Chapter 28
Sister Lilian managed to heal Gus and Hunter with the help of Twig's magic. The boys ended, exhausted, though, after their wounds were gone.
Hunter reclined on the bed farthest from everyone, lying on his side with his back turned to the room. A sense of emptiness enveloped him. He withdrew from any conversation. His friends respected his need to be alone, but the red cardinal whom he loved dearly nestled against his chest and offered comfort that helped lessen the dark void trying to consume him.
Gus occupied the neighboring bed, also resting, while Amity and Willow stood beside Sister Margaret. They fixated their attention on Sister Lilian, who sat at a desk, diligently penning her fourth letter. As she finished writing, she gracefully waved her wand in a certain motion. In an instant, the letter burst into blue flames, turning to ash, and dissipating into thin air.
"Now, let's hope we receive a response from at least one of them," Sister Lilian remarked, hesitation lingered in her tone. "And hopefully, it's good news for us."
"I've warmed up some biscuits," Sister Luna announced, entering the room with a plate of freshly baked treats. The delicious aroma wafted through the room. She approached the girls, who eagerly took one each and expressed their gratitude to the nun.
"What a night," Sister Luna sighed, her weariness evident.
Thanks to a sleep spell from Sister Lilian, she had been blissfully unaware when Elizabeth barged into the church. It was only from Sister Margaret's demand that Sister Lilian lifted the spell from Sister Luna, waking her up. The events that had taken place left Sister Lilian feeling disoriented and shocked when they recounted them to her. Truth be told, she wished she was still back under the spell, especially when she heard news that Philip was back under the house of God.
Oh, how she wishes they had never encountered the troublesome demon, Philip. Though, she had to remind herself that there were children that needed their help, which kept her from running out of the building.
"Is that it?" Amity asked as a white light materialized before Sister Lilian. This time, the ashes formed into a written letter, but with a purple hue. Sister's Lilian's expression lacked relief as she unfolded it.
The response was from the third letter she had reluctantly sent out. She read through its contents before setting it aside and preparing to draft a follow-up to what they had received.
"Well?" Sister Margaret inquired.
"They want to know more about where the children came from and Philip's condition," Sister Lilian replied, pausing her writing. "They want to know if he's an immediate danger to us or others. I must choose my words carefully to avoid having them deem him as an enormous threat to the public because if they do… they will just let Elizabeth and her people handle him since dangerous monsters fall under the terms they have."
"Seriously?" Amity frowned. "Aren't these people we're contacting supposed to help us?"
"They are, but… they are just trying to protect the public," Sister Lilian explained.
Sister Margaret let out an annoyed sigh. "Of course, they are," she said with a lace of sarcasm in her tone. "I shouldn't be surprised if they just decide not to get involved."
Sister Lilian didn't comment, deep in thought, before resuming her writing. She diligently wrote her message down and set it out, just as she had done before, holding onto hope things would turn out well for everyone, especially for the children.
Masha knelt beside Philip. The tears had long since dried on his cheeks, and the human portion of his face was slightly pink from scrubbing the tears away.
He looked drained, appearing to everyone in the room he was on the verge of falling asleep. His half-lidded eyes seemed slightly dulled instead of vibrant blue.
Masha couldn't blame him for looking so burned out. A torrent of events had taken place within a few brief hours, and it had taken an emotional and physical toll on him.
Masha noticed Philip hesitantly withdrawing his knee from Luz's hand, averting his gaze from her, an expression of shame etched upon his face. They assumed he was feeling ashamed to have broken down in front of all three in the room the way he did. Back at the Devil's Waterfall, he looked like he tried to hold back his emotions as best as he could. He didn't want to gather pity from anyone, but he probably felt like he failed based on how Luz dropped her hostility towards him while he expressed the guilt that has been eating its way at him.
And their assessment was accurate.
Philip wished he could have mustered a more composed apology to Luz, rather than appearing like a pitiful child. Why did he have trouble holding himself together? Why did he succumb to tears so easily…? Why did he have to look so pathetic these days…?
He also, in some way, couldn't shake the feeling that he had appeared so weak to her.
'Because you are weak…' the dark voice hissed at him. 'A weak, pathetic, monster.'
"I should have listened to you," Luz confessed to Masha, giving them an apologetic look. "I put us all in danger. I'm sorry for not listening…"
Masha studied her for a moment before offering a casual smile. "It's alright," they said. "We're all here, safe and breathing. That's what truly matters."
And they genuinely meant it.
They held genuine concern for Luz's well-being. While they believed that Luz and the others deserved to confront Philip for his past actions and receive a heartfelt apology, they were concerned that catching him in his current unstable, exhausted state could end up in him losing control and causing them even greater harm.
They had no desire to have their friends endure any kind of pain or suffering anymore. Also, if Philip were to harm them again, they feared he would completely lose himself and who knows what he was capable of if that happened. Even contemplating such a scenario filled them with dread.
"I…" Both teenagers turned their attention back to Philip, who finally broke his silence. His brows furrowed as he struggled to gather the strength to apologize to Luz once more. "I didn't mean to…"
"I think you shouldn't push yourself too hard right now, Philip," Father Francis interjected, lowering himself to be on eye level with him. "You took a huge step just now, and we are all proud of you. But there's no need to rush things."
Philip gazed up at the priest, his expression reminiscent of a lost, confused child from the man's words.
"You should take some time to rest before saying any more," Father Francis suggested. "It's important to have a clear mind in these situations, don't you agree?"
Philip stared at him for a moment before glancing away, a frustrated frown forming on his face. He fixed his eyes on the nearby door, just a few feet away from the priest.
Father Francis, momentarily puzzled about Philip's reaction, followed his line of sight before he recalled why Philip had sat there in the first place.
"Things seem quiet outside at the moment, so I don't believe we should worry too much right now," Father Francis reassured him. "Rest, Philip. If anything happens, I promise I'll wake you up."
Philip's jaw clenched, Elizabeth's face seeping back into his mind. The threat she posed to the children was too immense for him to simply brush aside or let his guard down.
However, he found himself having an increasingly difficult time keeping his eyes opened… and at the same time, he sensed a certain gaze upon him, doubling the weight of shame that was pressing down on him already.
Truth be told, Luz was mentally tired. Most likely from the countless questions that were racing in her mind. And of course, they all concerned Philip.
Like, what caused his shift in perspective regarding witches and demons? When did this change take place? Was he actually sorry for everything he did?
Luz rose to her feet, her brown eyes on the man, feeling some of her hesitation she had of him return and then a moment of anxiety rushed through her, accompanied by a linger chill in her fingertips and toes from his attempt of turning her into stone back in the Boiling Isles.
But she calmed herself down when her mind replayed the way he had broken down on her, apologizing with what looked like the most genuine reaction he had ever given to her, other than his anger after Lilith broke his nose.
She was trying to decide if she should tell her friends what had just happened between her and Philip, to get their opinion about it all. Then she noticed him curling up, hugging his legs tightly against his bare chest. Everyone there could see the defined muscles on his torso and arms if they looked and could also notice how uncomfortable he appeared.
She wondered if maybe he felt uneasy since he was a man from the 1600s and felt completely exposed without a shirt on.
Luz couldn't help but ponder whether she would have teased him about his insecurities or whatever the reason that he felt uncomfortable before his heartfelt apology. However, deep down, she knew such mockery would have been unnecessarily cruel.
Then again, she poked at his attire back in the Boiling Isles, which he clearly didn't appreciate.
Anyway… seeing him so visibly uncomfortable didn't sit right in her at the moment.
"Maybe a blanket will change his mind," Luz suggested with a smile as she turned to Masha.
The girl's suggestion surprised Masha, but they soon rose from the ground, releasing a calm chuckle.
"I like the way you think," they said. "And maybe we can get him a shirt, too?"
Philip seemed to tense up, his gaze remaining fixed on the door, not daring to divert his attention from it.
"I'll take that as a yes," Luz remarked playfully, attempting to lighten the mood in the room after the emotional exchange between her and Philip.
Eventually, the two teenagers departed from the chapel, leaving Father Francis to keep a watchful eye over Philip, who stubbornly persisted in his struggle to stay awake. Father Francis informed the pair that there should be a blanket in his room, along with an extra shirt. However, he was uncertain if the shirt would fit Philip's frame. After all, Father Francis was rather on the thin side.
Luz imagined, though, that her mother would have brought along a spare shirt before they abandoned their home.
"You're really kind, Luz," Masha commented as they strolled down the hallway together.
Luz glanced at them with confusion when they stopped right in front of the door to Father Francis's room, unsure where their comment was coming from.
"I don't know if you're going to forgive him, which is okay. I understand. But the way you handled things just now with him was really admirable," Masha continued, their usual casual smile adorning their face. "Actually… I didn't phrase that well. I don't mean to imply that you're not nice if you chose to walk away from him. Well…"
Luz maintained her gaze on them while Masha struggled to find the words they wanted to say.
Truth be told, Luz was uncertain about her feelings towards Masha. They hadn't interacted with each other much, except when Vee was around to talk to them. Prior to Vee's arrival, Luz hadn't paid much attention to Masha, despite sharing some classes together. Perhaps it was because they always seemed preoccupied with their other friends. Luz reluctantly admitted that teenagers at her school often intimidated her, particularly when they gathered in groups. It wasn't that she didn't desire friendship with them; it simply appeared that many regarded her as too weird from the start. Luz always felt like an outsider among her peers on Earth. Which was one of the big reasons she loved the Boiling Isles, because there she had people who liked her.
Yet, at this moment, the way Masha conversed with her kindly, actually interacting with her without Vee's presence, brought a sense of warmth to Luz.
Now that she thought about it…. When was the last time she had an actual human friend?
And now she wondered, based on Masha's kindness, if there was another reason as to why she may not have any human friends…
Maybe she didn't try enough to reach out to the right people…?
"I don't think I'm that nice, to be honest," Luz admitted. Well, she was nice, but not in the way in which Masha may be referring. Did Masha not remember how she had lashed out at Philip in their presence the other day, even when he hadn't provoked her?
Yeah, now she could see how the drama that evening was her fault.
Honestly, many of the interactions between her and Philip were just a mess…
Though, who could blame her…? Philip was a manipulative murderer who was just… hateful to an entire race and oh she could add more to the list of why anyone would be super hostile towards him if she could.
"Well, you are," Masha simply stated. "And honestly, the whole situation must have been, well, hard for you, but you still did what you did, and I admire you for that."
Luz blinked, taken aback by the compliment. "Well, I still have my doubts," she replied, honest with them. "I won't lie to you. I think I'm just really confused and did what I believed was right at the moment."
"I can't blame you for being suspicious," Masha said, pulling out a folded paper on which Philip had listed his crimes. They handed it to Luz. "After everything he did, it seems almost impossible that he would change."
Luz unfolded the paper and skimmed through its contents, her eyes slowly looking shocked.
Well… it looks like Philip had done the list himself…
"Philip wrote it up," Masha explained. "While confessing to me how guilty he felt at Devil's Waterfall."
Luz stared at the words on the page, her mind gradually processing the information she was reading. Initially, she had thought that perhaps he had documented his crimes as a means of gloating, but now it seemed that wasn't the case.
She returned the list to Masha, feeling a sense of unease holding onto it.
"Let's discuss this later," she suggested, as she wanted to find out why Philip had written the list up. Then she opened the door to the room. Vee was resting on Father Francis' bed, her mother at her sister's beside.
"Hey, Mom, did you bring one of your t-shirts with you?" Luz asked.
Camila turned to Luz, a look of confusion on her face.
"It's for Philip," Luz clarified.
"Ah, sí, mija, I brought a couple," Camila responded, opening the bag that was idling beside her on the ground. She pulled a few items from the top before retrieving a plain navy t-shirt. Luz couldn't help but notice a transparent grocery bag with puzzle pieces inside. She chose not to comment on it as her mom handed her the shirt, while Masha fetched a blanket from the drawer as Father Francis had instructed.
"Is everything okay?" Camila asked her daughter, a mix of concern and confusion in her eyes as she observed Luz.
Luz stared down at the T-shirt and paused for a moment, allowing Masha to exit the room and give her some privacy with her mother.
Was everything okay…?
That was the question she was now going to be asking herself more than before, while deciding if Philip was to be trusted or not.
"Maybe…?" Luz let out with uncertainty, making her mother's expression grow more perplexed. "I'll explain after I give this to Be-Philip," Luz said, correcting herself at the last second, which Camila couldn't help but notice as well. "And maybe can we gather everyone in a room together? I think it's important for everyone to know what just happened with me and Philip…"
"What happened?" Camila straight away looked mad, with a frown and eyes narrowing.
"Don't worry, mama, nothing bad happened, I promise. It's nothing bad. Well, at least I think is not bad…" she reassured as best as she could before joining Masha in the hallway. They soon reunited with Father Francis and Philip.
Philip struggled to put the shirt on; his horns made it difficult for him to get them through the hole, but he appeared less uncomfortable now that he had it on, even though the shirt was a bit oversized on him.
Luz had to admit to herself that she felt relieved to see him look less like a kicked puppy, though now she took notice the way his long hair was a tangled mess, hanging limp and lifeless. It was a stark contrast to the vibrant shade it once held, not dulled by what looked like neglect. Strands of his hair clung together in knots, entwined with specks of dirt and traces of nature's remnants.
In a way, it reflected his mental state, if he actually was feeling guilty for what he had done.
Then again… he had been looking like he had been dragged by a truck for miles since he had fought the magic user men over a week ago. He honestly hadn't taken care of himself, especially his hair, since then…
Maybe… the lack of self-care did represent what was going in his mind after all…
"Listen to Father Francis and go to sleep," Masha advised as they laid a blanket over him. "He'll keep his promise to wake you up if anything bad happens, right, Father Francis?"
"Of course," the priest replied with a smile.
"Sister Lilian assured us we should be okay for now," Masha continued to try to change Philip's mind. However, Philip continued to watch the door, refusing to comply with anyone's instructions.
He was way too paranoid to even close his eyes for a moment, even though he desperately wanted to.
"I should have seen this coming," Masha sighed. Based on their interaction with him, they had deduced that Philip was incredibly stubborn. It shouldn't have come as a surprise to anyone, though, especially considering the immense efforts he had taken to destroy the Boiling Isles and its people.
Luz noticed Amity poking her head out from the hallway.
"Come on, Masha, we're having a group meeting," Luz declared.
Masha looked at her with surprise at being included. "Are you sure I should come?" they asked.
"Of course," Luz said. "You're one of us now, considering you've been pulled into our mess," she said with a touch of amusement. She then turned to Philip. She wasn't quite sure if she should say something to him. Father Francis was right, he definitely had to get some sleep. However, she doubted he would heed her advice.
"I'll watch over him," Father Francis offered to the two teenagers.
"Please, just close your eyes for a bit, Philip," Masha implored. "You may not realize it, but you're still human and you need sleep…"
Philip's gaze dropped to the blanket while Masha followed Luz as they left the room.
Deep down, Philip knew that everyone was right and that he desperately needed rest. However, the risk seemed too great. Though his pointy ears couldn't hear any sounds from outside the church, he knew how quickly that could change. He avoided making eye contact with Father Francis, his narrowed eyes fixed on the doors, and he mustered the last bit of energy he had left.
He hadn't apologized properly to Luz. He completely screwed that up, and he refused to make another mistake for the rest of his life.
Luz and her friends, excluding Hunter, who wanted to be left alone still, gathered in the dining room. Some of them sat on the chairs while Amity and Masha stood around the table, where their bags were placed. Luz took a seat with the palisman egg resting on her lap, her hand gently caressing it, while the other palisman roamed about the room.
Amity broke the silence by delivering the news to the rest of the group. "Sister Lilian was able to contact someone who can help us," she announced, thinking Luz had brought the group together to discuss what news they had. "We're just waiting for details on where they will relocate us."
"Relocate us?" Luz looked up at her, her brows furrowed in confusion.
"Yeah, they're going to move us somewhere safe where, supposedly, Elizabeth and her organization, are not allowed to go," Amity explained.
"Hopefully that's true," Masha said.
"Yeah, I really don't want to see her again after she tried killing me and Hunter," Gus said, making everyone look at him in shock.
"Wait, que dijiste?" Camila was the one who asked finally after gathering her thoughts.
"Sorry, I haven't had the chance to fill you guys in on what exactly happened back in the forest…." Gus said before proceeding to recount the events that he and Hunter faced in the forest. He brought up the men that attacked them, Elizabeth's unsettling treatment of Philip as if he were her pet of some sort, her ability to use glyphs, nearly incinerating them, and how Philip had saved them at the last minute. Of course, other details like how couple of Elizabeth's henchmen could use magic too; one used glyphs and the other a wand like Sister Lilian.
Masha felt a surge of anger. They clench their fists in their lap. Elizabeth attacking Hunter and Gus was crossing a line and they told themselves they had to talk to Philip about what he experienced with Elizabeth later.
"Okay, I don't like this woman at all," Luz said, annoyed at the fact someone had almost killed her friends. Though, "And she wasn't trying to kill Philip?"
"When Elizabeth came to the church earlier, she was trying to get him to turn himself in to her," Masha revealed, making everyone confused. "The way she spoke to him… it was as if she didn't see him as human, but rather some sort of beast she wanted to own…"
Luz felt uneasy from Masha's words.
"She called him his precious beast back at the forest." Gus shivered at just bringing up the memory. "She literally touched him like some sort of a pet from the little bits she had her hands on him."
"Well then, I'm glad Philip whacked her to the ground," Willow commented, shrugging with amusement. "Must have been pretty funny to see that happen."
Gus chuckled in agreement. "Oh, man, yes, it was funny now that I think about it. I totally didn't see it coming."
"Well, she must be delusional to think he was just going to give himself to her," Luz said.
Masha hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Well…"
"Well, what?" Luz asked before her eyes grew in disbelief when Masha didn't respond right away. "You've got to be kidding me… That doesn't make any sense. Why would he even want to?"
"She promised to lock him up, so he doesn't hurt anyone else ever again…"
Everyone stared at them for a long, dreadful moment.
"I… don't understand," Willow admitted. "Why would that make him want to go to her? Wouldn't that make him do the opposite instead?"
Masha didn't want to say more. Philip had asked them not to, and they intended to keep their word.
Meanwhile, Luz saw no reason to stay silent. "Philip admitted he was wrong for everything he has done," she revealed.
There was silence in the room, her words hung in the air, and for a moment, everything seemed to stop. Some of them thought they heard her wrong, while others had trouble processing her words for some time. And once all of them finally let the words sink in, they couldn't help but be uncertain on how to react.
"Earlier, when I confronted him, he broke down and apologized to me for everything he did," Luz said while everyone just stared at her with no sort of emotion crossing their faces. "And I'm serious when I say he broke down…"
Now, slowly everyone began to react. Camila just continued to stare at her, Gus's gaze locked onto Luz's, his eyes reflecting a mix of surprise and hope. Amity took a step back from the table, her brows furrowed in disbelief, while Willow looked down at the table, frowning, unsure what to say.
"It must be a trick," Amity said after regaining her composure and was the first one to finally respond from the unexpected news. "Right?" she turned to Willow, seeking her friend's opinion. "There's no way he, who has hated us for so long, would suddenly change his mind. Why would he feel remorse all of a sudden?"
"I can answer that," Sister Margaret interjected, surprising everyone as she opened the door and stepped into the room. She closed the door behind her.
"Were you… eavesdropping on us?" Amity raised an eyebrow.
"Don't be silly, child. We nuns don't eavesdrop," Sister Margaret huffed, glancing at the others in the room.
"Didn't we agree that Philip should tell them himself?" Masha asked Sister Margaret.
"I did, I'm not going to lie, but with everything that is going on, I think is better they know," Sister Margaret responded. "Oh, he won't know of this. So, he'll still have to confront everyone here in the room later." She turned to the other children. "Philip paid us a visit over a week ago, telling us everything he had done and sought out our blessings so he could continue carrying on his 'mission'," she divulged, her tone filled with coldness as she recalled the events. "Judging by how miserable he appeared, he was maybe having some doubts of his own by then and was trying to get rid of them by seeking our approval."
No one said nothing for a moment, taking in the details.
"And then what happened?" Willow piped up when Sister Margaret as she wanted her to continue.
The nun's expression hardened as she continued. "Well, I never met anyone that foolish to believe we would condone such actions. I was truly appalled by him. I will admit, I gave Philip a harsh tongue-lashing. I told him straight to his face that he was a murderer and a coward."
The room fell into stunned silence again, but this time from the children staring at the nun in awe, even Camila was impressed how some stranger would lecture Philip and walk out of it alive.
Well… yeah, she had lectured Philip too, but…
Now that she thought about it, he didn't seem to pose a threat towards her specifically.
"I made it abundantly clear that his actions were despicable and contrary to the teachings of his God," Sister Margaret said. "I told him his accusations, blaming witches and demons, were nothing more than a desperate attempt to evade accountability for his own choices and a refusal to accept his misfortunes as just misfortunes. I made it clear to Philip that the path he had chosen had led him to become a murder and not the hero he believed himself to be."
Luz' thoughts swirled within her. She had attempted a similar approach in the past, calling out Philip about his behavior.
Then again, the way she approached it, especially telling him his brother didn't love him, was probably not the best way to go about it.
"To be honest, after putting him in his place, I held little hope that my words would truly reach him, especially since he was dared argue with me," Sister Margret admitted. "I expected him to briefly feel remorse and self-pity, only to return to the beliefs he clung to for centuries before considering us mere obstacles in his path. I expected him to kill us in our sleep, which I was prepared for. I wasn't afraid to die since I would have gone peacefully knowing I stood up against someone like Philip instead of turning the other cheek."
Honestly, she was done letting terrible people get away with things without even a lashing of some sort.
Her heart clenched with anger at the thought of certain people in the church who have gotten away with certain things and most likely didn't feel guilty for what they have done.
"So cool…" Willow le tout under her breath, her words barely audible.
"Nevertheless, despite my apprehensions, I was surprised to witness, earlier today, he was holding genuine remorse for his actions," Sister Margaret continued. "And maybe, he is indeed trying to do what he believes is right for everyone, even though he still is wallowing in self-pity. I guess Father Francis letting Philip stay with us for a week helped him maybe reflect on things."
"So… that's where he has been all this time," Luz whispered, recalling how there was no trace of Philip anywhere, according to the others when they tried looking for him for that week he had left after her argument.
He had been staying at the church the whole time.
"I think I'll take the self-pity over him despising us," Willow pointed out.
"Or trying to kill us," Amity sighed.
"So… when he apologized to Hunter earlier, he actually meant it?" Camila's voice held a tinge of surprise, her eyebrows raised in disbelief, recalling how the man was so against even working on the puzzle with Hunter. "I never thought he would ever do it…"
"Well, he didn't properly apologize to him, did he?" Amity grumbled, annoyance evident in her tone as she projected her own feelings on the situation. Her mother's face flashed in her mind. "So, it doesn't count."
"I think it does count in some level," Masha interjected calmly. "It took a lot for him to even try to apologize, and originally, he didn't want to apologize to any of you because he didn't believe he deserved a second chance… He didn't think an apology would do any of you any good. Yes, he should talk to Hunter and give him a full apology and do more for what he has done to him, but completely dismissing what he said to Hunter earlier isn't fair… because he's trying."
Amity frowned, remaining silent, while Willow glanced up at Sister Margaret with a playful smile. "You certainly have guts, standing up to him like that, especially for an old lady," she winked.
Sister Margaret chuckled, a calm sound that rarely escaped her lips. "Perhaps age has made me senile. And I do believe the only reason he listened to reason was because I'm a woman of God, or at least that is my role. And maybe… Philip was more receptive to my words, given his state of mind at that moment."
"What do you mean by that?" Gus asked.
"He appeared tired, lost, and conflicted," Sister Margaret replied. "Sometimes when people are in such states, someone can change their perspectives. Perhaps I planted seeds of uncertainty, or they were already there and I just helped them grow, breaking down the walls he had constructed to shield himself from the truth."
"I think you're right," Gus said. "Philip had a near-death experience with a powerful being in our world known as the Collector, and it took him months to recover physically. I'm not sure if Philip had fully recovered mentally, but during that time, I got into his mind and overwhelmed him with a flood of memories he had long 'repressed'." He rubbed the back of his head, a hint of uncertainty in his voice. "And from what I saw, his memories were causing him problems later."
"What do you mean by 'repressed' memories?" Luz asked, curious to know more.
"When we were fighting him back in the Boiling Isles, it took a lot for me to distract him with his worst memories," Gus recounted his experience. "I couldn't understand why they were so difficult to pull them out until I got into his mind the next time back at that old house. His mind looked such a…."
"Like a mess?" Luz interrupted, recalling her own experience inside Philip's head. "Hunter and I accidentally traveled to his mindscape once, and at first, we found ourselves in a hallway where it seemed like it was glorifying everything he did. Everything looked made up, it was weird, but then we fell to where his actual memories were, and man, unlike Willow's mindscape, his mindscape looked like… I don't know how to describe it, as if the whole place was hit by some sort of drought, or fire cause the trees looked dead and some of the portraits that held his memories looked like they had burn marks… and some even had scratches too…" she trailed off. She also remembered how the mindscape looked rather small. It didn't fit the size that it should have for someone who had lived for almost four centuries.
"Burn marks and scratches…?" Gus's hand propped under his chin as he thought about the new information. "Either someone attempted to burn those memories, or he did it to himself…"
He recalled how angry Philip was at him when he discovered he was in the man's head. "You are the reason why my memories have been -" Philip's voice played in his mind, making him guess Philip indeed had done something to his memories and Gus had done something to reverse whatever the man did.
Well… the boy guessed in a way Philip repressed his memories but… by trying to destroy them….?
"Unless… they were damaged by some other reason," Gus said. "Cause when I was in his head, the majority of his memories looked severely damaged. Few were intact, and I couldn't even make them play out properly. They only showed me fragments when I looked into them. I didn't know what to do, except focus my magic as much as possible to try to extract everything from the damaged memories instead of just bits of it. But then… I think I went overboard cause my magic just blasted through his entire mind and then I found myself pulled into a random childhood memory of Philip's."
"Weird…" Luz mumbled.
"The first memory was playing out just fine, but for some reason, I couldn't find a way to exit it. But then… I don't know what triggered it… suddenly so many of his memories started playing around me, as if they were out of control…" a shudder ran through the boy's body as he recalled the countless of unsettling memories he had witnessed.
"But… why would so many memories play out like that if they were damaged?" Willow asked.
"You mentioned using your magic to make a damaged memory to play before your magic just shot out through his mind, right?" Amity asked the boy.
Gus nodded, his brows furrowing in contemplation.
"Do you think, in some way, you managed to restore them all?" Amity proposed her words, causing Luz to blink in consideration. "I'm just throwing a guess here."
"I don't know…" Gus said. "I know I did something to his memories, but… there is no way I could somehow have fixed any sort of damage he had done to his memories…"
"Why not?" Luz asked. "Amity and I were able to help recover some of Willow's memories that one time she accidentally burned some of them."
"Wow Gus, look at you, restoring centuries of memories," Willow said, her tone sparkled with amusement to the boy. "See? You are special, after all."
"I think the amplifier had something to do with that," Gus hurriedly added, not wanting to take all the credit. He didn't want to think he was some sort of powerful witch, even though he had thrown the whole school in an illusion before he even had the amplifier. "Alright, let's assume that I did restore his memories, the ones he likely had tried burning himself or damage."
"Most likely to keep his conscience clean in some way," Sister Margaret added, trying to keep up with the children's conversation.
"That's when he started having difficulty controlling his curse, because the memories he had tried to discard or suppress had now resurfaced."
Amity hummed. "Centuries of unwanted memories flooding his mind, coupled with his near-death experience, lack of sleep, being attacked by humans who cut off his arm, and then almost buried alive by us…"
"Culture shock," Masha added, though the others, except for Luz and Camila, looked at them with confusion as they weren't sure what that was.
"Buried alive?" Sister Margaret asked, stuck at that portion from Amity's list, and wanted to know more about it.
"Then he came to you guys," Luz said, her attention towards Sister Margaret, avoiding her question. "Probably desperate to find people who could help him deal with everything that has been happening to him. The only people he could trust."
"Instead of Sister Margaret giving in to what he wanted, she did the opposite," Masha said. "And due to being mentally and physically exhausted, his cognitive functioning and decision-making abilities were compromised," Masha eagerly added, their tone tinged with excitement from the knowledge they had gained over the years from browsing the Internet on topics of interest. "He was susceptible to Sister Margaret's persuasion. When people are pushed to the brink of collapse, both mentally and physically, they are more likely to believe and accept what others tell them, even if it contradicts their previous beliefs, and if they have underlying doubts that they were trying to ignore at first, well, they are more likely to succumb to them. Great examples of similar scenarios are oftentimes seen in victims who have endured prolonged trauma or torture before being coerced into actions they wouldn't have otherwise taken."
"So…" Willow tried to gather her thoughts. "You're saying Philip was tricked into feeling remorse for his actions?"
"Well… not really tricked… but definitely pushed into it…?" Masha paused for a moment. "Well, we can view it like this… He admitted to me that he used to have doubts years ago but had chosen to ignore them a long time ago. Just like Sister Margaret said, there were seeds of doubt already and she just pulled those out and without the mental strength to fight them off, he gave in to them and realized he was wrong."
Amity voiced her concern. "But right now, he thinks like that while being exhausted. How can we be certain after he has rested enough that he will continue to feel remorse for everything he has done and won't try to harm us again…?"
"He won't change his mind," Masha stated with certainty before they let out a casual smile. "Trust me, he won't."
Luz observed the protective stance Masha had taken toward Philip. Whatever happened between Masha and Philip back in the Devil's Waterfall had left them with a different perception of the man. Masha seemed strangely attached to him, which worried Luz. She hoped that Masha wouldn't end up getting hurt by Philip, considering they hadn't endured the same trauma or experiences as the rest of them.
"So… I guess… yeah… Philip was beaten into feeling bad in a way…" Luz said before glancing at looking at Sister Margaret. "I swear, we didn't mean for him to get tortured, which I guess… is how I describe it as?"
Sister Margaret didn't comment, deep in thought herself, from everything that was being talked about.
"What do you think, Luz?" Amity asked her girlfriend. "Do you think he finally realized he was wrong or if he's trying to trick us?"
She wanted to know what Luz thought since Luz had seen the bad side of Philip more times than the others.
"Maybe Gus can go into his mind and see if he actually changed," Willow suggested, knowing the majority in the room was having problems deciding what to believe in. It was reasonable to believe there was no way someone who has held hatred for them for centuries would change.
"I do want to say that he is hesitant to interact with you guys," Masha brought up. "He admitted to me he feels like he still holds some prejudice thoughts against witches… and doesn't want to end up hurting any of you again."
"He said that?" Camila asked, gazing at them with confusion.
"Honestly, we should be cautious about the possibility of him hurting us still," Amity said.
Though, she had to admit, there was a time she wasn't so worried that he would hurt them. She forgot why that was the case in the first place…
"But if Masha is right and he doesn't want to hurt us, well, it makes sense why he asked us to do an eternal oath and having the condition of not hurting us," Gus said. "And why he wants us to seal him up because he does feel guilty…"
Luz sighed, rubbing her eyes in frustration as the situation grew increasingly difficult to deal with. "And this brings us back to why he would willingly give himself to Elizabeth," she said. "Alright, let's assume he does genuinely feel remorse for everything he has done. We'll have to trust him and work together to create the portal and return to the Boiling Isles as soon as possible. And… we absolutely must make sure Elizabeth doesn't get her hands on him."
"Agreed," Masha and Gus said at the same time.
"So, are we still going to seal him up when we get back to the Boiling Isles now that he isn't really trying to kill us now?" Willow decided to bring up the sensitive topic that she felt had to be addressed.
Luz, feeling a headache coming on from the intense conversation and revelations, replied. "I think we should talk about it another time."
After everything Philip had done, he couldn't just walk off free…
Right…?
Just because one felt guilty for their terrible actions didn't mean things should just be forgiven and forgotten.
Her heart clenched at the thought of Eda, King, Hooty, Lilith, and the rest of the people in the Boiling Isles most likely suffering thanks to Be-Philip's actions. The familiar anger rose within her being as well.
"Should we tell Hunter about… Belos?" Willow asked the other important question they have been in her head for a while now.
"I think we should let Philip finish what he started this morning," Camila said. "If he genuinely feels remorse for his actions, then he should gather the courage to apologize to Hunter properly. Philip owes Hunter a lot."
And Camila quickly reminded herself to definitely check on Hunter because that poor boy must be having a difficult time with all that has been happening regarding Philip.
But hold on, now that she thought about it… if Philip had a change of heart, since his last visit with Father Francis and the nuns, then how come he was so cruel to Hunter when they were supposed to work on the puzzle that one night with her and Gus as witnesses…?
"I feel like he's going to need help with that," Masha pointed out to Camila, seeing how bad it went for Philip earlier today with Hunter.
Luz sighed, hoping what Masha just said wasn't true. She was still grappling with her own emotions regarding his change of heart. And at the moment, she wanted to focus her attention on making sure everyone was safe and finally get some good rest soon.
Just then, the group heard sounds emanating from their cellphones. Those who had phones took them out in surprise, realizing they had regained connection, and the sounds were notifications they had previously been unable to receive.
A knock on the door interrupted their moment, and Sister Lilian entered the room. "I need everyone to gather their things," she said. "The church has picked a safe location for the children, and they are making sure Elizabeth and her people cannot touch us right now while we head out. We should hurry, though, just in case."
The group began gathering their belongings. Sister Lilian then turned to Sister Margaret as the two walked out of the dining room. "I'm going to need you, Sister Luna, and Father Francis to also come with us," she said.
"Is it because we have seen too much?" Sister Margaret asked.
"Unfortunately, yes," Sister Lilian confirmed. "However, we won't be staying with the children once we drop them off at the new location. I need the three of you to accompany me back to Vatican City."
Sister Margaret frowned. "Excuse me?"
"There are certain protocols that we have to follow when individuals associated with our church become involved in... well, these types of situations."
Camila walked out of the room, observing the conversation silently.
"I'm sorry, Sister Lilian, but we cannot leave these children to fend for themselves," Sister Margaret said.
"They won't be alone," Sister Lilian commented. "Camila will be with them, and they will be staying with one of our trusted individuals."
"There are too many children for just one adult and a stranger. And let's not forget the handful Philip is going to be as well."
"I understand your concerns, but the church's protocols-"
"Yes, yes, the protocols," Sister Margaret interrupted her, expressing her frustration. "It always comes down to the protocols when it's convenient for them," she shook her head with annoyance.
Sister Lilian sighed.
"We'll be okay," Camila stepped forward to reassure Sister Margaret. "We've managed well over the past few months, and if Philip truly has a change of heart, then our situation won't be as difficult as it was before."
Sister Margaret eyed Camila with her serious gaze.
"I'm sorry, Sister Margaret," Sister Lilian said.
The head nun turned to the young nun, saying nothing for a moment. "Well, I am sorry too, Sister Lilian," she said, making Sister Lilian look at her with confusion. "I must admit, I didn't anticipate it would take me this long to make this decision, but there's no better time than now, especially when there are children who need me."
Sister Lilian was trying to understand where the woman was going before it dawned on her, making her eyes widened in surprise.
"And before you mention there are also protocols for my departure, let them know I simply do not care," Sister Margaret stated firmly.
It was at this time the children had exited the room.
"Wait, you're leaving the church?" Camila exclaimed, trying to make sense of the situation.
"Camila, I don't underestimate your ability to care for these children, but we both know it must be taking a toll on you to do it alone," Sister Margaret said. "I believe you've been doing a wonderful job, but let me help you, especially with Philip."
Masha, displaying a calm amusement, chimed in. "So, the bad ass nun is staying with us?" they asked, securing their backpack in place.
"I guess I am," Sister Margaret offered another of her rare smiles.
Sister Lilian also couldn't help but smile, showing no objections, even though she knew the church would reprimand her for allowing Sister Margaret not to come along with her to the Vatican City.
"Well, let's gather everyone. I'll speak with Father Francis," Sister Lilian said, and the group dispersed. Masha accompanied Sister Lilian to meet with Father Francis, who was peeking out of the windows. Everything seemed so eerily still outside.
But from what Sister Lilian had told him, Elizabeth most likely had her men put the rest of the town to sleep with some sort of spell. Only reason they didn't use it on them was because it was against their deal with the Catholic Church.
Sister Lilian went over to explain to him what they had to do, while Masha observed Philip, who was still awake, but struggling to keep his eyes open.
Leave it to Philip… to somehow find the energy to be stubborn about something. They assumed the paranoia of them getting attacked was what cling to him the most over everything right now.
However, now they questioned how come he was able to be convinced to acknowledge the terrible nature of everything he had done to witches but remained resistant to being told to go to sleep while he was in such a messed up state?
Kneeling in front of Philip, Masha addressed him calmly. "You really need to listen to people more… Especially when it's for your own good."
Philip's eyes narrowed slightly before averting his gaze from Masha.
"We're being relocated to a safe place, or at least that's what Sister Lilian said," Masha informed him.
"Where…?" Philip asked silently.
"Not sure, but they want us to pack up and get ready to leave."
Philip closed his eyes for a few seconds before mustering the strength to stand, his muscles aching as he did so. He had to steady himself using the bench for support.
Masha quickly moved to his side and tried to assist him in staying on his feet, but he pulled away and followed Sister Lilian out of the chapel. Eventually, after everyone had gathered their things, they exited the building. The night enveloped them, its cold grip seeping into their bones. The late hour cast a stillness upon the streets, devoid of any signs of life.
The group gathered by the parking lot where Father Francis' weathered MPV awaited, not wasting any second. However, realizing the limited space within the vehicle, Masha volunteered to use their car. However, Camila insisted on driving Masha's car, not wanting them to bear the responsibility of transporting a group.
Hunter stood there with a determined look in his eyes, avoiding eye contact with Philip. While the others decided which transportation they would take, Masha took Philip's arm and guided him toward the MPV to help Hunter make his decision.
Hunter went to the small car with Camila, Luz, Amity, and Vee. He sat in the passenger seat. Flapjack took the form of a staff in case it was needed for defense.
Philip silently occupied the very back row in the MPV with Masha by his side while Gus and Willow did their best to six with them on the right of Masha.
All four where cramped, but no one complained.
"Everyone ready?" Father Francis asked, turning to address the group as the nuns were putting on their seatbelts.
Sister Lilian was sitting in the passenger seat while Sister Luna and Sister Margaret sat in the middle row.
Sister Luna's expression was marked with a frown as her eyes shifted towards Philip. She remained on guard around him. She pulled out her rosary to start praying along the road to make sure everything goes well.
"Well, let's hope for a smooth ride," Father Francis said before starting the car, and just at that moment, Twig transformed back into her original form and skipped through the vehicle in order to land on Masha's lap.
Sister Lilian watched with amusement as her companion nestled against Masha.
The bird looked up at Philip, who had his head leaning against the window, his eyes glazed from exhaustion. Twig didn't appear as frightened as she had been the first time she saw Philip, which brought a smile to Masha's face.
"Don't worry, we're all going to be okay," Masha assured Twig, allowing her to rest there.
Their words reached Philip and he hoped that they were right.
And just when the vehicle began to move, Philip's eyes shifted to look through the window, still doing his best to continue to keep watch for Elizabeth and her men….
Elizabeth climbed into the back of a van, instructed others to break protocol and thoroughly scout the land, even suggesting they forcefully enter people's homes. She had to find her beast now, and she had a strong feeling it was still nearby.
There was no way she was going to let it escape.
A calm and collected voice suddenly came through everyone's earpieces. "Cease all operations and await further instructions," the voice said before there was silence in everyone's earpieces, except for Elizabeth's and Rafael's.
"Sebastian, now is not the time for you to interfere," Elizabeth hissed in annoyance.
"The children and the beast are currently under the Church's protection," the voice stated.
"That bitch…" Elizabeth growled under her breath at the memory of Sister Lilian, who teleported her away from the building earlier. She assumed the nun had contacted someone from the Vatican.
"So, for now, we are-"
"No, I refuse to leave without my beast," Elizabeth declared coldly.
"You had your chance, Elizabeth. I warned you…"
"I still have a chance to get him," she replied. "You don't understand, Sebastian. I had him in my hands. He was magnificent, everything I ever dreamed of. But those disgusting children ruined everything, and that wretched nun, too."
There was no response from the other end, prompting Elizabeth to continue.
"I'm serious, Sebastian. He's nothing like the others. He won't simply drop dread in a few years. You've studied his arm. You've seen how different he is. And, according to my reliable resources, the man is from the 1600s, a prolific witch hunter named…" She turned to Rafael who was sitting on one of the seats calmly, watching her.
"Philip Wittebane," Rafael responded with the name promptly.
"Yes, that's his name," Elizabeth replied. "Now that I think of it… I need to give him a new name…" she said with disgust in her voice.
There was a brief moment of silence on the other end before the voice spoke again, this time with a tone that sounded very interested. One she hadn't heard in so long.
"Did you just say… his name is Philip Wittebane?"
"Yes, that's what Rafael said," Elizabeth confirmed before sensing something had indeed shifted in Sebastian. She then recalled something from one of her faint memories. "Hold on… do you know of him?" Then realization dawned on her. "Silas… he was from the 1600s too, right?"
"Elizabeth, bring the men back to base," the voice instructed calmly.
Elizabeth frowned, refusing to comply. "I am not-"
"Don't you worry your pretty little mind," the voice interrupted with a subtle chuckle. "I will ensure you get your hands on your lovely beast, no matter what…"
Silas sat in a carriage, his arms crossed, and eyes closed as they traveled along the road. Eventually, the carriage came to a stop in front of a massive home.
"Silas, we're here," the woman with pointy ears gently informed him, placing a hand on his arm.
He opened his eyes silently before both stepped out of the carriage as the chauffeur opened the door. They began making their way up to the front door. However, there was no one there to greet them. No servants or the head butler anywhere.
"The governor was acting rather peculiar, don't you think?" the woman asked Silas softly.
Silas mentally agreed. They had just returned from Europe, and as they met with the governor, he couldn't help but notice something off with the man's behavior. He seemed skittish, on edge…
"In any case, I wonder if Sebastian is glad to see us," the woman commented. "I was surprised when he chose to stay at the Hartman's estate for the past three months. Perhaps he has developed feelings for Elizabeth? She has grown into a beautiful young lady, after all."
Initially, Silas didn't pay much attention to the absence of staff members rushing out to welcome them. It was unusual for Arthur Hartman to forget their arrival. The man was always eager to have his staff greet them. However, as they walked a few feet closer to the door, Silas noticed something unsettling: everything was eerily silent…
Silas slowly reached into his coat and pulled out a brown wand. The woman looked confused for a moment, but her ferret companion emerged from her cloak, transforming into a sleek, black wand before it emanated a dark, green glow.
"Be prepared, Aurora," Silas warned, raising his wand. He cast a spell at the doors, blasting them open. Silas and Aurora stood side by side, wands at the ready, prepared to defend themselves against whatever had put Silas on edge. Yet, as they entered the empty entrance hall, the silence grew even more unnerving. There was not a soul to be seen in the deserted space.
Silas's sharp eyes scanned around sign of danger before he moved. Aurora followed closely behind, keeping a watchful eye as well. As they approached the kitchen, an overwhelming stench assaulted them. Silas pushed the door open.
The kitchen, once a bustling hub of activity, now lay in ruin. The air hung heavy with the odor of rot and decay. Silas's gaze swept over the room, noticing dishes lay scattered across the countertops, their contents decomposing and attracting a swarm of flies. Mold had claimed what looked like a preparation for a feast that never took place. Basins filled with dirty dishes stood neglected, the water long evaporated, leaving behind a caked-on remnant of meal past.
Without hesitation, Silas rushed through the rest of the house. Aurora trailed closely behind. Her voice filled with concern as she called out for Sebastian, the head maid, the butler, Arthur, anyone that took residence in the home. Yet, with each room they searched, they found nothing but emptiness and silence.
"What do you think happened?" Aurora asked, her voice betraying her growing unease. "There doesn't seem to have been any sort of struggle. They wouldn't have simply abandoned this place, would they?"
Silas paused for a moment, standing in Arthur's office, his jaw clenched tightly as his eyes fixated on the scattered documents strewn across the desk. The documents revealed the intricacies of Arthur's trade business. As he immersed himself in thought, a growing sense of dread crept over him.
He realized they had yet to explore one last room…
A heavy feeling settled in Silas's heart as he guided Aurora toward the back of the mansion. As they got closer to the back room, an unpleasant stench began to assault their nostrils, growing more pungent as they approached the door. Silas's heart raced within his chest, but he steeled himself and forced himself to open the door.
They both recoiled, hastily covering their noses to shield themselves from the overwhelming and putrid smell that filled the room. As they stepped inside, their eyes widened in sheer horror at the sight that greeted them.
"No…" Aurora's voice barely escaped her lips, a mere whisper of disbelief as she stood frozen in shock. Silas, his own gaze transfixed, took a moment to process what they were seeing. An immediate wave of nausea washed over him, and he fought back the urge to regurgitate the morning's meal, mustering his strength to push forward.
A cluster of chairs, arranged around a looking sort of metallic machine looking tower, that was not there before, occupied the center of the room. On those chairs, bodies, now mere husks of what once were human, sat there, their rotting flesh in various stages of decomposition. Maggots writhed in the folds of their tattered garments, devouring their decaying remains. The clothing, once colorful and tidied, now clung to their emaciated forms, stained with the blackened remnants of blood and other fluids.
The bodies were contorted, each one had their mouth stretched impossibly wide, frozen in a horrific scream of agony. It was as if their final moments were a harrowing descent into an unspeakable agony.
Silas' body began to tremble uncontrollably, his thoughts racing as his eyes slowly traveled to the machinery, as it looked very familiar…
A sickening realization churned in his gut. The pieces clicked into place, especially when his eyes couldn't catch the second pair of blonde locks among the bodies, when he spotted the familiar watch that Arthur loved to wear on one of the corpse's wrists.
He couldn't help but blame himself… as he should have seen the warnings…
He should have never turned a blind eye…
He shouldn't have let this happen…
It was all his fault…
Silas shrugged off the haunting recollection that had chosen to resurface, triggered by the response from a yellow letter that a woman had sent out with her wand.
Five men, including Silas, sat in a circular formation around a massive oak table. All wore flowing black robes. The room was itself dimly lit, with tall, arched windows that were adorned with heavy velvet drapes. The men in the room looked rather old, whereas Silas stood in his late prime, displaying a robust physique. His lustrous brown hair and piercing dark eyes possessed an intimidating aura that would unnerve those unfamiliar with his true nature.
Sunlight filtered through the narrow gaps in the drapes, casting ethereal rays that danced upon the aged tapestries adoring the walls. Candles flickered in ornate silver candle holders, casting flickering shadows upon the solemn faces of the men.
A woman sat far from the rest. She held a wand and was the one who sent out the yellow letter after the men instructed her what to write.
"Let us hope Sebastian does not decide to have any other ideas like Elizabeth," grumbled one of the four men, William, seated across the table with Silas. "That woman possesses audacity, attacking one of our own, being aware of the consequences."
"Surely you have learned by now how capricious she can be," interjected a man named Michael, his gaze fixated on Silas with a knowing expression. "Do you believe Sebastian will uphold his promise and leave the children untouched?"
Silas remained silent, his arms slowly crossing as he withheld any response.
"Regardless, we must determine what course of action to take concerning the man whom Elizabeth desires, for reasons unbeknownst to us," stated another man, Edgar. "Sister Lilian made it clear that he is afflicted by a curse that has sustained his existence for centuries. Looks like we have possibly another immortal among us," he chuckled, glancing at Silas.
Silas shifted his gaze towards the woman as yet another letter materialized before her, though it was purple this time. She passed it to Michael, who proceeded to read aloud the message they were expecting from Sister Lilian. "Very well, she has furnished us with the names of the children, and it looks like we have three humans who we should prioritize in this mess."
"How many witch children overall?" inquired the fifth man, with a more serious tone, named Matthew.
"Four witch children and a shapeshifter," Michael divulged.
"Four pure blooded witches," Edgar mused, his curiosity piqued. "It has been eternity since our people last encountered even one such individual."
Michael then froze momentarily upon reading the last portion of the letter, his brows furrowing at what he was seeing.
"What's the matter, Michael?" inquired William, capturing Silas' attention.
Silas turned his gaze towards Michael, who met his eyes with a bewildered expression.
"Well, boy, speak up," Silas pressed, his voice steady and firm.
Michael hesitated, taking a moment before sliding the letter across the table to Silas.
Silas unfolded the letter, his eyes scanning the list of names requested from Sister Lilian, until he reached the name - Philip Wittebane.
A chill washed over Silas as he stared at the name, feeling as though he had been drenched by a bucket of ice-cold water as an image of a young man with a hint of stubble on his youthful face appeared in Silas' mind, piercing him with a glare brimming with unshed tears. An image that has clawed at his heart throughout the passing centuries. Along with a question that he always asked himself, 'Why didn't you believe him…?'
In his mind echoed Sister Lilian's earlier words, describing a cursed man who has lived for centuries, a human who has returned to the human world after being in the magical one.
Philip…
Wittebane…
She said he was a man who has lived for centuries…
No… it couldn't be…
There was no way he was alive after all this time…
But if it was him then that meant Sebastian would get involved… and he couldn't help but feel sick at the thought of Elizabeth Hartman getting her hands on him…
Just a heads up, i post this story first in archive of our own and i also include awesome fan art done by readers as well there starting in chapter 15 I think (since that's when I started getting them) : ).
Peeps also engage in archive of our own more or in in tumblr. if you want to follow me in tumblr and ask questions you can do so. u can find me as chiconisroc in tumbrl and nisrocchico in archive of our own
or if you want you can leave a comment in this website too : ) or pm me