Disclaimer: I do not own Magi.
Free Spirit
Chapter 1 – Fateful Tragedy
A soft breeze passed through the open window of a small house. The lone resident sat in front of a desk with an open laptop.
Said resident is actually a young lady, barely through her mid-twenties. Furrowing her brows as she stared conflicted at the screen, a sigh escaped her lips. The soft glow of her laptop screen illuminated her melancholic features as she tried to put her thoughts into words.
She paused.
"Why am I even worried about this?" She grumbled to herself as she rubbed her face. Dark circles were evident in her eyes, signifying her lack of sleep for the past few days. She spent a couple of days trying to think of what could have been if things were different. Why?
It's because she's dying.
She just found out about a week ago. A regular check up to the clinic later turned into the most life-changing discovery that left her restless. They took a blood sample a day after she passed out right in front of her doctor. The results came back fast from the laboratory. Another day passed and her doctor regretfully informed her of her condition.
Acute myelogenous leukemia. A few more tests after that, they found out that it already spread in her liver and spleen.
In other words, incurable. That explains why I always felt tired and weak, she thought to herself. Her doctor didn't directly say it, but she knew. After that, she refused all suggested measures to at least try to survive.
I should visit them huh, she thought of her siblings and parents. After agreeing with her own idea, she stood up and put on decent clothes. Right when she stepped out her door, a cold feeling brushed her cheek. She turned her head and saw what seemed like a black butterfly fluttering near her face.
She smiled, insanity swimming beneath her ruby orbs.
Death, huh.
Asfour Darcia Caballe, most often known as Darcy, cheerfully skipped from her car to her parent's house. She instantly heard the dogs barking in glee and her sister, Elisa, swung the door and launched herself right at her. She yelped as she struggled to keep herself steady. Darcy's expression broke into a wide smile as she led her sister back into the house.
A feeling of resignation along with unease started to brew in Darcy as she burned the image of her family in her mind. Her parents laughing, her sister trying to calm the dogs down, her brother yelping he played his video game.
She saw another black butterfly circling around her sister. She pointed and asked, "Hey Elisa, did you notice that a butterfly is right by your ear?"
Elisa looked and frowned. "There's nothing there, sis. Are you seeing things again?"
"Hm, maybe," she replied and brushed it off. Darcy skillfully put on a nonchalant face and tried to ignore the growing mass of butterflies around her sister. If she dare day it, they looked restless. She frowned and continued to silently pick on her food while her sister fussed with the dogs.
"Darcy, I need a couple of things from the grocery. Do you mind getting them for me?" Their mother asked. The younger woman shrugged. "I don't mind, Mama. Just give me a list so I won't forget anything." Her mother happily searched for a paper and pen.
"May I go with her, please?" Elisa pleaded with excitement.
Their father sighed amusedly. "Alright, alright. Just be careful." She cheered and turned to her younger brother. "Matteo, do you want to come with us?" He shook his head no and returned to his game. After a few minutes, Darcy received the list and money. She took her purse and keys and walked to her car. Her sister gleefully tagged along.
The trip was short and they both eventually got the items in the list. Darcy tried to ignore the butterflies restlessly circling her sister. An ominous feeling washed over her as she looked at her sister.
Is something bad going to happen?
She couldn't help but be on alert even after they checked out their items. Her sister narrated stories of what was going on in her school until they reached Darcy's car. Darcy had a fond smile while listening to her sister as they put away the bags into the trunk.
What happened next was a blur.
The lingering obsidian butterflies rushed towards her sister and immediately caught her attention. Time seemed to slow down and she saw a truck coming straight at where her sister was standing. She instinctively pushed the empty cart away, the crash resounding throughout the parking lot. Her sister momentarily stared at her in confusion, her lips parting in a question.
The butterflies swirled wildly around her sister. Darcy pulled her sister out of the way and Elisa fell to the concrete. The sound of screeching tires filled the air. Elisa watched in horror as a truck crashed her sister into a car a few feet away and sickening crunches reached her ears. Darcy fell limply to the ground, but the truck plowed into more cars before it stopped.
Defy destiny.
Darcy's eyes opened as she heard that faint whisper. She heard her sister cry out and rushed towards her. Despite the pain, she smiled as Elisa looked down at her with tears streaming down her petite face.
"Sis, no, no," Elisa chanted as she tried to carefully grasp her sister's hand. Darcy chuckled wryly and weakly raised her right arm to brush away strands of hair falling into her sister's face. "Ah, I think my left side is completely broken. It's kinda hard to breathe," Darcy joked with a strained smile. Her sister huffed angrily.
"Shut up! Y-you're dying! I need – we need to call 911 right now!" Elisa fretted, her hand looking for her phone while never letting go of her sister. Her knees started to feel cold. She sobbed as she looked down, seeing that it was her sister's blood.
"They were trying to tell me, you know? That something bad was going to happen. Something about death," Darcy said and Elisa paused from her phone. "What are you saying?"
"They were beautiful black butterflies. They're flying around. See?" Darcy pointed her finger upward. Elisa frowned. "You've been reading too much manga again, stupid sis," the younger girl teased, forgetting about the dire situation for a bit.
"What manga?" Darcy asked.
"Magi, duh. And damn you for distracting me," Elisa said as she continued on her phone.
Darcy chuckled again. "Is it that one with the blue-haired boy? I never got the chance to read it. I was going to… but then… never mind." Coldness started to spread across her body and darkness creeped at the corners of her vision. Darcy panicked a little, making the surrounding butterflies flutter restlessly. Just as Elisa was done on the phone, her elder sister nudged arm.
"Remember the list that Mama gave me? Take it, it's in my left front pocket."
Elisa complied and flinched as he fingertips brushed against the blood on her sister's hip. Darcy looked to the sky as the black butterflies flew upwards in a rush. One was on her chest, its wings moving placidly.
"Read that later when you get home, okay? You – you were supposed to die, I think. But I could't let that happen. You're so young… so much ahead of you. I want you to live. Live on for me… okay?" Darcy said and she coughed, blood falling from her lips. Elisa's tears renewed their flow as she started to comprehend what her sister was saying.
"Shut up! We're going to get you into the hospital and you're going to be fine! You won't die, okay?!" The younger sibling clung to her sister's good hand tightly.
"They said… to defy destiny. I'm glad… I… listened…" Darcy smiled once more and breathed her last. Tremors shook Elisa's hands as she stared down in shock.
"Sis? Wake up, please? Please…" She pleaded as she cried onto her sister's cold hand.
In the space between worlds, the tainted Rukh began to gather in one place. Amidst the chaotic dance, a single pure Rukh shone and danced in harmony with the tainted Rukh.
Meanwhile, in the world beyond Alma Torran, the seas calmed and the wind stilled. The eerie silence was soon broken by a flash of light, thinly streaming from the heavens. This did not go unnoticed by the kingdoms.
The light left a dark trail and seemed to vanish after a few seconds.
An emotionally and physically exhausted Elisa crashed onto her bed. Darcy was to be cremated after a week and her ashes to be scattered in the ocean.
Just the thought of it made her vision blurry with tears. Angrily swiping her arm across her eyes, she scrambled to find the paper that her dear sister asked her to take right before she died. Taking the bloodied paper into her hands, she read it again like it was the first time.
Hey sis. I will probably sound insane, but I have to tell you this. I saw a lot of black butterflies earlier this morning and it felt like they were telling me something. I kind of freaked out when I realized that you can't see them. I thought I was hallucinating. They were swarming around you and I could feel something bad was going to happen. But anyways, I wanted to tell you that I found out I have leukemia. I'm terminally ill, sis. I only got a few months left. The cancer already spread through my digestive system. Whatever happens, I want you guys to know that I love you and thank you for making my life wonderful.
Love,
Darcy