This story is told from the Witches' perspective in 2nd Person.
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The Lakeside
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Summary: It is said that loneliness is the poison of happiness and that it can be a fate worse than death. But perhaps all it takes is a stranger's kindness and arbitrary words to null the curse and lift the spirit up enough that even Witches can find solidarity and a sense of belonging, maybe even a bond that can challenge the laws of fate and turn a curse into a blessing.
Disclaimer: I do not own Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica or any of its characters.
Clip, clop, clip, clop
Monotonous pitter-patters of hooves filled your cognizance.
Clip, clop, clip, clop
A breath joined the unyielding tapping before it dispersed into the ethereal mist of solitude.
And then, ringing like cymbals in a space so muted was the protesting whinny of a black and white horse.
Yet, in spite of this lively display that heralded its presence, it would always resume its march.
Clip, clop, clip, clop
A predetermined destination awaited you, a goal you so unwaveringly tried to reach, and you would not let anything stand in your way. You looked to your left when you sensed a disturbance, while the flames that engulfed your crimson hair flared in aggression, communicating to anything that was out there that you were ready to fight for your right to wander in this labyrinth, the cradle of your kind. You even raised your two-headed spear to signify a challenge, yet nothing came.
The alarm was a false one. There was nothing in the vicinity aside from the blackened trees that were painted on the backdrop of misty shadows. They had no volume and merely looked like inked testaments to an artificial landscape. Even when lit by your flames, they stood dark and flat, devoid of the most fundamental laws of existence.
This did not bother you, almost nothing ever did. You were merely a traveler passing through, so any peculiarities this place had was of little to no concern to you. All that mattered was that you continued on your way.
But to where?
That had always been a grim question, one that you could never answer for yourself no matter how many miles you trekked or how many mountains you conquered. But that was of no consequence because all you ever cared for was walking forward.
"All travelers have a destination."
Perhaps, you mused to yourself, yet your very soul could not conceive such an end.
"All beings strive for happiness."
But the steadfast and perpetual movement was your joy and what kept you alive. It kept your fire burning.
"Are you not tired?"
No, never. That was what your consciousness immediately retorted because it knew not how to answer otherwise. It was your duty to continue moving, to abandon everything so you would never know despair. After all, if you were the one who left, nothing could leave you and therefore nothing could ever hurt you.
"That is another form of loneliness."
Your flame sputtered agitatedly at the hollow and meaningless questions in your mind. You did not know who asked them and thus you instinctively blamed the sprite that accompanied you on your journey. The Goldfish had always followed you even though it was not a familiar, and unlike the columns of minions that trailed behind your footsteps, it circled you playfully and illuminated the dark woods with its faint glow. You would find yourself watching it at times, uncertain whether you should feel relieved or agitated of its presence. Because in spite of it being mute, there were times when you felt like it was the one speaking for your innermost self.
Yet the silver and red Goldfish continued to circle, waving its fragile, ribbon-like tail to propel it through the fog.
"Anxiously, you grow brighter and brighter. Are you certain that you are not beckoning for someone?"
You pressed your lips in a thin line and refused to respond to the voice in your mind.
"I am a mere lantern compared to your potent torch."
The steed below you resumed its trek after you dismissed the whispers, while the parade behind you followed as well, fulfilling their silent duty to march after you. It was only when you looked over your shoulder that you noticed them, and even then, their mouth-less faces were of no interest. There were times that you forgot their presence for even their footsteps were as deafening as the stillness of the thick miasma that clouded your vision.
They were there, but they were not at the same time.
You watched the ground disappear underneath your horse's hooves and wondered if those black-dappled legs were actually your own. So rare did you dismount the steed that there were times you forgot that it was there, carrying you as you sought for the treasure that could end your gloom. But what was it that you seek? The Goldfish asked you what you desired to find in your relentless quest many times yet only an indistinct haze and a cloudy yearning flashed in your cognizance. You knew not what those feelings meant and you were too numbed to even try to unravel their mysteries.
After all, trying would always put you at the risk of disappointment.
And that was something you deeply wished to avoid.
In spite of your reluctance to find the prize of your pursuit, the dappled horse continued its cadence, unwavering in its loyalty to you and your seemingly endless crusade. You did not attempt to stop it even though you have its reins in your hand because it seemed pointless to do so. Without a destination, directing was mute, and allowing it to roam unfettered might just lead you somewhere remotely interesting.
However, you did not expect it to suddenly stop at a misty clearing.
The horse's ears folded down before it whinnied and pawed the ground. It stood only a step away from a deadened body of water, where a serene haze mingled with your heavy miasma. You examined the vicinity and, aside from the lone apple tree that stood out from the darkly inked flatness of the forest, you only found the indiscriminate absence of sound that permeated in your world. Nothing was there, not even the tiny flitting of minions that would announce the presence of another Witch, so you nudged your steed to continue its trek.
But the equine simply refused to move even though it was capable of marching over water.
"You are here. Welcome!"
You saw the Goldfish swim from the corner of your vision before it arched its trajectory to dive into the water, where its surprising mass created a resounding splash that shattered the pristine stillness of the dark lake.
Suddenly, a strident symphony blasted its way up to the heavens, tearing the calmness of the surroundings into indistinguishable shards. A myriad of violins sung, accompanied by the bellows of cellos and the booms of timpani. Cymbals and tambourines sparkled glitter in the hopeful-sounding hymn before a clarinet vocalized a whimsical yearning that flitted in and around the tapestry of this intricately woven harmony.
The music illuminated the gloomy forest with its liveliness. Light blossomed from the bottom of the lake and spiraled upwards, taking with it the clear water which it fashioned into a crystal-like tower of liquid reaching for the sky. Within the soaring notes and the twisting fluid, the Goldfish spun and used its flashy fins in an attempt to fly and caress the full moon above.
Mesmerized, you searched for the source of this magical demonstration as you dismounted your horse. Though disturbed by frenzied ripples, the basin's surface was like a transparent mirror that allowed you to see through the once seemingly opaque façade. Underneath the waving plane, an entire orchestra of familiars performed their symphony in an underwater amphitheatre, harmonious and undisturbed. And in the middle of the grand stadium was algae-covered pedestal made of limestone, where the owner of the stadium sat.
You found it difficult to see the Witch in the water, but you could make out her waving arms as if she was conducting her minions' presentation. Was this display an act of aggression? Was she challenging you for the right to pass? If so, you were more than happy to oblige.
You readied your spear and pointed it at the water's surface and waited for the Witch to halt her intimidation tactics and face you. After all, you have had your share of duels with other Cursed Ones and have emerged victorious. This would be no different; you would simply show your dominance as the Witch of Wudan so your horse's hooves could sully this water nymph's territory.
You cared not for bordered lands.
However, the lake suddenly stilled, and as the ripples dissipated, as did the vision of the underwater orchestra. It simply vanished under the black surface of the water like it was never there. You held your breath, however, knowing that many Witches have unconventional powers. Perhaps this one had unusual abilities and was only waiting for you to make the first move. You did not allow yourself to make such an amateur mistake and simply stood still even though your steed neighed in protest.
Much to your surprise, no aggressive action was taken. Instead, a girl wearing a small, lop-sided crown surfaced and stared at the tip of your spear with an expression that almost looked like fear. Her hair was pastel blue, though it seemed darker due to the dampness of living underwater.
"H-have you come to listen?" The denizen of the water stammered.
Your flames ebbed in bewilderment. Listen? To what? The song had already stopped and the lake was as still as a mirror once more. Retracting your weapon, you spoke firmly, "No."
"Have you come to make a wish then? Many seem to do so."
The innocent and youthful sparkle in the Mermaid's azure eyes almost made you laugh. A Witch making a wish? That was unheard of. But to humor this rather sociable princess of the lake, you tilted your head and rested the shaft of your spear against your shoulder.
"Can you grant them?"
"Oh, no," the girl shook her blue-haired head, "I am only here to conduct music."
"Why? No one here can hear your symphonies."
The Mermaid sunk into the water until her nose was submerged to hide a sorrowful frown. Yet a moment later, she raised her head and said, "I just want my wish to return."
"Your wish left you?"
The princess of the lake nodded slowly and created a gentle ripple on the water's surface.
"Yes, my wish is somewhere not here."
Sensing that this Witch was not a threat, you sat on an overhanging rock that presided over the water's expanse and placed your spear on the ground next to you. The Mermaid observed you with curiosity, but she did not move from where she floated. You noticed that she wore a navy blue cloak in spite of being a resident of the depths, its fabric flowing behind her like the very water itself. Her azure eyes were stark contrasts to your scarlet ones, much like how your elements were at odds with each other. She was a lady of the lake who sought for her vague wish, while you were an aimless sojourner whose burning passions would forever be unknown.
She regarded you with interest and looked as if she wanted to question you about something, but she wisely kept the inquiry to herself. Unsure of what to do with a Witch with no intention of forging a rivalry, you licked your fang and exhaled thoughtfully before allowing your gaze to turn towards your faithful companion.
It did not seem like your mount had any interest in resuming your march with the way it lowered its head to drink from the lake.
You dismissed the mute familiars behind you and slouched just a bit, resting some of your weight on an arm. "Your wish is not here..." you parroted the blue-haired Mermaid, "I could not even conceive what a wish is."
"I believe it is something you desire more than anything."
You snorted gracelessly and the flames that enshrouded your crimson locks flared just a bit to exhibit your amusement. "I have none of that sort." You then smirked at her in a way that displayed the fangs hidden under your almost perpetual scowl, "I do desire something, but I do not know what it is. I have somewhere to be yet nowhere at the same time. If it is not too much of an inconvenience, I would like to stay and take a breather before I resume my quest."
"All crusades are made to obtain something."
You ignored the bothersome whisper and continued, "I swear not to invade your space nor show hostility as long as you allow me and my mount to rest for a few minutes."
The Mermaid watched you carefully and blinked in incredulity. "I do not think such declarations are necessary but you are welcome to stay." She smiled anyway, as if she was glad to have a guest.
"There are many out there who would not even observe the simplest of requests," you told the blunette. "At the very least, I keep my word."
"Oh," she retreated a bit once more and admitted, "I have not met another of our kind."
That perked your curiosity.
"You see..." the Mermaid spoke quietly, as if she was bashful of what she was about to say."It was not too long ago since I was born."
"Ah, that explains some things." After all, newly created Witches have little to no knowledge of this World, not unlike the humans who were born in the Other World. Despite their awesome power, even they were not privileged with omniscience, and from the way this one was devised, it would have been impossible for her to see what lied beyond this circle of trees and this relatively small pool of water.
"I heard one pass by a few days ago though," you listened to her speak. "She was loud and it sounded like there were many others with her."
"Many others..." you repeated to yourself, "then you have been wise not to allow yourself to be seen, Mermaid Witch. You must have heard the Walpurgisnacht passing by."
She tilted her head almost to the point that you thought her little crown would slip off her damp blue tresses. "Who is that?"
"Even I do not know, no one does." You explained as you used your spear to impale an apple from the tree that stood next to the rock you had been sitting on. "Her name has been lost to our history and the only thing we know about her is that she promises to bring the Rapture to all who followed her."
"I see... then, she is doing a good thing."
"Hardly," you interjected as you bit on the fruit, grimacing at its heated flesh. Due to your flames, you could never enjoy food that was not meant to be eaten hot. "She and her followers are still here, are they not? I think her promise is not what it seems to be."
The Mermaid stilled for a moment before she dared to come near you and touched one of the wet stones by the bank. "Must all of us Awaken and embrace the Rapture?"
Her question was poised to sound urgent, like a child demanding an immediate answer.
"No. Not necessarily. There are some who simply vanish because their vessels in the Other World perished. Most of us do Awaken though. Why do you ask?"
She averted her eyes away from you and looked down on the smooth rocks by her hands, "I am merely curious because... I am uncertain if my wish is in the Other World."
You chewed thoughtfully, albeit baffled with her behavior. "What is your wish?"
The Mermaid immediately shook her head and made splashing sounds in the water, "I would rather not say."
"Any reason?"
"Other than the fact that it is embarrassing? No."
Embarrassment was a rarity in your World, because most of the Witches were keen on what they desired and were proud of it, despite the true nature of their wishes or curses. Yet this one insisted that hers was mortifying enough that she devolved into a shy being that was so unlike their brethren. An embarrassed Witch, how entertaining!
Chuckling, you leaned forward and grinned as affably as you could. "What is your name, little Mermaid?"
She blinked at you and replied uncertainly, "Oktavia von Seckendorff."
"A pleasure to meet you," you straightened and tossed your apple core to the side so your mount could finish it off.
"My name is Ophelia."
The unusual encounter resulted in something extraordinary as you found yourself staying by the lakeside much longer than you had anticipated. Oktavia presented many questions about the World, curiosities that she would probably never be able to discover for herself. She asked what lied beyond this forest, and how big the World was. She even pulled herself onto the banks so she could immerse herself in your tales better. Strangely, you found yourself answering her inquiries to the best of your abilities. You never truly paid attention in much of your travels and some of those quests were blurry to your memory so there were times when you had to pause to recall what you have seen.
"Most of us keep territories," you explained when she posed a query about the other Cursed Ones. "But some are nomads like me. We are all too different from one another to generalize. There are even a few out there who wink in and out of existence."
The Mermaid listened attentively, although her busy hands seemed to show otherwise. She had been fiddling with a lyre for the majority of the hour, unable to keep her love of music from being impeded by a visitor. However, her bright gaze and the way she responded to your stories let you know that she was still definitely paying attention.
"There was once a Witch named Kriemhild Gretchen, who was kind yet somewhat delusional. But lately no one has sensed her presence. There are times when she is there, and there are times when she is gone completely. Right now… she is nonexistent."
"How is that possible?" The regal musician plucked a series of strings on the harp after she asked, almost like an interlude to whatever answer you had. "I thought we can only leave when we Awaken."
"It is probably the Mortal World Witch's doing, as if she is preventing her from existing. Asking why is mute at this point, very little is known about that dark Witch."
"Their destinies must be entwined," the Mermaid replied while playing a soft melody. "Be it a gift or a curse… Regardless, we are promised something upon our creation, correct? Perhaps being unable to coexist here is their curse. Maybe they are fated to meet in the Other World, just like how I am supposedly destined to find my wish there."
Then I am sentenced to keep searching for nothing.
After all, even if you do Awaken, all that was promised to you was an intangible grail, an unknown prize, which was therefore unreachable. What was the purpose of Awakening if you were destined to keep marching?
"Such a sad fate," Oktavia murmured as you thoughtfully bit into another apple, the third you plucked from the tree.
"You are hardly qualified to pity others, Mermaid Witch. You cannot even leave your pool."
Instead of being affronted, she merely clutched the lyre in her arms before laying it on her lap, where the instrument's golden frame sparkled with the opalescent scales of her tail.
She then smiled sadly, "yes, you are right. But I suppose that I was born a romantic."
Her sheepish chuckle softened your features, which then spiked your guard. Never before did you feel at ease with another Witch for they typically wanted something in return. If not for any sort of exchange, they usually rejected another presence in their labyrinths and stopped at nothing until the trespasser had perished. Yet Oktavia showed no animosity and even seemed to relish speaking to another body that was capable of responding back.
Was this a trait of the newly created?
I certainly cannot recall my early days...
"Witch of Wudan, may I ask a favor?"
Or perhaps I spoke too soon.
You regarded her with an inquisitive expression. You expected her to ask for something ridiculous or simply impossible to obtain when you hesitated in making it clear that you were not interested in giving her any favors. But you certainly did not anticipate a very human-like request.
"Can you get an apple for me?"
You blinked bemusedly and took a moment to absorb her words.
She then averted her gaze, albeit shamefaced. "You have been eating them for a while now and they look delicious." She flicked her tail fluke, idly displacing the water in waves and silently showing you the reason why she was asking for such a favor. "I have always wondered how they tasted ever since I first laid eyes on them but I cannot possibly acquire one. Are they sweet? Overpowering, perhaps? I have been sustaining myself with magic and humble water plants that taste no different than the place they lived in."
You chuckled as the Mermaid continued her insightful observations about a simple fruit and reached for your spear. She said that the apple sounded crunchy so therefore it must be. She also speculated how filling it could be. But before she could go on further, you swung your weapon up towards the tree, effectively plucking a single fruit from its prolific branches.
You offered the apple to Oktavia while smirking. "Why not discover the answers to those questions yourself?"
The lake's mistress took the fruit with both hands and then stared at it in wonder. She examined the apple's smooth skin and how the red orb weighed on her palms. She then looked at you before daring to take a bite. She chewed slowly, carefully, and relished the new taste in her mouth.
She did not say anything afterwards, as she was so overwhelmed by this seemingly mundane privilege.
But you needed no speeches.
Her delightful expression of simple happiness seemed more than enough.
Not even two nights later, you were by the lakeside once again. You stood by the rock solemnly and wondered how you ended up here. Did this place move? Was the Mermaid Witch able to relocate her labyrinth? You did not know, and thus you found yourself more than slightly confused. After all, you had left her with every intention of not seeing her again, yet you were now standing here, just like how you stumbled across the body of water in the first place.
You studied the surroundings and found that the foliage were identical to the ones you left before. Even the apple tree looked exactly the same aside from the obvious growth some of its fruits had undergone.
Did you somehow travel in a circle?
There was no way for you to know where you made a mistake, for the forest looked the same wherever you turned. It was like a labyrinth in and of itself, a maze in which a sojourner could easily get lost. Granted, you let your horse decide on the path you should take, believing that the equine would find the exit one way or another. However, you did not expect to see this clearing again.
You dismounted and dismissed your minions after your mount refused to continue forward. Looking around, there were no other disturbances aside from your horse's quiet whinnies so you instinctively searched for the owner of the lake. Knowing the Mermaid, however, she was probably at the very bottom of her abode conducting her music again since that seemed to be the only past time she had.
For a moment, you entertained the thought of summoning her to the surface but you also knew that you must leave before you had another encounter with her. You were restless, and movement was something you craved, yet somehow you could not find it in yourself to simply walk away without leaving a few words.
Idly, you thought of a way to call the Mermaid until you felt rather stupid just standing there by the lake pondering. You looked over your shoulder where you last saw the Goldfish swim by, tempted to order the annoying sprite to dive and fetch the soft-spoken Witch from under the water. You certainly did not want to do it yourself for that posed a risk of getting wet and dousing your life-fire. When you found the hovering sprite, however, it did not seem to have any intention of going, opting instead to circle around a ripe red apple hanging from the tree. Pride prevented you from speaking to it, especially considering the fact you did not even interact with your own minions.
A noble Witch like you should never speak to a fish.
Fortunately, an idea came to you not too long afterwards. You plucked the fruit from the tree, and after examining it for any imperfections, you chucked it into the water like an offering to the lady of the lake.
You waited for a minute, then two, and still Oktavia did not surface.
Perhaps she did not notice…
You tried again by picking another apple from the tree and throwing it on the surface of the water, where it and its predecessor floated and rocked because of the ripples.
Your horse neighed, and if you did not know any better, it sounded like it was laughing at you.
Growing frustrated, you decided that you have tried enough and that you should depart. However, that was also when the Goldfish decided to assist and swam towards the apples. It took one with its mouth and looked at you before diving deep into the water. Within a few moments, a straight blade pierced the surface and impaled the second apple that remained on the water, making you ready your spear as well. The sword was then pulled under before the tiny crown on Oktavia's head emerged.
Adrenaline coursed to your veins because a display of weapons usually meant a challenge, yet the Mermaid Witch only looked amused, even a bit sheepish. In her arms was the Goldfish, cradled like a beloved pet. She even stroked its white and red fins before taking the apple still cupped in its mouth.
"You returned!" She chirped happily, "I did not think you would after you left the other day."
"I did not think I would either, but here I am."
"Forgive me, I was practicing underwater." She swam closer before letting the Goldfish go. "My new conductor's rod is surprisingly heavy."
She showed you the cutlass in her hand and waved it a little before sheathing it at her hip. "It seems like an increase in arm strength is necessary for me to wield it."
"That is called a sword, Mermaid Witch. And it is a weapon, not an instrument to create music with."
Did she truly not realize?
"Oh," she blinked in fascination as she nibbled on the apple she had previously sliced with the saber, "why would I have such a dangerous object?"
You sighed in exasperation. Surely there was a limit to naïveté, right?
"The others out there are not necessarily as civil and would attack if given the chance. It is good that you have received your weapon already, especially after you told me that the Walpurgisnacht was last sighted around here."
"I see," the blunette swallowed a mouthful of sweet fruit before she stroked the side of the Goldfish that circled around her. "But I do not want to hurt others, right Momo?"
The sprite twirled in the air as if giving its assent to the Mermaid.
"Momo?"
Oktavia nodded and fed the fish a piece of her meal, "that is its name."
You furrowed your brows and stared hard at the red and white ball.
"It has a name?"
"Yes, did it never tell you?"
"I was never made aware that it could have one." After all, it never counted as one of your familiars in the first place.
"Oh, then what brought you back, Witch of Wudan?" She asked as you sat on the stone by the water.
"Nothing in particular," you shrugged and looked over to your horse and blamed it for your return here. Your glare did not bother it, however, and it only continued to drink from the lake while flicking its tail to and fro. "I would even dare say that I got lost."
Chuckling, Oktavia flung herself into the air and somersaulted gleefully, much like how the Goldfish would twirl around while it followed you in your travels. After she had descended and dove back into the water, she surfaced once again and swam towards your perch.
"Then…" she reached for the stone and pulled herself up as much as she could, as if to show you how excited she was, "if you can spare a few minutes, do tell me more about your travels."
You retreated a bit but you still found yourself chuckling at her exuberance. Perhaps you could spend a bit of time here before you move on again.
It would not hurt, would it?
"You seem forlorn, Witch of Wudan." Oktavia observed when you found yourself visiting her again one starry night. "Is something the matter?"
"Forlorn?" You questioned as you stabbed your spear into the moist earth. "I do not think I am, but there is something amiss."
The Mermaid swam closer and laid her hands on the bank's stones, revealing her newly acquired metal armbands that were the signs of her progressing maturity.
"What is it then?"
"An acquaintance of mine has vanished."
"Vanished?"
"Yes," you paused to gather your thoughts about the events, "The Dress-Up Witch had ceased to exist."
Oktavia opened her mouth but she waited a few moments to voice her musings. "Did she Awaken?"
You only shook your head, your fire dimming without your permission.
"I see…" she averted her eyes and stared sadly at the rippling water.
Quietness befell the lake for several minutes because neither of you moved nor spoke, so only the soft rippling of the water flitted into the night. Words were muted and unwilling to come out of your throat even though you wanted to fill the stillness around you. Unfortunately, your companion was respectful and prolonged the deafening nothingness, leaving you with sensations you never once bothered to understand. What was this dissatisfaction that plagued you? And why did it feel like you were carrying a heavy cross upon your shoulders?
Were you even allowed to feel such things?
When you could not bear the silence any longer, you forced your vocal chords to utter, "She once prevented me from leaving her labyrinth."
Those abrupt words jogged Oktavia away from her own thoughts, enticing her azure eyes to look up to where you sat and her ears to listen to your words.
"She always wasted her energy trying to impress other Witches so she could make them her friends… or so she told me." You chuckled hollowly to keep the unwelcomed sense of disappointment and irrational aggravation away from your voice. "And then, once someone does visit her, she would do everything in her power to keep them from leaving, which only discouraged others to come no matter how sweet and delicious her treats were."
"Another form of loneliness…"
Your eyes whipped towards the Goldfish that skimmed the surface of the lake then you found yourself inhibiting a disgraceful growl from your throat. You swallowed it, forbidding it to be expressed. It was stories of utter pettiness like these that truly struck your nerves. Witches like you should not succumb to human weaknesses. After all, you were more than human.
Yet you were also less than an empty husk as well.
That was when you felt a cool wet hand over yours. Oktavia had tried her best to reach up to your perch to give you a small consolation, and for a moment, you were so tempted to slap it away. However, the touch felt soothing and it somewhat doused the fiery anger within you.
"She was pathetic." You sighed raggedly when she encouraged you to continue, unable to convey your chaotic thoughts. "Luring other Witches into her lair to make servants out of them… she is no different from the Stage-Constructing Witch." You laughed in condemnatory glee afterwards. How pitiful Candeloro was! Inviting, genial, but ultimately selfish, that was what she was.
Such was the nature of Witches.
"The fear of solitude is powerful."
"Fools, they are nothing but fools!"
When your heart raged, your flame flared so strongly that it singed the Mermaid's fingertips, making her recoil back into the water with a startled and painful yelp. The sudden withdrawal and your horse's loud neigh jostled you from the confusing sensations that inundated your cognizance, and brought you back to see the vicious action you have inflicted upon your companion. Immediately, you leaned over the rocky outcrop to find the Witch who had submerged herself under the water, feeling ill that you allowed something like this to happen.
"Oktavia!" You called and reached into the water. The liquid immediately hissed upon contact with your smoldering hand and the collision of temperatures created a billow of steam that travelled upwards, blocking your vision of your query. You frantically waved away the rising vapor with your wide sleeve and searched. A part of you feared that the Mermaid would consider that action as a threat and would pierce the surface with a battle cry.
But, not unlike how she came to you when you first met, she merely peeked from the water with her nose still submerged.
You found yourself releasing a breath you did not know you were holding.
"I…" you began by retracting your offending hand from her pool, "I apologize. I did not mean that as a threat, Mermaid Witch."
Oktavia creased her eyebrows and averted her eyes, but she did not emerge from the water like she would normally do.
"Did I hurt you so badly? I do not know what I was thinking, but I implore you, do not take offense." You sighed then, oddly feeling drained inside. You were not used or even made to contain so many emotions at any given time. Confused, you lowered yourself onto the cold rock until you were partly draped over the water, your fingertips mere inches away from the mirror-like surface.
You searched your companion's expression with fiery eyes, "Please… come closer. I swear it will never happen again."
Hesitantly, the blunette came forward, but she only raised herself enough to speak.
"Have you calmed?" She asked evenly, her voice echoing in the terribly soundless vicinity of the lake. And though the serene gentleness of her tone was still there, the manner in which she uttered those words somewhat made you cringe.
"Yes, I have…" you answered despairingly before you tentatively raised your hand, which had already cooled substantially. "May I see your wound?"
"Do not fret," she told you before she exposed her burned digits. Amazingly, her magic was already healing her injuries at a speed that was startling even to you. A soft blue glow latticed new skin over blackened chars and raw flesh, and in a matter of moments, it was as if the wounds were never there. She then bravely closed in and gently placed her newly patched hand over yours, where its coolness soothed your palm.
"As you saw," as a small, uncertain smile graced her features, "my ability is to heal. A burn like that is of no consequence. I am more concerned about your outburst."
"I am sorry," you apologized once more and held her hand by closing your fingers over her knuckles. "Even I am not certain where it came from."
"Frustration, perhaps?"
"Maybe…" you resigned as you turned over to lie on your back, although you made certain that you did not relinquish your contact from the calming touch of the Mermaid. Your scarlet hair became an illuminating curtain that fell from the stone, like a fiery willow's leaves that sought the peaceful caress of the waters.
"It is unfortunate that I was not able to meet the Witch you spoke of."
"Why?" Though you were surprised at her words, you only stared into the night sky and observed the many static stars that dotted its expanse. You were not sure if they were real or if their existences were lies just like yours, and somehow those musings were both depressing and comforting at the same time.
"I do not know," Oktavia murmured more to herself than to you, "I just feel like I understand her."
Just like the stars.
"Understanding is a heavy word for a newly created like you, little Mermaid."
"Wisdom is not a necessary prerequisite to the ability to empathize, Ophelia…"
You felt her pull herself up to the bank of stones by the water due to the way she took your hand as she moved. After she had settled there, she uttered the most absurd notion a Witch could even voice.
"…a heart is."
The idea made you chortle in disbelief, "A heart? Is that the best you can come up with? We are curses incarnate, Oktavia. A heart has no place within us for it knows happiness, hope, while we know only despair, desolation... hate."
You felt her breath upon your hand as she cradled it so delicately, unfazed by your tirade.
"That may be so," she said softly as she whimsically traced the lines on your palm, "but it is also the heart that feels the hurt and the fury, therefore we must have one."
You felt something soft upon your palm and realized that the Mermaid had cupped her cheek with it.
She murmured into the hand that had burned her not too long ago and the sight of it inexplicably amazed you. "Inexperienced I may be, but I think I know the Dress-Up Witch's plight for I feel it too, and I am sure you do as well. I believe that is why you are restless… anxious."
You gripped her fingers with your own as you returned your gaze up towards the heavens, where you found the Goldfish gliding through the air as if it was swimming in water. You then took a deep breath and acknowledged the turmoil in your chest. It was still too early to accept the notion that perhaps you have something very human in your being, but you could not deny the insight your companion had given you.
"May I stay here for tonight?" You asked fleetingly, like the breath you had released a moment ago.
"Yes," she responded as she leaned her head against the stone upon which you lied. You could almost see her smiling softly as she gazed down on the water. "Had you not asked, I would have."
"Is that so?"
"Mhmm, because I am lonely..."
You closed your eyes as you took in the serene sounds of the lake and the pristine purity of the starlight.
"I am too."
A strange friendship was forged between two Witches as you continued to lose your way through the forest. Whenever you strayed too far away from the lakeside, a void in your chest widened and grew deeper until the anxiousness became so great that your hands immediately directed your obedient mount back to where you came from. You tried to dismiss it by mustering all the jadedness you had, but it was not long before you realized that you were no match for the emptiness inside.
As if commanded by the barren organ you used to believe you did not have, you returned to Oktavia's lake after a significant leave of absence. Within that time, you had already circumnavigated the expansive woodland of horrors but you still failed to find an exit. There were instances that you thought you saw a great desert beyond the black columns of tree trunks, or another towering mountain above the canopy, but there was nothing but the forest in every direction.
You felt trapped, but as the great lake came to view after you emerged from the woodland, it did not matter as much anymore.
However, the atmosphere by the lakeside was curiously different from before. The serenity that used to dominate the landscape had seemingly vanished, leaving only the murkiness of the heavy fog. Even the apple tree that once inexplicably thrived in this depressing clearing had wilted, exposing the remaining fruits that clung on its branches. They beckoned at you with their dying red glow, like ephemeral messengers that dutifully waited for the recipient of their significance.
You plucked one of the fruits and gaped at the sight. This was not Oktavia's stage, far from it, but it was impossible to mistake it for another because it was completely identical.
Troubled, you called the Mermaid to surface. You could still feel her presence underneath the reflective water so you were certain that she was there, but no matter how many times you called her name, she did not come, not even a single ripple. You threw the apple on the water, believing that the blue-haired Witch was simply engrossed with her concert but that did not work either. You even ordered the Goldfish to retrieve her yet still nothing.
The water remained lifeless.
Angry now, you summoned your spear and spun it around until a circle of fire blazed through the darkness of the forest, like a magical beacon that could be seen for miles around. You figured that if subtlety would not work, then you would try something more drastic. You stabbed the water's surface with the red hot pole, making its mirror-like sheen explode with steam. The sound and turbulence ought to bring the Mermaid Witch swimming up to the surface with a litany of complaints, maybe even a cutlass or two, but even that failed.
She did not rise.
Instead, the contact between your lance and the water allowed you to see her struggling form underneath. Oktavia fought with the weight of her armor as she tried to swim to you. Again and again, she attempted to launch herself from the conductor's pedestal she usually sat on, but every time she neared the water's barrier, the heavy metal dragged her down.
Her expression pleaded for help, and though it would have been invisible underwater, you knew that tears streamed from her eyes. She tried again and mustered all the strength to combat merciless gravity to reach you, yet the water's pressure proved to be a great foe. She even attempted to remove the thick steel around her upper body, but as soon as she rid herself of the equipment, they simply materialized back and dumped an unimaginable weight that sunk her every endeavor to reach you.
"Oktavia!" You called frantically. You even snarled at the accursed water because it was an element you could not conquer. What were you supposed to do now? You helplessly watched as the Mermaid stretched her arm up to reach you before urgently lowering your spear and extending it to the fullest so she would have something to grab on to.
"Come on!" You shouted at her while you cringed every time a splash of water hits your face. Steam surrounded you now as water and the fiery heat of your flames clashed in every instance you touched the lake, but its anger failed to tear you away from your only friend.
Every moment seemed like an eternity, but when you finally felt the weight of her hand on your lance, you pulled as hard as you could to raise her up. It was difficult, for it was not just her armor that kept her under. It was as if her very labyrinth did not want to part from its mistress and demanded that she remained inside until the metamorphosis was complete.
Her hand's grip began to slip just as she was about to break the surface, and for the minutest of seconds, you thought that she would sink once more.
The notion almost stopped your heart cold and that was when your limbs acted on their own.
"Hold on!"
You dove forward and immersed your blazing hand into the water, angering it to boiling point. But you did not care and did your best to ignore the pain it inflicted on your skin, which felt like it was cracking due to the vicious temperature change.
No, that did not matter.
What was significant to you was held firmly in your hand.
You heaved the Mermaid from the water high enough so she could hold onto the rocky ledge by the bank, and after a minute of catching your breath, you were finally able to see the extreme changes to her appearance. Her light chest armor had been replaced by thick plates of impenetrable steel that hugged her torso from shoulder to waist. The metal had also extended down her arms and wrists, where it was slowly but surely creeping towards her hand. Her cape was much longer now as well, waterlogged and heavy, and,in addition to great fanning collar on her neck, they made swimming nearly impossible.
The only familiar characteristics that remained were her lop-sided crown and the large red ribbon wrapped around her neck.
Oktavia's transformation was almost complete, was it not?
She wept as she clung on your hand with all she had, "Forgive me… I-I cannot even…"
"Hush, Mermaid Witch," you tightened your grip for reassurance, "with an ensemble like that, it is no wonder you could not rise."
She gaped and prohibited herself from uttering another apology before bringing your steady hand to her face. She pressed her nose and lips on your knuckles, kissing it in gratefulness and perhaps even elation. "I thought… I will never see you again."
You calmed your breathing and chuckled to comfort her, "It seems like you are almost ready." Saying those words created a painful lump in your throat, preventing you from forming proper sentences. "I… cannot believe that you have evolved so much faster than I."
And that you will leave this place before I do…
"It is just a matter of time, my friend. You will be able to—"
"I do not want to Awaken!"
Your eyes widened at her outburst and the miserable wail that came after it. After being caged in a watery prison since her birth, was she not happy that she could finally leave? In the Other World, Witches like her would be able to wander the expanse of land, sea, and air if she so wished. The promise of freedom and the pursuit of dreams, wishes, or curses were there.
Yet, even though she knows that her time in this gloomy place was over, all she did was cling on your sleeve. "I do not want to leave…"
"You."
She did not say it but the loving caress she gave your hand spoke volumes.
"I am afraid," she told you in between sobs and whimpers, "utterly terrified…"
"Oktavia…" You watched as her armor grew even thicker and how it began to crawl up her neck and jawline to create a helmet. "Do not be… you said so yourself, remember? A blessing, a wish, was promised to us once we—"
"No, Ophelia," she smiled so sadly and spoke so softly that you held your breath to hear her next words. "Only despair awaits me there…"
"W-what do you mean?"
"You see…" She reached up and touched your crimson hair, unwavering and uncaring of the fierce fire that was there. The cloths of her gauntlet burned and, with it, the delicate skin of her musician's fingertips. Yet she did not care. It did not seem like she even felt pain as she stroked your fiery tresses because her touch was so tender and heartfelt.
"I have found my wish."
"Wait, you—" You could not even muster the courage to stop her advances, not even to spare her from painful charring. The purpose of her actions was simply too strong, too desperate, and it did not take long for you to realize that you were yearning too.
Before you knew it, the Mermaid Witch forced herself up with the remaining strength she had and pressed her quivering lips against yours. Soon, trembling arms wrapped themselves around your neck as uncertain mouths blessed each other in a way that was so foreign yet so personal at the same time. But as quickly as you allowed yourself to surrender to the myriad of emotions you never thought you could feel, you pulled away from the blue-haired girl's embrace when you tasted blood.
Her once soft lips were burnt raw by your fire and her cheeks bled red and black.
"No, no…" you shook your head in terror, "no! Let me go! You are hurting yourself, Oktavia!"
She only hugged you tighter and hid her injured face against your neck. "It matters not to pain… it cannot compare to the happiness in my heart. Ophelia, you once asked what my wish was… "
"Stop… please stop," you gritted your teeth to keep yourself from crying. "Oktavia… I beg you."
You recalled the first time your fire scorched her hand and tried to pry her away because every burn she suffered felt like an aching scar to your soul. You pulled at her cloak for you could not bear to hurt her, and you pleaded and cried for her to let go but she just embraced you tighter.
"No," she sniffled against your skin, "let me hold you before I go, let me tell you of your importance before I disappear."
When she finally pulled away, you were horrified to see a terrifying helmet covering half of her face. Her lop-sided crown had fallen off her head while the wicked metal kept growing, gradually covering her pretty face with the mask of a full-fledged Witch. The last vestiges that were left uncovered on Oktavia's youthful and innocent features were her eyes and her gentle mouth.
"My wish is to fall in love." She told you with a voice so unyielding and true, untainted by the metamorphosis she was going through. "And I was able to fulfill it because of you. You saw past the water's surface and eased my loneliness when I was certain that no one would ever find me here."
"Oktavia…"
"That is why I am afraid…" She gripped your robe with metal-covered fingers, "I do not want to face that loneliness again. But there is nothing we can do, is there?" She then lowered her face until droplets of tears stained your lap, "I am glad that you came for me one last time… it gives me hope, even though I am not worthy of hope."
Aching, you wrapped your arms around her armored frame and cradled her helmet against your chest as your throat burned in sorrow.
"Please find me when you Awaken…" she pleaded to you and it broke your already fragile heart. "I will wait for you so… listen for my song when you get there."
"I-I will… I will search for you. I promise."
"I will play forever if I must. I will never ever stop so… please."
"Even if it is the last thing I do… I will find you. Wait for me… wait for me."
You embraced her with everything you had until the very last moment. She did too until she could no longer hold you. Then, as if she was never there to begin with, Oktavia ceased to exist, carried off by fluttering crystals that resembled her tail's scales so much.
But her final words still rang loudly in your ears.
"I love you," she said so fleetingly that you almost did not hear it.
"I love you."
Your arms dropped to your sides when the person you held had vanished. What now, you asked yourself, and what was this painful void in your heart? What was this feeling of absolute hopelessness? The heart that once beat so powerfully just felt heavy and dead. Where did it go? Did she take it with her?
"Despair… that is true despair, oh star-crossed lover."
You looked up with dull eyes. Your once fiery gaze was completely devoid of its accursed flames and somehow, you felt like you could not see as well as you should. But your fire engulfed you hungrily, and as you stood up from the stone, it spread throughout the clearing. Without the Mermaid Witch's lake to impede its appetite, the blaze consumed the monochromic grasses that filled the space until only charred remains were left.
Even your once noble horse was swallowed by the fire and was thus reborn to a mere shadow of itself. Checkered patterns of charcoal were branded upon its hide and its eyes were hollowed out, blackened by your destitute state.
You could not see past the inferno anymore, and you could not care. All you knew was that you must leave, Awaken, and search. You must march, to the ends of this plane if you have to, if it meant finding the Mermaid again. You must abandon this World and seek your beloved's spring, her home lake, once more.
The flames grew and set the surrounding forest on a collision course to destruction as you mounted your unbridled steed, a warrior of fire hell bent to find her most precious treasure.
The Goldfish was the only thing spared from the carnage. Yet instead of winking out of existence, it continued to swim around you, beckoning and calling like a lure. Will it lead you to her? Did it know the way?
"Will you Wake, Witch of Wudan?"
Yes… I must find her.
With your spear held firmly in your grip, you let go of yourself and any attachment you might have had with this place for you no longer belonged here.
My wish… is somewhere not here.
You remembered her yearning voice, her sorrowful smiles and cool serenity.
"Wait for me…"
And with that promise, you allowed yourself to be consumed by your own firestorm, to Awaken after sleeping for so long.
Powerful magic shredded your very being and tore your wretched soul. Awakening was painful like being stabbed by spikes, or being impaled by an iron maiden, and it was akin to the horrible sensation of drowning in abyssal sorrow, but it was a small price to pay.
It allowed you passage and after an eternity, you arrived in this utterly foreign world of stone and concrete, where the very stars themselves were embedded in rock and illuminated the area with their unnatural glow. Noise was everywhere as well, and the serene tranquility by the lakeside was nowhere to be found. On this jungle of asphalt and glass, this maze of human society and all its exuberance, your steed marched while your contingent of familiars followed behind, ever faithful and mute. You scanned the vicinity with nonexistent eyes and called out without a mouth, so even though you bellowed with all your might, no sound came out.
What was this? What had happened?
By your horse's hooves laid a girl with crimson hair, bloodied and dead, and in front of you stood another mortal with long black tresses and violet eyes. She looked at you with disdain and disappointment, much like the Dark Witch in your world, but that did not matter. All you had to do was kill anyone that came in the way of your marching and destroy anything that impeded your search.
You raised your spear until it glowed red in fury.
"Tch…" You heard your opponent cluck her tongue as she watched your phantoms multiply in front of her very eyes. Your heart roared but your throat remained mute. Instead, your mount bellowed for you as you charged. But your spear was met only by air after your enemy had seemingly vanished without a trace.
Her presence was replaced by exploding devices that blasted shrapnel and bullets into your body, making you stagger and lose all the phantasms you had summoned. You remained undefeated however, for your obsession was much more powerful than this annoying pest.
"Where are you…?"
Oktavia was nearby. You could not mistake her presence and you were certain that she had been here.
I must find her.
Another grenade was tossed at your back, where it exploded and nearly threw you off your horse. The steed jerked up and neighed loudly to express its anger and pain, but you immediately willed it to be still.
You have no time to chase this fly and swat it away. You had a more urgent goal and a promise to keep.
Let me hear you.
A faint musical cry caught your attention in between vicious explosions. It was so feeble, so weak, and it alarmed you. That was her song, her melody, yet why was it so far away?
"So you still try, Sakura Kyouko… you still want to save her even though you have succumbed as well." The dark-haired vessel spoke icily before disappearing once more.
You paid her no attention and continued searching the interlaced roads and rails for your other half until you saw a tiny spark in your vision.
You froze at the sight of a lonely Grief Seed by the rubble.
No…
You told me you would wait!
"Do not worry," the mahou shoujo declared after she reappeared with a bazooka on her shoulder, "you will join her soon."
Your horse neighed fearsomely and trampled the ground, before it blocked the deadly projectile with its body and crumbled into the ground. But a hail of bullets descended upon you, followed by a single beeping cylinder that landed by your mount's broken legs. Every tick was like a heartbeat from your locked memories and it anesthetized the pain of being bombarded by such powerful and foreign magicks.
For a moment, you thought that you could hear the Mermaid's lyre and her soft hums from the spiky black orb by your hand and it soothed you somewhat. It brought you back by that lake lit only by starlight; where tales were told, music was shared, and loneliness was erased by amity.
Unable to speak and move due to missing legs, you tried to inch closer to Oktavia's Grief Seed, her soul so lonely and caged even after Awakening.
Have you abandoned me as well…?
You loosened your grip upon the spear that had served you so well and deemed it useless, your battle pointless. Instead, you cradled the Mermaid Witch's soul on the palm of your hand and gazed at it. Your once proud flames have been tamed by the consolation that, though you were late, you somehow found her.
That helpless, beautiful princess of the lake, so fragile and frail, could not even wait long enough.
I know… you tried your best.
You saw the Goldfish swim overhead like a solemn spectator as the pipe bomb beeped its last and detonated just as you pressed the Grief Seed upon your bosom.
It was your final embrace.
And while your life force dwindled and decayed, you immersed yourself within the atmosphere of the lakeside, a sanctuary you shared with the Witch who wanted nothing more but to feel love. You bathed yourself with the presence of the girl who proved to be your final destination, the treasure you have sought but never attained.
Gray moonlight bathed the meadow where the Mermaid Witch once dwelled. It was lifeless now, filled by emptiness and silence. And yet, in the bottom of the deep crevasse, two brightly colored gems lied side by side. One glowed with the serenity of a deep blue sea, while the other churned with a burning red passion.
Beautiful jewels they were!
A black shadow with violet eyes found them and descended into the crater with utmost grace and artistic efficiency. Lithe fingers dressed with mystical rings then reached down and picked up the shimmering gemstones from their rocky cradle. She then held them against the moonlight, allowing them to glimmer together for the last time before she tucked them away in the vastness of the untamed space of her magic, where they would exist for eternity, until the cycle repeated itself.
The Mortal World Witch's eyes gazed up at the heavens for a brief moment before she hid her gaze under the shadows of her wide-brimmed hat.
"Dream endlessly, dearly departed, dream fervently for rest is not everlasting. Again, you shall meet," The entity of mortality whispered upon the souls she had collected, "and again, you shall perish. But take comfort, oh cursed spirits, that you shall never live or die alone."
We are all lonely and yearning,
Because there is always something missing.
We try, again and again, to fill the void
And to smother the emptiness,
Only to find that we just made it even bigger.
We resist it.
We even pretend that it does not exist,
Until it festers and burns.
A diseased heart and a decaying soul.
What is the salve, the remedy?
Perhaps it is as simple as the text of a book,
The gentle smile of a friend or an acquaintance,
Or even the musings of a complete stranger.
Because though we are lonely,
We are never truly alone.
Fin.
Prompt: "Loneliness is proof that your innate search for connection is intact." ~Martha Beck
AN: I never thought I would write in a Witch's perspective. But since I have always been interested in the supernatural, the mysteries surrounding them have been an interesting endeavor to tackle. Of course, this is alternate universe interpretation and is potentially full of plotholes, especially to those who have dissected canon down to the finest of details. However, as long as readers enjoyed it for what it is, I am content.
This story is a present to a special friend, who introduced me to a long of amazing stories and anime series. Happy Birthday, Athyra!
Thank you for AdrenaVeris and MUTE-sk3tch3s for beta reading this story.
The wonderful Cover Image is drawn by MUTE-sk3tch3s.