I say goodbye to my friends and head back to my room. 293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnh7u7aVg0
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtz8mQqpm0f
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Nao: “Well, that’s all my points gone. Hey Arc, am I ready for virtual reality training level 0?”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkcBbXwn6bC
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj7wson1cEW
Arc: “No.”
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS7jeycG3ek
Nao: “Wow, that’s…ridiculous.”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Z7fvmW0xs
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGbB9w8SWZE
Arc: “The function was designed for mages who have transcended peak human levels.”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGoJK0nSGao
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJV1bOtnHbH
Nao: “I’m…really working up to that point huh? When you say it like that I have to ask what’s even the point of power like that.”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBP4EKDurAE
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl5iEbmkoZV
Arc: “Don’t remember the shadows?”
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxqaC5HGlmN
My heart rate spikes as my mind touches the edges of that memory.
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEF1ANxAGZ6
Nao: “Y-Yes…but why are they even here? I wish things can go back to normal…kind of.”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtGfbfvSYtN
*Knock*293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUwq6YJQ4Tp
*Knock* 293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJXur3S0hDs
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnp0c6cUpon
I go to the door and open it to see Alyson standing at the entrance. She looks a bit…shy.
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOaX2zMQp2i
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡusuAHnJaTP
Alyson: “Nao.”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvYxYQ79V3
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzMNN85jwyo
Nao: “Alyson.”
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0mlLfpYyt6
Alyson: “I can’t be your friend. We’re too different and I don’t expect you to keep this successful run. You should stop before you hurt yourself and disappoint us all.”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEiBRv1Z6r6
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2dsPG1xVoN
Nao: “Did you come here to just make me mad?”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1I8Zd2pN3l
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEN1pps5Tah
Alyson: “But! I can be and should’ve been your sister.”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvv8SKbLNBB
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx8DfJoRXCa
After a while of awkward silence, Alyson slowly bows to me.
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbqubfPK2E3
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyQ65fIMP2s
Alyson: “I-I’m sorry for black listing and siccing Anton on you. You may be a failure but I shouldn’t have made things worse. That was immature of me. I’m also sorry for letting you get bullied for so long. Even failures don’t deserve that treatment.”
…
…
Alyson: “Please say something. I’m not used to saying sorry and especially not in this way.”
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe4PZnEzvfA
Nao: “I-I’m sorry I…just don’t know what to say. I never would have expected this from you. You huh…can get up now.”
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZT0XMkfS3O
Alyson: “Thanks. So do you forgive me?”
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Nao: “I…don’t know if I can.”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTlpesMmyj
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7KzqnzosL8
Alyson: “…I see.”
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Nao: “But I can try, you’re my sister after all. After what you just did, you at least deserve a second chance.”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKsC4VYHCS3
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgdRbh697s
Alyson: “Thanks, Nao. That really means a lot. From now on, I’ll…try not to get your way. Just don’t get hurt doing something crazy. Know your limits.”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVwvDjiEQti
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo2cnyqHBY8
Nao: “…I’ll think about it. But I am curious, are you going to stand against all bullying now?”
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Alyson: “I want to but…”
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Nao: “I get it, your precious image and status.”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJZEihy9lt
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡldOPLQxZ5V
Alyson: “…”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEPzGsGnWnz
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEi8iQwtj14
I really wish I had more spell slots so I can always have mind reading for times like this. When am I going to level up anyway?
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXLgmWLWrR3
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk6BaYdwddy
Alyson: “Let us move from that topic. I have a favor to ask you.”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR3W0GUl0AF
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK2zRm3SfEo
…I’m starting to doubt her sincerity now…
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Y0PTXF1GO
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxGZDjAo7Q
Nao: “What is it?”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZzDUS3UR83
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8T0LsFdfYZ
Alyson: “Tell me what’s going with you and Nell.”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWiXMOx8LDl
!293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5zFpJIJpJt
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvg6k9I38z
Nao: “I-I don’t know what you mean.”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYcnKUeODG1
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIbto52qAz
Alyson: “I’ve been out of it these past few days but I’m not stupid. Why is mo…Nell so depressed.”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi7OHkNJMMg
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Nao: “It’s…complicated.”
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Alyson: “…I see. Well, we’re going to have to sort this out tonight.”
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Nao: “Tonight?”
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Alyson: “When else? I don’t want this family to descend further into this depressive state. Whether it’s your fault or mine, we need to try and fix it.”
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*Sigh*293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq72okvQCEQ
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Nao: “Fine! Just…promise you’ll return the favor. I gave you a second chance so give me one too.”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ999I4ITrw
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL27tlcExJq
She thinks a bit first as she should. I made it sound like I did something terrible to mom. Something like what she did to me.
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2b95vJJZEH
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu8XBp2OCp3
Alyson: “…As long as it’s not murder I’ll try to forgive it.”
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Nao: “…”
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Alyson: “Nao?”
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGfjGndehao
Nao: “Just thinking, don’t worry about it.”
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLNNDLovKX
The truth will get out eventually, might as well get it over with now. First mom and Alyson…
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXOMkg4gbf
Nao: “Let’s go get mom.”
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We go to her door on the first floor.
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Nao: “Y-You should do the talking.”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHOCciM2Dml
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmzeBFQQgx2
Alyson: “I planned to.”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJ1JVowEjd
*Knock*293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFxNO5MvFqw
*Knock*293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzfbqRZslu
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8hQ0tRCVrt
Alyson: “Nell it’s me, I have a gift for you.”
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCmHqIprL3N
Nell: “Alyson? That’s so sweet, come in and let me see it.”
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOZv4R06JY0
Alyson: “You have to come out with me and Nao. That’s part of the gift, dinner with all of us like you always wanted.”
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEWE9ZJ7RV
Alyson…I thought you didn’t want to do that.
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Nell: “Honey, I-I’m not sure.”
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Alyson: “I don’t know what happened between you and Nao but he’ll tell me too. Whatever it is, we’ll handle it together. As a family.”
…
…
*Door open*
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Nell: “You’re right, the time for thinking is over.”
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDu5ZUO7Bov
Mom looks up at me with a mix of fear, disappointment, and…concern. Whether that concern is for her safety or for me, it doesn’t matter. I turn away from her, I can’t look at her after everything I’ve done.
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Alyson: “We should have done this many times before. I’m sorry for focusing a bit too much on success. I pushed you both away too far than what was necessary.”
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A small smile fills mom’s face for the first time in days.
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Nell: “It’s fine, I knew you would come around eventually. I’m…glad you two are getting along now.”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIUNhNchmkW
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡethbkp5lU3
That smile now falls away as we both realize what might happen. Me and Alyson have a bit closer but this might ruin everything.
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE5SRnqEiCV
Nell: “You two set the table while I cook us a nice dinner.”
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcAyl2LEfvq
We went about our tasks without saying much. The atmosphere was serious and thick with tension. Only Alyson wasn’t affected. She’s really put in the effort to make this a family dinner.
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I can’t dwell on it too much. I want to put my best foot forward too, regardless of the outcome. Eventually, we finished our tasks. Mom’s on one side while me and Alyson sit across from her. 293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1IL3OpOZPR
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The food was steaming in front of us, ready to be eaten. But no one dug in yet, we didn’t know where we should begin. Serious talk or should we eat first?
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Alyson: “Let’s not let this food go to waste. It’s Nell’s cooking after all, it would be a crime to waste it.”
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQMdg5PXEf
The got a slight giggle from mom and me.
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Nell: “Thanks honey, I appreciate the compliment.”
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPg6hOvRjEI
Alyson: “You’ll like what I have in store next, it’s a meteor shower tonight and I have the best way to view it.”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xc6OJjVvS
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCI1znPrC7v
Nell: “That would be…”
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMybmd2WHOg
Mom looks at me with some renewed warmth.
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Nell: “Magical.”
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuSoFPjRifj
Alyson: “I’m glad you like that idea. But first, let’s enjoy this meal.”
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjdxIcOj3VA
For the next 10 minutes, the light of our flight slowly returned to normal. No, back to where Alyson and I were friends. When we were kids and didn’t have so many problems. The desire for success and the burden of weakness.
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ5cJcjxkEH
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ278KOpkEFq
But that weakness, I’ve outgrown it thanks to Arc. If Alyson can be less worried about her image then maybe everything will be okay.
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh05KleWnBy
So we talked and we laughed. Those 10 minutes nearly brought me to tears. I didn’t want it to end. But as the time for the meteor shower approaches, the tension returned. It’s time for everything to be revealed for the 3rd time.
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDw1HW6uyte
Alyson: “Well, I want to go see the meteor shower but we need to deal with whatever happened to two.”
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK82ZQ6j8Jz
Nell: “Yes, I’ve come to a conclusion after some thinking and spending time with you kids again. But Alyson, you should know what’s happened first.”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV4xge6XBz9
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTvUliUf6wA
Alyson: “Of course, I can handle it.”
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…I hope so.
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Nell: “Nao, tell her.”
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPBBEBSLrVo
*Nod*
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtopFAxahN
I turn to my sister and skip the usual theatrics. It will only overwhelm her.
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxCE8k9OQe
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0blSuR6mMZ
Nao: “Alyson…”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF2iS7jWaBo
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4l3wt5WspJ
Alyson: *Gulp*
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡywyZHmH0cF
Nao: “I’m a ma-”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiAkyXPxTN8
*BOOM*293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyVyh1Ae5Pi
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvdeDjc03Y
What the hell?
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXnwb0uxbdU
“Freeze!”293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpMZWpDUxE8
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrbSDrpgwnI
We whipped our heads to the front door where men in battle armor and…guns come charging into the living room.
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbwiQYfmEs
Before anyone could say anything, they aimed their guns on us all. We put are our hands up and pray for this to be some mistake. But as the leader comes strolling in, I know that it’s not a mistake.
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSmrlLaHGU1
Sever: “Hello again, Alyson and Nao.”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ86hflPJ8dK
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAKPcyPmtNj
Alyson & Nao: “Sever!”
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWRIwtK6ui
Alyson: “What are you doing here?”
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgMYebqjHJj
Sever: “To make a…unofficial arrest.”
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Alyson: “What do you…”
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Alyson looks towards me and after a moment back to Sever with a glare.
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA5PJqkm4ts
Alyson: “I told you Nao didn’t have anything to do with Anton’s disappearance!”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3FDfcZkvED
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOK8XZjFjvf
Nell: “Alyson…”
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmhP7C5gLSE
Alyson: “No, I finally was about to fix my family and I won’t let yo-”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡowWd5IfBQO
*Smack*293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVb3c3J23rH
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Nao: “NO!”293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcYx35Ztrbr
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xKaS5Owpj
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOTeft04Xou
Sever: “Careful boy, one sign of any spell and we open fire. If you fight back or resist we open fire.”
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Nao: “!!”
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293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtqE43FUNg
Alyson: “I-I’m alright Nao. What…does he mean about spell?”
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Nao: “…”
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Nell: “That’s what was bothering honey, Nao is a mage.”
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Alyson: “What? Wait, what does that even mean?”
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Sever: “You can discuss this later but right now I want to bag Nao.”
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Alyson: “I said-”
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Nao: “Stop Alyson, I did do it.”
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Alyson: “W-What?”
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Nao: “I…killed Anton and his friends with magic.”
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Alyson: “But magic doesn’t exist? This is crazy!”
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Sever: “It’s true. It sounded crazy when I first heard from my employer but after keeping track of Nao, it checked out.”
293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrbqCM0hmd4
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Anton’s father knows about magic?
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Alyson: “I…I don’t…”
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Sever: “Enough, where’s the book?”
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Nao: “T-The book?”
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Sever: “Don’t play. Don’t make us make an example of your mother or sister.”
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Nao: “If you-”
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Sever: “True, you might have the power to kill us all but at the cost of your family. So what’s more important, your magic or your family.”
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…The answer was always obvious.
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Arc: “Fool, don’t give him me!”
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What other choice do I have? If it means my family lives, then I’ll accept this punishment. I deserve th-
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Arc: “Stop talking like that!”
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Arc: “Quick, use invisibility to hide me. Afterward, follow my instructions.”
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But-
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Arc: “Trust me, they won’t notice that new spell.”
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…Okay.
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Nao: “Alright, follow me upstairs. I left the book upstairs.”
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Sever: “…Okay, 2 of you stay here and if we don’t come back in 10 kill them.”
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I take one last look at a shocked Alyson being comforted by mom. This…is all my fault.
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I lead them to my room and pick a random book up.
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Sever: “…That’s a school textbook.”
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Nao: “I have it under an illusion. I’ll dispel it.”
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I create an illusion of the book shining and transforming into what Arc looks like.
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Sever: “Okay, how do you carry this around in fights.”
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I do the same illusion and make the book look like a necklace. After he nods I transform it back to a normal textbook.
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Sever: “Interesting, I’m sure our ally will be able to crack it and any leftover illusions.”
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Nao: “Ally?”
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Sever: “You don’t need to know. Now, tell me why weren’t you wearing it when we got here?”
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Nao: “Today was supposed to be a day without magic. Just a family dinner.”
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Sever: “I see, too bad. Bag’em”
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I feel a blow to the back and my vision begins to blur. I hope….I pray the spells stay active.
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Mom…Alyson…stay safe.293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGo3a6vlIll
