Dreams
A calming scent of apple pie lingered in the air. Her tiny hands were clutched to the door, and she could see the familiar back of her mother.
"So, you have finally arrived where I first started my journey? Do you feel happy now? Finding my trails and walking on my path?" It was the calm and loving voice of her mother.
"No- no. I just want to know the truth, and maybe...
Her mother was no longer there. The constant sizzling of the caramel took over, and she could hear the pendulum-like drop of water from the sink. With each drop, her heart sank, and her knees felt weak.
The world around her twisted, and now she saw the tiny frames of the gruesome men. They surrounded her, threw stones at her, and continued to curse at her. Her wrists felt uncomfortably squeezed, and the blood was seizing to reach her palm.
One of the men shouted, "BURN LIKE YOU HAD BURNED US!"
Huh? She turned her head around and realized that both her hands and feet were tied to the wooden cross, and she was about to be crucified. Soon a man carrying a wood with fire blazed the cross, and she could feel intense heat burning each part of her body, from her legs to her hands to her back, and almost reached her nape.
The smoke intensified while the men below her cheered. For a mere second, she saw Joseph Von Stein from the far corner, gazing at her. Like always, he did absolutely nothing. He took no action but continued to watch her burn.
"Noo!! It hurts! Please don't!" She gasped for air. Her forehead was covered in sweat, and so were her palms. Her eyes shot open, and she saw the familiar ceiling. Her heart pounded intensely and filled the silence.
She quickly felt her legs and hands, making sure they weren't burned. The dream felt too real. Her eyes started to moisten, and a stream of tears poured.
She wept in an inaudible manner. Her hands clutched to her gown, and her frame curled like a ball. She had come to a faraway land where she hoped that the nightmares would leave, but she continued to throb in pain.
Once her tears dried and her heart felt lighter, she seamlessly walked on the cold, pallid wood and opened the windows. A shroud of freshly fallen snow surrounded her, and an early smell lingered. The icy wind caressed her perplexed mind.
With light footsteps, she walked downstairs. The room was dark and had a very strong woody scent. She lit a candle and unclosed the curtains; indistinct rays passed through the clear glass, and the room seemed more perceptible.
Although it had been a few days, she had started to mold to her surroundings. She applied the fine makeup to her face and dressed in her morning gown. Then she lit the fire and placed a kettle full of water to boil.
In the meantime, she sat close to the firewood and warmed herself while reasoning through the text she had decoded. "When Mephistopheles is given a sacrifice, the deity grows stronger," but which deity was it mentioning? As far as she knew, Goddess Diana was the only deity, but
'Mephistopheles' … She did not know what it meant at all, and the book did not have the vocabulary for it either.
"But if it's the sacrifice of the greatest woman of her time, sacrosanct power will be manifested." Who was the greatest woman? …
But all in all, she had understood one thing: a human sacrifice was to be made to gain power. Did it have any connections to the slaughter of the 500 magicians?
"SHHHHH!!" The sound of bubbling water and visible water vapor got out of the kettle's snout and released her from her theories. Luiza quickly got up from her chair, picked out the kettle, and set it aside. She took off the lid and let it rest.
She went upstairs and got dressed, and by the time she was in the living area, Hael was near the couch, his tall figure bent, trying to button the cuffs. He wore the academy's teacher's uniform, which consisted of a shirt, a waistcoat, and a tailed coat over it. It was very different attire, but nonetheless, he looked handsome.
He raised his head at the sound of her halted footsteps.
"Let's go together," he asked. She gave a simple nod, and he strode towards the door, and she followed behind him. He sealed the door, and they walked side by side on the blanket of snow. The clean and crisp air made her nose and cheeks rosy.
They arrived at the bakery, which had a delicious aroma of cinnamon and dried fruits and halted their steps.
"Let's go have breakfast," Hael initiated. Her lips slightly curled up, and she gave a nod as she pushed the door open and entered, followed by Hael.
Miss Martha, who was busy assembling the pie, took a quick peek at the customers and held a delightful smile. "Oh, lovely morning to you, dear Luiza and gentleman!"
"Good morning to you too, Miss Martha," Luiza replied while she started at the delicious sweets and baked goods at the counter. She nuzzled Hael by her elbow and whispered, "What should we have?"
"Order anything you like," he replied heedlessly. With a slight shrug, she ordered quite a heap of food, being gluten-free, while Hael paid a silver coin for it. The currency used in Evermore was as cheap as ever; a silver coin could get quite a lot of goods!
"Ho ho ho, that's a heaping amount of sugar, dear. Your teeth might rot quicker," the woman teased.
They sat at a table near the window. Hael had very cold blue eyes, and he sort of resembled the way she was—rotting from within. It was mere speculation, and she knew she should not be judgmental, but those gloomy eyes with no purpose irked her.
Miss Martha served them porridge, doughnuts, and a pie, along with hot chocolate. Gleefully, she ate her portions. As she neatly completed her meal, she heard a loud voice: "LUIZAA!"
Huh? Did someone mention her? As she turned around, she saw Nellie come running from upstairs in her uniform.
"Let's go to the academy together." She squeaked while her ginger hair swayed.
"Sure," she nodded.
Hael looked at the lady who mingled with Luiza and simply took out his pocket watch from her breast pocket and stood up.
"Be careful, dear! There have been many missing young girls lately. Miss Martha advised, and they left the bakery.