Chapter 25: The blue moon.
I'm getting antsy. And stressed. And bored. And mad. Really, I don't think there are enough negative adjectives to describe how I'm feeling. It's already been nine full months since I got this oh-so-important shiny rod thing, and… it's useless. I haven't been able to revive another word; it hasn't glowed even once since that day I used it for the first time. Honestly, all those hours spent at the library and at Croix's secret lab reading book after book are taking a toll on me. And I haven't even found a single clue about that stupid second word! Except its pronunciation, that Croix has made sure I memorize.
What was it, again? Something like Ferrari affection? No. Phai… Phaidoari! Phaidoari afairynghor. I think.
"Phaidoari afairynghor." I pronounce for the hundredth time, again getting no results at all as I glare at my magic rod. "Come on! Just do the shiny thing! It can't be so hard!" I yell at it.
"You are talking to your rod? Again?" Enid snorts as she comes to sit on the bench next to me.
"Honestly, I think reading so many books is making you even crazier than before." Anaid adds with a teasing tone as she sits on my right.
"I think it's spending so much time with the nerd of Luna Nova what's making her lose her mind." Enid quips in, laughing.
"Girls." I glare at the twins. "Not in the mood."
"But we can't just leave you alone when you are acting so weird!" Anaid berates me, her expression turning slightly more serious as she eyes me with furrowed brows.
"There's really nothing to worry about!" I argue. Because really, getting the mischievous twins involved in something that could change the fate of the magical world doesn't sound smart at all.
"You're sitting alone in the courtyard trying to win a staring contest with a golden stick." Enid deadpans. "Of course we're worried about you!"
"Is this because of the Triskelion thing, or whatever?" Anaid asks, sounding slightly more sympathetic than her sister. I just sigh in answer.
Then I slowly turn to look at Anaid and hesitantly give her an unsure nod.
"Just forget about that thing. It's not worth getting all worked over." Enid says cheerfully as she puts her arm around my shoulders, no doubt in an attempt to make me feel better.
"But it's the world-alteration magic!" I protest. "Technically I have not only the ability to change the world, but also the responsibility to do it!" I frown, feeling as my shoulders tense considerably. "I-I… I thought it would be easy; just obtain stupid seven words and be done with it, right? But it's just…! Agh!" I shoot up from my seat and start pacing in front of the bench, glaring holes at the ground as if it had personally offended me.
I see from the corner of my eyes as my friends turn to look at each other, each of them wearing confused expressions. Eventually, Enid talks.
"Only you would think something like that would be easy." I stop to glare at her, but before I can say something, her sister speaks.
"Yeah. I mean, you're trying to revive magic here! Not make pancakes."
"I burned my pancakes the last time I tried to make them." I mumble, pouting.
"My point exactly." She giggles.
"But the first word just came naturally! I just thought it would be the same with others." I argue.
"Maybe it is." Enid shrugs. "Maybe you don't have to do research and whatever; just wait until it's the right moment to say the words."
"But I can't wait!"
"Why not? Magic isn't going to disappear overnight." Anaid answers.
"Because…!" I pause. Why can't I wait? Sure, I've never been good at being patient, but that's not all there is to it. So I try to organize my feelings and put them into words. "I just… it's too much responsibility, okay? Too much stress. I want to get this over with and continue with my life."
"No one is pressuring you to do it." Enid says, but then after a pause adds. "Or is she?" I don't have to ask to know who she's talking about.
"Well, I mean… it is her dream." I answer. "She wants to restore magic so badly and is studying without rest in order to find the seven words." I sigh, running my hand through my hair. "I'd feel bad if I didn't do the same."
"It's not like you asked to be chosen by the rod." Anaid points out. "Really, you should just leave everything to Croix; she's a genius. She can do it."
"I know she can!" I raise my voice unconsciously. "But I want to prove to her that I can do it too. That it wasn't just a mistake for the rod to choose me."
"Knowing you, it probably was." Enid jests, but I remain unamused.
"If you are just going to make fun of me, I'm going to leave." I say, wearing a firm pout on my face.
"Oh, come on, don't be like that." Anaid gives me a gentle smile. "It's not like we have the answers even Croix can't find."
"Yeah, exactly!" Enid seconds her, but then pauses as a mischievous expression forms on her face. "But… I know who may."
"Who?" I ask cautiously. After all, Enid's ideas usually end up getting us in trouble.
"The ghost of the blue moon." She answers with a dramatic voice.
"The what now?"
"The ghost only appears during the nights of blue moon, in a secret cavern located under the tower of the New Moon." Enid explains, still talking as if she were telling a horror story.
"So, tonight." Anaid adds. Her sister nods.
"It's said that it will answer any question if it considers you to be worthy." She finishes.
"Worthy?" I say as I eye the rod still clasped firmly within my hands. I think this is proof enough that I'm worthy, right? I was chosen by a mystical object. The ghost will surely have to answer my questions!
"Girls. We have an excursion tonight!"
"Maybe we should have told Croix." Anaid says with a slightly scared tone of voice as we step inside the tower of the New Moon, illuminated only by the light of our wands and the blueish glow of the moon.
"No. I want to prove to her that I can do this on my own." I answer, quickening my pace, eager to find that ghost and finally get the answers I've been looking for.
"Besides, she'd probably stop us. It's already past curfew, and she's never been one to break the rules." Enid adds.
I wisely chose not to comment about Croix having a secret, and very illegal, lab at the old Astronomy Tower.
We walk around the stairs at the center of the tower and to the back, where a chapel with a statue of Hecate is located in front of a tall window with the symbol of Luna Nova. The blue light of the full moon enters through it, painting everything with an ethereal glow.
"It's said to be under the chapel, right?" I ask as I kneel down in order to examine the floor, searching for a trap door, or something.
"Yeah, though I don't know how…" Enid stops halfway through what she's saying when the second gem on my rod starts glowing with a green light. I hold my breath when a ray shoots towards the floor, illuminating the bricks in front of us before they start descending, making a staircase.
"Wow." I breathe out. Truthfully, I didn't believe Enid had the facts right. I thought it was only a legend, even if I believed it was worth a shot. But now… it's real!
"You were right!" Anaid exclaims cheerfully.
"I was?" Enid says, clearly as surprised as me. "I-I mean, yeah, I was! I totally didn't just drag you here following a stupid rumor invented by some third years."
"Come on girls, the ghost isn't going to be here forever." And with that, I run down the stairs, not the littlest bit scared about what could be waiting for me down there. I want answers. No. I need answers. And I need them now.
The cavern (Blue Moon Abyss, according to Enid) is like any ordinary cavern. Its floor, walls and ceiling are made of sharp-looking black rooks, and there's thankfully more than enough space for the three of us to walk through; the cave isn't too narrow and the ceiling isn't too low. Our wands also provide enough light to see where we are going.
"You said there's a ghost in here?" Anaid breaks the silence after a while, her voice trembling slightly from fear.
"D-don't be a coward, sis. Witches aren't s-scared of g-ghosts." Enid responds, even if it's obvious she's just as scared.
Honestly, I'd be lying if I said I'm not afraid too. But I'm tired of not having the answers, of being in the dark. Of feeling like my dream is farther and farther away the more I reach for it. I just wanted to make people happy with the power of magic! And now I'm being dragged into this whole mess about seven ancient words and whatever. And I don't even know where to start looking for these words, or how to breathe life into them! I need to know if I'll be able to do it; if I will complete this important task and if doing so will also make my dream come true.
So I don't have time to be afraid. I have to keep going.
That's what I'm telling myself when a sudden (and very cold) breeze blows trough from behind us, startling me to the point I let out a yelp. I swear I even heard a voice whispering something, but I can't really make out the words. We stop, too afraid to continue, raising our wands in search for what just made that noise.
"What did you come here for?" The voice says, now more clearly. "Begone. Begone."
"Ch-Chariot." Anaid calls me, making me turn to look at her. I see that she is now hugging her sister, both of them looking around with scared expressions. "I think we should g-go b-back."
"C-come on, Anaid. D-don't be a coward." Enid answers, even as she hugs her back.
"Begone!" The ghost's voice grows louder, making an unpleasant chill run down my back. Still, I try to put up a brave façade. I've been through worse! I've survived the Arcturus forest! I won't be scared by a simple creepy voice.
"If you want, you can g-go." I say, trying to appear confident. "But I will continue. I need answers."
"Are you crazy? We aren't going to leave you all the fun!" Enid protests, looking really offended. Yet, I can see her hands are still trembling. Just like Anaid's … and mine.
In that moment, a deep growling sound resonates throughout the cavern, making the light of our wands suddenly disappear. Instantly, the hairs on my nape stand up. Anaid, however, has a much more extreme reaction; she screams, jumps and starts running, going deeper into the cavern. I quickly go chase after her, but since I can't see where I'm going anymore, I end up tripping with a rock. I prepare myself for the impact with the hard, rocky, ground, but instead I meet something far more terrifying; nothing. I keep falling down with nothing to stop me for a few seconds, but I manage to react in time and jam the shiny rod between the two walls, stopping my fall, even if I do end up hanging in midair. Thank Jennifer this hole isn't any wider!
"Chariot!" I hear one of the twins calling me from somewhere above me. "Chariot, are you okay? Can you hear me?!"
"I-I'm fine." I manage to say, still a little shaken because of the fall. "But I don't think I can get out of here on my own."
"We should tell the professors." Anaid says. I know it's her because Enid would never suggest something like that.
"Are you crazy? They'll expel us!" Enid retorts, sounding clearly panicked.
"But we can't get Chariot out on our own." Anaid reasons.
"Bring Croix! She'll know what to do." I say trough gritted teeth, feeling as the cold metal of the rod digs into my palms, making they hurt to the point I want to let go. Yet, I force myself not to; I don't know how deep this is. The fall could kill me.
"Okay, we'll be right back!"
"Hang in there!"
"Very funny." I reply, even when I hear their steps quickly carrying them away from my location. I hope they don't take long. I don't think I can resist too much longer like this!
Suddenly, I feel the rod slide down a bit, and my heart drops to the pit on my stomach. Maybe these rocks are too soft! What if they don't hold until my friends return?
As soon as that thought enters my mind, I hear a cracking sound and feel the rod sliding down a couple of inches. I scream, dreading the fall, but knowing I can't do anything about it. And then I hear more cracking before the rocks give in and nothing is left to support my weight. Still clutching my rod, I fall down the hole, screaming so loudly my throat starts burning. It feels like an eternity, but it probably isn't more than a couple of seconds before I feel the impact with the hard ground; first my feet, and then the rest of my body.
I groan. Pain is very present on my ankles, knees, hands and chin. I suppose I have more than a couple of scratches and bruises. Thankfully, nothing appears to be broken or otherwise injured beyond that, so I only take a few seconds to regain my breath before getting up with difficulty.
I shake my head, wincing as I feel my whole body hurting, and then, when I'm finally able to take in my surroundings, I notice that I'm in some sort of circular cave. The floor is glowing with an ethereal blue light, allowing me to distinguish perfectly the many paths, separated by columns (which apparently were very rudimentary carved into the stone itself), that lead to this one chamber. But there's also a white light, coming from a figure standing just a few paces away from me, and it's… Croix?
"Croix!" I exclaim as I rush towards her. I don't know why she's glowing, or why there are specks of light floating around her, but it's definitely a relief to find my friend in such a dangerous place like this one. "What are you doing here? Did you come to see the blue moon ghost too?" I ask.
"What are you doing here?" She asks, looking coldly in my direction. I suppose she's mad at me for trying to find an easy route. Again.
"I-I… I came to see the ghost. I'm sorry. I wanted to ask it about the words, you know? I just wanted to prove to you that I can be of help, that I'm not just holding you back from accomplishing your dream." I answer.
"But you are." She smirks maliciously. "The Claiohm Solais chose wrong. You are just an incompetent witch that will never accomplish anything in her life." Her smile widens even more as she says the next words. "Your dreams… will never come true."
I feel a pang of pain of my chest as small cracks appear on my heart with every word that comes out of my best friend's mouth, until it almost shatters completely at the last sentence. Almost. Because those malicious eyes, that mocking smirk, those hurtful words… they are not Croix's. There's no way my best friend would ever say something like this! Sure, maybe she still believes the Claiohm Solais should have chosen her instead; I think so too. But she does think I can accomplish her dream. And she promised to be there to support me. My dream, her dream… they are one and the same. And we'll work together to find them.
"Who are you?" I ask, glaring at the apparition as I clutch tightly my rod, ready to attack if necessary. "Are you mocking me? Why have you taken Croix's appearance?"
The false Croix starts laughing and then disappears into a grey mist, but her laugh remains for a few seconds even after she's gone. Then, more mist starts coming from the ground, taking the form of weird-looking faces of spectrums. I yelp and back away, not wanting to have contact with those things, whatever they are, and hoping the shiny rod will obey me this time in case I have to defend myself.
But it looks like those spectrums don't have the intention to harm me; instead condensing at the other side of the cave and forming… something. It looks like a complex web made of thick roots, but instead of coming from a tree, they come from the wooden face of a woman. At least I think it's a woman. It's hard to tell with the darkness and the fact she's made of wood.
I can't say she isn't unnerving me, with her strange appearance, gigantic stature and blue glow, but I have a pretty good suspicion of who she is, so I won't let her intimidate her. I'll swallow my fear and confront her!
"Are you the ghost of the blue moon?" I ask, trying to ignore my trembling hands and the sweat coating my palms.
"I am. Why have you come here?" It answers… without moving her mouth. The voice is clearly that of a woman, but it sounds like it's being spoken from the bottom of a well, and like it's mixed with other voices. It's giving me the creeps.
"I heard you can answer any question regarding past, present and future. Is that true?" I say, steeling myself.
"I don't know everything." She responds, making me deflate slightly. Did I come all the way here for nothing? "But let me tell you something." She quickly adds. "What I can't answer, no one else can."
Okay. I can work with that.
"Then please answer me: what do I have to do to revive the seven words of Arcturus? Will I even be able to? Will that make my dream come true?"
"You make a lot of questions." The ghost answers with an expressionless face. Yet, for her tone of voice, I can almost imagine her frowning. "Are you prepared for the answers?"
"I am." I answer, clenching my fingers around the rod even more tightly. I'm tired of not knowing what I have to do to achieve my dreams.
But instead of answering me right away, the roots that conform her body start to shift, and in the space they make on the base, right in front of me, appears something resembling of a Leyline. Yet, at the other end of it I can see… myself?
Yes, that's me! I'm showing off my magic, making people laugh and cheer at the spectacle, forgetting all about their sadness and hate. And there's no shiny rod in sight! In the crowd, Croix is also cheering for me. Happier than I've ever seen her.
"That's my dream!" I exclaim, unconsciously taking a step towards the magical portal.
"You can make it a reality." The ghost says. "Simply step inside, and that future will be yours."
"This future… will be mine?" I parrot, taking two more steps towards the portal, utterly transfixed by the wonderful world that can be seen at the other side.
"There's only one condition." The ghost's voice stops me before I can take yet another step. "To achieve this future, you have to erase your past."
"W-what?" I stutter, fighting against the pull that's compelling me to just accept and get into the portal. It's almost like an external force is trying to move my limbs against my will. And the part of me that's trying to resist it is getting weaker by the second.
In that moment, a dozen of luminous yellow spheres appear, floating in the air. They all contain scenes from my past memories; my first day at Luna Nova, the time when I met Enid and Anaid, helping Croix with her experiments, getting the Claiomh Solais… But there are also bad memories. Like failing at my exams, falling from my broom, or being mocked by my classmates.
"Now, let go of the past you don't need." The ghost says as one of the spheres explodes into a rain of shiny yellow sparks. Disappearing. Forever.
Instantly, I feel an overwhelming sense of nostalgia, sadness and yearning, all three combined, taking hold of my heart. Clutching it until it physically hurts.
Then another memory is destroyed. And another. And another. And…
"Wait!" I scream, desperate to not lose any more memories. The portal is long forgotten. "D-don't!"
"Why? If you want to realize your dream, this is the price you must pay."
"Still." I answer, feeling as my throat burns and tears start forming in my eyes just at the mere thought of losing my past.
"So you will renounce to awakening the seven words? To bringing happiness to everyone?" The ghost questions, and my resolve wavers as I gaze once again into the portal, seeing the brilliant future I've wished for since I can remember. It would be so easy! Just one more step. That's all I need! But… is it really worth it?
I bit my lip as I contemplate my options.
"Just to be clear, you would erase all my memories?" I ask.
"Yes. Since the moment you were born, up until this point in your life." She answers, in her usual monotone tone.
What would that be like, I wonder? Would this still be my dream if I didn't have my memories? If didn't remember having lost my mom and my grandma at a very young age, having magic as my main source of happiness, coming to Luna Nova as a kid and being enchanted by it all… would I even care about magic?
More than that. If I don't remember my friends, or Croix, and all of our adventures… will I even be the same person? And not to mention all I have learned throughout the years, especially these past few months. And I don't mean in the academic field either; I learned that even when you don't like someone, if you put an effort and work as a team, you can accomplish great things. I learned that even people with the best of intentions can be wrong sometimes. I learned that you can find your best friend in the person you last expected. And… in the fountain of Polaris I learned that I have to put an effort if I want to be recognized by the others, if I want to make my dream come true.
I take a step back. And then a couple more, glaring at the vision inside the portal.
"No. I can't pay the price." I answer resolutely.
"Will you give up on your dreams then?"
"Of course I won't!" I yell, remembering the silent promise I made to myself at the forest of Arcturus. "But these memories… they make me who I am. All that I've lived through until now has taken me to where I am today." I glare at the ghost. "Sure, I failed, and I whined, and I felt all sorts of negative emotions. But I also learned from it, and emerged stronger than before. More than that; there were always plenty of good things to compensate for the bad ones, and help me achieve greater heights!" I pause, letting my words sink in. "So no, I won't take your stupid deal!"
"You fool!" The ghost growls.
"Say what you want, but I know I don't need a magic portal to achieve my dreams." I retort, feeling surer and surer of my decision as the words come out of my mouth. "I will do it by my own effort! And when I accomplish everything I've ever dreamed of without having to resort to making deals with creepy ghosts, it will be all the more rewarding!"
Suddenly, I feel a familiar pulse of positive energy in my chest, and when I look down, I see that the gems on my rod are shining. The rod is shining! I did it! All on my own. I just have to say the second word now. It's a good thing Croix made me repeat it until it was ingrained into my brain.
"Phaidoari afairynghor!" I yell, overwhelmed by the pulse of energy that emanates from the rod and seems to be synchronized with my own pulsations of emotion and energy, and with the beating of my heart. Again, it's a sensation like nothing I've ever feel before. Something out of this world.
The shiny rod doesn't transform into an arc this time, though; it turns into an axe. And looking at the wooden roots of this ghost gives me a pretty good idea of how to use it.
As soon as the axe makes contact with the ghost's body, however, there's a big explosion of light that blinds me for a moment. When I can see again, I'm in some sort of Leyline, staring at Professor Woodward. Except she doesn't look like a ghost. Then I see a series of images, but they pass far too quickly for me to make sense of them. They are all painted in red and black, and look rather menacing. What is the meaning of this?
But before I can even try to comprehend what's happening, I feel my eyelids get heavy and I close them, letting darkness take me.
"Chariot! Chariot, please wake up! Chariot!" I hear Croix panicked voice and feel her hands shaking my shoulders.
"Uhmmm?" I'm barely able to mumble as I start regaining my consciousness. Did I fall asleep in Croix's lab again? Why can't she let me sleep for five more minutes?
"Chariot!" Her frantic tone of her voice finally is able to reach my mind as I snap my eyes open with a start, sitting up on the ground.
"C-Croix?" I ask as I see my friend kneeling in front of me. The wand that rests at her side provides enough light to easily recognize her face, but our surroundings doesn't seem so familiar… oh, wait. The cave! The ghost! "Croix, you came!" I exclaim happily.
"Your friends told me what happened, are you okay?" She asks, her hand touching gently my scratched chin. I wince at the contact.
"I'm fine." I lie, but before she can start berating me, I decide to share with her the good news. "I revived the second word!"
"You… what?" Croix's eyes widen, looking at the rod laying on my side, which now has two gems shining in a yellow light, even if it's fading quickly.
"Phaidoari afairynghor." A familiar voice sounds to our left, and we quickly turn around to look at the spot where the ghost was just minutes ago (was it minutes, though? Maybe I've been here for hours). There, a swirl of green leaves appears, revealing the ghost-lady we saw at Arcturus forest. Professor Woodward, I think. One of the Nine Olde Witches.
"Woodward." Croix greets her with a strained expression as she helps me get up.
"Professor Woodward, what are you doing here?" I smile at her, trying to be nice to compensate for my friend's rudeness.
"Chariot, congratulations on reviving two of the seven words. I expected nothing less." Her expression is soft, almost like she's… smiling.
"Oh, it was nothing, really." I say modestly, unused to getting compliments from adults. I swear I even blush a little.
"I'm impressed." She continues. "The second word means: you don't get the things that you dream of, you only get the things that you work for."
"No doubt why it took her so long then." Croix intervenes, her tone clearly annoyed. "Chariot is a dreamer, not a doer." I'm about to protest, when Woodward does it for me.
"And yet, when given the chance, she preferred to take the difficult path; to accomplish her dreams by her own efforts." She pauses, her smile now more apparent. "Many would have given in to temptation."
"I simply realized that, no matter how many times I fail and get frustrated, those mistakes make me who I am, and help me being a better person each day." I shrug. "Really, I just needed a creepy ghost to make me see it."
"I know. That's why I decided to give you a little push." She answers.
"Wait… you were the blue moon ghost?!" I practically shriek. "Was this all a test?"
"And you passed it without even studying." Croix says teasingly.
"I did study! I've spent more hours in the library lately that even you do!" I answer indignantly.
"Yeah. Sleeping." She deadpans. I give her my best pout.
"Anyways." Woodward interrupts our little banter. "I just wanted to say that I'm proud of you both. And I hope you will continue working together to obtain the other five words." As she speaks, however, she starts to transform into leaves and disappear. "I hope to see you soon."
"Wait, what's the meaning of the other words?!" I ask frantically. "This would be so much easier if we knew what we're looking for."
But she's already gone.
"Damn it!" I mumble, scowling at the place where she was just a moment before.
"I really don't like that ghost." Croix sighs.
"I admit I'm not a big fan of surprise exams." I agree. "But then again, if it wasn't for her we still wouldn't have the second word, so…"
"You shouldn't have come here alone!" Croix starts berating me, as she was no doubt planning to do before we were interrupted by Professor Woodward. "What if the ghost of the blue moon wasn't so friendly?"
"I still wouldn't say she was friendly." I start, but deflate when I notice her glare. "And I came here with Enid and Anaid."
"Who I would hardly consider to be of any help at all." She deadpans. "Except if you're trying to get yourself killed or expelled. Then they are very helpful."
"I'm sorry." I pout, knowing she only gets this angry and starts criticizing other people when she's worried. "I just wanted to get the second word! And I knew if I told you, you'd probably tell me that I shouldn't rely on magic to solve all my problems, and that I should work hard to get the word on my own." I sigh. "But I was just so tired! I wanted answers, and…"
"I don't blame you." She cuts me off, smiling for the first time since she entered this cave. "And I would have probably come with you if you'd asked me. I'm also getting frustrated with this whole thing."
"I'm sorry." I repeat, feeling even worse now that Croix is being so nice with me.
"It's okay." She places her hand on my shoulder, and my heart does a little jump at the contact. "Just remember: we're in this together."
"Don't worry. Next time I get a crazy idea to revive one of the words, I'll make sure to include you in my plans." I giggle mischievously.
"You'll need someone to get you out of whatever mess you get yourself into." She nods, clearly trying to hold back her laughter. "Now come, Cherry. We need to get to our dorms before the teachers find out."
I only stop to pick up the shiny rod, and then we exit the New Moon Abyss. I certainly feel better than when I came in though.
Two words down, only five more to go!
A/N: Well, what did you think about the second word? It's the only one that only takes one chapter to be unlocked, and also the most similar to what happens in the anime, mostly because Chariot explicitly says that Woodward tested Akko like she'd tested her in the past, and also that she ws the one who taught her the meaing of the second word, so... yeah. No much I could have changed here :P
Still, I hope you liked it and that you leave a review/favorite/follow to show me your support if you indeed enjoyed it. Thanks for reading! :)
Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.
