Valley of Illusions | Part 3

"But why did you separate us? We also trespassed your territory, so why is Callista the only one in there?" Anastasia asked "That child had a large amount of dark magic in her" he simply said.

"Are-Are you saying Callista uses dark magic?" Ivan was displeased with what he heard so Hoshi turned to him "Why are you asking me? She's your friend, not mine" he said and looked back at Callista who was slowly waking up as all of them were taken aback.

"It's normal for darkness to get attracted to each other. But that doesn't mean she's a user, it can also mean that she is in great pain, a negative energy is within her. That's how dark users grow stronger because of the dark entity." he explained.

Callista woke up with a headache that made her wince as her vision adjusted to the light. When she saw her surroundings she quickly noticed that everything looks familiar and had a bad feeling. "Wendy"

"This valley that I made shows people illusions that they don't want to see or hear. The pain inside them will be shown. Isn't it nice seeing a villain be weak for once?" Hoshi stated with a smile.

Callista's eyebrows furrowed when Wendy didn't appear and she had one conclusion to what was happening. The only thing that could explain this is that she's inside an illusion, what kind is what she has no idea.

An illusion works just like a mirror, a similar image can be shown but with two different sides. That means, Wendy can be on the other side when she summoned her and this fog must be the barrier that shuts out the illusion from outside.

The only way she can escape this is if she could find the one who made it but the problem is, he's probably already watching her from behind the barriers. She sighed in defeat.

'But why am I here?' She thought.

She immediately looked back when she sensed something and her breathing hitched when she saw that familiar house that she was living in before she arrived at the Academy. She took a step back when the front door opened and a beautiful woman with red hair stepped out.

"Who is she?" Anastasia muttered from outside as she stared at Callista's cold and poker face. "A witch?" they all turned to Hoshi when he spoke "How do you know she's a witch?" she asked "Look at her hand, Ana" Ignis said so Anastasia looked at the woman and saw that she has a rune behind her palm "Witches are known to age slowly than any magic users" Denovan said.

Callista stared at the woman with indifferent eyes "Child, what are you doing standing there?" her eyebrow twitched when they had the same voice "Grandma.." she muttered those words as her eyes were fixed into the woman's orange ones.

She had a soft smile on her face with no signs of aging whatsoever as she took steps forward. She felt herself suffocating when she was only an inch away "Child, why are you out here?" she asked and caressed her cheek "I—" she couldn't get any words out of her mouth.

"You're not my Grandma so let go of me" she said and glared up at her as the woman's smile vanished and was replaced by a cold stare as she looked down at her. "I see. You're hurting grandma, darling" she said as her hands trailed down her neck from her cheek.

"Do you hate me that much?" she sobbed and Callista has her eyebrows furrowed in confusion "Is that why you wanted me dead?" everyone who heard it was stunned "Oh?" Hoshi was now completely interested in this.

Before Callista was able to say anything the woman suddenly strangled her and suddenly began pushing her back. She stumbled but was forced to walk fast while she was being choked, her face was filled with tears but then blood replaced the tears in her eyes.

"Grandma loves you but why did you kill me?!" her loud voice was the only thing she could hear when she was suddenly pushed hard.

Her heart was still beating so loud as she sat on the ground while catching her breath. She then noticed that the ground full of grass was replaced by a marbled foor, she found herself in a dark lit room.

She looked up to see the fireplace flickered which caused a sound. Again, another familiar room. She stood up from the floor and cleaned her pants before looking at the surroundings.

This was her room when she was eleven, a suitable room for a lady in a family. Although it was not that big, it was big enough to fit a bed, mirror, closet, and other things a child has.

"Young Miss?"

She quickly turned to the door to see a maid come inside the room. Once she saw who it was, she was taken aback before letting out a scoff. Now she could understand what this illusion was trying to show her, she admits that it's pissing her off.

"Delia" her name rolled out of her tongue as the maid smiled "Did you get woken up? You should get some enough rest" she said with a fond smile "Can you leave now?" she asked as the woman named Delia was stunned.

"What..? Young Miss, did I do something wrong? Why are you angry at me?" worry and sadness was evident on her face as she took steps forward.

"I never complained, Young Miss, and yet you're getting angry at me like this! I would accept anything you give me but why! Why did you do this to me!" her appearance drastically began changing as half of her face revealed burnt marks and there was a knife plunged into her chest as blood coated her clothes.

"Why..! Why did you kill me?!" she shouted full of hatred as big tears run down her cheeks.

"Why are all of the people shown look like this?" Anastasia asked as she stared at Callista's cold expression but her eyes had become clearer.

"It's either her guilt or regret" Hoshi answered "Are you saying she killed them?" Denovan asked "How would I know? I can only show people but never know myself" Hoshi said as his eyes were transfixed on the girl in front.

"YOUNG MISS!" Dalia's horrified shriek hurt everyone's eardrums, making Callista close her eyes and ears to block out the sound. She hates this. Why are all the memories she doesn't want to remember are the only ones being shown? Why can't they just leave her alone?