Chapter 27: The Girl with Green Eyes

This is supposed to be a side story, but it turned out longer than I had expected so I made it a chapter instead, enjoy!

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This is not a fairy tale story

            This is a story of a single orphan girl who escape death. Her story started when her mother who tried to drown her by abandoning her in a river. The same girl was then found by a villager when she came floating down. It was considered a miracle she was alive. The villager took her in, and raise her as everyone's daughter. They named 'me' Liselitte. 

             Even though I lived without knowing my parents. I lived my life happily knowing the villagers were part of my family. 

            One day, I realize what I am.

            There was a long drought one day, and the village was on the verge of famine. I didn't quite understand at first but when I tried to pray, the words that came out was unusual and I know it held power. Rain then pour for three days straight and I was bedridden for three days as well. 

             I then realized I was a witch. 

             It didn't take long for the villagers to catch on what I am since I secretly kept using my powers when tough times comes for our village. 

            I knew what kind of treatment the witches face by the public. I ran away before the people I called family began to despise me. However, contrary to my believe. They came to find me and accepted me as I am. The first to find me was the one who had found me and become an existent who I called mother. "You may be a witch, but you're my sweet little witch, don't waste my 13 years of care just so you could run away silly girl" 

            When she said that, how happy I was that my nightmare didn't come true. 

            Then, a different nightmare came. People clad in black who claimed came from the church had heard a witch was hidden in this village. When the villagers denied, one of the church's personnel stab him to death. 

             Again, they announced for us to hand over the witch or we will face the divine punishment of God. 

            I was cowering inside my house when I watched the whole scene from the window. Then, the one who dragged me out and gave me up was none other than my so called 'mother'. 

            I couldn't believe what she did. I cried and shouted how I didn't want to leave, but no one came to my aide. They all hung their head while avoiding my gaze. I desperately kept on begging not to give me up and that they had call me family, but in the end the church people cuff me and put me in a carriage where there were others as well. 

             That was how I got abandon twice. On the way, I had tried several times to get out but to no avail, these cuffs prevents me from manipulating mana, it's only been a few days and I had given up struggling. Even if I get out, I no longer have anywhere to go...is what I thought. 

            Suddenly, the carriage stopped abruptly and most of the people inside were thrown off to the side. We weren't quite sure what happened, there was shouting and the church people were saying something about a warning. Then I felt it, it was the power of mana, since I never met any other witches I was surprised at the large amount of mana flowing at the scene. Some of the people here had the same expression as mine, it seemed I'm not the only witch here. 

            There was more shouting....actually it was more of a screaming, there was also the sound of struggle. The carriage shook from the struggle and then the door flipped open. The person wore a robe that hid her face yet I knew she was a girl from her posture and I could see her crystal green eyes staring at us with a calculating look. 

             Two other people came up behind her, aiming to cut her with a sword on their hand. However, her slick movement easily dodged them even when another join the fray. One had slashed past her and she took his arm, forcing him to block two of the attacks coming her way. She used a spell and the three swords lodged themselves together while getting stuck from an ice spell. 

            There were others as well but she easily swept them away with spells I never saw, and though they had fought back with silver weapons, she overwhelmed them. 

             None had died, yet they realized it's pointless struggle to defy her. Her strong, graceful demeanor  had at some point capture me, gaping in awe. A movement you wouldn't think came from a witch. 

            She came up to us and one by one she unlocked the cuffs like a thief. Upon closer look, her features showed she was about the same age as me, surprising me even more. 

            "Everyone, escape while you can, this chance will not come to you twice so use it well" she said coolly. They all hurriedly got on their feet and followed behind her as she took them to a haven place without being spot by anyone. 

             Tears stream on some of their faces  like streaming jewels as the moonlight shone on them. She turned to face me when I was the only one left outside the village with my head hung down. 

            How strange.....I was supposed to be happy after getting freed, yet for some reason there was a hollow feeling inside of me as if a hole had opened up inside me. 

            She looked at me with the same calculating gaze as if trying to understand what's inside my heart. However, there's no way anyone could know this painful feeling inside. A soft feeling enveloped me and I was late to realize the girl was hugging me. "You're not alone." 

            As if  those words had switched something inside me, my eyes began to feel warm and wet, my feelings overwhelmed me and I burst into tears. 

            The girl stayed by my side the whole time but I can't bring myself to trust her. People can change is what I came to understand, even if she stayed with me now, there's no way she would stay with me till the end. 

            I was going to say my thanks, but then I saw her looking at me with bewildered with her hood blown off revealing her features. Red lips, short black hair, sharp cheekbones, and beautiful sea green eyes as if it could light itself in the dark. 

            I was confused why she looked at me that way. I was slow to realize that it was raining, not because I was too preoccupied to notice but because no rain drops hadn't hit any of my skin as if there was a barrier around me. Moreover, even though it had been cloudless seconds ago, I wonder why it started raining? 

            "You're a Naturalist!" She said excitedly. 

             "What's that?"

            "It's what we call those who are born loved by nature by having the same wave length with one of the element's spiritual energy. Usually they are capable of using spells without anyone teaching them or calling out spells with just their emotion."

            When I listen to her explanation. There were many things that came pass my mind, memories of the past that I could hardly explain with my knowledge alone. 

            "Hey, living alone is boring right, do you want to come live with me? In exchange I'll tell you about a lot of things about magicians, don't you ever want to see what you are capable of?"

           "No I don't, what I want is to free my self from being a monster like you!"

            I regretted telling her my feelings on the spur of the moment. I slowly turn to look at her but my eyes kept wandering elsewhere. My legs trembled knowing what I did to a witch who could easily kill me. 

            "Do you hate your power?"

             Without focusing my gaze on her, I nodded. I wonder what kind of expression she had on her, probably disgust. Then she told me, "then let me teach you how to love your power."

            By then, I could no longer understand her motive. Exactly what was she talking about? How could anyone learn to love what separates you with the people you love?

            "I may not know what you've been through, but I do know how it feels to lose or be separated with the one you love" I may have showed a surprised look when I thought she had read my mind, she then smiled wryly and continued with her soft tone. 

             "I also hated this power because of what it did to me, and many known me as a monster called witch. That's why I learn to use my power so that I won't become the monster the people see us to be and be a person I see myself instead" 

            "But most of all, it's because I want to love myself that I don't want to deny what I am"

            Her words struck me like arrows, it made me question exactly what I am supposed be? A human? A witch? Or as Liselitte?

            That kind of thing should be obvious. "I'm not insisting you to be one of us, but I do want you to discover what kind of possibility you have" she said with her hand outstretched. I couldn't know for sure what kind of future awaits me if I took her hand. I don't want to be alone, but I don't want to get betrayed either. I wonder if I am still naive, because I didn't doubt her straightforward eyes as she kept her hand hang. 

            That's why for the unknown future I wished to see, I took her hand firmly. I wonder if in that unknown future, would I be able to go back to that village? I hope I could. 

            "My name is Liselitte."

            "Liselitte is it? Then from now on I'll call you Lise, my name is Claudia, nice to meet you. Since we'll be together from now on, I guess we'll be like sisters, don't you think?" she said with a bright smile, and I too, smile at her.

            This is not a fairy tale story, this is my history. 

            Suddenly when I took her hand, my surrounding became dark and I was sitting on a metal chair. I didn't know where I was but I couldn't leave from the chair. Then a sickening familiar smell gave my spine a jolt, I involuntarily turned and saw three of my classmates with their heads rolling off their body, the blood colored the floor red and I didn't even dare to have my feet touch it. 

            I turned to the side only to see some familiar faces laid on the floor. Were they dead? I didn't go to find out. 

            The dark room was echoed by a eerily laughter. I curl up on the chair and closed my ears but the laughter only get louder. I wanted to scream for help but I was afraid even to do that. 

            Then, I felt a warm touch on my hand, I look up and saw a girl with familiar sea green eyes. I know who she is, but why can't I recall her name. She smiled sweetly at me that seem to melt my fears away. She pulled me from the chair while mouthing a word, was it a name perhaps?

            However, by the time I stood up....... I woke up. 

            

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