sorely outnumbered.


    However, she wasn¡¯t the only one who flew down from up above.


    The moment Sinna rushed to intercept Ryokumo Caeli¡¯s former apprentice, two new voices chanted out the word ¡°Perkari¡±, sending blades of wind straight for the Master of Rock. The large woman reacted just in time, bringing her hardened arms up to take the attack head-on.


    Tylo landed just inches away from Arisa, a determined look on his face as he hurriedly rushed to her side, his hands already glowing green as he quickly placed them against her back.


    ¡°Benedio,¡± he chanted, sending the soothing touch of healing magic into her burnt body.


    At any other moment, she would have thanked him, but her eyes were stuck staring at the other individual who had dropped down with Tylo, his arms swirling with wind magic as he stood between Arisa and their enemies. For just a brief moment, he glanced back at her and looked into her eyes, a warm smile on his face, as if trying to silently assure her that it would be alright, before turning back to the Masters.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Sinna breathed just as Hannah lurched backwards to stand beside the boy, her blade held at the ready to take another spell from Nakoma. Yet the Master of Fire only eyed the boy with interest.


    ¡°So this is him, huh?¡± he said with a laugh. ¡°Yeah, I can feel the same power I felt in her. Funny though. I was told you were an ally.¡±


    Eric Reiner stood tall as he stared them down, not hesitating at all despite being in the presence of two Masters of Ijiria, and as she watched him, feeling her strength returning with Tylo¡¯s healing, all she could think was one thing.


    Eric, you idiot.

 Chapter 32- Return

    Chapter XXXII


    After departing Scott Reiner¡¯s dumpster of a home, Evan, Brad, and Rista followed the man to a small apartment duplex further to the south. Evan still wasn¡¯t sure what to make of the man himself, but just the possibility that his serum could work was enough to gain both his attention and his cooperation. He understood the importance of perfecting such an idea and he knew that if they succeeded, then Nigreos and Album could be stopped. He wanted to get away from the magical world and what better way to do that than to create something that nullified mana. He was ecstatic and so he went with the others without a word of complaint as they ascended a staircase that took them to the second floor of the duplex. Scott then unlocked the door and led the three of them inside. Lilly hadn¡¯t come with them since she said she had more important things to deal with, so Evan and Brad were only accompanied by the Ijirian man, Rista Pine. He still wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about him, but he knew that was an issue for another time as they entered through the door and got a good look at the apartment¡¯s interior.


    It looked completely abandoned. Where Scott¡¯s house had been so cluttered that he could hardly see the floor, this place was its complete antithesis. There wasn¡¯t even a chair or any other furniture. It was just an empty, depressing room. Yet the man was already walking down the hall so they quietly went with him before coming to a bedroom that had been repurposed into a workshop, and Evan immediately found himself staring in awe.


    ¡°Holy shit,¡± he murmured.


    Across the room was a giant workbench cluttered with various boxes of metal scraps, screws, bolts, and other building materials. Much like the office back at the house, more boxes were scattered around and the closet was so full of them that the door wouldn¡¯t be able to slide shut. In the back corner was a small white box that Evan imagined must have been a fridge, but what quickly caught his attention was a shotgun laying on the workbench, looking only half-built, as if Scott were making it himself.


    ¡°Welcome to my workshop,¡± he grunted. ¡°This is where I¡¯ve done most of my research so almost all of my tools are here. If we¡¯re gonna test the serum, this is where we¡¯ll do it.¡±


    Brad cocked an eyebrow as he surveyed the room, seeming a mix of intrigued and uncertain. ¡°So do you have other vials here? You didn¡¯t bring the ones from the house, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t need those,¡± he said with a casual wave. ¡°They were old. Only reason they were still there is cause I never bothered to clean up. The fresher vials should be in that fridge over there.¡± He indicated the white box with his thumb before moving toward one of the boxes on the other side of the room. ¡°Hey, Pine,¡± he called over his shoulder. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, go grab a knife from the kitchen and cut open your arm somewhere. Then collect the blood in this.¡±


    He turned back and tossed an empty vial toward Rista, who barely managed to react in time and catch it. He then narrowed his eyes before regarding Scott with irritation. ¡°So you just want me to open a wound? Just like that?¡±


    The man snorted. ¡°You were the one who said you were in a rush. If you wanna get this moving then hop to it. I know you magic folk can heal yourselves without much effort so a little cut shouldn¡¯t be a big deal. Now get moving!¡±


    Rista sighed begrudgingly before turning and heading back down the hall, muttering complaints under his breath as he did. While they waited, Evan and Brad just watched as Scott rummaged through different boxes as he searched for the tools he needed, and before long, Rista reappeared with the vial filled with blood, without a visible cut anywhere on him, indicating that he had, in fact, used healing magic when he was done.


    ¡°Alright, go set that on the desk,¡± Scott ordered. ¡°The rest of you can just hang out for a moment. I¡¯ll come get you when I¡¯m ready to start.¡±


    Rista seemed anxious to leave so he quickly excused himself and went to wait outside and Brad opted to go with him, Evan, however, was too intrigued by Scott Reiner to just walk away, so he remained where he was, checking out the various oddities around the workshop.


    ¡°I said you can leave, Wright,¡± Scott repeated, shooting him an annoyed glance.


    Evan scoffed. ¡°Yeah, I heard you, old man. But I thought I¡¯d stick around and keep you company. I¡¯m curious, you know. Why¡¯d you go through all the trouble of making something like this? I mean, did you really think you¡¯d ever get a proper shot at Nigreos?¡±


    The man¡¯s rummaging stopped for a moment and Evan expected him to snap at him again, so he was surprised when Scott turned back and sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t make this stuff cause I wanted to kill Noctis,¡± he admitted. ¡°I made it because I wanted to protect my wife. It was against her world¡¯s laws to start a family with a magicless man, so if she were ever found, then Ijiria dictated that we would all be wiped out¡ªerased.¡±


    Evan shook his head and clicked his tongue bitterly. ¡°Well, if I¡¯ve learned anything about Ijiria, it¡¯s that their laws are fucking stupid.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t agree more,¡± he growled. ¡°As Abi¡¯s husband, I felt pathetic knowing that if they ever came for us, I wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything to protect her. The Ijirians are far too powerful for magicless like us. They could kill us without a second thought. So, the only way I could truly protect my wife was if I found a way to fight mages.¡± He smiled sadly. ¡°I spent so many nights studying mana and trying to perfect this serum so that when Ijiria came after Abi, I would be ready.¡± He swallowed and turned to stare down at the box before him. ¡°But I wasn¡¯t fast enough, and in the end, she was taken away anyway.¡±


    Evan clenched his teeth, having not expected Scott¡¯s words to hit so close to home. He would have given anything to be able to get an edge on Nigreos and Album. If he had been stronger, could he have protected Rina? Could he have prevented her death? He did everything he could, but a magicless boy like him couldn¡¯t ever hope to reach the levels of the Ijirian Masters.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess I understand that,¡± he muttered. ¡°When Nigreos and Album came after us, I did everything I could to protect a girl I fell for, but I wasn¡¯t strong enough. They¡­killed her. She¡¯s not even in this realm. I can¡¯t bring her back.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Scott whispered. ¡°It¡¯s an awful feeling, is it not? To be powerless. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve still done everything I can to make this serum. I want to take them down. If I can¡¯t reach them, I¡¯ll drag them to me. So, Mr. Wright, why don¡¯t we avenge the women we loved? Let¡¯s make them pay.¡±


    Evan grinned and chuckled softly. ¡°Let¡¯s kick their fucking asses.¡±


    Until that moment, he hadn¡¯t realized just how similar he was to Scott Reiner. The way he felt about his wife was exactly how Evan had felt about Rina. He hadn¡¯t been strong enough that day, so if creating this stuff could make a difference, then he wanted to help. Fueled by a new sense of purpose and camaraderie, Evan remained behind in the office, watching as Scott produced a rather expensive looking microscope, as well as a container of pipettes. He then crossed the room and pulled out another set of red vials before placing them beside the one containing Rista¡¯s blood. Once everything was in place, he sent Evan to go collect Brad and Rista, and soon enough, they¡¯d begun their work.


    Since they only intended to test whether his serum worked, it should have been a rather quick endeavor, but Evan knew it was never that easy. The microscope didn¡¯t initially work and, after determining that the batteries had long since stopped working, the four of them spent the better part of an hour looking for replacements and once it was clear that there weren¡¯t any new batteries in the apartment, they sent Rista out to the store to pick some up, as well as to get some food, as requested by Scott. Despite making it clear that he didn¡¯t appreciate being their errand boy, Rista still did as he was asked, and by the time he returned, it was already getting dark. They then ate, and once they had the batteries in and had confirmed that the microscope was now functional, it was already far later than they had wanted it to be.


    ¡°What a productive fucking day,¡± Evan grumbled from his spot sitting on a box in the corner of the room.


    Scott glared at him from the workbench. ¡°Well, I told you that I hadn¡¯t used any of this shit in a while. That¡¯s why I needed your damn help, but now this shouldn¡¯t take long.¡±


    He used one of the pipettes to carefully extract some of Rista¡¯s blood, which had been kept in the fridge during their errands, before delicately dripping some of it onto a glass slide. He now wore some oddly large lab goggles and had some yellow rubber gloves and a mask over his mouth, making him suddenly resemble a mad scientist, which forced Evan to bite back his laughter to avoid pissing the man off. To take his mind off of the amusing appearance, he turned and glanced around again before noticing a small pair of blue goggles laying on the ground beside him. He reached down and picked it up, recalling that he saw a similar pair laying on the desk at the house.


    ¡°So, Mr. Reiner, what¡¯s with your goggle fetish?¡± he asked. ¡°You have another one of these, right?¡±


    Without looking away from what he was doing, Scott smiled softly and replied, ¡°Those? Ah, they¡¯re nothing amazing. Back before Abi left, she and I created our fair share of inventions, combining magic and technology. That was one of our more successful items.¡±


    ¡°And what do they do?¡±


    Scott chuckled. ¡°Put them on, why don¡¯t you. And Pine? Can you quickly use a distortion spell?¡±


    Rista, who had been chatting with Brad in the doorway, looked up at his name and frowned. ¡°Distortion? Why?¡±


    ¡°Just do it!¡± the man snapped. ¡°And when he does, put the goggles on and look at him, Wright.¡±


    Evan watched as Rista cast the distortion spell, completely concealing his presence from the rest of them. Then, intrigued to see what Scott wanted to show him, Evan pulled the goggles over his head and put them on, then turned and gazed in the direction he knew Rista was. His eyes went wide and he was already smiling as he realized what they did: he could see Rista despite the man having the distortion spell up.


    ¡°That¡¯s fucking awesome!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°I can see you, Pine!¡±


    Rista frowned, then nervously glanced back at Scott before looking at Evan. He then raised two fingers and waved them around in front of his face, as if trying to test and see whether he was lying or not.


    ¡°Yeah, I see you waving your hand around like a dumbass,¡± he grunted. ¡°Ah! And hey, now you¡¯re flipping me off?! Fuck you!¡±


    Rista dropped the spell and just stared in shock while Evan laughed at how unsettled the Ijirian was. Brad didn¡¯t appear to know what to think and Scott merely smiled proudly as he continued with his work, now dripping some of the red serum into the blood.


    ¡°How did you do that?¡± Rista asked the man. ¡°I mean, I know there are talismans that have been known to see through distortion, and some really powerful mages can still sense people, but I¡¯ve never heard of magicless technology being able to do it.¡±


    Scott shrugged. ¡°Well, it''s not technically magicless. Abi put a little charm on it that merged with some of the original attempts at the anti-mana serum. Even I¡¯m not completely sure how it works, but it''s one of the only counters I¡¯ve ever been certain could do what it was designed to do.¡±


    Rista didn¡¯t reply, instead just standing there, gaping at Scott, as if he still couldn''t fully process everything that had happened that day. Evan didn¡¯t really know all the details, but Brad had told him that Rista had been adopted by Scott¡¯s wife back in Ijiria, so it must have been quite the shock to meet her husband, especially considering how broken of a man he clearly was. He couldn¡¯t imagine what Rista must have been thinking as he watched Scott Reiner.


    ¡°Hey, tell me,¡± the Ijirian began quietly. ¡°Your wife¡­ Abigail¡­ How did you meet her? How did a relationship with her begin when you two had such different backgrounds?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a long story, Mr. Pine, and while the circumstances that brought us together were filled with chance meetings and luck, I do believe that whatever being controls this multiverse, whether it be a god or fate itself, meant for us to come together.¡± He smiled sadly as he pulled the pipette away and turned to gaze through the lens of the microscope. ¡°She was an amazing woman and I am certain that I will never meet someone like her again. I could go on and on about the time we spent together¡­and if there¡¯s time between now and our departure from this realm, perhaps I¡¯ll tell you some of them.¡±


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Rista nodded, though his disappointment was clear for all to see. ¡°Okay. But then¡­can you at least answer one question?¡±


    ¡°Depends on the question,¡± Scott said.


    ¡°W-well¡­¡± He paused for a moment, and Evan could tell that he was struggling with how to ask. ¡°You said back at the house that Ryokumo Caeli came here with her, but I was never under the impression that anybody had known she went to Omaruo. I mean, if Master Caeli knew, then why wouldn¡¯t he have turned you over?¡±


    Scott furrowed his brow and slowly looked away from the microscope to stare back at Rista. ¡°On that, I don¡¯t know. Like I said, I didn¡¯t know Caeli all that well and he only came to Wilham on occasion. All I know is that Abi trusted him with her life. She always promised me that Caeli would die before turning her over to the authorities. That was good enough for me.¡±


    That answer only seemed to make Rista more confused, and Evan felt as if he was missing something.


    ¡°The fuck¡¯s a Caeli?¡± he interrupted. ¡°What are we talking about here?¡±


    The Ijirian turned toward him and grimaced. ¡°He¡¯s another Master of Ijiria¡ªthe Master of Wind, to be precise. I always thought he was just as twisted as the rest of them, but if he knew¡­¡±


    ¡°Another Master?¡± Brad parroted, breaking his quiet observation of the conversation. ¡°So then¡­is he not on Nigreos and Album¡¯s side? Or¡­?¡±


    Rista shook his head. ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know.¡±


    For a few seconds, the room was overcome by a tense silence as Rista took in the sudden information that clearly threw him off, but that silence was soon broken by the ringing of the man¡¯s phone. He quickly reached into his pocket and checked the caller before answering it.


    ¡°Harper? What¡¯s up?¡±


    At that, both Brad and Evan straightened up. If Lilly were calling then something might have happened. With any luck, she found the mana port and they could begin their escape within the next few days. However, that hope was soon dashed by the stunned look on Rista¡¯s face.


    ¡°W-what do you mean?¡± he stammered. ¡°Why would I need a spell to fix something? What did you break? The glass door?!¡±


    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s going on?¡± Brad tried to interrupt but Rista ignored him.


    ¡°Harper, stop beating around the bush and explain to me what happened? Why would my sliding door be broken? Are you okay?¡±


    The silence returned as Evan and Brad waited to learn what had happened, and Rista¡¯s constantly shifting facial expressions did little to ease their worries. He was first shocked, then confused, then what might have been impressed, and was finalized with a look of relief as he exhaled softly.


    ¡°Well, at least that was dealt with. I¡¯ll be right there, Harper. Just¡­stay where you are. And keep an eye on Brooks. I¡¯ll do my best to heal him.¡± Rista nodded. ¡°Alright, see you in a moment. Bye.¡±


    ¡°What happened?!¡± Brad and Evan asked in tandem as Rista lowered the phone from his ear.


    The Ijirian glanced between the two of them, then back to Scott, who hadn¡¯t reacted much to the sudden phone call and was still fiddling with the microscope. ¡°Harper¡¯s okay. Apparently that creature inside of Brooks took control again, but she was able to use The Angel to destroy it. Brooks is alive and she¡¯s doing well, too.¡±


    ¡°She¡­used The Angel?¡± Brad uttered. ¡°You¡¯re sure she¡¯s okay, Rista? You don¡¯t think she lied?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so, but I¡¯m heading back to my apartment to take care of them. Keep an eye on things here and I¡¯ll try to get back as soon as I can.¡±


    With that, he quickly excused himself, apologized to Scott for leaving so abruptly, then took off, leaving Evan and Brad remaining behind, the latter looking pale despite being told that Lilly was okay. Evan recalled how his old friend had brought up a concern regarding Lilly¡¯s usage of The Angel, but the topic had been quickly avoided, so he couldn¡¯t help but wonder¡­


    Is there something more to The Angel than they¡¯ve let on?


    ***


    After waiting in what wasn¡¯t that long of a line for the ferris wheel, Vinny and Alice stepped into one of the carriages and took their seats across from each other, the latter still talking up how amazing of a view they were going to get treated to. Unlike with the drop tower, the fact that the ferris wheel had a roof and windows made it far less scary to get onto, so Vinny was actually excited to enjoy the ride. After a few more moments of waiting, the wheel slowly began to move, gradually ascending further and further into the sky and the boy soon found himself just gazing through the windows in wonder. Off to his right was the sea, the silver moonlight sparkling peacefully over the vast expanse of water that stretched all the way to the horizon. To his left were the lights of Wilham, almost seeming to glitter as he gazed at his hometown. It was breathtaking and he didn¡¯t have the words to describe how cool of a sight it was.


    ¡°Man, I should have gotten a ride on this thing way sooner than I did,¡± he whispered, almost more to himself than to Alice. ¡°What an awesome view.¡±


    ¡°What did I tell you?¡± she replied wryly. ¡°We¡¯ll have to come again sometime, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Absotutely. I¡¯d love that.¡±


    Forcing himself to look away from the sparkling Wilham, he glanced sidelong to see Alice gazing out at the city as well, grinning from ear to ear in an almost childlike fashion. There was an innocence to her that made her all the more endearing and the longer he watched her, the more he wished that serene moment could last forever. He¡¯d never been this happy before. He¡¯d never enjoyed himself like this. It was a bliss he never thought he would get to experience.


    Is it really okay for me to feel like this? Is this really how my other self supposedly lived? Is it okay for me to want that? I told myself that Harper couldn¡¯t be telling the truth because my life has never been easy like that. There¡¯s never been an Eric Reiner to reach their hand out to me and offer me friendship. I¡¯m alone. That¡¯s how it¡¯s always been, but¡­


    ¡°Well, I hope you know that I want to be your friend. Or maybe even more than a friend. And I mean that. If you ever need somebody to have lunch with or to call on the phone, I can be there for you.¡±


    Alice had done the very thing he didn¡¯t think he deserved. She had offered him friendship and companionship. She expressed interest in him and wanted to get to know him better.


    And it all feels familiar. I feel like I¡¯ve known this girl longer than I have. Magic is real, and now that I feel this way, can I really brush off Harper¡¯s claims so easily? Could this world be fake? Could my life have been better than this? Vinny turned his head back to the view of Wilham and sighed. And if this is the fake one, then how beautiful would the real one look? I¡¯d like to see it with her. I¡¯d like to go to the pier and ride this ferris wheel with the real Alice Mendez¡ªand as my real self.


    ¡°Alice,¡± he said softly. ¡°Thank you for tonight. This¡­has meant more to me than I think I could ever articulate.¡±


    When he looked back at her once again, her smile was directed right at him. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve been wanting to get to know you more for a while, so I¡¯m happy you were so willing, Vinny. Let¡¯s do this again, okay? Maybe next time, we can go get lunch or dinner or something?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that sounds fun,¡± he agreed. ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡±


    Even if it¡¯s in another world¡­ Even if we¡¯re different people, I want to keep this going. I don¡¯t want to lose this.


    ¡°Okay, maybe this Wednesday?¡± Alice suggested, leaning forward slightly, and Vinny found himself doing the same.


    ¡°I¡¯m free Wednesday. We can go after your cross country practice gets out.¡±


    ¡°Cool. Then you pick the place. It¡¯ll be your turn to choose where we go.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do that.¡±


    Gently, as their faces drew closer to each other, Vinny pressed his lips against hers and kissed her. At any other moment, he never would have done something so sudden, yet it just felt right. She returned the kiss, not pulling away like he feared she would, and instead pressing herself closer to him. All at once, Vinny¡¯s mind felt clear. Everything was okay. Everything was right in the world. He wasn¡¯t sure how long the kiss lasted, but it felt like hours as they stayed together, and it reminded him of better, happier times.


    Of a Christmas tree lighting surrounded by cheering people as the snow began falling around them.


    Of the West Wilham courtyard and the many lunches they would have had together, laughing and enjoying each other¡¯s company.


    And of Ralph¡¯s Diner, where he would go and watch her work, if only to be closer to her while she was busy.


    He loved her. He wanted to be with her.


    He never wanted to forget her again.


    ***


    Lilly¡¯s body was constantly hit with spasms of pain but she bit the sensations back and tried to remain calm. She was in Rista¡¯s apartment, sitting on his couch with Jay¡¯s head resting in her lap, his eyes closed and his breathing steady. She¡¯d already called Rista to tell him what happened, and soon he would arrive to fix the shattered glass door and hopefully deal with any cops should they arrive. She wasn¡¯t sure what to expect from the fake civilians of the erased realm, but she¡¯d been dreading the sound of sirens for a while, and thus far, the street had been silent. With any luck, nobody would show up and they could pretend like the battle with the nerich never happened.


    She glanced down at her left arm, bandaged from her wrist all the way to her bicep. She¡¯d done her best to tend to the wounds, but with only one hand free to do it, it was a rather sloppy job. Her right arm was red and looked as if it had come close to bursting like her left did, and the rest of her body was in a similar state, but her left arm was the only part where blood was drawn.


    But it was worth it. Jay¡¯s safe. The nerich is gone. He won¡¯t be tormented by it any more.


    As she watched the boy sleep, his eyes slowly began to flicker open before focussing on her. Unsure of how he would be feeling or what might be going through his mind, Lilly smiled to assure him that everything was okay.


    ¡°You¡¯re safe now, Jay,¡± she told him. ¡°That thing can¡¯t hurt you anymore.¡±


    She wanted to ask if he remembered what happened, but his pained expression and the tears that began to form in his eyes were enough to confirm that he did.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Lilly. I almost killed you. I¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t,¡± she corrected. ¡°The nerich almost killed me. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong, but it doesn¡¯t matter now. The nerich is dead. The Angel killed it.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± His eyes briefly moved to her arm. ¡°You¡¯re hurt. Your arm¡­¡±


    ¡°I did this,¡± she said. ¡°I used too much of The Angel¡¯s power and my body couldn¡¯t handle it, but Rista knows healing magic so it¡¯ll be alright. He¡¯ll fix it up once he gets here and I¡¯ll be good as new.¡±


    ¡°Why lie to him, Harper? He¡¯ll find out anyway when Pine tries to heal you. Wounds from The Angel cannot be fixed by mere nature magic.¡±


    I¡¯m well aware, but technically, this isn¡¯t my real body, so when we get out of here, everything will be good as new, yeah? So it¡¯s no big deal.


    ¡°I feel like you¡¯re a little too calm about this. I can tell you¡¯re in pain, you know?¡±


    Lilly ignored them and focussed only on Jay, knowing that comforting him was her primary objective.


    ¡°Did I¡­hurt anybody else?¡± he finally asked.


    She shook her head. ¡°Nope. Nobody even saw you. Everything was handled.¡±


    Jay exhaled slowly then closed his eyes once more, his breathing settling down. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about everything. That thing¡¯s been in my head since my memories came back and it''s been aggravating me¡­making me say things I don¡¯t mean. You¡¯re not my enemy, Lilly, and you never will be. I didn¡¯t mean to say that to you. I love you, too.¡±


    ¡°I know, Jay,¡± she told him. ¡°I had a feeling that the nerich was still inside you. It¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Bring Alice back. You guys are right. I know you are. The only way to truly help her is for her to make peace here, where Rina and Audrey still exist. I know that. I wish it wasn¡¯t like this, but¡­¡±


    His words devolved into sobs as he broke down, so Lilly gently caressed his head, running her hands through his hair to calm him down. He had been through so much in his life and there was still more to go. Unless Nigreos and Album were defeated, they would always be targets of Ijiria. And even if they somehow managed to take the Masters down, there was no guarantee that others wouldn¡¯t be sent after them in retaliation. They might never truly escape and he and Alice would be forever wrapped up in it all. It just wasn¡¯t fair in her mind.


    After a few more minutes of crying, Jay fell back to sleep and seemed to reach some semblance of peace. She then continued to wait for Rista to arrive, and it wasn¡¯t long before she heard a knocking at the door, though she couldn¡¯t help but frown at how fast-paced the sound was, almost like the visitor was in a rush.


    Was he that anxious to get here? she wondered.


    ¡°It¡¯s unlocked!¡±


    She watched the door swing open rather suddenly, but could only gape when it wasn¡¯t Rista Pine who rushed through the door. The boy was smiling in a way that she hadn¡¯t seen in a very long time, but it was his bright eyes and his boisterous grin that told her everything without her even having to ask. It was familiar to her. She didn¡¯t know how it was possible, but she couldn¡¯t deny it.


    ¡°Dear Lilly!¡± he exclaimed with a laugh. ¡°I¡¯m back, my friend! It¡¯s good to see you again!¡±


    After the stress of the night and all the pain she went through to save Jay, she realized just how close she had been to breaking down when tears started pouring down her cheeks. Yet even so, she smiled the widest grin she could manage and greeted him with pure and utter joy.


    ¡°Vinny! Welcome back.¡±

 Chapter 33- A Girl From The Gutters

    Chapter XXXIII


    Even in such a dire situation, she couldn¡¯t help but recall an event that had taken place many years ago. She remembered it vividly, as if it hadn¡¯t been as long as it actually was, and she knew that whether she lived or died, she would never forget what happened that day. It was raining in the back alleys of the slums and like she often did when the weather turned cold, she found a place to sit down and hold her knees close to her chest, wanting to try and retain as much body heat as she could. Her clothes were tattered and old, with holes ripped open in various places, and the rain water had already seeped through, chilling her skin. For a twelve-year-old, it was a harsh and unforgiving life, but she always pressed forward, vowing not to let herself die, though she never knew who she vowed to. She just didn¡¯t want to succumb to her circumstances. She didn¡¯t want to be weak. She wanted to be strong and powerful, so she refused to let mere rain keep her down.


    In that sense, I suppose I haven¡¯t changed all that much. I¡¯m still the same, stubborn idiot I was back then.


    Because of that attitude, she wouldn¡¯t back down from anything, and on that particular day, three men dressed in relatively nice clothing with their hoods pulled up approached where she sat. She¡¯d heard rumors that there were certain groups who would search for children in the slums and kidnap them, either selling them off somewhere or forcing them to work for them. She knew it was especially dangerous for young girls, who she was told were often smuggled out of Erika and into the western country of Dunnovia to be sold into prostitution. With that in mind, she knew she should have been terrified when the three men came up to her.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your parents, kid? Are you all alone out here?¡±


    The man in the front¡¯s voice had been raspy, and she remembered feeling shivers just being in his presence. She should have been scared. She should have turned and run and done everything she could to get away from them. But to the young her, that would have been cowardly. How could she call herself strong if all she did was run?


    ¡°Get away from me,¡± she had spat back at them. ¡°Leave me alone.¡±


    This hadn¡¯t gotten the reaction she had wanted out of them. The men started to laugh, and she knew that meant they hadn¡¯t taken her seriously. All they saw was a sickly child, playing at being fierce and tough, and that perception of her hadn¡¯t been wrong. That was all she was¡ªa girl from the gutters without a place to belong nor a family that could protect her and love her. Her parents were dead. She didn¡¯t have siblings. She was a loner¡ªa person whose name meant nothing and who didn¡¯t have control over her own fate, no matter how often she tried to tell herself she did.


    Who was she to think that she could do anything, that she could be strong and powerful? She was prideful and that pride had always been her downfall. Yet, that never stopped her from trying to pretend.


    When those men attacked her, she did what she thought she needed to do and put up a fight. She knew a few basic spells and since they must not have expected her to know magic, it was enough to catch them off guard and swipe the advantage, if only for a mere few seconds. But that was all she had. She was thin and frail and these men were big and strong. She had managed to cut open the main guy¡¯s face with a blade of wind, and that enraged him enough that they didn¡¯t merely try to kidnap her. They first decided she needed to be taught a lesson, so as one man held her down, the other two began to beat her bloody. The pain had been excruciating but she still never backed down. She didn¡¯t want to be a coward. She screamed and thrashed and this only made the experience more fun for her attackers. And then, she felt one of them grab her trousers as if to pull them down.


    That was the first time I ever truly looked death in the eyes. Honestly, I should have been killed that day. My stubbornness got me stuck in a situation that I was lucky to escape. And that¡¯s all it was. I only survived that afternoon because of pure luck.


    Right as it dawned on her what was about to happen, a voice called out through the alleyway, clear and beautiful.


    ¡°Please step away from the girl! I don¡¯t want this to have to get bloody but if you lay even another finger on her, I will have no choice.¡±


    The men in front of her moved just enough so she could see past them to where a figure was standing in the rain, her green cloak wrapped around her body and her cowl pulled up just enough for them to see her features. Just as she would never forget how close to death she was, she would never allow herself to lose the image of that enchanting woman, a calm and almost innocent smile on her face.


    ¡°Miss, I¡¯m gonna ask you to walk away or else you¡¯re going to regret it,¡± one of them growled.


    But the newcomer merely tilted her head and laughed. ¡°Oh really? You¡¯re saying you¡¯re confident enough in your abilities that you think you can beat the Master of Nature in a fight? That¡¯s kinda cute, actually.¡±


    ¡°The Master¡­¡±


    Rumors circulated around the slums all the time, some true, some false, and she made sure she heard every one of them. She never wanted to be in the dark about anything, so of course she had heard about the supposed arrival in the slums of the new Master of Nature. They said that she intervened whenever somebody was in danger and that she was trying to help those who lived in Erika¡¯s forgotten and abandoned district. There were even some who heard about a safehouse she was creating for the young who needed a place to live.


    Abigail Reiner. I never really believed those rumors until I saw her. To me, it seemed ridiculous to think that somebody on the level of a Master could give a damn about us. Yet there she was, prepared to go three-on-one to save a girl she didn¡¯t know. She was powerful. She was strong. She was everything I ever wanted to be and more.


    ¡°Now, stand down and let her go,¡± Abigail called back. ¡°If you do that, I¡¯ll only report you for attacking a child. If you don¡¯t, well, then you¡¯ll be arrested for attacking a Master, and I assure you that¡¯s a far higher crime. So, make your choice.¡±


    She¡¯d been certain that the men would challenge her, but the fear in their eyes told her that wouldn¡¯t be the case. They never even replied to the woman, instead merely turning, releasing her, and sprinting off down the alley, leaving her collapsed on the wet cobble ground, breathing hard as she realized how close she¡¯d been to death. Her body felt weak and her face was swollen from the beating.


    ¡°Are you okay, sweetheart?¡± Abigail asked as she crossed the distance between them and knelt down beside her, a warm and comforting smile on her face. ¡°Let me heal all that. Hold still for a moment.¡±


    The woman¡¯s touch was soft and caring as the nature magic flowed into her body, easing the pain and dealing with the swelling. Soon enough, she felt as if none of it had happened. There wasn¡¯t a single bit of pain left in her and as she gazed up at the Master, she was entranced.


    Why did she help me, I remember thinking. Why would anybody want to help a lost girl like me? I couldn¡¯t give her anything. There was no way for me to repay the debt I know I owed her. Yet, when I said this to her, she just laughed, like I was telling a joke.


    ¡°You don¡¯t owe me anything,¡± Abigail said. ¡°I did what was right. How could I just pass by as you were being hurt like that? That¡¯s not what a good person does. This place has been treated poorly for far too long. Now¡­ What''s your name?¡±


    I still didn¡¯t get it. She was a Master of Ijiria. She was from the Citadel. Why would anybody who lived in the clouds care about those who lived in the gutters? She said she didn¡¯t get anything out of it, but then why bother? Why do anything if you don¡¯t get something in return? Yet, I knew she wasn¡¯t lying. This woman just wanted to help people, and for the first time in my life, somebody reached out to me. Somebody offered to care about me.


    ¡°Arisa,¡± she had finally replied. ¡°My name is Arisa Kirisan.¡±


    ¡°Arisa,¡± Abigail repeated with a nod. ¡°That¡¯s a beautiful name. Well, Arisa, do you want to go someplace warm? I can get you something to eat and if you¡¯d like, you can stay the night. This storm isn¡¯t supposed to let up anytime soon, after all.¡±


    Despite telling myself not to trust anybody, I went with her to that place and found others like me already there. I ate good food for the first time in years, and I slept in a bed with blankets and a pillow. It wasn¡¯t a fancy place by any means, but it may as well have been a palace for all I cared. She let me stay the night and then¡­I just stayed. That place became my home. She became my mother. The other children became my siblings. I was no longer forgotten. I had somewhere I belonged. I had a family.


    I remember thinking Abigail Reiner was special¡ªthat there was nobody else in the entire multiverse like her. But now I realize that it must have run in her blood, because just like her, he hardly knows me. Eric doesn¡¯t know me. Yet once again, as I looked death in its cold and unforgiving eyes, knowing my end had arrived, a Reiner stepped in and saved my life. He¡¯s standing down before two Masters and two Korrei-Tarr and he smiled back at me. He¡¯ll be a criminal now, yet he¡¯s still here.


    You¡¯re an idiot for doing this, Eric, but if there was any doubt before, there is none now.


    You truly are Abigail¡¯s son.


    ***


    Arisa Kirisan just gaped at Eric and Hannah as they stood between her and the two Masters, his magic swirling around his arms and her sword pulled up, aimed at them. Sinna Cartus looked as if she could barely process what had happened, and Nakoma Taurus was grinning, making his excitement for what was to come clear to all. The two Korrei-Tarr had their blades drawn, awaiting their orders from the Masters, and Arisa feared a fight was about to break out. She knew Tylo had almost completed his healing because she no longer felt the burn marks. If Eric and Hannah could stall for just a few more seconds, Arisa could join them and while they couldn¡¯t possibly win, they might at least be able to escape.


    ¡°Tylo,¡± she breathed. ¡°When you finish, get to Irin. Help her. I¡¯ll keep you covered.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Feeling comforted that Tylo would have Irin handled, Arisa gripped the inferno stone in her left hand and turned her right to subtly face toward the house where she knew the swords from their raid on the carriage would be. If she could get one of them, her chances of survival would increase, if only by a little.


    ¡°What are you thinking, Reiner?!¡± Sinna snarled, seeming to have pulled herself back together. ¡°Is this really what you¡¯re going to do?! You¡¯re going to walk down the same idiotic path that got your mother killed?!¡±


    Arisa couldn¡¯t see Eric¡¯s face from where she crouched, but she saw him shake his head. ¡°I really am sorry about this, Master Cartus, but I will not allow the children of my mother to die. I didn¡¯t want it to come to this between us. You are not my enemies, but I didn¡¯t have a choice. I will not stand by and allow you to harm them!¡±


    ¡°And you know what, that¡¯s respectable,¡± Nakoma said. ¡°While you¡¯ll still have to accept the consequences of these actions, I do commend your honor. Abi would be proud.¡± The Master of Fire swung his sword down and as he did, flames erupted around the metal, coating every inch as it blazed out. ¡°It is nice to meet you, however. I¡¯ve heard quite a bit about you. My name is Nakoma Taurus, Master of Fire.¡±


    ¡°Eric Reiner,¡± he replied. ¡°It¡¯s good to meet you, too, Master Taurus. I¡¯m sorry we won¡¯t get the chance to get to know each other better.¡±


    Nakoma chuckled. ¡°As am I, boy. You sound like a fascinating individual.¡± He then turned and looked Hannah over, who was still in position to strike at any moment. ¡°And you, Miss Lynn. We¡¯ve met before, but when I heard that you killed Seiras Ka, and beat Caeli in battle, I was truly impressed. And it seems your skills were not exaggerated.¡± He indicated the corpse of the Korrei-Tarr Hannah killed with a nod of his head. ¡°This should be exciting.¡±


    Arisa could feel Tylo¡¯s magic stop and knew the healing was complete. Her body felt like it was back to a good enough state that she could fight. She already knew what it was she had to do, and no matter what became of her, she would ensure that the other Children made it out alive.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°I¡¯m going after Taurus,¡± she whispered. ¡°I¡¯m going to take him down. Once you¡¯ve helped Irin, back Eric up and beat Cartus. You got that?¡±


    ¡°But Ari¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Do it, Tylo, please,¡± she urged. ¡°As your leader, please do it.¡±


    He didn¡¯t say anything in reply, but she knew that he would do as she asked. The moment she decided the time was right, she would draw Nakoma away from the others. If they could split up the Masters, they could potentially turn the situation around.


    The street was tense, with the only sound now coming from the burning house behind them and the sounds of battle off in the distance. Ardan, Lyla, and Malt were still unaccounted for so Arisa had to pray that they were okay. Everybody was waiting to see who would make their move first, but it seemed as if Nakoma and Sinna were more focused on Eric and Hannah, so Arisa knew the one to break the stalemate would have to be her. So that¡¯s exactly what she did.


    ¡°Proto! Correio!¡±


    She shouted at the top of her lungs, wanting the Masters to look at her, as she burst from her spot on the ground, shooting straight for the Master of Fire. At the same time, a one-handed sword soared through the shattered window of the house, its hilt flying toward her outstretched hand like she had intended. In one swift motion, Arisa grabbed the blade and swung it down at Nakoma¡¯s head, and as she expected, he reacted with ease, bringing his flaming blade up to meet hers, the sound of metal clashing throughout the night.


    Eric and Hannah reacted as well, the former darting toward Sinna while the latter turned to face the Korrei-Tarr. With Tylo already making his way toward where Irin was lying, Arisa knew Nakoma would be her job to deal with, as she planned. Therefore, she used the momentum of her initial proto to dive over the Master¡¯s head and land on the road behind him.


    ¡°Condite!¡± she snarled, and as various other incantations were called out, the sound of the blades of wind and the ringing of swords echoed across the street. Her ropes of air went straight for Nakoma, but he cut through them in a mere two swings of his sword. The man was grinning, excited at the prospect of a battle, and that was what she hoped for.


    She rattled off another proto and darted away, zipping down the street to put distance between her and the burning house. Even if he knew what she was trying to do, Nakoma would follow after her regardless. He would allow himself to let her escape and he would hopefully be confident that Sinna could take Eric and Hannah without him. The issue would be if he didn¡¯t have faith in the Master of Rock. If Nakoma remained behind, the others wouldn¡¯t be able to stand their ground for long.


    But her fears were unfounded as she felt the sudden blazing heat of fire behind her, and when she glanced back to check, Nakoma Taurus was pursuing her, his steps propelled and enhanced by what she recognized as wind magic. It was that moment that she truly understood the danger of her opponent. Nakoma was not only the oldest Master, but before he even joined them, he was a well-respected member of the Korrei-Tarr. The man was fierce with fire magic, and he knew how to incorporate his powers into combat in methods that most mages didn¡¯t. In many ways, he was the best combatant of the Masters. Nigreos and Album were deadly because their magic was powerful by nature, but Nakoma was trained and experienced. He knew how to use his abilities to their fullest, and thus, Arisa would never be able to face him in combat for longer than a few minutes.


    But I know these roads so I have the environment on my side! I don¡¯t need to win! I just need to keep him away from the others!


    ¡°Proto!¡±


    Casting the propulsion spell once again, Arisa spun around in midair just as Nakoma closed the distance, his second sword already drawn as he swung both of his flaming blades, as if to show off or intimidate her. His crimson eyes were wild and his grin was broad as he brought both swords down to end her life. She was just barely fast enough to parry one and dodge the other, using wind magic to increase her reaction speed as much as she could. Yet even then, she was only barely keeping up with him. As the two soared down the empty and decrepit streets of the slums, their swords rang out as Arisa parried and blocked each strike the Master swung her way, using the walls of buildings as platforms to keep herself moving. Every attack of Nakoma¡¯s was swift and powerful, with sparks coming off of the blade each time they collided, and she could feel them burning her skin when they touched her.


    She made sure she kept him close, knowing that fire magic was useless at that distance. The fire affinity was powerful but it was the most destructive of every magic class. Therefore, fire mages ran the risk of burning themselves if they cast most spells in close quarters. They needed to be at a distance to make full use of their abilities, so Arisa knew that the moment Nakoma pulled away, she would become even more vulnerable.


    ¡°You¡¯re impressive, Kirisan,¡± Nakoma uttered, his voice calm, as if the battle weren¡¯t even wearing him down. ¡°Truly, I mean that. For a girl your age to put up such a fight, you must have talent. It¡¯s just a shame that you chose to direct that talent against us.¡±


    She didn¡¯t reply, not wanting to waste any of her breath as she continued to dodge and weave while parrying any attacks that she couldn¡¯t escape. She slid along the streets, pushing up into their air every time her feet hit a solid surface, but she was already getting tired. Tylo healed what he could, but healing magic couldn¡¯t do everything. The body still needed rest to properly recover and Arisa had barely waited a minute. At first, Nakoma only grazed her cheeks or her arms, cutting open her skin with his burning blades, but as she got slower, he seemed to get faster, and soon enough, she felt deeper wounds opening in her sides and her arms, and pain began to build back up. Nakoma¡¯s grin widened, and she knew he could tell that he was on the verge of winning.


    Damn it! If I don¡¯t pull away, I¡¯m going to die, but can I really face his fire magic?


    Cursing the fact that she no longer had a choice, Arisa briefly glanced to her side to check where she was, which gave Nakoma an opening to get another cut across her waist, but she decided it was a price she had to pay. Using her knowledge of these streets, Arisa abruptly launched to the right, diving into an alleyway that was so thin it was hardly noticeable in the darkness of the night. Nakoma reacted, but he was thrown off enough to allow her to get a slight distance. From there, she ricocheted off the alley walls, moving higher and higher until she burst up into the air and above the roofs of the buildings before landing off to the right hand side.


    ¡°Infernus!¡±


    ¡°Nex!¡±


    She knew it would come so she was ready. Just as Nakoma¡¯s form emerged from the gaps between the buildings, a giant wave of flame erupted from his hands, encircling his body and blasting toward her, so she threw up a shield of air, taking the attack head-on. But this was fire magic from a Master, and the shield only held for a few seconds at best before Arisa could feel it beginning to shatter. She pressed her foot against the roof and uttered, ¡°proto¡±, allowing her to slide backwards until she reached the other end of the rooftop. She was ready for another attack, but Nakoma merely stood on the opposite building, his swords still gripped tightly as he regarded her.


    ¡°You do know this won¡¯t last much longer, right?¡± he called over. ¡°Don¡¯t you understand that I don¡¯t want to see you dead. There¡¯s only one way this night ends: you and your fellow Children will die and your mother¡¯s legacy will be snuffed out. There is no escape from this city, Kirisan! So stand down and take my offer! Live in the dungeons! Serve your sentence and perhaps you can be released in the future. There is no need for you to die today!¡±


    Arisa forced herself to smile challengingly, her breathing heavy. ¡°I will not! I will never concede to a Master! I¡¯d rather die than go back to that place!¡±


    Nakoma clicked his tongue and sighed. ¡°Very well. If death is what you want, so be it. But know that I did not lie. I warned you about Seiras, did I not? I told you he would be worse than me. And he was. You broke, and had you just done as I asked and conceded to me, the Children of Reiner would not have to die tonight. But you just had to be stubborn.¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± she spat back. ¡°I was stubborn and I wouldn¡¯t change a thing! Seiras¡¯s visions might have drained me, but I lived! I lived long enough to reach this night and I don¡¯t intend for the others to die! They will escape this city, with or without me!¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t,¡± he said sharply. ¡°We¡¯ve already cut off your means of escape. Tell me, did you think it was a coincidence that we found you tonight, just as Malt Territh arrived in Erika. Did you think I never found him?¡±


    Arisa frowned, a sudden spasm of pain in her chest. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I did find him, and I placed a tracker on him,¡± Nakoma answered. ¡°Then I just let him waltz into the city until he located you for us. I¡¯ve already killed the traitor who smuggled him in and I followed the tracker to that house where you were hiding. Territh¡¯s escape will not work. You are stuck here, so stand down.¡±


    She swallowed back the sudden fear that threatened to bring her down. Malt had unknowingly led Nakoma to them, and now they were left with the sole option of using Nuvo Tannath. Arisa had wanted to avoid that, but it seemed they were left with no choice. From the way Nakoma spoke, it didn¡¯t sound like he knew anything about that, which meant that there was still hope for the others.


    Yeah¡­I¡¯ll keep him busy long enough for them to get away. I just need to warn them about the tracker on Malt! If they nullify that spell, they can get out! I just need¡­to hold him at bay! No matter the cost!


    ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± she snarled. ¡°Kill me, Master Taurus, because I intend to kill you!¡±


    A flash of regret crossed the man¡¯s features. ¡°If that is your decision then so be it. Just know that I will not take pride in this. I do not enjoy killing. Death is far too final. I prefer to give people the chance to redeem themselves. My magic is death incarnate, but that does not mean I seek to be a butcher. But if I must become one to protect the country I¡¯ve served for so long, then I will. I will not forget you, Arisa Kirisan.¡±


    Arisa gripped her sword tightly, ready to take on whatever he threw at her, yet she still wasn¡¯t ready for what she saw.


    ¡°Phoenixio,¡± he chanted, and from Arisa¡¯s stance, it almost seemed like Nakoma exploded.


    Bright blue fire erupted from his body, its heat so intense that she could feel it from where she stood. The flames burst into the air, roiling around in the night sky and she squinted at the brightness. She could see Nakoma¡¯s silhouette within the mass of fire, rising into the air as if being lifted by wind, and the flames began to take the form of a giant bird. Its wings spread out over the buildings and its eyes glowed a red rather than the blue that surrounded it. Its beak was wide open and she could see a mass of white flame within.


    So this¡­is the real power of the Master of Fire¡­


    Everything that happened took place in a matter of seconds, and before she could even react to the utter strength of the phoenix Nakoma had created, the white flames blasted from its maw, and she just barely put her hands up in time, screaming the incantation to create a shield. Yet, the moment the flames reached it, she could already feel them burning through the magic to reach her body.


    ¡°Nex! Nex! NEX!¡±


    Arisa screeched as the fires began to char the parts of her skin that they could touch. She kept recreating the shields and they weakened in seconds, the force causing her body to shake. The pain was far more intense than anything Nakoma had done to her in the dungeons. This was a power beyond anything she had ever seen, and it was in that moment that she knew her life had finally reached its end. She had gazed death in the eyes plenty of times in the past, but this time, there was no Reiner to come and save her.


    This is it. I did my best but I¡¯m going to die here, aren¡¯t I? Was this enough? Was I a good enough leader for them? I made so many mistakes and got so many Children killed. My attack on the Citadel spilled so much blood. My assault on Nigreos spilled more. Was I at least able to protect Irin, Tylo, Ardan, and Lyla. Will they be safe? Will Caeli get them out of the city? Will Eric and Hannah survive this attack?


    She could see the skin of her hands and arms searing from her body, and oddly enough, the pain began to dissipate, as if she no longer had the nerves to register the pain. It was as if her body knew the end had come and was beginning to shut itself down.


    Was this the end of Arisa Kirisan, she wondered.


    And if it was, did she do a good job?


    ¡°Ari, I know you¡¯re going to do great things one day. You¡¯re such a talented girl and you¡¯re smart and brave. You¡¯re one of the oldest so be there for the little ones, okay? I trust you, sweetheart. I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you, too, Mom.¡±


    ¡°I love you, too, Mom,¡± Arisa uttered, feeling the flames licking at her face, and so she closed her eyes and prepared for death.


    And suddenly, the fire ceased.


    The burning stopped and the pressure on her shield disappeared. Arisa frowned, weakly opening her eyes to see what happened only to spot Nakoma lying prone on the opposite side of the roof, completely unmoving.


    What? What happened? Is he dead? Who¡­?


    ¡°Kirisan!¡±


    With the dropping of a distortion, a cloaked man appeared before her, his features were strained with worry. Ryokumo Caeli was there. Where had he come from? Had he saved her? Had he taken Nakoma down?


    ¡°Caeli¡­?¡± she breathed, her burnt arms still extended and the pain causing her voice to barely reach louder than a whisper. ¡°Why¡­?¡±


    ¡°Come. We need to go,¡± he grunted, as if he were in tremendous pain, too. ¡°That spell will wear off in barely a few seconds so let¡¯s get out of here and go somewhere safe. Come on! I¡¯ll heal your wounds and then I need you to tell me what¡¯s happened!¡±


    She was so weak that she already felt herself falling forward, but Ryokumo was quick to scoop her up in his arms and jump off the side of the building, already muttering healing incantations to ease the pain. As she rested her head against his chest, she couldn¡¯t fully comprehend why he had done that. She knew Eric had claimed he was on their side, but he attacked a Master to save her.


    She couldn¡¯t process it. All she knew was one thing.


    Somehow, once again, she lived.

 Chapter 34- The Indestructible Behemoth

    Chapter XXXIV


    When Arisa suddenly jumped to the forefront of the battle and attacked Nakoma Taurus, Eric knew that was the moment he would have no choice but to fight. From what Ryokumo had told him about Hannah, and the reflexes she¡¯d already displayed that night, he trusted she would be able to hold the Korrei-Tarr off, so with Arisa taking on the Master of Fire, that left only one opponent for him to deal with:


    Sinna Cartus, the Master of Rock.


    And it seemed she was just as eager to take him on as, the moment he launched himself off the ground and rushed her, she did the same, her arms and fists already encased in a thick layer of stone. He knew she wouldn¡¯t be like the other enemies he¡¯d faced. Nigreos, Album, and Reigious were all daunting because of the sheer strength of their magic, but he knew rock magic wasn¡¯t about offense. It centered more on defending the body and serving as an affinity that could take numerous hits without feeling a thing. Landing attacks on Sinna Cartus wouldn¡¯t be hard, but he wasn¡¯t sure he could take her down and win. In fact, he was almost certain that he wouldn¡¯t win. His previous victories against Masters had been due to blood magic, but that only applied to Nigreos and Album. Sinna could do whatever she wanted to him and the defense wouldn¡¯t activate.


    Meaning for the first time, I could actually die in battle! Nigreos didn¡¯t want to kill me, but I can tell that she does!


    Sinna¡¯s amber eyes were wide with fury as they closed the gap between them, and he could tell that his choice to fight beside the Children had resulted in her hatred. Ryokumo had already warned him that Sinna didn¡¯t trust him, so she would have been the hardest to reason with before he openly defied Ijiria. Now, she would never hear him out. She would never stand down. She would simply attack with everything she had until he was a bloody mess on the concrete.


    Therefore, I can¡¯t hold back either. I never felt any ill will toward her, but if I don¡¯t fight to kill, I will die!


    As the sounds of Hannah dueling the Korrei-Tarr reached him from behind, Sinna¡¯s screams came at him from the front as Eric launched multiple blades of wind directly at her. He¡¯d never seen her in action before, but he had been under the impression that her larger size and the weight of the rock would result in her being somewhat slow.


    How wrong he was.


    Sinna blocked the blades with her fists before finally reaching him, sending punch after punch toward his head and torso that he only barely dodged. Even in just that handful of attacks, he could tell that she was not only skilled with magic, but knew hand-to-hand combat as well. She¡¯d be impossible to fight up close, so distance would be necessary.


    ¡°Proto!¡± he snarled, quickly darting down the road before launching himself up onto one of the nearby houses. He didn¡¯t even have time to think before he turned around and rattled off every spell he could think of. ¡°Perkari! Condite! Infernus!¡±


    The blade of wind he shot down to the street below was swiftly crushed, but the ropes managed to land, wrapping themselves around her body to hold her in place. She reacted once again, ripping them off as if they were made of paper, but it was as she was freeing herself that Eric¡¯s burst of fire hit her square in the chest, engulfing the woman in an explosion of flame. Even knowing rock magic existed to defend her, he still had hope that the fire would weaken her to an extent. Yet once again, he was shown just what power a Master possessed.


    When the flames died down, Sinna stalked forward, her arms no longer the only thing shielded by rock. Now, the protection had spread to her entire body, making it look as if she were made out of stone rather than flesh. Her head was completely covered and it even seemed as if the stone had entered her mouth, hardening her teeth and tongue as well. Her eyes were no longer visible, but where Eric knew they should be were instead two glowing orbs of yellow that were directed straight up at him. She was a walking statue, and it was then that he truly understood the beast he was up against.


    My attacks aren¡¯t strong enough to pierce that! There¡¯s not a single thing in my arsenal that¡¯ll work!


    ¡°Do you see now what mistake you made?¡± Sinna spat, her voice deeper and more monstrous than before. ¡°Your victories against Noctis and Luz made you cocky, boy, but you aren¡¯t invincible like you were there. Did you really think you could win against me?¡±


    He stood up straighter, suppressing the fear welling up inside of him as he forced up a confident facade. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether I can or not! You will not hurt the Children of Reiner, Master Cartus! I refuse to let you! I won¡¯t die and neither will they!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a fool. I always knew you were,¡± she growled. ¡°And if this is how you choose to die then I welcome it. Let me drag your bloody corpse back to Reigious¡¯s feet and show him what Abigail¡¯s son became! I¡¯ll show him that you were no different than her¡ªthat you¡¯re nothing more than a traitor.¡±


    ¡°To you, perhaps,¡± he called down. ¡°But I respect Reigious! I respect you Masters, who allowed me to live here, and I¡¯m sorry that I couldn¡¯t be the person you wanted! But I have my priorities and I have my enemies. Just know¡­that my appreciation was never a lie.¡±


    Sinna let out a gruff hiss before shaking her head. ¡°Your appreciation is worthless when your actions tell a different story! Do you understand what you¡¯ve done to Caeli?! He¡¯s been betrayed so many times in the past¡ªby your mother and by his apprentice! Are you really going to put him through that again?! If you appreciated us then you would have chosen differently!¡±


    Eric furrowed his brow as he took in her words. She sounded furious not only that he betrayed the Citadel, but that she perceived him to have turned against Ryokumo as well.


    ¡°Sinna Cartus is a strong and powerful individual but to be honest, I know very little about her as a person. She despises me, you see. We¡¯ve never exactly seen eye-to-eye, and I don¡¯t believe she wants to. She¡¯s only ever been hostile so be cautious around her.¡±


    Is it possible¡­Ryokumo misread her? Does she at least respect him to some extent?


    Pushing the strange words from his mind, Eric quickly replied in order to ensure that his master¡¯s tracks were covered. ¡°What happens to Ryokumo is unfortunate, but I appreciate him as well. He and Master Mackia have both taken care of me.¡±


    ¡°AND YET THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY THEM?!¡± Sinna snarled. ¡°You ungrateful little bastard, Reiner!¡±


    Having expected the battle to resume in mere seconds, Eric had been ready to begin throwing whatever he could at the Master, and yet he hadn¡¯t been ready for what happened next. He had been so focused on not taking his eyes off of Sinna that he hadn¡¯t seen the man approach until he acted.


    Without a sound, Malt Territh appeared behind the Master of Rock, wielding a giant warhammer that he brought down on her skull with a loud crack. For a brief moment, Eric thought the man had killed her, yet Sinna only slightly flinched, as if he had merely hit her with his fist. She then swung around so fast that it was clear the attack had done nothing as she sent three consecutive punches his way, the first two barely getting blocked by Malt¡¯s hammer and the third hitting him square in the chest. But it was as he lunged backwards that the light of the burning house hit him perfectly to reveal the layer of rock protecting his chest and below. Sinna¡¯s punch stunned him, but he was still on his feet.


    With more shouting off to his left, he briefly took his eyes off of Malt and Sinna to see Ardan and Lyla Tessir darting around the neighborhood with wind magic as they aided Hannah against the Korrei-Tarr, and a few yards away, Tylo was tending to Irin. They were all alive, and with their help, Hannah would be safe. Therefore, Eric knew where his power would be best put to use. Malt Territh knew rock magic, and if anything could breach Sinna¡¯s defenses, it was him, so Eric would do whatever he could for him.


    ¡°Proto,¡± he uttered as he ran and dived over the street to land on the house across from them, giving him a better angle of the Master of Rock as she and Malt moved faster than he would have expected they could as hammer and fist collided with each other, occasionally landing blows on their opponent''s body but never being enough to knock them down. With Malt there, he knew he had to refrain from using fire magic again, so he instead turned to the affinity he was most comfortable with.


    ¡°Condite!¡± Eric snarled twice, creating ropes with both hands to wrap around Sinna¡¯s arms.


    He managed to pull her back for just a moment before her strength broke them free, but it gave Malt a needed opening. He swung his hammer down into her chest before spinning it upwards to slam into her chin, jolting her head backwards. Anybody else''s neck would have been broken, but Sinna¡¯s head just snapped back down to its normal position, as if the attack had invigorated her rather than harmed her. The fight continued on like this for some time, with Eric jumping between houses and using condite to yank Sinna¡¯s limbs around, hoping to give Malt openings wherever he could. Yet it was clear that the Child wasn¡¯t on the same level as Sinna. As Eric moved, he could see cracks beginning to form in Malt¡¯s armor, and he still hadn¡¯t hardened his head, which led Eric to wonder if Malt could form rock armor around his skull. As for Sinna, there wasn¡¯t a breach to be seen, as if she hadn¡¯t taken even a single hit.


    What the hell are we supposed to do?! We¡¯ve been fighting for nearly ten minutes and we still haven¡¯t even begun to take her down! We have to beat Sinna! Hell, if she and Nakoma aren¡¯t defeated, then I will have just ruined my shot at killing Nigreos and Album and freeing the others from the erased realm.


    For a moment, he felt dread at the thought of Ryokumo finding out what he did. By intervening and trying to save Arisa, he had revealed to two Masters that he was on the Children¡¯s side. Getting back into the Citadel would be both unnecessarily hard and dangerous when he would have been able to just walk back in had he not done what he did. The only way to make things right again would be if Arisa managed to kill Nakoma and Malt succeeded in killing Sinna. Yet, as impressive as he knew the Children of Reiner to be, the Masters were the best in their respective affinities. It would be nearly impossible to kill one of them, let alone both.


    So why did I do this? I know that¡¯s what Arisa and the others have to be thinking. They know that my priorities lay with the Magic Club and everybody else from Wilham, so why would I risk everything just for them?


    ¡°Reiner, listen to me. Just run. Go find my master and go back to the Citadel. We¡¯ll deal with everything down here! Just finish your mission. Kill Noctis and Luz. Save your friends! There¡¯s no need to risk it all for people you hardly know!¡±


    That was what Hannah said to him while they crouched up on a rooftop, watching as Sinna and Nakoma threatened Arisa and Irin. Ryokumo¡¯s former apprentice had always intended to jump down and fight, and Tylo had been ready to join her. Hannah had been quick to save him after Nakoma¡¯s initial attack, and it was because of her quick thinking that he was able to get away without being spotted. Yet even so, Eric still went with her despite her urgings and the reasoning behind that was simple.


    If he didn¡¯t, Arisa would die.


    He knew that if he turned around and fled, he would be abandoning Arisa, Hannah, and the Children of Reiner. Logic told him that only one extra fighter wouldn¡¯t turn the tides enough, but he knew he had to try. If he ran like a coward, he would never forgive himself if they all died. He couldn¡¯t leave them. Even if he barely knew them, they were still his mother¡¯s adoptive children. They loved her the same way he did, and in his eyes, they were his brothers and sisters. There was just no way he could abandon them.


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    So we have to win! In the end, this won¡¯t matter! We¡¯ll beat Sinna and then we¡¯ll hurry off to aid Arisa and beat Nakoma as well! We have to!


    But the battle just wouldn¡¯t turn in their favor. Even after everything they had thrown at her, Sinna was still unharmed and he could tell that Malt was reaching his limit. If something didn¡¯t change within the next few minutes, Malt would die and Eric would have no choice but to run.


    If they couldn¡¯t kill Sinna Cartus, then it was all over for him.


    And then, to Eric¡¯s utter horror, the Master of Rock reached up and grabbed Malt¡¯s hammer in one hand, before taking a violent swing at his face, smashing her rock-infused fist right into his nose and snapping his head back in a spray of blood. And unlike Sinna, his head didn¡¯t snap back in place. Instead, Malt simply crumpled to the ground and Eric couldn¡¯t tell whether he was alive or dead. All he knew was that on the chance that it hadn¡¯t killed him, he needed to keep her from finishing him off at all costs.


    ¡°Condite!¡±


    ¡°Perkari!¡±


    As he shouted the chant for the rope spell once again, hoping to prevent Sinna from getting a chance to breathe, three other voices cried out in unison, blades of wind colliding with the Master¡¯s giant form from all different directions. Tylo, Ardan, and Lyla all darted across the sky, placing themselves on separate rooftops as they cast their spells, and when Eric quickly glanced off to where they¡¯d been fighting, he saw the Korrei-Tarr laying on the concrete unmoving, the flames from the house glinting off of their red and black armor. He didn¡¯t see Hannah anywhere and could only assume that she went to help Arisa, which gave him a rather quick feeling of relief, knowing the girl would soon have backup. Sinna let out another shrill battle cry as her attention was drawn away from Malt¡¯s form and to the newcomers, who were already back in the air, darting around and hurling spells at her.


    For the moment, Eric remained in place as he took the opportunity to catch his breath and pull himself back together. If Tylo were here then that meant he¡¯d finished healing Irin and would have her in a more protected space. While the Childrens¡¯ attacks were doing little to breach Sinna¡¯s armor, they were at least able to distract her, so Eric quickly turned his attention to Malt Territh. The man could already be dead, but he had to be certain. If there was even a little life left in him, he could take what Iris taught him and hopefully save his life.


    ¡°Proto,¡± he whispered, once again diving off the building and soaring down to the streets below him.


    He skidded along the side, reaching Malt in a matter of seconds, and after making sure that Sinna had been drawn far enough away, he quickly pressed his hands against the man, using one to feel for a pulse while already infusing his body with healing magic with the other. His face was a bloody mess, and his nose was clearly broken. Teeth had been knocked out and blood pooled in his mouth, but there was a very slight heartbeat still there, though Eric had a bad feeling that it could go quiet at any moment.


    ¡°Benedio,¡± he chanted, now using both hands. ¡°Benedio.¡±


    Gradually, the man¡¯s face began to put itself back together. His nose straightened to a more natural position and the blood dripping from his mouth started to pull itself back into his body. Unfortunately, while Iris had told him about the abilities of master healers to reattach limbs and to fix teeth, he was nowhere near practiced enough to do it, so there was nothing he could do about Malt¡¯s shattered mouth. He could only prevent him from dying, but he couldn¡¯t fix him completely.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Malt suddenly grunted, his eyes slowly opening. ¡°What¡¯s¡­happening? R-Reiner?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he quickly assured him between chants of the incantations. ¡°I¡¯m doing what I can to heal you. I¡¯m not going to let you die, Territh. Just stay there and don¡¯t move.¡±


    ¡°W-where are¡­the others? And Cartus¡­ Is she¡­?¡±


    Eric briefly looked over his shoulder to see Sinna further down the road, still unharmed, but being plagued by the constant attacks from the Children. She might have been fast, but they were well practiced in wind magic, and thus far, she had failed to get a hit in on any of them. However, he saw Sinna¡¯s attention turn his way, and knew that she had noticed what he was doing. The minute she got an opening, she would come sprinting toward him.


    ¡°They¡¯ve got her handled for the moment,¡± Eric finally said. ¡°Now, once you can move, try and take cover. You can¡¯t fight her. None of us can. We just need to get as far away as possible.¡±


    ¡°B-but¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll protect them,¡± he interrupted. ¡°And so will Arisa and Hannah. We¡¯ll protect each other. I promise you. So please, just listen to me. It¡¯s for your own good. You¡¯ve done everything you could. You kept Cartus busy for a long time and for that, I thank you. You¡¯ve done your job.¡±


    Within Malt¡¯s dark eyes, Eric could see conflict, and he knew the man had to be debating what to do. Back in the house, Malt had made it clear how little he trusted him, so it couldn¡¯t be an easy decision to just do what he asked, but after a few seconds, he finally let out a raspy sigh.


    ¡°Fine. Thank you for healing me. And thank you for not abandoning them. Perhaps¡­there¡¯s some merit to who you claim to be¡­¡±


    Eric forced a weak smile, thankful that he managed to get through to him. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    ¡°REINER!¡±


    ¡°Condite!¡±


    Eric heard the sound of Sinna¡¯s footsteps before her scream, so he was ready to react. He spun around and snarled the spell¡¯s incantation, putting as much energy as he could spare into creating as strong of ropes as possible, and had he not done so, he would have died. Sinna was barely ten yards away when she was suddenly yanked backwards by his attack, but unlike every other time he attacked her, he didn¡¯t run. Instead, he protoed toward her, closing that gap and reaching her armored form, his hands going to her chest as he recalled a spell he rarely used.


    ¡°Corsikei!¡±


    Mana surged through his arms, sending a powerful shockwave into her body that he prayed would be strong enough to at least crack the rock that protected her. Yet even that couldn¡¯t breach the defenses and only managed to shove her backwards, knocking her off her balance.


    ¡°All of you, get Territh out of here!¡± Eric shouted out to wherever the Children might be located. ¡°Condite!¡±


    Taking advantage of Sinna¡¯s lost balance, he sent another wave of ropes after her, believing that if he could knock her off her feet then he might be able to get an edge on her, and to his surprise and gratitude, Ardan and Lyla came to the same conclusion. Two more sets of ropes wrapped around Sinna¡¯s upper body, yanking her down to the ground with a violent crash, the sound mixing with her shouts of rage. Then out of the darkness above, Tylo landed right beside him, already making his way to where Malt was pushing himself to a sitting position.


    ¡°We owe you, Eric,¡± Tylo called back. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    His goodbye was brief as he rushed to his brother¡¯s side, threw his arm around him, and began to lead him down a nearby alley.  Eric didn¡¯t have the energy to make a vocal reply as he did everything he could to hold Sinna down, but he made sure to smile at him to let him know that he heard him. Ardan and Lyla were both perched up on the roofs of the houses on either side of the road, doing the same to keep Sinna from moving.


    ¡°Guys, run!¡± Eric commanded. ¡°I''ve got it from here! Just get to safety! Find Arisa and Hannah, and make sure you get Irin away from all this! I¡¯ll deal with Cartus!¡±


    He couldn¡¯t see what faces the twins had made, but he knew they must think he was losing his mind. It was painfully clear how powerful Sinna Cartus was, and they had barely gotten her on her back with four of them fighting at once, but thankfully, they did as he asked. They would know how important it was to escape Erika now that they had been found. He¡¯d already told them that this was the night everything would go down and he still intended for that to be the case. Nigreos and Album would die that night, and the Children of Reiner would escape Erika.


    The moment Ardan and Lyla released their hold on the Master of Rock, Eric felt his ropes beginning to shatter, but the sounds of the twins chanting proto and rushing away comforted him. Knowing he needed to savor his energy, Eric released the ropes he knew would snap anyway and watched as Sinna pushed herself to her feet, her glowing yellow eyes directed at him. When she rose up to full height, she was nearly a foot taller than him and he could feel the dread washing over him as he faced the beast of a woman that she was.


    ¡°Are you that arrogant that you would send your allies away?¡± she demanded. ¡°You¡¯ve yet to even scratch me, yet you declare that you¡¯ll deal with me alone? How idiotic.¡±


    Eric shook his head. ¡°No, I can¡¯t win. I know that. But like I told you when I first jumped down here: I won¡¯t allow the Children of Reiner to die. Now that they¡¯ve escaped, I¡¯ve already won.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know how he was going to get back to Ryokumo, and he wasn¡¯t even sure where his master was, but he knew that escape was the only option left to him. He just needed to hold Sinna¡¯s attention until everybody else was far away, and then using wind magic to escape would be easy. That was his plan.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a waste,¡± she growled. ¡°I actually had hopes for you, too, you know. I really did want you to prove me wrong to mistrust you.¡±


    He nodded, sending more wind magic down to his wrists to show her that he was ready to continue their battle. ¡°Thank you for that, Master Cartus.¡±


    He expected her to charge him, to do everything she could to prevent him from escaping as she surely expected he would, yet Sinna hesitated and it was that hesitation that preceded what happened next. Without any warning, tendrils burst from the ground in a circle around the Master of Rock, shooting upwards as if to create a cage around where she stood.


    ¡°Wait! Durumi!¡± Sinna shouted, reaching to press her hands against the cobble ground, but they never made contact before more tendrils wrapped themselves around her wrists, pulling them back. Others grabbed her legs and her torso, and one even reached for her neck, holding the massive woman in place. She shouted out incantations, but offensive rock magic required contact with the earth to activate, and the tendrils completely blocked her from view as the cage closed around her, allowing only her muffled screams to reach the outside. Eric could only gape as he tried to process what he had just witnessed as he realized what he was staring at.


    ¡°Vines,¡± he muttered. ¡°They¡¯re vines¡­¡±


    The boy spun around, having sensed the presence of the figure behind him, only to find a figure garbed in a white cloak and cowl, with a mask of the same color concealing their face, with two little horns on the forehead. The individual had saved him and his sense didn¡¯t warn him of danger, so he took a step forward and went to speak, but she beat him to it.


    ¡°Come. We must move now. That will hold her for the moment but not for long. Please follow me.¡±


    He recognized the voice almost instantly, yet she was clearly talking in a deeper tone as to prevent anybody else from catching on to her identity. The screaming and pounding of Sinna from within the cage of vines almost certainly drowned it out as the woman turned and began stalking back the way she had come. Eric, completely bewildered and stunned by the realization of who saved him, silently followed after her, rushing to reach her side.


    ¡°W-why?¡± he whispered. ¡°How? I don¡¯t¡­?¡±


    Iris giggled softly, clearly amused by his confusion. ¡°I¡¯ll explain later. For now, let¡¯s just move.¡±


    Desperate for answers but knowing they didn¡¯t have time to talk, Eric did as he was told and followed Iris Mackia deeper into the slums.


    ***


    Carrying Arisa Kirisan in his arms, Ryokumo continued to chant healing spells as he sprinted through the darkened alleys, desperate to find Eric or any of the other Children as soon as he could. He was trying to put together and figure out what was going on, but the utter pain in his head was making it harder for him to think. After his conversation with Iris, he had told her to stay with him while they went to find Eric. Despite her telling him that she wanted to work with him, he still couldn¡¯t bring himself to trust her, so until Nigreos and Album were dead, he didn¡¯t want her out of his sight.


    The plan had always been to meet Eric at the orphanage and begin the escape with Nuvo, but when he and Iris came across the giant phoenix, a spell so powerful that few in Ijiria could control it, he knew something had gone wrong. Fearing that it was Eric fighting Nakoma, Ryokumo had acted on instinct and rushed to help, only to find it was Arisa instead. He knew that he couldn¡¯t take Nakoma on himself, so he resorted to the only thing he could think of: He cast Aniextiam on the Master of Fire, dropping him on the spot. He then rushed to get Arisa out of there, recognizing that she was on the brink of death, and when he returned to the street, Iris was gone.


    Damn it! Where the hell did she go?! My only guess is that she went to the orphanage like I told her we would, but why would she leave without me?! Was I played? Was I just lead into some trap?!


    He hadn¡¯t known Nakoma Taurus was back in Erika, and if he was fighting Arisa then that meant the Children of Reiner had been compromised. He didn¡¯t know if that meant Eric was found or not, and he wasn¡¯t sure if other Masters were in the slums as well. He desperately wanted to ask Arisa, but the girl was asleep, her head resting against him as he ran.


    I¡¯m sorry, Kirisan. I should have been here to help. If any of you are dead¡­ If Eric or Hannah are dead¡­


    Ryokumo frantically rounded a corner and it was at that moment that he sensed the new presence. Yet it was a presence he knew well, and so he immediately came to a halt to see the young woman doing the same, just a few yards ahead of him.


    ¡°M-Master¡­¡± she stuttered, before exhaling in relief. Yet that relief was short lived as she noticed Arisa clutched in his arms. ¡°What happened to her?!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s alive for now, Hannah,¡± he quickly assured her. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get to the orphanage. And please, tell me everything that¡¯s happened.¡±

 Chapter 35- Some Form Of Closure

    Chapter XXXV


    As Vinny Mickelson walked down the streets of the erased realm¡¯s Wilham, he couldn¡¯t help but marvel at how real it all seemed. Even though Lilly had explained everything both to his erased self and to his real self, he still found it hard to come to terms with it all. Of course, he believed her. Between The Switch and the terrors he saw at Ralph¡¯s Diner, he knew magic was real and that it had power beyond his understanding. Yet the idea that an entire replica of his home could be created like this was almost fascinating, in a twisted sort of way. So much had happened in the time he was gone and now he needed to catch himself up with it all. He was told about Ijiria, about the Masters named Nigreos and Album, and of the battle that they waged against the Magic Club in the weeks after his erasure. Eric had magic of his own, and now even Lilly had powers that could potentially put her on the level of the beings that stuck them within that realm.


    There¡¯s so much to think about. There¡¯s so much I missed and as everything fell apart, I was stuck here, oblivious to the pain my friends were going through. Vinny looked down at the street, his hands in the pockets of his shorts. But I¡¯m back now so I¡¯ll do whatever I can to fight these Ijirians. I¡¯ll make up for lost time.


    Vinny then shifted his gaze to Lilly, who walked a little ahead of him as she continued to lead him to their destination. She was very different, but not in a bad way. There was confidence in the way she moved and talked that hadn¡¯t been in the Lilly Harper he remembered. Her experiences had shaped her into a different person, and he found himself in awe of who she had become. She was ready and willing to risk her life taking Nigreos and Album on, and the look in her eyes made it clear that Eric had a certain effect on her.


    And it¡¯s no wonder considering everything she went through, he thought, recalling what had happened the previous night.


    When he¡¯d entered Rista¡¯s apartment, he¡¯d found her arm bandaged up and her skin red and swollen in places, with a sleeping Jay laying across her lap. She¡¯d done her best to explain it all, but soon enough, Rista arrived and quickly went to work putting the balcony and sliding door back together, as well as attempting to heal the two of them. Yet, while the magic had worked on Jay, none of Lilly¡¯s wounds would close up, and Rista couldn¡¯t figure out what was going wrong. Even now, while her swelling had gone down, Lilly¡¯s left arm was bandaged, and despite the summer heat of the morning, she had a light jacket put on to cover it, as if wanting to hide it from the others. With everything that had been going on, Lilly had promised to explain more the following morning, so thus far, they hadn¡¯t had a ton of time to interact.


    ¡°So how are you feeling?¡± he asked. ¡°Is your arm any better?¡±


    She looked back at him and smiled before shrugging. ¡°I mean, it doesn¡¯t hurt as much, but it¡¯s still hard to move it. I just wish Rista¡¯s healing could have worked, but I¡¯ll just have to make due. Like I said last night, I¡¯ll be fine once we get out of here.¡±


    ¡°Good, good,¡± he muttered. ¡°I¡¯m glad. When I headed back to the apartment last night, I had hoped it would be a fun reunion. Hadn¡¯t expected to find you and Brooks half dead and the apartment a complete mess. Honestly, what have you guys gotten yourselves into?¡±


    She snorted and eyed him wryly. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t act like you aren¡¯t part of this. You liked screwing around with that gem the most, after all. Or well, other than Eric, at least.¡±


    ¡°Well, of course I couldn¡¯t compete with Eric! That guy was obsessed with magic!¡± Vinny smirked. ¡°And I mean, how couldn¡¯t you be? This stuff is freaking amazing, even if most of it is evil and dangerous.¡±


    Lilly cocked an eyebrow as she regarded him. ¡°You know, you¡¯re taking this all far better than I thought you would. I mean, are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about me,¡± he assured her with a wave of his hand. ¡°I think it has to do with the fact that you already explained it to my other self, but none of this really surprises me. After all, you already showed me magic when you kicked Damien¡¯s ass, and I¡¯ve spoken with Pine, and been told all about this realm. So in that sense, I guess I have to thank you. If you¡¯d kept ¡®asshole me¡¯ in the dark then I¡¯d probably be freaking out right now.¡±


    Lilly laughed softly and shook her head. ¡°God, you¡¯re way too laid back about that stuff, Vin¡¯. But regardless, I¡¯m glad to have you back. Maybe with you back to normal, we might be able to get through to Damien a bit more. I just wish I knew how you regained everything.¡±


    ¡°Me, too,¡± he admitted. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it had to do with my date with Alice, but for the life of me, I don¡¯t know if it was our kiss or just being with her that caused it all. I started getting flashes of my real life pretty much from the start, so it¡¯s possible that the kiss was just the last straw.¡±


    Lilly furrowed her brow in thought as they rounded another corner and came to the rather small apartment duplex. ¡°Then maybe if we elicit strong enough emotion, we can break the spell?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my theory,¡± Vinny replied. ¡°And it shouldn¡¯t be hard to snap Damien back to normal. Liz¡¯s siren song has always been stronger than anything. Get her to seduce him and he¡¯ll be back to his proper self in no time!¡±


    He flashed her a thumbs up and a broad smile, to which the girl shook her head once more, as if exasperated by his lighthearted tone. Yet, despite that, she was soon laughing once again.


    ¡°God, I¡¯ve missed you, Vinny,¡± she said. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize how much your dumbass ideas really put me at ease.¡±


    ¡°Dumbass ideas?!¡± he exclaimed, feigning offense. ¡°Whatever do you mean, dear Lilly?! My ideas are nothing but brilliant! Even the most renowned scientists would marvel at the genius that comes out of my brain!¡±


    Lilly snorted. ¡°Sure, whatever you say, you moron. Now, let¡¯s get going.¡±


    She led him up the steps of the duplex and toward one of the doors, and as Vinny glanced around, he found himself suddenly anxious about the interactions to come. Lilly was taking him to the workshop of Eric¡¯s father, who was currently working on an anti-mana serum to combat Nigreos and Album. That alone was stunning to Vinny, who had never heard much about Scott Reiner, let alone met him. But what put him on edge even further was the fact that Evan Wright would already be inside.


    At the end of the day, Vinny knew that Evan¡¯s presence in the erased realm was because of him. He was the one who used The Switch on him and Rina, so the blood that was split by the Masters could be traced back to him. That was the one thing he was trying not to think about, yet as they arrived, he knew there was no way to get around it. Lilly had already told him what happened to Rina back in the real world.


    She was killed by Nigreos, and she was only targeted because of what I did to her back at Christmas. How much damage did I really cause by doing what I did? I know I always spouted off that it was for the greater good, but still¡­


    ¡°Have you considered how what you¡¯ve done has affected everybody around you?¡±


    Ever since Damien confronted him so many months ago, Vinny had been forced to face and accept the consequences of his actions. He wanted to believe that he had helped Alice by going after Evan and Rina, but in the end, Jay tried to kill himself, and Evan and Rina became targets of the Ijirians, all because he wanted to be the hero that would protect his friends.


    But blood was split because of me. Damien was right. In the end, he was always right. I knew that the day I found out Jay jumped, but it''s even clearer to me now. Rina¡¯s gone, so there¡¯s no way I can ever make amends for what I did. I can¡¯t change the past¡­


    ¡°Vinny?¡±


    The sound of Lilly¡¯s voice snapped him out of his thoughts, and he quickly turned a smile her way to ease her concern. ¡°Yes, friendo?¡±


    ¡°You good?¡± she asked, to which he broadened his grin and nodded.


    ¡°Of course. Never been better. Now, we shouldn¡¯t keep them waiting. In we go!¡±


    Lilly frowned but did as he suggested and knocked on the door, and within a few seconds, it was pulled open not by Scott Reiner, who owned the place, but by a face that was both familiar to Vinny and very different. It was Liz, but she didn¡¯t look like her normal self. She wasn¡¯t wearing glasses and her ever-present headphones were absent. Instead, she wore makeup and contacts, with far more feminine clothing than her normal preferences. His other self had known this Liz Tao, but with his memories back, he couldn¡¯t help but gape.


    ¡°Hey, Harper,¡± she greeted. ¡°Oh, and you came, too, Mickelson? I honestly didn¡¯t think you were gonna bother.¡±


    He was thrown off, but that didn¡¯t mean he was going to stay that way. He wanted to get her back to normal just like Lilly did, and he knew the only way to do that would be to try and get her and Damien in a similar situation as him and Alice. So, he once again smiled like his usual self and ran his hand through his blonde hair.


    ¡°Dear Liz, what is with your lack of faith in me?¡± he demanded. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I come to help my dear friends? And cut this Mickelson nonsense. I¡¯ve known you for far too long for you to be using my last name! I don¡¯t know what game you seek to play with me, but I will not fall victim to your schemes!¡±


    He was a little sad by her lack of a comeback as she just stared at him, her eyes wide like she couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing. Normally, Liz would have had something witty to fire back with, so it was hard to conceal his disappointment.


    ¡°U-um¡­what?¡± she stammered. ¡°Harper, what¡¯d you do to him?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°Nothing. He got his memories back on his own, so now he¡¯s back to himself. Weirdly enough, this idiot here is the Vinny I¡¯m used to. He¡¯s finally stopped brooding.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Lilly! I was not brooding!¡± he complained. ¡°I was just a tad sad, is all. But now I have no need to be, for I have returned to my proper self! Now Liz, tell me, where is Damien for I much desire to have a word with him!¡±


    Liz just continued to glance between the two of them, as if still struggling to find the right words to say. ¡°T-this¡­is the real Mickelson?¡±


    ¡°Vinny!¡± he corrected.


    ¡°Er, right, Vinny,¡± she muttered. ¡°I just¡­ Wow, I don¡¯t really know what to say.¡±


    ¡°Well if you¡¯re struggling to find the right words to say, how about I help you,¡± he suggested. ¡°Just admit that you are the inferior club member when it comes to me, and praise me as the greatest. How about that?¡±


    As Liz¡¯s clear discomfort grew, Lilly finally decided to put a stop to his teasing. ¡°Alright, shut up, Vinny. Liz, are the others already here?¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh, yeah. You guys were the last ones to arrive,¡± she answered. ¡°Though Natalie isn¡¯t here, but I guess you¡¯re not bringing her?¡±


    Lilly shook her head. ¡°No, I couldn¡¯t get her mom to let me take her out today, unfortunately. She wasn¡¯t very happy about that but it couldn¡¯t be helped. Anyway, thanks for coming to give us a hand.¡±


    Giving Liz a brief pat on the shoulder, Lilly motioned for Vinny to follow her and moved into the apartment. Deciding he¡¯d teased ¡°Erased Liz¡± enough, he moved to follow after his friend, but was stopped by the sound of Liz¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Vinny,¡± she called out. ¡°How did you do it? How¡¯d you go back to normal?¡±


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    He paused and glanced back at the girl, seeing a bit of the familiar determination that he was used to. ¡°Oh, nothing too crazy. Emotions are quite powerful, I believe, so if you tap into them, you¡¯ll be able to pull your real self out. As for me, I simply shared a nice moment with the girl I love. So perhaps invite Damien to your place and see what happens. Put that siren¡¯s song of yours to good use and get him back.¡±


    He gave her a wink then turned and continued on down the hall before arriving at the workshop. The room was a cluttered mess and that wasn¡¯t helped by the fact that there were now eight people crammed into it. Evan, Brad, and Rista were gathered off to the right, beside the overfilled closet, while Damien was standing by himself in the opposite corner. In the center of it all was a giant workbench where an older man in a tank top was sitting with Lilly and Jay beside him. Vinny knew without having to ask that it was Scott Reiner who was peering into his microscope. Upon his entrance, the man glanced back at him and scowled.


    ¡°No! Stop bringing more people!¡± he snapped irritably. ¡°When I said I needed help, I didn¡¯t mean for you to bring your whole fucking club! There¡¯s not enough room in here!¡±


    Wow¡­ Well he¡¯s certainly pleasant. No wonder Eric never talked about him.


    ¡°Come on, Mr. Reiner! You¡¯ve just met me! How do you know I won¡¯t be the most useful one here! I¡¯m actually quite good at science,¡± he lied.


    While Lilly, Jay, and Rista already knew that his memories had returned, Evan, Brad, and Damien must have still been in the dark, since they just stared at him with a similar shock to Liz. Vinny glanced to his right and looked at Brad before grinning and winking at him as well.


    ¡°Good to see you still in one piece, Fischer,¡± Vinny went on. ¡°It¡¯s been far too long since we¡¯ve hung out. I¡¯ve missed you, buddy.¡±


    Brad¡¯s features turned irritable as he put his face in his hands. ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me. When did you come back, Mickelson?¡±


    ¡°Last night actually,¡± he replied. ¡°It was quite the experience but I feel great! Honestly feel like I could go run a marathon actually! I¡¯m so rejuvenated and energized!¡±


    Brad sighed then glanced over at Lilly, who just nodded, as if to confirm that he really was back to his old self. As for Evan, he hadn¡¯t said a word, which was surprising to Vinny. Considering how their last interaction had unfolded, he had been prepared to be cursed out, but he just stood silently and stared at the ground, almost as if he just wanted to ignore him.


    ¡°Well anyway, if you can¡¯t help, get out,¡± Scott snapped. ¡°I don¡¯t need a bunch of useless teenagers in my workshop! You¡¯ll make a mess of everything!¡±


    Vinny raised an eyebrow as he glanced around the dirty room. Oh really? It looks like that¡¯s already been taken care of. Pretty sure you don¡¯t get much messier than this. Though he kept that comment to himself, recalling how Lilly had warned him how easy it was to agitate Scott.


    ¡°Actually, I was just getting ready to head out,¡± Jay quickly said. ¡°Rista, you ready to go?¡±


    The Ijirian nodded and stood up straighter. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s get this done with. Then, maybe I can try to take some time and search for this damn mana port. If we don¡¯t find that soon, none of this is gonna matter.¡± He irritably indicated Scott¡¯s table, clearly growing impatient with their lack of progress.


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯ve said as much fifty fucking times now,¡± Scott growled. ¡°Just leave some more blood samples and I won¡¯t care what you do.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re already in the fridge,¡± he called over his shoulder and he hurried out of the room, not bothering to give even a single look back at them.


    Vinny figured Jay would go with him, but to his surprise, the boy stopped and looked back at Evan, who was still quietly standing beside Brad. ¡°Hey, Wright. You come with us, too, okay.¡±


    Evan glanced up and narrowed his eyes. ¡°What? Why? Why would you need my help putting Mendez¡¯s memories back.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Jay replied bluntly. ¡°I need you for something else. Just trust me. I promise it¡¯ll be worth it.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°Go with him, dude,¡± Brad interrupted. ¡°Mr. Reiner needs some of us to get out of here anyway so it¡¯ll make his workshop less crowded. And maybe pick us up some snacks on your way back.¡±


    ¡°What am I, your snack boy?¡± Evan spat, yey even with his annoyance clear, he just rolled his eyes and conceded. ¡°Fine. Whatever. Let¡¯s make this fuckin¡¯ quick, Brooks.¡±


    With that, he marched out of the room, not even addressing Vinny as he slid past him and back into the hall. In a way, Evan ignoring him was a relief, but at the same time, he knew that it was only pushing off the inevitable. They would have to talk one way or the other, for the peace of mind of them both.


    Jay soon followed the other boy, but unlike Evan, when he reached where Vinny stood, he looked up at him and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s good to have you back, Mickelson,¡± he said. ¡°And don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll take care of Alice. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s going to be stressed when her memories come back, so I¡¯ll need your help to explain everything, okay?¡±


    Vinny nodded and patted the boy on the shoulder. ¡°Of course. Take care of yourself, my friend.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you, too.¡±


    With a quick fist bump, Jay then continued out of the room as well, trading places with Liz as she entered, still looking a bit unnerved but seeming to have mostly recovered as she headed over to where Damien was still sitting, watching the interactions with obvious confusion. With only six of them left in the room, it didn¡¯t feel as crowded, and Lilly was quick to get to business.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the deal with serum?¡± she asked Scott. ¡°Rista explained some of it over the phone, but he was a little unclear. Do you need anything?¡±


    The man shook his head, leaning back in his chair as he scowled. ¡°Nah, I don¡¯t think so. It didn¡¯t work, but I think that might just be due to the age of the serums we tested with. Like I said, I ran out of Abi¡¯s blood a long time ago, so I¡¯m hoping that if I use Pine¡¯s and make new ones, it should work.¡±


    ¡°And why do you think that¡¯ll work?¡± she inquired.


    ¡°Well, when I used the old serum, there was a very faint reaction,¡± Scott explained. ¡°See, the mana output was hindered by just a little bit, so it¡¯s got some level of effectiveness. All I gotta do is hope that making new ones will work. I have other ideas I could try, but the more tests I have to run, the longer it¡¯ll take, and I know Pine¡¯s getting fucking impatient.¡±


    Lilly sighed. ¡°Well, we are running short on time, so if it doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯ll just have to hope The Angel can do its job. And if we can get Eric back, maybe you can use his blood and keep testing in the real world.¡±


    ¡°Maybe so,¡± he grunted. ¡°But if you¡¯re going after Noctis, I want to help. There¡¯s no fucking way I¡¯m sitting out on this. Even if I can¡¯t fight the bastard myself, I¡¯ll be far more satisfied knowing it was my creation that helped do him in.¡±


    ¡°I understand that,¡± Lilly whispered. ¡°So, like I said earlier, if you need anything, just ask me. I¡¯ll do whatever I can.¡±


    For a moment, Scott just looked at her, as if trying to determine something, before chuckling softly. ¡°Thanks, Harper.¡±


    Vinny watched the interaction with pride, once again marveling at how different Lilly had become. He¡¯d missed so much while he was trapped in this world, and even now, it was hard to comprehend it all, but he understood what needed to be done. He didn¡¯t know Ijiria, and he only ever saw Album once, but he remembered watching the people at that diner getting mercilessly slaughtered and he remembered the terror he felt when she plunged her arm in his chest. He understood how dangerous they were, so without truly knowing what they were up against, he was ready to take them down, if only to save the people he cared about.


    I¡¯ll do everything I can for the club, and for Alice¡­


    We¡¯re coming, Eric. Just hold on for a little while longer.


    ***


    ¡°So what exactly do you bastards need me for?¡± Evan demanded as he followed Jay and Rista down the very forest path that never failed to send shivers down his spine. It was the one he had been on the day Nigreos and Album first attacked him, and if he headed deeper into the trees, he would eventually reach that decrepit shack that had only ever brought him pain. Because of this, he was growing more and more anxious the further into the woods they went. ¡°Seriously! Stop hiding shit from me! It¡¯s not funny!¡±


    Rista didn¡¯t even acknowledge his complaints as the Ijirian continued to survey their surroundings, cautious as always. Jay, however, did glance back at him with a grin that made the boy feel like he was being teased.


    ¡°Just trust me, Wright. It¡¯ll be worth it,¡± he assured him.


    Evan narrowed his eyes. ¡°Will it? I doubt Mendez will be terribly happy if I¡¯m one of the first things she sees after coming back to normal.¡±


    ¡°Oh she won¡¯t,¡± Jay corrected as he pulled his phone from his pocket, as if to check something. ¡°You don¡¯t have to go all the way to the hideout. In fact, this should be far enough. Thanks!¡±


    ¡°W-wait, what?¡± he stuttered, baffled and even more confused than before. ¡°What do you mean this is far enough? Far enough for what? Stop fucking with me, Brooks!¡±


    But neither of them paid him any attention as they made their way off the path and into the woods, and before they got too far away, Jay turned back and gave him a thumbs up, almost like he was trying to encourage him to do something.


    Why do I feel like I¡¯m getting my ass pranked? he internally grumbled. And why is Brooks all chipper so suddenly? I mean, I know Harper said they exorcized that monster or whatever, but I¡¯d still think he¡¯d be a bit nervous to do this¡­ Ah, whatever, it¡¯s not my problem.


    Part of him considered following after them, but he meant what he said about not wanting to be present when Alice regained her memories. So, he begrudgingly turned around and began making his way along the path, wanting to just get back to Scott¡¯s workshop so he could continue watching him work. He really wanted to know whether that serum was going to be successful, so he began to pick up his pace. Yet, he soon slowed down again as he recalled the boy who had arrived just before he left.


    So Mickelson got his memories back?


    He didn¡¯t know how to feel about that. It was one thing to put his hatred aside when dealing with a Vinny Mickelson that didn¡¯t remember their incident last Christmas, but it was another matter entirely to face the Vinny he knew from his version of reality. That boy knew what happened between them, as well as what he did to Rina.


    What the fuck am I even supposed to think? I¡¯ve hated that arrogant asshole for so long, and now he¡¯s suddenly back and I have to work with him? What kinda fucked up reality is this? How can I even look him in the eyes after everything he did to me?


    But he could no longer pin the blame on Vinny alone. He knew that he was responsible for it all as well. If he hadn¡¯t dragged Rina into his own personal rivalries then she wouldn¡¯t have suffered what Vinny did to her and she would never have had to know about Ijiria. She could have still been alive.


    Why did I even get her involved in the first place? I hated Mickelson, but she didn¡¯t even know the guy. Sure, she had her issues with Mendez, but that had nothing to do with me.


    But even if he couldn¡¯t admit it to himself, he knew the real reason he had egged her on. He¡¯d always had feelings for her for as long as he¡¯d known her. He thought she was pretty, and fun, and just enjoyable to be around. Naturally, there would have never been a relationship between them since she wound up dating Steven, but that never stopped him from trying to get close with her and make excuses to talk with her. She¡¯d spoken a little about how Alice had once betrayed her, so when Vinny started dating her, Evan saw that as a prime opportunity for them both to get a little revenge. Rina could make Alice pay for turning on her and Evan could teach Vinny to know his place.


    What a fucking pathetic reason. And where did that pettiness get me? He looked up at the midday sky and the trees around him, taking in his surroundings with a grimace. It got me here. Somehow, I survived when Rina didn¡¯t. My motives were so petty and I wasn¡¯t even the one to pay for them. Why did Rina have to suffer the punishment meant for me? Why couldn¡¯t it have been me? Why couldn¡¯t Album have killed me when I gave her the chance?


    He knew it was simple luck. The Masters had never wanted to kill any of them. Erasure had always been their fate, and Rina had simply gotten away and died before they got the chance to erase her.


    If we had known¡­ If we had known erasure wasn¡¯t the end, then could we have survived? Was there anything I could have done differently?


    As these thoughts were going through his head, Evan heard the sounds of two girls chatting further up the path, and only spared a quick glance up as they got closer, only to stop and gape.


    ¡°Oh, Wright,¡± Rina stuttered, having only just noticed him. ¡°Um, good morning.¡±


    Beside her was Audrey Moore, but Evan hardly paid her any attention as he stared only at Rina. Ever since regaining his memories, he had avoided the erased realm¡¯s version of Rina because he had known he wouldn¡¯t be able to handle facing her. She wouldn¡¯t know anything about him other than his reputation, so she would certainly not like him. She wouldn¡¯t even have the emotions of the real world to influence her reaction, so it didn¡¯t surprise him when she shrank back, as if creeped out by him. She didn¡¯t even look like the girl he remembered. She wasn¡¯t wearing any makeup and her hair was tied back. There was even a different look in her eyes, telling him that this version of her was far happier than the one he knew.


    Brooks, you asshole. You knew she was coming, didn¡¯t you?


    ¡°Er, Wright?¡± Rina murmured nervously. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Biting back the pain he was feeling, he forced himself to nod. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. Sorry, Davens, you startled me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh, sorry.¡± Rina looked nervously at Audrey, who was already motioning for them to go. ¡°Well, we¡¯re gonna keep moving, so take care.¡±


    The two girls quickly rushed past them and continued down the path, and Evan knew it would have been smarter to do the same. He knew saying anything to her was pointless, yet Jay had somehow set up this encounter to give him the chance to face her before the erased realm ended.


    If he didn¡¯t do something, he would regret it. Therefore¡­


    ¡°Rina,¡± he called back, refusing to look over his shoulder but the sound of her footsteps going quiet confirmed that she was listening. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for everything. I¡¯m sorry for dragging you into my problems and I¡¯m sorry I wasn¡¯t able to protect you. I wasn¡¯t good enough. I know that. I just hope, wherever you are, that you can forgive me. I¡¯ll try my best to be better.¡±


    He never looked back nor did he wait for a reply. This wasn¡¯t Rina Davens so any reply that came from her would be meaningless. But he put his words out there, and if there was any form of afterlife then hopefully the real Rina could hear him. He wanted to be better, if only to atone for the past.


    I feel a little better now. I¡¯m ready to take this place down. Thanks, Brooks. I owe you one.

 Chapter 36- One Last Goodbye

    Chapter XXXVI


    Jay once again checked his phone to make sure that Rina and Audrey were already in the forest, and when he was certain that they would cross paths with Evan, he quickly bid the boy goodbye and went with Rista to finish their trip to the old hideout. He had given Alice an earlier time to meet up before Audrey and Rina arrived so that she could have her memories back when they did. He wasn¡¯t sure what he would say when the Alice he knew finally returned, but he decided it would be best to simply wing it. He had known her since they were babies so there was no need to try and plan or to make something up. He would just talk to her like he always did. It hadn¡¯t even been an entire day since the nerich was removed from his body, but he felt better than he ever had. He didn¡¯t feel plagued by negative emotions and he had complete control over his mind.


    It was exhilarating in a strange way.


    And soon, I¡¯ll have Alice back. Lilly was right. We can¡¯t stay here. This isn¡¯t our world, no matter how much we wish it was. Part of me still wishes it didn¡¯t have to end, but I understand what needs to happen. So I¡¯m glad Lilly¡¯s okay with me being the one to do it.


    She had offered to come with him, but he had requested that Rista be the only one to go. He wanted some one-on-one time with her so that he could go through with a little plan of his. If Alice had to come back then he wanted it to be as pleasant for her as it could be. That was why he had invited Audrey and Rina to meet them at the hideout and to bring something very special with them.


    Jay slowly reached up and grabbed the quarter-medallion hanging from his neck. It wasn¡¯t the real one that Rina had given him, but it still symbolized what he needed it to. The erased version would do its job. They always wished they could have united them one final time, so in the erased realm, where it was still possible, he intended to finally do so.


    ¡°Are you feeling alright, Brooks?¡± Rista asked softly from his side.


    Jay wasn¡¯t sure whether he was referencing the situation with the nerich or what was about to happen with Alice, but regardless, he nodded and grinned. ¡°I¡¯m feeling great. In fact, I don¡¯t think I could be better.¡±


    The Ijirian didn¡¯t look at him as he continued to survey the forest, but there was a slight smile on his lips when he replied. ¡°Good. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re finally able to move forward. Harper was really worried about you, I could tell. And with all that¡¯s happened, I do feel as if I should apologize to you for getting so aggressive the other day.¡±


    ¡°The other day?¡±


    Jay paused and tried to remember what he was talking about, then recalled their confrontation in the apartment where Rista had threatened to attack him should he get in the way of their escape. Jay could only look back on that moment with regret despite knowing it wasn¡¯t really him that challenged Lilly and Rista.


    ¡°Oh, right,¡± he murmured. ¡°No, don¡¯t worry about that. You weren¡¯t wrong. The nerich was making me a big problem for you guys, so I can¡¯t really blame you for reacting like that.¡±


    Rista shook his head. ¡°Perhaps, but even with that in mind, I still think it needs to be said. I know I haven¡¯t exactly been friendly to you guys, and knowing that your actions were out of your control only makes me feel like I should have held myself back. Harper had already explained the nerich to me so I should have realized what was really happening. It¡¯s just¡­¡± He didn¡¯t finish his sentence and instead grimaced. ¡°Er, never mind, actually.¡±


    ¡°No, please,¡± Jay interrupted. ¡°Go on. I¡¯m curious.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know what Rista was going to say, but he suspected it had to do with the Children of Reiner back in Ijiria. While he had told them quite a bit about Ijiria, the Masters, and the Children, he had refrained from saying much about himself, and this seemed like a prime opportunity to remedy that.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just that,¡± Rista began, ¡°a few days before our mother departed the orphanage for the last time, she pulled me aside to talk to me. I was one of the first kids to be welcomed into her care, and I was one of the oldest, so I was often trusted to help her with the little ones and even to keep an eye on the more rambunctious older kids. I had a certain responsibility and I was proud beyond belief that she trusted me the way she did. So when she asked to talk to me in private and produced one of the four realm daggers of Ijiria, I was stunned. I was even more shocked when she told me to take care of it and to never let anybody know I had it.¡±


    Jay listened intently, having not expected Rista to open up after being closed off for so long. He knew very little about the realm daggers, but he did recall being told that Ijiria only had four of them, and that one had even gone missing in the recent years. If Abi had entrusted such a priceless item to him then she really must have had faith in him.


    ¡°And that was the dagger you used to get to Wilham?¡± Jay asked.


    ¡°Yeah, it was,¡± he confirmed. ¡°You see, when our mother died just a few days later, it told me that she had either expected to die or that she had known it was possible. In my eyes, it was her way of telling me that the Children were my responsibility once she was gone, so I wanted to do my best to care for them. But that wasn¡¯t as simple as I had believed it would be.¡± He smiled bitterly. ¡°Some of the older kids wanted revenge for our mother¡¯s death, and five of us had been given guideship, myself included. With the realm dagger also in our possession, it seemed plausible that we could stick it to Ijiria by stealing a relic and escaping to another country. But I knew that was a stupid idea. I knew it would only end in death.¡±


    Jay frowned. ¡°Yet¡­you guys did attack the Citadel so¡­what happened?¡±


    ¡°There was too much anger among us,¡± he muttered. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t listen to reason. They just wanted to avenge our mother and those of us who knew it was foolish were in the minority. In the end, we couldn¡¯t win and knowing what was to come, one of my brothers, a man named Malt, quickly led the little ones and those opposed out of Erika before the attack happened so that they would be safe.¡±


    ¡°And you?¡± Jay pressed. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t want to fight, yet you still did.¡±


    Rista bit his lips and sighed. ¡°Of course I did, Brooks. My mother entrusted the safety of my brothers and sisters to me, so how could I turn around and leave as they walked themselves straight to their deaths. I had to be there, if only to protect them. And in the end, we managed to reach the Vault and steal a relic, so I made sure that I was the one to keep it. The plan was to take the relic and flee to Trovia, so I wanted to bear the burden of being pursued.¡± Rista¡¯s body then grew tense and Jay could see that he was trying to hold his emotions back. ¡°But we were caught, and so many of us died trying to escape the Citadel. I got split up from the others and eventually, Noctis found me and I only barely escaped into Omaruo. Yet I was erased anyway, and the relic fell into the hands of the Magic Club.¡±


    Jay exhaled softly, taking in what Rista was explaining to him, before looking back at the man and frowning. ¡°I appreciate you being open about this, but I¡¯m curious to know why you¡¯d tell me all of a sudden. I always had the impression that you wanted to keep your past to yourself.¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± he muttered. ¡°But you see, Brooks, I¡¯ve come to realize that you and I aren¡¯t as different as I thought. I¡¯m desperate to get back to Ijiria because I don¡¯t have a damn clue what happened to the people I was sworn to protect. I need to get back to them, no matter the cost. And how different is that from how you feel about Mendez? Even if the nerich was messing with your head, you still wanted to preserve this paradise of hers for her sake¡­to protect her. I understand that, and that is why I apologize. That¡¯s why I decided I should tell you this. We¡¯re going to break out of this place¡­together.¡±


    ¡°Well, I appreciate it,¡± Jay replied with a grin. ¡°And you¡¯re forgiven. Like I said, I can¡¯t blame you. Though, I do have to ask¡­¡± He paused, considering an odd discrepancy in the story. ¡°You guys risked your lives to steal a relic, but I doubt Ijiria would have missed a body-swapping stone very much. Wasn¡¯t there something better in there?¡±


    Rista cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Well, we actually didn¡¯t know which relic we stole, but that isn¡¯t just a body-swapping stone, you know? Or¡­were you not aware of the true power of the Assassination Stone?¡±


    ¡°Assassination?¡± he parroted. ¡°The hell do you mean? That thing could kill people?!¡±


    ¡°If you knew how to use it, yes,¡± Rista confirmed. ¡°You mean you guys didn¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Jay wanted to press the subject, but it was then that he realized they had arrived at the clearing of his old hideout and when he turned to gaze at the little house, he felt his stomach clench up in anticipation. His lips tightened in frustration.


    ¡°Hold that thought, Rista,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s get Alice back to normal, but when we get back to Scott¡¯s I want to discuss this a bit further.¡±


    The Ijirian seemed nervous but agreed regardless. ¡°Alright then. I¡¯ll put up the distortion and just give me a signal when you¡¯re ready for me to do it.¡± He then raised his hands and said, ¡°Disto¡± before vanishing into thin air.


    Jay stood in place for a moment, knowing Alice would probably already be inside when he arrived. He took a deep breath then turned back to gaze at the house. It no longer had the same nostalgic value it used to, and he wished he could have felt the same way about it now as he did then. But it was where his and Vinny¡¯s attack on Evan and Rina began, as well as where Nigreos and Album tortured Alice. It was even where the battle that took Rina¡¯s life had happened, so he could only see the pain that had taken place within those rundown walls. For Jay, he hoped this would be the last time he ever entered this house. It was here that he would help Alice and leave one last good memory to fix the stained image of his childhood hideout.


    Releasing his held breath, Jay proceeded forward and moved up the steps of the porch to tug on the front door. It opened with ease and as he entered the quiet entryway, he listened for the sound of anybody further in. When he didn¡¯t hear anything, he continued on to the main room, and it was there that he found Alice quietly sitting with her back up against the opposite wall, her eyes closed, though he could tell that she was awake. He hadn¡¯t seen her since the last time he went to school, and even after psyching himself up, he still wasn¡¯t sure if he was ready or not.


    But I don¡¯t have a choice. This ends now.


    He opened his mouth to speak, but Alice beat him to it.


    ¡°It¡¯s tough, you know?¡± she said, her eyes still closed. ¡°It¡¯s really tough, Jay. I had hoped that this would be my paradise. I had wanted this place to give me what I lost¡ªto free me from the pain those sorcerers were causing me, yet in the end, it really wasn¡¯t what I wanted it to be. I wanted a paradise, but not at their expense.¡±


    Jay just gaped at her, stunned by the words coming from her mouth as Alice opened her eyes to reveal tears that soon dripped down her cheeks. Yet even though she was crying, she was smiling as she looked up at him.


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°You¡­¡± he stuttered. ¡°You have your memories? How? When?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t really know how to explain it, honestly. When I went on my pier date with Vinny last night, I felt everything starting to push through, and when I kissed him, it all suddenly became clear. I remembered everything, but I also remembered this world. It was like I had two personalities clashing in my head, but I knew which one was real and which one was fake.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know what to say. After all the arguing and aggression over bringing Alice back, in the end, none of it even mattered. She came back on her own, just like Vinny did, and now it was completely out of his hands.


    I should have known¡­ Alice is strong, so of course she got back by herself. I really shouldn¡¯t be surprised.


    He could feel Rista¡¯s presence receding behind him, as if having realized that he was no longer needed, but oddly enough, he didn¡¯t move toward the exit, rather he began crossing the room and heading toward the hallway. Jay wasn¡¯t sure why, but not wanting Alice to realize that he was there, he quickly spoke to cover the sound of footsteps.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I took so long,¡± he told her. ¡°We should have given you your memories a long time ago.¡±


    Alice patted the spot next to her and Jay moved to take his seat. Once he was beside her, she rested her head against his shoulder. He could feel her body trembling, so he wrapped his arm around her and held her close, wanting to be a comforting presence for her.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she whispered. ¡°What is this place really? I thought it was a paradise, but after seeing Vinny the way he was, I realize that isn¡¯t true. He was suffering here, so why would I be happy?¡±


    Jay shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but from what Lilly told me, it seems as if it was set up that way to manipulate you. Album and Nigreos wanted you to believe we were being sent to a paradise so you¡¯d cooperate, so they used your memories to create everything you wanted.¡±


    ¡°And it worked,¡± she uttered. ¡°I did exactly what they wanted me to. I sold everybody out. I begged Lilly not to fight. What have I done? Are they okay, Jay? Is everybody else okay?¡±


    He quickly nodded, not wanting her to panic any further. ¡°More or less. Clark and Tao still haven¡¯t regained their memories, but everybody else is back to normal. We¡¯re planning to get back to the real world in a few days, so I was supposed to come here and give you your memories, but it seems you didn¡¯t need me. Damn that Mickelson.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad they¡¯re okay,¡± she whispered. ¡°If I¡¯d caused something to happen to them¡­¡±


    ¡°Well you didn¡¯t so that¡¯s what matters. You got that, Al¡¯? Everything is okay. We¡¯re gonna win. I know we will. I have faith in Lilly, and I have faith in everybody else. Even Eric, wherever he might be.¡± Jay smiled. ¡°They''ve saved my ass time and time again, and I doubt this will be any different. They won¡¯t blame you, you know. Lilly understands.¡± He chuckled softly. ¡°She¡¯s always understood. No matter what we do, she just refuses to blame us for anything.¡±


    Even after everything the nerich made me do, Lilly Harper didn¡¯t abandon me, so she won¡¯t abandon Alice. I know she won¡¯t. That¡¯s just the type of person she became.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jay,¡± she said softly.


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°Everything. I¡¯m sorry I just couldn¡¯t hold out. They killed Monica and everybody else at the diner and they killed Rina and they turned you into a monster and they¡­¡± She sniffled. ¡°They took everything and even after all that, I couldn¡¯t hold out. I couldn¡¯t stop myself from taking the easy way out.¡±


    Jay slowly closed his eyes, fighting back the wave of emotion as he was told that even Monica had become a victim of Ijiria. He hadn¡¯t known the hostess well, but she had been a constant presence whenever he visited the diner, so he took a moment to silently pay his respects before returning to the moment at hand.


    ¡°They¡¯re Masters of Ijiria,¡± he stated firmly. ¡°The fact that you held out at all is a testament to how tough you are. I¡¯m proud of you, Alice, and that won¡¯t change. We¡¯re going to move past this. We¡¯ll remember everybody they took, and we¡¯ll move forward together¡­just like we always have. You and me, yeah?¡±


    ¡°But is that okay? Can we really just move on?¡±


    ¡°We have to,¡± he insisted. ¡°I do think that''s what they would want. Audrey, and Rina, and even Monica¡­they wouldn¡¯t want us falling apart over them. Isn¡¯t that what you told me all those months ago, after I tried to kill myself? That we have to live? That Audrey would have wanted me to live?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± She paused and after a moment, she raised her tear-streaked head to look him in the eyes. ¡°I know I said that, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Then that¡¯s what we¡¯ll do.¡± Jay reached out and held his hand out to her, a broad smile on his face. ¡°Let¡¯s walk forward and see what the future has for us. We both reached rock bottom so now it¡¯s time to pull ourselves back up, and the best way to do that is together. Isn¡¯t that right? No matter what happens, I¡¯ll always be here for you to lean on.¡±


    She quietly gazed at his hand for a moment before gently raising her own to grasp it, a conflicted look on her face. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­I¡¯ll try, Jay. Thank you. I love you, you know.¡±


    ¡°And I love you, too.¡±


    He closed his fingers around hers, wanting her to feel his presence and to be reassured, and it was then that he heard the front door open and the chatting of two girls reached his ears. They were laughing, and it was a sound that both caused him pain and made him smile. Alice could only gape at them, and he was sure this was her first time seeing them since her memories returned.


    ¡°Oh my god, guys,¡± Audrey immediately began, ¡°You¡¯ll never believe what just happened in the forest. We ran into Evan Wright and he started going on like a weirdo and¡­¡± She trailed off as she saw them, and her amusement quickly shifted to concern. ¡°Is everything okay? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Oh, we¡¯re fine,¡± Jay assured her. ¡°Now what¡¯s this about Evan Wright?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Rina quickly interrupted irritably. ¡°What does matter is that you¡¯ve clearly lost your mind! First you have that strange outburst at lunch the other day, then you disappear for days on end, skipping cross country constantly, and now you summon us to the hideout out of nowhere? What the hell is your deal, Jay?¡±


    He grinned, taking in her visage as she eyed him with contempt, before he merely shrugged. ¡°Good question, Rina. I¡¯m still figuring that out. But anyway, did you bring them?¡±


    She snorted. ¡°Of course I brought it. I¡¯m never not wearing it, unlike you, who never wears it.¡±


    She reached under her shirt and produced her quarter of their medallion as Audrey did the same, both showing them off with clear pride. Jay turned to look at Alice, whose tears were already flowing again as she pulled out her own piece, leaving him as the only one left. Jay then followed their lead, taking his own medallion out and pulling it off of his neck.


    ¡°You know, Rina, I should make a promise to you,¡± he began. ¡°From now on, I¡¯m going to wear this every day. I¡¯ll never forget about it and if I do, I want you to give me hell, okay? Don¡¯t let me ever get away with forgetting to put it on.¡±


    She seemed taken aback by the sudden determination and seriousness in his words. ¡°Uh, well, of course. You¡¯d deserve it, after all. I spent so much of my allowance to have that thing made!¡±


    ¡°And I couldn¡¯t be more grateful,¡± he said. ¡°This medallion represents something really special to me. The three of you are my family and that¡¯s never going to change. No matter how much time passes or what happens to us, I¡¯ll never ever forget what you meant to me. We¡¯ve had our differences and we¡¯ve done things we regret, but first and foremost, we are friends.¡± He laughed, feeling Alice gently squeezing his arm. ¡°I know this seems like it''s coming out of the blue, but I believe it needs to be said. Rina, Audrey, I love you both. Thank you for being my friends.¡±


    Both girls seemed unable to figure out a response, and he enjoyed watching them be a bit flustered, but true to character, Audrey was the one who recovered first.


    ¡°Wow, way to get all cheesy, dude,¡± she joked. ¡°Gosh, I¡¯m not even sure how to respond to that. I mean, you know I love you, too. I always have. I love all three of you more than I could ever say.¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah, I do, too,¡± Rina murmured, still seeming thrown off by him.


    Jay once again glanced sidelong at Alice to see her both crying and smiling, and he knew his plan was doing its job. This was their closure. This was their final chance to say goodbye to two friends that had been stolen from them far too early in life. In that sense, he was grateful to the erased realm for giving them a conclusion they never would have reached otherwise.


    ¡°Let¡¯s put them together, shall we?¡± Alice suggested softly. ¡°For old time¡¯s sake?¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh, sure!¡± Audrey said cheerfully. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s do that!¡±


    ¡°If you insist,¡± Rina added.


    As the three girls removed their medallions from their necks, Audrey, Rina, Alice, and Jay all gathered in a circle and placed them together, uniting the four pieces to make the full medallion. Jay gazed down at it and without warning, he felt his emotions finally break free as he began to cry. This would be the last time he would see the medallion put together in this way, and he wanted to sear the image into his mind so he would never forget it because he knew this was truly the end.


    This was his final goodbye.


    ***


    Knowing there was very little for him to do in Scott¡¯s workshop, Vinny had excused himself and gone out front to lean on the railing and watch the street below as he waited for Jay, Evan, and Rista to return. Damien and Liz had already departed as well, and he hoped she took his advice. He wanted them to have their memories back for the final battle against this realm. It wouldn¡¯t feel right if Damien and Liz weren¡¯t there at his side.


    And I know it¡¯ll work. If my relationship with Alice was strong enough to break past the magic then theirs will be, too. After all, they¡¯ve been together for far longer so I trust Liz to be able to do what¡¯s needed.


    He smiled to himself, but that smile was short lived as he saw Evan round a corner down the street and begin making his way back. He didn¡¯t see Rista or Jay, so he could only imagine that the boy had finished whatever business they needed help with. Evan glanced up at him for a moment but only held eye contact briefly before turning away and ascending the staircase to their floor. Vinny could tell that Evan didn¡¯t want to interact with him so he decided to leave him be, ignoring him as he walked past and approached the door. But to his surprise, the sound of it opening didn¡¯t immediately arrive, and instead, Evan broke the silence.


    ¡°So you¡¯re back, huh, Mickeslon?¡± he grunted.


    Vinny smirked to himself at the ever familiar hostile tone. ¡°That I am, Wright. Did you miss me?¡±


    ¡°Not in the slightest,¡± he growled. ¡°In fact, it was fucking pleasent not remembering you. Wish it could have stayed that way. That being said¡­¡± Evan paused, and this time, Vinny did turn around to look back at him to see the boy glaring his way. ¡°I fuckin¡¯ hate you and I always will. You¡¯re an obnoxious and pretentious cunt and I never want to see you again.¡±


    The blonde boy snorted, realizing that even after everything, he was still the same piece of shit that tried to bully Alice. ¡°Right back at you, buddy. You really are scumshit.¡±


    Evan grinned bitterly, as if wanting to challenge him. ¡°So how about you and I make a deal? We both fucked up last Christmas. We both made mistakes we can¡¯t take back, and Rina¡¯s dead because of it. So how about you and I put up with each other until this realm is gone, and then we can go our separate ways and never talk again. That sound good to you?¡±


    Vinny had been prepared for some sort of insult, and having believed Evan hadn¡¯t changed, the fact that he took responsibility at all told him that he was partially wrong. And the fact was, they were both responsible for what happened. He had just expected Evan to pin all the blame on him. Therefore, Vinny could only grin in surprise and nod.


    ¡°Sounds good to me. Let¡¯s destroy this stupid realm and then we can go back to quietly hating each other from a distance.¡±


    ¡°Perfect. Let¡¯s do that then.¡±


    With that conversation concluded, Evan turned back to open the door, but was soon interrupted by the sudden appearance of Rista, who jumped over the railing from the street and landed right beside them, startling them both.


    ¡°Fucking hell, Pine!¡± Evan exclaimed. ¡°There¡¯s stairs for a reason! Use them!¡¯


    ¡°Shut up,¡± he breathed, trying to catch his breath. ¡°I came as fast as I could. I¡­ I found the last mana port! It was in the back room of that cabin in the woods. I need to tell Harper now!¡±


    ¡°You found¡­¡± Evan parroted, then as he realized what that meant, the boy quickly pushed open the door and moved out of the way, allowing Rista to go in first with the two boys quick on his heels.


    ¡°Harper! We need to talk!¡± the Ijirian called out, rushing through the apartment before coming to the workshop.


    Yet once again, they were met with a surprise. Brad was standing in the corner, grinning, while Scott Reiner hunched over in his chair sobbing. Lilly was standing beside him, patting him on the back as she glanced up to see them enter.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Vinny quickly asked. ¡°Is he okay? Why¡¯s he crying?¡±


    Lilly exchanged excited glances with Brad.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t perfect, but the serum works,¡± she replied firmly. ¡°Scott did it.¡±

 Chapter 37- A Trusting Sense

    Chapter XXXVII


    Still reeling from the sudden turn of events, Eric followed Iris down an array of different alleyways and streets, unsure of where she was leading him but knowing that as long as his sense didn¡¯t warn him, she was safe to trust. Yet he still couldn¡¯t wrap his head around her actions. She had not only intervened to save him, but she had attacked a fellow Master. Ryokumo had never informed him that Iris was an ally and he was certain that his master wouldn¡¯t have hidden such an important detail from him, so he could only assume that Iris was acting independently of Ryokumo.


    But then how much does she know? Does she realize what we plan to do? Did she follow us down into the city or did she just come here with Sinna and Nakoma and decide to go rogue? And why would she do such a thing in the first place? Why would she betray Ijiria? What are her motives?


    There were so many questions that he knew would have to wait for another time. For the moment, he would follow her and deal with everything else later. The problem was that he knew how important it was to get back into the Citadel before either Sinna or Nakoma alerted Reigious to his betrayal. If that happened, it would be nearly impossible to get back into the tower, and if he couldn¡¯t get inside then their plan wouldn¡¯t work. So he decided he needed to ask at least one question, for if she gave an answer that didn¡¯t align with his plan then he would have to break off from her.


    ¡°Master Mackia, please, where are we going?¡± he whispered.


    She glanced sidelong at him, the mask and hood still covering her feline features. ¡°To your mother¡¯s old orphanage. That¡¯s where Caeli was going so that¡¯s where I¡¯m guessing he¡¯ll be now. However we must be quick. Cartus will know to look there so we can¡¯t remain for long.¡±


    ¡°How do you¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Caeli and I have spoken,¡± she quickly interrupted. ¡°Now quiet. We¡¯ll talk momentarily.¡±


    So she does know what Ryokumo and I are up to? But how? I didn¡¯t think he trusted Iris very much, so why would he confide in her now? What in the living hell happened while I was with the Children?


    Abiding by her command, the two of them continued on until they finally arrived at their destination¡ªthe ruined and abandoned remains of what was once the home of the Children of Reiner and it was there that they found the others. Ardan, Lyla, and Tylo were all gathered around Malt and Arisa, who were laying on the ground as the three chanted various healing spells, and in the back of the room, Irin was sitting quietly against the wall while Hannah and Ryokumo spoke in hushed tones. However, everybody went silent at their arrival, first showing relief upon seeing Eric before noticing the cloaked individual beside him.


    ¡°Eric, who is that?¡± Ardan immediately demanded, jumping to his feet.


    ¡°She¡¯s an ally, I promise,¡± he swiftly assured them. ¡°She¡¯s the one who bought enough time to get away from Master Cartus. She can be trusted.¡±


    Yet, his assurance wasn¡¯t enough for everybody, and he could see Lyla rising to full height as well, her eyes trained on Iris. ¡°But who is she? I¡¯m sorry, but after tonight, I¡¯m not trusting some random woman in a mask.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s fair,¡± Iris chimed in before he could respond. She then reached up and removed the mask, allowing the Children to see her face. ¡°I am Master Iris Mackia, at your service. If you¡¯d like, I can heal those two for you?¡±


    ¡°Master¡ª!?¡± Ardan exclaimed, and instantly all three Children had wind magic surging around their wrists, so Eric jumped in between them, not wanting this to escalate any further than it already had.


    ¡°Guys, please!¡± he begged. ¡°She¡¯s on our side! She wouldn¡¯t have saved me otherwise!¡±


    But Tylo was furiously shaking his head. ¡°You expect us to trust her after Cartus and Taurus already almost killed us tonight?! No more Masters! Trusting Caeli is hard enough so I refuse to add Mackia to that mix! Get her out of here right now, Eric!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to trust her, Tylo!¡± Eric protested. ¡°I¡¯m asking you to trust me! I¡¯m telling you that she¡¯s on our side and she¡¯s Master of Nature so if you let her heal Malt and Arisa, then she can do far more than any of us could! Come on! We don¡¯t have time to argue again!¡±


    He didn¡¯t mean to raise his voice the way he did, but he knew that time was running short, and since he didn¡¯t even know how to explain his sense to them, he just needed to be firm in his assurance that she was trustworthy.


    ¡°Now, Master,¡± he went on, glancing back at Iris. ¡°Please heal Malt and Arisa. Don¡¯t let them die.¡±


    And despite the tense atmosphere and the looks of hatred being directed her way from the Children, Iris still smiled and did as he asked. ¡°Of course.¡±


    The woman then moved past him and approached the two battle-damaged Children, much to the clear dismay of the other three, but as they glanced between Iris and Eric, they slowly backed away, though the wind around their wrists remained at the ready. Iris then kelt down between the two sleeping individuals and placed her hands on their chests, beginning to whisper incantations that made her hands glow green with mana. Believing that situation to be dealt with for the moment, Eric turned and addressed Ryokumo.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? What happened to Arisa? And since when has Master Mackia been a part of this plan? What are we supposed to be doing now?¡±


    Ryokumo grimaced, as if even he wasn¡¯t sure what to do anymore. ¡°Honestly, Eric, I don¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t know Taurus was back in the city, and now that Hannah¡¯s told me you were seen, I realize what a dire situation this is. I doubt you succeeded in killing Sinna and now I wish I had finished Taurus off when I had the chance. Kirisan was my priority, but if I¡¯d known¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes, but it wouldn¡¯t have mattered anyway,¡± Hannah quickly assured him. ¡°I saw how powerful Cartus was. They wouldn¡¯t have been able to take her down. Just the fact that we all got away alive is a miracle. However¡­¡± She clenched her fists as she looked around the rundown main room of the orphanage. ¡°This has become the only chance. If you still plan to kill Noctis and Luz then you have to get back to the Citadel right away. If the Masters beat you back¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right, you know,¡± Iris chimed in. ¡°The minute Reigious hears about this, the Citadel and the rest of Erika will become far more dangerous than they already are. Eric¡¯s betrayed them and that¡¯s not something they¡¯ll be able to look past. They will kill him¡­which is why I think it would be best to put this whole thing aside. If he escapes with the Children and gets to Trovia, he¡¯ll be safe.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Eric immediately said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Master, but I will not leave this city. Album still has my friends locked in the erased realm. If I leave, they¡¯ll be stuck in there for good and I will not accept that. If tonight is the only chance then so be it. We were already prepared to begin tonight so we¡¯ll just have to do it.¡±


    Iris glanced back up at him, a sad look in her eyes that told him she knew he wouldn¡¯t budge on his decision. ¡°You¡¯re so stubborn, you know that? Though I guess I¡¯m not surprised. I just suggested it so the idea would be out there. But in that case, we must leave now, so¡­¡± She trailed off, her brow furrowing in confusion as she glanced down at Malt. ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s how it is.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Tylo demanded. ¡°That¡¯s how what is?¡±


    Iris didn¡¯t reply to him, instead whispering another incantation under her breath as a small ball of light began to rise from Malt¡¯s chest before stopping to rest in her hand. The Master stared down at it for a moment before crushing it in her fist, extinguishing its glow.


    ¡°So it was a trap,¡± Ryokumo muttered.


    Iris nodded in agreement. ¡°It would seem so. If I had to guess, Taurus allowed this man to get into the city so he could lead him to the others.¡±


    ¡°Hold on a second,¡± Lyla interrupted. ¡°What the hell are you talking about? What was that thing? What did you just pull out of him?¡±


    The Master of Nature silently returned to her job of healing the two as she indicated for Ryokumo to explain it to them.


    ¡°It was a tracker charm,¡± he said. ¡°Taurus must have intercepted Territh at some point before he reached Erika and put that spell inside him. It essentially tells the caster what direction their target is and how far away they are. That has to be how they found you tonight. They waited for Territh to locate you guys for them and made their move once everything was put in place. And it seems Taurus didn¡¯t feel the need to wait as I didn¡¯t even know he¡¯d returned to the capital.¡±


    Tylo, Ardan, and Lyla all stared at Ryokumo with horrified expressions as they took in what they were being told. Even Eric felt a twinge of dread, knowing that if Malt was followed then whatever associate helped him enter Erika would almost certainly be imprisoned or dead. That method of escape had already been blocked off, meaning they would once again be forced to go along with Ryokumo¡¯s deal with Nuvo Tannath, something he knew they wanted to avoid. He could see in their expressions that they were already trying to reason out another way of escape, so Eric was about to try and convince them to hear them out when a weak voice broke the silence.


    ¡°Go with Tannath,¡± Arisa said softly, her eyes partially open, though they never moved from the ceiling. The burns on her arms were beginning to heal, but even Iris¡¯s magic seemed unable to finish the job quickly.


    ¡°Ari!¡± Lyla exclaimed, dropping down to her side.


    Arisa smiled as she continued on. ¡°Malt¡¯s friend¡­has been¡­compromised. Taurus¡­told me so¡­ We have to¡­trust Caeli¡­ Trust¡­him¡­¡±


    Her consciousness was already beginning to fade, but she seemed satisfied to have said her piece. Those few words would hold more weight with the Children than anything Eric might have said, and for that, he was grateful to her.


    ¡°Tannath should be here to get you guys soon,¡± Ryokumo told them. ¡°I truly do believe that he¡¯ll do as I¡¯ve asked him to. Now, Eric and I will have to go, so we won¡¯t have any way of knowing whether you choose to trust us or not. But I beg of you¡­ Get out of this city before things get worse. Taurus and Cartus won¡¯t stay down for long. They¡¯ll come searching for you any chance they get and this will be one of the first places they look. Find cover and wait for Tannath. Please¡­¡±


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    They didn¡¯t interrupt him as he spoke and when he finished, they only continued to look down at Arisa and Malt. Even Irin, who was still sitting quietly in the back of the room, had her features tensed in consideration. It wouldn¡¯t be an easy decision for them to make, but Eric had faith that they would take Arisa¡¯s words to heart.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve done what I can,¡± Iris announced as she rose to her feet. ¡°With more time, I could have gotten them back to full strength, but I can promise that they will not die. You¡¯re Abigail¡¯s Children so I trust you can finish the healing.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve got it,¡± Ardan whispered. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Iris smiled as she regarded them all before turning and making her way toward the orphanage¡¯s front door without speaking another word. Ryokumo was hugging Hannah, and whispering a goodbye that Eric couldn¡¯t hear, but the girl¡¯s eyes were wet with barely restrained tears. For Eric, that was his signal to leave so he took one last look at each Child before finally settling on the sleeping Arisa.


    ¡°Thank you all,¡± he said. ¡°I wish I could have gotten to know you guys better, but I¡¯m grateful to have known you at all. It¡¯s comforting to know that there are others in this multiverse that will carry on my Mom¡¯s legacy. Take good care of yourselves.¡±


    As he finished his goodbye, Ryokumo released Hannah and strode over to where he stood and together, the two began to depart the building, but just as they reached the door, one of the Children called out to him, though it wasn¡¯t Ardan, Tylo, or Lyla. Rather, it was Irin, whose voice was still hoarse from the wounds she¡¯d received that night.


    ¡°Eric. Thank you, too. For not abandoning us, I mean. You put a lot at risk by taking on Master Cartus and I just¡­figured somebody needed to say it. I don¡¯t think we all would have survived if not for you.¡±


    The boy glanced back at her to see her smiling at him and as she did, the others all echoed her sentiments. It made him feel happy to know that he made a difference for them and he knew that no matter how much time passed, he would never forget the Children of Reiner that fought by his side.


    ¡°Goodbye, my friends.¡±


    With those final words, he followed Ryokumo through the door and out into the night air of the city where Iris was patiently waiting, her mask once again concealing her rather distinct features. The street was quiet, but he knew that wouldn¡¯t last for much longer. Nakoma and Sinna made it clear just how far they would go to catch them, and after allowing them all to slip through their fingers, as well as losing a handful of Korrei-Tarr in the process, they would almost certainly be scouring the slums with everything they had.


    ¡°Come. Let us be off.¡±


    Abiding by Ryokumo¡¯s command, Eric and Iris followed on either side of him as they began making their way toward the main city. The Master of Wind had his own cowl pulled up over his head and Eric knew he should do the same, but he hadn¡¯t brought a cloak with him when they went into the city. It was just as he was thinking this that Iris made a suggestion to fix that problem.


    ¡°Caeli. Would it not be best to put up a distortion around Eric,¡± she inquired. ¡°There will be guards all over the main streets of the city and if Taurus or Cartus have informed them of his betrayal, then it would be smart to prevent him from being seen.¡±


    Ryokumo glanced back at her with narrowed eyes, and Eric immediately got the feeling that he didn¡¯t trust or like her, which only made him all the more curious to know what circumstances brought her onto their side.


    ¡°Yes, I guess you¡¯re right,¡± he grunted. ¡°Fine.¡±


    Eric frowned. ¡°Wait, I can distort myself well enough. Shouldn¡¯t you save your focus just in case we need to fight?¡±


    But Iris was already shaking her head. ¡°No, yours would be fine against the average person, but in the Citadel, you need a far more powerful distortion. Very few can sense past Caeli¡¯s magic, so it¡¯s safer to have him do it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right,¡± Eric murmured. ¡°Okay then, yeah. Go ahead.¡±


    Ryokumo was swift in casting the distortion and soon enough, Eric was invisible to anybody who would pass them by. They moved as quickly as they could without drawing attention and after nearly ten minutes of walking down dark and abandoned roads, they emerged onto the far busier Market Street. The place was as lively and energetic as always, making it seem as if the battles in the slums never happened. However, upon closer look, Eric noticed the number of guards patrolling was far higher than usual, and he felt his stomach clenching up with nervousness.


    ¡°Stay close,¡± Iris uttered, subtly inserting her hand into his distortion bubble to gently grab his arm.


    The two Masters walked as if they belonged there and were never stopped by any of the guards, which was a very welcome relief to Eric after all the stress that night had brought him, as well as the knowledge that the fighting was far from over. Once they were out of Market Street and into the higher-end neighborhoods, they increased their pace even further until they finally arrived at the southern gates of the Citadel where they found nearly forty guards and a group of Korrei-Tarr standing before the closed them. Eric felt a chill go down his spine at the realization that there were nearly three times as many soldiers as when they¡¯d left a few hours prior. Their approach was soon noticed, with one rather large Korrei-Tarr stepping forward to face them. Unlike the other Korrei-Tarr Eric had encountered, this one wasn¡¯t wearing a helmet, so his clean-shaven features and stern eyes were visible, and Eric guessed that he was somewhere in his early forties.


    ¡°Stop,¡± he called out gruffly. ¡°Who are you? What business do you have here?¡±


    Ryokumo and Iris were quick to remove their cowls, with the latter also taking off her horned mask, and before they¡¯d even spoken, there was a mildly surprised look on the man¡¯s face.


    ¡°I¡¯m Ryokumo Caeli, the Master of Wind, and this is Iris Mackia, the Master of Nature,¡± he said firmly. ¡°Please open the gates. We have important business to attend to with the Masters as well as Prince Reigious.¡±


    ¡°Oh, er, of course, Masters,¡± he said with a bow. ¡°Right away.¡±


    Eric had been worried that the distortion would be seen through, but nobody even appeared to recognize that anything was amiss as they quickly motioned for the southern gates to be opened. Then they all bowed as the Masters passed through and entered the gardens, closing the doors behind them and granting them access to the Citadel without issue.


    ¡°That was oddly easy,¡± Eric breathed.


    ¡°Well, there are few who would question Masters,¡± Iris replied with a wink. ¡°As long as we¡¯re on your side, guards are not a problem.¡±


    From there, they crossed the gardens and entered through the front doors of the tower proper to make their way into the ground floor of the Citadel. Just like they did in the market, Ryokumo and Iris walked like there was nothing of importance going on, and not a single individual they passed, whether it be guards or other officials, bothered to stop them before they arrived on the lift with ease.


    ¡°Ortumo,¡± Ryokumo chanted, causing the platform they stood on to begin its accent.


    Feeling his heart beginning to beat faster at the knowledge that they had safely made it back into the tower, Eric glanced between the two and whispered, ¡°So what now? I still don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on. When did Master Mackia join us?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a complicated story,¡± Ryokumo replied under his breath, looking sideways at Iris with obvious distaste. ¡°And I can¡¯t even say she has joined us. What are your motives here, Mackia? I¡¯ve allowed you to come with us because you¡¯ve left me with no choice, but we¡¯ve run out of time now and I can¡¯t afford to be babysitting you.¡±


    Iris giggled, as if taking pleasure in Ryokumo¡¯s unrestrained irritation. ¡°I told you back in that alley, did I not? I want Eric to be happy. If you say that you can bring his friends back then that¡¯s what I want to do. Despite our rather shaky relationship, I do have faith in your cleverness, Caeli, and I can see how confident you are. Whatever this mystery plan of yours is, you believe it can work. So I will help, for Eric¡¯s sake more than anything else.¡±


    The boy couldn¡¯t help but smile as he listened to her speak. He didn¡¯t sense any deceit or mischief in her voice. Instead, she sounded just like she did when she told him about his mother and because of sense¡¯s pure faith in her, he had the feeling that she wasn¡¯t lying. She was acting for his sake.


    But why? She hardly knows me? Is she like Reigious? Is she simply repaying a debt she owed to my mother?


    ¡°See, that¡¯s what I don¡¯t trust,¡± Ryokumo growled, as if reading Eric¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Why would you put so much at risk for the sake of a boy you hardly know. You¡¯re a Master, and if you¡¯re caught working with us, they will kill you. Why betray Ijiria?¡±


    The woman shrugged. ¡°Well, I could ask the same thing of you, you know. While you¡¯ve implied that there are other reasons for your actions, you¡¯ve also expressed a desire to save Eric. In the end, I think we act for the same reasons. We don¡¯t feel any loyalty to Ijiria, and we do feel loyalty to Abigail Reiner and her son.¡± Iris laughed. ¡°After all, Caeli, you know there isn¡¯t a single Master who would miss me if I suddenly vanished. So why should I stick my neck out for them, when I know this boy behind me would care far more for my well being.¡±


    Eric smiled, noticing the brief look she gave him before she faced forward once again. He then glanced at Ryokumo, and he could see the frustration in his eyes, and that was enough to tell him that the Master of Wind still didn¡¯t trust Iris. However, for the sake of the plan, he needed to be without worry, so Eric decided to speak.


    ¡°Ryokumo,¡± he said firmly. ¡°We can trust her. I promise.¡±


    The man''s lips tightened and he softly shook his head. ¡°With all due respect, Eric, you don¡¯t know Mackia like I do. You¡¯ve only been here for a few months so I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Despite that, I think I might know her better than you do,¡± he interrupted firmly. ¡°I trust her. I know it''s going to sound strange, but just call it a sixth sense of mine. I know without doubt that Mackia isn¡¯t going to betray us.¡±


    Ryokumo¡¯s eyes went wide and he suddenly turned back to gaze at him. ¡°What did you say? A sixth sense?¡±


    Thrown off by the strange reaction, Eric managed a quick nod before realizing that the Master couldn¡¯t see him. ¡°Er, yes. Something like that.¡±


    The man slowly raised a hand to his face and put it over his mouth, appearing almost lost in thought for that brief moment before a begrudging sigh escaped his lips. ¡°Damn it. Very well. We trust Mackia then.¡± The sudden change in opinion was surprising to Eric, and it seemed even Iris wasn¡¯t sure what to make of it, but Ryokumo was already moving on without missing a beat. ¡°Eric, we go along with the same plan but we¡¯re altering it slightly. We can no longer trust our quarters so I want Mackia to take you to hers and wait there while I go to the Vault to¡ª¡±


    Ryokumo stopped mid sentence as the lift suddenly came to a stop and Eric could only stare in horror at the two individuals that were standing there. Nigreos and Album also seemed a little surprised to see the two Masters, but while Album was already glaring at Ryokumo, Nigreos merely smiled pleasantly.


    ¡°Ah, Ryokumo,¡± he greeted. ¡°Mackia. I suppose you two are already heading up then?¡±


    The two Masters stepped onto the lift and both Ryokumo and Eric shuffled backwards, the boy¡¯s back almost against the wall. He was terrified that the distortion would either drop or that one of the two would be able to see through it, and while neither had made any indication that they did, he was holding his breath to prevent even the slightest sound from escaping his lips.


    ¡°Heading up?¡± Iris parroted, her features impressively calm despite the situation. ¡°Heading up where?¡±


    Album snorted in disgust. ¡°So the two of you didn¡¯t know? Reigious has summoned the Masters to an emergency meeting. Apparently Taurus has returned from his hunt and tracked Territh to the city. He and Cartus have already begun their assault on the slums and with any luck, this meeting will simply be to inform us that Kirisan is taken care of.¡±


    There was a very slight bit of relief when Album didn¡¯t mention anything about him. It would seem that his betrayal had yet to reach the Citadel, but he realized the likelihood of it being revealed at that meeting.


    Damn it! What am I supposed to do if Iris and Ryokumo get stuck in this meeting! I can¡¯t act without him and it¡¯s not like I can hide anywhere!


    ¡°Oh, does it have to be right now?¡± Iris complained. ¡°I wanted to stop by my classroom for a bit to make sure everything¡¯s in order for Eric¡¯s test tomorrow. And for that matter, I don¡¯t even think I locked the door, so I should probably go deal with that, too.¡±


    ¡°Is that really worth skipping a summons from the prince?¡± Nigreos snapped. ¡°Stop being a fool, Mackia.¡±


    ¡°Aw, alright then.¡±


    It didn¡¯t seem as if Nigreos or Album thought much of what she said, but Eric picked up on it perfectly. He could hide in the classroom until either Iris or Ryokumo made contact with him. If Reigious did know about his betrayal, then they hopefully wouldn¡¯t think he was already back in the Citadel, and if even they did know he was in the tower, they probably wouldn¡¯t look for him there.


    ¡°Well, in that case, let¡¯s see if this Children issue is finally dealt with,¡± Ryokumo said softly just as the lift came to a halt on the floor of the Chambers. ¡°It would be for the better that we put all this behind us.¡±


    ¡°Yes, agreed,¡± Nigreos added as he, Album, and Ryokumo all stepped off and into the hall.


    Iris, however, stopped short and glanced back at him with a wink then mouthed, ¡°good luck¡± before following after the others. Eric could feel Ryokumo¡¯s distortion getting weaker the further down the hall he went, so Eric quickly reinforced it with his own and used magic to lower the lift away from that floor.


    Alright, here we go. Let¡¯s do this.

 Chapter 38- The Story Of Damien Clark And Elizabeth Tao

    Chapter XXXVIII


    As they walked, Liz couldn¡¯t help but to watch Damien out of the corner of her eye, noticing that, despite his clear ability to keep his feelings to himself, she could still see the conflict, irritation, and fear in his features. She could tell that he desperately wanted to find some way to reject everything he was seeing, but with each day that passed, more evidence arrived to once again throw his mind into disarray. When she spoke to him in that hallway a few days ago and asked him to meet with Lilly and further hear her out, she had been able to tell that the potential existence of magic was too much for him. Yet, with enough pushing, he had listened, and then the young girl, Natalie Hill, gave her speech about how the two of them saved her, and while Liz didn¡¯t know what went through Damien¡¯s head when he heard it, she found herself unable to believe the girl was lying or that she was rattling off something Lilly told her to say. The emotions were from her heart, and they had genuine gratitude within them.


    The other versions of us¡­ We saved Natalie. I truly believe that. Whatever this other me was like, clearly she was a good person, and that comforts me in a weird way. At least, if we go back to our other selves, it might not be that bad at all.


    Damien refused to talk about it, and after Natalie¡¯s speech, he pulled further into himself, as if trying to protect himself as this magical reality began to feel more and more real. No matter how much Liz pried, he wouldn¡¯t talk about Natalie, instead opting to skirt around the topic.


    So what is he feeling right now? After what we saw back there, what could be going through that head of his?


    Vinny Mickelson had arrived not as the angry and bitter loner that they knew, but as an upbeat, borderline obnoxious boy who greeted her as if they¡¯d been best friends for years, and according to Lilly, they had been. That boisterous smile was not an expression she thought she¡¯d ever see on his face, and yet, when he grinned at her and teased her, she suddenly felt emotional, as if she hadn¡¯t realized how much she missed it. Yet, how could she miss something she never experienced? The proof only piled up more and more, and now, she knew that the person she currently was wasn¡¯t the real Elizabeth Tao. The real person was somewhere inside of her, and now, she wanted her back. She wanted to be able to look Vinny in the eyes and be the person he knew she was.


    ¡°Emotions are quite powerful, I believe, so if you tap into them, you¡¯ll be able to pull your real self out. As for me, I simply shared a nice moment with the girl I love. So perhaps invite Damien to your place and see what happens. Put that siren¡¯s song of yours to good use and get him back.¡±


    A soft smile formed on her face as she recalled Vinny¡¯s words, and she knew what it was she had to do. She already had a plan and she wanted to go through with it on that very day. She had an opportunity to put everything back to normal, so she refused to let it pass her by.


    My siren¡¯s song, eh? Not sure what he means by that, but I almost feel like I should be insulted. But whatever. I¡¯ll take your advice, Mickelson. Let¡¯s see what I can do.


    Liz emerged from her ponderings in time to see her house just ahead, and as she expected, her parents¡¯ car wasn¡¯t in the driveway. It wasn¡¯t uncommon for them to go out to breakfast on Sunday mornings and so, she would have the house to herself for a little while.


    ¡°Hey, Damien,¡± she began, bringing his attention from the road to her. ¡°Thanks for walking me back, but I realized my parents aren¡¯t even home yet and I don¡¯t really want to just sit around the house alone, so why don¡¯t you come in and hang out for a while?¡±


    Recalling the way Charlotte always flirted with guys, Liz put on an innocent smile and looked up at him, leaning into him ever so slightly so that their shoulders were touching. He seemed thrown off, and she could already see the gears in his head turning as he searched for a response to the sudden question.


    ¡°Er, but then why did you want to go home?¡± he muttered. ¡°We could have just stayed at Reiner¡¯s place and helped the others. I mean, we could always head back.¡±


    She reached out and wrapped her fingers around his arm as she put on a pouty face to make her displeasure known. ¡°Oh, come on, Damien. You know there¡¯s nothing for us to do there. Harper¡¯s got the whole thing covered, especially now that she¡¯s got Mickelson back, so we¡¯ll only be in the way. Pretty please! Let¡¯s just go inside for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Um, well, uh, I¡­¡±


    He stammered through his words and she knew that with just a little harder of a push, she would have him.


    ¡°Come on. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just hang out together rather than going home separately?¡± she pressed. ¡°And there¡¯s so much to talk about now. I mean, did you see what Mickelson was like? He¡¯s basically a whole different person. It¡¯s crazy, right?¡±


    For a moment, the boy looked past her and stared at her house before sighing in obvious defeat. ¡°O-okay. Just for a little while, then.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡± She clapped her hands together in celebration then grabbed his hand and began leading him toward the house. He followed along quietly and she could tell he was a little embarrassed, which she found strangely adorable, as they made their way up to her front door. When they went inside, the two of them made their way down the hall and into her living room, and when Liz flicked on one of the lights, she inhaled softly then grinned.


    Alright, here we go. If I play my cards right, maybe I can make this work.


    ¡°Well, take a seat,¡± she offered, indicating the recliners and the couch that surrounded her small coffee table.


    ¡°Um, alright.¡±


    Damien awkwardly took a seat on the couch and she made sure that she sat down right beside him, still so close to him that they were touching. His cheeks had a soft red hue to them and she could tell that he didn¡¯t know what to do in his current situation. When they spoke in the school¡¯s hallway, he had told her that he couldn¡¯t bring himself to believe Lilly because he didn¡¯t think it was in the cards for him to have a happy high school life¡ªfor him to have friends that cared for him, and she could tell that wasn¡¯t him being melodramatic. He¡¯d even said one of the reasons he thought Lilly was lying was because there wasn¡¯t a way Liz would fall for him. He genuinely believed that as fact, and so even now, with evidence piling up in support of Lilly¡¯s claims, he still wouldn¡¯t accept it.


    But honestly, I can see it. I could see myself falling for him even as I am now, and I¡¯d be lying if I said there wasn¡¯t already this strange connection between us. I just have to show him that he deserves happiness as much as anybody else does.


    ¡°So, what¡¯d you make of Mickelson?¡± she inquired with a sly grin. ¡°That was certainly strange.¡±


    Damien shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know, really. I mean, it¡¯s hard to believe that Mickelson would put on such a ridiculous act for Harper¡¯s sake unless she bribed or blackmailed him, and even then, I don¡¯t see him doing that. I mean, he might have been a little harsh, but I always felt he had a good head on his shoulders. That guy¡­just seemed like a moron.¡±


    ¡°A moron, huh?¡± Liz laughed, realizing that Vinny did come across as a major idiot with his new personality. ¡°Yet, I think he¡¯s just as intelligent as the Mickelson we knew, or maybe even more so. He just¡­doesn¡¯t care what other people think about him. He suddenly seemed happier.¡±


    ¡°He definitely seemed happy,¡± the boy grunted. ¡°Just makes me wonder what happened though. I thought Harper said she couldn¡¯t give our memories back, so what¡¯s the deal with that?¡±


    ¡°Well, apparently he went on a date with Alice Mendez last night, and after they kissed, he found himself back to normal,¡± she told him. ¡°I guess his feelings for her were so strong that they broke past the memory spell. It¡¯s kinda romantic, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Unsurprisingly, Damien only rolled his eyes. ¡°So that¡¯s what they¡¯re going with? He was woken up by true love¡¯s kiss? I¡¯m honestly a little disappointed. Figured Harper would have come up with something less cliche.¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t believe them?¡± she asked.


    He shook his head. ¡°Of course I don¡¯t. I mean, do you? He kissed Mendez and suddenly he was back to himself? That just doesn¡¯t make sense. It works fine in fairy tales, but this isn¡¯t a fairy tale, Liz. Life isn¡¯t like that.¡±


    She folded her hands on her lap and chuckled to herself, having expected such a response from the pessimistic boy sitting beside her. ¡°Well, when you put it like that, it sounds a bit silly, so why don¡¯t I phrase it in a different way? I don¡¯t think their kiss was magical or that their love was so powerful that it broke the curse, but I also don¡¯t want to undersell the strength of human emotion.¡±


    Damien frowned. ¡°Meaning?¡±


    ¡°Well, at the end of the day, memories are important to us because of how each individual event made us feel,¡± she explained. ¡°We remember events that brought out strong emotions. You remember when you were really happy or really sad or really angry. And when you have feelings for a person, it means your emotions when around them are unusually strong. And when you kiss them¡­well, it makes you happy to be close with them. In that sense, there is a lot of emotional power in a meaningful kiss. Am I wrong?¡±


    ¡°W-well, I mean, I suppose not,¡± he muttered awkwardly. ¡°But still¡ª¡±


    ¡°And if I¡¯ve learned anything about this erased realm,¡± she interrupted, ¡°it¡¯s that while it is a powerful place, it has never been able to wipe away our strongest emotions. When Harper talks about Eric Reiner, we all feel something despite not knowing who he was. We were hit with nostalgia when we entered our clubroom, and when we¡¯re together, we remember being together if only through how we make each other feel. The erased realm is powerful, but I don¡¯t believe magic can ever truly overcome human emotion.¡± She smiled. ¡°And maybe that¡¯s an arrogant thing to say seeing as I don¡¯t understand magic in the slightest, but that¡¯s how I feel.¡±


    Damien lowered his eyes and stared down at the coffee table, his brow furrowed as he processed her reasoning. When he didn¡¯t say anything in response, Liz went on.


    ¡°So while I wouldn¡¯t say true love¡¯s kiss broke Mickelson¡¯s memories free, I can¡¯t sit here and say it didn¡¯t do anything. Mickelson clearly cared greatly for Mendez and those feelings were more powerful than the spell, and I bet the fact that Harper had already gotten in his head only helped.¡±


    ¡°So then¡­¡± he began softly, ¡°you really do think they were telling the truth? You think their kiss was what did it?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Their kiss among other things. I think it was a culmination of every feeling Mickelson has had since entering this realm, and I think his kiss with Mendez was simply the final straw to break him free.¡± Liz then straightened up and turned her body to face Damien directly, her smile turning sly. ¡°Yet, that¡¯s only a hypothesis, and there¡¯s only one way to test a hypothesis and that¡¯s with an experiment.¡±


    Damien¡¯s head suddenly snapped up as he stared back at her as the meaning of her words reached him. Yet even though he clearly knew what she meant, he still stuttered out a question. ¡°An experiment? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I mean kiss me, you big dork,¡± she teased, inching a bit closer to him. ¡°Kiss me and let¡¯s see if our memories come back. I mean, you feel it don¡¯t you? You feel the connection between us? I think if we kiss, it might work.¡±


    ¡°B-but, Liz, I¡­¡± he stammered. ¡°Just like that? You just want to kiss me?¡±


    ¡°I do, yes.¡±


    ¡°And if it doesn¡¯t work?¡± Damien pressed. ¡°What if it doesn¡¯t work?¡±


    She shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°Well, then it doesn¡¯t work and we get a kiss out of it. Seems like a win-win either way, right? I promise I¡¯ll be gentle if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about.¡±


    ¡°N-no, I¡­¡±


    Damien was clearly searching for a way to get himself out of it, but she could see in his eyes that he wanted to kiss her. He wanted to embrace the moment she had set up for them, but his fears were once again stopping him. He didn¡¯t think he deserved this. His life didn¡¯t go his way, so for her to want to kiss him was unthinkable. He probably feared there was some trick to it and that she was plotting something. His lack of trust in human beings was stopping him from doing what he wanted to do.


    But that¡¯s not a good way to live. Of course, there are bad people out there, but there are so many good people, too, and trying to block out the bad will only prevent you from finding the good. He¡¯s scared and he has every right to be, but¡­


    Liz softly reached out and placed her hands on his cheeks, gently turning his head to face her. ¡°I¡¯m not pulling a trick on you, Damien. I¡¯m not asking you to trust everybody, but please, trust me. This isn¡¯t just about breaking the spell¡­ Honestly, I kinda just want to kiss you. I hardly know you, yet I feel like I know you better than anyone. I have feelings for you that don¡¯t make sense, but I like them and I don¡¯t want to reject them.¡±


    ¡°B-but, Liz¡­¡± he whispered. ¡°Is that really alright?¡±


    She smiled warmly. ¡°Of course it is. I mean, the only ones who can decide if it¡¯s okay are us, and I¡¯ve already decided it is. So you¡¯re the only one in your way. Pull down your walls, Damien. Let me in. Let¡¯s go back to ourselves¡­together.¡± She stared into his dark eyes, finding them beautiful, and she could feel her heart pounding in her chest. ¡°Now, I won¡¯t force you if you don¡¯t want to, but if you do, then just close your eyes and let it happen.¡±


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Those eyes of his were full of so many emotions, and they showed her the true complexity of Damien Clark. There was so much to him, and she knew that this version of her had only scratched the surface. He relied on his own beliefs and thoughts, using reasoning and logic to reach his conclusions. That was why he struggled to accept magic. That was why he couldn¡¯t see the erased realm for the fake world it was. It defied reason. Even now, she could see him desperately trying to understand what was happening, to reach a decision that wouldn¡¯t harm him. He didn¡¯t want to get hurt¡­


    ¡­and he didn¡¯t want to hurt her.


    Slowly, Damien¡¯s eyes drifted shut as he made his decision to let her in. Liz leaned forward, feeling both her body and his shaking. She lowered her left hand from his face and pressed it to his back, and she could feel his hands rising up to embrace her. Her face was so close to his that she could feel his breath and finally, she pressed her lips against his.


    It was right.


    It felt right to her as she kissed him. They were together, just like they should have been. They should never have been apart in the first place. After a moment, his hesitation began to disappear and she felt him kissing her back, accepting it and even welcoming it. The cloud in her head began to clear up and images started to gather in her mind. She had been ready for it. She had wanted it.


    This was perfect.


    This was how it should be.


    ***


    I no longer remember much about my friends from middle and elementary school. I know I had them. And I know I liked them, but there was this strange gap between us that I could never quite explain. They treated me well. It wasn¡¯t like I was bullied, and I was even a little popular. People liked me and I got along with them. There really wasn¡¯t anything I could complain about, yet I didn¡¯t feel as happy as I knew I should be. There was something wrong with me and it made me sad that I couldn¡¯t reciprocate the friendship that everybody else gave me. I felt like a jerk for that, and it always seemed like I was just leading them on, pretending to be a friend when I didn¡¯t really care the way I should.


    I was a liar.


    That¡¯s what I told myself. I was lying to them. I was deceiving them. It wasn¡¯t right and I knew it, but what was I supposed to do? If I just turned my back on them, I¡¯d be an even bigger jerk, and I didn¡¯t have anywhere else to go. If I started avoiding them just to sit by myself in the hallways, it would look really pathetic. So I continued to pretend, laughing and joking with them like there was nothing wrong, and that voice in the back of my head just continued to eat at me.


    I was a liar.


    But at the same time, what right did I have to complain? There were so many people who had it far worse. There were kids who got bullied, kids who got ostracized, and kids who didn¡¯t have the popularity I did. What kind of scumbag was I to complain about having friends and being liked. That was even more pathetic.


    I was a liar.


    I was a scumbag.


    I kept telling myself these things, but I got really good at putting on a fake smile and pretending it was okay. I don¡¯t think anybody ever suspected what was really going on in my head, and that was something I was disgustingly proud of.


    I was a good liar, apparently. I was good at hiding things. I was good at keeping my opinions and emotions to myself, and nobody was ever the wiser until something changed.


    Oddly enough, it wasn¡¯t any big moment that changed me. It was a handful of pretty benign interactions that gradually ate away at me and opened me up. It was the very beginning of my freshman year, and it was a math class, which was my least favorite. All the girls I hung out with hated it, and they pitied me when they saw who I was sitting next to.


    In the back of the class, where the teacher rarely ever paid attention, I was in the corner and on my right was this boy whose name I didn¡¯t know before then. He had gone to our middle school and people knew he was a huge weirdo, but I didn¡¯t remember his name until he introduced himself.


    ¡°Good morning, my friend! It seems we will be seat neighbors in this wretched class of numbers! It is nice to meet you! I am Eric Reiner, president of the Magic Club!¡±


    It was so ridiculous that I thought it was a prank, but the cheerful nature of the boy was clearly real. That was actually how he talked and I¡¯d never really seen anything like it. The people around us shot him looks of disgust and clearly pitied me, but this Eric kid didn¡¯t give a damn. He just smiled as he introduced himself and before I realized it, I was laughing my ass off. But I wasn¡¯t even laughing at him like everybody probably thought I was. I thought he was funny in a good way.


    ¡°What is it?¡± he had demanded. ¡°I do not recall telling a joke.¡±


    I waved his comment aside and smiled up at him, extending my hand for him to shake. ¡°Oh, no, sorry. I just wasn''t expecting such a formal introduction. I¡¯m Liz Tao. Nice to meet you, too, buddy.¡±


    At my response, his grin returned and he firmly shook my hand. I wasn¡¯t sure why I reacted the way I did, but I just found myself oddly charmed by him. I mean, it¡¯s not every day that you meet somebody like that and I didn¡¯t want to let the opportunity pass me up. And it seemed my reaction made him comfortable around me because he was very friendly over the next few weeks. We helped each other with math and even took to teasing each other quite often. His antics were entertaining and I enjoyed our banter.


    ¡°Dear Liz, I do not think this one is correct! You¡¯ve clearly forgotten a step!¡±


    ¡°Oh, definitely not! I think you need to check your own work, Reiner! I know this is right! Perhaps your eyes need fixing!¡¯


    ¡°Oh, how rude! And here I am just trying to help you! How foul!¡±


    I¡¯d never talked like that with anybody. I was always quiet and reserved, interacting with others in the same way my friends did. I fit their mold perfectly, and so when I started breaking out of it, it clearly made them uncomfortable.


    ¡°Um, Lizzie, you know you¡¯re being a bit cringy, right? I mean, Reiner¡¯s such a weirdo. It¡¯s probably best to just ignore him.¡±


    At the time, I wasn¡¯t sure why, but I took offense to that comment. Yeah, he was weird, but why should I care? He was fun to be around. For the first time in a long time, I didn¡¯t feel like I was lying. The person I was when I was hanging out with him was more me than anything I¡¯d ever been in the past. It felt right.


    It was around the time of club rush that I started growing distant with my friends, and soon enough, Eric said his club was looking for some members and that he thought I¡¯d fit in well. Having no reason not to, I did as he asked and checked out the Magic Club, only to find two other boys already there. One was Vinny Mickelson and the other was Damien Clark. I knew very little about Vinny, but even I¡¯d heard the rumors about Damien. He was infamous, after all, and anybody who went to middle school with him would know the rumors.


    So why was he in the Magic Club of all places?


    That was the first thing that told me the rumors couldn¡¯t be all true. The boy they talked about would never have been caught dead with the strange individuals that Eric and Vinny were. I was drawn to him in a way I couldn¡¯t explain, and while he was distant at first, he started opening up to me, and instead of finding a violent savage, I instead befriended a calm, sweet, considerate boy. Eric and Vinny were great friends already, but Damien and I made a different kind of connection.


    I¡¯m not sure what happened to my old friends, but there was never any specific moment that broke us apart. I just drifted away and soon enough, we were no more than strangers when we passed in the hall. I had found a place I was comfortable in. I was never made to be a popular girl. I was never supposed to be one of them.


    I was a weirdo, like the rest of the club. I was an idiot. I was obnoxious. And I liked it.


    I didn¡¯t care that the school suddenly rejected me, lumping me in as one of them. It didn¡¯t matter to me. Just the fact that they outcasted the club without even knowing them told me that the opinion of the masses was worthless. They formed their opinions based on rumor alone, and that was something I couldn¡¯t respect.


    ¡°Y-you want to go out with me? But Liz, I know you say you don¡¯t care, but you know how people feel about me. Do you really want to put yourself in that position?¡±


    I was the one who asked Damien Clark out and I¡¯ve never regretted that decision. I truly don¡¯t care about everybody else. I saw them the way they saw me: they were dumbasses who shouldn''t even be given a thought.


    I¡¯ll admit, though, that there were times when I felt a little off at the thought of being rejected so hard by the school, and that¡¯s why when Alice started getting bullied, I acted on such an impulse. I knew I could handle it, but Alice? Could she take such rejection? I wasn¡¯t sure, but I couldn¡¯t wait and find out. So I stole the stone from Eric and gave it to Vinny. But that decision was dumb, and I hurt Damien by doing it. I did my best to communicate with him and I used that stone to show him what I always hid from him: that our relationship really did affect me at times.


    Yet, I didn¡¯t lie.


    I didn¡¯t give a damn what they thought, even when it got to me. I cared about him more than I cared about my reputation. The day I asked him out and he expressed his fears about what it might do, I didn¡¯t lie when I told him:


    ¡°Fuck their opinions.¡±


    I meant that from the bottom of my heart.


    ***


    I¡¯ve always been plagued by rumors. They¡¯ve been following me for a very long time and people knew me as the infamous Damien Clark. They said I was dangerous. They said I was violent and unstable and could lose my mind at any given moment. And they said I had once gone so out of control that I almost killed a guy, and there was some truth to a lot of that. My father was a military man, you see, and so he was very obsessed with having a strong son who could defend himself and be a man. Because of this, in my younger years, he spent a lot of time training me to protect myself and raising me to be tough, the way he thought I ought to be. To be honest, I¡¯ve never been sure of how to feel about him. I never liked our training sessions, but he didn¡¯t care. I needed to be strong, he would say.


    I needed to be a man.


    I didn¡¯t have interest in being strong, but I can¡¯t say I didn¡¯t learn a lot from him. I wasn¡¯t the tough, manly son he wanted, but I certainly wasn¡¯t weak either. His lessons did give me a certain step up over the other kids, so anybody who wanted to pick a fight with me wouldn¡¯t last long. Yet, I never actually almost killed a kid. That¡¯s just the story that began to circle.


    This bigshot in our class approached me in early middle school with a few of his buddies, and it was clear they were just trying to act all tough and mighty. I wasn¡¯t a small kid by any means, so they probably wanted to make a statement or whatever by ¡°putting me in my place¡± even though I¡¯d never spoken a word to them in my life. After all, if you rough up the bigger kids, then you can prove your dominance.


    I didn¡¯t give a shit about proving my dominance, but my father had instilled a certain level of pride in me. I wasn¡¯t just gonna roll over and let them do what they wanted, and the ironic thing is, I never even got the chance to fight him. The arrogant bastard probably didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be so quick and when he threw his first punch, I just moved out of the way. I honestly expected more out of him, but the clumsy moron tripped over his feet and fell down, his head colliding with a rather sharp rock that poked out of the dirt.


    I didn¡¯t touch him.


    I never laid a finger on him.


    He did it to himself, but his buddies were there and in the end, they would tell the story. The kid went to the hospital with head trauma, and while he wound up okay, it didn¡¯t matter. Stories spread around the school about how I kicked his ass and sent him to the hospital. They said I started the fight and that I attacked him and no matter what I said to people, they didn¡¯t care.


    I was a psychopath in their eyes. I nearly killed one of the most popular kids in school.


    Most people avoided me at that point, but there were still a handful of prideful assholes who wanted to prove just how tough they were. If they avenged the poor guy I ¡°attacked¡±, they could prove their own toughness and garner favor with the school populace.


    But again, I wasn¡¯t just going to roll over and take their bullshit. So in that sense, I became the monster they said I was. Anybody who attacked me got their asses kicked. After all, my dad taught me how to defend myself and I was up against a bunch of kids whose egos needed some control, in my eyes. I won every single fight I got into, which just continued to solidify how they saw me.


    So if I couldn¡¯t change their minds, why bother trying? I¡¯d deal with whoever my next challenger was, take the suspension, and reset the cycle. Eventually, kids were so scared of me that they just stopped trying, and the narrative that I was violent spread even further. The infamous Damien Clark was best avoided and I was okay with that. Why should I ever want to interact with the scumfucks who wouldn¡¯t even give me a chance to explain myself. So imagine my surprise when somebody actually did give me that chance.


    ¡°Hello, my friend. Would you mind if I joined you?¡±


    The tone in his voice was comical and when I looked up, I knew I had to be getting my ass teased. His smile appeared stupid and I knew this was just another moron on his way to pick a fight. I didn¡¯t know what kind of class clown he thought he was but I didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Fuck off,¡± I spat at him.


    Most others would either do as I said or they¡¯d start getting in my face, yet he did neither.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not very nice, but then again, given how everybody treats you, I guess I should have expected that. However¡­¡± Despite my clear desire to be left alone, he sat down beside me regardless. ¡°You¡¯re an interesting individual to me.¡±


    I cocked an eyebrow at him, my fists already clenched. ¡°Yeah? How so?¡¯


    ¡°I, of course, have heard rumors about you. You¡¯re a violent beast running rampant in the school and if you¡¯re angered, you¡¯ll devour their souls and condemn them to eternal hell.¡±


    I scoffed at him, having not heard that version of the rumors before. I went to tell him to fuck off again, but his next words caused me pause.


    ¡°But you do not seem like a beast to me,¡± he said. ¡°No, there¡¯s clearly more to this than everybody else knows. I do not believe you have ever been the aggressor. You¡¯re simply defending yourself, aren¡¯t you, Clark?¡±


    When he smiled, it almost seemed like he was staring through me. How had he figured that out? Shouldn¡¯t he be following the flock like everybody else?


    ¡°What gives you that idea?¡± I growled at him, and he merely winked.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a feeling I have,¡± he explained. ¡°Why don¡¯t we just call it a sixth sense of mine? And trust me, my friend, this sense has never led me astray before. It¡¯s shocking to me that the supposed infamous beast is as pure as he is. It just doesn¡¯t add up. No, I¡¯m certain you¡¯re not a bad guy. You¡¯re actually quite nice.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t know me! How could you say that with such confidence?¡±


    ¡°Like I said, I just know!¡±


    He made that declaration as he stuck his hand out before me, an offering of friendship that I hadn¡¯t known in a very long time.


    ¡°My name is Eric Reiner and I would like to be your friend!¡±


    It was such a stupidly innocent request, but I couldn¡¯t just ignore it. He really didn¡¯t seem to be lying, but it just didn¡¯t fit. Why wouldn¡¯t he trust the ever-loved popular fucks of the school? Everybody else did, so why not him? What did he want from me? How did I benefit him?


    But the answer to that was as innocent and childish as his request.


    Friendship.


    He just wanted friendship. He wanted to extend an olive branch simply because he did. And he put in the effort to break down my walls. After that, he joined me at lunch every day, talking about this and that and just being all around nice. I gradually opened up to him, too, as well as to Vinny Mickelson, another friend of his. They both welcomed me, and gradually, I became comfortable. Why should the rumors matter when I finally had friends? Eric and Vinny didn¡¯t care about rumors. They cared about me, no strings attached.


    And then, in freshman year, Elizabeth Tao walked through the door of our new clubroom. She was a girl Eric had met in his math class and he somehow convinced her to join the club. I was hesitant at first, but I soon realized that she was more like me than I expected her to be. She fit in with the club seamlessly, as if we had been friends for years. We talked and laughed, and I grew close to her in a way that was different from the others.


    And then, she did something I never saw coming.


    ¡°So Damien, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask this for a while now, but would you be interested in going out sometime? Like, on a date?¡±


    I had once abandoned any possibility of friendship, let alone the chance of having a girlfriend. I didn¡¯t know how to respond. I wanted it, of course, but was it really alright? What about my reputation? How would that affect this girl?


    But she didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Fuck their opinions,¡± she had said sharply.


    I¡¯d never heard her curse before, and the sincerity in her voice told me that she really didn¡¯t give a damn. She actually wanted me. I had friends and now I had a girlfriend. Life became good.


    I never thought it would happen, but I had friends and a home to belong in.


    I was finally happy.


    ***


    As Damien pulled back from the kiss, his breathing heavy, he found himself lying on the couch with Liz on top of him, their faces inches apart as they gazed into each other¡¯s eyes. Their arms were wrapped around each other and as they just stared at their faces, he found his mind clear. Everything was back. He remembered it all and he could tell just from her sly grin that she had, too. She had been right about the power of their emotions, and it comforted him to know that even in a world as powerful and incomprehensible as the magical one, human emotions still held weight. He owed his happiness to the Magic Club, and that connection was too powerful for Nigreos and Album to ever fully rob him of.


    Damien gently raised a hand and placed it against Liz¡¯s cheek to wipe away the tears rolling down her face.


    ¡°I love you, Liz,¡± he whispered.


    He was glad that her smile was the first thing he saw when he finally woke up from the erased realm¡¯s nightmare.


    ¡°I love you, too, Damien.¡±

 Chapter 39- Ryokumo The Puppetmaster

    Chapter XXXIX


    The fact that Reigious didn¡¯t speak even when all the Masters were gathered was enough to immediately put Album on edge. The knowledge that Sinna and Nakoma had found Arisa Kirisan and the others had given her hope that the situation with the Children could be over that very night, but there was a grim look on the prince¡¯s face that told her things hadn¡¯t gone as well as she hoped they would. Every seat at the table, save Seiras¡¯s, was full, and each Master had a different expression on their face. Iris and Nyx were both unreadable as always, while Ryokumo and Nigreos failed to hide their concern. As for Sinna and Nakoma, the former looked more angry than Album had seen her in a long time, but the Master of Fire was calm as ever, most likely keeping his emotions locked deep inside. She hadn¡¯t seen him since before she and Nigreos went to Omaruo, and part of her had wished it would stay that way. His seniority over them was something he often flaunted, and it only ever managed to rub Album the wrong way.


    Though, if he failed to catch the Children then that would be amusing in its own right. I¡¯ve always thought Taurus deserved to be put in his place.


    Album¡¯s eyes then shifted back to Ryokumo, who still hadn¡¯t looked at her, and her irritation and anger only grew. It had only been a mere handful of hours since he arrived in her quarters and cast Seiras¡¯s vision spell on her, and she would be lying if she claimed that she wasn¡¯t still shaken up. She was torn on what to do about him, and Ilirianna¡¯s words only continued to torment her and mock her.


    ¡°So are you saying that you won¡¯t turn him in for casting this spell on you? You¡¯re going to let him walk away without consequences? If you turn him over, what then? What will this have been for?¡±


    It was becoming more and more apparent the longer she thought about it that the time had truly come to erase Ryokumo Caeli. She had always toyed with the idea but had never been able to bring herself to do it. Erasing Ilirianna had been painful enough and she wasn¡¯t sure she could do it again, but she knew her choices had become limited. Ryokumo now had power over her, and she knew how threatening that spell was. Its ability to make the victim see visions of their regrets was dangerous in its own right, but it also caused the victim to fall to the ground, unconscious for a period of time, and that was long enough for the caster to kill them.


    If he wanted, he could cast that spell right now and drop us all for all I know, she thought with an internal scowl. It¡¯s too much power. Should he harness it, not only will it destroy his mind like that type of magic always does, but it could wreak more havoc than he ever could have without it.


    To her, Seiras¡¯s assassination had been a blessing, and she had believed the spell to have died with him. The fact that it didn¡¯t was alarming, yet she didn¡¯t have the time to contemplate the matter much more before she turned back to wait for Reigious. There wasn¡¯t a single Master in the room that was going to interrupt this silence. They could all tell that the prince was thinking things over and it would be better to simply wait. Album wasn¡¯t sure how long it had been, but finally, Reigious looked up and addressed them.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said. ¡°I just needed another moment to process everything. There has been an emergency and it needs to be dealt with swiftly. I know this, but¡­ It¡¯s just hard to wrap my head around.¡±


    ¡°My prince,¡± Nigreos began carefully. ¡°What happened? I was told that Cartus and Taurus went after the Children but¡­did something happen? Did they escape again?¡±


    Reigious leaned back in his golden seat and clenched his teeth before taking a deep breath and replying. ¡°It should have been simple. Nakoma confronted Malt Territh up north and managed to hide a tracking beacon on him, and to our luck, the man wound up heading south to Erika, almost assuredly to come to Kirisan¡¯s aid. In fact, he led them right to where Hannah and the Children were hiding. Taurus returned to the Citadel, made contact with me, then swiftly met up with Cartus down in the city to corner them, even going as far as to bring a group of Korrei-Tarr with him.¡±


    Album narrowed her eyes, leaning forward as a sudden bad feeling reached her. ¡°That sounds like a perfect plan. They shouldn¡¯t have been able to fight that, especially if you had the element of surprise, so what happened?¡±


    ¡°We were betrayed.¡±


    Sinna spat the words so sharply that Album could feel the rage permeating off of her. Her brows were drawn tightly and her jaw was clenched with fury.


    ¡°Betrayed?¡± Nyx inquired, her head tilted to the side as her eyes opened wider. ¡°Betrayed by whom, Sinna?¡±


    The Master of Rock scoffed, then slowly looked up not at Prince Reigious, but at Ryokumo, and it was at that very moment that Album realized what she was going to say before the words had even left her mouth.


    ¡°By Eric Reiner,¡± she growled. ¡°The boy made contact with the Children and aided them in their escape.¡±


    A chill went down Album¡¯s spine and for a few seconds, she didn''t know what to say or how to feel. It shouldn¡¯t have surprised her. She had predicted this from the very beginning¡ªfrom the moment Nigreos expressed his desire to take Eric back to the Citadel with them. It was predictable. She had told everybody in that room that trusting the boy would be a mistake, so she should have turned to stare Nigreos in the eyes so she could laugh at him.


    But she didn¡¯t.


    Instead, when she looked at her partner, she just stared blankly as the man gazed at Sinna, and it almost seemed like his mind had ceased to function. He didn¡¯t speak nor did he even react much, but she knew his mind had been thrown into complete disarray.


    It¡¯s happening again. He did exactly what I feared he would do. Eric Reiner turned on Ijiria.


    ¡°N-no,¡± Nigreos finally uttered. ¡°No, there¡¯s no way! There has to be some mistake, Cartus! Are you sure it was him?! Did you see his face?!¡±


    ¡°We did,¡± Nakoma confirmed. ¡°He wasn¡¯t wearing any sort of cloak or distortion. The boy faced us with all the defiance of his mother, and apparently with her skill, as well. I had faith that Cartus could deal with him, yet upon my return, I found her trapped in a cage of vines and not a Child to be seen.¡±


    Before anybody could even question this supposed cage of vines, Sinna had already fired back at the man. ¡°And what of Kirisan? You should have been able to beat one measly child and yet you lost her. Don¡¯t think the blame for this failure falls only on me.¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Reigious barked, preventing any further argument from erupting. The prince then turned to Nigreos, his irritation swiftly fading back to his prior exhaustion. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Nigreos. I¡­didn¡¯t want to believe it either. I spoke to the boy just this morning, and I felt as if I may have bonded with him, if only a little, but it seems I was mistaken. From this moment on, Eric Reiner is a fugitive of the Citadel, but I do not want him dead. I want him taken into custody. You hear me, Nigreos?¡±


    Album wanted to snap at the man and tell him he was being foolish. Any other traitor who attacked a Master would be killed on sight, yet Reigious only wanted him apprehended. He was being weak, and it was obvious that the prince simply didn¡¯t want to see another tragedy unfold the way it did when Abi died.


    But Eric has already taken that choice away from us. You know that, Reigious. You do, too, Nigreos. Yet you do this? The boy could now be a guide for all we know! He¡¯s as dangerous as Kirisan and the others! He needs to be killed! Is anybody else going to say something? Is anybody going to call them out on this idiocy? Rana? Mackia? Cartus? Taurus? Ryokumo?


    But nobody said a word, not even Album. She kept her mouth shut as Nigreos put his head in his hands and covered his face. Reigious¡¯s lips tightened as he turned to once again address the group.


    ¡°This needs to be dealt with now,¡± he declared. ¡°I want the Children of Reiner dead, as well as Hannah Lynn, and I want Eric Reiner in the dungeons by sunrise! This meeting will be quick, and then I want each and every one of you to go into Erika and hunt them down! Now, Ryokumo.¡± Reigious then eyed the Master of Wind with determination. ¡°I need you to tell me everything about Eric¡¯s movements today. What has he been doing? When did you last see him? Where did you believe him to be right now?¡±


    Ryokumo nodded, his emotions not as obvious as Nigreos¡¯s as he responded. ¡°I was under the impression that he was still in the Citadel. Just this afternoon, I went down into the city to speak with a man named Nuvo Tannath, who I had heard rumor might have known something about the Children.¡±


    Album was quick to repress any reaction at hearing the name of Nigreos¡¯s contact, and while it could very well be a coincidence, after the events of that morning, she knew she couldn¡¯t be sure.


    How much to do you know, Ryokumo? Are you involved in this? Did you aid Eric in betraying us? Are you puppeting this yourself?


    She raised her eyes to stare at her old friend, but if he noticed, he didn¡¯t react, instead waiting as Reigious spoke.


    ¡°And you went into the city alone?¡± he inquired. ¡°When did you return?¡±


    ¡°Just now, in fact,¡± Ryokumo said. ¡°I was on my way back to my quarters to check on Eric when I ran into Nigreos and Album, who informed me of this meeting. He was supposed to be in the Citadel, so if he went into the city, it was without my knowledge.¡±


    You¡¯re lying. You have to be! What game is this, Ryokumo? If you¡¯re the one helping Eric rebel then do you understand what you¡¯re doing? You know where this path led Abi so why would you take him down the same way?


    ¡°And you¡¯re certain you knew nothing of this?¡± Nakoma asked softly. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t want it to sound like I¡¯m accusing you of treason, but you were responsible for keeping watch on him, so for him to have made contact with the Children, you¡¯re either doing a terrible job or¡­¡± The Master of Fire¡¯s gaze then turned sharp. ¡°...you¡¯re helping him.¡±


    ¡°Nakoma,¡± Reigious snapped.


    But the man merely shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be rude, my prince, but I do feel as if it¡¯s worth considering. I mean, we all know how much Caeli idolized Abigail to the point that he still visits that monument of hers, and now he¡¯s training her son? If you ask me, it''s not out of the realm of possibility that he helps the boy with this, especially considering the fate of his beloved apprentice. It seems he only trains traitors.¡±


    ¡°That is a fair point,¡± Ryokumo quickly conceded. ¡°And the best response I can give is that it seems I am just too gullible. I trust too easily, and it seems it only ever ends in tragedy. I gave Eric too much leeway and didn¡¯t keep a proper eye on him. I wanted him to feel comfortable in this foreign world, but I should have heeded Album¡¯s warning. He was a far more clever boy than I thought.¡±


    Ryokumo slowly lowered his head before them, an act of apology, but all Album could think was that he was playing to Reigious¡¯s pity. He knew the prince liked him and if he painted himself as the victim, he could get away with an almost obvious lie.


    And to her fury, it worked.


    ¡°I am sorry,¡± Reigious said. ¡°You¡¯ve had a hard few months, but when we capture Eric, perhaps we can learn what was really going through his head. Hopefully that, if anything, can give you peace of mind.¡±


    Album clenched her teeth and glanced around, only to find suspicious expressions on the faces of both Nakoma and Nyx. Both Iris and Sinna, however, seemed as if his lie had actually worked on them, and Album found that to be surprising when considering how harsh the two could be toward him.


    They¡¯re being played! How are Taurus and Rana the only ones seeing this?! I don¡¯t have a choice! Whether Ryokumo is lying or not, he needs to be erased. Assuming Reigious still sends us to Harunhein tomorrow, I need to deal with this now. When this meeting is over, I¡¯ll pull him aside¡­and I¡¯ll end this for good.


    That thought brought her a sudden twinge of pain, but she forced it back down and decided to gather as much information as she could, so she pulled the conversation back to a topic they had brushed over earlier.


    ¡°So Cartus,¡± Album began. ¡°Earlier Taurus said you lost to Reiner because you were encased in a cage of vines. What the hell happened? Who did that to you?¡±


    Sinna grimaced, her large fists clenching atop the table. ¡°I don¡¯t know, honestly. Reiner had held me off long enough to allow the Children to escape, and once it was just us two, a figure in a cloak appeared behind him and without any warning, vines began to wrap around me, pinning me to the spot. If Taurus hadn¡¯t come back for me, I¡¯d probably still be stuck there.¡±


    ¡°Nature magic then,¡± Nyx murmured. ¡°Mackia, how powerful would one have to be to cast a spell like that?¡±


    Iris considered the question for a moment and then shrugged. ¡°Well, the spell itself isn¡¯t terribly hard, to be honest. Even Eric could probably cast it, but in order for one to be able to hold Cartus down, they must be quite strong. Though, these kids were taught by Abi, so I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if one came back to aid the boy and had the skills to pull off such a feat.¡±


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I was thinking as well,¡± Reigious added. ¡°Sinna, was it light enough to see any finer details about the attacker?¡±


    The Master of Rock shook her head. ¡°Probably, but I was fully encased in armor at that point, so my vision wasn¡¯t at its greatest. All I saw was a shadowy form, so it could have been anybody.¡±


    ¡°It''s likely one of the Tessir twins doubled back to help him,¡± the prince went on. ¡°Or, if they managed to hold you down, both were probably there and you simply missed the other. However, my fears are more about what happened to Nakoma. Would you please explain how Kirisan escaped you?¡±


    Nakoma nodded, a confident look on his face despite having just been beaten. ¡°Well, I had Kirisan pinned down. I decided not to take any chances so I had the phoenix ready, and I was so close to finishing her off¡­and then everything went dark.¡± His eyes gradually shifted between all the Masters before he went on. ¡°And I saw visions¡­visions that I will not share the contents of, but by the time I awoke, Arisa Kirisan was gone.¡±


    Visions?! No¡­ So he really did¡­


    This time, when Album raised her head to stare at Ryokumo, he was already looking back, and there was a slight curve of a smug smile on his lips. He knew she knew and he was challenging her to tell them.


    You son of a bitch! You¡¯re working with Eric! You¡¯re doing this to us again! How dare you, Caeli!


    She almost did speak up, but Ilirianna¡¯s words kept her quiet, and she urged herself to deal with the issue in private. Once Ryokumo was erased, the damage could be undone. She could change history once more and save them from the pain. Even if the effects of his erasure caused different pain, at least control would be in her hands. She could dictate what happened. She could change reality to be anything else. The past did not have to be set in stone.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying¡­Seiras¡¯s spell?¡± Iris spoke slowly, her brows furrowed in surprise before an almost impressed smile reached her lips. ¡°Cartus, was Hannah Lynn present when you waged your little battle against Eric Reiner?¡±


    Sinna scoffed. ¡°She was not. From what I could tell, she rushed off to help Kirisan, which means¡­


    ¡°She had that spell in her possession when she fled the Citadel,¡± Nyx finished. ¡°Clever child. That means she has more power than we realized. Catching the Children won¡¯t be simple, though I do wonder why she didn¡¯t kill Taurus when she had the chance. She¡¯s already made it clear how willing she is to kill Masters.¡±


    But Nakoma shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t find it surprising at all. Kirisan was so close to death that she probably prioritized saving her over killing me. And for that, I do commend her honor, but she will regret that decision very soon. I¡¯ll see to that myself.¡±


    ¡°We need to be cautious, though,¡± Reigious warned. ¡°While I would rather not discuss what happened with Seiras again, that incident did show us just how powerful that spell is. As far as we know, there isn¡¯t a defense against it, so if Lynn were to confront a Master, she could potentially kill them. We need to come up with a counter of some sort.¡±


    Album grimaced, realizing that it was due to their belief that Hannah possessed Aniextiam that Sinna and Nakoma return to the Citadel rather than continuing their pursuit. If they had known it wasn¡¯t actually the girl that had it, they might have been able to finish them off.


    They¡¯re dancing in Ryokumo¡¯s palm! All of them!


    ¡°Well, if I had to guess, she shouldn¡¯t be able to just use it as she pleases,¡± Nyx said. ¡°Mind magic is a very dangerous affinity, and that spell was powerful. The more she uses it, the more damaged her spirit will become. If Hannah Lynn is even half as intelligent as we believe her to be, she won¡¯t use it unless absolutely necessary. That¡¯s what we have to take advantage of.¡±


    Nakoma nodded his agreement. ¡°A sneak attack then?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that would be best,¡± the Master of Water agreed. ¡°Caeli would be our best shot then, however I do have to agree with Taurus, if reluctantly. I¡¯m not so sure it¡¯s a good idea for him to return to the city under these conditions.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I agree,¡± Album added sharply. ¡°I know you trust him, my prince, but you can¡¯t deny how suspicious this all is. In my eyes, it¡¯s just too unlikely that he wasn¡¯t involved in this somehow. It¡¯s too much of a risk to allow him to join in this operation.¡±


    Nakoma chuckled. ¡°Glad to see two of you see things my way. Yes, Caeli should remain in the Citadel, perhaps even with someone to keep watch on him. That, I believe, is the right action to take.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I can agree with that.¡±


    To Album¡¯s surprise, Iris was the one who suddenly spoke in their favor. She had been under the impression that the Master of Nature was falling for Ryokumo¡¯s lies, but it seems she had misread her, though part of Album couldn¡¯t help but to be suspicious.


    ¡°And in fact, why don¡¯t I make another suggestion,¡± she went on. ¡°My affinity isn¡¯t exactly the most useful in a fight, so why don¡¯t I remain behind and be that guard for him. I¡¯ll keep a close watch on him while the rest of you subdue the Children, allowing you to be worry free. Sound good?¡±


    Iris¡¯s smile was sweet in a way that unnerved Album, and she could see similar looks of apprehension in the eyes of the others, but Ryokumo didn¡¯t seem terribly bothered. If he wanted to escape Iris, all he¡¯d have to do was cast that spell and kill her, and Album feared that with the way things were going, he might not hesitate to kill even a Master.


    Leaving him with Mackia might actually get her killed. Eric¡¯s betrayal has been exposed, and I doubt that was a part of Ryokumo¡¯s plan. He¡¯s almost certainly going to be panicking as he tries to find a way out of this, so if he¡¯s desperate, he will take out Mackia. I won¡¯t have time to waste. If I want to deal with him tonight, I¡¯ll need to act fast.


    Reigious, whose features were failing to hide his conflict, then sighed. ¡°Very well. I¡¯m sorry, Ryokumo, but if the others can¡¯t bring themselves to trust you, then I must ask that you stay inside and remain with Iris. Is that okay?¡±


    Ryokumo nodded, his own expression concealing whatever he might have been thinking. ¡°That is fine, my prince. To be honest, I¡¯m not so sure I could bring myself to face Hannah and Eric again. My mind is already a mess and I¡¯m struggling to think straight. Perhaps¡­it is best that I refrain from entering this fight, and if it comforts my fellow Masters, then so be it.¡±


    The Ryokumo she knew would have fought it, so the fact that he conceded so willingly was proof enough that remaining in the Citadel was exactly what he wanted. Album clenched her teeth and briefly turned to look at Nigreos, who was still silently sitting with his head in his hands, though she was certain he had to be listening. She would speak with him first, just to get a good enough idea of where his head was at, and then she would make her move. Erasing Ryokumo was far from her ideal, but there was no longer a choice. He had to be dealt with, and she was the only one who could deal with him in the most merciful way.


    And when Ryokumo Caeli is forgotten, perhaps this result can be undone. Perhaps then, Eric Reiner will have refrained from betraying this country. If I can just get rid of Ryokumo¡­


    ***


    ¡°Well, that certainly went better than I expected it to,¡± Iris murmured under her breath, and when Ryokumo glanced sidelong at her, she was smiling up at him in a sly manner, as if she had enjoyed watching him maneuver around Reigious and the Masters. ¡°I never realized just how much Reigious seems to like you. Whatever did you do to gain so much trust?¡±


    Ryokumo shook his head as the lift continued to rise further into the upper levels of the Citadel. ¡°I¡¯ve done nothing. He¡¯s simply a trusting man by nature. He¡¯s been like that for as long as I can remember. He doesn¡¯t want to believe that I¡¯ve helped Eric betray him, so he closes his eyes and tries to find an answer that suits him better. He¡¯s smart though, and eventually he¡¯ll realize the truth.¡±


    Iris snickered. ¡°But by then, the damage will be done. I¡¯m honestly intrigued to see just how this all plays out. Especially given all the angry glares Luz sent your way. You think she¡¯s already figured it out?¡¯


    He grimaced, having wished he could have avoided using Aniextium on Nakoma. By doing so, he knew as a fact that Album was aware of his betrayal and that she could ruin it all at any moment simply by going to Reigious and telling him about what happened in her quarters that morning. However, she was afraid of whatever person she erased coming to light, and it seemed as if she had yet to go to Reigious, so he could only assume that she would take matters into her own hands.


    ¡°I do think she¡¯s onto us and I¡¯m glad she is,¡± he said. ¡°It means that Album will come to us and that¡¯ll make this all far easier.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Iris seemed skeptical, but she made no move to question him further.


    As much as Ryokumo hated working with her, he knew he no longer had a choice, and if Eric claimed some instinct of his trusted her then he couldn¡¯t argue. It was a feeling of deja vu, reminding him of times from the past when he¡¯d been in similar situations.


    ¡°Just trust me, Kumo! My sense is never wrong!¡±


    Ryokumo shook his head, recalling words that Abigail had spoken to him on numerous occasions over the course of their friendship. Well, she never led me astray so I¡¯ll just have to trust in Eric the way I trusted in her. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m actually going to do this, but I¡¯ll put parts of this plan into Mackia¡¯s hands.


    As the lift came to a stop at his desired floor, Ryokumo briefly scanned the now golden halls and when he didn¡¯t see anybody, he decided it was safe to speak, if only in a quiet tone. His distortion would conceal them from anybody who passed by, but it wouldn¡¯t block sound from escaping.


    ¡°Alright, Mackia,¡± he began softly. ¡°Go meet Eric in your classroom and wait for me. I¡¯ll be back as quickly as I can be. The other Masters should be departing shortly so Album will almost certainly come looking for you as soon as she can. Be ready for her.¡±


    Iris grinned. ¡°I¡¯ll be plenty ready. Just be safe, Caeli. If you die, Eric will, too, and I¡¯ll be very angry with you if this plan fails, especially now that I¡¯ve gotten involved in it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± he grunted as he stepped off the left. ¡°Now go. We don¡¯t have much time.¡±


    She gave him a brief wave before the lift began to descend back to the lower floors, leaving Ryokumo standing alone in the golden corridor, concealed within his distortion. He didn¡¯t waste any time as he turned and began stalking down the hall, recalling the location of his destination from the handful of times he had been there. Speed was the most important thing at that point, so he moved as quickly and as silently as he could, keeping his senses attuned to his surroundings despite knowing he was unlikely to run into anybody on that particular level for the simple fact that this floor was protected by the illusion magic that only guides could find their way through. There wouldn¡¯t be any guards or Citadel researchers or anybody else. Only the guides would be there, but he knew Reigious was still lower down and as far as he knew, Piura was in the Korrei-Tarr barracks where she usually spent her time.


    And if I run into any High Council members, they won¡¯t be able to sense me, so I should be safe.


    And to his satisfaction, he arrived at the giant emerald door without any incidents.


    The Vault of the Relics¡­ This is it¡­


    It wasn¡¯t anything extravagant in its physical form, but the mana levels that protected this door were even stronger than they had been the last time he¡¯d seen it, most likely serving as added defenses after the Children of Reiner succeeded in breaking through it. Similarly to the entrance to the Chamber of the Masters, the door lacked a handle, instead appearing as a flat slab of shining green gemstone. It would only open through magical means, and he knew what those means were.


    ¡°As you obviously know, the Vault of the Relics is a pocket realm sustained by the Iiji bloodline,¡± Arisa had said to him when they first discussed the idea of her granting him guideship. ¡°Getting in isn¡¯t hard, but getting out is where the issue falls. Luckily, pocket realms have an easy method of escape, if you know what to look for. If you can fuse yourself with the protective barrier, you can get to the other side, then you just need to use the mana ports to get back out once you have what you need.¡±


    Ryokumo shook his head. I suppose it just shows how arrogant the Citadel is when such a simple means of protection is their final obstacle to their relics. They¡¯re so confident that it would be impossible to even reach the top floors, let alone surpass the illusion magic, and for an intruder, that¡¯s probably true. But what they didn¡¯t account for was being betrayed from within.


    The Master of Wind carefully reached up and pressed his hand against the emerald surface of the door, immediately feeling the pressure of the mana, and as much as it hurt, he bit back the pain and chanted, ¡°Dimiitio.¡±


    There was a jolt that shot through his entire body, and within a mere second, he was no longer standing in the corridor but in a different place entirely. It was a long, dark hallway that stretched off into the distance for what seemed like forever. Torches of fire magic illuminated the hall with their dim red lights, and in between each torch was a doorway that, should he get behind, he would potentially find a relic. The problem was that not every door had a relic. In fact, most of them were empty, which meant that he could spend hours searching and find nothing.


    But I shouldn¡¯t panic. With any luck, what I¡¯m looking for shouldn¡¯t be that far inside. As long as I don¡¯t stray too far from the mana port, I¡¯ll be safe.


    Ryokumo immediately jumped to work, throwing open the first two doors on either side of him, and unsurprisingly, both were empty, so he continued on down the line, checking the rooms and then glancing back to make sure the small white ball of mana that was the mana port was still within sight. He clenched his teeth and attempted to reach out with his magic to feel for something more powerful than its surroundings, but the Vault was far too mana-dense to pinpoint anything unique. Realizing that magical methods of searching would be useless, he went back to searching on his own.


    ¡°Ah, here we go!¡± he exclaimed finally when he pulled open a door to find a single pedestal with a small leather pouch waiting atop it. ¡°Please let this be it!¡±


    He reached out and took the item then carefully undid the ropes tying it closed, only to grimace in defeat as he found not the item he was searching for, but a small grayish-black gemstone instead. He knew very little about what types of relics were hidden in this vault, and he knew that many could be dangerous, so he pulled the strings shut and placed the pouch back on the pedestal. He didn¡¯t want to waste his time on anything that wasn¡¯t his goal so he quickly departed the room, but just as he did, a sudden shiver went through his body and a subtle feeling of nausea formed in his stomach.


    What the¡­?


    He glanced back at the closed door of the room he had just been in, fearing that just the act of opening that bag had unleashed something, but in the seconds that followed the strange feeling, nothing more happened, so Ryokumo carefully turned back to continue his search when another feeling erupted in his head.


    Two doors down, on the right.


    It was his own voice speaking to him in his head, but at the same time, it was a mere feeling, as if he just knew where the item was. He swallowed, not wanting to trust such a strange phenomenon, but with his time limited, he clenched back his fear and approached the door his internal thoughts indicated and when he pulled it open, he found yet another pedestal with a small pouch waiting for him. Scanning the room this time to make sure he wasn¡¯t being led into a trap, Ryokumo proceeded forward only when he felt safe, swiftly picking up the bag and checking inside to see what it contained.


    Here we go¡­ I found it¡­


    Ryokumo frowned, poking his head back through the door to stare back at the one with the gray gemstone, but it was still shut tightly, showing no indication of anything changing.


    This can¡¯t be a coincidence. I just wish I had the time to check to see what that thing was, but I can¡¯t take unnecessary risks right now. Perhaps, if I somehow survive this endeavor, I can ask Reigious about it, but until then¡­


    Ryokumo quickly pocketed the relic and turned to stalk back toward the mana port, anxious to finally return to Eric and Iris so the plan could begin in earnest.


    ***


    ¡°Truly, of all the people who could have stumbled upon my cell, I¡¯m glad it was you. I do not know what it is you seek to accomplish, but I am interested to know what actions your effects will have on this beautiful empire of ours. The gears are turning, and one day, it will be time for me to move. But until then, I will gladly allow the gears of chaos to turn. After all, there¡¯s nothing I love more than chaos, now is there, Ryokumo Caeli?¡±

 Chapter 40- Showtime

    Chapter XL


    The sun was setting when Damien received the text from Lilly asking him and Liz to return to Scott Reiner¡¯s workshop, and the two of them hadn¡¯t hesitated to hurriedly depart Liz¡¯s house and begin making their way back. It had now been a handful of hours since their memories were restored and they had spent all of that time just enjoying each other¡¯s company. They had been apart for nearly five months and they hadn¡¯t even remembered each other, so all Damien wanted to do was hold Liz close to him and just be with her. Her touch was soothing and he prayed with everything he had that there would never come a time when they were separated like that again. Magic had done its damage to them and he wanted that torment to finally end. He wanted to get out of the erased realm and he wanted to finally make good on Liz¡¯s threat to Nigreos and Album.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll come back. I¡¯ll find some way¡­anyway¡­to crawl out of that place¡­and find you again. You won¡¯t get away with this. We¡¯re¡­the Magical and Other Anomalies Investigation Team. We won¡¯t go down¡­this easily. We¡¯ll find you¡­and make you regret¡­ever coming¡­to Wilham.¡±


    Those had been her final words before Album erased them, and Damien knew that Liz had meant everything she said. She had faith that the club would find a way to defy the erased realm and in the end, she had been right. Whatever The Angel that Eric put inside Lilly was, it had given her the chance to break past the charms of this world and present them with a fighting chance¡ªone Lilly hadn¡¯t allowed to pass her by. Damien was impressed by the way she had handled everything thus far and he had faith that her plan would succeed. Because of this, he was excited to get back to the workshop and greet her as his proper self rather than the angry and bitter person he had been before.


    And Vinny¡¯s there, too. We can finally start reuniting the club and, when we reach Eric, we can be whole again. The Magic Club may have lost the battle in Wilham, but this war is going to continue, and this time, we¡¯re going to win.


    He smiled to himself then glanced down at Liz, who was tightly holding his hand as she walked alongside him. Before leaving her house, she had removed her makeup and contacts, then put her glasses on and stole a pair of her father¡¯s headphones to wear around her neck. She looked like the Liz he knew and it was clear in the way she held herself that she felt more comfortable now. Though, he realized that he must have stared for too long because she suddenly turned to gaze at him with a sly grin.


    ¡°Can I help you, Damien, or are you just gonna keep ogling me?¡±


    He chuckled then shrugged. ¡°Well I planned to keep ogling you. After all, I haven¡¯t gotten to see you in months so I need to make up for all the lost time.¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess I can¡¯t blame you then,¡± she teased. ¡°I am gorgeous, so it makes sense that your eyes would be drawn to me. But if that¡¯s the case, then I get to stare at you all I want, too. Fair is fair, right?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Oh, of course. Stare all you want.¡±


    The two of them laughed as they made a right turn onto a different street and as Damien glanced around, he recalled that they were rather close to the workshop and he felt his excitement increasing the closer they got. To distract himself, he instead turned his attention to their surroundings as he took in the erased realm¡¯s copy of Wilham. It was only once he got his memory back that he was able to truly appreciate just how insane this world was. It looked exactly like their home town and even the people they¡¯d interacted with that weren¡¯t erased victims perfectly represented their real life counterparts. If the existence of the body-swapping gemstone and the Ijirian mages were enough to turn his understanding of reality upside down then the erased realm completely destroyed it. The extent of what magic could do seemed almost infinite and that both scared him and intrigued him. He always enjoyed learning about the world and how it functioned, so to find out that there were other realms where magic was possible only served to make him wonder how much knowledge there was to learn.


    Hell, we haven¡¯t even come close to learning all the answers about our own universe, so how could we ever hope to know the secrets of the others?


    ¡°You know, I forgot to say this, Liz, but good job,¡± he muttered. ¡°Your theory about the erased realm was spot on.¡±


    She grinned proudly. ¡°Thanks. Honestly, I¡¯m a little surprised I got as much right as I did, and I¡¯m glad I wasn¡¯t wrong. Now we¡¯ve got a proper fighting chance. We can do this, Damien. I believe in us and I believe in Eric and Lilly. The Magic Club is gonna win.¡±


    He chuckled at her confidence and couldn¡¯t help but gently tighten his grip on her hand. ¡°Damn right we are.¡±


    The rest of the walk was completed in a comfortable silence as they approached the apartment complex where Scott Reiner¡¯s workshop was located. The two of them ascended the staircase to the second floor and made their way to the front door which, when Damien reached for the knob, was unlocked, so he pushed it open and stepped inside. The furniture-less front room was packed with people, causing Damien to stop in surprise. Everybody was there save Scott Reiner himself, and the boy couldn¡¯t help but look between them all with a smile.


    Lilly, Vinny, and Jay were standing in the back of the room, talking with Alice, who looked a little pale but seemed to be happy to see the two of them again. Off to the right, Brad and Evan were chatting softly and on the opposite side of the room, beside the hallway entrance, was Rista Pine, leaning against the wall with his eyes closed. It was a surreal experience for him to look at them all with his memories returned, showing him that they were safe, and soon enough, they each noticed their presence in the doorway and turned to look. Immediately, the room went quiet and he was certain it was because of Liz¡¯s appearance. She must have realized that, too, and so she was the one who broke that silence.


    ¡°Vinny!¡± she snapped with a mischievous smile. ¡°We need to have a word! Earlier you said I was the inferior club member, knowing I wasn¡¯t in the right headspace to argue back! How dare you take advantage of a girl when she¡¯s vulnerable! Have you no shame?¡±


    Damien snorted as he let out a sigh, completely unsurprised that she would choose such a snarky comment to be her first words to him. But of course, her accusation only made Vinny¡¯s already growing grin get wider as he let out a sharp laugh.


    ¡°I only spoke the truth, dear Liz!¡± he retorted. ¡°We all know that I am the most respectable member of the club and I think everybody agrees with that statement. After all, I¡¯m just too charming and lovable. Isn¡¯t that right, Damien? Back me up here?¡±


    But he simply shook his head. ¡°No, don¡¯t drag me into your little dispute. I¡¯m not getting involved in another one of your arguments.¡±


    As he expected, both of them turned to him with a mock expression of pain.


    ¡°But, you¡¯re one of my best friends! How could you leave me out to dry?!¡± Vinny exclaimed.


    ¡°And I¡¯m your girlfriend! It¡¯s your job as my boyfriend to back me up!¡± Liz added. ¡°You don¡¯t get to be neutral in this scenario! Come on, Damien, you know who¡¯s the superior member!¡±


    He glanced between the two of them and nonchalantly shrugged. ¡°Look, how about we just all agree that none of us are the superior club members. I think it''s painfully obvious that Lilly¡¯s the one who should get all the credit here.¡±


    ¡°Huh?! Hell no!¡± Vinny complained. ¡°Technically, she never submitted a club application so she was never an official club member! She was honorary, but by those rules, she can¡¯t be the superior one! After all, if she was an official member then she would easily be the best, but she¡¯s not, so the best is me!¡±


    Liz smirked. ¡°For once, I partially agree with Vinny. Lilly would be the best, but he¡¯s right, she¡¯s not a technical member, so I¡¯m the best club member! That¡¯s just obvious! I mean, look at how charming and cute I am, then take a look at his butt-ugly mug! It¡¯s really no competition.¡±


    ¡°Hey! I¡¯m not butt-ugly!¡±


    Words couldn¡¯t describe how good it felt to interact with them the way he was, but he was surprised that Lilly hadn¡¯t joined in, so he turned his attention over Vinny¡¯s shoulder to where she was standing, only to see tears rolling down her cheeks and a broad smile on her face. When the two of them looked into each other¡¯s eyes, Damien could see the joy and relief their arrival had brought her, and at that moment, the girl suddenly strode forward and threw her arms around him and Liz, pulling them both tightly against her.


    ¡°God, you guys are idiots,¡± she whispered with a laugh. ¡°Welcome back.¡±


    ¡°Aw, I missed you, too, Lil¡¯!¡± Liz cheered.


    Damien remained silent as he placed his arm around her and embraced his good friend. She was crying and laughing and he could tell just how much stress she had been under throughout their time in this realm. It pained him to know that he couldn''t help her, and probably only caused problems for her, but now that he was back, he wouldn¡¯t leave her side. He and Liz would do everything they could to help her.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t leave me out of this hug!¡±


    With that exclamation, Vinny rushed forward and joined them, his head lowered so that Damien couldn¡¯t see his face. But the subtle shaking of his body told the boy that his old friend was trying to hide the fact that he, too, was crying.


    ¡°Now we just need Eric,¡± Damien whispered. ¡°We need to get him back. So I imagine you called us back for a good reason, yeah, Lilly? What¡¯s happened?¡±


    With that question, the Magic Club broke off from their hug, allowing Lilly to step back and survey everybody there. Jay and Alice were both grinning, and when Damien glanced their way, the two of them silently waved, indicating that they didn¡¯t want to interrupt the reunion but were glad to see them back. As for Evan and Brad, Damien was surprised to see that Brad was smiling, too. He gave a brief nod to Damien, and when the boy turned to stare at Evan, he didn¡¯t see the normal rage and hostility that the boy used to always direct his way. There was certainly a lack of any positive emotions in his eyes, but it was clear that Evan Wright had other things to think about, and his hatred for the club had long since been put on the backburners.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m glad we¡¯re all here,¡± Lilly began, stepping into the middle of the room as she addressed those present.


    Already, Damien could see that she had comfortably adopted the leadership role in this world. There wasn¡¯t any hesitance or fear as she regarded them all. Instead, she was determined and confident, a girl prepared to go through hell to get what she wanted, and the respect she had earned from the others was just as obvious. Evan and Brad both straightened up to listen to her, as did Jay and Alice. Even Rista, the rather grouchy Ijirian mage, had opened his eyes and was no longer leaning against the wall. Lilly Harper had the room¡¯s full attention, and Damien knew they were in good hands.


    Eric would be proud, Lilly. It¡¯s inspiring to me just how far you¡¯ve come. I¡¯m proud of you, too.


    ¡°Now, I wanted everybody to come back here because we¡¯ve made two huge steps toward our escape,¡± she went on. ¡°In fact, if all goes well, we could be leaving within the next few days. Evan, Brad, Vinny, and Rista already know what¡¯s happened so I wanted to let the rest of you know so we¡¯re on the same page. But first, Alice, did Jay tell you what we¡¯re planning?¡¯


    The girl frowned. ¡°W-well, kind of. I mean, he explained the stuff about the mana ports but I don¡¯t think I fully understand it all. But still¡­I¡¯ll do my best to help you guys.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Lilly replied with a smile. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll go on. When Jay and Rista went down to that shack in the woods, they found the second mana port in the building¡¯s second room. We¡¯ve got both locations.¡±


    Damien raised his eyebrows in surprise. ¡°Wait, so then¡­we¡¯re ready to go, right? Didn¡¯t we just need to find that thing so we can destroy it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the idea,¡± Rista chimed in. ¡°And to be honest, if we chose to, we could escape right now. However, Harper has requested that we wait two days and take this time to plan thoroughly.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Liz inquired. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be best to get out as soon as we can.¡±


    Lilly nodded. ¡°In theory, yes. But the thing is, something else happened today. Scott finished testing his serum¡­and it¡¯s potent to some extent.¡±


    ¡°To some extent?¡± Jay parroted. ¡°Meaning what? It doesn¡¯t completely suppress the mana?¡±


    ¡°Yes, exactly that,¡± she confirmed. ¡°When he tested it on Rista¡¯s blood, he found that the mana suppression only half succeeded and it didn¡¯t last much longer than ten minutes or so. What that means is that if we were to use it on either Nigreos or Album, they would still be able to use magic, it would just be weaker than what they did back in Wilham.¡±


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Evan snorted. ¡°But they¡¯re still going to be powerful bastards.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, most likely,¡± Lilly agreed. ¡°But the thing is, we should take whatever advantage we can get. The Angel will already be useful in fighting them, but if they aren¡¯t even at their best, then I do think I can take them myself. We just need to get one shot in on them, and at the moment, Scott only has the one fresh vial.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Damien murmured, realizing where she was going with this. ¡°So then, you want to take a few days to give Scott time to make a few more?¡±


    Lilly grinned. ¡°Exactly. At the moment, the plan is to coat a few bullets in what we have, but ideally, if we get more of the serum, we can add more. I¡¯d like to get some on Rista¡¯s sword if we could, and we need a lot more if we¡¯re gonna coat an entire blade in that stuff. But Scott says it shouldn¡¯t take him long to make what we need.¡± Lilly paused, once again taking the time to look at each one of them in turn. ¡°So we¡¯re going to destroy this place in two days.¡±


    ¡°Damn, so we¡¯re actually gonna do this,¡± Brad said softly, the look on his face a mix of apprehension and excitement.


    ¡°We are.¡± Lilly let out a soft exhale and went on. ¡°So, as for how we¡¯re going to do it, do you remember what Rista said about destroying the ports? Album will sense when one of them goes down, so we have to destroy them almost at the same time.¡±


    ¡°Meaning we have to split up?¡± Vinny inquired. ¡°How¡¯s that going to work?¡±


    Lilly considered the question for a moment, then glanced back at Rista, indicating for him to answer the question.


    ¡°Well, in order to even destroy a mana port, one needs to have control over magic,¡± he explained. ¡°The Angel, if my understanding of it is correct, should be able to destroy one of the ports with ease, and while it will be harder, I do know how to dismantle one.¡±


    ¡°So then what¡¯s the point of the rest of us going along?¡± Evan grumbled. ¡°If only magical people can destroy them then shouldn¡¯t we all just stay home and wait it out?¡±


    Rista shook his head. ¡°Normally, I¡¯d agree, but like I said before, the erased realm may resemble a pocket realm but it isn¡¯t a normal one. It¡¯s possible, and even likely, that there is some defense mechanism should they be tampered with. If that is the case, we¡¯re going to need some backup, and I¡¯m hoping that Mr. Reiner¡¯s serum will help us.¡±


    ¡°Ah, gotcha,¡± Brad said. ¡°So then, we arm ourselves with whatever anti-magic weapons Mr. Reiner has laying around this place and, if the mana ports fight back, we help you kick its ass. Understood then. How are we splitting the groups?¡±


    ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t given much thought to that,¡± Lilly admitted. ¡°But I think I¡¯d prefer to split it with the Magic Club and Mr. Reiner in my group and the rest of you going with Rista.¡±


    Immediately, both Brad and Jay seemed about to argue but neither of them wound up saying anything. They would understand why Lilly would want the club at their side, even if they wanted to be there to help her. Brad, in particular, seemed nervous about going in a group separate from Lilly.


    The big boy¡¯s jaw clenched a bit as he gave a curt nod. ¡°O-okay. Just¡­remember, Lilly. Don¡¯t use more of The Angel¡¯s power than you need to.¡±


    She smiled warmly at him. ¡°I won¡¯t. Don¡¯t worry about me, Brad. I¡¯ll be okay.¡±


    Damien noticed Rista, Vinny, and Jay all giving the girl weird looks, but they didn¡¯t speak up, leaving him to wonder if there was something he was missing. Yet, he, too, decided not to say anything, content to trust in Lilly and this plan she had put together. His faith in her wouldn¡¯t waver, and he would do anything she needed him to do. Everybody in the room was ready to fight back and now, the end of the erased realm was on the horizon. They could see the end, and with it, Damien prayed that they could go back to the way things used to be. He wanted to return to the clubroom in the real West Wilham High School and he wanted to put Ijiria behind him. As impossible as it sounded given the daunting task before them, he wanted to believe it would happen.


    Let¡¯s bring this nonsense to an end. As fascinating as it is, I¡¯m sick of magic upending my life. I want to bring us back to the simpler times. Please, let this succeed. Let us go home.


    ***


    Fighting back any reaction to the pain in her arm, Lilly Harper held Natalie close, hugging the little girl to let her know that she was there. They were in Natalie¡¯s bedroom in the Hills¡¯ apartment, two days after the final meeting in Scott¡¯s workshop. The last couple days had been hectic as they fine tuned the details of their plans, making sure every variable had been considered. If they overlooked anything, it could get one of them killed, and that was something Lilly would not accept. If even a single person died then, even if they escaped the erased realm and defeated the Ijirian Masters, she couldn¡¯t consider it a victory. In order to win the coming fight, they all needed to reach Wilham safely. That was her requirement and she would stick to it.


    Nobody was allowed to die.


    So, she and the others did what they could, even going as far as to scout the locations of the two mana ports: the beach and the shack. She¡¯d found it strange that the ports were both located in places she knew, but Rista had said it wasn¡¯t all that surprising. The mana ports had to exist without being observed, meaning that it was Album¡¯s memory that created their locations. Therefore, they had to be located in spots that Album would remember, and since she and Nigreos made their base in the shack and the Omaruan gateway was on the beach, they were two very likely locations. Part of her wished she could have known that sooner, as she would have told Rista to check the shack, but in the end, she decided it didn¡¯t matter. She wouldn¡¯t have made a move until Alice was back anyway, so it didn¡¯t really change much.


    As for Scott, he had been hard at work creating more vials of the serum, and hadn¡¯t hesitated to force Evan and Brad to be his assistants. Brad didn¡¯t seem to mind, but Evan had been complaining non-stop because Scott had forced him to essentially be his errand boy. Mostly, he just went out to grab the man lunch, and every time Lilly visited the workshop, Evan would demand that she talk some sense into Scott, and every time, she would ignore his request and continue on with her own business, which was to check in on the man¡¯s progress.


    In addition to the serums, Scott had been crafting weapons that would be compatible with his new technology. Naturally, they couldn¡¯t just coat bullets in the serum and shoot them from a normal gun, so instead, he created a workaround. The bullets he made were rigged to contain the serum inside of them rather than on its surface so that once it hit the victim, it would inject the serum into their bloodstream. The downside to this was that they would still need to find a way to bypass Nigreos¡¯s shadows, but Lilly intended to use The Angel to do that. Scott also had a few guns of his own making that were compatible with his new bullets, though he only had four of them that were finished. Those four, after a lot of deliberation, were given out to Scott and Damien on one team and Evan and Brad on the other. The rest would be armed with simple knives that Scott would be coating in the serum. The knives themselves weren¡¯t special, but the sheaths had a mechanism inside of them to eject serum onto the blades if a certain button was pushed.


    It was all so fascinating and it told Lilly just how desperate Scott had been to find a way to combat Ijiria. Even though his serum had never worked, he had still spent so much time designing weapons and creating tools that could aid him should he ever succeed, and it was because of that determination that Lilly had an advantage she hadn¡¯t planned for.


    And now it¡¯s done. Now, we¡¯re ready. They¡¯re all waiting for me back at the workshop and when I arrive, we¡¯ll begin.


    ¡°Are you sure I can¡¯t come?¡± Natalie asked softly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be left behind, Lilly.¡±


    Lilly smiled sadly. ¡°I know you don¡¯t, but there¡¯s nothing you can do tonight, but I don¡¯t want you to think you weren¡¯t helpful, okay? You¡¯re the one who got through to Damien and Liz and convinced them to trust us¡­and I do think it¡¯s because of what you said that they were able to break the memory charm on their own. You might not be able to fight, Nat¡¯, but you saved Damien and Liz. I want you to be proud of that.¡±


    ¡°I know, I just¡­¡± Natalie sniffled. ¡°I¡¯m just scared. I don¡¯t want you guys to get hurt. The wizards were evil¡­and if they find out that erasing you wasn¡¯t good enough, then they¡¯ll kill you. I don¡¯t want you to die.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t die,¡± she assured her. ¡°I have The Angel, remember? I¡¯m protected and I can protect them. It¡¯s going to be okay. We¡¯re all going to be okay.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s almost sad how easily you can lie to this girl. You know The Angel is as much a threat to you as to anybody else. And the wounds you receive are not so easily fixed.¡±


    Another spasm of pain shot through her arm, but Lilly refused to react. She still wore her light jacket over it and thus far, while the others had made comments about her looking like she was hot, nobody had realized the damage that she had done to herself. Only Vinny, Rista, and Jay knew the truth, but she had convinced them to keep it quiet. After all, whatever wounds she received here wouldn¡¯t carry over, so it wasn¡¯t worth scaring everybody.


    I¡¯m not lying, she retorted. I¡¯m not going to die. You will protect me, as I know you want to. I¡¯m going to live, too, you hear me?


    ¡°I like your enthusiasm, but you know that if we do confront Nigreos and Album, you¡¯re going to have to unleash us again¡­and they won¡¯t be as easy to kill as a nerich.¡±


    I¡¯m well aware. And if it comes to that, I¡¯ll still find a way to survive. I¡¯m not going to die.


    ¡°Lilly,¡± Natalie whispered, pulling her away from her internal debate with The Angel. ¡°Be careful, okay? I want you to keep coming over and hanging out with me. I don¡¯t want it to end. I¡¯d rather be stuck here forever than go home and not have you anymore. So please promise me that you¡¯ll see me again in the real world. Please?¡±


    ¡°I promise,¡± she said without hesitation. ¡°Natalie, I¡¯ll see you in Wilham. I¡¯ll come by your house and I¡¯ll babysit you again. And maybe, I can bring Eric and the others and we can finish that party that Nigreos and Album crashed. Does that sound fun?¡±


    Natalie nodded. ¡°It does.¡±


    ¡°Good. Then it''s a promise.¡± Lilly released the girl from their hug and looked at her, reaching up to gently place her hands on her face. ¡°Now, I¡¯ve got to go, so wait for me, okay? When you return to the real world, wait for me to come find you.¡±


    ¡°I will. I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± Natalie forced a smile of her own. ¡°Bye bye, Lilly. Good luck.¡±


    Lilly leaned forward and kissed Natalie on the forehead then got to her feet. ¡°Bye, Nat¡¯. See you on the other side.¡±


    With that, Lilly turned and depared the apartment, bidding a brief goodbye to the erased realm¡¯s Renee on her way out, and when she reached the hall, she found Rista standing against the wall just a few feet away, his arms folded as he regarded her.


    ¡°Ready, Harper?¡±


    ¡°Yup. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    As she walked by, Rista fell into stride alongside her and they began making their way toward the apartment building¡¯s elevator. And as they were walking, a thought occurred to her, one she had been meaning to ask The Angel for a while, but had kept forgetting with all that had been going on.


    Hey, tell me. What happens to us when we escape the erased realm? Where will we end up?


    She knew she had faded from existence after she and Eric jumped through the portal, so for all she knew, when the erased realm fell, she might awaken right in the heart of the Ijirian Citadel. Before they acted, she needed to know those details so she could prepare. But The Angel¡¯s answer was disappointing.


    ¡°I do not know. As far as I am aware, there has never been an escape from within the realm. If there has been, Ijiria either covered it up or didn¡¯t know about it. Light, you¡¯d know more about this. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Um, I don¡¯t really know, either. However, if I had to guess, I think it would be more likely that you would return to the spot where the erased magic entered your body.¡±


    Lilly frowned. What does that mean?


    ¡°Well, erasure takes place in two steps. First, the caster has to inject the victim with erased magic, linking them together so that the eraser can get rid of them at any point in time. Then, when the incantation is spoken, the victim will be erased no matter where they are. That¡¯s what makes it different from other spells. The two steps means that, if one were to escape, it''s actually possible that they would return to the place the mana entered them, because that takes more power to achieve.¡±


    As she listened to Light¡¯s explanation, Lilly took a deep breath, realizing that it would be completely up to chance, and she wasn¡¯t even sure which one she preferred. On one hand, if she returned to Ijiria, she would be able to find and make contact with Eric, but Omaruo was where the others would be, and it would be far safer for her. There were pros and cons to both.


    Thank you. That¡¯s good to know.


    As she and Rista stepped onto the elevator, she glanced up at the man and could tell that he was deep in thought as well, though he must have sensed her staring since he suddenly turned to look back.


    ¡°You ready?¡± she asked. ¡°It¡¯s finally time.¡±


    He smirked. ¡°I¡¯ve been ready, Harper. I¡¯ve been telling you that since the beginning. I didn¡¯t want to wait in the first place.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± she grumbled with a dismissive wave. ¡°But in all seriousness, I do want to thank you. You¡¯ve been a huge help in all this and even though you didn¡¯t want to, you still used your magic to help my friends. So regardless of how prickly you were about it, I¡¯m still very appreciative.¡±


    ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t think much of it,¡± he grunted. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­well, it¡¯s what my mom would have done. She always taught us to help those who needed it, and I could tell that you did. Mom would have been really mad at me if I¡¯d abandoned you.¡±


    Lilly smiled at the thought of Abigail Reiner. ¡°You know, I¡¯ve come to realize something. With everything I¡¯ve been told about Abigail and the Children, I¡¯ve noticed that they were kind of the same as Eric and the Magic Club.¡±


    Rista cocked an eyebrow and glanced at her with curiosity. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You said that Abi reached out to those of you who were alone and needed a family,¡± Lilly said. ¡°And that she hated seeing people be abandoned. That¡¯s what Eric did with the others. Damien and Vinny have both told me in the past that Eric was the one who extended a hand when nobody else wanted them and this world showed us what it would have been like if Eric never existed. In that sense, the Magic Club was Eric¡¯s own Children of Reiner.¡±


    Rista chuckled softly as the elevator doors opened, admitting them to the lobby. ¡°Well, then I suppose you and I both owe a lot to the Reiners. And now, I owe Scott, too. I hope one day that I can meet Eric.¡±


    ¡°I think he¡¯d like you,¡± Lilly told him confidently. ¡°And hopefully you do meet him at some point.¡±


    They walked through the doors of the lobby and made it out onto the street where Lilly found the sun already getting low on the horizon. The time had arrived and their attack on the erased realm would begin that night.


    ¡°Well then,¡± she said softly, her lips twisting in a grin. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s finally showtime.¡±

 Chapter 41- History Will Repeat

    Chapter XLI


    The halls of the Ijirian Citadel seemed deathly silent as Nigreos stepped off of the lift with Album at his side. Their footsteps echoed down the silver halls and with night having fallen hours ago, the only light came from the dim red torches that were posted between each window. They didn¡¯t pass anybody on their way to their destination and Nigreos preferred it that way. He didn¡¯t want anyone else to see him in a pitiful state, and he knew he couldn¡¯t hold back his emotions for much longer. He wanted to scream. He wanted to lash out with his shadows and destroy something. He wanted to curse whatever higher being dictated the events of the multiverse and demand to know why, no matter what he did, he just couldn¡¯t do the right thing. He had been so insistent for so long that Eric could be trusted¡ªthat it wouldn¡¯t be a mistake to spare his life and bring him to the Citadel. Every time Album criticized his beliefs, he would dig his heels in and insist that he wasn¡¯t making a foolish choice.


    What must be going through her mind right now? Is she laughing at me? Is she prepared to throw my words back in my face and remind me of each time we argued over what to do with the boy? Is that why she wants to speak with me before we head down to Erika? Does she plan to mock me?


    He was furious. He didn¡¯t want to be subjected to Album¡¯s smugness, but he knew that any argument she put forward could no longer be contested. She had been right in every sense of the word, and any damage that now took place because of Eric Reiner¡¯s actions would be on Nigreos. In fact, according to Sinna and Nakoma, the main reason the Children of Reiner escaped was because Eric intervened in the battle. If not for Eric being present, Arisa Kirisan, Hannah Lynn, and the rest of the treacherous orphans would be dead and the matter would finally be settled. He and Album could have departed for Harunhein the next morning with the knowledge that the guides were no longer a threat.


    So what have I done? And to make things worse, the rest of the Masters think Ryokumo¡¯s involved in all this. Can¡¯t they see that he was betrayed just like the rest of us? Are they really so furious that they would accuse Ryokumo of treason?


    He knew without having to ask that Album almost certainly agreed with Nakoma. She had been dragging Ryokumo¡¯s name through the mud for years, seeming to no longer care about the history they shared. It always seemed as if she believed some of the blame for Abi¡¯s rebellion fell onto him, and it made Nigreos sad to know that whatever happened between them would cause Album to doubt such an old and trusted friend.


    What am I supposed to do? Do I really have to do this again? Is history truly bound to repeat itself?


    No matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t force the images of Abi¡¯s mutilated corpse from his head, the product of their final confrontation and the savagery of his magic. Reigious insisted that he merely wanted Eric captured, but Nigreos feared that there wouldn¡¯t be such a merciful ending. It was clear enough that Sinna and Nakoma wouldn¡¯t hold back if they happened across the boy. They would almost certainly kill him and claim they lacked a choice, and while he struggled to read Nyx, he feared she might do the same. There was no doubt in his mind that Album would want to kill him, but at the very least, the blood magic would prevent her from doing so.


    Which means¡­if I want to save Eric¡¯s life, then I have to be the one to confront him. It has to me, but¡­


    He wasn¡¯t sure he could do it. Just the thought of fighting Eric made his head begin to feel hazy and his legs to grow weak. All he could think about was Abi and her final moments, and he was terrified that he was about to watch as the same fate befell her son. He had promised her that he would never let harm come to Eric, yet the boy¡¯s actions no longer left that option.


    Can I even do it? Can I really face him again, knowing now that he is my enemy? Back in Omaruo, I knew it wasn¡¯t his fault that he came into possession of the Assassination Stone. I knew he was simply unlucky and stumbled upon something he shouldn¡¯t have. But now? It¡¯s different this time. Eric has chosen to act, knowing full well what consequences his actions might have. But he doesn¡¯t care.


    Nigreos clenched his fists as he came to a stop outside the door to his quarters. He needed to make this conversation quick, knowing how important it would be to get down into Erika before the other Masters did. No matter how terrified he was, he knew he would forever regret it if he allowed Nakoma, Sinna, or Nyx to be the one to deal with Eric. Whether he liked it or not, it had to be him.


    The Master of Darkness opened the door and stepped inside with Album following quietly behind him. Once the door was shut, Nigreos turned and activated the lights with a soft incantation, watching as small balls of fire magic erupted in the various candles placed around the room. Album had already taken her place by the windowsill, her back to him as she stared out at Erika down below. Nigreos wasn¡¯t sure what she was thinking at that moment, but regardless, he wished she would hurry up and get to her point.


    ¡°So?¡± he began softly. ¡°Say what you wish. Reigious wants us in the city so we don¡¯t have a lot of time. If you¡¯re going to gloat, then get to it.¡±


    Album snorted, tilting her head slightly so she could watch him out of the corner of her eye. ¡°Do you honestly think I¡¯m petty enough to delay us just to gloat? Please, Nigreos. We can talk about your many mistakes another time. For now, we have more important matters.¡± This time, she turned around to face him fully, her eyes narrowed in consideration. ¡°What are you planning to do?¡±


    ¡°What am I¡­?¡± he parroted. ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m going to obey Reigious¡¯s orders and go hunt Eric and the Children. What else would I do?¡±


    She scoffed, folding her arms across her chest as she regarded him with a sneer. ¡°In that case, let me alter the question. Can you do this? Do you think it¡¯s a good idea for the two of us to confront Reiner while the blood protection is still active?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he replied harshly. ¡°In fact, I don¡¯t think you should be involved at all. I¡¯ve at least know a fair bit of enhancement magic so I can bypass the protection to a certain extent, but you do not. We do not need a repeat of what happened outside Harper¡¯s apartment, do we?¡±


    ¡°That, I can concede,¡± she said with a roll of her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re right that I shouldn¡¯t get involved, but I don¡¯t think you should either. We should leave this to the others and focus on apprehending Kirisan and the Children. With Caeli and Mackia remaining behind, we¡¯re already down two Masters, so we shouldn¡¯t be wasting our abilities on somebody immune to them.¡±


    Album was right. All logic indicated that he should just set Eric aside and do his duty to the empire. With his dark magic, he could scour the city faster than anybody, and he¡¯d already proven that he could dispose of Arisa Kirisan without much effort. If he found them, he could kill them without fail. But¡­


    ¡°Are you really okay with that?¡± he demanded. ¡°Are you really okay letting one of the other Masters finish what we started? I¡¯ve asked this many times, but can you honestly just set aside the fact that he¡¯s Abi¡¯s son? We already failed her, so how can we stand aside and allow Cartus or Rana or Taurus to kill him? Shouldn¡¯t it be one of us? Shouldn¡¯t it be me?¡±


    Album shook her head firmly, her resolve strong. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t. We did not fail Abi nor did we fail Eric. They failed themselves by choosing treason. They¡¯ve made decisions knowing the consequences and thus, there is nothing more we can do. Our abilities are needed elsewhere! We are wasted on the boy!¡±


    ¡°We are not!¡± he roared, his breathing heavy as some of his anger broke free. ¡°Album, if this is all you have to say then leave. I need to collect my thoughts before going out there and we don¡¯t have much time. I will not allow Eric to be murdered by the others. Reigious has ordered his captivity and I know they seek to kill. Therefore, it must be me. Hunt Arisa Kirisan if that¡¯s what you wish but I will deal with Eric Reiner.¡±


    He expected more condescension from his partner, but to both his surprise and his satisfaction, she didn¡¯t say anything, instead choosing to regard him like she thought he was an idiot before stalking forward and brushing past him as she headed toward the door. But before she opened it, she stopped and glanced back at him.


    ¡°I honestly hope¡­I can find a way to make things right. I¡¯ll do my best to fix this. For what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯m sorry it came to this.¡±


    Before he could even ask what she was referring to, she swung the door open and stalked out, leaving him alone in his quarters. Nigreos didn¡¯t have a clue what she meant, yet he couldn¡¯t help but to ponder her words for a moment.


    And how exactly could she ever make things right? There¡¯s no fixing this. The damage is done and now, we have to suffer in the reality it¡¯s created. Eric made his choice. He rejected us, and now he¡¯s either going to die or he¡¯s going to be locked up in the dungeons for the rest of his life. Fucking hell!


    Finally alone to let his anger free, Nigreos spun around and slammed his fist into the wall, feeling the shaking of the room and the reverberations through his hand. The Master then dropped to his knees and allowed his tears to pour. He couldn¡¯t remember the last time he cried, but in that moment, the stress and the pain were just too much for him to keep inside. In the privacy of his personal quarters, he just broke down.


    I don¡¯t want this to happen again. Why do I have to go through this a second time? Why couldn¡¯t Eric have just listened to me? Why couldn¡¯t he just see reason? What does rebelling achieve for him? What does he accomplish by joining the Children? I don¡¯t understand it! Why does he¡­ The Master of Darkness clenched his teeth so tightly that it hurt. Why does he have to be so much like his mother?


    Nigreos didn¡¯t know how much time had passed, and each time he told himself to get up and go down to the city, he found himself unable to move. The determination he had pulled together when he confronted Album was all gone now, replaced only by misery as he reflected on everything he might have done differently.


    Could there have been a way to change this outcome? Was there something I was missing? Were there actions I could have taken? Or was I powerless? Was this ending inevitable?


    There was no way for him to know, and so, when he felt his breathing relax and the tears slow, Nigreos finally rose to his feet, feeling as the grief began shifting to anger. He wasn¡¯t really sure who that anger was directed at, whether it be Eric, the other Masters, himself, or even just fate. All he knew was that he was furious at the events of that day and knew he could no longer hide in his room. If he didn¡¯t go to the city, Eric would almost certainly be taken down by someone else. Nigreos, however, could use his powers to scour every corner until he found him, and then he could take it from there. To him, there wasn¡¯t a point in riding the lift, so he approached the window Album had been at and reached down to open it, allowing the night air to flow into the room.


    Down below, the lights of the city glittered, and in a strange way, the view was peaceful. From where he stood, it didn¡¯t seem as if a manhunt was unfolding within those streets. From way up in the sky, he could pretend like everything was okay, if only for one last second. He took a deep breath and placed his hands against the wall, ready to jump out and begin his descent down to Erika, but he was halted by a sudden knocking at his door.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Nigreos glanced back and frowned, unsure of who would be visiting him at that particular moment. His first thought was that Ryokumo had come to speak with him, but that would most likely mean Iris was present as well, and he certainly didn¡¯t want to have any interactions with the Master of Nature.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± he called out, wanting to be sure before admitting anybody, but the answer surprised him.


    ¡°It¡¯s Album. Open up Nigreos, we need to talk.¡±


    He frowned, wondering what could have brought her back so soon. A chill went down his spine as he considered the possibility that the matter had already been settled. Could Eric have been killed while he was crying like a child? Could he have already missed his chance, and Album had returned to inform him that it was over?


    ¡°Come in,¡± he replied, trying to prevent the panic from showing in his voice. ¡°It¡¯s unlocked.¡±


    He moved away from the window and watched as Album once again entered his room, but her neutral expression didn¡¯t tell him anything about what her visit might be about. She walked forward calmly, closing the door behind her before crossing the room.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Nigreos demanded. ¡°What happened? Was Eric apprehended already or¡­did they kill him?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°I do not know. I haven¡¯t been down to the city yet, but there¡¯s something important I need to tell you about Caeli.¡±


    ¡°Ryokumo?¡± Just at the man¡¯s name, he felt his heart begin to beat faster, and he found himself already nervous to hear what she would say next. However, he told himself to take whatever she said with a grain of salt since Album very rarely spoke highly of her old friend. ¡°What about Ryokumo?¡±


    She took another step forward, her features suddenly seeming fearful, as if whatever she had to tell him unnerved even her. Album was now right in front of him, almost uncomfortably close, and for that moment, the two of them looked each other in the eyes¡­


    ¡­before she plunged her hand deep into his chest with one swift move.


    He grunted as a sudden spasm of pain shot through him, spreading throughout his body in a wave of nausea, and as he just gaped at the woman, his old friend, with wide eyes, her fearful expression shifted to one of excitement, a sly smile spreading across her lips before she yanked her hand free. The Master of Darkness stumbled backwards, watching as her hand began to glow with a ball of light, her palm raising to aim at his chest.


    ¡°Luminetta!¡±


    ¡°Coreas!¡±


    The moment her lips began to move, Nigreos spat out his own incantation, allowing the shadows of the room to swirl around his body, blocking him from the beam of light that erupted from his friend¡¯s hand.


    What¡¯s going on?! While the hell is Album trying to kill me?! What did I do?! We¡¯re friends!


    ¡°Album, please!¡± he choked out through the welling up of blood in his mouth. ¡°Why?¡±


    As his shadows parted just enough to give him a good view of her features, he found nothing but anger and hatred in her eyes as she regarded him. He could only gaze in desperation as he tried to think of a way to plead with her to stand down, when he realized that he might already be too late. He had felt the eraser magic enter his body, so with a simple incantation, he would be gone from this world, forgotten by all.


    No! No, please!


    A wave of terror washed over him, and his first instinct was to use his shadows to try and kill her before she could activate the spell, but he hesitated. Once again, that image of Abi¡¯s corpse returned to his mind, and he realized that he couldn¡¯t act against Album. He needed to get answers from her¡ªto know why she had decided to do this. He wanted to know what he did wrong.


    ¡°Stop,¡± he breathed, stumbling forward. ¡°Album, we don¡¯t have to do thi¡ª¡±


    ¡°Album isn¡¯t here.¡±


    Those three words stopped him in his tracks, and all he could do was go back to staring at her, the meaning behind them processing in his head as she continued.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been told what the Assassination Stone does, Nigreos,¡± she said with a smirk. ¡°I now know just what it was I found in the cave that day. So I know you won¡¯t hurt me because if you kill me, Album will die, and you don¡¯t want that, do you?¡±


    The Assassination Stone? Kill Album? Album isn¡¯t here? Found in that cave? No¡­ No, this can¡¯t be¡­ This can¡¯t be right¡­


    ¡°Now, we need a safer place to talk,¡± she went on. ¡°I¡¯ll meet you inside, and know that if you do anything, Album will die. Now¡­¡±


    ¡°No!¡± he snarled.


    ¡°Erasurei.¡±


    ¡°ERIC!¡±


    He lunged forward, wanting to grab the boy who stole Album¡¯s body by the throat and stop him, but he knew at that moment that there was nothing he could do without sacrificing Album. Eric Reiner had backed him into a corner and now, the boy was protected elsewhere while puppeting Album¡¯s body, preventing Nigreos from doing anything to the person before him. He wanted to run, to cry out and to find somebody who could help them, but as he took that step toward Eric, he felt his body suddenly tip forward as his leg faded into sand. He collided with the ground, more pain shooting through his body, and when he frantically looked up at Eric, the boy was grinning down at him, a smug look of victory already on his face.


    I¡¯ll¡­stop you somehow. I swear it¡­


    But the determination he should have had was gone, and that smile was the last thing he saw before Nigreos Noctis faded into nothing.


    ***


    Lilly Harper glanced around at those gathered on the sidewalk just outside of Scott¡¯s workshop. They were already split into their groups, with the Magic Club and Scott Reiner gathered in one spot, and Rista, Evan, Brad, Jay, and Alice gathered in another. She and Rista had arrived just ten minutes prior, and they were taking one last moment to verify that everything was ready. Scott, in particular, was giving a last inspection of their weapons to make sure there hadn¡¯t been anything they overlooked. This would be their best chance to go through with this plan. If even one thing failed, then Album would know that somebody was trying to escape and would enter the realm herself.


    Though, that wouldn¡¯t be the worst outcome seeing as I¡¯d be able to deal with her inside the erased realm rather than in the real world. Though, if it comes to that, I suppose we¡¯ll just have to play it by ear.


    As she looked at each one of her friends and allies, she noted the sword on Rista¡¯s hip, as well as the handguns holstered at the sides of Damien, Evan, and Brad. In addition, there was a weapon that was more reminiscent of a shotgun strapped to Scott¡¯s back, who no longer wore his typical tank top and boxers, having replaced them with a normal shirt and shorts. But other than those details, everybody was dressed as they normally were. In fact, at a glance, it didn¡¯t seem like any special day, but upon closer inspection, one could see the subtle looks of nervousness and apprehension. They all knew how crucial this was and they were all prepared to face the threat with everything they could muster.


    ¡°Alright, Harper, everything looks good to go,¡± Scott called over to her, giving her a brief thumbs up to indicate that she could take the floor.


    She nodded her thanks, then moved to stand between the two groups so she could see them both. All eyes turned toward her, and Lilly was once again in the spotlight. Yet, she was comfortable. She trusted everybody gathered there and she knew they trusted her. They were friends, though some of them were less than others, but they all had the same goal¡ªto go home.


    ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s head out!¡± she declared. ¡°Everybody should know what their job is so just focus on destroying the mana ports and be ready for anything. If this succeeds, this will be our last time seeing each other in the erased realm! So¡­good luck to all you guys!¡±


    ¡°Good luck!¡±


    ¡°Good luck, guys!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s kick ass!¡±


    Each person called out words of support, and when it went silent again, Lilly continued.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know what might happen when the erased realm breaks. We don¡¯t know where we¡¯ll return to so I want everybody who was erased with a phone on them to immediately contact somebody to confirm that you¡¯re okay. Got that?¡± More sounds of affirmatives reached her, so she let out a deep breath and smiled. ¡°Alright then! Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s destroy this place once and for all!¡±


    As if she were hyping up a sports team or even an army, Lilly raised her fist above her head and smiled, wanting everybody to feel ready for what was to come. They all cheered with her, and with that, the two groups began to depart in separate directions, though Lilly made sure to glance back and give one last wave to Brad, Jay, Alice, Rista, and even Evan as she watched them making their way toward the shack in the woods. Brad, Jay, and Rista each gave her a warning look, knowing what might happen if The Angel was unleashed, so she just silently nodded back to assure them that she would be safe. When she turned back to face forward, Damien gave her a comforting pat on the back.


    ¡°They¡¯re going to be okay,¡± he assured her. ¡°So are we. We¡¯ve got this, Lilly.¡±


    ¡°I know we do. We¡¯re going to win.¡±


    Their destination was the beach¡ªthe place where everything began. According to Rista, the beach¡¯s mana port was located just outside the cave where Lilly knew Eric found the gemstone all those months ago. To her, it was almost poetic that it was the place they would escape from, and the looks of the club¡¯s faces told her that they all shared that sentiment.


    Remember, she internally said to The Angel. Do your job to protect me, sure, but do not let anybody else get hurt. If any of these people around me are in any sort of danger, use my body to save them, no matter what it takes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can, but I won¡¯t make you any promises, Harper. We have our priorities, too, and that¡¯s protecting our host.¡±


    Yes, well, your host is telling you to change your priorities.


    ¡°You¡¯re a really stubborn girl, you know that?¡±


    Ignoring the Voice of Light¡¯s comment, Lilly turned her attention back to the task at hand. On any other day, the four of them would have probably been joking around and having a good time, but on that afternoon, they were all silent. She didn¡¯t know what thoughts were going through their heads, but she knew that Damien, Liz, and Vinny would process it all in their own ways. All three had only just regained their memories a few days prior, and Vinny hadn¡¯t even been present for the battles in Wilham. He was operating only on what he saw at the diner and on what the rest of them had told him. Yet all three were walking without hesitation. She then glanced at Scott, who took up the rear, to see him already holding his shotgun as he glanced around the neighborhoods. Part of Lilly wanted to tell him to put it away, but then she decided it didn¡¯t matter. By the time any cops reacted to phone calls, the realm wouldn¡¯t exist anymore.


    The five of them continued until they reached the outskirts of town, then followed a country road further away, their pace increasing as they got closer. Soon enough, Vinny led them off the road and onto a small hiking trail with a small drop to the left of it and the beach and ocean down below. The sun was just now dipping under the horizon and night would fall soon. Lilly had wished they could have made their move earlier, but Scott still had a bit of finishing up to do that afternoon so this was the earliest time.


    But it doesn''t matter. We¡¯ll be gone before dark.


    They walked in pairs now that they were on the narrow trail with Vinny and Lilly in the lead, Damien and Liz behind them, and Scott Reiner in the back.


    ¡°I still vividly remember the day we walked down this trail¡­when Eric found the gem,¡± Vinny muttered. ¡°Part of me wonders what would have happened if we hadn¡¯t come here that day. How much would have changed?¡±


    ¡°A lot,¡± Lilly replied softly. ¡°And one thing that would have changed was that I would have never befriended you guys.¡±


    Vinny laughed and shrugged. ¡°Good point. I guess there¡¯s a silver lining to even the worst situations, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she agreed. ¡°And you know what, even with all that¡¯s happened, Eric did help a lot of people with that stone. That¡¯s something that Nigreos and Album can¡¯t take away from us. I just wish I had realized that sooner.¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t forget,¡± the boy said wryly. ¡°It wasn¡¯t just Eric who helped people, Lil¡¯. You were just as much of a saint, you got that?¡±


    Lilly snorted. ¡°I am not a saint.¡±


    The two of them chuckled as a natural staircase appeared just up ahead, indicating that they had arrived at their destination. When they reached that point, they would be able to see the mana port just below, and they could finally start to dismantle it. Lilly and Vinny quickened their pace and stopped just at the top of the stairs and she immediately looked down to scan for the port.


    But her body went cold as her eyes stopped on a single figure rising to his feet, his black suit covered in sand and his pure white eyes directed up at them. He seemed just as shocked to see them as she was to see him, and she felt a sharp gasp escape her lips.


    No¡­ No, why now? Why is he here? How did he find out?


    ¡°Lilly?¡± Vinny breathed, terror briefly creeping into his voice as he gazed down below. ¡°Is that¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s Nigreos Noctis.¡±

 Chapter 42- The Magical And The Magicless

    Chapter XLII


    Having only just recently regained her memories, Alice was still feeling significantly overwhelmed when she departed the workshop with Rista, Evan, Brad, and Jay. Jay and Lilly had done their best to explain everything to her and to ensure she understood just what it was they were trying to do, but she still felt as if she needed more time to process it all.


    Yet, unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t time.


    The operation to destroy the erased realm was happening at that very moment, and so she knew she didn¡¯t have a choice but to take everything in stride and follow their lead. At the very least, having Jay there by her side gave her some level of comfort, but the others were a different story. While she didn¡¯t have any ill will toward Brad Fischer, she was still very weary around Evan Wright and Rista Pine.


    Even after all that had happened, it was still hard to forget what Evan did to her so many months ago, yet at the same time, she still vividly remembered him and Rina rushing to her aid in the forest when she was in Nigreos and Album¡¯s captivity. Evan was still irritable and harsh, and his hatred for Vinny was still quite obvious to all, but his actions had shown her that he was starting to change. Whatever happened to him after Nigreos and Album arrived in Wilham seemed to have shaken him up enough so that he no longer seemed to be acting purely based on his anger. It was strange for her to now have to put her trust in him as they attacked this mana port. Once again, she simply had to rely on the words of Lilly and Jay, who had assured her that Evan could be trusted.


    And then there was Rista Pine, a young man who hadn¡¯t done anything to cause her to fear him. The only reason she had avoided him since regaining her memories was purely because of what he was: an Ijirian. The Ijirians had been the ones who took her leg from her and turned Jay into a monster. They were responsible for so much of their suffering and had killed Moncia, Rina, and a handful of other innocent people. She knew Rista wasn¡¯t on the Masters¡¯ side, but Alice could no longer see Ijiria as anything but a place to be mistrusted. Just like with Evan, she would allow herself to risk her life at his side, but she would be far more relaxed once he had returned to his own world.


    This is almost too much. So much happened while I was under this place¡¯s curse, and I probably wasn¡¯t even told all of it. I wanted to come here so badly. I wanted a place where we could be free¡ªwhere the horrors of our world couldn¡¯t reach us. But in the end, paradise doesn''t exist.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to move past this. We¡¯ll remember everybody they took, and we¡¯ll move forward together¡­just like we always have. You and me, yeah?¡±


    Alice glanced at Jay walking right beside her, recalling his resolve as he spoke to her in their old hideout. He wanted to move forward. He wanted to reach the future with her, no matter what terrors they went through in the past, and she knew there was no way she could reject him. When Jay jumped from that balcony, all she had wanted was for him to survive and to come back to her. She was horrified that he had been in such despair that he would try to end his own life, and when Lilly gave her the opportunity to talk to him again, moving forward together was what she had wanted the most.


    I wanted Jay to be happy again. I was so desperate to convince him to want to live, and now it seems like he does. The smiles he gave me in that hideout were the most genuine ones I¡¯ve seen from him in a long time. We were able to spend one last day with Rina and Audrey, and now the time has come to go home. For better or for worse, it¡¯s time for paradise to die.


    Alice turned back to face forward as Rista finally took them off the path and began making his way into the woods. She had walked this route so many times in her life, and she knew this would be the last time. When the erased realm ended, there would no longer be any reason to return to their hideout.


    ¡°You know, I wish I could have gone with the other group,¡± Evan grunted from behind them. ¡°I feel like everytime I go to this stupid shack, I get some new trauma. I¡¯ve got a nasty feeling that isn¡¯t gonna change.¡±


    Jay snorted and glanced back at him, eyeing the boy wryly. ¡°You act like you didn¡¯t bring that trauma on yourself, Wright.¡±


    ¡°Ah, fuck off,¡± he snapped. ¡°You¡¯re the one who led my ass in here last time, so it¡¯s partially your fault! I don¡¯t know what curse you bastards put on this ugly-ass house but if I never come back here again, it¡¯ll be too soon.¡±


    Brad chuckled and gave his friend an encouraging pat on the back. ¡°Honestly, you¡¯re just getting me more excited to see it. After all your bitching over the last week, I¡¯m expecting quite a show.¡±


    ¡°Well, I hate to break it to you, but the house itself isn¡¯t anything special,¡± Jay replied. ¡°I think the common denominator in this mess is actually Wright himself. He causes all his problems.¡±


    Evan narrowed his eyes. ¡°Since when did you get so snarky?¡±


    ¡°Guys, shut up!¡± Rista growled with a click of his tongue. ¡°I¡¯m trying to focus up here and I don¡¯t need all your yammering grating on my ears.¡±


    ¡°Oh, stop complaining, Pine,¡± Evan retorted. ¡°What do you need to concentrate on? You¡¯re just walking. You need quiet just to walk?¡±


    Rista shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t need quiet but I¡¯d certainly prefer it.¡±


    Alice continued to watch their bantering and bickering without interjecting. She was surprised by how comfortable they all seemed with each other, and she supposed it probably just had to do with how determined they all were to win. Everybody in that group hated the Masters, so regardless of the differences they had in the past, that common enemy had brought them together. Just the thought that Jay could interact with Evan so cheerfully told her as much.


    So much has changed, she internally remarked. Even if we do get back to our world, it probably won¡¯t be the same. In fact¡­


    Despite having preferred to avoid interacting with Ijirian, Alice couldn¡¯t help but call out when a sudden question came to mind. ¡°Excuse me, Rista?¡±


    He glanced back at her. ¡°Yeah? What¡¯s up, Mendez?¡±


    ¡°W-well¡­¡± Once again having to remind herself that he was just as human as the rest of them and not somebody she needed to fear, Alice collected her confidence and went on. ¡°When we take out the erased realm and go home, what will those we left behind think? I mean, we¡¯ve vanished from the face of the earth for months. Can we really just go back and act like nothing happened?¡±


    The other three went quiet as she asked her question, and she could tell that they, too, were waiting for an answer. Rista considered it for a moment, then shrugged. ¡°Honestly, I wish I could give you a more certain answer,¡± he said. ¡°But as I¡¯ve told the others, there aren¡¯t any known instances of individuals escaping the erased realm. There¡¯s really no way to know what might happen when all this ends. We¡¯ll simply have to deal with that issue when we come to it.¡±


    Despite having hoped that Rista might know something more, she was unsurprised to hear his answer. Yet, she couldn¡¯t stop herself from worrying about it. Before getting erased, she had been a missing person and nobody outside of Ijiria¡¯s targets ever knew what happened to her before she was forgotten altogether. If she were to suddenly return, would everybody still be wondering what happened to her? How would she explain to her parents, and to the police even, where she had gone. What challenges still faced her out in the real world?


    These thoughts continued to plague her as they continued their way through the forest until they finally emerged from the trees and found themselves in the small clearing with the hideout. Rista didn¡¯t break stride as he continued toward the building, but Alice couldn¡¯t help standing in place for a moment as she took the place in once again.


    Evan¡¯s right¡­ It really does always come back to this place.


    Jay gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder as he began to follow after Rista, and so she took one last deep breath and went with him. The five of them made their way through the front door and into the main room of the shack before turning right down the hall and stopping just outside the only other room in the house. Rista gently placed his hand on the closed door, as if trying to sense if anything was inside, and when he was satisfied, he glanced back at them with a grim expression.


    ¡°Remember, I don¡¯t know what sort of defense mechanism this thing might have,¡± he reminded them. ¡°So be ready for anything, and if any of you feel as if your life is in danger, don¡¯t hesitate to run. But with any luck, it¡¯ll be as simple as interacting with its mana circuits and shutting it down and the rest of you won¡¯t have to do a thing.¡±


    They all nodded their understanding, and Alice slid her hand down to her hip where one of Scott¡¯s anti-mana knives was strapped to her belt in a small sheath. She really hoped she didn¡¯t have to use it, but she was prepared for whatever might be thrown their way as Rista pushed open the door and moved inside. Immediately, they caught sight of the mana port: a small white ball of energy floating four feet off the ground, probably no bigger than Alice¡¯s head. It pulsated softly and didn''t do anything in reaction to their presence. Rista moved forward, his right hand gripping the pommel of his sword while his left was extended toward the port, magic already surging around his wrist. Alice could sense the tension in the boys around her as they all watched him carefully place his hand against the port.


    ¡°Dimiitio,¡± he chanted.


    Barely a second later, the mana port exploded in a white flash, launching Rista backwards before the man slammed into the back wall then slumped to the ground, dazed, leaving the four of them to stare in horror as the ball began to grow bigger, with ribbons of energy stretching around the room in tendrils.


    Of course, Alice thought dejectedly. With magic, nothing¡¯s ever easy.


    ***


    Lilly glared down at Nigreos Noctis with her jaw clenched, a wave of different emotions surging through her. Her hatred for the man was at the forefront of her mind, but there was shock at his sudden arrival, and even confusion at how he simply looked up at the two of them, as if even he was desperately trying to understand the situation. And in the midst of it all, The Angel inside of her felt as if it had suddenly become active, and Lilly could sense power flowing through every part of her body. Beside her, Vinny¡¯s features were tight, his hand already lowered to the knife at his side, making it clear that he was ready and willing to do his best to stab Nigreos should the opportunity arise.


    What the hell is this?! Why is he here?! This can¡¯t be a coincidence, right? There¡¯s no way he showed up here at the exact moment we made our move to attack! But how did he find out?! Does Album have more sight into this world than Rista and The Angel thought she did?!


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    But as she internally asked herself that question, the Voice of Light chimed in, her normal peppy tone replaced by a cold one. ¡°No¡­ That can¡¯t be it. Like Pine explained to you, the erased realm is like a pocket realm, and one cannot see into a pocket realm from the outside. The only way Album could have known was if she had been here herself.¡±


    ¡°But if the Master of Light had been close, we would have known. This¡­is simply poor luck. Or perhaps¡­it¡¯s an opportunity.¡±


    An opportunity? What the hell do you mean?!


    ¡°You know what I mean, Harper. Nigreos Noctis has fallen right into our lap, and I don¡¯t sense anybody else nearby. Let us free¡­and we can kill him here and now.¡±


    ¡°Lilly? Vinny? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    As she took in what the Voice of Darkness said, she heard Damien, Liz, and Scott finally arriving behind them, with Liz being the one to call out to them. But before she had a chance to reply, the three stepped up to stand beside them at the top of the natural stairs, allowing them to see the still unmoving Master down below on the beach, who only seemed to grow more stunned with their appearance. Their panic was evident in the way their breath caught, but while Damien and Liz just gaped at him, Scott recovered almost immediately.


    ¡°He¡¯s here?¡± he breathed. ¡°Noctis¡­ He came right to us?¡±


    Damien shook his head, uttering, ¡°This is bad. How are we supposed to get to the mana port with him in the way? There isn¡¯t a chance in hell that he¡¯s just going to step aside and let us do this.¡±


    ¡°And if we aren¡¯t fast enough and Rista¡¯s group destroys their port first,¡± Vinny added, ¡°then Album will know what¡¯s going on, if she doesn¡¯t already. We can¡¯t waste time. We have to get down there now.¡±


    Liz grimaced, the panic obvious in the way her voice shook. ¡°And how do you suggest we do that?! His power¡­it¡¯s not something we can just combat. If he¡¯s here to kill us, there¡¯s nothing preventing him from doing so¡­or unless we can find some way to stick him with one of the bullets.¡±


    ¡°I just want to know why he isn¡¯t moving,¡± Scott growled, the shotgun already pulled from his back and gripped in his hands. ¡°What the fuck is he playing at? Is this some sort of trick or is there something wrong with him?¡±


    ¡°Harper, you know what you have to do. We can take him. Go down there and let¡¯s kill him. If we keep his attention, the others can take out the port. You¡¯re the only one with the power to actually have a shot of beating him in a fight. It has to be you.¡±


    Listening to the  Voice¡¯s urgings, Lilly never once took her eyes off of Nigreos, ready to let The Angel do what it needed to should the Master attack them, but as Scott said, he was just standing there, watching them. Even from that distance, Lilly could see both shock and fear in his facial expressions, and she knew at that moment that something was wrong. The Angel had already confirmed that he couldn¡¯t have known what they were up to, so if he was in the erased realm, something else was going on, and as a plan began to form in her mind, Lilly gathered her resolve and spoke.


    ¡°Get to the mana port and destroy it,¡± she whispered sharply. ¡°Don¡¯t pay Nigreos any worry. I¡¯ll deal with him.¡±


    ¡°What?! Lilly?!¡±


    Ignoring the whispered protests of the rest of the club and Scott, Lilly took a step down onto the staircase and began to descend toward the beach. She only briefly glanced off to the right where the small white ball of energy that was the mana port floated a few feet off the ground, just outside the entrance to the cave. As long as she kept Nigreos away from the others, they might be able to use Scott¡¯s serum to disrupt the mana circuits, and she had faith that they could handle it. With her trust placed in the hands of her friends, Lilly turned back and stared straight ahead at Nigreos as she finally reached the sands at the bottom where she stopped. He was roughly fifty feet ahead of her and she could now see his expression even clearer, and all she found was utter confusion, as if the Master didn¡¯t understand what was happening. Lilly didn¡¯t immediately speak nor did Nigreos, and so the only sounds she could hear came from the soft breeze blowing across the beach.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t expect to see you so soon, Nigreos,¡± she called out, deciding that she would be the one to start the conversation. ¡°What brings you to our cozy little realm?¡±


    The Master¡¯s lips tightened and she saw his white eyes flicker behind her, and she could now hear the soft footsteps of the others as they made their way down. When he finally directed his gaze back to her, she kept her features still, staring at him in challenge, silently daring him to try and hurt them.


    ¡°How?¡± he finally uttered. ¡°How do you have your memories, Harper? How are you here? This is impossible!¡±


    She definitely shook her head. ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? No magic in this world can erase my emotions or make me forget what was important to me. And I can confirm that I remember everything you and Album did to us back in Wilham. I remember the utter terror you caused us and what your erasure magic did to Eric. You destroyed everything we ever had¡­and so with that in mind, I¡¯m almost glad to see you. I want to make good on what I said to you back in Eric¡¯s house. You¡¯re going to regret ever coming after us.¡±


    A flash of fury went across his face and she knew her blatant defiance of him would only cause him to grow angry. ¡°Well aren¡¯t you confident considering our last encounter went so poorly for you. Are you really so stupid that you would challenge me again?¡±


    She smiled darkly. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid at all.¡±


    Lilly felt the other four reach the bottom and for a moment, they stopped behind her, but before she could make any movement to urge them to hurry, Damien, Liz, and Vinny continued on toward the cave without saying a word, though their hatred was clear in the way they held themselves. Scott, however, stopped momentarily and whispered soft enough that only she could hear, ¡°give me an opening and I¡¯ll take the shot.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± she replied, then watched as he followed after the club.


    Nigreos, too, stared baffled at how casually they ignored him and when the Master looked to where the mana port was located, his jaw clenched tightly. ¡°So that¡¯s what you¡¯re doing? You¡¯re trying to escape. I don¡¯t¡­ This isn¡¯t possible! How could a bunch of magicless children break past the erased realm¡¯s magic?!¡±


    ¡°I already answered that,¡± she replied smugly. ¡°Your power just wasn¡¯t strong enough. I could never forget the Magic Club.¡±


    Nigreos rounded on her, taking a threatening step toward her as shadows began to swirl around his body. ¡°Do you honestly think I¡¯m just going to stand here and let this happen?! I went through too much shit to get you in here so I¡¯m certainly not going to let you out!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch them,¡± she said calmly, but with enough edge to her voice so as to make it clear how serious she was.


    ¡°And what are you gonna do about it, Harper?¡± he snarled. ¡°What could a magicless girl like you do against the Ijirian Master of Darkness? You were powerless back then and that won¡¯t ever change!¡±


    Nigreos raised his hand toward her, the shadows bursting up around him and swirling in those familiar tendrils that had once terrified her. Yet in that moment, as she found herself facing Nigreos Noctis far earlier than she had expected she would, she wasn¡¯t scared. Instead, she was oddly excited, knowing that she had an advantage over him that he wasn¡¯t aware of. His confidence was only based on what he remembered from Wilham, but he didn¡¯t know about The Angel, and that would be his undoing.


    ¡°Coreas!¡± Nigreos shouted, sending those very shadows violently exploding toward her, but Lilly didn¡¯t even flinch as The Angel took control, raising her arm for her to meet the attack head on.


    ¡°Luminetta.¡±


    The shadows were met by a sudden flash of light that tore straight through them, dissipating them into a black mist before they faded away all together, and when they did, she was met with the satisfying sight of Nigreos still in the same place, staring at her, stunned.


    ¡°You¡­¡± he stuttered. ¡°You just¡­¡±


    ¡°Stand down,¡± she ordered fiercely. ¡°You don''t have the advantage you think you have. And I¡¯m not the same girl you attacked in Wilham. I¡¯ve picked up a few things since then, Nigreos, and you don¡¯t scare me anymore. We¡¯re getting out of here, and if you want to die in the process then so be it.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s¡­¡±


    She could see him struggling to understand what he had just seen and it brought her a little bit of joy to see the normally confident and condescending man in such disarray.


    ¡°That¡¯s just not possible!¡± he roared. ¡°What have you been doing in here?! What are you, Lilly Harper?!¡±


    ¡°Give me control.¡±


    As Nigreos screamed at her, she felt the Voice of Darkness whisper in her mind, and for the first time, she felt some of his emotion reaching her. He seemed sad, as if the sight of the Master of Darkness caused him pain.


    ¡°Please, Harper.¡±


    Yeah¡­okay.


    She didn¡¯t argue and conceded control over to him, allowing him to use her body without resistance. When he did, his emotions became even clearer and she was overwhelmed by regret and sorrow.


    ¡°What am I, you ask?¡± she felt herself say. ¡°I am something you know well. I am something you always feared. Tell me, Nigreos, do you remember The Angel?¡±


    The fury in his features vanished with that single word, replaced once again with that terror that he had shown when they first arrived. His mouth trembled and he took a step back, the shadows that still swirled around his feet growing dimmer.


    ¡°No,¡± he breathed. ¡°You couldn¡¯t have¡­¡±


    ¡°Lilly Harper has become The Angel,¡± she called over to him. ¡°When it vanished from the Citadel, it was entrusted to Abi and she kept it hidden for years. She even left it behind when you came back to drag her from Omaruo, entrusting it then to her son.¡±


    ¡°Eric¡­¡± He lowered his head to stare at the ground, his eyes wide. ¡°You¡¯re telling me that it was right under my nose. Eric Reiner¡­was the one who had it? But if The Angel is now inside Harper, then he used it.¡± When his gaze rose once more, the hatred was back again as his posture straightened and his eyes turned fierce, the shadows becoming darker. ¡°Then you are¡­¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± she stated. ¡°And I must say, you¡¯ve disappointed me. Was it not our goal to never become the monster Ijiria wanted us to be? Did we not swear to ourselves to use our power for good? Yet you became the very thing you hated¡ªa mindless weapon of the empire, murdering innocents and erasing kids simply because you were ordered to.¡± She scoffed. ¡°If this was our destiny, then allow me to do you a favor and end your life before you destroy yourself any further.¡±


    Lilly listened to the Voice''s words with surprise as she truly realized what he was. She had her theories ever since she first woke up in the erased realm, but the way he spoke only confirmed what she already believed. The Angel was related to Nigreos and most likely Album as well.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Nigreos spat. ¡°You¡¯re going to kill me, are you?¡±


    The Voice suddenly pulled back, allowing Lilly to once again take control of her body, and when she did, she reached up and removed her jacket before tossing it off to the side to rest in the sand. Her bandaged arm would be visible and she saw Nigreos briefly glance at it, but she no longer felt the pain of the wound, her focus fully dedicated to what was about to happen.


    ¡°I am going to kill you,¡± she growled. ¡°As if I would let this chance pass me by. For all the people you murdered and the ones you terrorized, I¡¯m going to end this. So do your worst, Nigreos!¡±


    And with that final declaration, she opened her mind and body up, welcoming the full power of The Angel just as she had the night she defeated the nerich. It didn¡¯t matter what happened to her as long as she didn¡¯t die. She would do what she set out to do.


    She would destroy the erased realm and kill Nigreos Noctis.


    ***


    Nigreos could only watch in shock as Lilly¡¯s body began to change. The color of her skin started to turn pale in some places and black in others, with her left eye going black and her right becoming white. Her hair did the same, changing colors straight down the center as pure power erupted out of her back, surging into the sky in the shape of an angel''s wings. He could already see The Angel¡¯s consciousness merging with hers as the girl¡¯s smile turned dark and unhinged. He could only wonder how he never sensed it until that moment. Yet, he already knew the answer to that question. The Angel was a powerful being and he had spent years studying its properties before it vanished. He knew how dangerous it was both to its victims and to its user. She was right to be confident. This fight wasn¡¯t going to be what he expected it would.


    What am I going to do?!


    He¡¯d barely processed the fact that Eric Reiner stole Album¡¯s body and sent him to the erased realm when he turned to see Lilly and the others arrive at the top of the stairs. He knew he desperately had to get back to the Citadel and figure out what was going on, as well as find a way to save Album from the Assassination Stone, but he no longer had that option. He didn¡¯t even have time to think before Lilly Harper burst from her spot on the ground and their battle began.

 Chapter 43- Spread The Angels Wings

    Chapter XLIII


    It was the same sensation as the night she fought the nerich. She became one with the two voices in her head, feeling everything merge together into one clear consciousness. Her instincts became finer tuned, her flexibility and speed became inhuman, and her power came from her body without the need for incantation. She had promised the others that she would buy them enough time to take down the mana port so she not only had to beat Nigreos, but also ensure that none of his attacks reached Scott and the club. She had sworn to herself that she wouldn¡¯t let anybody die, and she intended to keep that promise. The only one who would die that night was the Master of Darkness. Through one way or another, he had been handed to her on a silver platter, and while she didn¡¯t understand why or how he had entered their realm, she knew she couldn¡¯t allow herself to miss this chance. This would be their final confrontation. She would make sure of that.


    ¡°Coreas!¡± Nigreos snarled, bringing the tendrils of shadows up to meet her attack head on, but with a simple wave of her hand, light burst out from her palm and cut through the darkness, shooting straight for the Master¡¯s chest.


    Yet, the beam went through him as he blended in with the shadows around him, an ability that wouldn¡¯t be as strong as in their previous encounters. According to The Angel, Nigreos could only fuse with shadow when it was dark enough, meaning that at night, he could essentially become one with their surroundings. However, the sun was only halfway below the horizon, meaning that the beach was perfectly lit. He could only merge with the shadows he created, and that would severely limit how far he could move. So she was ready when his body formed only a few feet away.


    Lilly landed on the sand and immediately jumped back toward him, shadows of her own erupting from her body to combat the darkness he was already sending her way. The roiling masses of shadows collided, ferociously tearing into each other. Lilly had never actually fought Nigreos herself, nor had she witnessed any of Eric¡¯s battles with him, so she wasn¡¯t sure what to expect from his abilities, but the knowledge of The Angel picked up that slack, allowing her to innately know just how fast he was.


    The man moved gracefully, blocking her light attacks with powerful bursts of darkness and meeting her shadows with his own, effectively keeping up with her despite being at a disadvantage while the sun was still out, and she already knew what he was planning. The Master was fighting on the defense, only worrying about surviving rather than winning, but he would only do that for so long. He would be stalling, attempting to keep the battle going until night truly fell.


    And when it does, his ability to merge with shadow will become impossible to combat. I may be able to keep myself alive, but he would be able to get to the others with the snap of a finger.


    But just as she thought that, she was reminded that she would also be able to do the same, meaning there would be a small chance of protecting them, but she far preferred to avoid taking that chance.


    What¡¯s making it so hard to gain the upper hand isn¡¯t that he¡¯s stronger than me! It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t have the experience he does! He¡¯s a Master, so he¡¯s fought opponents better than me and won! If I want to beat him, I need to find some way to get an edge on him!


    And she knew exactly what that edge was, and she¡¯d already been told to find a way to get them an opening. If Scott or Damien could get a clean shot at him with one of the anti-mana bullets, Nigreos¡¯s power would significantly weaken. All she had to do was get Nigreos¡¯s attention only on her. The issue was that he never allowed his back to be completely turned to where the others were gathered around the mana port, as if he expected an attack to come from them.


    But perhaps it¡¯s not that he expects anything from them. He¡¯s just naturally cautious now. I¡¯ve rattled him with the sudden appearance of The Angel, and with our memories back, we¡¯ve defied all of his expectations. For all he knows, we do have more tricks up our sleeves, and he¡¯s not going to let himself get taken off guard a second time.


    Gritting her teeth against her frustration, Lilly did all she could to increase her speed, allowing The Angel to fire off whatever spells they thought would be most effective. It was then that she felt her body begin to change once more, her physical form shifting into pure white light. It was an ability she used to escape the nerich, allowing her to become light itself and move at such a speed that she was almost teleporting. The downside, however, was that she couldn¡¯t attack while in that form. She had to become physical to cast another spell, and Nigreos was always just fast enough. The man always had darkness swirling around him like a shield, and in the half-second between her regaining physical form and casting a spell, shadow would erupt upwards, concealing him from view and blocking any attack she attempted.


    Nigreos remained in the same place as she flashed across the beach, reappearing, attacking, and becoming light once more all in the span of seconds, yet never once actually wounding him. His power and skill were truly impressive, and as she fought with magic of her own, barely keeping them at a standstill, she was forced to face just how helpless they had been back in Wilham. Nigreos and Album had never sought to kill them. Sending them to this realm had always been the plan, but what if they had simply decided to take their lives? Nigreos¡¯s power was so strong that he could have cut them down without effort.


    Hell, he could have easily killed everybody in the town if he¡¯d wanted to. This man is a living weapon of mass destruction¡ªa god compared to the magicless. We were lucky we weren¡¯t ordered to be killed!. This man is a monster, and so I need to kill him!


    This time, instead of keeping her distance, Lilly propelled herself toward the giant mass of shadow, and just as she was about to dive headfirst inside, her body of light abruptly turned to shadow as well and she, too, merged with the mass, sending her own magic into it in an attempt to take control.


    ¡°You¡¯re an overconfident fool.¡±


    As she came to a stop, Nigreos¡¯s voice echoed through her ears, sounding as if it were coming from all around, and that was enough to tell her that his body had also merged into the darkness. They were both one with the shadow, and because of this, she could sense him both within her and around her.


    ¡°You get a little bit of power and suddenly you think you can kill a Master?¡± Nigreos scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re still nothing more than a child, Lilly Harper. The Angel might be guiding you, but you aren¡¯t a mage. You might be putting up a fight now, but in the end, you cannot win. A simple magicless girl from Omaruo will never have the power to be my equal, let alone surpass me.¡±


    Lilly laughed confidently in the face of his taunting. ¡°That¡¯s what you said back then, too, yet here we are. I¡¯m more resilient than you think. We all are, and no matter how many times we show you that, you still look at us like we aren¡¯t a threat to you. I don¡¯t want to be your equal because you¡¯re nothing more than a murderer. We¡¯re better than you, Nigreos, even without power. If you think your magic makes you superior then you¡¯re the fool between us. After all, how can a disgusting, pathetic man like you ever compare to the people who only ever used magic to help! Eric is better than you! I am better than you! And everybody else you tortured and erased are better than you! Even if you kill us, it will never change that!¡±


    He didn¡¯t respond right away but she could feel his anger in the face of her defiance. She knew he¡¯d always looked down on them, so that meant that if she refused to cower away¡ªif she refused to back down in the face of his power, it would only enrage him.


    ¡°Then you can die with your pride intact,¡± he growled.


    She laughed mirthlessly. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this, you bastard!¡±


    With that challenge, Lilly sent waves of power through her being as she attempted to control the shadows. Nigreos remained quiet, but she could sense him fighting back as the two of them vied for control of their surroundings. Gaps of light began to peek through from the outside, and Lilly could feel the wings of energy on her back crackling with sparks of mana as she ripped the shadows apart, forcefully returning the both of them to their physical forms. The Master of Darkness was just a handful of yards away from her and she didn¡¯t hesitate to rush forward and attack.


    Their battle continued with flashes of shadows and light bouncing off each other as Nigreos once again held his position, keeping part of his attention focussed on the mana port behind him while keeping her at bay. As for Lilly, she returned to her previous strategy of never staying in one place. She darted all around the beach, pressing the Master with everything she had yet still failing to break past his defenses. Every time she attempted to steal control of his shadows, he would overpower her and force her back to prioritizing light magic. She knew light would have the advantage over him, yet she wasn¡¯t skilled enough to be able to damage his darkness and reach his body.


    This isn¡¯t good! she thought frantically, seeing out of the corner of her eye that the sun was now more than halfway below the horizon. I haven¡¯t gotten a single hit in and it¡¯s almost night! Something needs to change!


    Tension was spreading through her body in that familiar sensation that told her that The Angel¡¯s power was becoming too much for her body. Her damaged left arm, especially, felt like it was on the verge of ripping open again, but she couldn''t let up. She had to fight. She had to do everything in her power to win.


    Yet, even with all of her resolve gathered, she hadn¡¯t been ready when her left arm exploded from her elbow down, completely severing it from her body in a violent spray of blood.


    ***


    Damien Clark watched with bated breath as both Lilly and Nigreos disappeared into the giant mass of shadows, concealing them from his view. He had already been apprehensive about leaving the Master of Darkness in Lilly¡¯s hands, but when The Angel emerged, he could only stare in awe as he watched the girl successfully hold her own against the powerhouse that Nigreos Noctis was. It was a magnificent display of power as shadow and light collided with each other, and he was stunned by the inhuman speed his friend was moving at. It was one thing to be told about The Angel, but to actually see it in action was surreal, and he actually believed that Lilly had a shot of defeating the Master. Yet when the two of them vanished, he knew he no longer had the luxury of watching them. This was their chance to deal with the mana port.


    ¡°Alright, we need to get moving,¡± Damien said, turning to see that both Liz and Vinny had similar looks of shock on their faces. His words seemed to snap them back to their senses and both turned to stare back at him.


    ¡°Er, right,¡± Vinny muttered, then moved to survey the small ball of white energy floating just in the mouth of the cave. ¡°But what exactly are we supposed to do? The plan was to have Lilly take the thing down, but she¡¯s clearly a little preoccupied.¡±


    ¡°Should we wait?¡± Liz suggested nervously.


    But Damien shook his head. ¡°We can¡¯t. Vinny was right. If Rista¡¯s group destroys theirs and we take too long to kill ours, Album will know what¡¯s happening and that¡¯s the last thing we need now that Nigreos is already here.¡±


    ¡°Then, Mr. Reiner,¡± his girlfriend began, addressing Scott, who was still standing a few feet away, his shotgun trained on the shadows and his features tense with concentration.


    He had been so obsessed with killing Nigreos that he spent a large portion of his life creating his serum, so what must be going through his mind as he helplessly watched Lilly take the Master on? Damien could see his frustration and anger at Nigreos¡¯s sudden appearance, and he almost certainly wished he could be fighting rather than staying stuck with them, but he hadn¡¯t argued with Lilly, and he wouldn¡¯t miss a chance to take his shot.


    ¡°Mr. Reiner,¡± Liz repeated.


    He seemed to snap back to reality as he glared her way. ¡°What? The fuck do you want? Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m trying to focus?¡±


    ¡°I see that,¡± she replied calmly. ¡°But we need your help. Do you think your mana bullets would be able to interfere with the port¡¯s functioning?¡±


    He snorted, already turning back to watch the shadows for the reappearance of the combatants. ¡°I don¡¯t have a damn fucking clue, Tao. I designed them to disrupt biological processes and that thing doesn¡¯t look like a living thing. For all I know, it¡¯ll just burn up inside of it.¡±


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    ¡°Well, can¡¯t hurt to try,¡± Vinny mumbled. ¡°Damien, give it a go. Let¡¯s see what it does.¡±


    Damien hesitated. ¡°And if it attacks us? Rista said it might have a defense mechanism of some sort and we really don¡¯t need to be fighting this battle on two fronts.¡±


    ¡°Sure, but literally every option sucks ass right now,¡± Vinny retorted. ¡°We have to try something and if you won¡¯t do it then I will.¡±


    He stuck his hand out, indicating for Damien to give him the gun, but the boy could only stare at the outstretched hand, his mind spinning as he considered his options.


    If I let Vinny do it and the mana port hurts him, that¡¯ll be on me. No¡­


    Damien shook his head turning back to stare at the port as he unholstered Scott¡¯s handgun. It wasn¡¯t the most well crafted weapon he¡¯d ever seen, and it was clearly made by somebody who wasn¡¯t professional, so for all he knew, it might not even fire. Scott had tested them plenty of times, but he knew it wasn¡¯t out of the realm of possibility for it to malfunction when they needed it most. But even so, Damien gripped the weapon with both hands and took a step back as he aimed it at the orb.


    ¡°Thanks, Vin¡¯,¡± he said with an apprehensive grin. ¡°But I¡¯ve got it. Just stand back.¡±


    Vinny and Liz both seemed nervous as well, but neither argued with him as they did as he asked, moving away from the cave¡¯s mouth to watch. It was at that moment that a loud shout echoed across the beach, and when Damien glanced back over his shoulder, he saw the shadows dissipate, revealing Lilly and Nigreos as their battle resumed, light and darkness flashing across the sand.


    It¡¯s now or never, he told himself, placing his finger firmly on the trigger.


    The cave in front of him was a perfect replica of the place they first found the gemstone, and he remembered that day vividly. So much had happened since then and so much had changed, and in the end, he found himself back where it all started. The sounds of battle echoed through his ears, urging him to do what needed to be done, so Damien grit his teeth in preparation of what might happen, and pulled the trigger. There was a soft pop as the gun fired, reminding him of how little power it actually had, as the bullet sped toward the ball of light before being engulfed in its glow. He held his breath and watched, but after a few seconds, nothing had happened.


    ¡°Maybe fire again?¡± Liz breathed.


    Damien nodded and pulled the trigger a second time, once again watching the mana port absorb the bullet, and once again having no apparent effect on it.


    Shit! So do we actually need Lilly? Can we really not do this on our own?!


    Damien glanced at Vinny and Liz, but both simply shook their heads, silently telling him that they didn¡¯t have a clue what they should be doing. They were stuck, unable to do anything to help, and when he gazed back at Lilly and Nigreos, he could see how much the girl was struggling to get to him, even with the power of The Angel on her side. She was moving around the beach at the speed of light, disappearing and reappearing in different spots, each jump accompanied by a blindingly bright flash, followed by an attack of either dark magic or light magic. But Nigreos never once moved from his position, meeting each attack with a powerful defense without ever retaliating.


    ¡°The fucker¡¯s stalling,¡± Scott whispered. ¡°His magic is stronger at night, so he¡¯s trying to tire her out before he reaches full power.¡±


    ¡°Then what do we do?¡± Vinny demanded desperately. ¡°If she can¡¯t break past him, we¡¯re all screwed, right? Clearly we can¡®t do anything about this port, so let¡¯s help her kick Nigreos¡¯s ass!¡±


    The man nodded firmly. ¡°I¡¯m tryin¡¯, Mickelson, but there¡¯s only so much we can do. Just look at them. What are we before something as impossible as that?¡±


    Scott¡¯s words struck Damien where it hurt as he gazed at the battle. That had always been what kept them down. How could they ever hope to combat some of the most powerful individuals from a magical realm as high school students without power? Even Eric, who did have magic, only spoke of how terrifyingly strong they were. In the end, they couldn¡¯t do anything but watch helplessly as everything they loved was taken from them.


    And we just got it back! I just regained my memories barely a few days ago and I¡¯m already back in this position?! I can¡¯t just stand here! I need to do something! I need to save Lilly before Nigreos kills her! But what can I do?! What can somebody like me do?!


    He¡¯d always been stronger than his adversaries. Every time somebody tried to hurt him, he could defeat them with ease. But Nigreos Noctis wasn¡¯t a mere school bully. He was somebody that Damien couldn¡¯t even hope to defeat, and yet¡­


    Lilly did so much for us. She worked her ass off to bring us back, and she¡¯s determined to win this battle. If I can¡¯t be useful with the mana port then maybe¡­


    He glanced down at the gun still clutched in his hands, knowing that he had one card he could play, though also realizing just how many things needed to line up for it to work.


    I already tried this before with a gun far more powerful than this one. The chances of it working this time are slim, but I have to try, don¡¯t I?


    It was just as he thought this that a bloodcurdling scream shook him to his core, and when he looked up, everything seemed to freeze as he bore witness to Lilly¡¯s left arm exploding from her body.


    ***


    The pain was excruciating and had she not had The Angel inside of her, she would have certainly blacked out that very moment. Blood was dripping from the stump of her arm, her severed limb laying in the sand a few feet away from her. Everything was spinning but she frantically pulled herself together, knowing that Nigreos wouldn¡¯t hesitate to take advantage of this chance to strike her down. Luckily, The Angel still had her back. A mass of shadows stretched out to rip her to pieces, but the powers inside her sent her own darkness from her right arm to defend against it, meeting it head-on and preventing it from reaching her. She weakly raised her head, her eyes trained on the suit-clad man still calmly standing in the same place as before, a smug grin on his face as he regarded her.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s quite the disappointing end after all of your grandeur, Harper,¡± he mocked. ¡°The Angel is a powerful entity, but like I said, you are and will always be magicless. Your body isn¡¯t compatible, and it seems you couldn¡¯t hold out as long as I hoped.¡±


    Lilly could feel blood pooling up in her mouth and dripping from her lips and her vision was getting blurry, yet Nigreos remained just as clear as before, her attention centering on him and him alone.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­not¡­over,¡± she grunted.


    He smirked. ¡°It¡¯s not, is it? You think you have more in you? I mean, by all means, go ahead. Give me your best shot. I¡¯ll leave you nothing but a bloody mess to present to Eric when this is all over. Now tell me, how did you coordinate this with him? What exactly have you been doing in here?¡±


    She didn¡¯t know what he meant by coordinating with Eric, but she felt some relief at the fact that the Master¡¯s words essentially confirmed what she already believed: Eric was still alive and that fact managed to rejuvenate her, if only a little. She spat blood into the sand and shook her head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± she hissed. ¡°I didn¡¯t coordinate anything. But thank you, Nigreos¡­ Thank you for telling me that he¡¯s still alive¡­¡±


    The Master narrowed his eyes and she could tell that he was trying to gauge whether she was lying or not. ¡°That seems almost an impossible coincidence, but then again, the two of you have pulled off plenty of impossible feats thus far. Perhaps you simply had good luck¡­or maybe this was bad luck. If I kill you, maybe he¡¯ll think differently about his actions next time. The both of you were overly cocky and this is where it¡¯s gotten you.¡±


    The shadows continued to roil around him, informing her that he was getting ready for another attack. He spoke with confidence and hatred, just like he had back then, yet there was something off about him this time. She couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on it, but it was as if he was wearing a mask of calm and his words seemed to imply that Eric had done something to him.


    Was he¡­the one who put him in here? But that can¡¯t be possible. He can¡¯t erase people¡­ But something is definitely bothering Nigreos. There¡¯s something he¡¯s hiding.


    Once again, silence descended over them as she and Nigreos looked into each other¡¯s eyes, searching for the truths they each sought from each other, and while Lilly expected that moment to be broken by another attack from the Master, it was instead interrupted by the sound of footsteps and when she directed her attention to her left, she watched in horror as Damien approached them, his gun raised to aim right at Nigreos¡¯s chest.


    ¡°So another challenger approaches?¡± Nigreos mused with a laugh. ¡°You¡¯re just as bold as I remember, Damien Clark.¡±


    ¡°Get away from her,¡± he commanded sharply. ¡°Or I¡¯ll shoot.¡±


    The Master of Darkness cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Or you¡¯ll shoot? Just like you shot me last time? Yes, that was quite an effective attack of yours. You did quite a deal of damage to my shadows.¡±


    Lilly weakly raised her right hand to motion for him to back away. In an ideal world, Damien¡¯s bullet would be able to pierce the shadow, but Scott hadn¡¯t been able to rig them that way. The serum was contained inside the bullet and would only be injected upon impact. The only way it would work was by shooting Nigreos directly and there wasn¡¯t a chance in hell of that happening.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mock me,¡± Damien snarled. ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you think you do.¡± Nigreos looked between both him and Lilly and for a moment, that mask of calm faltered, giving her a brief glimpse of raw fury. ¡°You know what, Harper, I only need one of you alive in order to use against Eric, so why don¡¯t I show you just how powerless you are.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she choked. ¡°No, stop! Don¡¯t touch¡­him! Damien¡­run!¡±


    But Damien ignored her, only continuing to approach them while Nigreos''s shadows rose into the air, sharpening into spears of black as they directed themselves at his heart. She knew that if she didn¡¯t do anything then Damien was going to die. He was taking a risk in hopes of getting his bullet to strike him regardless of what might happen to him. He wanted them to win no matter what.


    But I can¡¯t let him die! I swore that we would all survive! There won¡¯t be any casualties! We will kill Nigreos without losing a single one of us! So do something, Angel! Save him! Use whatever of my energy you have to! Just save him damn it!


    She didn¡¯t know what more it could do, but she suddenly felt its emotions, which were a mix of reluctance and acceptance. It would do as she asked, but it might not be something she could come back from. If she died in the erased realm, it would be all over, but otherwise, she could take whatever pain she needed to. She could lose any limb necessary. As long as her heart still beat and her brain still functioned, it wouldn¡¯t matter.


    So take what you need! I¡¯ll suffer a million times over to save them!


    As if that was her final command, another spasm of pain shot through her body, so strong that she couldn¡¯t keep herself from crying out. Both Damien and Nigreos turned to look her way just as she screamed again, the pain becoming more and more intense as The Angel did what it needed to.


    Whatever has to be done. Whatever¡­ Has to be¡­ Done.


    ***


    Nigreos could only gape as shadows began to grow from the stump of Lilly¡¯s left arm, wrapping together like muscles as they took the shape of a forearm before spreading out into a hand and individual fingers. The Angel was using dark magic to grow her arm back, but upon closer inspection, he realized it wasn¡¯t pure shadow. The darkness almost seemed to glisten like skin and he knew at that moment that it was combining with her genetic code to forcefully create an arm out of different parts of her body. It couldn¡¯t create new skin, bone, and muscle, so it would be taking pieces of other organs and limbs to reconstruct her limb, spreading the damage all across the body rather than centering it in one place.


    But that¡¯s only going to kill her. If she fails to escape from this realm before the damage takes its toll then she will die. Nigreos clenched his teeth with frustration. And I¡¯m certain she knows that. Are you really this desperate, Lilly Harper?


    She was defiant and arrogant and cocky, and it only served to infuriate him. Just the fact that she thought she stood a chance against him was laughable, and now she was consuming her own body in a last ditch attempt to finish him off. Was that the extent of her hatred for him? Or did she care for Damien Clark enough to harm her very being?


    Nigreos would kill Lilly Harper, that much was certain to him. He would make Eric regret betraying them and he would show the boy why he should have simply listened and remained content in the Citadel. When Eric finally found his way into the erased realm like he promised he would, he would only be met with the corpses of his friends and father. Nigreos would then leave one alive and use it to barter for Album¡¯s body. His main priority had to be freeing Album since as long as Eric had her in captivity, Nigreos couldn¡¯t fight him.


    Lilly¡¯s shrieking began to quiet as her newly formed arm of black skin trembled in what he knew had to be horrifying pain and her breathing was heavy as she turned her black and white eyes toward him. He could see her humanity slowly leaving her as her primal urge to kill him took precedence over everything else.


    ¡°Very well, Harper,¡± he said sharply. ¡°If that¡¯s your decision.¡±


    So much had happened in one night and the situation with Eric was throwing him into disarray, but he had to put all of that aside as he dealt with Lilly and the rest of Eric¡¯s idiotic friends. Damien Clark still hadn¡¯t taken his shot, which was proof enough that the boy didn¡¯t truly think his attack could work. He¡¯d acted on impulse once he believed his friend was going to die, but now he was within range of Nigreos. He could cut Damien down and watch as Harper got to bear witness to his unnecessary and pointless death.


    Yet the moment he turned to unleash his attack against Damien, a clear and painfully familiar voice echoed through his ears.


    ¡°Luminetta!¡±


    He sensed the new presence just in time to dash out of the way, watching as the burst of light barely flew past his chest before slamming into the sand, sending it blasting up into the air.


    No! I hoped I had more time!


    Nigreos furiously turned around to see Album standing just a few yards away, but the confident and composed expression on her face could only remind him that she wasn¡¯t who she appeared to be.


    Eric Reiner had entered the erased realm.

 Chapter 44- The Mana Port

    Chapter XLIV


    When Rista didn¡¯t immediately get back to his feet, Alice feared that their plan had already ended before it had even begun. After all, how were the four of them supposed to destroy the mana port without his magic? Semi-translucent ribbons of light were swaying around the room in an almost ethereal manner, each one extending from the now enlarged ball of energy in the center. Alice didn¡¯t even want to know what might happen to a human body if one of those things went through it, and her first instinct was to grab Jay by the hand and run. But she couldn¡¯t get her body to move more than a few steps back into the doorway, and despite distrusting Rista, she also knew she couldn¡¯t just leave the young man to die. As she was frantically debating what to do, Evan Wright suddenly let out a scream like a war cry and charged forward.


    ¡°Evan?!¡± Brad exclaimed, reaching out to grab his friend, but just barely missing as Evan jumped over a sudden attack from one of the ribbons, his anti-mana gun already in his hand and aimed at the port.


    ¡°Go to fucking hell!¡± he roared, then pulled the trigger three consecutive times, it¡¯s pop just barely loud enough to hear over his shout.


    They all watched as three bullets soared through the air before sinking into the surface of the port. Yet nothing changed, and as Evan¡¯s features turned from triumphant to horrified, two more ribbons swung his way, one slightly above his chest and the other slightly under. Alice exhaled sharply, realizing that he wouldn¡¯t have any chance of getting away, but once again, somebody was swift to act.


    Jay darted forward and grabbed Evan by the back of his shirt, yanking him toward where she and Brad still stood just as the ribbons glided through the spot he had just been in. As all four of them hurriedly moved to get into the doorway, fearing another attack, they found themselves confused when the ribbons only went back to floating passively around the room.


    ¡°Why the fuck didn¡¯t that work?¡± Evan growled as he regained his balance and stood up straighter. ¡°I thought Reiner said they would eject that serum on impact!¡±


    ¡°Sure, he did say that,¡± Brad muttered. ¡°But the reason it does that has to do with the pressure exerted on the bullet when it collides with a body. That thing¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have a physical form, I guess. It¡¯s just a ball of magic.¡±


    Jay clenched his teeth, his eyes briefly shifting to where Rista was laying slumped against the wall. ¡°Then what are we supposed to do? We need to get Rista up before that thing kills him¡ªespecially if he''s the only one who can actually harm it!¡±


    ¡°And how do you suppose we do that?¡± Evan demanded. ¡°I just barely got out of there alive. Thanks for that, by the way,¡± he added before hurriedly scanning the shack¡¯s spare room. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see any of us cut to pieces by those fucking things!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if they will go after us, though.¡±


    Before she¡¯d realized it, Alice had spoken the sudden thought that went through her head, causing the other three to look her way.


    ¡°What?!¡± Evan exclaimed incredulously. ¡°Did you not see what just happened in there?!¡±


    She faced him with determination as she retorted, ¡°And are you not looking inside right now?!¡± Alice stuck out a finger and pointed into the room. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to attack us if we don¡¯t attack it. They¡¯re not going after Rista anymore and they haven¡¯t tried to get us while we stand barely ten yards away.¡±


    Evan looked back at the mana port and as he did, Jay and Brad both nodded their understanding as they, too, considered what she was suggesting.


    ¡°So it¡¯s a defense mechanism, you¡¯re saying?¡± Jay clarified.


    ¡°Yeah, I think so!¡± she replied firmly. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not like I know a ton about magic, but from the way it¡¯s just floating around right now, I can¡¯t help but think that it simply does this as a precaution just in case somebody goes after it.¡±


    Brad grinned as he put his fingers to his chin in thought. ¡°And that wouldn¡¯t be too surprising for it to be so simple. I mean, both Rista and Lilly have said numerous times that the true threat to this realm is the memory spell. The Ijirians don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible for anybody to break through, so there¡¯s no need to put a ton of power into the ports. A simple defense charm, or whatever you¡¯d call this, would be plenty.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so what though?¡± Evan grumbled. ¡°Yeah, it only defends itself, but we are trying to kill it. So who cares?¡±


    ¡°It matters because it means we might at least be able to get to Rista,¡± Brad explained. ¡°If we just walk in there without showing any aggression to the port, we can pull him over here and try to wake him up.¡±


    Jay features tensed as he regarded Brad and Alice. ¡°Sure, but we are only theorizing here. If we¡¯re wrong, and somebody gets cleaved in half, it¡¯s not something we can just take back! Not unless¡ª¡±


    ¡°Not unless we succeed in breaking this place down,¡± Brad finished. ¡°Lilly said that these aren¡¯t our real bodies, so as long as we don¡¯t die, we can take any injuries we have to. So if we get cleaved in half, let¡¯s just make sure Rista heals us before the realm falls.¡±


    ¡°Well, alright then,¡± Evan said sharply. ¡°Let¡¯s go get the fucker then. Which one of us is going cause I¡¯ll be glad to do it.¡±


    Alice stared back into the room, watching the ribbons continue to glide around, looking almost as if they were underwater. Rista Pine still hadn¡¯t moved from his spot, and part of her was worried that he was actually dead, but when she looked closer, she thought she could see his body moving with his breathing.


    It should be me, she thought. I¡¯m probably the most agile of the four of us, so if it does attack then I¡¯ll have an easier time reacting. Not to mention¡­I want to do something to help. I don¡¯t want to just be here to be here, and if getting Rista up is what it takes to win this battle, then it should be me.


    She tuned back into the conversation to find Evan and Jay debating which of them should go, and knowing that they didn¡¯t have time to argue, as well as being almost certain that Jay would be scared of her going, she decided to just be blunt.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got Rista. Watch my back.¡±


    Ignoring the stunned looks from the three, Alice turned and took a cautious step into the room, her eyes already fixated on the ribbons floating close to her.


    ¡°Wait, Alice!¡± Jay hissed. ¡°Come back!¡±


    But she didn¡¯t even look back as she moved up against the wall and carefully maneuvered closer to Rista, her leg muscles tense as she prepared to react at any given moment. Each step felt like an eternity, and at one point, one of the ribbons floated so close to her head that she could feel the heat emanating off of it, yet they never reacted to her like they did to Evan, and within less than a minute, Alice had reached where Rista was slumped. The girl kneeled down beside him and was immediately taken off guard.


    Rista¡¯s eyes were open but there was a white glaze over them, which pulsated with light, telling her that he wasn¡¯t simply knocked out, but under some kind of spell. She wasn¡¯t even sure if she could break whatever magic was keeping him asleep, but she wouldn¡¯t have the strength to drag him back to the doorway so she just shook him a few times.


    ¡°Hey, Rista,¡± she whispered. ¡°Come on, get up. We need you.¡±


    As she shook his body, he just moved around limply, failing to react to her presence at all. Alice grit her teeth and turned back to see the boys all staring her way before grimacing.


    ¡°He¡¯s under some spell,¡± she called over. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what the port did to him, but he¡¯s not reacting to me.¡±


    ¡°Try kicking him!¡± Evan suggested. ¡°Maybe a little pain will wake him up!¡±


    Alice narrowed her eyes and scowled. ¡°Why is that the first thing you think up? Fischer? Jay? Either of you know what I should do?¡±


    ¡°Well, uh¡­¡± Jay paused, his gaze shifting between the port, Rista, and Alice, before he sighed. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know. Magic has so many ridiculous technicalities and requirements that I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if you could wake him up by kicking him, though I doubt he¡¯d appreciate that.¡±


    ¡°See, told you! Just kick the fucker!¡±


    Once again not paying Evan any attention, Alice grabbed Rista by the shoulder and shook him harder than she had before, but only reaching the same result.


    Come on, Alice, think! If we can¡¯t get Rista up, then we won¡¯t be able to break the mana port, and if we don¡¯t succeed within the same time frame as Lilly''s group, we¡¯re only risking Album coming in to get us herself! We don''t have time to be wasting on this!


    ¡°Rista!¡± she shouted, opting to slap him across the face before she could think better of it. ¡°Come on! Get up! If we don¡¯t destroy that port in time then we could all die, and you¡¯re the only one with the power to kill it! You don¡¯t have time to sleep! Wake up!¡±


    When she still didn¡¯t get a reaction, she reached forward and placed her fingers on his eyelids, then pulled them open slightly so that she could stare into his eyes. They were still glazed, indicating that nothing she had done thus far had been effective.


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s working!¡± she called back over her shoulder. ¡°I even slapped him and that didn¡¯t do anything, so I¡¯m not sure what else to try!¡±


    She could see the defeated looks on their faces and she wished there was more she could do, but at the end of the day, they had only come to provide Rista with backup just in case the port¡¯s defenses were too much for them.


    And we can¡¯t even do that much!


    ¡°Come on, Rista!¡± she urged desperately. ¡°Get up! We need you! Get up!¡±


    ***


    He could hear a voice from far away, calling out his name with an urgency that told him he should be worried. Yet he was calm, as if there wasn¡¯t a care to be had. He wasn¡¯t sure why he felt so at peace, but he didn¡¯t want to think about anything, so he didn¡¯t try to reason it out. He decided that whatever the person needed could be handled by another. Why should he have to do it? Why couldn¡¯t he just take a minute to relax and catch his breath. He¡¯d been working so hard for so long, so hadn¡¯t he earned this break? There had been a time when he didn¡¯t have to worry about anything¡ªa time where he was happy. That time had ended three years ago, and he knew there would never be a chance to go back. After all, almost everybody he loved was gone, and he was certain there were plenty of others who had died while he was locked away. For all he knew, if he returned, he would only come to learn that he was the only one left¡ªthe last surviving member of his beloved family.


    So why should I have to worry? I was powerless anyway, so what does it matter if I fail again? This is bliss. This is what I want. I don¡¯t want to think. I don¡¯t want to feel. I just want to exist in this endless expanse of calm.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Yet that girl¡¯s voice in the distance kept shouting at him, trying to distract him from his peace and it was starting to grate on him. Why couldn¡¯t she just shut up? Why couldn¡¯t she go find somebody else to help her in her predicament? Why did it have to be him? Why couldn¡¯t he just be left alone?


    ¡°Rista.¡±


    He heard his name, though this time it was a man¡¯s, or perhaps a boy¡¯s, voice speaking to him. He wanted to ignore it, but something in the way the boy spoke caused him pause.


    ¡°Wake up, Rista. Don¡¯t you remember what you told me the other day?¡±


    What I told him? What did I tell him?


    ¡°You have people back in Ijiria that need you,¡± the boy went on. ¡°You said your mother trusted the safety of your siblings to you and that you needed to get back to Ijiria so you could protect those who survived. So I need you to snap out of this.¡±


    My mother? My siblings?


    Part of him tried to push thoughts of them away, but the other part wondered why he was trying to do that. Why would he want to forget them? What was going on? Was there something wrong with him? His mother. Abigail Reiner? She trusted him with¡­


    ¡°Rista. I¡¯ll be going to Noctalus for a few weeks and while I¡¯m gone, I need you to take care of the others. You¡¯ve always been someone I can rely on, and I know it¡¯s not fair to put this responsibility on you, but I need you to help me. With any luck, I won¡¯t be gone long, but you know how some of the others get. They¡¯re quite rambunctious, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    A memory from a long time ago came back to him¡ªa memory of a moment he had replayed in his head time and time again. It was the final conversation he and his mother ever had together, for she never returned from the city of Noctalus. The battle that unfolded in that city took her life, and the world was robbed of one of the most amazing individuals it would ever know. He always asked himself if Abigail knew she was going to die. The way she made that request almost seemed like she wasn¡¯t merely asking him to care for the other Children for a few simple weeks. It instead felt like she was entrusting them to him from there on out.


    Rista¡¯s mind suddenly started to clear as that responsibility came back to him, but at that very moment, he felt the haze return as he remembered that he¡¯d already failed that assignment. A handful of the Children of Reiner had been wiped out in the Citadel. Very few, if any, would be left alive, and those who were would have gone into hiding. The only ones left would be those who didn¡¯t attack the Citadel and instead fled north with Malt.


    If I¡¯d done the same, would it have been different? Would somebody else have done a better job of protecting the relic and the dagger? All I succeeded at doing was losing everything and getting erased. Why would Mom have trusted somebody as useless as me?


    ¡°We have to do something! We can¡¯t just sit around, pretending like it never happened! Our mother was murdered, but she left us guideship and the realm dagger for a reason, right?! She rebelled against them so that had to be a sign for us to do the same! We should attack the Citadel and make use of what she gave us!¡±


    Those were the words Arisa Kirisan used to fire up the other Children and rally them in support of an attack on Ijiria. Rista and Malt had been the primary voices to oppose it, but the rage, hatred, and grief that was felt in the aftermath of their mother¡¯s death could not be undone by reason. Arisa told the Children what they wanted to hear, and there was nothing he could do to sway them except try and convince Arisa herself to see reason. But in the end, even after confronting her, nothing changed. The girl wouldn¡¯t listen, and it fractured their family. Malt Territh fled the city, and even extended a hand for Rista to join them, but¡­


    ¡°Thank you, Malt, but I can¡¯t leave them behind. Arisa¡¯s plan is idiotic, but it¡¯s going to happen whether we like it or not, and the best thing I can do is be there to give them aid. I know one extra number isn¡¯t going to do much, but I can¡¯t abandon them, no matter how stubborn and hostile Arisa is.¡±


    He remembered the grief on his brother¡¯s face when he said that, and both of them believed that would be their final conversation.


    ¡°Then take care of yourself, Rista.¡±


    Malt left the next morning, and a week after that, Arisa Kirisan led an assault against the Ijirian Citadel, one that resulted in so much death, and in the end, they didn¡¯t even succeed in getting the relic away. He never knew what became of the attack¡¯s leader, but he hoped that in the end, Arisa at least realized where she went wrong.


    ¡°Please, Rista. Your siblings. You need to get back to them, right? You want to save those who lived?¡±


    The boy¡¯s voice reached him once again, and flashes of his siblings went through his head, reminding him of those he fought for¡ªof the people he attacked the Citadel to protect. Even if everybody who stayed in Erika met their end, Malt would still be out there somewhere. There would be Children for him to find, so why was he just sitting there? Why was he trying to enjoy a calm bliss when he had people waiting for him?! What was he¡­


    What the hell am I doing?! Wake up, Rista! We need to break the damn port!


    Rista snapped back to his senses with a start, causing the two crouched beside him to flinch back, and as he glanced between them, Alice and Jay smiled back at him in relief. Behind them, he saw similar expressions on Brad and Evan¡¯s faces as they stood in the doorway.


    ¡°What the hell happened?¡± he demanded, just now seeing that the mana port had doubled in size and had ribbons of mana gliding around the room. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°The port put you under a spell,¡± Jay answered immediately. ¡°After you tried to destroy it, it threw you back here, and you wouldn¡¯t react to us. Your eyes were kinda glazed over, too, so we weren¡¯t sure what to do.¡±


    Rista clenched his teeth, not wasting any time as he rose to his feet, his fury at himself for being so pathetically taken down just barely kept inside. ¡°So it can stun us, can it? Fantastic. Why¡¯s it not doing anything now though?¡±


    ¡°We think it¡¯s just defending itself!¡± Evan called over. ¡°So if we don''t piss it off, it leaves us alone. Otherwise, it attacks with the ribbons!¡±


    ¡°Also, Mr. Reiner¡¯s bullets aren¡¯t effective against it!¡± Brad added.


    The Ijirian nodded. ¡°I guess I can¡¯t say I¡¯m surprised. He invented those to inhibit mana production, but this damn thing has already made plenty of it. Album Luz is the source, so the only way we could disrupt this port with a bullet would be to shoot her. But never mind that. The four of you did well. I¡¯ll deal with it from here. Brooks, Mendez, take cover.¡±


    When Lilly had first requested that he bring the four of them along, Rista had believed it to be unnecessary. To him, they would be better served just waiting at the workshop since he was the only one who had the ability to do anything to it. Yet, once again, he was proven wrong in his assumption about the Omaruans. If they hadn¡¯t been there, he would have ended up just sitting against the wall while Lilly destroyed her side¡¯s port, and when he failed to break his, the plan would have crumbled.


    I can¡¯t do any of this alone. I know that, but¡­


    Rista watched as Jay and Alice crept along the wall before coming to the doorway where Brad and Evan awaited them. They were all a messed up bunch, but they had been through hell and were still fighting. Even after everything Nigreos and Album put them through, they were charging forward, determined to take their lives back. They were tied together through that shared suffering and their hatred for the Masters, and Rista knew that he wasn''t much different. Ijirians liked to look down on the magicless as inferior, but all Rista had seen from them were human beings¡ªindividuals who reminded him of his own family.


    ¡°The Magic Club was Eric¡¯s own Children of Reiner.¡±


    That was what Lilly had said to him when they left her apartment building, and he knew there was truth to it. Eric Reiner had truly done what his mother did in Ijiria and offered kinship to those who needed it. The Magic Club and the Children of Reiner were one in the same, and thus, Rista couldn¡¯t turn his back on them either.


    So I¡¯ll finish this. For everybody here and for my family back at home!


    ¡°All of you stay close!¡± he ordered, his hand gripping the pommel of his sword. ¡°If I go down again, get me back up! You got that?¡±


    ¡°We gotcha, Pine,¡± Brad called back, assuring him that he had the backup he needed.


    Perfect. In that case¡­


    The moment he began to pull his sword from the sheath, every single ribbon in the room turned and swung toward him, but Evan had already warned him of what they would do.


    ¡°Infundite,¡± he chanted, releasing mana from his body and sending it wrapping around his blade. In four consecutive strikes, Rista swung his blade and cut each attack down, slicing through the defensive magic of the mana port. To his relief, the ribbons weren¡¯t that strong, and when he caused the mana to separate, they broke apart and pulled themselves back into the main body.


    ¡°Proto!¡±


    Already sensing the next wave of attacks, Rista propelled himself over the next swing and cut down the one that followed it, reaching the opposite side of the room in a blink, his feet skidding along the wooden surface.


    ¡°Nex!¡± he snarled, putting up a shield of wind that met the next attack head-on, then launching himself over it, his target this time being the port. He wasn¡¯t attacking anything sentient, so defeating it once he knew its tricks was a simple matter. All it could do was lash out, but against the knowledge and skill instilled in him by his mother, he couldn¡¯t lose.


    Listening to the cheering and encouragement of the Omaruans behind him, Rista jammed his sword into the mana port with all his strength, then screamed, ¡°Dimiitio!¡± Power surged through his limbs, down the metal of the sword, and infused itself with the port, reacting with the mana that kept this world alive and splitting it, undoing the complex knot of charms that Album used to preserve everything.


    This is for my family and for everybody who¡¯s ever been locked within this cursed realm! I swore I would destroy it and get back to the Children and that¡¯s what I¡¯m going to do! I will not lose!


    With an internal scream, Rista sent one last wave of power into the port, and in the next moment, it exploded in a burst of white light.


    ***


    There wasn¡¯t even a chance for them to celebrate the destruction of the mana port before chaos erupted. There was a blindingly bright burst of light that caused Evan to wince for a second, but it was gone just as quickly as it came, and when it did, the entire shack was gone. He exhaled sharply and spun around, finding himself standing in the dirt in the clearing where the shack had once been, surrounded by Brad, Alice, and Jay. Rista was already on his feet, his sword raised as he glanced around with concern, and before any of them could question what happened, the world began to shatter.


    Cracks split along the ground as if the very earth was opening up, but it wasn¡¯t rock or soil that they saw within, but what almost appeared to be space. As Evan stared down at the barely half a foot wide opening in the dirt below him, all he could see on the other side was a void of black and little flickers of light spread out in various locations. Dozens of these cracks had appeared, and there were plenty that were in spots aside from the ground. The trees of the forest had similar sized openings on their trunks and even on their leaves.


    It¡¯s like¡­the entire world is fracturing.


    ¡°Look up,¡± Jay uttered, and when Evan did as he was told, he saw that the sky looked like glass that had been shattered, with webs of openings spreading to every part of the dark blue expanse.


    ¡°Does this mean we did it?¡± Alice asked. ¡°Is the erased realm opening?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Rista whispered. ¡°No, this isn¡¯t right.¡±


    The moment they processed the horror in the Ijirian¡¯s voice, Brad rounded on him with clear worry in his eyes. ¡°What do you mean? The realm is breaking apart! Isn¡¯t this what we wanted!¡±


    ¡°But the cracks aren¡¯t opening any further than this!¡± Rista retorted. ¡°Not a single one is wider than a foot, as if we¡¯ve succeeded in opening the realm but not enough for us to get through! It¡¯s only half complete, which means that¡­¡±


    Evan felt a chill go down his spine as the Ijirian¡¯s words sank in.


    ¡°Lilly¡¯s group hasn¡¯t finished yet,¡± Jay said, his voice shaking. ¡°But why? You said The Angel would have an easier time of beating the mana port, right? And we were delayed, so shouldn¡¯t she be long done? What would cause them to fail?!¡±


    ¡°Rista?¡± Brad pushed, taking a step toward him, but the young man merely looked back and shook his head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Go,¡± Alice interrupted. ¡°If something happened to them then somebody needs to go check, and your magic will get you there faster than us by a huge margin. We¡¯re finished here, so we¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Brad hurriedly nodded his agreement. ¡°Yeah, Pine, please. Go check on, Lilly! Make sure she¡¯s okay!¡±


    He glanced between all four of them but each one looked back with determination. They were all on the same page of what should be done, and when Rista saw that, he didn¡¯t argue. He just sheathed his sword and exhaled softly.


    ¡°Very well,¡± he replied. ¡°Stay safe, all of you.¡±


    And with that swift goodbye, he launched himself up into the trees and vanished from sight, leaving the four of them standing in the empty, cracked clearing. But there was no celebration of cheers of victory and what they had done. When Evan turned to look at those gathered with him, all he saw was fear.

 Chapter 45- Assassination Stone

    Chapter XLV


    The Assassination Stone.


    There was very little known about its creation, and the true potential of the talisman wasn¡¯t discovered by Ijiria for quite some time. It was first found in the laboratory of a rogue researcher far in the south, in a small town near the Ijirian-Noranian border. Investigations learned that the man had once been a well-respected mage who, against the wishes of those around him, began to dabble in mind magic, and like most users who practice that affinity, he slowly began to lose his sanity. After lashing out and killing a handful of his coworkers, the man vanished and wasn¡¯t located again until his death, when the local authorities went looking for him and found him dead in his home, seeming to have passed due to a sickness that his immune system couldn¡¯t fend off. It was in their attempts to learn if he had any family or friends to contact that his laboratory was found and his identity revealed.


    Everything in his lab was quickly claimed by the Citadel and brought to Erika so it could be properly studied, and while most of his research was pure hypothesis, most of it even bordering on mere conspiracy theories he sought to prove, there was one item that caught the attention of the Citadel due to its oddly high mana levels. A small orange stone had been in the pocket of one of his coats and it caused quite the debate among those in the investigation force as to what properties it might possess.


    The answer was gained by pure accident.


    Two of the investigators happened to touch the stone at the exact same time and suddenly switched bodies with one other. This was a startling discovery as there wasn¡¯t any known magic that could do such a thing. There were higher level spells that could possess a body, but nothing that could swap two souls into opposite bodies. They knew it had to be some sort of mind magic involved, and after months and months of testing, they found that the rogue mage had, in fact, imbued an already mana-dense stone with mind magic that would trigger the moment it sensed the contact of two individuals, forcefully taking their souls and using the stone as a catalyst to swap them.


    The amount of mana contained within was a source of intrigue as well, with such a reservoir that it would be able to replenish itself within mere minutes even if it were to be in a magicless realm. Yet, as fascinating as the talisman was, they couldn¡¯t figure out why the rogue mage would have created such a thing, or what he would have used it for. After all, using it to steal a body would be too difficult considering the fact that whoever¡¯s body was stolen would then find themselves in the body of the stealer. It was risky and could really only be used for recreational fun as opposed to anything else, but one of the investigators proposed a theory.


    Through past studies of mind magic, it was learned that the soul and the body are bonded together, and so if something were to happen to the soul, the body would suffer as well. But what would happen if the souls were switched, the investigator asked. Based on what was already believed, it would stand to reason that if the body a soul inhabited was killed, then that soul¡¯s original body would feel the link severed and would die, but what would that mean for the other soul? If somebody died in another¡¯s body, would that body die as well? Or would their original body die?


    To finish their investigation, this question was put to the test on two prisoners in the dungeon that were set to be executed the following day. The two men were forced to touch the stone and their bodies were swapped, and once they were, one of the prisoners was killed on the spot. And to the shock of the investigators, only the one whose body was killed died. The man who inhabited the body that died simply returned to his still surviving form, though he retained memory of the experience of inhabiting a dying body.


    What this experiment told them was that the stone could be used to potentially defeat powerful enemies without having to combat them. If the target was caught by surprise, they wouldn¡¯t even realize what was happening before they met their end.


    They dubbed this talisman the Assassination Stone and declared it worthy to be considered one of the Ijirian relics. After that, it remained in the Vault unless it was needed, and there were plenty of times where it was called upon. The most notable instance, though this was only known by the most elite figures in the Citadel, was during the Second Trovian War, where that era¡¯s Masters of Wind and Water departed for the Trovian Capital under the guise of seeking a diplomatic end to the war. They remained there for a few months, slowly earning the trust of the king¡¯s eldest son, and once the time came, the Master of Wind stole his body and rushed to meet with the king, all the while, the Master of Water kept the first prince in her captivity.


    The Master of Wind then met with the king, who didn¡¯t ever realize it wasn¡¯t his son he was speaking to, even when the prince¡¯s sword was plunged through his chest. The Master of Wind then killed himself while in the prince¡¯s body, ending the boy¡¯s life and returning to his own form where Water awaited him. As far as Trovia and the rest of the world was concerned, the eldest Trovian prince grew sick of the war and killed his father in an effort to end it, but wasn¡¯t able to live with the guilt of what he¡¯d done before impaling himself on his own weapon. With the second son now in power and grieving the losses in his family, he sought peace with Ijiria and the war ended in Ijirian favor.


    That was the true strength of the Assassination Stone.


    What was most likely created for simple entertainment had a secret ability and it was through that secret that Ijiria had dealt with many adversaries in the past. And while there were many who knew of the stone¡¯s ability to swap bodies, there were few who knew it could be used to kill. That was why it had been so crucial for Nigreos and Album to retrieve that relic and return it to the Vault, but in the end, Ryokumo Caeli sought to use that stone to unravel them. After all, Album Luz was the only one who could open the erased realm, and it was only through the Assassination Stone that she would.


    ***


    Ryokumo breathed a sigh of relief when he finally arrived at the door to Iris¡¯s classroom, the pouch containing the Assassination Stone concealed within his cloak. He silently prayed that Album wasn¡¯t already inside before knocking softly and seconds later, the door slid open just enough for Iris to peek outside. Ryokumo then slid his left hand out of the distortion so she could see it. The Master of Nature smirked as she stepped back and pulled the door open wider and motioned for Ryokumo to enter. He hurriedly obliged, slipping into the room and only dropping his distortion spell once the door had closed. He quickly scanned his surroundings until he spotted Eric standing on the opposite side, leaning up against the large window that covered most of that wall. The boy stood up straighter once Ryokumo was visible again, and the anxiety was clear in the way he held himself.


    ¡°I have it,¡± the Master said simply, reaching into his cloak and producing the small leather pouch. ¡°I have the stone.¡±


    Eric exhaled softly with obvious relief. ¡°Thank god. I was worried you wouldn¡¯t be able to get into the Vault. Are you sure you weren¡¯t spotted?¡±


    ¡°As certain as I can be,¡± he replied. ¡°Though, while I didn¡¯t notice any charms in place that would have alerted anybody to my presence, that doesn¡¯t mean there weren¡¯t any, so we need to be quick about this. Nigreos and Album may already be down in the city, and if that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll simply have to draw them back here myself.¡±


    Iris cocked an eyebrow as she sat down on one of the many desks placed throughout the room and regarded the two of them with a grin. ¡°So are either of you planning on telling me what exactly you¡¯re going to do? Caeli wasn¡¯t very forthcoming when I asked him back in the city and I didn¡¯t even know you needed to go to the Vault until we were on the lift. What do you boys have up your sleeves?¡±


    Ryokumo glanced back at her, still feeling hesitant about telling her anything despite Eric¡¯s assurance. But at the same time, he knew there wouldn¡¯t be any going back, and if he wanted Iris¡¯s help, she needed to know what they were planning to do. So, Ryokumo untied the pouch and reached inside to produce the small orange gemstone before holding it up so she could see it. Her catlike eyes went wide as she stared at the relic, which sparkled in the dim lights of the room¡¯s torches, before her smile returned.


    ¡°The Assassination Stone?¡± she murmured. ¡°How poetic.¡±


    ¡°Like I said back in the alley,¡± Ryokumo began, ¡°Album is the only one who can open the erased realm willingly, and she is going to do so. Once we have her cornered, I intend for Eric to steal her body with this stone. An interesting detail about this little thing is that some memory remains locked in the body. If Eric becomes Album, we theorize that he will innately understand the method by which the erased realm can be opened, as well as some of her more used light spells. Although, he has been studying light magic on his own, which means that if he combines that knowledge with Album¡¯s muscle memory, he will have the strength to confront Nigroes. However, if we can succeed in claiming her body, no matter what goes down with Nigreos, we will have Album defeated.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re going to assassinate her,¡± Iris stated, only speaking once Ryokumo finished his explanation. ¡°Yes, that would be effective. Though, you would have to keep her from turning this ability against you and killing Eric while in his body.¡±


    Ryokumo nodded. ¡°I know. That¡¯s where we come in. Ideally, I would like to take her down in this very room, and while Eric deals with Nigreos, we can keep her in our capture. Originally, I planned to deal with this matter alone, but I suppose I can¡¯t complain about having the aid of a second Master.¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess I see where you¡¯re going with this,¡± she muttered. ¡°But then I have to ask, what¡¯s the plan with Noctis? If he believes Eric is Album, I doubt it would be all that hard to simply walk up to him and blow his head off. Is that what you¡¯re going to do?¡±


    This time, it was Eric who chimed in to answer the question. ¡°No, we¡¯re not just going to rely on that. While I have been studying light magic, I¡¯m not good enough at it to take Nigreos down in one shot, and I don¡¯t think Album¡¯s body will be able to change that. His instincts are sharp, and if I falter in that first attack, it will come to a battle.¡±


    ¡°A battle?¡± Iris frowned. ¡°Do you think so? I can¡¯t say I¡¯m terribly sure about that. Do you honestly think he would risk killing Luz?¡±


    Ryokumo firmly shook his head. ¡°No, but he won¡¯t be trying to kill Eric while he¡¯s Album. He¡¯ll simply seek to incapacitate him so that he can alert the rest of the Citadel to what¡¯s going on. We can¡¯t let that happen, which is why we have decided that if our first strike doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯re going to erase him.¡±


    At that, Iris tilted her head and glanced between the two of them. ¡°You¡¯re going to erase him? Can Eric even do that?¡±


    ¡°I believe so,¡± Ryokumo said. ¡°Album once told me that erasure had become like second nature for her, and it¡¯s memory like that which Eric should be able to use if he concentrates enough. Should that succeed, he can send Nigreos away from the Citadel and into one of the erased realms. If he contains Nigreos in there, he can deal with him without worrying about the rest of the Citadel going on alert. This needs to be done as quietly as possible.¡±


    ¡°And how will that affect our memories?¡± Iris inquired. ¡°If he erases Nigreos, we won¡¯t remember him. In fact, it could potentially change everything that¡¯s happening right now. You do realize that you don¡¯t simply erase a Master and not expect repercussions.¡±


    ¡°Very true,¡± the Master of Wind conceded. ¡°However, the eraser can cast the spell in a manner that won¡¯t affect memory. After all, most of Album¡¯s erased victims in the past are still remembered by myself and Nigreos, and Reigious has ordered her to never erase anybody from his memory as well. As long as Eric simply focuses on putting Nigreos in there, he won¡¯t need to tamper with memory. In fact, that should make the spell easier to cast, and will increase the odds of success.¡±


    Iris twisted her lips in thought, seeming to take in everything she was being told, then jumped off the desk and stood up straight. ¡°You¡¯ve really thought this all through. So then Eric kills Nigreos in Album¡¯s body and then kills himself as Album once he¡¯s opened the realms, thus killing both Masters and saving Eric¡¯s friends. It¡¯s risky but¡­clever. I just have to ask¡­¡± She paused, and for a moment, there was a look of sadness in her eyes that she failed to mask. ¡°...are you really okay with this? Can you really stand by and watch as your oldest friends are killed?¡±


    Ryokumo glanced away, instead turning his eyes up toward the numerous vines that covered the walls and ceilings. ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice. This needs to happen. For both Eric and for myself.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    The knocking at the door stopped Iris midsentence, and as she turned to glance its way, Ryokumo uttered ¡°Disto¡±, concealing Eric within a distortion. He didn¡¯t know who would have arrived and he feared it would be Prince Reigious, one of the only people powerful enough to sense past his distortion magic. If the prince had stopped by to speak with them, their planning would go up in flames that very moment. Ryokumo and Iris exchanged fearful glances before the Master of Nature turned and pushed open the door in the same way she had when he arrived.


    ¡°Good evening, Mackia,¡± Album said sharply, and in that single instant, Ryokumo¡¯s fears were replaced with euphoria as the very person he sought to lure to this classroom arrived of her own volition. ¡°I hope Caeli¡¯s here, yes?¡±


    ¡°Oh yes, he¡¯s here. Do you need to speak with him?¡± Iris asked innocently.


    Yes! I don¡¯t know what you intend to accomplish by coming here, Album, but you¡¯ve walked right to the very place I needed you to! We end this here and we end this now!


    Ryokumo subtly turned and tossed the gem into the air, watching as it vanished into nothingness and when he didn¡¯t hear it hit the floor, he knew Eric had successfully caught it. The Master of Wind then moved back to face forward just as Iris stepped out of the way, giving Album space to enter the classroom. The two of them stared at each other, and Ryokumo could already tell why she had come to speak with him. She knew he had possession of Aniextium so when Nakoma revealed that he had been defeated by Seiras¡¯s vision spell, she would have known at that moment that Ryokumo himself was involved with Eric¡¯s betrayal.


    And yet, she still hasn¡¯t turned me over to Reigious, or at least as far as I know. But what is she hiding within that erased realm that would cause her to refuse to risk the possibility that Reigious becoming aware of it? Why would she confront me herself?


    Part of him wondered if she already had told Reigious and he was waiting somewhere else to ambush him, but quickly brushed that idea aside. Prince Reigious Iiji would have never allowed her to speak to him in his place. If Reigious knew what was going on, it would be him at the door instead of Album. Just the fact that Album was there meant that she had kept that information to herself. He could see the hatred in her eyes and he faced her with a similar level of spite, knowing that this would ideally be their last confrontation.


    ¡°Good evening, Album, my friend,¡± he greeted. ¡°You know, I had an odd feeling that you would want to chat.¡±


    The women sneered at him before addressing Iris. ¡°Mackia, would you mind stepping out for a bit. I want to speak to him alone.¡±


    Iris shrugged and giggled, pretending as if she didn¡¯t know what was going on, but when she looked back at Ryokumo, there was excitement in her yellow eyes that told him she would be ready the moment he gave a signal.


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Sure, but only a few moments, okay? I¡¯m supposed to be his babysitter, you know?¡±


    Album didn¡¯t reply as Iris skipped from the room, and it was only when she perceived the two of them to be alone that her features turned furious and she rounded on him, a ball of light already glowing in the palm of her hand. In turn, Ryokumo quickly brought his own mana to his right wrist, the one not currently distorting Eric, and met her threat with one of his own.


    ¡°What the hell have you done?¡± she hissed venomously. ¡°I know you were the one who cast that spell on Taurus. Are you honestly foolish enough to help Reiner protect the Children?!¡±


    He smirked confidently, enjoying the sight of her anger. ¡°Of course I am, though I would argue whether my actions have been foolish or not. My apprentice is among them and I can¡¯t let anything happen to Hannah. Not to mention, they¡¯re Abi¡¯s adoptive children, so of course Eric would want to be there for them. It¡¯s only natural that I would prevent Taurus from killing Kirisan.¡±


    His old friend just gaped at him, as if she couldn¡¯t believe that he would be so blunt about his intentions, but to him, there wasn¡¯t a reason to beat around the bush. He wanted to see how Album would react when he admitted to what he was doing, and with any luck, he could manipulate her into revealing more details about Ilirianna.


    ¡°Then you¡¯re truly lost,¡± she uttered. ¡°There¡¯s nothing more Nigreos or I can do that would change this outcome. You¡¯ve lost your mind if you think it¡¯s smart to walk the same path Abi did, and to make matters worse, you¡¯ve chosen to pull Eric Reiner along. You know this can only end in your death, don¡¯t you?¡±


    He chuckled softly. ¡°Perhaps it will. But you¡¯re mistaken if you think I¡¯m following in Abi¡¯s footsteps. I am not doing what I¡¯m doing to make a statement or even to overthrow the government. I do not care what becomes of Ijiria. I only want those I love to be safe. I want Hannah to get out of this city and I want Eric to be able to reclaim the happiness that you and Nigreos stole from him.¡±


    Album scoffed, taking a threatening step toward him, though he didn¡¯t miss the subtle flickering of her light. ¡°I will not pretend that you have any love left for me. You¡¯ve already made it clear that the Album you cared for is gone, but what of Nigreos? Have you really abandoned him, too? Do you really not give a damn what these actions are doing to him?! You saw him at that meeting! Eric¡¯s betrayal might just be too much for him!¡± She clenched her teeth. ¡°I went with him to his quarters before coming here, and when I left, he was an emotional mess. He honestly believed in the boy, and he desperately wanted to avoid a repeat of what happened at Noctalus!¡±


    When she finished, her voice had been raised to a near scream, and he realized at that moment that she was desperate, too. It only served to show him that he didn¡¯t really understand Album anymore. Her emotions and her actions constantly contradicted themselves, and where she pretended not to care about anybody, here she was, speaking on Nigreos¡¯s behalf.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Ryokumo whispered. ¡°As I said this morning, I wish it hadn¡¯t come to this, Album. But I¡¯m willing to make a deal with you. I can negotiate¡­but I know that you won¡¯t tell me what I want to know, no matter what I offer, will you? You¡¯ll refuse to bring Ilirianna back.¡±


    Her jaw tightened and this time, she moved away from him, almost as if she suddenly wished she could turn and run. ¡°Is that what this is about? Are you doing this for that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s part of the reason, yes,¡± he admitted.


    ¡°Then stop!¡± she snarled. ¡°Please, Ryokumo! Just stop this! You don¡¯t understand the damage that will take place if she¡¯s released from the erased realm! You don¡¯t realize what I changed¡­what I prevented by doing all that¡­¡± Her voice then dropped to a softer tone as her body began to shake. ¡°...or what I caused. It¡¯s for the best that she stays where she is until the end.¡±


    Ryokumo nodded, having not expected anything less. Besides, getting Album to cooperate would no longer be enough to change their plan. Now that Eric had been seen by Sinna and Nakoma, there wasn¡¯t an ending that didn¡¯t result in battle. Yet even knowing that, Ryokumo still wished his old friend could have just done as he asked.


    ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing more for us to speak of,¡± he said. ¡°So what is your plan, Album? What are you going to do to stop me? The fact that you came alone tells me that you haven¡¯t told anybody about Aniextium. So are you finally going to tell Reigious¡­or even Nigreos?¡±


    She shook her head, raising her black eyes to stare back at him. ¡°And if I am? What are you going to do?¡±


    He grinned. ¡°What I have to.¡±


    Ryokumo watched as she narrowed her eyes and just as a flicker of understanding flashed across those black orbs, the Master of Wind spoke.


    ¡°Aniextium.¡±


    Album never got the chance to even scream as she slumped forward, her body going limp and her eyes closing, but Ryokumo wasn¡¯t able to do anything either. Pain far worse than the other times shot through his skull and to the rest of his body, nearly dropping him as well, and he only barely managed to bite back his cries.


    ¡°Master, now!¡±


    Eric screamed out the moment the distortion fell. The boy didn¡¯t waste that chance, darting around desks and toward the spot where Album had fallen, the Assassination Stone clutched in his hand. His earlier nervousness was gone, replaced by resolve to do what they set out to do and destroy both the Masters of Darkness and Light, as well as the erased realm.


    The second Eric reached Album, he placed the gemstone against her exposed neck, before he, too, seemed to lose consciousness, though only for a second. Both Eric¡¯s and Album¡¯s body seemed to react to the stone¡¯s power, but there wasn¡¯t a chance for either to do anything before Iris called out, ¡°Vino!¡± as she stalked through the doorway. When the incantation was spoken, it seemed as if every vine in the room came to life. They all lunged for Eric¡¯s body, which would now have Album¡¯s soul inside of it, wrapping around his arms, legs, and torso, with one even circling around his mouth to prevent him from crying out as he was yanked into one of the desks and bound there. There was a panic in his eyes, and when he turned to gaze at Ryokumo, the familiar hatred and disgust of Album Luz reached him.


    ¡°It worked.¡±


    Uttering those two words, Eric rose to his feet in Album¡¯s body, a triumphant smile on his face as he surveyed his new form. As for Album, she could only gape at herself as Eric moved toward where she was trapped in the desk and picked up the Assassination Stone laying on the classroom floor. The moment the Master of Light saw that, understanding dawned on her, but there was no longer anything she could do. She was trapped, and Eric could end her life with ease. Fighting was no longer an option for Album Luz. She was at their mercy, and she knew it. The Master immediately began to struggle, her horrified gaze flickering between Eric, Ryokumo, and now Iris, who she would know had betrayed her as well.


    Everything had worked against her.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible Nigreos is still in his quarters,¡± Ryokumo grunted through the pain. ¡°Eric, if you hurry, you might be able to corner him while he¡¯s still in the Citadel. But you¡¯ve got to go. You understand me?¡±


    Eric grinned with determination, an expression he hadn¡¯t seen on Album¡¯s face in years, and he found himself feeling nostalgic as he looked upon those features.


    ¡°I will. Good luck to you both. I¡¯ll be back soon!¡±


    With that brief goodbye, he rushed past Iris and out into the hallway, leaving both Masters alone with Album, who could only watch helplessly and silently as her own body left her behind.


    ***


    No matter what she did, Album just couldn¡¯t accept what had happened to her. She had believed she had the advantage¡ªthat she knew what Ryokumo was doing and that all she would have to do would be to get him alone and erase him. She had known of the possibility that Eric may have gotten back into the Citadel, so she¡¯d been careful to be prepared for any sudden attack from within a distortion. There were so many variables that she had calculated for, and yet, in the end, they succeeded in luring her right where they wanted her. In fact, they hadn¡¯t merely lured her. She¡¯d just wound up walking right into the most ideal location for them to take her down. She¡¯d never even considered that Iris Mackia might have been in league with Eric and Ryokumo, nor had she realized that they would be so bold as to steal back the Assassination Stone and use it to steal her body.


    But I should have thought about it, damn it! she internally screamed at herself. If Ryokumo and Eric have made contact with the Children then it¡¯s more than likely that one or both would have obtained guideship. And with Ryokumo¡¯s status as a Master, getting in and out of the Vault would be barely a struggle. I was played!


    Album raised her eyes to stare across the rather large classroom to where Iris and Ryokumo were talking in the corner, their voices soft enough that she couldn¡¯t make out a word they were saying. She hated them. At that moment, she hated them more than she had ever hated anybody. She was trapped in Eric¡¯s body, and she could be killed at any given moment should the boy decide it. And from the way they were talking, she was terrified that was their plan. Her life could end, and she wouldn¡¯t even have a chance to fight back.


    If she didn¡¯t do something, then it would all be over.


    And Nigreos¡­ Ryokumo said to go to his quarters. Are they planning on killing him with my body? Is Nigreos going to die, believing I betrayed him?


    The image of her partner, broken and distraught, appeared in her thoughts, reminding her of how badly Eric¡¯s betrayal had hurt him. But he hadn¡¯t even realized just how deep this plot went. He didn¡¯t know that his best friend, Ryokumo, was also plotting his death, or that even Iris was working with them for reasons that Album couldn¡¯t even begin to surmise. Album was the only one that was truly on his side, and if she didn¡¯t get out of that room, he would die thinking she betrayed him, too.


    The only way I can survive this is if I turn the Assassination Stone against them. I have to find some way to kill myself while in this body. I¡¯ll kill Eric Reiner! I¡¯ll let Ryokumo watch as the boy bleeds out in front of him, and when I get my body back, I will tell Reigious what he¡¯s done! I¡¯ll have both him and Mackia executed for this!


    Yet, even with everything her old friend had done to her that day, she still felt a pang of fear at the thought of turning him in. By doing so, she would essentially make it all pointless. Her actions had been to spare him and to prevent his life from being ruined by her, so if he wound up executed by Ijiria, then all the pain and suffering she brought upon the world would have been for nothing.


    Damn you, Ryokumo! Why couldn¡¯t you have just listened to me?! Why couldn¡¯t you have left it all alone!


    Album tried to struggle against the vines binding her to the chair, but they were tied too tightly around her body, preventing her from moving any significant amount. There was a vine over her mouth so she couldn¡¯t speak, and soon after Eric had left, Ryokumo had taken one of his anti-mana handcuffs, a rather common talisman that Masters tended to keep in their rooms, and clasped them around her feet so that she would be unable to cast any spells. There truly was very little she could do. She felt helpless and vulnerable, and the sensation of being somebody else was jarring and distracting. Everything about her current situation made her sick, but all she could do was sit there.


    Finally, Ryokumo turned and began walking toward where she sat, a smug expression of victory on his face. ¡°Mackia, release her mouth. I want to speak with her.¡±


    ¡°On it.¡±


    With a wave of her hand, Iris caused the vine binding Album¡¯s mouth shut to pull away, and when it did, there was a revolting planty taste still in her mouth. Part of her considered just biting down hard on her tongue, but she knew that with Iris there, any benign damage she succeeded in inflicting would be immediately healed. So, she begrudgingly turned and looked Ryokumo in the eyes, wanting him to see the pure hatred she felt towards him.


    ¡°Am I right to assume,¡± she growled, feeling unsettled by the sound of Eric¡¯s voice coming from her mouth, ¡°that you were the one who attacked Cartus down in the slums, Mackia?¡±


    Iris giggled, bouncing on the balls of her feet as if enjoying what was transpiring. ¡°Yup, that was me. Cartus was about to kill Eric and I couldn¡¯t have that, now could I?¡±


    ¡°And what do you gain by working with them?¡± she asked through gritted teeth. ¡°Why would you turn your back on Ijiria?¡±


    The Master of Nature shrugged. ¡°Well, there are plenty of reasons, but none I wish to share with you. Anyway, I don¡¯t want to take up any of our precious time, so I¡¯m gonna turn this little talk over to Caeli, okay?¡±


    Without waiting for a response, Iris stepped back and allowed Ryokumo to take her spot as he regarded Album for a moment, his feelings unreadable.


    ¡°So, not to sound repetitive, but I thought I¡¯d give you one last chance to answer my questions, Album,¡± he began softly. ¡°Who is Ilirianna? Why did you erase her? You say her erasure was for the best, yet you refuse to explain what you mean.¡±


    She smiled mirthlessly back at him. ¡°Burn in hell, Caeli.¡±


    He clicked his tongue. ¡°I suppose I wouldn¡¯t expect anything else, but you must realize that there isn¡¯t any point in resisting. It¡¯s over, Album. Eric is going to kill Nigreos and then pull apart every erased realm you¡¯ve ever created. Your victims are coming back, and so whatever secrets you¡¯re hiding will come to light.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± she spat. ¡°So you¡¯re going to kill Nigreos? You¡¯re going to betray him and take his life¡ªa man that you¡¯ve called your friend for years! Is that really what he meant to you?!¡±


    ¡°Nigreos¡­¡± Ryokumo interrupted sharply, ¡°...stopped being my friend the day he shredded Abi¡¯s body with his shadows. As did you, when I imagine you erased Ilirianna.¡±


    ¡°And why do you care so much about her?!¡± Album demanded, struggling against the vines in a vain hope that they might release. ¡°You don¡¯t know who she is! You don¡¯t know a thing about her, so how can you claim to care for her?!¡±


    The Master of Wind regarded her with disgust, an expression that only worsened the sick feeling in her stomach. ¡°I can still feel it. When Seiras showed me that vision of her talking to me, I felt emotions that I could not describe. But I know, instinctually, how important she was to me. I know I need to do this, the consequences be damned. I probably will die when this is all over, but it matters not. As long as I fix the world you broke, I don¡¯t care what becomes of me.¡±


    There was conviction in his words that told her he wasn¡¯t lying. Ryokumo wouldn¡¯t be disappointed if his plan resulted in his death so long as she and Nigreos were dead and Ilirianna was brought back.


    I need to get out of this! I have to do something and stop this! I can still erase him and make this right! I can kill Eric, reclaim my body, then erase Ryokumo and pin the blame for this rebellion on Mackia! I just need to get out of here! But I¡¯m stuck!


    Every plan she thought up couldn¡¯t be enacted because she couldn¡¯t use magic and she couldn¡¯t get out of the vines. It was terrifying, knowing that she could die at any second, but the fact that she hadn¡¯t yet made her hope that Nigreos had seen through the lies.


    But if he has, what then? If he tries to stop Eric, he¡¯ll just kill me. He must know that, right? So will he hold back? Or will he¡­?


    She wanted to believe that Nigreos wouldn¡¯t kill her, but she also couldn¡¯t blame him if he took her life in defense of his own. He was emotionally unstable and if he learned what was being done behind the scenes, he might not have the ability to hold his powers back. He might just kill her, if only to protect himself.


    ¡°You¡¯re a fool, Caeli,¡± she uttered. ¡°I did this for you, you know? I erased Liri because of what she did to you! I¡¯m just trying to protect you! I WANTED TO PROTECT YOU SO WHY CAN¡¯T YOU SEE THAT?!¡±


    She screamed at the top of her lungs, letting her frustration and desperation out, wanting to do something, anything, that might get her free. She knew that if she told Ryokumo the full truth then it would only make him want to free Ilirianna more, but she also needed him to understand why she had suffered the way she did.


    ¡°She broke us apart!¡± Album snarled. ¡°She ruined everything we had, and she turned you against us! Liri was a menace, hellbent on her own ideals to the point that she couldn¡¯t see what she was doing to her friends! So I got rid of her! I turned the world into a place she didn¡¯t exist in, because if I didn¡¯t then¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then what?¡± Ryokumo snapped, his eyes narrowed in what looked to be pity. ¡°Would we have stayed together without her? Look around you, Album. Our friendship crumbled with or without Ilirianna. All you did was take a life and lock it away.¡±


    ¡°NO! YOU DON¡¯T UNDER¡ª¡±


    A sudden sensation spread through her mind, and instantly she felt utter horror as she realized what that meant. It didn¡¯t make sense, after all. If Eric was behind it then it all would have come crashing down that moment. No, this feeling was specific to one realm and it was only a single mana port, which meant¡­


    The Omaruo erased realm¡­ Somebody''s trying to get out from within¡­

 Chapter 46- The Truest Words He Ever Spoke

    Chapter XLVI


    When Eric finally stepped through the portal into the erased realm, the first thing he realized was that they were on a perfect replica of the beach where he first found the stone all those months ago. For a moment, he wondered if he accidently entered the real Wilham before reminding himself that Album didn¡¯t have the power to travel between realms without a dagger. However, his mind only dwelled on that subject for a moment as the realization of what was happening processed. He had expected to find Nigreos waiting for him so he could finally finish things, and while the Master of Darkness was present, he also found individuals that he never expected he would see under these circumstances. Off by the cave, Liz, Vinny, and his father were standing still, gaping at him in shock. Closer to where he stood, Damien was holding a gun that he aimed at Nigreos, and just ahead was Lilly, except it didn''t look like her. Her skin was black and white, as were her eyes, hair, and the large bursts of mana protruding from her back. Her clothes were tattered and she was bleeding in places, and one look at Nigreos and the shadow he had encircling him told him who was responsible for those wounds.


    What in the living hell is going on?! Why is the club here?! What happened to Lilly?! And why is my father, of all people, with them?!


    He could feel himself beginning to panic, but he knew he didn¡¯t have that luxury. Figuring out how to get into the erased realm himself had taken far longer than planned. Whatever was happening could be explained after Nigreos was dealt with. No matter how desperately he wanted to rush over and hug them, to greet the people he thought he lost and that he was doing all of this to get back, he forced himself to remain in place, not only reminding himself that he didn¡¯t have the time, but also that he was currently in Albums body. They wouldn¡¯t even know who he was just yet.


    ¡°Stand down, Nigreos!¡± he ordered, his hands still raised in preparation to fire off another burst of light. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on here, but this doesn¡¯t concern them! This is between you and me, and you know what I¡¯ll do if you hurt one of them.¡±


    He expected the Master to flinch back at his threat, but to his unease, Nigreos merely scoffed. ¡°No, you¡¯ve screwed yourself over, boy. You no longer have that card to play.¡±


    Eric felt his face twitch but he refused to let his surprise show. ¡°Meaning?¡±


    ¡°If you kill Album,¡± he spat, ¡°then you¡¯ll be leaving me here alone with them, unable to get back, and if you do that, they will all die, that I can assure you. You shouldn¡¯t have put me in here. By doing so, you¡¯ve lost your only advantage over me.¡±


    The realization of his mistake made his legs feel weak. He hadn¡¯t expected Lilly and the club to be right at the entrance to the realm so getting Nigreos out of the Citadel had seemed like the ideal choice, so what were his friends and father doing there? Ryokumo told him that their memories would have been replaced once they arrived in the erased realm, so were these different versions of them? Or¡­?


    No¡­ No, they¡¯re real¡­


    The horror on their faces as they looked between the two of them, as well as the way they clearly had been standing up to Nigreos before he arrived, was enough to confirm that they were the versions of his clubmates that he knew.


    God, it''s really them. Vinny, Damien, Liz, Lilly¡­


    Even the sight of his father was calming, but they were all staring his way with hatred and anger, reminding him that this wasn¡¯t a real reunion. He wasn¡¯t himself at that moment. Instead, he took the form of the very woman who put them in here in the first place. Yet, when he turned back to see Lilly, he didn¡¯t see that same fear. Instead, there was a confused expression, as if she knew he wasn¡¯t Album but didn¡¯t understand what was going on.


    It was you, wasn¡¯t it, Lilly? You promised me that you would escape the erased realm, and you were making good on that promise. I should have had more faith in you. You weren¡¯t as helpless as I feared you were. Perhaps you guys didn¡¯t need me after all.


    Her final words to him before vanishing had been a promise to get out, and now, they could both fulfill those words. That knowledge made him swell with pride, and he knew they could be relied upon to finish the fight once and for all.


    ¡°Lilly!¡± he called out sharply. ¡°I know not what you and the club have been up to, but I used the stone to steal Album¡¯s body! She¡®s back in Ijiria, under close watch of somebody I trust!¡¯


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Nigreos snarled, sending blades of shadow straight for him, but Eric immediately responded with ¡°Ilumine!¡± Recalling everything he read on light magic over the past few weeks, and relying on the muscle memory of a Master in that affinity, his body became light and sparked to the left, avoiding the shadows with ease.


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Eric!¡± he shouted, white light glittering around his arms. ¡°I¡¯m sorry it took me so long but I¡¯m here now! Damien! Vinny! Liz! I didn¡¯t abandon you! I would never abandon you!¡±


    ¡°COREAS!¡±


    Another wave of shadow lunged toward him, but this time, before the full incantation had left Nigreos¡¯s mouth, a different surge of light blasted across the beach, and within the blink of an eye, the shadows were torn apart and a figure made of that same light appeared right in front of him. Her body then returned to flesh and blood, and despite the drastic differences in her appearance, the smile on her face was one he knew well.


    ¡°Eric,¡± Lilly uttered, the sense of relief in her voice clear to him. ¡°I knew I¡¯d see you again. I knew you were alive.¡±


    He chuckled. wryly ¡°You¡¯ve got a lot of explaining to do, my friend, but before that¡­¡± He could already see more shadows rising up into the sky behind her, indicating that another attack was coming their way. ¡°We¡¯re going to finally finish off Nigreos Noctis, once and for all!¡±


    ¡°¡°Ilumine!¡±¡±


    At the exact same time, Lilly Harper and Eric Reiner snarled off incantations and both blasted off from their spots in opposite directions, moving at the speed of light. He didn¡¯t know how she could suddenly use magic, but his best and only guess was that it had to do with the syringe that his mother left to him. He had been under the impression that it hadn¡¯t done anything, but now, it was clear that he should have had more faith in the words of his mother.


    Thank you, Mom. Thank you for protecting Lilly. That syringe is going to save us!


    Eric could already tell that Nigreos was holding his ground in an attempt to wait for the sun to set, so his first instinct was to break past those defenses. He could already see Damien rushing back to rejoin the others, so with his good friend now at a relatively safe distance away, he felt comfortable using as much power as Album¡¯s body would allow him to use. Because his preferred affinity was wind, Eric incorporated his more familiar style of combat, even when using light magic. He used Album¡¯s incredible speed to ricochet around the beach, constantly hurling simple light bursts at Nigreos in an attempt to strike him down, but with all of the man¡¯s power put into defending himself, nothing was landing.


    However, this time, he wasn¡¯t fighting Nigreos alone. Lilly was attacking with not only light, but with shadows of her own. If anybody were to stumble upon the sight of this battle, they would see flashes of black and white constantly appearing and disappearing as Lilly and Eric hurled spell after spell at their enemy. This wasn¡¯t going to be simple, even with their powers. Nigreos Noctis was a powerful and terrifying enemy, one that couldn¡¯t be easily beaten even by other Masters of Ijiria. That was why Eric had hoped to get the jump on him before he realized Album¡¯s body had been stolen, but there was no longer anything he could do about that.


    But unlike back then, I¡¯m no longer facing him without help. I have Lilly, and the club and even my father. Just having them here reminds me what I¡¯m fighting for! I want to free them from the erased realm! I want to save the woman Ryokumo lost! I want to make my masters proud! And I¡¯m going to retake the life that was stolen from me!


    With his determination gathered, Eric Reiner put everything he had into defeating Nigreos Noctis.


    ***


    ¡°You¡¯re a goddamn idiot!¡± Liz snarled the second Damien reached them, though she didn¡¯t hesitate to throw her arms around him and hug him. When he¡¯d rushed out there and confronted Nigreos himself, she had been terrified that he was going to die¡ªthat she was going to watch the boy she just got back get slaughtered right before her eyes. ¡°Never do that again, you hear me?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he murmured as they pulled back from each other. ¡°I was just hoping I might be able to draw his attention long enough to get Mr. Reiner an opening.¡±


    They both glanced over at Scott, who was still positioned in the same spot with his gun clutched in his hands. Liz knew that the minute he had a chance to shoot Nigreos with the anti-mana bullet, he would take it, but the problem was that the Master of Darkness had been keeping shadows up between him and them, as if expecting, or even fearing, that they had some trick up their sleeves that might be able to harm him. Nigreos was being cautious, and that caution was getting in their way. However, now that a second combatant had arrived, Nigreos¡¯s defenses were more spread out.


    ¡°So guys,¡± Vinny chimed in hesitantly. ¡°Do you really think¡­ Er, do you think that¡¯s actually Eric, or has Album come back?¡±


    Damien clenched his teeth and turned his attention toward the battle. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know, honestly. I mean, she¡¯s fighting him, sure, but how in the living hell could Eric have ever gotten ahold of her body. It¡¯s so damn insane, but then again, this is Eric we¡¯re talking about, so if anybody could pull such a thing off...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s him,¡± Liz said firmly, and without any doubt. ¡°Lilly would not have saved him from that attack if she wasn¡¯t absolutely certain that he was who he claimed to be. I don¡¯t know what happened, but somehow, Eric stole Album¡¯s body.¡±


    The three club members stood quietly for a moment as they watched the almost hypnotic spectacle of light and shadow, and Liz could only smile softly to herself at the knowledge that Eric Reiner had come riding in at the last moment to help them. He had done so much for them over the course of their friendship, and while she was sad that she couldn''t see his actual body, just the knowledge that he was there mentally comforted her a great deal.


    ¡°So that¡¯s my son, eh?¡± Scott muttered. ¡°Is that what you guys are saying?¡±


    Damien nodded with a proud grin. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s him. And I¡¯ll be really curious to hear his stories when all of this is done, but what now? Do we just stand here until the fight is over or¡ª?¡±


    Just as he asked that question, a flash of light nearly blinded them, and the four couldn¡¯t help but jump back in surprise, yet when their vision cleared, Lilly Harper was standing just before them, breathing heavily and with blood dripping down her monochrome face.


    ¡°Eric¡¯s¡­gonna hold him off¡­¡± she managed to tell them. ¡°So I¡¯ll¡­destroy this port¡­ You guys get ready¡­to shoot Nigreos the second¡­he gives you an opportunity.¡±


    ¡°S-sure, yeah, we¡¯ll do that, but are you okay, Lilly?¡± Vinny pressed anxiously, but the girl merely smiled weakly and shrugged.


    ¡°I will be.¡±


    With that soft response, Damien, Liz, and Vinny stepped aside as Lilly hobbled toward the floating ball of mana, suddenly appearing far weaker than she had seemed to be while in battle. The fight was taking a toll on her and Liz began to worry if she might be reaching her limit. Her screams when her arm began to reform were enough to cause Liz to fear for her life, but now¡­


    When Lilly finally reached the mana port, she carefully raised her hand and placed it against the ball. Liz flinched back, expecting some sort of reaction from it, but nothing happened as her friend placed her second hand against it as well.


    ¡°It recognizes my power,¡± Lilly whispered. ¡°It knows I¡¯ve got some of Album¡¯s energy inside of me, so it knows I¡¯m a friend. I can open it. I can¡­finally end this.¡± She smiled softly, then chanted, ¡°Dimiitio.¡±


    By this point, Liz had borne witness to so many impossible, terrifying, and enchanting sights because of magic, yet each time she saw something new, there was an odd sense of awe. The mana began to circle around Lilly¡¯s arms, fusing with her body in translucent ribbons before disappearing inside of her, as if rejoining with her mana. At first, it seemed like such a simple task, but when Lilly suddenly grunted in pain, Liz feared something was wrong.


    ¡°What? What is it?¡± Vinny pressed.


    ¡°It, uh¡­ It hurts like hell.¡± Lilly¡¯s features tensed up and she was clearly biting back pain, but she didn¡¯t break off the spell, and the mana port was growing smaller and smaller. ¡°But I¡¯ve¡­got it! Just a little¡­longer!¡±


    With that cry, the mana port finally vanished into nothingness before Lilly dropped to her knees and collapsed in the sand.


    ***


    Nigreos Noctis did everything in his power to try and prevent Lilly Harper from destroying the mana port, but Eric was persistent, and every time he tried to send shadows in her direction, the boy was there to cut them down with light magic, and soon enough, the sky had begun to crack open like glass. But that phenomenon was not limited to the sky, and as Nigreos looked around, he could see the beach itself beginning to tear apart as the erased realm started to destroy itself. Beyond those cracks looked almost like the night sky, and some of them were pulling farther and farther apart, and if they were breaking in such a way, that could only mean one thing.


    Somebody else has already broken the second port?! Does this mean they¡¯re not the only ones to get their memories back?! Did Harper save everybody?! No! What the hell has been happening all this time?! I have to stop this! I have to do everything I can to stop this!


    Yet, he couldn''t do it. He knew exactly what needed to be done, yet his fear kept getting in his way. He couldn¡¯t go all out against Eric, both because of the fact that he was in Album¡¯s body and because of who he was inside. Ever since the QuaerBasim registered the relic as being in Omaruo and the possibility of Eric Reiner being involved was brought to light, Nigreos had feared that his past with Abigail would get in his way. This was the son whose existence he hid from the king, just because Abi begged him to. This was a boy who reminded him of the women he loved¡ªwho had the same confidence and charisma and power that she had, and who he promised he would protect. To kill Eric Reiner would be to betray the last piece of Abi that he had left.


    But what choice have I been left with? I tried! I TRIED, DAMN IT! I reached out to him and tried to show him that I wanted to put our pasts behind us and try to move forward together. I wanted to help him! I wanted to guide him and make up for how I failed Abi! But he wouldn¡¯t let me! Instead, it was Ryokumo who became his mentor and I only continued to be the monster that he believed I was. I murdered his mother. I terrorized his friends. He truly does hate me with all his being. And now, he¡¯s got Album at his mercy and I don¡¯t have the strength to finish him off! Why is this how it always ends?! Why am I here again, fighting a Reiner¡ªfighting somebody I don¡¯t want to fight! Am I just forever condemned to be a goddamn monster?!


    Nigreos felt his body just going through the motions as he continued casting dark spells in a futile attempt at beating Eric. He could see the club members and Scott Reiner off by the cave, and he knew that Lilly had finally collapsed from the pain The Angel caused her. The battle was now between him and Eric only, and that was how it would end.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Is there any way I can reason with Eric? No. What a stupid thing to think. I already tried that and it failed. Maybe¡­I should just surrender. I lost my chance to wipe out the Omaruans and cut him off from his old life, and now, there¡¯s nothing that will keep him in Ijiria. The erased realm is already falling.


    Shards of the sky were beginning to glide down to the ground, the black expanse beyond becoming more and more visible. Should he just give himself over and allow Eric to kill him? Would that finally satisfy the boy¡¯s desire for revenge?


    But if I do that, then Album will die, too, and I can¡¯t sacrifice her for my mistakes. At the very least, if I¡¯m going to lose, then I have to kill as many of the Omaruans as possible! I can¡¯t let those magicless bastards best me in the end!


    Eric was moving so fast around the beach that Nigreos was only barely following him, and while the sun was almost completely below the horizon, he knew it wouldn''t matter. By the time night fell, he would be back in the Citadel and the targets of Omaruo would be released¡ªthe first known victims to ever escape the erased realm.


    His shadows were sharpening as they defended him from the light attacks, and knowing that things had to change, he prepared to divert every part of his power toward where the magicless were standing.


    ¡°COREAS!¡± he shrieked, the giant mass of darkness lurching toward the group huddled b y the cave, prepared to enter into their bodies and tear them apart from the inside. He felt Eric cry out in horror then felt a burst of light shoot straight through his chest, puncturing one of his lungs and sending blood spilling from his mouth as he stumbled backwards. But he didn¡¯t care that Eric had gotten a shot on him. He would know the price of his betrayal as he watched those he loved the most shredded by shadows.


    But the attack never reached them.


    ¡°NEX!¡±


    The darkness collided with an invisible wall, preventing them from finishing the attack, and giving Eric the second he needed to send a wave of light into the middle of them, bursting them apart. Nigreos could only gape in utter confusion as the shadows dissipated and revealed a young man standing just between his spell and the magicless, a sword grasped in his right hand and his left extended out before him.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Nigreos uttered as yet another surprise arrived to stand in his way. ¡°Rista¡­Pine?¡±


    The young Child of Reiner who first set them on this path once again definitely challenged him, his once fearful features firm and resolute and he raised his sword up in preparation to fight. Utter fury raged through Nigreos¡¯s body, his only instinct to cast another dark spell, but with his focus now on Rista and Eric, he only saw the brief flash of light when it was too late, and by then, he was already stumbling backward as something slammed into his chest.


    What¡­? What was that?


    His eyes flickered to the left as he gazed straight at Scott Reiner, an Omaruan weapon aimed right at his chest and a smug grin on his face.


    ¡°Checkmate.¡±


    He could barely make out the word that Scott mouthed at him and Nigreos¡¯s features contorted in rage. ¡°Devare!¡± he shrieked, desperately trying to get at least something, anything,  to strike an opponent, but the shadows that came from his body barely reached a foot ahead of him before vanishing into the air. ¡°What? Why did it¡ª¡±


    ¡°Luminetta!¡±


    ¡°Coreas!¡±


    Hearing Eric¡¯s chant, he frantically spun around and brought his darkness to his defense, but the bust of light cut through the pathetic spell with ease and once again blasted through his body, this one sending him flying backwards before landing in the sand with the wind knocked out of him. His breathing was raspy from the attacks and his brain felt hazy as he desperately tried to process what had happened to him.


    How¡­did I lose? My magic¡­ It didn¡¯t work¡­ What the hell¡­did they do to me?


    ***


    Eric slowly crossed the distance between where he stood and where Nigreos was laying, the Master¡¯s blood seeping into the sand as the sky continued to fall around them. Off in the distance, Eric could see those same cracks opening up in the ocean and on the sun, and not knowing what would happen if he fell into one, he carefully stepped over the spots already forming in the sand. He didn¡¯t know why Nigreos¡¯s magic suddenly weakened the way it did, nor did he know who the magical individual was that saved his friends, but when he looked over at them, the expressions on their faces told him that whatever happened was a part of their plan. So trusting the Magic Club, he decided to finally finish things with Nigreos as he stopped a few yards from where the Master was frantically trying to push himself to his feet. Breathing heavily from the pain, blood staining his black suit, Nigreos¡¯s white eyes slowly shifted and instead of the composed and confident man he normally was, all Eric saw was regret, pain, and fear.


    This was supposed to feel good, yet all I really see is a broken man. Where¡¯s the satisfaction in this?


    ¡°You know, if you¡¯d just left us alone, this wouldn¡¯t have happened,¡± Eric said softly, brushing a strand of pale hair from his as he regarded his fallen enemy. ¡°We never needed to be enemies. That¡¯s what you always said to me back in Wilham, yet you wouldn¡¯t let up. You just had to take everything from me, didn¡¯t you? And now look where that got you?¡± The boy shook his head with pity. ¡°If you loved my mother the way you claimed to, perhaps we could have gotten along. Maybe in another realm, we were friends, Nigreos. But not here. No matter how hard you tried, you couldn¡¯t take back what you did to me and to her. And because of that, I could never forgive you.¡±


    There was blood dripping from Nigreos¡¯s mouth as he finally rose to his feet, and fearing another attack, Eric raised his hands and created two balls of light, prepared to fire them through his chest once more should he try anything. Yet the Master of Darkness only stumbled backwards, his left hand gripping his shoulder.


    ¡°Me?¡± he uttered. ¡°You¡¯re¡­going to blame me for this? No, no, no! If you¡¯d just listened to me, Eric¡­ You could have stayed in the Citadel and trained to become a Master some day. You could have had a blessed life in Ijiria. There was so much potential within you and you threw it all away¡­just like your godforsaken mother¡­¡±


    But Eric was already shaking his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what was going through my mom¡¯s mind when she betrayed you, and at this point, I probably never will. But I trust that she made the right decision¡ªthat she knew what she was doing. And as for me, it doesn¡¯t matter what potential future I may have had back in Ijiria. My future is over there.¡±


    He indicated the mouth of the cave to their right where the Magic Club, as well as his father and the newcomer, were watching them. Nigreos briefly glanced their way before a foul sneer twisted his face.


    ¡°Them? You would choose the magicless over magic? You would abandon Ijiria for a place as pathetic as this?¡±


    When the man spoke, Eric realized just how strange it was for him to make that choice. For all of his life, he had dreamed of the magical world his mother had spoken about. He excitedly studied so that he could become a mage someday and he spent his free time searching for any sign of magic¡¯s existence. He never questioned whether it was real, and when he found out that the orange gemstone contained magical properties, it was the happiest he had ever been in his life. Yet there he stood, rejecting the magical world he had longed for and rejecting a chance to be trained for the magicless reality he always sought to escape.


    ¡°Perhaps Omaruo isn¡¯t as grand and exciting as Ijiria,¡± he admitted with a sad smile. ¡°But I do think I took it for granted. Magic is evil¡­and I no longer want anything to do with it.¡±


    Up above, there was a brief flash of light that shot across the twilight sky and another crack split open, this one much longer and wider than any of the other ones, and with it, a rumbling sound echoed out across the ocean and beach, telling Eric that he needed to wrap things up. He needed to kill Nigreos like he promised Ryokumo he would, but as he stared at the man, broken and desperate, a part of him hesitated.


    ¡°At the very least, take pride in the fact that you never got to kill me,¡± Eric went on, stalling the inevitable act. ¡°You told me you loved my mother, and whether that was true or not, you never got the chance to betray her a second time. You can die knowing that.¡±


    Nigreos¡¯s eyes widened for a moment before his jaw tightened in anger as he hobbled a step forward. ¡°Die? You think¡­you¡¯re going to kill me, boy? No¡­ You can¡¯t¡­ You¡¯re not strong enough. I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Nigreos,¡± Eric interrupted sharply. ¡°You¡¯ve lost.¡±


    When the Master¡¯s body went stiff, Eric knew that was the moment he should have let the balls of light loose, finishing Nigreos off, but once again, he hesitated. He knew he shouldn¡¯t have, and as he reminded himself of everything that man did back in Omaruo, he should have been able to do what he needed to in mere seconds. But as he looked at him, his suit tattered and stained with blood, his features contorted in anger, pain, and fear, and his voice desperate, he couldn¡¯t help but see just another human being who had been through hell and lost. Nigreos Noctis was not a man who deserved pity. If their positions were switched, Eric knew he would have been struck down without hesitation, and yet¡­


    ¡°Whatever you do, just obey Ijiria. Hate me all you want, but I beg of you¡­ Don¡¯t put me in the position where I would have to kill you, too. I can¡¯t¡­have your blood on my hands, as well.¡±


    No¡­actually¡­perhaps I¡¯m mistaken. Perhaps Nigreos never could have killed me¡­


    ¡°Your mother¡­¡± the Master breathed, his breathing ragged. ¡°I did love her, you know? If anything, I need you to understand that. I did everything I could to protect you¡­ More than anything, I never wanted it to come to this¡­¡±


    Nigreos said something similar the night that they had that dinner, and at the time, Eric had been so worked up with hatred and rage that he hadn¡¯t even bothered to humor those words. But now, for whatever reason, he allowed himself to look the man right in the eyes, and as his sense kicked in, Eric realized that was the truest statement Nigreos Noctis had ever said to him.


    He really did love Mom. This man¡­ This unredeemable man¡­loved her¡­ But then why? How did it ever come to what it did? How did their relationship end in blood and death? What circumstances could have resulted in Nigreos killing her? Was it really because of the rebellion¡­or was there more in play?


    But even with those thoughts going through his mind, with so many retorts he could spit out, he kept them all to himself and instead spoke the truth.


    ¡°I believe you.¡±


    There was a brief second where Nigreos¡¯s expression softened and what Eric saw was relief¡­


    ¡­right as a sudden flash of light blinded him. He exhaled sharply, believing Nigreos to have done something before reminding himself that the man didn¡¯t know light magic and it was only when his vision returned that the reality of what happened revealed itself to him. A black hand was protruding from the Master of Darkness¡¯s neck, blood dripping from its fingers before it was violently wrenched out of him. Choking on his own blood, Nigreos stumbled forward, gagging uselessly as he collapsed into the sand, his hands frantically grasping the gaping and bloody hole in his neck as if trying to close it. But he couldn¡¯t form meaningful words and thus, he would be unable to cast a healing spell. Eric watched blankly as he thrashed around on the ground before his body gradually weakened. Those pale white eyes turned up and stared at Eric, but where there should have been anger and fear like there had been before, now there was nothing, as if he¡¯d stopped feeling altogether.


    ¡°Abi¡­¡±


    No sound escaped his lips, but Eric could still tell what he tried to say there at the end before the light began to leave his eyes, his body stopped moving, and the life faded from the body of Nigreos Noctis, the Ijirian Master of Darkness.


    There should have been satisfaction and a relieving feeling of victory as the man he hated with all his being was murdered right before his eyes, yet all he could feel was nothing, and when he raised his head from the corpse to see the one who had killed him, he found Lilly Harper standing there, her eyes locked on the dead man with the hatred he should have been feeling.


    ¡°Die,¡± she uttered, just as her form began to tilt backwards.


    He wanted to run to her, to grab her and prevent her from falling, but he stopped himself as he recalled who it was he currently looked like, and it was that hesitation that kept his feet firmly in place. Instead, it was Vinny and Liz who reached her just before she fell, both grabbing her arms and propping her up on their shoulders. Damien was also there, his body shaking from everything he had just witnessed, but his concern was directed at both Eric and Lilly. He could tell that his girlfriend had nearly destroyed herself. The monochrome appearance that the syringe probably caused was still there, but she looked skinnier, as if her body was weakening by the second. Above them, the sky was over halfway destroyed which meant that this erased realm was already almost gone.


    But he still had one more job to do.


    They were all alive, and he trusted that they would be in good hands, however he knew that there was little more they could do for him. Eric closed his eyes and searched through Album¡¯s muscle memory, following the information in the books that Ryokumo made him read, before realizing exactly what it was he had to do. He knew the club would be calling out to him at any moment, but for the time being, they were checking on Lilly, so he had a second to do what he needed to. Raising his right hand and turning his fingers toward his chest, he took one more breath to prepare himself, then shoved it deep inside. He grunted against the pain, and could hear the others crying out to him in alarm, but he pushed those sounds aside and focused only on his current job.


    ¡°Erasurai.¡±


    A jolt went through his body as he yanked his hand back out, feeling his chest closing back up, and with that single word, it felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders that he hadn¡¯t even known was there, and he knew that the erased realms would fall, no matter what happened from that moment on.


    ¡°Eric!¡±


    He opened his eyes at the sound of his name to see Damien rising to his feet, the other two gathered around Lilly, who was now laying on her back, her breathing heavy and her eyes closed. He knew she was unconscious and that she could die at any moment, but there was no longer anything he could do but wait for the realm to shatter. However he knew Lilly Harper was tough. She would make it in time, of that, he was certain. But as Damien began to approach, he knew he had to stop him. He wore the face of a woman who had tortured them and thus, it wouldn¡¯t be right to reunite until he was himself.


    ¡°Stay there!¡± he called back, raising his palm out to indicate that he shouldn¡¯t come closer. ¡°We won. We did it, but I still have more to do, and I need to get back to Ijiria. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re all safe. I¡¯m so glad¡­¡±


    Damien stopped, his features showing surprise, and at the same time, Liz and Vinny had gotten to their feet as well. He expected them to protest and to demand to know what it was he would do, but even with Album¡¯s face, they must have still been able to see through to him and to understand that he didn¡¯t have time to explain.


    ¡°When will you be back?¡± Damien asked fearfully. ¡°You will come back, right?¡±


    Eric smiled back at them, seeing the anticipation in their eyes. ¡°Of course. Just wait a little longer, okay? I will come home. I swear it.¡±


    For a moment, he glanced to his left to see his father and the young man watching from a distance, both eyeing him with distrust, and he knew that neither saw him for who he actually was. Something in the way his father watched him told the boy that he didn¡¯t have his memories like the others did. Content to wait for that conversation until he returned to Omaruo, Eric faced his friends one last time, his eyes specifically focusing on Lilly. She had put up a hell of a fight and had kept Nigreos at bay before he arrived. He owed his success to her as much as anybody.


    ¡°Take care, dude,¡± Vinny said with a grin. ¡°And when you do come home, make sure you don¡¯t have that ugly-ass face on, yeah? It¡¯s hideous.¡±


    He chuckled, having missed his friend¡¯s sense of humor. ¡°I agree.¡± The boy then inhaled slowly, feeling nervous at the thought that he would have to experience this body¡¯s death, and waved his arms out. ¡°Luminey.¡±


    Bolts of light formed in midair around him, floating just a few feet away from his body, and he knew that they would only attack once he ordered them to.


    ¡°Eric?¡± Liz began nervously.


    ¡°I need you guys to turn around, okay?¡± he interrupted. ¡°I need to finish Album, but I don¡¯t want you to have to see this, so go back to my father and let me end this. Please?¡±


    Once again, there was a clear desire to protest, and he was certain he seemed crazy, but he could tell that Damien had realized what he was trying to do.


    ¡°Stay safe, Eric. Come home,¡± Damien said, and as Liz and Vinny echoed similar sentiments, they all turned around and put their backs to him before making their way toward the others.


    And so, it¡¯s going to end. After all of the pain that we¡¯ve suffered, I can finally bring this all to a close. Nigreos is dead, and with one simple word, Album will be, too. When I cast this spell, I¡¯ll have Album¡¯s blood on my hands for the rest of my life. But I can¡¯t hesitate. Lilly took on the burden of killing Nigreos when I hesitated, so I must be the one to kill Album. I don¡¯t have a choice. They started this war when they took everything from me, and now¡­


    I¡¯m going to end it.


    ¡°Ilum,¡± he chanted softly, and seconds later, all ten bolts of light released from where they hovered and blasted straight through him.


    ***


    Ryokumo Caeli jumped to his feet when Album started to violently convulse. After making it clear to him that she would never do as he asked and reveal the information he sought, he ordered Iris to put the vine back over her mouth so they could wait for Eric to finish his part of the plan. It was just as Ryokumo was starting to worry that it was taking the boy too long when she started to spasm uncontrollably, cries of pain breaking through the vine. Iris jumped up as well and the two Masters exchanged looks.


    ¡°Mackia, release her mouth now!¡± he shouted as he strode past desks and over to where Album was bound.


    Iris listened without arguing and the vine pulled away, allowing Album to speak. But she didn¡¯t say a word, instead heaving as if she was struggling to breathe. Her eyes were bulging and tears were rolling down her cheeks, and for a moment, Ryokumo feared that she had found some way to choke herself with magic, but the desperate and horrified look she suddenly turned his way convinced him otherwise.


    Album was dying.


    ¡°Please¡­¡± she choked, her lips quivering as she gazed up at him, but there wasn¡¯t even a hint of disdain and hatred she always directed at him.


    For that moment, despite her having Eric¡¯s face, Ryokumo saw the young girl he had met all those many years ago at the Academy of Erika¡ªthe sweet young mage who had become one of his closest and most treasured friends. And as much as it pained him, he refused to turn away and forced himself to stare back at her as she choked out her final words.


    ¡°Please¡­ I did it¡­for you¡­Kumo¡­¡±


    Ryokumo said nothing as he watched her suddenly slump forward before going still. He gently raised his hand to reach out for her, but it was barely a second later when Eric¡¯s body gasped for air and began breathing heavily, and his head raised once more, but this time, there was clearly a different person looking back at him.


    ¡°I did it,¡± he rasped as he caught his breath. ¡°I did it, Ryokumo. Nigreos and Album are dead. We killed them. And I opened the erased realm.¡±


    This was a cause for celebration. Against all odds, they won. Whoever Ilirianna was would be revealed to him shortly, and Nigreos and Album could no longer harm anybody else again. Eric successfully pulled off the assassination and did everything Ryokumo asked of him. His first response should have been to praise him. And yet¡­


    ¡°Ah¡­is that so?¡±

 Chapter 47- Parting Gifts

    Chapter XLVII


    Ryokumo and Iris didn¡¯t waste any time unbinding Eric from the chair and helping him to his feet, knowing that their time was very short. They had won, and as far as he knew, there wouldn¡¯t be anybody in the Citadel that would suspect Ryokumo and Iris of being involved in the Master¡¯s deaths. They would be able to pin everything on him and he could disappear, allowing them to remain happy and comfortable in the Ijirian Citadel. With a few minor hiccups, the plan had gone off flawlessly, and yet, Eric could see in Ryokumo¡¯s eyes that it hadn''t been as easy to cut his emotional ties with Nigreos and Album as he had hoped it would be. Whether Ryokumo knew it or not, he would always hold them in his heart to some extent. Based on what Eric was told, they were once a very close group of friends, and no matter what happened, that history could not be taken away from them. It would take a lot of time for the pain of their loss to ease.


    But we don¡¯t have time right now. He can mourn them tomorrow, but for the moment, we need to move.


    ¡°Alright, what now?¡± Iris asked with an intrigued grin as she sat on the surface of her desk. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m surprised at how well you pulled that all off, but you still gotta get Eric back to Omaruo, so how are you planning to steal a realm dagger?¡±


    Ryokumo glanced back at her and shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t need to steal one, Mackia.¡±


    Her brow furrowed as she eyed him dubiously, but that expression was swiftly replaced by one of utter shock, a rare expression for the women even after everything they told her that night. Ryokumo had reached into his robe and pulled out a sheathed dagger with a jeweled pommel that he had kept hidden in there. The Master of Wind had already told Eric about the dagger back when the plan was first discussed, and it seemed he had gone to grab it after stealing the Assassination Stone.


    ¡°You¡­have got to be joking,¡± Iris murmured.


    But Ryokumo just shook his head. ¡°I am not. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of the fourth realm dagger that went missing all those years ago? The one everybody wondered about? To be perfectly honest, it always confused even me, and was just another aspect of my interest in lost memories.¡±


    ¡°But did¡­did you not steal it then?¡± Iris pressed, already back on her feet as she gazed at the dagger the other Master held.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t, no,¡± he replied. ¡°Nor do I know who did. Abigail gave this to me a long time ago and I always got the feeling that she wasn¡¯t the one who swiped it either. Though, after what little Album did tell me, it would no longer surprise me if Ilirianna was the one behind this.¡±


    ¡°And what about her?¡± Eric inquired anxiously. ¡°The erased realm should be gone now, so do you remember her yet? Did you learn anything about my mom¡¯s rebellion, or if Ilirianna might have known something?¡±


    To the boy¡¯s disappointment, Ryokumo could only sigh. ¡°No, not yet. As I¡¯ve told you, there aren¡¯t any documented cases of anybody forcefully breaking out of the erased realm, so I can¡¯t be sure how or even if our memories will return right away. And unfortunately, we do not have time to waste. You must get back to Omaruo this instant.¡±


    Ryokumo thrust the dagger out to him and for a moment, Eric could only gaze at yet another mysterious facet of his mother. It was already time for him to leave, and he never learned the truth behind what happened to her. Album told him that the knowledge would have tormented him if he ever found out, so part of him wondered if perhaps he was better off, yet that curiosity only continued to gnaw at him. Perhaps the day would come when an answer somehow found its way to him, but that day had yet to arrive so Eric reached out and took the realm dagger offered to him.


    ¡°Now, get going,¡± Ryokumo urged. ¡°Unfortunately, this will probably be our last time meeting each other. Without this, I will lack a way to get to Omaruo myself, but I will be comforted knowing that you made it out safely.¡±


    Eric felt a twinge of sadness at the Master¡¯s words. ¡°So this is goodbye, then?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid it is.¡±


    Both Ryokumo and Iris seemed as sad as he was, but they all knew that there wasn¡¯t any other way. Neither of them could come to Omaruo with him and he couldn¡¯t remain in Ijiria anymore. Their futures would take them in different directions and it was very unlikely that they would ever cross paths again Ryokumo was right. They would almost certainly never see each other again.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said softly, smiling as cheerfully as he could as he faced them in an effort to ensure his gratitude got across. ¡°Both of you. You took care of me here and you were always people I felt comfortable confiding in. I couldn¡¯t have asked for better masters. I swear on my life that I won¡¯t forget you.¡±


    Ryokumo smiled back at him, his eyes slightly glazed with emotion. ¡°Nor I you, Eric.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll never forget you either,¡± Iris added. ¡°You are a fitting legacy for Abigail, that much I can say for certain. Your mother would be proud of you.¡±


    ¡°She absolutely would,¡± Ryokumo agreed. ¡°Now, be off. I¡¯ll head down to the city to check up on the Children and make sure they get out of here safely. With any luck, Nuvo should be getting ready to leave soon and I want to make sure that the Masters haven¡¯t found them.¡±


    At the mention of the Children of Reiner, a sudden idea popped into Eric¡¯s head, one he had already considered earlier in the night but hadn¡¯t thought was realistic, and as he allowed it to take shape again, he realized that he couldn¡¯t leave just yet. There was still one more thing left for him to do.


    ¡°Actually!¡± he quickly cut in. ¡°Let me go find them!¡±


    Ryokumo frowned, his eyes narrowed as if trying to determine if he was joking or not. ¡°Eric, what are you talking about? That¡¯s far too risky. Just use the dagger and go.¡±


    ¡°Just¡­hear me out!¡±


    The Master of Wind was clearly not about to even entertain the idea, but thankfully, Iris held a hand up to silence his protests and looked at Eric with a mischievous grin.


    ¡°What did you have in mind?¡±


    ***


    According to Tylo, it was around thirty minutes after Eric, Ryokumo, and Iris departed that she woke up, and Arisa Kirisan was beyond thankful to find that there wasn¡¯t a single one of them who had died. Irin and Malt were still beat up, but the healing magic that had been applied to them had been enough to ensure the wounds wouldn¡¯t become fatal. She knew that they had been lucky beyond belief, and that if they were to run into the Masters a second time, there would almost certainly be bloodshed. They needed to get out of Erika that very night, and Nuvo Tannath was now their only option. Ryokumo had told them that the man would meet them at the orphanage, but with the Masters now hunting them, they couldn¡¯t very well hide in the most obvious place in the entire city. So they all split up into duos and fled up onto the rooftops surrounding the ruined building, using distortions to conceal the fact that they were there. And that had been the right decision as, barely five minutes after they had gone into hiding, a group of Korrei-Tarr arrived to investigate. However, they must have decided that it was too obvious of a hiding spot and, when they didn¡¯t find anything, they fled back into the alleys to search elsewhere.


    Yeah¡­we were stupidly lucky. But in a way, it wasn¡¯t all luck. Eric and Master Caeli were our allies, and we owe them more than we could ever repay. It even sounds like the Master of Nature was in on all of this.


    Arisa despised the Masters of Ijiria. She hated what they did to her mother and she would never forget the torture she was put through by Ryokumo, Nakoma, and especially Seiras. Yet, had Ryokumo not been there to save her, the Master of Fire would have absolutely killed her. From that moment on, she would probably never truly know how to feel about Ryokumo Caeli. He was one of her torturers and he was the one who saved her life, and that contradiction would forever confuse her. But after that night, she would probably never see him again, so perhaps it didn¡¯t matter. Perhaps she should just accept reality as it was and continue to move forward.


    Eric told me we should put this all behind us and just go into hiding and maybe he¡¯s right. Every time I¡¯ve ever attempted to fight Ijiria, I¡¯ve almost gotten myself killed. The Masters are powerful and I¡¯m nothing more than a simple child. I always wanted to be more than that, but at the end of the day, I¡¯m not. The raw strength that Nigreos Noctis and Nakoma Taurus had was beyond anything I could ever do. The only reason I¡¯ve ever lived is due to luck.


    Arisa shook her head, glancing sidelong to where Hannah was crouched beside her, her eyes directed at the silent street below. Even she seemed conflicted, but Arisa knew that was most likely due to her final parting with her master. Hannah had done so much for Ryokumo, and she had saved the Children more times than Arisa could count. If she¡¯d been able to, Hannah would have gone back to the Citadel with the others, but her place was with them and she knew that.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    When Arisa spoke in a whisper, Hannah briefly turned to look back at her. ¡°Hmm? For what?¡±


    ¡°Everything,¡± Arisa replied with a chuckle. ¡°For getting us out of the Citadel. For fighting with us. For never abandoning us. Without you, we would be dead, and while I know we¡¯ve thanked you before, I just wanted to say it again.¡±


    The former apprentice regarded her for a moment before smiling bashfully and shrugging. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me, Arisa. I did what I thought was right¡­for you and for Master Caeli. And that is what I¡¯ll continue to do.¡± Her smile shifted into a determined look as she glanced back down at the orphanage. ¡°Before he left with Eric, my Master asked me to stay by your side. He said it was his last request for me, and I¡¯m going to uphold that. Whether I see him again or not, I will fight with you until the end¡­whatever that end may be.¡±


    Arisa nodded. ¡°Your help will always be welcome, but¡­I¡¯m not sure fighting is the right choice. Maybe Eric was right. Maybe we should just flee to Trovia and go into hiding. The Trovians would never allow Ijiria to invade their lands to find us, so if we bartered with guideship, I¡¯m sure we could find somewhere to live safely ¡±


    ¡°And if that¡¯s your decision, I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Hannah said firmly. ¡°Whether you continue this fight or not, it doesn¡¯t matter. My sword is yours, and if you ask that I sheath it, I will. But if you decide that you can¡¯t sit peacefully, I will strike down whoever you need me to.¡±


    ¡°Well, then I suppose we¡¯ll just have to be ready for anything,¡± Arisa mused. ¡°Who knows what the future will hold for us criminals. But if I¡¯ve learned anything, it¡¯s that there¡¯s not a chance in hell I could ever kill a Master in combat. You had the right idea with assassination. Taurus was¡­¡± She lowered her eyes to the still visible burn marks all along her hands and arms, as well as the holes that had been seared through her clothes. ¡°...far more than I could handle.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that doesn¡¯t surprise me. He is not one to be taken lightly.¡± Hannah then paused, her eyes narrowing as if she¡¯d spotted something down below, but before Arisa could inquire as to what was up, her eyes went wide and she jumped to her feet. ¡°What is that idiot doing?!¡±


    Arisa turned away from Hannah and stared down at the orphanage only to find an individual standing on its roof, completely undistorted and without a cloak of any kind, his hand raised as if to wave to somebody.


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°Eric?¡± Arisa breathed, pushing herself to her feet. ¡°What the hell is he doing back here? Did something go wrong up in the Citadel or¡­?¡±


    Before she could finish that sentence, she saw the distortion on the roof to her left come down, followed by both Tessir twins Protoing down to where Eric was waiting. Exchanging stunned expressions, Hannah and Arisa did the same, launching themselves down to the boy, though being cautious enough to ensure that there weren¡¯t any Korrei-Tarr nearby. By the time the two women arrived, Tylo, Irin, and Malt were flying down as well, the larger man slightly less gracefully but still well enough to show his proficiency with wind magic, and once they were all gathered, Hannah threw up another distortion around them all as Arisa rounded on Eric.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡± she demanded. ¡°What happened? Is everything okay?¡±


    She was terrified that he had returned with bad news, but the broad grin on his face immediately eased her concerns, as if he had cast a calming spell on her.


    ¡°Everything is fine,¡± he assured her. ¡°Better than fine even. Nigreos and Album are dead, and it doesn¡¯t seem as if Master Mackia and Ryokumo will be immediately suspected. All blame should fall on me.¡±


    There wasn¡¯t a reply from anybody as each of them processed the news he had just delivered them. In one night, Nigreos Noctis and Album Luz had been killed, and there hadn¡¯t been a single casualty on their side. Ryokumo¡¯s insane Assassination Stone plan had actually succeeded, and with that, their mother had truly and finally been avenged. The man who took her life was gone, and all the Children that suffered because of him could rest in peace now.


    ¡°So he¡¯s really gone?¡± Irin murmured with disbelief, as if fearing that Eric was lying to them. ¡°Noctis¡­is dead?¡±


    Eric nodded. ¡°He is. We did it. We won.¡±


    ¡°And my master?¡± Hannah quickly inquired. ¡°What of him? You said there shouldn¡¯t be any suspicion on him for the moment, but what does he plan to do now? Is he staying in the Citadel?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, honestly,¡± he admitted. ¡°We didn¡¯t think we¡¯d get away with it as cleanly as we did. Master Mackia really turned the tides in our favor. He told me that he¡¯s remaining there until his memories return, but after that, I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s alive¡­¡±


    The relief Hannah displayed showed just how torn up she had been, and Arisa was happy for her. After everything that had gone down, she deserved some good news.


    ¡°But why are you down here?¡± Malt asked softly. ¡°I was under the impression you weren¡¯t coming back¡ªthat you didn¡¯t want to come with us? What changed? Are you still returning to Omaruo or¡­?¡±


    Eric grinned and casually shrugged. ¡°I am. But, let¡¯s just say that with how well it all went, new opportunities arose for us, and I wasn¡¯t about to let them pass us by. You see, the Children of Reiner have been through such hell¡­and you all lost a lot of your brothers and sisters back during your raid on the Citadel¡ªjust to get something out of the Vault of the Relics. So I thought it couldn¡¯t be considered a true victory if you left empty handed.¡±


    As he turned and reached down to his belt, Arisa was soon struck with the realization of what he meant, and she could only gape as he pulled a pouch from his hip and held it out to her.


    ¡°You don¡¯t mean¡­¡± she stuttered.


    ¡°I do. The Assassination Stone is in that pouch. This was the item you were after, so you should leave this city with it. Use it as you please and don¡¯t let it fall into Ijirian hands ever again.¡±


    They all watched dumbstruck as Arisa reached out and took the pouch from his outstretched hands. She then fumbled through the strings as pulled it open so she could see the talisman kept inside. Wrapping her fingers around its oddly warm surface, she produced a small, orange gemstone and raised it up so the others could see it as well. She had only beheld the item once on the night they broke into the Vault, but she still knew as a fact that it was the item he claimed it was.


    So many lives lost just to take this small rock¡­ But now we have it. In the end¡­


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Feeling her emotions rising to the surface, Arisa dropped the relic back into the pouch then threw her arms around Eric, pulling the boy close to her so he could feel her gratitude. ¡°You¡¯ve done so much for us. If you ever need anything, and I mean anything¡­if there¡¯s ever a way for us to pay you back, please let us know.¡±


    He gently placed his hands on her back and laughed. ¡°Just live, Arisa. Chances are high that this is the true last time we¡¯ll meet, so if you want to make it up to me, just don¡¯t die. All of you, for that matter.¡±


    When she released him from the hug, Arisa once again found herself looking into the eyes of her mother. Despite only knowing him a short time, she knew she would never forget Eric Reiner¡ªthe son of their mother. He was their brother, too, and that meant that he was one of them.


    ¡°Now, I¡¯ve got one last gift for you,¡± he said with a sly wink.


    ¡°Huh? What do you¡ª? Huh?!¡±


    This time, Eric reached for his other hip where a small dagger was sheathed. In the dark, she had been under the impression that it was just a normal blade, but when he unbuckled it and brought it into the dim light of the streetlamps, she saw the jeweled pommel and instantly knew what he had.


    ¡°How?¡±! Ardan asked incredulously. ¡°How in the living hell did you get that?¡±


    ¡°Ryokumo had it,¡± he replied simply, as if that wasn¡¯t some huge revelation. ¡°When I get back to Omaruo, I won¡¯t need it again as I do not have any intention of jumping realms after this. Wilham is my home and that is where I¡¯ll stay, but you¡­ Well, you may require its power someday. So what I¡¯m going to do is open a portal right now and then I¡¯m going to give the dagger to you. Once I¡¯ve gone through, close it and keep it safe with the relic. Do that for me, okay?¡±


    He spoke casually and with a grin, as if he was merely giving them a box of baked goods rather than an Ijirian relic and one of the four realm daggers. And perhaps it really wasn¡¯t a big deal for somebody who intended to leave Ijiria behind him, but for them, this was something beyond a gesture or a gift. He was giving them items that could completely turn their future around and give them an edge over their enemies should they ever find themselves in combat again.


    ¡°You¡¯re insane,¡± Arisa said with a stunned laugh. ¡°God, you¡¯re insane. Thank you, Eric¡­ I just¡­can¡¯t even process this all right now, but I hope you know that if I ever have a chance to, I will use that dagger to travel to Omaruo and visit you. This won¡¯t be our final parting, you hear me?¡±


    Eric smirked. ¡°Of course. But do not forget that time in Omaruo runs twice as fast as time in Ijiria, so when you do visit me, I¡¯ll be older than all of you, so make sure to treat me with the respect I deserve.¡±


    Arisa couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes at his joke. ¡°Oh, definitely. You have my word.¡±


    ¡°Good. In that case, I¡¯ll be off. I already said bye to everybody earlier so there¡¯s no need to hash all that out again, yeah?¡±


    He was already pulling the dagger from the sheath, and Arisa could hear a slight bit of emotion in his voice now. He wanted to hurry the goodbye along so he wouldn¡¯t cry, and as she realized that the time had truly come, she found herself okay with that. If they dragged it out any further, she might really cry. Eric tossed the sheath over to Tylo, then turned his back to them, the bluish-green blade sparkling in the streetlight.


    ¡°Alright, here we go,¡± he whispered, then pressed the ruby button on the pommel.


    Yellow light erupted around the dagger¡¯s blade and Eric took a step back in preparation. With a deep breath, the boy swung forward and slashed at the air, cutting open reality itself. Right before their eyes, the cut widened into an ovalish portal with the same yellow mana swirling around inside.


    The gateway to Omaruo was open.


    Eric¡¯s grin returned as he spun back around and theatrically held the hilt out for Arisa to take. The girl reached forward and grabbed it, taking the realm dagger into her hands and once again feeling power coursing through her.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m off,¡± he announced. ¡°Good luck, guys. Take care of yourseves.¡±


    ¡°You, too.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye, Eric!¡±


    ¡°Thank you for everything!¡±


    With each of them calling out their parting words, Eric Reiner gave them one last smile before turning and stalking through the portal to Omaruo. His body was quickly consumed by the mana and in a matter of seconds, he had vanished into another universe entirely. Once Arisa pressed the button to close the portal, Eric would be gone.


    Yet she couldn¡¯t allow herself to hesitate and so she didn¡¯t.


    Goodbye, Eric. Thank you¡­


    And with a push of the button, Omaruo and Eric Reiner were closed off from Ijiria as the portal became smaller and smaller before vanishing entirely.


    ***


    Ryokumo and Iris silently rode the lift back up to the floor containing their quarters, neither speaking a word to the other. Against his better judgment, Ryokumo had done exactly as Eric had asked. After rushing down to the bottom floor to ensure that Lilly Harper hadn¡¯t reappeared in the portal room, he had returned to the classroom to assure the boy that she had exited back in Omaruo and was safely out of Ijirian reach. Then, with both the Assassination Stone and the realm dagger in his possession, Eric Reiner bid them goodbye and jumped through the classroom window, using wind magic to take him back to the city. With that, Eric Reiner was gone and Ryokumo would probably never see him again. He just hoped that the boy reached the Children without issue and was able to get away. They had succeeded, yet he couldn¡¯t help but feel a tightness in his stomach.


    And even now, my memories haven¡¯t returned. What¡¯s taking them so long? I need to know who Ilirianna was! Do memories not return when the erased realm falls or am I missing something? Did I miscalculate somewhere? Did Album do something to prevent memories from coming back? Is she still in my way, even in death?


    ¡°Please¡­ I did it..for you¡­Kumo¡­¡±


    She did it for me, huh? But what is it she thinks I gained from losing Ilirianna? What secrets was she keeping in that realm of hers?


    ¡°So what¡¯s the plan now?¡± Iris inquired softly. ¡°Are you gonna run or are you staying here?¡±


    Ryokumo apathetically shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Mackia. I was certain that there wouldn¡¯t be a way to cover my tracks, but you solved that problem, so I never really thought this far. Perhaps I¡¯ll go into hiding or perhaps I¡¯ll stay here and sabotage the hunt for the Children until they finally catch me. Either way, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sorry about what happened,¡± she said. ¡°I can tell¡­this wasn¡¯t easy for you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, well¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t say anything further as the lift arrived on their desired floor. The two Masters stepped off, intending to head to Ryokumo¡¯s quarters to wait out the hunt in the city, but they had only turned one corner before they came to an abrupt stop. There were nearly twenty guards stationed all around the corridor, their weapons drawn though not directed their way. Instead, they seemed to be waiting for something, and when Ryokumo turned to look, he saw a single door wide open and an emerald-haired man standing before it. Recognizing the room, the Master of Wind already knew what the prince must be staring at.


    ¡°My Prince?¡± Ryokumo called out, forcing a tone of ignorance into his voice. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Reigious didn¡¯t look his way, his eyes glued to the sight that waited just beyond that doorway. As Ryokumo and Iris got closer, the man finally shifted ever so slightly to look at them, and his expression was grim.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ryokumo,¡± he whispered, his voice shaking. ¡°We let our guard down. I¡¯m¡­so sorry¡­¡±


    The Master of Wind stopped just beside Reigious and gazed into the quarters only to see the sight he had expected but still wasn¡¯t prepared for. The dead bodies of Nigreos and Album were both lying on the carpet, only a few feet from each other, and while there were no obvious wounds on their bodies, they weren¡¯t breathing. The fatal wounds both suffered had been in the erased realm, so their souls never returned when their bodies reformed in the real world.


    But they were dead, there was no doubt about that.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± Reigious uttered once more. ¡°Reiner must have¡­been in the Citadel somehow. We¡¯re searching for him as we speak, but¡­we never expected this.¡±


    ¡°But how¡­?¡± Iris inquired softly. ¡°How could a boy like him have ever killed them both?¡±


    The prince¡¯s jaw tightened in anger. ¡°There was an alert informing me that somebody entered the Vault. We do not know who it was, but the Assassination Stone is missing¡­so it must have been him¡­and it must have been used. He was right under our noses the whole time¡­and I just couldn¡¯t see it. How blind was I?¡±


    Ryokumo said nothing as he silently stared at the bodies of his old friends, listening as Reigious spoke of the theft without even realizing he was standing by the thief. This was perfect. Reigious would assume that Eric stole the stone and fled with the Children. They would be under the impression that he would never have been able to return to Omaruo, so they wouldn¡¯t ever look there.


    He was safe and Nigreos and Album were dead.


    ¡°Unfortunately, this forces our hands. We can no longer allow him to live,¡± Reigious went on. ¡°I¡¯m going to send word down into the city to kill Eric Reiner at all costs. I don¡¯t care what the others think, I¡¯m sending you both down to help. Is that understood?¡±


    Still not averting his gaze, Ryokumo spoke firmly and emotionlessly.


    ¡°Yes, My Prince. Understood.¡±

 Chapter 48- The Fall Of The Erased Realm

    Chapter XLVIII


    ¡°So that was him, huh? Abigail¡¯s son?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it must have been. After all, I¡¯m absolutely certain that it wasn¡¯t Album, and Lilly seemed to believe him when he called out to her, so I guess there was more going on in Ijiria than we expected. Who would have guessed that Eric Reiner would make a move as bold as that one.¡±


    ¡°It was so bold, in fact, that I highly doubt he could have done it alone. Even if he was welcomed into the Citadel with open arms, there isn¡¯t a chance in hell that he ever would have been allowed to get to the Vault. In the first place, he¡¯d have to have been a guide, and who in their right mind would have given him guideship?¡±


    ¡°Well, the only one who would have ever done such a thing would be Liri . She would have certainly been an ally to the boy once he arrived in Ijiria, and I wouldn¡¯t put it past her and Kumo to protect him, especially considering what Nigreos and Album became. In the end, I could see Liri and Kumo really wanting to stop them.¡±


    ¡°It truly is a tragedy. I had hoped that the line of Noctis monsters would have come to an end with Nigreos. Though, in a way, I guess it did, just not how I imagined it would.¡±


    ¡°How do you feel, knowing he¡¯s dead now?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel a thing. I¡¯ve long since severed myself from him and become my own entity. I imagine the same applies to you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course, but then again, I¡¯m not the one who killed Album. I was merely an observer, watching as the body of Album crumbled before me. I never even got to see the horrible woman she became and for that, I¡¯m lucky. I much prefer ignorance.¡±


    ¡°Of course you would. Very well, I suppose there¡¯s no reason to think about it anymore. With Nigreos and Album dead, we simply need to rely on Abi¡¯s boy to handle things on that end. And after what we¡¯ve witnessed today, I have faith in him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, as do I.¡±


    ***


    Lilly¡¯s eyes slowly flickered open as the voices in her head quieted down, as if realizing she was now awake and could hear what they were talking about. She only caught the back end of their conversation as she slowly arrived in consciousness, but she hadn¡¯t been awake enough to fully process what they were saying, and when they didn¡¯t say anything further, she decided it wasn¡¯t worth considering. If The Angel didn¡¯t want to tell her something, then it wouldn¡¯t. Her head was pounding and as she glanced around the room she was in, everything was blurry. She figured it probably had to do with the headache, so she pushed herself to a sitting position and placed her hands on her temples.


    Where am I? What happened?


    ¡°The erased realm fell, Harper. Your little club won.¡±


    It took her a moment to fully process what the Voice of Darkness said, but when it did, she immediately pushed past the pain in her head and jumped to her feet, desperate to take in her surroundings. She had to make sure she wasn¡¯t back in that room in Ijiria because if she was, then the fighting was far from over. However, for the first time in a very long time, magic went in her favor, and as she scanned the room, she found herself in Eric¡¯s bedroom back in Wilham. It didn¡¯t look as if it had been used in a long time and was lit by a single lamp in the back of the room. The bed was perfectly made and there was a thin layer of dust on the desk and the various other surfaces. Yet, even knowing what those implications could mean, she still found a powerful wave of relief flooding through her.


    I¡¯m back. This place isn¡¯t fake, it¡¯s¡­real. It¡¯s actually Wilham. It¡¯s not made of magic or memories or any other bullshit!


    She gently put her hands over her mouth and smiled, feeling tears already welling up in her eyes. They actually did it. Against all odds, they broke down the erased realm and escaped the inescapable prison. And¡­


    Angel¡­ Things got kinda dark in the end and I don¡¯t remember it all. What happened to Nigreos? Did he survive?


    ¡°No, he didn¡¯t. Scott¡¯s trick actually worked. The two of you were able to strike him with the bullet and, with his magic depleted, Eric kept him distracted long enough for us to deal the final blow. We killed him, Harper. Nigreos Noctis can never hurt you again.¡±


    Ah¡­so it was us¡­


    There was a slight churn in her stomach knowing that she had taken a life with her own hands, but she was able to force it back down as she reminded herself of the many lives that would have been lost had the Master of Darkness lived any longer. The blood on her hands was a small price to pay to save everybody else.


    She thought back to those final moments after she destroyed the mana port. As Eric and Nigreos continued their fight, she knew she needed to do something, but her strength had reached its limit and Nigreos was too focused on defense for them to get a clean shot in with the guns. But in the end, Scott had figured out a plan.


    ¡°Harper! Is there anything you can do that might help us break past him!¡± he had said. ¡°If we can just get one bullet in, we can turn this around! Could you maybe speed the bullet up somehow?¡±


    The Angel had known a spell, and when Rista came to their aid and they got an opening, Lilly infused the bullet Scott shot with light magic, increasing its speed so that it could strike Nigreos before he even realized he was being attacked.


    And in the end, that had been what inevitably beat him. With his magic weakened, there was nothing he could do against Eric and The Angel. And now he¡¯s dead.


    She lowered her eyes to stare at her left arm, which was once again made of flesh and blood rather than the black magic that had recreated it back there. Her body might have reverted back to its original state but the pain remained in her memories, and she couldn¡¯t help but wince at the thought of it blowing off again. The erased realm had given her something to fall back on when she used The Angel¡¯s power, but that wouldn¡¯t apply to the real world. If she was ever forced to use it again, the damage would be permanent.


    So let¡¯s hope I never have to fight again. Abigail was right. This thing is far too dangerous to be used multiple times. Hell, I only unleashed it twice and I was minutes away from death. Those wounds cannot be healed, so it¡¯s best that The Angel stay locked away for good.


    ¡°As much as I hate to agree with you, you aren¡¯t wrong,¡± the Voice of Darkness said. ¡°It seems your magicless body is even less compatible with our power. However, Harper, should there ever come a time when you need us, we will be here. Our contract makes you our host until the day you die, so until then, we will be at your disposal.¡±


    Lilly smiled bitterly, finding both comfort and concern at the thought of having The Angel within her for the rest of her life. Well, thanks, I suppose. And I guess I might have to use you again if Album comes after us, but¡ª


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about her. Eric has killed her, so Album will not be a problem ever again. The only fear I have is that other Masters might come to finish what they started, but something tells me that they¡¯ll be too busy in Ijiria to care about a few magicless individuals.¡±


    Lilly just listened with her mouth slightly open, baffled. Album¡¯s¡­dead, too? But how? I don¡¯t¡­?


    ¡°We¡¯ll explain it another time, but let¡¯s just say your little gemstone came in handy for Eric.¡±


    Even with that vague response, Lilly quickly understood what the voice was implying. The Assassination Stone, huh? So that¡¯s what it did¡­


    ¡°Anyway, I imagine you have to make some calls, yes? The others should have woken up by now!¡±


    At the prompting of Light, Lilly went to reach for her pocket where her phone should be before stopping and frowning. She still didn¡¯t have a single clue what the world would be like in the aftermath of her return, but she did remember that when she was erased, her phone wasn¡¯t on her. Nigreos and Album had attacked the apartment so suddenly and so, she hadn¡¯t had time to grab it first. If she reformed in the real world the same way she left it then she shouldn¡¯t have had it with her. Yet, just one look at herself told her that she hadn¡¯t returned the way she left it. Her clothes were perfectly normal, without a single tear on them, and her body wasn¡¯t covered in the wounds from battle. In addition, she could feel the weight of her phone in her pocket.


    What the hell¡­?


    She reached in and grabbed it, trying to wrap her head around what might have happened, before deciding that she could deal with it later. Her first priority would be to call the others. Knowing that Damien and Liz had been with Natalie the night they were erased, her first instinct was to give them a call and make sure the little girl was safe. After waiting quietly for Liz to pick up, she let out a breath of relief when the ringing stopped and the frantic greeting of her friend came through.


    ¡°Lilly! Thank god, you¡¯re okay. This means you¡¯re in Wilham, right?¡±


    Lilly smiled, grateful to hear the girl¡¯s voice. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m in Wilham. I¡¯m actually in Eric¡¯s room right now, though it doesn¡¯t sound like anybody¡¯s home. What about you guys? Are Damien and Natalie with you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, they are,¡± Liz confirmed, once again easing Lilly¡¯s nerves. ¡°And they¡¯re both fine. We¡¯re on the first floor of your apartment so if you want to come meet us, we can wait for you. Though, we¡¯re still not sure how our reappearance is gonna affect everything. Oh, and also,¡± she added, as if remembering something important. ¡°Damien¡¯s already calling Vinny. Apparently, he¡¯s at Ralph¡¯s Diner right now, and while he¡¯s a little disoriented, he says he¡¯s okay.¡±


    Lilly frowned and pulled her phone from her ear to quickly check the time. It was apparently seven-thirty in the evening on the same day it had been back in the erased realm.


    So Omaruo and the realm were running at the same time. Interesting¡­


    ¡°Wait, so if Vinny¡¯s at the diner, then did the customers see him reappear or¡­?¡±


    At Lilly¡¯s question, Liz paused and sounded like she was talking to Damien. After another moment, her voice became clearer and she replied, ¡°Vinny says it didn¡¯t seem like anybody noticed anything odd. In fact, a server came up to him and delivered him food that he doesn''t remember ordering.¡±


    ¡°So¡­he just popped back into existence and nobody batted an eye?¡± she inquired.


    ¡°I guess so, though it¡¯s not too surprising if you think about it. I mean, we were erased from the world without anybody noticing so that must mean we can come back the same way.¡±


    Taking in Liz¡¯s hypothesis about their return, Lilly realized that there could be some merit to that. Every time Album erased somebody, Wilham was altered to make it so that each victim never existed in the first place. If erased magic could create a world where somebody didn¡¯t exist then maybe it could create one where they always had. Maybe the magic would fill in the gaps for the time they were gone and they would just be able to go back to their lives like nothing happened. Though, to Lilly, that almost seemed too convenient considering the hell magic had already put them through.


    ¡°Alright, I guess I¡¯ll meet you guys back at the apartment. Wait for me there and I¡¯ll try to get a hold of the others,¡± Lilly told her friend, then after a quick goodbye, she hung up.


    From the sound of it, we¡¯re all returning to the places where Album infused us with magic. That means that Brad, Evan, and Jay are probably in the woods right now and Alice would be on my balcony. However¡­


    Lilly paused and tightened her lips in thought. When they were erased, Alice and Jay were missing and the town feared they were dead. How would their return factor into the circumstances that preceded their disappearance?


    Damn it, I guess there¡¯s not really anything we can do at this point. Whatever happens will happen so I just need to make sure everybody¡¯s okay.


    With one last glance around the bedroom, her thoughts briefly shifting to Eric, Lilly turned and exited the room. But after only taking a few steps into the darkened hall, she stopped and felt her instincts go on alert at the sound of a key turning in front door just up ahead, and moments after, she heard it push open. Her first thought was that somebody was coming for her, but after reminding herself not to be too paranoid, she realized that if a key had been used then there was only one person  it could be.


    ¡°Scott?¡± she called out softly as she rounded the corner and came to the front door.


    The man standing there stopped in surprise, but his suspicious glare quickly relaxed as he realized who she was. Scott Reiner chuckled to himself and closed the door behind him, his clothes also different from what she would have expected. He wore a suit and tie, as well as some nice shoes, making her wonder if he had been coming home from work. Or at the very least, that was the scenario their return had created for him.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing in here, Harper?¡± he asked with a wry look. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you got erased in my damn house?¡±


    Lilly shrugged as she grinned at the man, happy to know that he had made it back safely as well. ¡°Well, it was the last place Eric and I could go after my apartment was attacked. Not like it did us much good though, but regardless, I¡¯m just happy I reformed here and not in Ijiria. Where the hell were you?¡±


    Scott snorted. ¡°I was in the middle of the damn street.¡±


    ¡°Why? I¡¯m assuming you remember it all now, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I do,¡± he grunted. ¡°I remember it all. After Davens was killed, Eric told me everything, and I knew that it was hopeless. My serum wasn¡¯t done yet and so, I had no way to protect my son. I figured we were all doomed to be erased, so I bet everything on the chance that we might be able to escape from inside. I went after Nigreos myself and got erased. I¡¯m not sure what I was hoping for, but it seems you were the one who saved everything.¡±


    She regarded him with an exasperated expression, realizing just how much this man had been willing to go through. ¡°You got erased on purpose? Jeez, you really are lucky I was there or else you¡¯d have been stuck there forever.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I really am,¡± he muttered. ¡°I owe you one, Harper. Eric found himself a real nice girl.¡±


    She felt her cheeks turning a soft red, and she could tell that he meant what he said. Scott no longer had that angry and bitter look that she had always seen on him. Instead, it was as if he had found peace¡ªlike his mission had finally ended.


    ¡°I got him,¡± Scott went on with a distant smile. ¡°I may not have killed him, and I might not have been able to fight him, but my bullet struck home. My serum¡­played a role in killing Nigreos Noctis, and I will forever be grateful for that. It¡¯s finally over¡­ After all this time¡­ I just hope¡­I¡¯ll get to see my boy again. I want to make it all up to him, if he''ll let me.¡±


    Lilly laughed softly. ¡°You¡¯ll see him again. Eric¡¯s always been able to pull off miracles. One way or another, he¡¯ll come home, and if the two of you just talk to each other, I think you¡¯ll be able to start repairing your relationship. And don¡¯t worry, if he doesn¡¯t want to hear you out for whatever reason, I¡¯ll talk to him myself.¡±


    She gave him an assuring thumbs-up and the man just chuckled. ¡°I appreciate that, Harper. But anyway, we can talk another time. You seem like you have somewhere you need to be. So get going. Go check on everybody.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Take care, Scott. And thank you, too.¡±


    With one last smile, she rushed past him and out into the night air of the neighborhood before making a sharp turn and breaking into a sprint in the direction of her apartment building. All at once, she took in the quiet town around her, having never thought she would be so happy to see it. It was real this time. She was no longer looking at a copy, but the real place, and even though it didn¡¯t look any different from the erased realm, she could feel how real it was. The smells of the night and the cool summer air had a different tone that the realm just couldn¡¯t replicate, and it was such a surreal feeling.


    I really am home¡­


    As she ran, she was already considering who to call when she realized that she didn¡¯t have Evan¡¯s number and she couldn¡¯t be sure if Jay even had a phone, so she instead decided to call Brad, hoping that he had found the other two.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°Lilly?!¡± the boy exclaimed barely two seconds after she had called him. ¡°Are you okay?! What happened on your end?!¡±


    The concern in his voice was comforting and she knew she needed to quickly calm him down. ¡°Everything¡¯s okay, Brad. We did it. Yeah, there was a problem on our side, but we handled it. Everybody¡¯s okay, as far as I know.¡±


    ¡°But what happened?¡± he pressed. ¡°Rista said you guys should have beaten your port first, so when ours went down and you still hadn¡¯t finished, he went off to find you.¡±


    Rounding another corner, Lilly considered the question, knowing that it wasn¡¯t something she could explain in a quick answer. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a longer explanation another time, but let¡¯s just say that Nigreos showed up right as we got to the beach.¡±


    ¡°What?! But then¡ª¡±


    ¡°And we killed him,¡± she interrupted firmly. ¡°Yes, it was unexpected, but in the end, it worked out. Nigreos and Album are both dead, so we don¡¯t need to worry about them again.¡±


    ¡°Nigreos¡­and Album,¡± he parroted, clearly struggling to take in the sudden news she was presenting him.


    ¡°Now, I promise to tell you everything the first chance I get, but I need you to go find Evan and Jay and make sure they¡¯re okay,¡± she said. ¡°They should have both reappeared back at the cabin where the mana port was. I¡¯ve already made sure the club and Natalie are okay, so I need to check on them now.¡±


    ¡°R-right¡­¡± Lilly could hear the emotion and confusion in his voice, but he must have known how important it was to check on everybody because he didn¡¯t press her any further. ¡°Okay, yeah, fine. But when we get everybody together, you clearly have a lot of explaining to do. And what about Mendez and Rista? Where are they reappearing?¡±


    ¡°Alice should be at my apartment,¡± she answered. ¡°And Rista¡­¡±


    Just as she was about to continue, it suddenly struck Lilly what that answer was, and she came to a stop in the middle of the sidewalk. She hadn¡¯t really given it a lot of thought before then, but now that it had happened, she realized just what it meant.


    ¡°Rista¡¯s¡­back in Ijiria,¡± Lilly responded softly. ¡°We¡¯re not going to find him here.¡±


    ¡°O-oh¡­ Okay then. Well, I¡¯m glad he was able to get home then. Maybe he¡¯ll be able to find his family.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I hope so¡­¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go find Brooks and Evan. Good luck, Lilly! Bye!¡±


    As Brad hung up the phone, Lilly just stood there in silence and slowly lowered it from her ear. She was happy that Rista wasn¡¯t going to be stuck in Omaruo, but at the same time¡­


    I never got to say goodbye¡­


    ***


    Lilly arrived in the lobby of her apartment barely ten minutes later and when she did, she stopped and hurriedly scanned the room. Aside from Mr. Esteban at the front desk, the only other people there were sitting on the couches on the left side of the room. The moment she entered, Damien and Liz glanced back at her and jumped to their feet, immediately followed by Natalie.


    ¡°Lilly!¡± her clubmates exclaimed, pure relief in their eyes as the three of them looked at each other. She wanted to rush over and embrace them both, but first, she crossed the room, knelt down beside the little girl, and threw her arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug.


    ¡°Told you I¡¯d see you again,¡± she whispered with a grin.


    Natalie¡¯s body was shaking and she could hear soft sobs as the girl clutched her back tightly, as if fearing she was going to disappear.


    ¡°Lilly¡­ Thank you for coming home. I love you¡­¡±


    ¡°I love you, too, Nat¡¯.¡±


    They just hugged in silence for a few moments, allowing Natalie to cry while Lilly gently ran her fingers through her hair and assured her that she was safe. And as much as she wanted to be with Damien and Liz, she knew that they could spend time together after everything was resolved.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got everything handled here,¡± she told them. ¡°I¡¯ll take Natalie back to Renee and I¡¯ll check on Alice, so if you could go find Vinny, that¡¯d be great. Call me once you do.¡±


    ¡°Okay, gotcha,¡± Damien said without protest, and after both of them gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder, they rushed from the apartment and turned in the direction of Main Street.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s take you back to your Mom before she gets worried, if she isn¡¯t already,¡± she said to Natalie. ¡°I¡¯ll come see you in the morning, if I can. You good with that?¡±


    The girl nodded without breaking the hug. ¡°Okay. I do want to see my real mom. And I want everybody to be okay.¡±


    Once again assuring her that it would be alright, Lilly took Natalie¡¯s hand and led her to the elevator, then pushed the button that would take them to the Hills¡¯ floor. From what Vinny said about the diner, she was starting to wonder if the world really had screwed with everybody¡¯s memories to make it so that they never disappeared, but that was still only their hope. She would truly find out when she arrived at Renee¡¯s. If the woman reacted as if Natalie had been gone for months then she and the others would have a far more difficult time returning to their lives. But if she greeted Natalie as if she¡¯d seen her earlier that day, then they might not have to do anything. These thoughts caused her heart to beat faster and faster, and by the time they reached Natalie¡¯s apartment door and knocked, Lilly felt herself getting sick with anticipation. She heard the lock turning, followed by the opening of the door, and there stood the real Renee Hill.


    ¡°Ah, welcome back, girls,¡± she greeted cheerfully. ¡°How was your walk?¡±


    Renee¡¯s smile was warm as she looked between them, and as all the tension left Lilly¡¯s body, she found herself on the verge of falling down. Luckily, Natalie was quick to salvage the situation.


    ¡°It was really nice! I love walking around in summer. Everything smells so good!¡±


    Renee laughed. ¡°Well that¡¯s good. But now you¡¯ve got to come in and eat your dinner. Make sure you thank Lilly first.¡±


    Natalie nodded firmly and directed her head toward Lilly. ¡°Thank you, Lilly!¡±


    She said it with the enthusiasm she normally had, but there was a meaning behind those words that Renee hadn¡¯t picked up on. The emotion Natalie was hiding so as to not worry her mother was clear and Lilly knew she had to pull herself together.


    ¡°Of course, Nat¡¯. Any time.¡±


    She patted the girl on the head and said goodbye as Natalie walked into the apartment and disappeared. Lilly and Renee both wished each other good night before the woman closed the door and left Lilly standing alone out in the hallway. She took a handful of deep breaths then turned and headed back to the elevator.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s certainly interesting. So that¡¯s how this all works? Though, I suppose Tao had a point. If it can alter the world to get rid of you, it can alter it to put you back. Congratulations, Harper. It seems your work here is done.¡±


    Yeah¡­it seems so¡­


    Continuing to calm her beating heart, Lilly rode the elevator up to her own floor, ready to see her real family again for the first time since April. When it reached her floor, she picked up her pace and was almost running until she got to her apartment. Unfortunately, the erased realm didn¡¯t put her back with her keys, so she had to knock. But this time, there was no fear or apprehension. She was just excited to see her mother and father.


    ¡°Lilly? Did you forget your keys or something?¡±


    When the door opened, her dad was standing there, grinning with exasperation. It was actually him. For so long, her focus had been only on saving everybody and getting out of the erased realm, but now that she had finally done so, she realized just how many emotions she had been suppressing the entire time. She had missed her family more than she allowed herself to know, so seeing her father there, smiling like he always did, was enough for her to finally drop the walls on her emotions.


    Lilly rushed forward and threw her arms around him, already crying as she put her head against his chest.


    ¡°Dad,¡± she sobbed. ¡°I missed you so much. God, I missed you.¡±


    ¡°Woah, Lilly? What¡¯s the matter, Sweetheart? What happened? You just saw me earlier!¡±


    She could tell he was confused but she no longer had the strength to explain anything. All she wanted to do was hug him and cry. She had blocked her emotions off for so long, and now that it was over, she just wanted to revert to a child and be comforted by her parents.


    ¡°David, what¡¯s going on?¡± came the sound of her mother¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Um, I don¡¯t know. She just started crying. I swear I didn¡¯t do anything!¡±


    Immediately, Lilly released one hand from her dad and wrapped it around her mom, pulling them both close. She knew she was being selfish by worrying them like that, but she couldn¡¯t help it. And despite their confusion, they must have understood that all she needed was affection because they didn¡¯t question her any further, instead just hugging her back and being there for her. Though, her father did add one thing.


    ¡°Your friend¡¯s visiting, by the way,¡± he said awkwardly, as if wanting to let her know but not knowing how to say it.


    For a moment, she opened her eyes and looked over their shoulders to where Alice was sitting quietly by the sliding glass door, which, she noted, was completely different from what she remembered, implying that they must have fixed the damage the Ijirians caused sometime during their erasure. Alice was once again in her wheelchair, but she was smiling and when the two girls looked at each other, Alice just nodded.


    As much as Lilly wanted the moment to last longer, when she felt her phone vibrating in her pocket, she knew she had to pick it up since it was probably from Brad or Liz.


    ¡°Sorry, give me a second,¡± she said softly to her parents. ¡°And sorry for breaking down so suddenly. I don¡¯t know what that was about.¡±


    ¡°Well, Sweetie,¡± her mother replied. ¡°Are you sure nothing happened? Are you stressed about something or¡­?¡±


    Lilly just stared down at the screen of her phone as it continued to buzz, and a broad smile formed on her lips as she read the name of the caller.


    ¡°No¡­I actually couldn¡¯t be happier.¡±


    Lilly answered the call and put it to her ear and was immediately greeted with a panicked voice.


    ¡°Lilly?! Oh my god, are you okay?! What happened?! Are you safe?! I was just sitting in my dorm room when I got to thinking about home, and then I suddenly thought about you and realized that I had forgotten you and I didn¡¯t know what happened and I was terrified that you were dead or that the magic people had gotten you and I didn¡¯t know what to do and I think I¡¯ve worried my roommate but I just had to call you and make sure everything was okay!¡±


    The rambling of her older sister caused more emotion to break through, and even though there was so much she wanted to say, Lilly knew she had to reassure her first.


    ¡°Alexa¡­we¡¯re home. We won.¡±


    ***


    Eric soured across the rooftops of Wilham, his destination the place he knew Lilly would have reappeared. After saying goodbye to the Children of Reiner and going through the portal, he had once again found himself on the beach where they first found the stone, though this time, it was the real one. There was so much he needed to do and so many people to see, but after Ryokumo assured him that Lilly wasn¡¯t in the portal room, he knew he had to make sure she was alive first. She had been in such terrible condition when he left the erased realm and so, it was crucial that he get to her soon and heal her if she needed it. Album had gotten her while they were still at his house, so if she reappeared anywhere, it would be there. As he ran, he took in the sights of his hometown around him, knowing that once he had calmed his nerves, he would be able to truly process the feeling of home. Wilham was just as he left it, or at least on the surface.


    But I¡¯ll enjoy it all later. First¡­


    Using magic to slow his descent, Eric landed on the driveway of his home and rushed toward the front door. He didn¡¯t know what he would find there after having been gone for so long. His father had been erased and Eric had vanished. The people of the town wouldn¡¯t have forgotten him, so it was possible that the house was taken and sold to somebody else. Yet that didn¡¯t change the fact that Lilly would be inside, so to him, he would deal with whatever he was faced with. Casting a brief spell to unlock the door, he swung it open and hurried inside.


    ¡°Lilly?!¡± he exclaimed, finding the hallway dark and the house silent. It didn¡¯t sound like anybody was home, but that didn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯t still in the bedroom. ¡°Lilly, are you here?! Are you¡ª?!¡±


    He was frantically calling out to her as he rushed inside, but when he passed by the open door to the family room, he stopped and did a double take, having spotted a figure in the corner of his vision. For a moment, he just stared at the man in shock as he slowly rose from the tattered armchair, his expression just as stunned.


    ¡°D-dad?¡± Eric stuttered. ¡°You¡¯re¡­here?¡±


    His father¡¯s mouth opened to speak, but he appeared so thrown off by his sudden arrival, as well as by the Ijirian-style clothing he was still dressed in, that he must not have known what to say. ¡°Er, Eric¡­ You¡¯re home already? Uh, Harper already left. She was here but she went to check on the others.¡±


    ¡°She was here? And was she okay? I mean, how injured was she?!¡± he quickly asked.


    Scott shook his head. ¡°Oh, she was okay. It seems that whatever happened to her in the erased realm was undone by her reappearance. She¡¯s alive and healthy, Eric. You don¡¯t have to worry about her. Though, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be thrilled to see you. She was so worried¡­¡±


    Eric let out a sigh of relief at the knowledge that Lilly was okay. He placed his hand against his heart, feeling it pounding so hard that he wondered if his dad could hear it. His immediate instinct was to go find her, but as he took in the sight of his father before him, he realized that he couldn¡¯t just ignore the man and go running after his friends. After all, his dad had been there in the erased realm with the club, and he had been the one to fire that shot into Nigreos that had disrupted his mana. If Lilly and the others were safe then perhaps this was a chance to actually speak with the man he had always ignored.


    ¡°I saw you¡ªback in the erased realm, I mean,¡± he said softly. ¡°I¡¯m sure the others will tell me all about it but¡­what was going on? I never thought I¡¯d see you with them, and especially not under those circumstances.¡±


    The older man seemed taken aback by the sudden question before his expression turned somber once more. ¡°Well, it is a long story and you¡¯re right, Harper and the others will explain it, probably better than I could. I didn¡¯t even get my memories back until I woke up back here.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t?¡± Eric murmured. ¡°But then¡­why? Why did you help them? Why were you even in the erased realm to begin with? Back before I left, you didn¡¯t seem as if you cared about what Nigreos and Album were doing. So what changed?¡±


    ¡°What changed?¡± Scott almost seemed to whisper that more to himself than as a response to his son. ¡°Nothing changed. In fact, if that¡¯s the impression you had of me then it just proves to me how terrible of a father I was. No, Eric, I cared more than anything. I wanted to kill Noctis so badly¡­but I never had the power.¡±


    The boy frowned as he regarded his father, hearing the first genuine emotion in his voice since before his mother left. Scott¡¯s eyes flickered down to the ground as if determining what to say and what to keep to himself.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he finally said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for everything, Eric.¡±


    ¡°Sorry? What do you¡ª?¡±


    ¡°I let my hatred toward Ijiria and my need for revenge get in the way of everything,¡± he went on, talking over his son. ¡°I was so obsessed with perfecting my serum¡ªwith being ready to fight and kill Noctis if he ever came after you¡­that I forgot that my primary job was to be your father. I wanted to keep you safe, and the further I spiraled into misery, the more I pushed you away, and in the end, it didn¡¯t even matter. Noctis came and I was unprepared¡­and if not for Harper, I would have forgotten you ever existed for the rest of my life¡ªforever condemned to that world. I failed you, Son, and for that, I am sorry.¡±


    Eric couldn¡¯t bring himself to interrupt as his father spoke, and in the dim lighting of the sitting room, he could just barely make out tears in the man¡¯s eyes. He didn¡¯t know what to say, having not expected to be face-to-face with his dad so soon after coming home, and he certainly never thought he¡¯d hear such a confession from him. Even during his time in Ijiria, his thoughts were always focussed on saving the club, as well as the others who touched the relic. He rarely gave his father a second thought, yet there he was, realizing just how poorly he¡¯d understood the man. For the first time in what felt like forever, he found himself actually looking at Scott Reiner. He¡¯d averted his eyes for so long and he hadn¡¯t even realized he was doing it.


    And my sense¡­ He¡¯s not a bad person¡­I knew that, but¡­


    To Eric, after trying so hard when he was small to get his father¡¯s attention and failing so miserably, he had simply given up. Why should he keep trying to spend time with him when his father was so caught up in other things? Clearly his son wasn¡¯t a priority so finally, Eric decided it wasn¡¯t worth it. With his mother gone and his father so distant, he had turned to the Magic Club as a source of companionship and family. Using his sense, he had found others in the school who were just as lonely as he was, and reached out to them, creating a place to belong when his home couldn¡¯t serve that function. And thus, he stopped thinking about his father. His family was the club, and so he and Scott Reiner simply coexisted in the same house, rarely speaking and living lives that didn¡¯t and shouldn¡¯t intersect.


    I pushed him from my mind, and even when I learned that Album had erased him, too, I couldn¡¯t prioritize him. Freeing him would just be a side effect of freeing the others. But¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, too,¡± Eric whispered finally. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that it all turned out this way. I¡¯m sorry that I couldn¡¯t have tried harder to understand just what you were going through.¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± his dad quickly protested. ¡°You tried hard enough, Eric. You don¡¯t have anything to apologize for.¡±


    The boy shrugged. ¡°Despite that, I am sorry. But it¡¯s over now. The erased realm is gone, Nigreos and Album are dead, and some friends of mine back in Ijiria will ensure that nobody ever realizes I came back here. We can finally be free from them¡­so¡­¡±


    Eric took a step into the room and raised his hand, feeling so many conflicting emotions welling up inside of him. Yet even so, he knew that this was the right thing to do, and it was what, deep down, he wanted to do.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start over,¡± he suggested. ¡°I want to know my father. So if you¡¯ll have me¡­¡±


    The man just stood wide-eyed as he gazed at the outstretched hand before weakly shaking his head. ¡°N-no, Eric¡­I don¡¯t deserve that.¡±


    ¡°I think you do,¡± Eric replied firmly. ¡°And even if you didn¡¯t, it¡¯s still what I want. I want to live a happy life from here out. I don¡¯t want any more suffering. I don¡¯t want people to get hurt. That was always how I felt, but it¡¯s an even stronger belief after all of this. So I don¡¯t want to continue on the way we have. I want us both to be better. For Mom¡¯s sake, if anything.¡±


    ¡°For Abi¡­huh?¡±


    Eric could see conflict in his father as well, but the man still moved forward and grasped his hand, holding it tightly. He couldn¡¯t recall the last time he properly touched his dad, but it felt good to know that he could start over in Wilham once again. He wasn¡¯t erased so returning to his old life wouldn¡¯t be simple, but with his father on his side, it would make the process that much easier.


    ¡°By the way, Son,¡± Scott began softly. ¡°I wanted to ask before you go running off after the others, but did you happen to run into that young man who was in the erased realm with us? Rista Pine? Did you see him before you came back?¡±


    Eric frowned, thinking back to his few memories of the magic user that came to their rescue on the beach. ¡°N-no, I didn¡¯t see him. Why? Did he reappear back in Ijiria?¡±


    ¡°It would seem so.¡± Scott sighed and nodded. ¡°That¡¯s too bad¡­ I had something for him.¡±


    ***


    Damn it. I suppose this means I won¡¯t be getting any of that serum, huh? Rista thought bitterly as he walked down one of the dark alleys of the Ijirian slums. Though I guess I shouldn¡¯t complain. If I had reappeared in Omaruo, then it would have been nearly impossible to get here unless another realm dagger appeared on that beach. He sighed. And this also means Harper returned to Omaruo, where she belongs. That¡¯s at least comforting.


    Rista pulled the cowl of his cloak lower over his head, not wanting to be recognized by anybody in the city. When he woke up after the fall of the erased realm, he had been on that same neighborhood street where he fought Nigreos all those months ago, dressed not in Omaruan clothes but in his cloak and tunic that he wore the night of their Citadel raid. In addition, he had his sword still at his hip, ready to be drawn should the need arise.


    And that doesn¡¯t seem too unlikely, he thought. What the hell¡¯s been going on down here?


    The number of guards that had been in the Night Market was far larger than normal and there was the smell of smoke in the air, indicating that there had been conflict nearby. It only made him wonder just what chaos Eric Reiner had created in his plot to kill Nigreos and Album.


    It¡¯s too bad I couldn¡¯t have had a conversation with him. Clearly, there¡¯s more going on here than we realized. I mean, hell, he stole back the Assassination Stone and used it against the Masters. There¡¯s no way that was easy, yet he did it.


    Rista chuckled to himself, impressed at the feat that his mother¡¯s genetic son had pulled off. Well anyway, I suppose I should get moving. If I want to find Malt, I¡¯m going to have to get out of this cursed city¡­one way or another.

 Chapter 49- She Who Was Forgotten

    Chapter XLIX


    As the covered wagon rumbled down the forest road, Arisa Kirisan lazily fiddled with the little orange gemstone in her palm, feeling the warmth of its mana and the smoothness of its surface. Outside the wagon, the sun had finally risen and she could hear birds chirping as they welcomed the arrival of the morning. To her, it felt as if the previous night had gone on for an eternity, and there were plenty of instances where she feared she might not live to see the sun again. In fact, when Nakoma and Sinna cornered them at their hideout, she was certain that at least some of them would die, yet that tragic result hadn¡¯t come to pass. As she glanced around the bed of the wagon, she smiled at the sight of her fellow Children. Ardan, Lyla, and Tylo were asleep next to one another, their heads resting on each other¡¯s shoulders. Malt was quietly muttering healing incantations, his words slightly slurred due to the teeth he had lost in battle. Irin was sitting beside Arisa, silently gazing at the relic as well, and Hannah was off beside the driver. The former apprentice had claimed to want to enjoy the sunlight, but Arisa knew she was keeping an eye on the man who helped them escape Erika in the first place.


    Nuvo Tannath sat beside Hannah, having spoken very little to them since their meeting, and it was clear to them all that Ryokumo had pressured him into helping them one way or the other. They at least knew he wasn¡¯t helping them out of the goodness of his heart, and that was enough for them to fear that he would betray them the first chance he got.


    And he¡¯s certainly a clever man. Despite his appearance, he¡¯s almost certainly one to be cautious around.


    Ryokumo had explained to them that he was a black market dealer disguised as an average shop owner. He bought and sold talismans that Ijiria had either banned or tried to regulate, and had worked under the table with Nigreos Noctis on numerous occasions. He had influence among the merchants of the market, and even had friends in high places. That was why the Master of Wind had believed he could help them escape, but even then, Arisa hadn¡¯t been prepared for the way he got them out.


    Unsurprisingly, the gates were all ordered to remain shut for the foreseeable future, so when Nuvo drove the wagon to the northern gate, the guards, and even Korrei-Tarr that had been stationed there, immediately ordered them to turn around.


    ¡°But Sir, it is crucial that I leave the city at once!¡± Nuvo had protested. ¡°I have a very important business transaction to make down in Carrolyn and if I do not arrive in a reasonable time, I will lose quite a lot of coin!¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, Master Merchant,¡± the head of the guard had growled back. ¡°The city is on lockdown until further notice, as ordered by Princess Anna-Piura. There will be no further discussion so please turn you cart around and depart at once.¡±


    ¡°But Sir¡­¡± Nuvo¡¯s voice had gone suddenly soft. ¡°You will do as I ask, won''t you?¡±


    At the time, Arisa had been certain that things would have to get violent once again, but suddenly, the man¡¯s mood changed. ¡°Yes, of course I will. I¡¯m sorry. Open the gates, now! Let the man through!¡±


    The surprise was obvious by the sudden silence that came over the gatehouse, followed immediately by words of vehement protest.


    ¡°But Captain, we can¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Have you gone insane? This was a direct order from the princess!¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t just let him through!¡±


    Yet, Nuvo met each one of their arguments with a calm response. ¡°I assure you all that I do not intend to smuggle anything vile out of this city. I merely seek to continue my business ventures. And I doubt the princess would bat an eye at the departure of a single individual, especially if nobody tells her I was here. You could always just keep this between us, couldn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I suppose he has a point.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we could allow one man through.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s just for business¡­¡±


    To Arisa¡¯s utter shock, the guards swiftly moved to open the gates and ushered them through, all without even checking what he might have been hiding in the bed of his wagon. She kept waiting for some form of pursuit from the city, but after nearly six hours on the road, there wasn¡¯t any sign of Erikan forces. At one point, Hannah had confronted Nuvo about what he did and how he got away with it all, but all he said in reply was,


    ¡°I like to consider myself a procurer of rare and powerful magical items, and most of the time, I enjoy the money that comes from selling them. However, on occasion, I find something that I deem too useful to sell, and so I keep it for times when it¡¯s necessary. That, Miss Lynn, is all you need to know.¡±


    She¡¯d pressed him further but the man refused to tell them anything else, and that alone increased Hannah¡¯s distrust in him. But for the moment, Arisa was content letting him keep his secrets, so long as they made sure it wasn¡¯t used on them. After all, it actually seemed as if they were going to get away safely, so clearly his powers had been useful. Though she knew she wouldn¡¯t feel safe until they finally passed over the Trovian border. Once they were in the north, the Ijirians would have a harder time pursuing them.


    And then¡­we can use the Assassination Stone to barter for our safety. And if we spread guideship among the capital, Ijiria should be even more hesitant to make any irrational moves. We really could live a peaceful life and never have to worry ever again. But¡­


    Arisa exhaled softly. She still wasn¡¯t sure what she wanted to do going forward. Malt had already expressed the same opinion he did back before they split up the first time: He wanted them to put the fighting behind them and just move on with their lives, but to Arisa, she just wasn¡¯t sure she could live peacefully with all of the memories of what Ijiria had done to them.


    Then again, Nigreos Noctis is dead. He¡¯s the one who killed Mom and my friends, so who would I really be fighting against? Even Seiras Ka is gone from this world. Do I really have an enemy at this point or am I just trying to fight against the whole damn country?


    Though, as she was thinking about the situation, she suddenly found herself picturing the faces of Nakoma Taurus and Sinna Cartus, the Masters who would have killed them had Eric, Ryokumo, and Iris not intervened. Specifically, she found herself recalling that giant phoenix of raw power that Nakoma had unleashed, and how close she had been to her death. She had never seen anything like it and probably never would, and it still sent shivers down her spine as she recalled the pain of those flames.


    Master Taurus, huh?


    Perhaps her path would cross with him again somebody, and she hoped that if it did, she would be strong enough to confront him and win. Though that would require a lot of training on her part, and until she had a better picture of what the future would be like, she wouldn¡¯t know if that was feasible.


    ¡°You know, I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re finally free,¡± Irin whispered at her side. ¡°After being stuck in those dungeons and all those weeks we spent in the city, part of me was starting to worry that we¡¯d never get away.¡±


    Arisa smiled warmly, taking her free hand and wrapping it around her little sister¡¯s. ¡°I know what you mean. We lost so much and I was terrified that we¡¯d lose more, but now, I actually think the worst is finally behind us. Despite it all, last night was the biggest victory we¡¯ve ever had.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t until she¡¯d spoken those words out loud that she realized the truth behind them. They may have failed to win against Nakoma and Sinna, but there weren¡¯t any casualties, Nigreos and Album were dead, and Eric had safely gotten back to Omaruo, even going as far as to leave them with a relic and a realm dagger.


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s true,¡± Irin replied. ¡°And I¡¯m happy. I¡¯m happy I didn¡¯t lose you guys.¡±


    ¡°I am, too¡­¡± Arisa laughed softly, feeling as if a gigantic weight had been lifted from her shoulders. ¡°I wish Eric could have come with us, but I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be happier with his own family. Though, I¡¯m sure he would have loved the little ones.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure he would have,¡± Irin agreed.


    They both went silent for a moment, and Arisa took that time to think about the little kids that had gone with Malt when he departed the Citadel. Naturally, the young ones couldn¡¯t have participated in the assault so Malt had taken them up to Trovia where they were apparently still in hiding with a few of the older Children that had opposed attacking the Citadel. She had a lot of fond memories of caring for her younger siblings and playing with them. She was so happy that they hadn¡¯t gotten caught up in the fighting and that Nakoma never found where they were hiding. While she didn¡¯t want to think that the Master of Fire would kill innocent children, she could only recall the torture he inflicted upon them back in the dungeons, and she wondered what limits that man might actually have.


    Well, regardless, they¡¯re safe and that¡¯s what matters.


    She smiled, turning her gaze back to the Assassination Stone as she gently closed her fingers around it. She knew what its power was and so, she was aware of just how much strength it could provide them. It certainly wasn¡¯t the most ideal relic they could have gotten, but it was leagues better than nothing.


    And it¡¯s prettier than I thought it would be. Just looking at it, you¡¯d never guess just how much power it holds inside its little form.


    She realized that she¡¯d never gotten a chance to look at it back in the Vault since it had been kept in its pouch. She¡¯d wanted to be the one to hold onto it but she was opposed by¡ª


    All at once, she was hit by a wave of dizziness and sat forward with a lurch, almost certainly startling Irin. Images were flashing through her mind, showing her moments that she held dear despite having completely forgotten them for so long. She saw the face of a man barely older than her, one that she had spent a considerable amount of time with. Instances from the many years they¡¯d known each other swirled around in her mind and she felt her body going cold.


    ¡°Arisa, what¡¯s wrong?¡± she heard Hannah call from somewhere in the distance, but she barely processed it as she jumped to her feet and rushed to stare through the opening in the wagon, back in the direction of Erika.


    ¡°Arisa?¡±


    This time, it was Malt speaking, and she realized she probably woke the others, yet she couldn¡¯t help it. As her mind began to clear and everything corrected itself within her thoughts, she could only let out a soft exhale as she spoke the name of her best friend and fellow Child¡ªthe man who had possession of the relic on that fateful night and who was almost certainly somewhere in Erika at that very moment.


    ¡°Rista.¡±


    ***


    A brief glance around the table in the Chamber of the Masters was more than enough to show just how shocked and confused they all were. The Citadel was supposed to be the most protected building in all of Ijiria, and the Masters were the most powerful magic users in the realm, yet for the second time in only a handful of months, they were breached. Seiras being murdered had been a real blow, but he¡¯d been killed by a rogue apprentice who had access to the building to begin with. They knew where their defenses fell short and so, they all believed it would never happen again. Seiras¡¯s death was a fluke¡ªa man who went so mad with power that he brought his death on himself. However, they couldn¡¯t use those excuses for their current situation.


    Nigreos and Album had both been killed on the same night, and the common belief among them was that Eric Reiner had been the one to do it. The Assassination Stone had once again been taken from the Vault and the boy was nowhere to be found. The Masters of Darkness and Light were dead, their bodies discovered in Nigreos¡¯s quarters, side-by-side. There were few signs of fighting and their corpses were unharmed, so the cause of their death was still being debated. They had already been checked for signs of poisoning, but the nature mages that had completed the investigation didn¡¯t find any foreign substances in their systems. Normally, that task would have been delegated to the Master of Nature, but unfortunately, she was just another mystery to be debated.


    Iris Mackia had disappeared. The last time anybody had seen her was the previous night when she and Ryokumo came across Reigious and the bodies. They had been ordered to join the other Masters on the hunt for the Children, but on their way back down the lift, she had said something that surprised the Master of Wind.


    ¡°Take care of yourself, Caeli. This isn¡¯t something that can be so easily swept under the rug. Eventually, they¡¯ll figure out what happened, so perhaps it would be safer for you to go into hiding.¡±


    Ryokumo sighed internally, recalling the genuine concern with which she spoke. Did you take your own advice, Mackia? Did you take advantage of the chaos and flee Erika? If so then I have to admit that I¡¯m surprised. Your tracks were covered better than mine, so I¡¯m sure you could have kept the luxurious life of a Master. Yet you set it aside?


    His instincts told him that she truly had departed the city, or else she was in hiding somewhere until the opportunity to flee presented itself. It was unlikely he would ever see Iris Mackia again, or at the very least, not for a very long time. Perhaps he¡¯d never know the answers to his questions, but in the end, he never really understood that woman to begin with. He¡¯d trusted her simply because Eric had urged him to, and in the end, her help had been worth more than he could have imagined. Part of him wished he could have properly thanked her, but there was nothing he could do now. She was gone, and he prayed that wherever her life took her, she would be happy and safe. He still wondered if he should have gone with her, but for the moment, he knew the response he gave had been the right choice.


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll leave one day, but until my memories of Ilirianna return, I must stay here.¡±


    Even now, his memories still hadn¡¯t come back, and he didn¡¯t know why that was. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t recall what he had forgotten, and the longer it took, the more frustrated he became. He was already beginning to fear that he and Eric had messed up somewhere.


    Ryokumo slowly glanced up from where his hands were folded on the table and turned his attention back to the others. The room felt oddly empty now, with half of the Masters either dead or vanished. As always, he really wasn¡¯t sure what Nyx was thinking, and his inability to read her emotions was made harder by the fact that her white hood was pulled up over her face. Beside the Master of Water, Sinna¡¯s fists were clenched together and her eyes were flickering left and right as she continued to process everything that had gone down the previous night. Even Nakoma, a man who rarely expressed emotion beyond smugness and confidence that often bordered on arrogance, looked like he just couldn¡¯t accept the news he was given. His hand was placed over his face and his skin was slightly pale. And as for Prince Reigious, the last individual in the room, he didn¡¯t even seem to be mentally there with them. His eyes were distant and his finger was repeatedly tapping against the table''s surface, serving as the only sound in the room.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    I can¡¯t imagine the turmoil going through their heads right now. This has to be the most embarrassing failure the Citadel has suffered since the murder of the Queen. For both Nigreos and Album to be dead, they¡¯ve now lost two of their strongest Masters, and that¡¯s after Seiras was already taken. And hell, if they ever found out that one of their own Masters was responsible, they would look even more pathetic.


    It wasn¡¯t a simple matter to replace Masters. Normally, apprentices were chosen and raised to be their successors, but as it stood, the only Masters with apprentices were Sinna and Nakoma. Seiras, Nigreos, Album, and Iris had all refrained from taking on a pupil, though Ryokumo recalled Nigreos claiming he would have liked to someday.


    ¡°S-so¡­¡± Nakoma began softly, seeming as if the silence had finally become too much for him. ¡°Is Mackia truly not coming?¡±


    Reigious, too, seemed to snap from his dazed state, and when he turned his head toward Nakoma, his expression turned sad. ¡°I¡¯ve sent for her twice now, but still nothing. Nobody has seen her since last night. My sister has the Korrei-Tarr and the City Watch scouring the city for her, but there is still nothing to report.¡±


    Sinna¡¯s jaw clenched tightly as she listened to the Prince¡¯s response. ¡°You don¡¯t think she was killed, do you? I mean, if she ran into Lynn and got struck with Aniextium¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡­is not something I wish to think about,¡± Reigious replied with a shaking voice. ¡°But unfortunately, we can¡¯t disregard the possibility. At the very least, we have not found her body, so I pray that she is still alive. If another Master were to have been killed last night¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, I am curious,¡± Nakoma began, his crimson eyes shifting to Ryokumo. ¡°You, Caeli, would have been the last one to see her, yes? She was supposed to be watching you, and the two of you left the Citadel to join up with us together. Where did you last see her?¡±


    Ryokumo didn¡¯t allow his gaze to waver as he faced Nakoma¡¯s subtle accusation with a bitter smile. ¡°We split up once we arrived in the market. She told me that I was quicker and would be able to reach you sooner if I went alone. We both felt it crucial to inform the three of you that Nigreos and Album had been murdered and that Eric Reiner had infiltrated the Vault.¡±


    ¡°And while that is true,¡± Nyx chimed in. ¡°You knew that Seiras¡¯s spell was out there somewhere, and that Mackia isn¡¯t exactly a warrior. Yet you left her on her own?¡±


    He could feel the piercing gazes of Nakoma, Sinna, and Nyx, and he couldn¡¯t help but silently curse Iris for leaving him out to dry. However, he pushed his irritation down, knowing she made her decision based on her own safety, and so, he kept his features calm as he nodded.


    ¡°I did,¡± he confirmed. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll admit that I wasn¡¯t exactly in the greatest headspace after discovering the bodies of my old friends, but I thought it was the correct decision at the moment and Mackia agreed. If you would like to accuse me of murdering her, go right ahead, but I have done nothing wrong.¡± He then scoffed. ¡°And of course, if we¡¯re assigning blame here, I seem to recall the three of you once again failing to find the Children of Reiner, and here we are, down three Masters, the Assasssination Stone has been stolen for the second time in two years, and Arisa Kirisan continues to elude us. We have all made mistakes, yet you desire to place the blame only on me? Give me a break.¡±


    He was challenging them, wanting to push the attention away from himself, knowing that Reigious would, like always, want to refrain from infighting. Ryokumo looked to the prince for support, but the moment he did, a chill went down his spine. Reigious¡¯s features were neutral and he still seemed to be struggling to take everything in, but when he looked into Ryokumo¡¯s eyes, the Master of Wind saw a brief flash of anger.


    ¡°Ryokumo¡­¡± Reigious said softly, preventing the other Masters from retorting. ¡°Tell me something¡­ How are you feeling right now? You¡¯ve just lost the last two members of your old team¡­so I worry for you.¡±


    He frowned, finding the sudden question strange. Normally, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to answer Reigious, but something in the way he asked the question made him feel as if there was some trick to it.


    ¡°Well, of course I¡¯m sad,¡± he replied hesitantly. ¡°But unfortunately, I do not have the time to mourn them at the moment. Chances are high that Eric Reiner has met up with the Children and I do believe he was the one who killed Nigreos and Album, almost certainly in some desire for revenge. With Mackia missing and Aniextium in Hannah¡¯s possession, I do not have time to deal with my emotions. Only when this matter is settled¡­can I mourn my friends.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know what answer Reigious was seeking, but his response seemed to satisfy the prince, and he turned back to address the other three. ¡°Caeli is correct. Reiner is almost certainly with the Children, so if we find them, we find the boy. We no longer have the luxury to try and detain him. We must kill them all on sight and finally wipe our hands of this mess, whether we like it or not. Especially not with the riots in Harunhein and¡­¡± Reigious paused, his lips tightening.


    ¡°And?¡± Sinna inquired. ¡°Is there something else?¡±


    ¡°Er, that¡­is a matter for another time,¡± the prince murmured. ¡°For the moment, we need to act fast before things get out of hand. Nyx, I want you to leave for Harunhein before the morning. We need to crush the uprisings and, if Sarillia Martov is involved, she must be killed. With Nigreos and Album dead, I need to rely on you.¡±


    Nyx slowly bowed her head. ¡°Of course, My Prince. I can leave right away.¡±


    ¡°Good. Sinna, Nakoma,¡± Reigious went on, now addressing the other two. ¡°Erika is in your hands. Find and kill Eric, Kirisan, and Lynn, and if possible, learn what became of Iris. I want each and every one of those traitors dead. You¡¯re authorized to use whatever force you deem necessary.¡±


    ¡°Yes, My Prince,¡± Sinna and Nakoma instantly replied, both following Nyx¡¯s lead in bowing before him.


    Seeming satisfied, Reigious once again turned to regard Ryokumo, and for the second time that morning, he felt as if there was something hidden behind that stare. ¡°As for you, Ryokumo, there is something I would like to discuss in private, if you wouldn¡¯t mind. It¡¯s a¡­delicate subject and I think it would be easier if we discussed it in my office. Are you free?¡±


    That last question was a mere formality. The tone in Reigious¡¯s voice told Ryokumo that whether he was free or not, he would be ordered into that office regardless. He wasn¡¯t sure what the prince might want with him alone, but he had a hunch that it had to do with the strange looks he was receiving.


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m free,¡± Ryokumo replied, sensing the suspicion from Sinna, Nyx, and Nakoma.


    ¡°Perfect,¡± Religious said. ¡°In that case, you are all excused.¡±


    The room was tense, yet like always, there wasn¡¯t a single one of them that would argue with Prince Reigious, and so the other three Masters got to their feet and departed the Chamber one after the other, and Ryokumo didn¡¯t fail to notice the glares Nakoma and Sinna sent his way. And while Nyx never once looked back, Ryokumo knew she lacked faith in him as well. Even having covered his tracks as well as he did, his position was too suspicious to begin with, and soon enough, he was sure his involvement in Nigreos and Album¡¯s murder would come to light.


    So maybe I should take Mackia¡¯s advice. Once I learn the truth about Ilirianna, I¡¯ll leave the city and try to find her. I¡¯ve already done my job of hiding the fact that Eric jumped realms, and even when Reigious learns that the erased realms fell, he¡¯ll be too preoccupied with Trovia and the stolen relic to bother sending any forces to deal with Eric¡¯s friends in Omaruo. A few magicaless with magical knowledge will be the least of his worries.


    Ryokumo silently followed Reigious from the Chamber before turning right and heading toward the lift. Normally, the two of them would have struck up a conversation, but on that morning, the ride to the upper levels was completely silent. He knew Reigious had a lot on his mind after their numerous losses the previous night, but he still got the feeling that there was something else causing his odd behavior.


    Though, perhaps that¡¯s what we¡¯re going to discuss.


    They arrived on their designated floor and Reigious quickly stepped off with Ryokumo right behind him. The silver hallway was quiet aside from their footsteps, and he didn¡¯t even see any of the researchers or soldiers that he normally saw at that time of morning. He couldn¡¯t help but feel a little on edge as they reached the end of the hall where the golden door of Reigious¡¯s office was located. His personal guards, Jax Krispin and Cray Pollik were already present and waiting for them. When they arrived, they silently bowed their heads as Reigious opened the door and stepped inside. Yet, unusually, the two guards didn¡¯t wait in the hall, but instead quickly moved in to stand behind Ryokumo as they followed him inside. That sent his instincts into even higher alert, knowing that Jax and Cray rarely ever entered the office.


    What¡¯s going on?


    He remained facing forward, his eyes narrowing as he followed Reigious across the empty anteroom before they reached the prince¡¯s personal office. The room wasn¡¯t empty, however. Waiting for them, her arms folded behind her back with her military uniform on and her swords at her hips, was Reigious¡¯s sister, Anna-Piura Iiji. Her deep blue eyes instantly moved toward Ryokumo, and to his surprise, she looked almost sad.


    ¡°Princess Piura,¡± he greeted with a bow, keeping some of his attention directed toward Jax and Cray as they stopped in front of the door. ¡°This is a surprise. I was under the impression that you were down in the city.¡±


    Piura nodded stiffly. ¡°Normally I would be, but something important has come up.¡±


    Reigious had already moved to take a seat in the throne behind his desk, his fingers already tapping anxiously against its surface, much like he had been back in the Chamber. The tension in the room was so obvious that Ryokumo knew without question that something seriously bad was happening. Every bone in his body told him to bring his magic to the ready, but Reigious and Piura would instantly sense that, and he knew that if he was forced to fight them, he would lose miserably. He couldn¡¯t beat either in a one-on-one fight to begin with, let alone at the same time.


    Do they know? Did Reigious somehow figure out that I helped Eric kill Nigreos and Album? He felt as if he¡¯d done a better job of hiding it than that, but he knew there was the possibility that he had overlooked some important detail. Well, even if they figured me out, as long as they don¡¯t realize Eric escaped to Omaruo, then it doesn¡¯t matter what they do to me.


    ¡°So, what is it you wanted to discuss?¡± Ryokumo began when neither royal spoke. ¡°You both seem on edge.¡±


    Reigious narrowed his eyes and just stared at the Master, and Ryokumo could tell that he was sizing him up, once again attempting to determine something.


    ¡°Ryokumo,¡± the prince began. ¡°What do you remember about the Battle of Noctalus?¡±


    The Master of Wind immediately frowned. ¡°Noctalus? Well, very little, to be honest. I spent most of it in the palace, remember? Of course, Album, Nigreos, and I did participate a bit, but it was only once you arrived and Abi¡¯s treason was revealed that we went into the city itself. Why?¡±


    ¡°And when I arrived?¡± Reigious continued. ¡°Why was I there?¡±


    What is he getting at? He¡¯s checking my memories so¡­does this mean he¡¯s remembered something? Has Album¡¯s erased magic already been removed from him? But if so¡­is this related to Ilirianna?


    ¡°You arrived to tell us what Abi had done,¡± he answered truthfully. ¡°You were there to give the order to¡­to kill her.¡±


    Still not understanding the angle Reigious was getting at, he decided to respond truthfully and just allow the conversation to play out. Yet, once again, the prince didn¡¯t say anything and instead just eyed him. He was looking into his words, trying to find the deceit within them, yet Ryokumo hadn¡¯t lied once.


    ¡°What do you think, Anna?¡± he finally asked the princess. ¡°You believe him?¡±


    Piura nodded softly. ¡°I do, yes. He has yet to remember.¡±


    Reigious let out a soft sigh and shook his head. ¡°Very well. Do it.¡±


    There was barely a second between that command and Piura¡¯s movement, leaving him unable to react as the princess went from standing still to rushing toward him. He raised his hands through pure instinct, bringing his mana to his fingertips, but he never got the chance to cast anything before Reigious¡¯s voice echoed out across the room.


    ¡°Foreeze!¡±


    Ryokumo¡¯s body went stiff, his limbs stopping midair as his body became petrified, preventing him from doing anything as Piura reached down to her belt and produced a pair of handcuffs. He could sense the charm on them and he knew they were the cuffs they always used to restrain magic users. Once strapped around his wrists, his mana would be inhibited and he would be powerless to do anything.


    What¡¯s going on?! They must have figured it out, but where did I misstep?! What did I forget to consider?!


    He could only watch helplessly as Piura grabbed his wrists and yanked them behind his back, cuffing him in only a handful of seconds. Jax and Cray had their weapons drawn, though Ryokumo knew they were just there as a failsafe. Reigious and Piura were more than enough to apprehend him. The petrification spell was finally released, but by then, there was nothing he could do. One of Piura¡¯s swords was drawn and placed against his throat as she held him in place.


    ¡°Struggle and we kill you, Caeli,¡± she whispered. ¡°And whether you believe me or not, I do not wish to slit your throat.¡±


    Unable to see her expression, Ryokumo instead looked Reigious dead in the eyes as the prince weakly leaned back in his chair, seeming as if all his strength had left him. However, Ryokumo knew it was simply his mental strength that was weakening in the aftermath of the night¡¯s tragedies. Reigious Iiji could still snap him in half even if he wasn¡¯t cuffed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ryokumo,¡± he muttered. ¡°I truly am, but we do not have a choice.¡±


    So this is where it ends, huh? Yes, you made the correct choice, Mackia. Perhaps I should have done the same as you and ran, but if this is where I die then so be it. I¡¯ve already won. Reigious can¡¯t take that victory away from me, so what does it matter.


    Ryokumo¡¯s lips spread in a bitter and smug smile as he gazed darkly back at the man. ¡°Do as you like, My Prince. I¡¯ve already beaten you. Nigreos and Album are dead. So is Mackia. And you will never find Eric, Hannah, and the Children. I¡¯ve already put you in checkmate and there¡¯s nothing you can do. Send Nakoma and Sinna on whatever hunt you wish. You¡¯ve already lost.¡±


    He felt the sword press tighter against his throat as droplets of blood began to trickle down his neck, but he never looked away. If anything, he wanted to lead Reigious as far away from the truth as possible and take everything onto himself. As long as the others remained safe, his fate didn¡¯t matter. Yet, Reigious¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t what he expected. Rather than anger or hatred, he only saw surprise.


    ¡°So you¡­were behind this?¡± he uttered, seemingly horrified. ¡°You killed Nigreos and Album? You killed Iris? But¡­they were your friends! Nigreos and Album were your friends and you killed them?!¡±


    Ryokumo¡¯s smile quickly vanished as he beheld Reigious¡¯s shock.


    Was this¡­not because of that? But then why¡­?


    ¡°I did,¡± he growled, knowing he didn¡¯t have the option to back out now. ¡°My friends, you say? Nigreos murdered Abi. Album screwed with my memories! Tell me, Reigious, do you remember Ilirianna?! Do you know who the woman is that Album took from me? You call them my friends but they¡¯re the ones responsible for everything falling apart. Yes, I killed them. I snuck Eric into the Citadel and I stole the Assassination Stone. I murdered Nigreos and Album, and when Mackia started wising up to my schemes, I killed her, too! I helped Hannah murder Seiras! I helped her get away when she attacked Cartus! I provided her with Aniextium and I cast that spell on Nakoma to save Kirisan! Do you understand, my dear prince?! I¡¯ve been working against you since the start, and you only figured it out when it was far too late!¡±


    Breathing heavily, Ryokumo finished shouting at Reigious, feeling Piura¡¯s grip tightening around him. Yet, despite laying everything out before him and admitting to his treachery, Reigious still didn''t appear angry. Instead, he just looked broken and defeated, as he really had wanted to trust Ryokumo.


    ¡°You¡­?¡± Reigious¡¯s voice was shaking. ¡°All of that¡­? For what?¡±


    Ryokumo grinned maniacally. ¡°For Abi. And for Ilirianna, whoever she may be.¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t remember her?¡± the prince murmured. ¡°You did all of that¡­without even knowing who she was. Then perhaps¡­you were always a traitor, Ryokumo Caeli, no matter who¡¯s whispers got in your head.¡±


    ¡°Always a¡­traitor?¡± he parroted, once again feeling Piura¡¯s grip tightening. ¡°Meaning?¡±


    ¡°You really don¡¯t remember?¡± the princess demanded. ¡°You don¡¯t remember her, Caeli?¡±


    Still unable to see her expression, Ryokumo could only continue to gaze at Reigious as he narrowed his eyes. ¡°Do you? Do you know what Album took from me? Do you know what she¡¯s been hiding all this time?¡±


    The prince clenched his teeth and for the first time since they arrived, there was a hint of fury in his eyes. ¡°Yes, it seems Album, too, has gone behind my back and betrayed us. She caused more of this than we ever realized. However, I must correct you on one thing, Ryokumo. It wasn¡¯t just you she stole from.¡±


    ¡°What do you¡ª?¡±


    Before he could even finish his question, Reigious waved his hand and undid a distortion spell. Up until that moment, Ryokumo had been so focused on the royals that he hadn¡¯t even realized the discrepancy in the room. Yet now, it almost seemed glaring. Just above the throne, hung on the wall, the painting of the Iiji family reappeared, and as Ryokumo turned to look at it, it was as if that single action flipped a switch inside him.


    ¡°Ah,¡± he breathed sharply, and all at once, images began to return to him, the memories he so desperately sought unleashing upon his mind. He knew history had been changed, but he never knew by how much. He was almost overwhelmed by the flow of images and emotions, and he soon understood just how drastically Album Luz had changed the world. He felt anger, fear, but the strongest emotion that went through him was love¡ªlove for the woman who finally returned to his thoughts.


    His eyes flickered back up to the painting.


    He saw the father and the mother, Markreas and Toranei Iiji, standing tall and confident, the former with a boisterous grin and the other stern and cold.


    In front of them and on either side were the younger Reigious and Anna-Piura, smiling and almost seeming innocent, though the confidence and maturity of the two were still visible even at that age.


    But his attention only remained on them for barely a second before his eyes shifted to the individual that, up until that moment, hadn¡¯t been in the picture for a very long time, and despite everything happening around him and everything he had just remembered, he couldn¡¯t help but smile as he finally and once again got to gaze upon the beautiful face of the eldest daughter and the true heir to the Ijirian throne, Ilirianna Iiji.

 Chapter 50- There On The Beach

    Chapter L


    When the bell signaling the end of sixth period rang, Lilly Harper let out a sigh of relief as she closed her notebook, within which not a single note was written. The page she had sprawled open before her was completely blank, and while the pages before it had various notes and reminders listed, she didn¡¯t have any recollection of writing those notes herself. In fact, she knew she hadn¡¯t, for until she returned to Wilham the previous night, she hadn¡¯t actually attended her senior year at West Wilham High. What was even more unfortunate was that the schedule the erased realm had created for her was not, unsurprisingly, the same as in the real world, and she considered herself lucky that Damien had happened to check his before arriving that morning only to notice the discrepancy. It would have been very awkward had she walked into Mr. Lowe¡¯s first period only to realize that it wasn¡¯t her class.


    Though then again, knowing my schedule doesn¡¯t change the fact that I didn¡¯t have a damn clue where I was supposed to be sitting. In nearly every single one of her classes, she had shuffled up to the teacher and asked which seat she sat in, only to be met with a dubious look, as if they suspected her of trying to pull some sort of prank. At least in the classes I share with the others, I didn¡¯t have to go alone, though that probably just made us seem more suspicious. This class was even worse.


    As she silently slipped her notebook into her backpack, she glanced up at the old lady serving as the day¡¯s substitute in her government class. The woman was standing in for Mr. Alexander, who had suddenly called in sick that morning without leaving any sort of lesson plan. The other students didn¡¯t think much of it, but Lilly knew it probably had to do with the fact that he, too, had been stuck in the erased realm until yesterday, and unlike them, he didn¡¯t have a clue that magic was real. His memories returning would have been just as sudden as their disappearance.


    Poor guy¡­ He¡¯s probably traumatized at this point.


    ¡°Yo, Lilly!¡±


    She was just getting up from her seat when she heard the sound of Vinny calling out to her, and when she turned around, she saw him approaching with Damien and Liz at his side. Government had wound up as the only class they had as a group, and she was grateful that they would get to leave school together for the rest of the year. She just wished Eric could have been there to join them, but even after nearly a day, there wasn¡¯t yet any sign of him.


    ¡°Hey, guys,¡± she replied with a wave. ¡°So did you enjoy class?¡±


    Vinny snorted. ¡°Not in the slightest! Back in the erased realm, I wasn¡¯t stuck with stupid Mr. Alexander for the second year in a row! He hated me the first time, and that¡¯s certainly not going to be helped by the fact that I don¡¯t even remember the first month of class!¡±


    ¡°Just be happy he wasn¡¯t here today,¡± Damien told him. ¡°The sub went easy on us. Something tells me that when Mr. Alexander does come back, things are going to get a lot rougher.¡±


    ¡°Well, he probably won¡¯t be back for a while, so take solace in that,¡± Lilly added. It was only when Vinny turned a confused look her way that she remembered that she had been the only one Rista had told about Mr. Alexander getting erased. ¡°Oh, er, well, I guess I forgot to mention it but he was in the erased realm with us, so¡­¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Liz exclaimed. ¡°Since when? Why?¡±


    Seeing their stunned expression, Lilly could only shrug and smile guiltily. ¡°No idea, actually. I never actually got around to having Rista fix him cause, well, I kinda forgot he was there. I was so focused on you guys, after all.¡±


    ¡°Oh, jeez,¡± Damien muttered. ¡°Should we go talk to him then? I mean, he¡¯s probably really confused right now. At the very least, we should probably assure him that he¡¯s okay and that he shouldn¡¯t worry.¡±


    Lilly nodded meekly. ¡°Y-yeah, that¡¯s probably a good idea. On the bright side, though, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anybody else who got erased that we didn''t know about so there¡¯s that!¡±


    She gave a thumbs-up and the other three just sighed.


    Yeah, well, that¡¯s fair. You know, Angel, you could have reminded me about him!


    ¡°And if we had? What were you going to do with a random teacher? The others were pretty unnecessary, too, but you were dead set on helping them. Figured it would just delay everything further if you got hung up on a random guy.¡±


    Lilly internally scoffed. Now you sound like Rista. Was I really the only one who wanted to get everybody¡¯s memories back?


    ¡°Outside of your own little group, yeah, probably. I mean, their memories were going to return when the realm fell anyway, so¡­¡±


    Yeah, yeah¡­


    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s get going,¡± she said, returning from her internal debate. ¡°You guys want to head to the clubroom just for the sake of it or do you just want to go home? Admittedly, today was really tiring after everything we¡¯ve done.¡±


    After they¡¯d all headed home the previous night, they had spent a rather lengthy call debating what to do about school the following day. From what they could tell, their return to the real world had gone unnoticed by everybody except Alexa, who had remembered everything relating to magic and their disappearances only once they destroyed the realm. The only hypothesis The Angel could come up with was that prior knowledge of erasure could cause differences in how people remembered everything, and because Alexa had known they could get erased, her memories didn¡¯t need to be tweaked by the magic. However, all of their parents, teachers, and fellow students didn¡¯t seem to remember them ever being gone, which was convenient to a certain extent. Eventually, they decided it would be best to try and act as normal as possible, and so they opted to go to school, if only to keep up the illusion that nothing was amiss. The only exception was Evan, who declared that he needed a long break and that his parents wouldn¡¯t give a damn anyway, so he wasn¡¯t there that day.


    And then there¡¯s Jay and Alice¡­


    As Lilly had expected, the return wasn¡¯t so easy for them. Jay had been in a coma before vanishing from the hospital, so his circumstances had already been strange. Therefore, when memory of him returned, so did memory of his disappearance, and when Jay arrived at his parents¡¯ apartment, awake and perfectly healed after so many months, chaos had erupted. He¡¯d texted them a few times throughout the day, but it seemed the police were already investigating and he¡¯d been taken to the hospital for a checkup. She wasn¡¯t sure what he¡¯d tell them since he couldn¡¯t exactly blame magic, but there was little she could do for him now. She¡¯d asked Matt Briggs that morning about the attack on the diner in April, but he said that the cops never figured it out, so she was sure that Jay¡¯s sudden reappearance would probably cause a resurgence in rumors about those murders.


    Alice, on the other hand, was a completely different matter. She had reformed in Lilly¡¯s house, where her parents were, and while her mom and dad hadn¡¯t recalled Alice reappearing on their balcony, they didn¡¯t seem to find anything strange about her being there. As far as Lilly could tell, in the erased realm¡¯s attempt at putting Alice back into the world without causing chaos, it had rewritten history so that she had been found and investigations into her disappearance had already taken place. The running theory was that the realm prioritized convenience over all else, and would take the easiest route in editing the world¡¯s memories. In that sense, Alice was lucky that nobody batted an eye at her presence, though having returned to a body with a missing leg, she had opted to stay home just to process everything.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Those were the only issues though. Brad, Evan, and Natalie were able to go home like nothing had happened, and the same applied to the Magic Club, so for the first time, Lilly was actually grateful for the erased realm¡¯s memory magic. It made their return far simpler than she had expected it to be.


    ¡°I think we should head to the clubroom,¡± Liz suggested after a few moments of thought. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve been in the real deal. And besides, I¡¯ve got nothing better to be doing.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, same,¡± Damien agreed.


    With their afternoon planned, the four of them departed the government classroom and headed out into the halls of West Wilham High School. They were packed with students pushing each other and stepping on each others¡¯ heels, and it was an overall annoying experience to be back, yet she was happier than she ever thought she would be. She saw the real faces of her fellow students and the actual walls of her school, and when she looked out the windows, she could see the real courtyard. It was all so surreal and all very much real, but as they rounded a corner and came to the staircase, she could only stop and stare, as did the other three. They had all seen it that morning, but it still didn¡¯t take away from the impact.


    One of the bulletin boards had been removed and replaced with pictures of Rina, Jay, and Eric, with little paragraphs written about them to honor their memory placed underneath. There were flowers left on the ground beside the little makeshift monument and standing in front of it were two students, Charlotte Banks and Steven McCormick. Both had been close to Rina, and Lilly watched as they knelt down beneath the girl¡¯s picture and each placed a rose against the wall.


    ¡°We should bring something tomorrow,¡± Damien whispered. ¡°For Davens, I mean.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, agreed,¡± Vinny muttered.


    Lilly watched as Charlotte and Steven turned and headed back into the crowd before glancing back at the board, specifically to Eric¡¯s picture. He was the only one who hadn¡¯t been erased, and thus his time in Ijiria really happened here. Unlike them, he vanished back in April and nobody knew where he went. If and when he did come home, he wouldn¡¯t be able to return as easily as they did.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go,¡± Liz prompted, and just as they were about to head toward the stairs, Lilly felt her phone buzz in her pocket.


    She cocked an eyebrow, figuring it must be from Jay or Alice, but when she pulled it out, she saw that it was Scott who texted her. To make matters stranger, Damien, Liz, and Vinny all did the same, implying that they, too, had received Scott¡¯s text. Finding herself even more confused, Lilly opened the message and read it.


    Come, my fellow club members, and meet me at the place where it both began and where it did end. I will be waiting with open arms for our long awaited reunion! Signed, the superior club member!


    She could only gape at the words that would have never been sent by Scott. She read it a second time and then a third, knowing what it meant but not wanting to mistake it as something else. But how could she mistake such a ridiculous and vague message as anything but what it was.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me,¡± Damien uttered. ¡°The beach. He means the beach, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course he does,¡± she said with bated breath. ¡°Yeah, the beach. He¡¯s at the beach! Come on, guys!¡±


    They didn¡¯t argue or protest as she turned and sprinted through the front doors of the school, and when she glanced back, they were on her heels, running after her. They all knew what this meant, and Lilly wanted nothing more than to get there as fast as possible. Had the others not been there, she would have activated The Angel that second and used light magic to flash there immediately. Yet she held back as they almost barreled through students before rushing through the gates of the school and out onto the neighborhood roads.


    Please! Please let this be real! Please let him be there! she internally begged.


    They continued to run, and she often had to look back and slow her own pace so she didn¡¯t lose the club members as they followed the path they had taken back in the erased realm, going down the road that led out of town before coming to the hiking trail alongside the beach. It was a little after three o¡¯clock so the sun was high in the sky, and even in September, she could already feel the heat despite the rather cool breeze.


    After everything we¡¯ve been through, after everything we did, and after finally winning, please let this be the end! If he¡¯s there¡­then it¡¯s really, truly over! If he¡¯s there¡­ He¡¯s gotta be there! Please be there!


    Finally, she could see the natural steps just up ahead and she picked up her pace to run as fast as she could before skidding to a halt at the very top and gazing out over the sand. She could see the cave and the horizon but her eyes were immediately drawn to the boy standing just before the waves, gazing out at the sea with his back turned to her and his hands casually stuffed in his pockets. His hair was a little longer than she remembered, and he looked as if he had grown a bit, but even so, she knew it was him. As she stood there, just taking in the scene, the others finally caught up and came to a stop beside her. Smiles broke out across their faces, and she could see tears in Liz and Vinny¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Eric Reiner!¡± Vinny shouted out, his voice echoing down to the figure. ¡°You insane bastard!¡±


    The blonde boy was laughing as he bounded down the steps before jumping over the last two and landing in the sand. Liz and Damien were close behind him, but Lilly stayed in place for a moment, just enjoying the sight. She could see the figure¡¯s shoulders shake with laughter and when he turned around to face them, he was grinning broadly and he stretched his arms out to either side of him.


    ¡°Dear Vinny!¡± Eric called back. ¡°It has been a long time, my friend. Too long, in fact!¡±


    Vinny didn¡¯t even say anything in reply as he rushed across the beach and threw his arms around his friend, embracing him after all that time. Eric chuckled and hugged him back, then glanced up to where Liz and Damien were already arriving. When Vinny let him go, Eric took a step forward and regarded the couple.


    ¡°Dear Liz. Dear Damien. Glad to see you¡¯re both alive.¡±


    ¡°Eric¡­¡±


    ¡°Good to see you¡¯re alive, too, buddy.¡±


    Liz was the first one to step forward and hug him, and after a moment, she, too, stepped back and allowed Damien to take her place. From where Lilly still stood, she watched as the Magic Club finally reunited for the first time since the first day of the spring festival. There were tears in her eyes as Eric and Damien stepped apart before her boyfriend turned and looked up to where she still stood. There was this exasperated look on his face as he raised his hand to wave.


    ¡°You coming?¡± he called up to her. ¡°It¡¯s not a proper reunion until you¡¯ve joined in, right?¡±


    Smirking to herself, Lilly took a step forward and descended the staircase, her eyes never once leaving his. He seemed even more different as she looked at him, showing her how he¡¯d matured during his time in Ijiria, yet even with that more knowledgeable look in his eyes, she couldn¡¯t miss the same Eric Reiner that she had accidentally crossed paths with all that time ago. His smile was just as comforting and his voice was just as charming. With each step she took, she felt her pace once again increasing and when she reached the beach, she was practically speed walking toward him, but she came to a stop a few yards away before folding her arms across her chest.


    ¡°What was with the cryptic message?¡± she inquired with a raised eyebrow. ¡°You could have just met us at the school instead of making us run all the way here. Now I¡¯m all sweaty, you know?¡±


    Eric chuckled and shrugged. ¡°Where¡¯s the fun in that, dear Lilly. I thought it would be poetic if we all met on the beach after all that¡¯s happened. And if I do say so myself, I thought my message was beautifully worded.¡±


    ¡°When did you get back?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Last night,¡± he answered. ¡°But you see, my phone was taken from me in Ijiria and they never gave it back, so I had no way of contacting you. I was also quite tired so I thought I¡¯d sleep first. I only learned this morning that my father knew your number and then I came up with this little scheme.¡±


    She could tell he was forcing himself to talk the way he was, as if trying to reach back into the past to the person he had been before Nigreos and Album showed up. Yet, she couldn¡¯t help but smile back at him. He was different yet the same, and she found herself unable to hold back any longer.


    She had done enough teasing.


    Lilly sprinted forward and practically jumped into Eric¡¯s arms, throwing her own around him and giving him the tightest hug she had ever given anybody. He seemed surprised for a brief moment before he embraced her back, and she realized she was already crying with joy. It wasn¡¯t going to be easy yet. She knew it would take time for Eric to return to his normal life, if he even could, but she didn¡¯t care. So long as he was there, in Wilham, with the club, she would be happy. She had spent so much time fearing that they would never go back and now, it had happened.


    There on that beach, the Magic Club was together once again.


    They had escaped the erased realm.


    They had killed Nigreos and Album.


    Eric Reiner had come home.


    Finally, it was over.


    The Magic Club had won.

 Book 3 Epilogue

    Epilogue


    It was a nice and cool day as Jay Brooks walked along the little cement path, pushing Alice¡¯s wheelchair as he did. It was only a little past noon and despite having rained just the previous day, the weather had improved significantly, something the two of them were grateful for. Normally, they might have been chatting to fill the silence, but on that afternoon, the quiet was comforting and peaceful. He knew Alice probably preferred to keep to her thoughts and Jay was of a similar mindset. Even after so much time had passed, it still wasn¡¯t easy whenever they visited the Wilham graveyard, and on that particular day, it was even harder. It was April, two years after Nigreos and Album came to Wilham and, more specifically, two years to the day that Rina had been killed. The two of them visited their friend¡¯s grave often enough, but in both years, they had made sure to be there on the anniversary of her death and on her birthday. They did the same for Audrey, as well, and despite still missing them greatly, Jay always found some comfort when he was there, like he was close to them again.


    I still can¡¯t believe it''s already been two years. It doesn¡¯t feel like that much time has passed, but at the same time, it also feels like an eternity since we got out of the erased realm.


    As he glanced around the graveyard, he noticed a few other people gathered in front of different headstones, offering prayers and flowers to those they had lost. Jay lowered his head, silently wishing them luck with their futures. Having been close to death numerous times in his life, both through the loss of friends and the near-loss of his own life, he had begun to find himself far more empathetic of those who experienced such loss. He wished he could do something for them, but death was a natural part of life, and all the living could do was cope, remember, and move forward despite it.


    Though, that''s easier said than done, of course¡­


    He turned his attention away from the other visitors and glanced down at Alice, who held a few flowers on her lap, her eyes closed. Jay watched her for a moment, wanting to make sure she was feeling okay without explicitly asking, but when she opened her eyes, he could tell that, despite the tears within them, she was happy to be visiting Rina once again. Jay smiled sadly, then as they arrived at their destination, he brought the wheelchair to a stop right in front of a small tombstone, a few flowers already there, though by the look of it, they weren¡¯t terribly recent.


    Rina¡¯s grave¡­


    ¡°You know, it¡¯s still hard to believe she¡¯s really gone,¡± Alice whispered softly. ¡°I think, even after accepting that the erased realm wasn¡¯t real, I still had trouble coming to terms with the fact that Rina¡¯s not with us anymore.¡±


    Jay nodded. ¡°Yeah, I know what you mean. I remember talking to her the day I went to school in Lilly¡¯s body, and I honestly thought we might be able to rekindle our friendship, even just a little bit. To think she died only a few months later¡­¡±


    He really had believed that they were on the road to fixing what they lost, though he supposed that from a certain point of view, they had. Rina had sacrificed her life saving Alice from the Masters. She had sacrificed herself for the friend that she had turned her back on, and that was more than enough to tell Jay just how much she had cared, whether she admitted it to herself or not.


    ¡°Even if it wasn¡¯t really her, I¡¯m glad we got to have one last moment with her in the erased realm,¡± Alice murmured. ¡°That place was far from the paradise I wanted it to be, but I still sometimes think about what might have happened if we¡¯d just stayed inside¡ªif we¡¯d remained ignorant to what that realm really was. Is that bad?¡±


    Jay immediately shook his head. ¡°Not at all. In fact, with everything we¡¯ve been through, I think it¡¯s understandable. Even I can¡¯t help but wonder¡­but then I always remind myself that the nerich¡ªthat the monster in my head was so desperate to keep us there, and then I think, if something as disgusting and inhuman as that thing supported us staying there, then it could never have truly been a paradise.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± Alice replied softly, then began pushing herself to her feet.


    It wasn¡¯t long after they graduated high school that Alice got a prosthetic leg to replace the one Nigreos took from her, and while she was still far less mobile than she had been before, she was getting better at walking on her own. He was proud of her. She was trying her best to regain as much mobility as she could, and he knew Scott and the others were working their asses off to try and invent some magical gadget that might be able to help her. True to her nature, Alice was determined, and he was happy to see her gradually putting herself back together.


    Once she was standing, Alice shuffled forward and then knelt down beside Rina¡¯s tombstone. She reached out and placed her left hand on top of it then gently laid the roses down before it. Jay moved to kneel beside her and he, too, reached his hand out to touch the stone before gently running his fingers along the letters of her name.


    I miss you, Rina. I¡¯m sorry I wasn¡¯t strong enough to protect you, but we won¡¯t ever forget you. No matter where life takes us, we¡¯ll always come back here one way or another. Keep Audrey company and someday, we¡¯ll be together again. It¡¯s hopefully going to be a long time from now, but one day¡­


    He wasn¡¯t sure how long they were there for, just sitting in silence beside the grave, and it was only when his stomach started to growl that he decided they should leave and get some lunch. He helped Alice back into the wheelchair and after giving one last goodbye to Rina, they turned and began to leave. Unfortunately, Audrey wasn¡¯t in the same graveyard, rather her body was in the same yard where her mother had been buried. Jay made a mental note to go visit her soon as well, then turned his attention back to thinking up a place to get some food.


    ¡°By the way, Jay, did you get that text from Eric yesterday?¡± Alice asked with a cocked eyebrow.


    Recalling the strange ¡°summons¡± he had received the night before, Jay could only chuckle and nod. ¡°Yes, oddly enough, I did. Not sure what it''s about, but Eric seemed pretty adamant that I show up so I guess I don¡¯t have a choice. What time was it again?¡±


    ¡°Around four,¡± she answered. ¡°And from the sound of it, the others are going to be there, too. I didn¡¯t even realize Damien and Liz were in town.¡±


    He smirked with exasperation. ¡°I don¡¯t think they are. Last time I spoke to Vinny, he said they weren¡¯t coming back to Wilham until summer break. So either they won¡¯t be there or Eric¡¯s making them drive all the way from Sumerton for whatever this is supposed to be.¡±


    ¡°Which wouldn¡¯t surprise me,¡± she added.


    ¡°No, it wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    Jay laughed, his thoughts wandering to Eric Reiner. Over the past year, he¡¯d gotten to know him quite well due to their rather similar circumstances. With both of them reappearing in Wilham after being gone for months within days of each other, the police had been utterly confused, especially when both claimed not to remember anything about their time away. Part of him always believed that the cops thought they were lying, but without any proof, eventually the two of them were allowed to go back to their lives.


    However, their lives had been majorly disrupted and returning to school wasn¡¯t as easy for them. Once the fall semester ended, both Jay and Eric returned to West Wilham High to retake their second semester of junior year, and when everybody else graduated, they were just getting ready to start their senior year. It put them a year under everybody else and, being the only members of their classes to still be at the high school, they had spent most of their free time hanging out together. Unfortunately, the Magic Club had to be disbanded since, without the other four attending, Eric couldn¡¯t get anybody to join, so instead, Jay coerced him into joining the cross country team. He was in far better shape than he used to be, and by the time the track season rolled around, he was actually pretty fast.


    And now, in just a few months, we¡¯ll finally graduate, too. Thank god, I¡¯m ready for high school to be over!


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure that whatever he wants will be amusing,¡± Alice said, to which Jay nodded.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be. It¡¯s never dull with him around, that¡¯s for sure.¡±


    As they reached the gates of the graveyard, Jay briefly glanced at his watch, realizing that it was already one o¡¯clock. They only had three hours until they were supposed to meet Eric, and despite how cryptic his message had been, he was excited nonetheless. At the very least, he knew Lilly was coming back for the weekend so he¡¯d get to see her again for the first time since Christmas, and that made him smile.


    So much has changed, and yet, it¡¯s still the same in so many ways. Yeah, I¡¯ve lost a lot, but I can¡¯t forget how much I gained, too. It¡¯s been a long handful of years, but I am grateful for the others. They mean the world to me. The erased realm masqueraded itself as a paradise, but for all its flaws, I think the real world is far better. Yeah, we made the right choice by abandoning that place. This is home¡­


    ...and I wouldn¡¯t trade it for anything.


    ***


    Damien quietly gazed through the window of the train, watching the trees go past, once again marveling at the absurdity of Eric¡¯s request to suddenly drag themselves back to Wilham without even telling them what he wanted them for.


    Doesn¡¯t he realize we¡¯ll be home in a little under a month anyway? What could be so important that it can¡¯t wait?


    Yet, despite having grumbled about it to Liz, he still found himself sitting on a six-hour train ride from Sumerton, where the two of them attended college, to Wilham. The last time he¡¯d been in his hometown had been Christmas, so he was excited to see the others for the weekend, even if he knew he¡¯d be riding the train back home in just a few days.


    And all of this with finals only a few weeks away. Eric clearly doesn¡¯t realize how much more of a headache college is compared to high school.


    He briefly glanced away from the window to where Liz was sitting beside him, quietly reading her history textbook to study for an exam she had the following Tuesday. It was clear she was bored out of her mind, but part of the deal for going on this trip was that they use the abundance of time the train provided them to study. Luckily, Damien didn¡¯t have any exams coming up and he¡¯d already finished his homework, so he was set to just relax for the last hour of the ride, and he could tell this irked Liz due to the number of annoyed glances she sent his way.


    ¡°Why so irritated?¡± he teased. ¡°You¡¯re the one who wanted to go to Wilham in the first place. I was completely content staying at the apartment and telling Eric we were busy.¡±


    She snorted, then grinned back at him in her typical sly manner. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t pretend like you didn''t want to come. We both know that you would have never left Eric out to dry with how excited he sounded on the phone. You just planned to make me ¡®force you¡¯ to come so that you could say you were pressured into it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true,¡± he conceded. ¡°But at the same time, just because I wanted to go doesn¡¯t mean I wasn¡¯t aware that it was a stupid idea. I just figured that since I didn¡¯t have a ton of work this weekend, I could justify it. You, on the other hand, have a test right after we get back. I was more concerned for you, I think.¡±


    ¡°Oh is that so?¡± She laughed wryly. ¡°Well I appreciate the concern, but I am perfectly fine! This exam is going to be a cakewalk! I¡¯m only reading this book for fun because I absolutely love history. Did you know that about me, Damien? History is just my favorite subject. Especially this history! I love this subject!¡±


    The sarcasm in her voice was so blatant that he couldn¡¯t help but laugh, and when he did, she joined in. For what felt like the millionth time, he found himself grateful that the two of them were able to stick together even after leaving West Wilham High. Their time in the erased realm had made him realize that he didn¡¯t want to be apart from her again, and she had expressed similar feelings, so when they were looking for colleges, they did their best to find one that had programs for both of them and were lucky enough that the University of Sumerton was practically perfect. So, they applied, were accepted, and rented an apartment together. They¡¯d been living with one another since August now and he couldn¡¯t be happier.


    ¡°So I meant to ask Eric and just kept forgetting,¡± Liz began, ¡°but who else is going to be here? I know Jay, Alice, and Vinny are still in Wilham, but is Lilly coming down from Aldan? And for that matter, did he bother inviting Brad and Evan?¡±


    Damien considered the question for a moment, thinking back to a conversation he¡¯d had with Lilly a few days ago. ¡°Well, Lilly said she¡¯ll definitely be there, but I¡¯m not sure about Brad and Evan. I¡¯m sure Eric invited them, but I doubt they¡¯ll come. Evan, especially, still ignores Eric¡¯s texts.¡±


    Liz chuckled. ¡°Well that¡¯s not surprising. I¡¯m sure if he had the option, Evan would avoid him altogether.¡±


    Damien smirked, thinking about Evan, Vinny, and Eric¡¯s current arrangement, knowing that it was a testament to Evan¡¯s determination that he still put up with it. The boy leaned back in his seat and exhaled softly, gently wrapping his arm around Liz as she rested her head on his shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be nice to catch up with everybody,¡± he mused. ¡°And remember, lay off the teasing, Liz.¡±


    She immediately made a fake pouty face and playfully stuck out her tongue. ¡°Aw, why? It¡¯s so much fun to lord the fact that he¡¯s still a high schooler over his head! And you make it sound like it¡¯s just me! Vinny teases him far more than I do!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s only because he and Vinny are still in the same town,¡± he pointed out. ¡°I¡¯m sure if you still lived in Wilham, you would be just as ruthless. And don¡¯t act like I don¡¯t know about all those texts you send him.¡±


    ¡°Oh, those¡­¡± She smiled guiltily. ¡°Well, those are clever!¡±


    Damien snorted. ¡°Sending, ¡®ha, look at the high school nerd¡¯ is so not clever that it¡¯s almost embarrassing. The joke¡¯s stale, you know? If you¡¯re going to tease him, at least come up with a new joke every once in a while. Not to mention, that one wasn¡¯t funny to begin with.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? It¡¯s hilarious!¡± she protested. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just your sense of humor that needs work!¡±


    ¡°Hey! My sense of humor is plenty fine, thank you very much!¡±


    As Damien bantered back and forth with her, he became more excited to get to their destination. Vinny, Eric, and Lilly always added an extra layer to the bad jokes and he enjoyed just sitting back and watching them take shots at each other like middle schoolers. He remembered a time when it could annoy him a little, but it wasn¡¯t until they stopped joking that he realized how much he liked it. He was grateful that despite everything, they still found themselves back where they started, joking and laughing like none of it had ever happened.


    It had already been a year and a half since the fall of the erased realm, but it all felt like a dream¡ªlike he¡¯d woken up from that nightmare and gone back to his old life. Of course, it wasn¡¯t all the same and it would never be the same again, but as for how it all turned out, he knew he couldn''t complain. There was a time in the days after their return that they feared Ijiria would come for them, but now, he was confident that they were safe. Life was peaceful again.


    And for that, he was truly grateful.


    ***


    Vinny Mickelson leaned against the wall of Scott Reiner¡¯s workshop, watching with a smug grin as Evan and Brad bickered over how best to approach their current task, all the while, Eric¡¯s father barked orders at them from his swivel chair on the opposite side of the room. Both boys were wearing lab coats, gloves, and goggles that Scott had purchased for them, with Evan carefully holding a dropper with some of Eric¡¯s blood while Brad kept the microscope steady, ready to look through the lens and watch the subsequent reaction. Even after a year and a half, they were still researching anti-mana technology, and to Vinny¡¯s amusement and delight, Evan and Brad were serving as Scott¡¯s assistants. On occasion, Vinny would do the same, but on that particular day, he had decided to stop by only to watch the entertaining spectacle that was the boys doing science.


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    Although, as much as I like making fun of them, I do have to give credit where it¡¯s due. They might be struggling with all the technical stuff, but they aren¡¯t exactly sitting on their asses. They¡¯re doing their damndest to actually understand the concepts Scott works with, and whether I like them or not, that¡¯s admirable.


    It had been a year since they graduated high school and ever since, the three of them had been attending Oceanview Community College across town. While Vinny was focusing on political science and Brad was shooting for a football scholarship in the future, both of which weren¡¯t anything too out of the ordinary, Evan had actually made decisions that surprised Vinny. After having a rather pathetic high school career when it came to grades, Evan pulled everything together in senior year and actually got mostly B¡¯s. Then, after applying to Oceanview, he started majoring in Biology, and when Vinny decided to ask him about it, his response had been both surprising and expected.


    ¡°Why does it even fucking matter to you anyway, Mickelson? I mean, why wouldn''t I want to know more about this shit? You think that just because Nigreos and Album are dead, Ijiria won¡¯t come after us again someday cause I¡¯m not taking that chance! Mr. Reiner says there¡¯s bio-related shit that creates mana and I want to help him make that serum more effective. If Ijiria ever comes after me again, I don¡¯t want to be powerless! I want to kick their fucking asses and ensure that magic never ruins my damn life ever again!¡±


    It was the most serious and determined Vinny had ever seen Evan, and it put into perspective just how furious he was at how his life turned out. He wanted to sever himself from magic, but at the same time, he knew they could be in danger of another attack any day. So there he was, working alongside Scott Reiner, who served as both his mentor and even his tutor for college.


    And as far as their research goes, they¡¯ve actually made a lot of progress¡­


    Soon after breaking out of the erased realm, Scott used Eric¡¯s blood to continue his experiments and was able to both make the effects of his serum last longer, and also completely block mana creation. Ever since, they¡¯d been focusing on making the effects permanent. To them, if they could get one shot in on even a Master, they could turn them into a magicless, completely diminishing the threat they posed.


    And if they succeed, Wilham really will be safe unless Ijiria shows up with a whole army. So long as we get a single hit in, we win. We can keep this place safe¡­


    ¡°So Mickelson, you gonna actually help or are you just gonna stand around?¡± Scott growled, his attention briefly shifting Vinny¡¯s way.


    He shrugged. ¡°Nah, sorry, Mr. Reiner, but I¡¯m just here to watch today. Eric asked me to come to some ¡®very important event¡¯ and I can¡¯t ignore a summons from him, now can I? Just figured I¡¯d kill some time by stopping here. And speaking of, are the two of you coming?¡±


    Evan immediately snorted. ¡°Like fucking hell I am. I don¡¯t know why Reiner won¡¯t take a hint, but just because I¡¯m working with his dad doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re friends. I still hate you bastards, you know?¡±


    ¡°Aw, and we hate you, too, Wright,¡± Vinny replied in a mocking voice. ¡°What about you, Fischer?¡±


    Brad briefly glanced his way and sighed. ¡°Lilly asked me to, but unfortunately, I¡¯ve got practice later tonight. Tell Eric I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t make it though.¡±


    ¡°Alright, will do.¡±


    Vinny gave him a thumbs up but Brad was already back to focusing on his work, and when the blonde boy glanced back at Scott to see him glaring again, he decided it was time that he stop taking up space and start heading off to his destination.


    ¡°Well, I guess it was nice seeing you again,¡± he said with a wry grin. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in class on Monday, Fischer. Don¡¯t forget we have homework.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±


    With a halfhearted reply, Brad waved him off and Vinny chuckled to himself before saying goodbye to the others and making his way through the apartment and back outside. He stuck his hands in his pockets, thinking about how excited he was to see Liz, Damien, and Lilly later. He was sad when they all went off to college, but he was glad that they were moving forward with their lives in the way that they wanted to. He knew Eric planned to go to the University of Aldan with Lilly the following year, so part of Vinny was thinking about looking into the same thing for after he graduated Oceanview. He liked Wilham, but after living there for so long, he wanted to get out and see more of the world.


    And there¡¯s so much to explore, even ignoring the fact that this is just one of a huge number of realms. I wish it was safe for me to see more of this multiverse, but even if it wasn¡¯t dangerous, Eric left the realm dagger back in Ijiria so I couldn¡¯t leave even if I wanted to.


    He decided he could settle with backpacking across the continent after college. If he couldn¡¯t see the multiverse then he¡¯d just have to enjoy the only world he had access to as much as he could.


    And who knows! Maybe someday, we¡¯ll get a visitor from a more peaceful world and then I can explore that one! Maybe they aren¡¯t all as violent and angry as Ijiria is!


    He knew that was wishful thinking, but he couldn¡¯t help himself. That sort of mindset was just how he liked to operate. After being as pessimistic and angry as he had been in the erased realm, he had made it his personal goal to be as happy and optimistic as possible in the real world. He wanted to completely sever himself from the erased Vinny and the best way to do that was to live life to the fullest. That way, no matter what happened in the future, he could say that he enjoyed his time on the planet.


    And so far¡­I can truly say that I am happy.


    He thought of his friends and family and even just the town around him. Then, Alice came to mind, and he smiled all over again. If possible, he wanted to take her with him. Once Scott, Eric, and Evan finished their prototype for Alice¡¯s magical leg, maybe she could go backpacking with him.


    That would be his dream, if he could pick anything.


    Yeah, I don¡¯t have a damn idea where my life is gonna go from here. I don¡¯t even know what I¡¯m gonna do for a job, but I¡¯ll figure it out. I¡¯ve got so much time ahead of me, and I know without a doubt that it will all work out fine.


    ***


    Letting out a sigh of annoyance, Evan leaned against the railing of Scott¡¯s apartment complex and stared down at the empty streets below, a can of soda in his hand. Brad was right next to him, though he didn¡¯t look too upset. Rather, he was actually smiling to himself as he sipped his own drink.


    ¡°What¡¯s got you so happy?¡± Evan grumbled. ¡°The serum still won¡¯t work! After all of these damn attempts, it¡¯s still a piece of shit.¡±


    Brad chuckled and shook his head. ¡°Oh shut up, Evan. Mr. Reiner invented an actual mana-neutralizer. Just the fact that it works at all is a damn miracle and you''re going to call it a piece of shit? You need to lower your standards a bit.¡±


    ¡°Oh whatever,¡± he snapped back. ¡°I¡¯m just annoyed, is all. After having so much success right out the gate, we¡¯ve gone two years without anything. I¡¯m starting to think it''s impossible with the tech Reiner has. Without an actual professional lab, there¡¯s probably not much we can do and it pisses me off.¡±


    ¡°Well, then all you¡¯ve gotta do is get a lab,¡± Brad pointed out.


    Evan scowled in annoyance. ¡°Really? And where the fuck would you suggest I buy one? You wouldn¡¯t happen to know somebody selling one for cheap, would you?¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°Stop fuckin¡¯ around, Brad. I¡¯m serious.¡±


    ¡°And so am I.¡±


    When Evan glanced back, he realized that there wasn¡¯t a single hint of sarcasm or humor in his expression. Somehow, he was actually being genuine about his suggestion.


    ¡°All you gotta do is make it big in the biology field,¡± Brad went on. ¡°Get yourself into a university lab and see if you can borrow some of their supplies. Course, I doubt they¡¯d believe you if you told them you wanted to study magic, but I¡¯m sure you could come up with some lie that would work fine.¡±


    Evan glanced away once more and took another swig of his drink, downing the rest of it in one gulp before wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his lab coat. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll just get right on that. You honestly think I could get into an official lab?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Brad said firmly. ¡°You¡¯ve already made huge leaps in improving your grades in just the last two years alone. Keep that upward trend moving and I¡¯m certain you could get there someday. And I can tell just how determined you are.¡±


    Determined, huh?


    He knew that Brad had a point in that his grades had seriously improved in senior year, as well as his freshman year of college. And at the end of the day, Evan knew that the only reason he was able to pull off what he did was because he had a goal to reach for. Before the erased realm, he didn¡¯t see any reason to try because there wasn¡¯t anything he wanted to do with his life. That was different now.


    Magic ruined his life.


    From the moment that Vinny Mickelson used the orange stone on him, everything had gone downhill until he was at the lowest he had ever been. The Ijirians took so much from him, and in the end, Rina had been killed because of them. He hadn¡¯t been strong enough to defend her, so he wanted to make sure something like that never happened again. He wanted to help Scott Reiner for the sole purpose of dragging the Ijirian gods down to the level of the magicless. If they found themselves on equal footing, then it would simply come down to a contest of strength, and he was confident enough in his physical ability that he knew he could win. Everything he did was with the knowledge that Ijiria could show up in Wilham at any time, and if he wasn¡¯t ready, all of their suffering would be for nothing.


    He had to be ready.


    I won¡¯t let what happened to Rina happen to anybody else. I swear it on my life. I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to create these weapons. I¡¯ll study my ass off. I¡¯ll get whatever degree I need. If I gotta get into a stupid fucking science lab then I will! But I¡¯m not going to lose ever again!


    Evan raised his head to stare up at the afternoon sky, his thoughts shifting to Rina and the fact that it was already the second anniversary of her death.


    I¡¯m gonna be better, Rina. I¡¯m gonna protect this town and this realm from magic. It won¡¯t ever happen again. I promise¡­ Two years to this day¡­ He smirked. Well, if there was ever a day to succeed, let it be today!


    Pulling his resolve back together, Evan Wright crushed the can in his grasp and spun around to stalk back into the workshop with Brad laughing to himself just behind him.


    ***


    Furious that her bus had been delayed, Lilly Harper sprinted through the forest, not wanting to be late and knowing that she would be cutting it ridiculously close. The moment the bus had stopped in Wilham, she grabbed her suitcase, sprinted to drop everything off at her parents'' apartment, then after giving them quick hugs and a promise to join them for dinner later, she took off for the woods. She wasn¡¯t sure why Eric had picked that place in particular, but knowing him, it wasn¡¯t without reason. So she didn¡¯t question him and did as he asked, and when she glanced at her watch, she found that she only had four minutes left.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re certainly cutting it close. But you know, Eric probably won¡¯t care if you¡¯re a few minutes late.¡±


    ¡°Yeah! I think he¡¯ll just be happy to see you at all! And don¡¯t worry! If you guys want to get all intimate, we can look away!¡±


    Shut up! I didn¡¯t ask for your commentary! And besides, it¡¯s not about Eric, it¡¯s about me! If I say I¡¯m going to be there at a certain time then I¡¯m going to be there!


    ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s a matter of pride, is it? Well, that¡¯s much less honorable. Though, something tells me you¡¯re just making that up. I think you¡¯re just anxious to see your boyfriend again after so long.¡±


    Again! Can it with the commentary! I didn¡¯t ask!


    She could hear The Angel snickering in her head and could only grimace in irritation. For whatever reason, as time went on, the voices had become far more snarky, and had taken an odd liking to teasing her. She wasn¡¯t sure how much she liked having their smugness stuck in her head, but she often found herself silently bickering with them when she should have been focusing on other things. Though, at the same time, she couldn¡¯t deny that having two extra people in her head wasn''t convenient at times. When it came to exams, they tended to remember the things she didn¡¯t and would give her the answers when she needed them. She knew that was technically cheating, but there wasn¡¯t much she could do when they were literally stuck inside of her.


    Not long after Eric came home, there was discussion about whether they wanted to try and research a way to remove The Angel, but after a rather long and tedious debate, Lilly decided to just put up with it. As long as she didn¡¯t use its power, they wouldn¡¯t harm her, and she remembered Abigail telling her that it was a lifetime contract between them. If there was a way to remove them then it was probably dangerous and she didn¡¯t want to run that risk. So, she just put up with them and their snarkiness.


    Why did they become so mischievous? Is it just because there¡¯s nothing serious going on? Is teasing me just how they entertain themselves cause it really feels like I¡¯ve got some annoying little siblings constantly screwing around in my brain.


    Yet, she knew that there wasn¡¯t any point in dwelling on it. The Angel had simply become a normal part of her life and she had long since stopped thinking about them as anything more than a part of her. So, she pushed those thoughts from her mind and finally reached her destination, only to skid to a halt and just gape at the scene before her.


    When Eric had asked that they all meet him where Jay and Alice¡¯s old hideout was located, she wasn¡¯t sure what he was getting at. After all, that building had been burnt to the ground during Nigreos and Album¡¯s time in Wilham, so there wouldn¡¯t be anything in that part of the woods anymore. But there it was, right before her, a small one-story shack constructed of wood with a cozy little porch and a chimney that currently had smoke billowing out of it. It looked new, like it had only been built recently. Her staring didn¡¯t last long before her eyes shifted to the individual sitting in a rocking chair on the porch, a broad smile on his face and his hand raised in greeting.


    ¡°Lilly!¡± Eric Reiner called out, excitedly jumping to his feet. ¡°Glad to see you¡¯ve made it!¡±


    She hurried over to see him, giving him a big hug before saying anything, then gently kissed him, wanting to take a moment to simply enjoy his touch before questioning him on his current scheme. She once more heard The Angel making comments about Eric and urging her to touch him more, but she did her best to ignore them, wanting to focus on Eric and only Eric. It was only once she had pulled away that she spoke.


    ¡°It¡¯s so good to see you,¡± she said with a warm smile. ¡°But honestly, you just continue to pull surprises out of your ass, don¡¯t you? What even is this? Where did it come from?¡±


    Eric glanced back over his shoulder and gazed at the house with pride. ¡°Dad and I built it. You see, I¡¯ve been working my ass off at my part-time job this past year to make some money so I could buy this land. Of course, a part-timer¡¯s salary wasn¡¯t nearly enough so Dad lent me some to round it off.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­so you bought this? This is yours?¡± she pressed.


    He chuckled slyly. ¡°That I did. Dad and I then got to work building this and, with a little magical finesse, we were able to put it together faster than I expected. Now, I know summer¡¯s right around the corner, but I just couldn¡¯t wait! I wanted everybody to see it as soon as possible and honestly, I think it turned out better than I could have imagined!¡±


    The pure excitement in his eyes was enchanting. She absolutely loved when he got as happy as he was. It reminded her of their junior year and, while he no longer had the extravagant demeanor or his bombastic way of speaking, he still had what made him who he was. That childlike innocence as he gazed up at his project was utterly adorable and she had to restrain herself from throwing her arms around him a second time.


    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s amazing, Eric, but I am curious why you did all that?¡± she muttered. ¡°Is there something you want to use this for? I mean, I guess you could live in it, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. There is a grander use for this place. But come inside. I¡¯ll explain it to you all together.¡±


    He excitedly motioned for her to follow him into the house so she made her way up the porch and through the front door to get her first look at the interior. It opened up into one giant room with furniture and a table, as well as a mini-fridge, and even a sliding door onto a small patio in the back. She could see the fireplace by the lounge area with a small flame already burning within, giving the room a warm and cozy vibe. And there, spread across the couches and chairs, were Vinny, Liz, Damien, Alice, and Jay, who all turned back to greet her with huge smiles. Lilly also noticed Natalie sitting between Liz and Damien, and it was only once Vinny called out to her that she turned back.


    ¡°Lilly! You¡¯re here!¡± Natalie exclaimed, and Lilly made sure to hurry over to give the girl a hug first before turning to embrace the others.


    She wasn¡¯t too surprised that Natalie had been brought to the house since Eric had taken her role as the babysitter when Lilly went to college. Once she had greeted them all, she took a seat on the couch with Damien and Liz while Natalie jumped into her lap, and while she really wanted to catch up with everyone, there was a certain expectancy in the air that told her that she wasn¡¯t the only one Eric was keeping his true intentions from.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll get to catching up in a minute, but cut to it, Eric,¡± Vinny pressed. ¡°What¡¯s the deal with this place? I doubt you called us all here to flex your new house on us so what are you up to?¡±


    Damien nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll admit that of all the things that you could have dragged us here for, a new house definitely wasn¡¯t high on my list of expectations.¡±


    ¡°So hurry up and explain!¡± Liz added impatiently.


    Eric laughed theatrically, seeming to be enjoying himself as he watched their reactions, then turned and made his way to stand in front of the fireplace so he could face the seven of them. The boy took a moment to look at each one of them with another one of his grins, then began speaking.


    ¡°Well, you see, obviously life has been changing recently,¡± he began. ¡°Three of you have left the town for college and, hopefully, I will be doing the same in the fall. We¡¯re migrating out of Wilham, but that doesn¡¯t change the fact that this is our home. This is where we became friends and it¡¯s where the Magic Club was formed. Everybody here means the world to me and it saddens me that when Jay and I graduate, the Magic Club room could be turned over to others.¡±


    Despite his clear joy at having them there, Lilly could still tell that having lost the clubroom had been nagging at him. That place held a lot of sentimental value to them, but especially to Eric, so it made sense that he would be struggling with that.


    ¡°So,¡± he went on. ¡°I decided that if the clubroom is leaving us then we need a place where the Magic Club can always come back to! Therefore, allow me to present to you all, the Magic Clubhouse!¡±


    He thrust his arms out to the side in an exaggerated fashion and indicated the building around them. That answer was the most ¡°Eric¡± answer he could have given and it actually made her feel a bit emotional as she turned and truly took her surroundings in. It was a cozy place in the peaceful forest where they could be together.


    ¡°No matter where life takes us, the Magic Club will always have a place to call home!¡± Eric announced. ¡°My father has agreed to take care of it in my absence under the agreement that he can use it for his own endeavors. So, if we are ever together in Wilham and need somewhere to meet, this place is here and all friends of the club are welcome! I know this was sudden, but I wanted you all present for the grand opening so¡­!¡± He paused for emphasis. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Lilly glanced around at the others to see similar expressions of surprise and joy. It really didn¡¯t seem like anybody expected this, yet Lilly could tell from just one look that they were all happy they came. Jay and Alice were grinning, Liz was laughing, Natalie was clapping her hands, and Damien was looking back at Lilly with a wry look, as if trying to silently tell her that she should be the one to respond.


    So she did.


    ¡°It¡¯s perfect, Eric,¡± she said, wanting her to hear the genuine love and emotion in her voice. ¡°I don¡¯t think I could be happier. A Magic Clubhouse, huh?¡±


    As if satisfied now that Lilly had spoken, the others all echoed similar sentiments, each looking around as if seeing the building in a new light. There was food placed out on the table in the back, indicating that Eric intended to throw a party in celebration and she knew they were in for a fun and unforgettable night.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad. I¡¯m glad you all like it!¡± Eric began once more. ¡°Then in that case¡­¡±


    He paused once again, but this time, he looked directly at Lilly, and she could hear his silent gratitude. He was thankful that they were there¡ªthat they were his friends and that they were there for him. The people gathered in that room had been through hell, so the fact that they could all gather together like they were was a miracle in its own right. To have been able to preserve this happiness despite all attempts to take it away was something Lilly would always be thankful for.


    To her, the Magic Club was home and now the club had a place to call its home.


    ¡°I am officially declaring this the first meeting of the Magical and Other Anomalies Investigation Team in our brand new clubhouse!¡± Eric declared.


    ¡°So let us begin, my friends!¡±

 [NOT A CHAPTER] In The Maw Afterward And Info On Next Series

    Hello Readers!


    With yesterday''s epilogue, "In the Maw of the Gods" has officially concluded, but as chapter 49 made pretty obvious, the story of Ijiria is not yet over. There are still plenty of mysteries left open relating to why Ilirianna Iiji was erased, what truly happened during Abigail''s rebellion, and what exactly The Angel was, and I fully plan to address all of them. That being said, I''ve always considered In the Maw to be the story of Omaruo, Eric and Lilly, and the Magic Club---a story that is now wrapped up exactly as I imagined it. That is why I''ve decided to continue the story of the Ijirian realm in another series rather than create a fourth volume for this one. However, having finally reached the end of In the Maw without deviating much from my chapter schedule, I am a bit burnt out and decided to use the end of the series to take a small break to gather my thoughts properly and prepare for my next RR endeavor. Therefore, I intend to start publishing the next series sometime around mid-June, and the title of that series will be "The Burning Flowers", so keep an eye out for when that goes up!


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    I also want to properly thank everybody who gave this series a chance! I was a bit apprehensive about posting my work online, but with it now finished, I am very glad I did. In the future, I hope to be a bit more active on RR. I''ve always been a little anxious interacting online, but RR has such a nice and welcoming community and so I hope to be a bit more involved come the start of my next series. In addition, due to how busy I''ve been in life this past year, I''ve never really gotten around to reading other works here on the site despite really wanting to, so I would really like to change that now that I do have a bit more time! So if anybody has any good recommendations for me, please let me know and I''ll check them out!


    With all of that said, I am officially signing off of In the Maw and I hope to see everybody when The Burning Flowers begins!


    Take care, Readers!


    -Fishburg