Guilt
It didn't take long for the group to realize that they were back, on a long bus ride to the airport. Things felt out of their control and now they are back again when all hell broke loose before hand at Mexico. May ran to her regular seat on the tour bus and lied down on the three seats that faced the side rather than the front. Socrates too tried to sleep and felt a sense of relief after their release from prison and Andre went all the way to the back and sat down gazing at the front. "So what happened when you were in the city?" he asked. Claire stopped and stared at Andre, and refused to speak her face feeling weakened after the trip to the graveyard. "What's going on? Why does everything feel glum? The atmosphere here seems so sombre." And he was right. As the people boarded the bus, many walked with their heads down on the floor and refusing to speak. "Guess Mexico wasn't a great stop. We got locked up in prison there."
"We would have liked it more Socrates didn't think those tablets were lollies. They ended up being depressant drugs and he's turned out strange." May stated, still lying down and closing her eyes. Her tone was playful, which was bizarre. However, after mocking Socrates she had realized that Lisa had still not recognized that the media knew who Socrates is, and what he is capable of. Socrates however, after the remark felt irritated at May's outspokenness. He saw her as very close-minded, seeing how he had expressed guilt when the group reformed after their release.
"Why were we released anyways? The police officer didn't say after he opened the jail cell!" May asked, trying to observe theories in her mind.
"I'm not sure actually. Lisa did you have to do something with it?" Andre looked towards the woman, seeing her head shaking. "No. We were at the country observing historical monuments." Mark looked to her and then looked towards the window. Where he was sitting on the bus was directly behind Claire, who sat alone staring at her amulet. "She's lying. You know that right?" he whispered to her.
"Do you think I care?" Claire retaliated, with a deep sadness in her voice. Mark was surprised at her defensiveness. "It wasn't your fault. Just get over it."
Claire didn't feel the need to say any more words, so she sat quietly looking towards the window. "Be that way then," the boy said in a harsh, uncaring tone and moved to a different seat. The girl still felt sad from the events ago and can recall the moments in her mind. They just wouldn't go away and even when both Adrian and Lucy tried to comfort her, it didn't work. She closed her eyes to try to find a sense of tranquillity, her emotions out of control and her thoughts on the event. She didn't need pity from others; she needed to forget about it.
"Just leave her alone Mark. She may need some time to herself." Lisa pointed out. The woman raised her hand and loudly whistled to gather everyone's attention. "Our next stop is the Old Peak of Peru, otherwise known as Machu Picchu. Thanks to May who has pointed out that news reports has been covered about a large amount of mountain goats have been strangely appearing there. But before we take the bus trip to the airport, I propose that we take a rest for good and drive. I'm pretty sure everyone's feeling like they need to sleep for the time being."
"Well thanks for waking me up!" Socrates said in outrage. "I had to Socrates. It was an important announcement. I'm not going to tolerate anyone in this group acting like they can push me around. Especially after the events that got you, May and Andre into prison."
"Would everyone just shut up about that? I know I've made a mistake and I've paid my price and now you and the others feel the need to take a cheap shot at me? I'm sick and tired of hearing about me making the mistake and there's a lot of guilt that I'm feeling at the moment." Socrates said, raising his voice.
"Well so you should. It was a stupid mistake to make in the first place. We are here to hopefully help the people who have been affected by these dangerous monsters. Not be delayed from your ignorance and avarice over confectionary." Lisa rebutted, growing more furious.
"Well thanks for making me feel better!" the cat said in sarcasm, making an effort to go to sleep.
Lisa sighed and then took a seat and took a deep breath. She knew the group was crumbling apart and watched the distance.
"That still doesn't answer May's question… Why were we released from the prison?" Andre asked again.
"Why don't we just forget the fact that you in there in the first place Andre? And be thankful that you are out!" Lucy said, annoyed at his ignorance from the situation that just happened before. "I was just curious Lucy. I mean it just seemed weird that's all! Or is it a crime to actually think about things when you are around?" Andre growled.
Lucy shook her head in disbelief. "Do you even hear yourself? You sound so stupid. When was it when I made it clear that you weren't allowed to think at all?" Lucy snapped, and then turned to face a different direction.
"Stupid? How is that stupid? You just all of a sudden attacked me because I want to know what got us out of prison! That source could be something that may prove to be an obstacle to us in the future!"
Lucy laughed. "As if you'd think that far ahead, you don't even know how…" A small silence occurred when the woman looked around trying to find something she could strike him back with. She then saw Lisa reading the dark velvet book. "You don't even know how to read a book!"
Andre slammed his fist on the seat next to him and the cracks could be heard. There was a short silence after he said his next words. "Of course I can read a book! How stupid do you think I am? And you are accusing me of stupid? You should take a look at yourself. You are beyond stupid, you are just annoying waste of space. You are only here because you are a childhood friend. If we weren't as considerate as we are we would have left you. And now, it goes to show that we should have."
Lucy was inflicted by hurt by his words and chose to back down entering submission. "I guess you're right. I am some useless, unlike-able childhood friend that just kept staying." She muttered her herself. May looked towards Lucy, and saw a glimpse of Lucy finally being hurt from the things that were said about her by others. May always saw her as a strong, persistent woman who carried on from all the harsh antics that were done to her by a regular basis, but this time May felt as if Lucy had finally exposed her sadness and discontent. But that alone wasn't the thing that got May angry towards Andre. "Are you that insensitive? How can you say that about her?" May directed, pointing her index finger at Andre. "It's okay May. Andre's right. Maybe I'm here for no reason. Maybe I am a waste of space… Please put your hand down, it's rude to point…" Lucy fussed, saying things erratically and fast.
"Lucy how can you say that? You are needed. You are a valuable part of this group. We are never going to leave you for anything."
Andre hissed, but May gave him a threatening glare and the man decided to stop.
Adrian, through the all the conflicts was silent. He didn't know what to say or what to think. The group wasn't like this before, even in their previous journey. Everyone was struck with bad emotions and hit hard with feeling remorse over the mistakes they had done. Adrian, read everyone's mind and could easily see all the negativity that was surrounding the tour bus. Yet still he couldn't find a solution to the problems, disheartening himself.
"They released us because they can't charge a talking cat for drug trafficking. And they caught the bastard who did the deals. Okay? So could you please stop shouting and go to sleep." Socrates requested. His rationality kept people quiet though everyone still adamant with their stance. At this time, they would have expected Lucy to encourage and enlighten them with her positive thinking and expect a laugh from a joke that Andre pulls. But none of this happened. Instead, the bus fell quiet and everyone wanted desperately to fall into a dream and escape the truth.
Adrian looked at Claire and saw such misery in her eyes. "You didn't kill him Claire," he thought to himself. He in despair leaned his head on the window and closed his eyes. A dark aura surrounded him, but nobody saw.
They were at the stadium again. "What are we doing here? What's going on?" Claire was at the stadium seats watching the arena. Nearly everything was covered in darkness apart from the area Claire stood. She watched the centre and saw Victor again. "Victor? He's alive!" she celebrated. "But how?" she asked herself. "He had a funeral. The epitaph I wrote for him and the… bull Taurus." In an instant, the bull was released again. Claire activated her amulet but as she waved the wand and said her incantations, the spell was not cast. Nothing came from her magic. "What?" she said in fear, observing the bull threatening to charge Victor. She waved the wand frequently just attempting to prevent his death desperately.
"You can stop that with your charades. You just look foolish." A woman said appearing from the shadows. The woman was wearing a long robe and a net tired to her hair.
"You! Why do you have to always torment me with these dreams? I've had enough of it!" Claire said, readying her wand against the woman.
"I'm not here to torment you, not today Claire. You can put your wand down now and stop acting ridiculous." The woman said in a cool tone. The woman raised her hands, directing them to the centre of the stadium. Transparent ripples were created from her hands and with the palm of her hand the scene froze.
"What's on your mind Claire? You can tell me." The woman looked to Claire and touched her arm, lowering it down. The girl was frightened, yet she felt an impulse of anger grasping onto her wand with much force and pressure. "You don't seem to be in a good mood. Should I just leave you with that scenario in your mind then? I can leave, I've got other stuff to do."
Claire felt mocked by the woman. "Oh I suppose you try and kill us with all these strange beasts and you me to socialize fine?"
"My intent was not to make it harder for anyone, it was to punish those who walked the Earth that committed and are going to commit more dangerous acts that harm humanity." Claire could not believe the comment gaping her mouth and almost laughing. "And I suppose killing an innocent Mexican boy who had troubles with his family was justifiable. I bet he destroyed the world with his pursuits to be a bullfighter!"
"I admit, that was reckless on my behalf. See I was aiming for those that ran those bullfighting events rather than the little boy." The woman said, laughing.
"Oh! Instead of just him, you would have killed everybody. You really do care about the world don't you?" Claire said with sarcasm. "Don't you have remorse for the killings that you do? The little boys parents are… In a bad state now and probably for the rest of their lives." Claire said, toning her voice down and the guilt she experienced before rekindled. "Because their little boy is gone. Because their little boy was killed by a heartless sorceress and a girl who could have saved him."
"Well, you can't change the past… Unless you possess the power of time, which even to me is quite impossible." She said with a bickering and nonsensical manner.
"From the way you are explaining things, you don't seem to care that a little boy's life is gone. The boy of two parents is gone. And for every other innocent person you kill, just because you think it's right is gone."
Mystic took a deep sigh and swayed her head towards Claire, putting her hands together and looking up. "These were not heartless killings…I merely want to eradicate those that harm the life of another that did not deserve the terrible occurrences, triggered by others."
"What do you mean? Of course people make mistakes, but no one needs to die by them from some mad woman who thinks she can make this world infallible with her crazy designs and desires!" Claire shouted.
"Haven't you learned anything from your adventures? There is so much evil and corruption that is in this world… Don't you see anything that's wrong with it? I aim to achieve world purification, to create a utopia where all life is not neglect and is cared for and to eradicate those that only live to harm others." Mystic said in disappointment, she turned her head the other way and covered her face with her hands.
"The only thing evil was your beasts attacking innocent people like Shawn Lane and Victor Fernandez. People have lost their lives from your so-called purification. Innocent lives"
"But Claire do you even know why you are on this journey? I give you this astral amulet and join an entourage of people, yet you yourself do not profit or get anything out of it. Just Fated Star's Child- stricken by fate and only going with the flow, with no objective but to follow everything else, just like Lisa's sister Diane."
Claire took time to think about what Mystic had just said. After that day in the Magic Festival at the remote village near Toronto, the place where she received her undying desire, her wish to channel and create magic and the whirlwind events that have led to now. She could hardly remember why she was here in the first place.
"Don't you remember that drive to save your little sister Kristen? Or did you forget about her too?"
Claire jumped with shock; she had just been reminded of her sister who she had not thought about all this time. She shook her head in misery. "How could I forget? I forgot about my sister who's still with the Witch of the Shadows."
"You've forgotten because you've lost a sense of knowing what's really important to you now. All these events that have occurred to you… You've lost track and it seems to be doing much to all your friends too."
"My friends? Is that why they have been fighting all this time?"
"Yes. It's all because as creatures with emotion and the ability to retain memories these two things can easily sidetrack us. It only takes a bad situation with horrible, unforgettable memories that turn us into violent and hostile beings. Don't ever lose track of anything… Or you'll forget why you exist in the first place and you yourself cease to exist. Wondering the planet with no meaning in your life."
"Why are you telling me this? You want to kill me! You want to destroy the group that I'm travelling with. You've made things difficult for all of us."
"I'm disappointed in you Claire. I bestow one of the strongest magical gifts that this world ever created and yet you never stop to understand what I've told you all this time? You seem to want to interfere with my master plan, making the first attacks on my Astral Beasts… But I don't blame you. After all, you are doing what you think is right… All the more to try and put an end to you capturing and containing the life forces of the creatures that enforce my wishes." The woman got up from the seat and started to walk away. "But one thing Claire, next time we meet… we will not confront each other like this."
"Don't worry, once we meet again. I'll be ready. I will defeat the Witch of the Shadows and retrieve my sister. I will save Adrian from the curse and I will defeat all of the astral beasts to stop them from harming the innocent. You may think you are doing the right thing, but it's not and it's going to stop." The little girl said, with determination and hope.
Mystic laughed. "Just remember one thing then. Don't forget about your reason and meaning of your actions, cause there's no time for regrets… And should I add, there will be a war… And if you do succeed on capturing more astral beasts and defeating me, then I hope you are prepared to make the world however the way you want it to be. You can't let your guilt get the best of you like it has done now."
Claire nodded her head. "Don't worry, it wont. And besides I'm ready for anything." She said with enthusiasm.
"So be it." The woman clicked her fingers and disappeared into the darkness.
Claire woke herself up from the dream, already seeing the light from the sun and shadows of the trees breaking through the windows and Socrates driving the bus. "A war was going to come?" She looked around to see nearly everyone else sleeping. "Not when we're here to prevent it!" She said with confidence watching the roads pass by.