HILDA: ACROSS THE HILDAVERSE
ACT TWO
By: Half_Half
II: Revelations Of The Underground
As she hushed everyone's questions down, her eyes once lingered to the edge of the dead end. Locking eyes with Hilda and Hilbert over at the end, she noticed something behind them. New David's eyes...they were now growing green and he remained motionless. Fine mist flown into the air like a flame as he hissed quietly like a snake. How come they never see this? They're probably too caught up with the whole "witch" thing.
But not the Librarian. She noticed how erratic David acted and felt her nerves tingling quickly. She had to act now. Running over to his side while having to excuse herself from the ceaseless questioning of the group, then she finally reached to his side and the effects had apparently disappeared as soon as someone approached.
However, The Librarian spotted the glow before it dissipated and seeing it fade away at an instant, that now became her worst fear. Running up to him, she shook David briefly before looking at him in the eye with a worried face. "David, you need immediate help!"
He couldn't bring himself to even speak. All it left behind was a David that felt ever more drowsier than ever...his eyes couldn't keep itself up, overall mood dropping and he can feel his skin losing its color. It's like being Tired Hilda all over again...without losing one's mum. It all felt like time was being lost on her hands, how can this happen!
But, he did muster up some energy to at least communicate. "Uhhh...wha- what help? Do I really need help?"
The affair had caught the attention of Hilda and Hilbert, both at the back, and walked up to the Librarian. "What's going on?"
Swiftly, the Librarian pulled her cloak up and cloaked the two from sight. She then lean down to the two with a serious face, as she considered this to be of urgent attention. "Hilda, Hilbert, listen," she addressed quietly, "This is serious. David is about to turn."
Both gasped at the shocking news. "No...you don't mean—"
"I'm afraid so," The Librarian abruptly interrupted.
They couldn't believe it...one of them is now about to be fallen as they speak. As the weight of the worst scenario dawned over their minds, they all glanced to the other David, sitting down next to a pillar with a disheveled and weary face. He looks so traumatized yet appeared deeply insomniac.
They turn to the Librarian. "What do we do now? How are we gonna find help?" Hilbert shuddered.
"Do not fret," she hushed, "I know how and who will help us." The Librarian assured, taking the cloak down and facing the group with a somewhat confident face. Keeping her chin up to save face for the group, she then lifted her voice.
"I'm afraid that David is going to turn." She disclosed to everyone, causing a wave of gasps to follow suit.
"Oh god, this is terrible!" Angel Alfur grieved, "How can this happen? He's only just a boy."
"No..." Both Tired Hilda and New Frida said in disbelief, "This can't happen! It can't!" Hilda gathered her hands over her eyes, her breathing short-circuited as she tried to resist the pressure to cry.
Then...all of a sudden, New David tried to speak up to the best he can. "Gu.. Guys... I- I'm.. okay."
Although his spoken word was slurred between the lines and a bit haphazard, it was now clear to everyone that it is indeed what they feared. His words reverberated to the group, causing many to be worried and scared; the teenagers began whispering to each other while both Tired Hilda and New Frida were horrified at his condition.
This predicament had caused many to be concerned about the series of events that happened earlier; the Anomaly, the explosion, the marra. Everyone became agitated and the situation under shaky conditions. Seeing the mood, Hilda tried to calm everyone's worries, walking past Hilbert and the Librarian and raised her voice.
"Everyone!" she started, now all eyes turn to her. "I know you're all scared, but I have good news, the Librarian promised us that we're gonna get help."
"Help? How are we gonna get help here?" Teen Hilda queried, "We're in a witch lair! Who's gonna help us?"
"Someone will!" The Librarian responded.
"And where is that, we may ask?" the Adults pushed.
Her face squirmed at their quizzed faces, they all look skeptical and it isn't helping at all. Then, she thought up of an idea and lightly smirked to herself. "Right here." She pointed to the wall.
The others heard her clear as day. "There? That's a wall." Angel Alfur clarified. "Ghosts can go through them but witches? I do not believe it."
"Then let me show you."
After cracking her knuckles, the Librarian kneeled down and placed her hand over the smooth stone surface. As she held it firm, she kept a steady breathing pattern and allowed her mind to settle down before casting the incantation softly...and then she repeated that over and over again in a steady incrementally louder and louder volume, feeling that energy flow from her mind and towards her fingertips. Soon, a shining light emanated into the wall as pink and purple rays burst out of it before bouncing back to the portal. Now the entire wall that she touched is now filled up with a light pinkish magenta spell, almost as if it was a deceivingly realistic portal.
Everyone was at awe with the view, admiring the way the spell was summoned and the way the portal lit up in front of them. They all had their jaws dropped to the void with this.
"That.. was... awesome!" Hilda shouted with excitement. "How come you never use this often?"
"We don't talk about it." She replied. "Also, I want all of you to forget that I ever did this. Please."
Everyone nodded along. "I agree. I don't want to have my memory be erased again." New Frida cringed at the thought.
"Wait, that happened to you?" Adult Hilda asked, "Did she like...do it Men In Black style?"
"Who the heck are the Men in Black?" Elf Hilda asked from Frida's shoulder.
Adult David lightly elbowed her. "Babe, they don't know that."
"Wait, they haven't?" She had to give it a thought before coming to the embarrassing conclusion.
"Now follow me, and do as I say." The Librarian sternly ordered.
Circular Room
Day 3, 12:45 AM
As they all entered the portal, it felt like diving through a rippling pool of water or splashing in a wave pool. To Hilda and Hilbert, crossing the portal felt like their first time walking through the Eversing Mirror; an eerie, transcendent feeling as if they were floating over the Aurora Borealis. It felt...majestic.
They finally went across the portal, and it felt refreshing. As they stepped out, the Librarian waited for them outside until they've all cleared the crossing. Some got out rather neatly, like Hilda, Hilbert and their cohort of friends while some got rather unlucky missteps such as everyone else.
Stepping out of the portal, everyone looked at their surroundings and were at awe at what they found. A vast underground library with shelves upon shelves towering over the flat plain of the glass surface, the shelf serving as the imposing walls of the area. Their jaws were all over the floor, admiring the grandiose layout of the Tower.
"Woah..." Hilbert was amazed, even he cannot help but feel astonished at it all.
"I didn't even know this existed," Hilda muttered to herself, still bewildered at its grandiose structure.
"So where can we find help?"
The Librarian turned to him. "I'll find them, but let me talk to them," she states, "They can be quite...prickly." She cringed at the memory.
Seeing how her face twist at the thought of their new allies, Hilda and Hilbert could feel their guts begging them to reconsider their ideas. But they nodded along either way, hoping that their luck would save them again.
With their agreement, the Librarian began to walk along the vast glass floor. Surrounded by interlocking layers of bookshelves, separated office desks reminiscent of those found in an office building and a chilly air looming over her, she tries to give her best to keep everyone safe and sound, even if it means facing the people she tends to not want to meet again.
As she stood in front of the huge concrete stand that served as the negotiation table for all witches, she could feel her heart beating ever faster as she could hear footsteps making their way up to the stand. Already prepared for the proper etiquette and the formalities, the Librarian kneeled down and covered her work uniform with her cloak, awaiting for their statement.
"At long last, we meet..." A voice called out to her. "What brings you here, Keeper of The Books?" It inquires, awaiting an answer.
"I greet you, your majesties. I am here to seek for your guidance and help," she requested in her most formal language, "I have brought to myself a major magical threat to this world, and I need your–"
"Hush hush, I think we know what this is," they interrupted her formal request, "Is this the one involving that giant orb in the wall a few days ago?"
She gasped audibly. How did they know? The Librarian looked up from her kneeled position and there they were, three ghoulishly fashioned witches looking down from above, all wearing their usual formal attires.
"Ye-yes! Yes, that one!" She confirmed their suspicions. "As I was saying, may I please formally request your assistance for this serious—"
"I'm afraid we cannot delve into that," the shortest witch abruptly stops, "This issue seems to be outside of our hands at the moment."
"Agreed!" The tallest witch then summoned a book out of thin air using a wand with the tip of a rose. "I'm afraid that such otherworldly matters are not of our importance!" She then whipped her wand to the book cart, pulling a book out and pulled it to her hands.
"It is decreed here that such intrusions to our natural laws of the universe would be outside the responsibility of the Witches' Tower!" All stated with a dramatic, almost theatrical tone.
From afar, the entire group hid collectively behind a stacked up book cart placed so distant from where The Librarian is now. With the book pulled out, they all flocked to the sides and away from the book that was pulled.
Peeking from the sides, they were focused on the Librarian and her negotiations with the three witches up high above while the teenager and adult variations were more awed at the monumental and imposing nature of the underground.
The elves sit up from above, confident that they won't be spotted since they haven't signed the contracts as far as they're concerned.
As they peered, both Hilda and Hilbert were concentrated over the conversation, attentively clutching their fists in anticipation for the results. Considering the distance, they can only hear a bare minimum of words from afar, but they hope all of them are beneficial to their quest.
"Please! Let me explain myself!"
"I apologize, dear. But for the crime of letting this slide under the rug, this shall not be tolerated." The three witches have all stated their agreements.
"But—"
Before she could lift her finger, a tightened wooden rope tied her tight, restraining her from continuing her negotiations. The rope restricted all movement out of her control and she couldn't even feel her shoes touch the surface.
Over at the other side, the group has become alerted at the sight of seeing their Librarian tied up over the middle and Hilda felt the need to run over and scream 'Stop! Please!' As she was about to stand up and take a sprint, Hilbert had to grab her arm before she could even take a step.
"Hilda!"
Quickly pulling her aside, she stumbled to the glass surface and toward the group. "Hilda, what were you thinking?"
"Who's there?" One of the witches shouted. "Figured you brought visitors."
Then, the tallest witch whipped their wand over the cart, summoning a light pink ray over to the object and soon swung it to her right. The cart flew by at such a rapid pace, it appeared as if it was pushed at the blink of an eye. Now only Hilda, Hilbert, and the rest of the group are to be seen.
"Wha- Guys!" The Librarian scolded at them.
"So, is this the major magical threat you were talking about?" the shortest witch jested, to which she didn't laugh to.
"We aren't!" Hilda shouted, raising her hands over her head, "We are no threat!"
She turned to her group, "Are we?" They all immediately shook their heads in disagreement.
The three witches still look at them with suspicion before turning to their keeper. "Do you know any of them?"
She turned to her disparate and diverse group with a blank stare. "Sort of."
"Are any of them witches?"
"Well–"
"Yes..." Hilbert answered for her. "Well some of us are."
"So are you implying that one among you are..." the tallest held their tongue, "non-witches?" she finally said, keeping it quiet as if it was forbidden.
"Oh my, this is terrible! Abigail, can't you believe it!?" she continued, referring to one of them as Abigail, "Non-witches stepping foot in our sacred halls!"
"Well I'm sorry for that, miss..." Hilda turned to the Librarian, "Uhh what are their names?"
"Oh, what does it matter?" the other witches pipe in, "According to the natural laws of the universe, you are all trespassers!"
Hilbert took light offense to that. "Look- We may be one according to your book but we ca–"
Before he could make a defense for his team, they were all reaped in one place and forcefully tied with such force, as if someone was tightening it. The rope had the same composition and aura as the one that tied the Librarian over.
As they all gasped with fear and dread, they can all see the witches over at their high horses in the concrete stand.
"I'm ashamed to have our world be LITTERED! PESTERED! with such dreaded non-witches!" Abigail, the tallest witch, bellowed out, "This is a matter that must be resolved immediately!"
Hilda tried to pull her arms out of it, but the rope felt like an iron vice clamping down on soft styrofoam. "Please, just listen! We can work on this issue together if–"
"SILENCE!" Abigail then bolted out a prowling zip that quickly closed her mouth shut, like putting weights over her lips.
This overreaction has caused quite a concern with the other witches, seeing this undiplomatic approach as an oversight. "Abigail, this act is excessive just to deal with some trespassers." The shortest witch called out.
"The forces of the universe must be kept at bay and our magic has been ruined thanks to these fools!" She reasoned. "This is the only way."
"This isn't the only way!" The Librarian screamed. She had to think fast, what idea could appease her superiors? Think! Think! Think! Think!
Then...her mind resorted to an idea. "The mirrors! Remember those!?" she blurted, "That can be our only hope!"
Abigail took note of what the Librarian said and quickly shuffled the pages of the book she grabbed. As she turned each page, the others in the group were beginning to worry.
Especially...Hilda and Hilbert.
"Wait... you knew about this!?" Hilda cried out. "You...knew about it all along?"
Hilbert couldn't believe it too. That mirror... the one that caused all of this, all that devastation, chaos, confusion, and destruction they've suffered... could all be stopped. But somehow, nobody did anything...
"...How could you!?" Hilbert snapped, pushing himself against the rope, "Why did you all let it happen!? You could've stopped the mirror! You could've stopped the parallel worlds from colliding! You could've helped us stop the Red-Eyed Trolls from invading! You could've SAVED US FROM THE TROLLS! But you didn't!? Didn't you!?" His voice gone coarse from shouting with betrayal in his heart.
Normally, this is where Hilda would've intervened. But this time, she can see through his anger and fury...she went through what he went through and suffered... all of that can be stopped.
"How could you!? All of you!?" She snapped. "You all could've seen the problem! You all could have done ANYTHING to stop it! Why didn't you do anything!?" Hilda reprimanded, tears forming in her eyes. Then she turned to the Librarian. "Why? Why didn't you help?"
The Librarian couldn't help but feel awful for them. She could see how much havoc that mirror left behind but, by some miracle, she chose to be on the sidelines. She looked at the two once again.
"I couldn't help... I can't." She mustered an apology, although she knew that it would be a futile one.
"This...doesn't change anything!" Abigail slammed her fist down at the book. "We've already abandoned that practice long ago, and that wouldn't affect anything."
"But please consider!" The Librarian responded. "These things can only be–"
"Enough!" The other tall witch shouted. "This has gone on for far too long!" She then turned to her southwest. "Loyd!"
Even without stating a command, he followed her orders. Under his hands lay an elongated bass guitar with a very thin fingerboard to serve the one and only string it has. By the first stroke, a deep chord echoed into the room, and as each wave rippled back, it activated the floor below them.
The outlined circular area beneath them had now been turned red by the deep bass, glowing ever brighter as time wore on. This decision had clearly gone overboard.
The Librarian braced for her punishment while the group all began to scream and attempt to pull their way out of the string, but none couldn't break out. As the three witches began to bicker amongst each other, the situation steadily reached to its boiling point.
Soon, a true miracle happened.
"What's with all the ruckus about?" An elderly voice called out. "I couldn't even teach my classes thanks to your fuss!"
All of their bickering had to be stopped due to this interruption. The witches now looked toward a short elderly woman probably around her late 60s in her usual wooden brown skirt, light maroon shirt underneath a deep red coat.
"Oh great, just what we needed," Abigail muttered, sarcastically.
Soon, the elderly woman became horrified after adjusting her spectacles. "Oh dear! Why are you misusing the Void of No Return?" She spoke out, "You three knuckleheads never learn, do you?" The old lady expressed her annoyance.
"Never learn? Say that to your student, Pilqvist!" The other witches joined along with the heckling.
"My student? Oh please, she would never harm a fly." She scoffed, before taking a glance at the rest of the room.
As her spectacles gleamed against the light, her eyes could see only a glowingly red floor, an angry group of witches, and then she turned to the unfortunates that were tied up above the floor. Bunch of new faces she's seeing, but only one stood out from the rest.
A familiar one. She adjusts her spectacles once again. "...Kaisa? Is that you?"
"KAISA!?" the entire group shouted in shock. "I didn't know she had a name."
"Oh, yes she does," the old woman said before muttering something under her breath. Then she began to float with a blue aura under her slippers. "It's right here in her nametag," she snagged it out of her cloak.
"That was...interesting," Hilda remarked.
The elderly lady chuckled at their reactions to this revelation. "What do you think her name was?" She lightly poked fun, keeping a jovial face.
"Maven," every single one of them answered back.
She giggled at their answer. "Now...as I was saying," she then turned to the witches, "Nobody is going to the Void for nothing! I waiver the charges." The old woman then twiddled her finger in a circle.
In an instant, the ropes that binded them like sardines in a tin can vanished out of thin air. This sudden loss of magic caused this weird effect called...gravity to exist once again, resulting in both the Librarian and the group falling to the floor.
The adults were able to withstand the fall, the teenagers were slightly okay, but the others didn't stuck the landing.
"Aahh... it hurts," New David groaned in the distance, holding his head.
"David!" Both Tired Hilda and New Frida ran to his side.
With their gang now finally down, the bookcart that hid the elves could now be able to slowly push themselves back to the centre of the room.
"That old lady's speaking funny," Elf Hilda says, "she's fighting the other funny looking ladies at the top. Why do they need makeup here?"
"Hilda, I think we need to take a break," her elf dad nudged her with his elbow, "This...is frankly too much for today."
In the air, Angel Alfur flew out of the cart and toward New David, the glowing light somehow ignored by the bickering witches and the distracted mob. As he descended, he anded safely over his bright orange shirt.
He walked up to his dust-smitten, bruised face with nothing but a tear on his face. The angel kneeled in consolation, blessing him with a prayer under his breath. Then, he took a sigh before looking at his pitifully pathetic face.
"May the Lord have mercy on this boy," he rests his stubby hand over his mouth, "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Am–"
Before he could complete the prayer, the Angel was suddenly thrown off from his face, causing him to dither around in the air like a falling piece of paper.
"Alfur!" Frida shouted, seeing him fly around like a lost fly. "Oh no...David, what's happening to you?"
Over at the stand, as the witches continued to bicker over every detail, both Hilda and Hilbert walked over beside the elderly woman. They still had bitter resentment over the knowledge that these people could've stopped catastrophe at any moment, but they kept it to themselves for now.
"So... what's your deal?" Hilbert asked.
"What's your name?" Hilda asked.
"Well...if I were to continue the formalities," she started, "then I–
I am Matilda Pilqvist! Archsorceress! Enchanter of Livelihoods! Grand Alchemist of The Dark Communion of Halgar! First Blood Sister of The Order of The Black Candle! Tormentor of The—
"We get it, you're accomplished and scary." Both Hilda and Hilbert interrupted her at the same time.
"Figured," Matilda stopped her spiel, "You can call me Tildy, it's much simpler."
"Tildy," Hilda shook her hand. "My name is Hilda...I think I'm the one who rang your doorbell earlier."
"Ahh, so it was you," Tildy shook her hand in return. "It's nice you didn't dingdong ditch me like that Trevor fellow."
Hilda held in her chuckles. "Absolutely."
After the friendly gesture, Hilbert also followed along, shaking her hand as well. As they shook, he couldn't help but feel an uncanny feeling out of Tildy. "You look familiar."
"I am?"
"No, you look familiar to someone I might've seen on the street. I think..." he squinted his eyes, "Wait...yeah, I know now!"
"Know what?" Hilda looked intrigued.
"There's someone like her in my world! ...except, it's a dude. I think."
"So is there like a Michael Pilqvist or something?"
"No, he looked a little similar to her. I didn't quite catch his name but I think..." Hilbert contemplated, "I think his name's Peter or something, I can't quite recall."
"Peter?" Both Hilda and Matilda raised their eyebrows.
"Peter Ostenfeld, I think? Yeah, I think that's his name."
Hilda is a little surprised but Matilda was taken aback. She didn't even quite expect that he would take the mantle of her position as archsorceress in her mirror world. But she digress.
"Ahh, I see. That's neat," Tildy said with a hushed voice.
As Hilbert were about to introduce himself, the loud squabbling over the stand had intruded their conversation.
"The mirrors won't fix anything! The process has already costed us our secrecy, we cannot risk it again!"
"It's the only way we can get rid of these trespassers! What other way can we–"
"That would be a detriment to our world! Imagine the damage we've already done!"
"Oh, quiet down, you buffoons!" Tildy yelled from below. "You witches of all people, shut up! All of you!"
The harsh language had caught their ears and all turned to Pilqvist with a speechless face. Now that they all stopped talking, the room had gone awfully silent.
With the silence now subsiding, Hilda and Hilbert could now take advantage of it to finally press the problem to their face, now without the histrionic arguments blocking their way.
"Kaisa." Both shouted. "Start explaining. What was the Eversing Mirror? Why was it a thing?" Hilda demanded, stomping her foot on the glass.
"And why did you let me take it home?" Hilbert added.
Now backed to a corner and without any excuses to pass, she sighed and began to step forward to both of them and her mentor.
How do I even begin explaining this? So the mirror that you call the Eversing is not the only mirror that can do that. But let's not split hairs, please? This mirror was concocted not long ago but it was quickly abandoned for...unknown reasons, so I hid it under a tarp at the secret room...the first one that is.
"So...the mirror had a purpose, but why was it hidden?" Hilda questioned.
"Can you let me finish?" Kaisa asserted. Hilda became quiet afterwards.
The mirror was supposed to be a connection between us to the Communion of Halgar and the Order of The Black Candle, but due to unforseen circumstances, the mirror and interdimensional travel as a whole was abandoned and shut down by the Tower as a result.
A realization whooshed over both Hilda and Hilbert, as their jaws slowly drop to the knowledge. "No wonder those titles exist," Hilbert said.
"Yeah, they can be quite obselete," Matilda replied.
"If you're looking for an answer," Abigail butted in, "Then let us clarify what Kaisa said."
"Please, stay out of this–"
"Wait," Kaisa waved her hand up, "Let them be, trust me."
These mirrors served as a convenient transportation device to these far-away lands and bring over our allies to Trolberg. But when things gone so wrong when rogue witches try to overthrow the Tower, we had to banish them into the Void of No Return. Afterward, all of our mirrors had to be destroyed and whatever remains become hidden away forever.
"—and that's why this Void existed."
"Does that explain why you had to throw ANYONE to the Void?" Matilda sarcastically joked.
"Oh yes we do!" the shortest one piped back.
"Beatrice, there is no right to just throw anyone to the Void and face no consequences!"
The fighting and quarreling flared up once more and both Hilda and Hilbert distanced themselves away from it all again. Quite a complicated lore..
They went back to their group with at least some affirmation in their hearts, though they still felt a sense of perfidy and betrayal within them. Thankfully, the answer they got is enough.
The two ran over to New Frida's side to see what is up. New David has been laying down there for about a while now and it's becoming a concern.
"What's happening?"
"David! He's knocked out!" She cried out to them.
This is going to become a problem soon. Hilda and Hilbert turned to him quickly, sweat now building up behind their backs. That frigidness returned to him once more and it is quickly settling in.
The growing coolness of his body temperature is beginning to stress everyone out. "David!" Tired Hilda cried, keeping her attention over him as she shuddered at the sight.
With the crushing state of affairs all at once, Hilda and Hilbert now had to turn to the others. Hilda had to keep her eyes over David but Hilbert was about to run to the others.
"Hilbert!" she turned to him, "Where are you going?"
He turned to her, seeing her shocked face. "I– I'm getting help!" Hilbert said in a brief moment before running up to the other characters.
As they ran away toward the others, Hilda had to contend to both Frida and her other Hilda. New David actually began to lose his color, his eyes shimmering like water.
In the middle of the situation, Frida started to conduct a session of cardiopulmonary resuscitation —CPR for short— and tried to rescue her David out of his predicament.
Keeping watch, her adrenaline rush kept her out of her decision-making process. Hilda couldn't keep up with what's happening, it all whizzed by her so fast.
Over at the other side, Hilbert began to run around the entire room screaming at the top of his lungs, having to command every other doppelganger to help out, but the noise of the bickering witches crowded the air.
As he riled them up to help them out, Hilda finally had to make a move, kneeling down to check on David's heartbeat, placing her fingers over his wrists. Feeling his beat, she felt a little surprised that he was still somehow conscious. Now seeing him under CPR felt conflicting.
Then, her nerves shocked her with a sudden solution. "Frida, stop! He's actually conscious!"
"He's knocked out! What am I supposed to do!?" Frida yelled as she continued the resuscitation.
With Frida continuing the resuscitation, she was unaware that he had been breathing, and under pressure, she had applied too much force in his chest in a vain attempt to resuscitate him.
Soon, before Hilda could say he's fine, the Adult David ran over and had to shake her off from the cardiopulmonary resuscitation. As soon as Frida took her hands off of David, he instantly awoke with a gasp, grabbing for air.
Still out of breath and sweating as ever, his hair began to gleam brightly under the red colour, finally entrenching itself onto New David as a headache settled in.
The entire ruckus had finally forced the witches and the archsorceress to turn to their backs to the group.
"Oh dear! This has gone bad!" Tildy looked at them with shock.
As the chaos now simmered down, both Kaisa and Tildy ran over to their side while the three witches stood there aghast. They noticed just how many books were scattered all over the place as they observed both Kaisa and Matilda run to the group.
"This is an absolute mess."
Over at the group, everyone could now see David's shimmering eyes as he looks around him. Everyone began having their worries again but the one who has a great amount of concern about the situation...was Kaisa, their librarian.
Having unwittingly admitted to them that she had brought them all here, she cringed at herself for letting this all happen, how she let a world-ending event pass her by and not stop it. Now seeing the consequences, Kaisa couldn't help herself but retreat to the shelves in regret.
As she briskly walked her way there, both Hilda and Hilbert along with her mentor, Tildy, noticed where she was going and they all slowly followed her to the shelves.
As they followed, both Hilda and Hilbert conversed with Matilda about their grievances.
"You both look upset," Tildy glanced, "What seems to be the problem?"
Hilda looked away from her while Hilbert scratched the back of his head. "It's...complicated."
A brief moment of silence stood in between the two from her. A little sigh before a reply.
"I hope you're not mad at my student," she adjusts her glasses, "But I do understand why you would be." Matilda confided with her statement, saying it with a soft tender voice.
That tone helped the two to soften up and turn to her attention, at least it was a necessary step to forgiveness.
"...thanks," Hilda muttered, giving off a grateful smile to her.
"...thanks," Hilbert said under his breath, shaking her hand lightly.
"Not at all," Tildy thanked. As they nodded each other a silent thanks, she came up with a topic.
"I know she isn't the witch you expect her to be, but I always wanted the best for her. She always had a fond desire with books and magic but then...she started visiting me less. I never know why but I know she wouldn't leave anyone behind...not even you."
The backstory, though short, summed up who Kaisa is as a person and at least eased the idea to both Hilda and Hilbert of redemption. They turn to her once again.
"I...didn't know she had that in her," Hilbert said.
Tildy exhaled. "I'm glad you listened. If you don't mind, what's your problem? What brought you two to this?"
"...I hope you're ready."
Let's do this...differently this time. Like, real differently.
His name was Hilbert Gribley. He had pretty much a similar life as me, but we never met...until that mirror. I found the mirror around the same secret room where I found the Tide Mice book, and I thought he was the only other me in this world. Later on I found out, he wasn't the only one. I think you know the rest after this...
You don't? Well, alright. I'll explain the rest. He had his own friends, Dana and Freddie, and for about an entire week, that mirror had caused so much havoc. Two worlds colliding from the same sky, the Red-Eyed Trolls attacking our worlds and the Runestones...do I even have to mention them? I thought there was no possible explanation for why it exists, until now.
Their backstory had now been passed on to Matilda, and honestly she had no words to express how bad she felt for these two. How much they had to go through to keep their group alive and well. She had to chip in.
"If it does make you feel better," Tildy says, turning to them, "Then I hope talking it out can help." She then waved her hand toward a deeply regretful Kaisa.
Sitting down on the floor disgruntled and dispirited, she tried covering her body in shame with her cloak as she felt so steeped in guilt for causing devastating effects to the city, Kaisa cried her regrets out like a sorrowful mother on the death of their child during their birthday ceremony. She knew she was good at heart, Kaisa assured herself that, but how could she ever call herself human? Now that her actions caused such a calamity.
This sight is just...depressing. Hilda and Hilbert felt horribly bad for her, seeing her just huddled up to her knees like this. Glancing at Tildy with quite a distressed face, she only gestured them to go closer to her, waving both of her hands to Kaisa and stepping aside, letting them take the stage once in a while.
With her gestures, they both kneeled down at her side and placed their hands over her cloak. Still managing to hear her weep, they held their throats back from making the first move. Though, Hilda mustered her confidence enough to give her a comforting and tender hug, embracing her underneath her cloak and on her blouse. Giving away her warmth, she felt Kaisa's weeps turn from one of remorseful regret to one of gratitude and compassion, hugging Hilda in return.
Seeping her tears through her hair, Hilda pulled her closer to her embrace, discerning the shift in tone and action. Hilbert saw it all unfold and it quite moved him emotionally. He couldn't help but shed a tear at it...no, he had to do something. He too joined in on the embrace with Hilda, hugging Kaisa from the back and letting her take it all out.
It became a pity party, just like the one at the house. But at least for this one, it's actually disheartening.
Kaisa couldn't thank them enough, even if she had indirectly wronged them in the past. As it lasted, she finally got her act together to deliver at least a word for their kindness.
"...I'm sorry," she blurted, "for letting that mirror exist. It was stupid for me to–"
"Kaisa, you shouldn't say that to yourself." Matilda joined along, caressing her hand along her shoulders. "I know you tried to do good —I know you are. But we can never see the future, dear, and we shouldn't fault ourselves to what we can't control."
"That's right," Hilbert said, "But..." his gut gurgled at the thought, "...at least you had good intentions. That, I can live with."
Hilda agreed with him and looked up to her face with a reassuring smile. Then, she took her distance to look at her eye to eye. "Kaisa.. I know you and even though I feel mad, at least you had a good reason. I forgive you."
She ended her statement with a hug, giving her a warm embrace even if Hilda didn't feel comfortable to forgive her this fast. At least, she could come around to that.
"Uhh I hate to spoil this but David's awake." Summoner Kelly shouted over at the centre of the room.
Now that the broody air had been forced out, their concerns had now focused to him once again. They all quickly started running to their side as both Kaisa and Matilda ran to the Committee of Three to discuss how to tackle the matter.
Over at New David's side, they all looked at his side with worry and relief. But both New Frida and Tired Hilda were pleased that he became conscious once again, embracing him from both sides with tears building up in their eyes.
As they hugged, the group had begun to convene over what they have seen and what that could've meant for their universe.
Hilbert: There's no question now, he's gonna turn.
Tired Hilda: No! Please, don't tell me we're gonna lose him!
New Frida: Hilda, calm down. He's gonna get through this, I promise.
Adult Hilda: This is going south real fast, how are we stopping this?
Teen Hilda: Are you asking me what to do? I don't even know what the hell is going on!?
Summoner Alfur: Hilda, calm down. There's no need to get mad over this.
Alternate Kelly: He doesn't even have the hallmarks of a marra anymore. I should know because I am one!
New Frida: Then how should we know what's wrong with him!?
Hilda: We need more help!
Hilbert: Where do we even get help around here? Those witches clearly don't know what they're doing!
Adult David: That's because we haven't even started asking for one. How are we getting help if we aren't even–
Angel Alfur: Please! Everyone...all of you! Stop fighting! This is not how we fix our problems.
That loud pipsqueak-y ethereal voice captured everyone's attention as he fell down from the air like a burning airplane, crippled by the dark forces. He couldn't even stand up, much less keep his head up.
"Alfur!" Hilda kneeled to the floor like looking down at an ant. "What happened to you?"
He crawled toward her face. "The– Th- There's someone wicked in the air," Alfur slurred and stuttered with their lines.
This caused an uproar of worries to boil over once again, as many started to question what could happen under the hands of the Tower. All voiced their concerns, many began to doubt their survivability.
Then, a pause occurred.
"Guys, good news!" Kaisa ran up to them.
Hilda was relieved that she came when she did and Hilbert felt delighted to be out of a stressful and destabilizing situation. They all turned to her with intrigue.
"What? Please be good!" Tired Hilda pleaded.
"The Committee of Three are willing to help us." She relayed the news. "They want you to come with me."
"Wait, what?" Hilbert asked as everyone followed what she ordered.
"Thank you! Please help David!" Tired Hilda cried in joy.
"Let's just get this over with," Summoner Alfur rolled his eyes as he walked with them.
While the others now running over to Tildy and Kaisa's side with New David carried away with them by Tired Hilda and New Frida, Hilda ran up to Kaisa, grabbing her cloak.
"What is going on?"
