Beyond a Reflection

Chapter 6: The Consequences

I took a deep breath when I feel that the pinch of magic that I have was all transferred in my wand. The wind is blowing like crazy and there are hundreds of furniture were fell on the ground while Isaiah was just standing on the corner, looking at me with widened eyes.

He has never seen me perform a ritual before. I'm sure that he is just freaked out like me.

I swayed my wand a few times and I saw there are green lights in the area where I swayed it at. I bit my lower lip as I close my eyes and cut my wrist using my own wand and blood started dripping on the tiled floor. Suddenly, a luminous green circle light with some certain characters was written appeared on the floor, encircling Kia who is in a deep slumber. The moment that those characters covered the whole floor, it started glowing with more vibrant green light.

I started to feel numb but I tried my best to fight with it and just continued the ritual. I am a hundred percent certain that my mother is bewitched. There is no one getting sick for only weeks and ended up in that situation. Kia is strong, I know. She wasn't the one my father would marry if she ain't strong.

It is impossible for her to get sick like this, no wonder Isaiah panicked that much.

The only way to counter a curse is a curse.

"I, Keindra Izziera Grueli, from a family of witches, the great-granddaughter of the late Isadora Grunfinckle, the granddaughter of Isabella Grueli, the daughter of the late Isaac Grueli, and the mother of this cursed woman, Kirsten Lovewort! I hereby her healing in the name of Hecate!" I proclaimed and pointed directly my wand at my mother and suddenly a translucent light green barrier was formed, separating her from us.

"Those who contravene the order of the great goddess Hecate will be punished. Those who tried to use the power against her own kind will perish. There's no hoaxer who could defeat a witch blood. Let her actions be reflected, and give her proper punishment! Perishalia!" I exclaimed and the great barrier vanished and a blinding light emerged from the circle and characters.

The hair of Kia started to grow back and her body started to get to normal at a fast pace. Her bruises, wounds, and scratches disappeared. Isaiah's eyes were sparkling while looking at our mother who looks like just a normal sleeping lady. She looks more like her picture on the table earlier, gone her skinny body.

The light from the room vanished too and the markings on the floor slowly disappeared. The violent wind has gone and the door and curtains opened again automatically. Everything went back to normal except for the broken figurines on the floor. I looked intently at Kia who is sleeping peacefully, I was about to smile when I suddenly get dizzy and put my hand on the wall as a support. I put my other hand on my mouth when I feel like I was going to throw up but suddenly, blood burst from my mouth and I started coughing.

This is what I'm talking about.

"Keindra!" Isaiah exclaimed and was about to rush towards me when I stopped her using the hand that I used to lean the wall a few moments ago. I leaned my body against the wall.

"D-Don't come near me," I muttered, almost a whisper when everything started to turn into circles.

"But look at yourself! I'm sorry! I'm sorry for doing you something reckless!" he apologized.

You said you didn't care.

"Stupid. It's my own fault. I know that it w-will end up like this," I barely replied and coughed again with blood.

He was about to speak when I interfered. "Lift Kia up and you will see things. Those are the things she used to curse her," I instructed.

He didn't ask further questions and just do what I told him and as I have said, there are things placed below my mother. I wiped my mouth with my hands and looked at those things. My eyes widened when I saw thousands of needles and some pebbles.

"Who might have done this?" Isaiah said unconsciously while looking at the things on the floor, shocked.

I picked one of the needles and smirked. I looked at him with a naughty smile.

"Want to have some revenge?" I challenged him but his expression went blank and turned his back against me as if he was not interested in everything that I have to say.

"Lame," I said while pouting and putting back the needle where I took it from.

"Here," he spoke making me lift my head.

My eyes widened when I saw him holding a body-sized mirror. I didn't expect that he would really give me this.

"Why are you hiding that important thing in a room like this?!" I exclaimed and look at him while my eyebrows were furrowed and he looks like offended by what I said.

"What do you mean in a room like this? Well, pardon me for not being able to make any magic barriers," he sounded so arrogant.

He is really getting into my nerves.

I looked at him sharply. "Are you mocking me?" I asked him in a challenging tone but he just shrugged his shoulders while sneering, making me more annoyed.

"Well, just take this and let me drive you to your house," he said and give me the mirror.

I looked at it for a long time. I suddenly felt nostalgia. I wiped my b****y hands on my skirt and took the mirror from him. I stretched my arms and see my reflection. The mirror looks old but the image of me was still clear. I didn't even notice the ribbon on my chest was untied. I placed it on the side and pointed my wand to it, suddenly, it vanished.

I simply looked at my b****y hands. It is full of scratches and blood from my mouth earlier.

"What did you do?" Isaiah asked confusedly.

"I teleported it home," I answered and picked up my bag, and slid my wand into my pocket.

"Where are you going?" he asked me again when he noticed me leaving the room.

"Home, obviously." I don't have any reason to stay in this house anymore. Besides, Grandma is probably worried about me.

"Let me drive you," he said, which made my head shake.

"You can't. You need to burn those things," I pointed the needles and pebbles. "And tidy the room, of course."

"But you are sick," he said while pertaining the blood he saw earlier.

I raised my brow at him. "Do you think I am that weak? I'm heading home now," I insisted and turned my back against him.

I was about to leave when he suddenly spoke, "I'm sorry and thank you. Really."

I didn't bother to look back and continued walking. It's true that I've been through a lot of trouble ever since the conflict between them and Granda arouse. I don't hate them but I don't like them either. It's not their fault that all of those things happened. It was mine.

It was already dark started walking on the road, I'm secretly thinking of these street lamps for their light since there is no moon right now. Thankfully that I am able to turn back the time of my body and probably I will feel the pain after one hour. I looked at my palm, it was full of scratches. This ain't hands of a young lady.

I started to try to let out my magic, but it was futile. I bit my lower lip when not even an ounce appeared.

There was nothing... I am no longer a witch.

The cut in my wrist started to hurt too and blood started dripping on the ground, leaving trails behind. I endured it and rip the sleeves of my uniform and used it as a tie to stop the bleeding of the wound.

I flinched when I felt someone touch my shoulder. I looked behind and my eyes widened when I saw a familiar face.

Not now.

"Oh? If it isn't Kenny," he said amusingly and scratched his head.

"Maverick," I muttered his name and suddenly he smiled from ear to ear as if he heard something he could be grateful for.

"You said my name!" he rejoiced making me sigh and tried to hide my wounded wrist.

"What are you doing here?" I asked directly because I feel that the spell that I chanted to turn back the time for my body will wear out anytime from now.

"Well, I'm just back from greeting those gangsters in the other town. I'm heading home right now," he said delightfully.

"Okay," I only said and turned my back when he suddenly interrupted me again.

"What now?!" I irritatedly asked when he touched my shoulder again.

I'm not in the mood for arguments.

"This pen is yours, right?" he asked and handed me my wand.

My eyebrows furrowed and looked at the wand and looked back at him again who is smiling widely. I slowly accepted it and put it back in my pocket.

"W-Well, thank you," I muttered.

Strange. It's true that a normal person can see this wand as a pen but a normal person would burn itself when he or she touched this but this man, didn't even have a scratch.

"What did you say? I didn't hear it?" he intently rising the volume of his voice while his hand was on his ear as if he is telling me to repeat myself.

I rolled my eyes and answered, "I said, curse you."

For some weird reason, he smiled and started hugging himself.

"I love you too, Kenny!" he exclaimed.

I was about to hit him when my heart skipped a beat, causing me to stop any movement. I hold my chest and started observing myself.

Crap, I forgot the result of my recklessness.

I didn't look at Maverick anymore and just turned my back to continue walking.

"Oh? Is something wrong? Or my love did affect you that much, Kenny?" he asked in a teasing voice and caught up to my pace.

"Please shut up just for once," I unbelievably said as I tried to control my body so that I won't lose my sanity.

I can't be insane in front of this guy.

"Your wish is my command!" he happily said and hold both of his arms on his back while skipping like a child.

"Why are you going in the same direction as mine?!" I asked him furiously while my eyebrows are furrowed but he just looked at me and smiled widely while not answering my question.

I clenched my fist to restrain myself.

This guy is really getting into my nerves. Well, fine. This is much okay than he will talk here in the whole evening.

"Look, Kenny. That's your house, right?" he said after a few moments of silence while pointing to a medium-sized, Russian-styled house.

My eyes widened when I saw Grandma's house and looked back because I know that a while ago, we were just in the road from the house of Isaiah. It is just been minutes! Our house is 10 kilometers away from school so how did that...?

"I should get going too, Kens. And oh, by the way," he pouted and pointed my forehead using his lips.

"You are sweating too much," he said and wink and took his leave.

I unconsciously touched my forehead and I'm no longer surprised, seeing it full of sweats. I lifted my head and I was about to answer a question for Maverick when I couldn't see any traces of him from here.

Who on Earth is he?

Our walk is like just a few seconds, and he vanished without even me noticing. I almost kneeled on the ground when my heart suddenly pounded heavily, causing me to catch my breath as I gather all of my strength on my way to our house. When I'm already in front of the door, I slammed it immediately so that I could get inside.

I'm finally home.

My legs are staggering and I cannot walk properly. I'm pale as a ghost and my eyes are about to close.

"Are you okay?!" Grandma exaggeratedly greeted me when she saw my situation.

All around me started spinning. So, my spell finally wore out.

I didn't answer Grandma and just plopped on the sofa as I lay down on it to rest my tired body. I guess I used up all the magic that I have but I am also glad that... Mom's safe. Grandma's palm landed on my forehead and she immediately move her hand the moment she touched it as if she was getting burned by it.

"Holy carabao, Keindra! Where have you been?! I could fry an egg on your forehead!" My grandma thundered and suddenly, all of the things here in the house started levitating and the medicine kit started floating towards us. My sock was automatically removed from my feet and I could feel an icepack on top of my forehead.

This is the worst.

"What happened?!" Grandma inquired while wiping my body with a wet towel.

I could feel my whole body burning up and the throbbing in my chest won't stop. I groaned in pain my head started to hurt again and as minutes passed, it became heavier and heavier as if something is loaded above my head.

"Keindra," my grandma muttered while holding my hand with a cut on my wrist, it was still tied by the sleeve of my uniform.

Her thundering face softened and looked at me with worried eyes. She hugged my wounded hand as a tear escaped from her eyes while I'm here, enduring all of the pain I'm suffering because of recklessness.

"Are you having trouble? Is life hard? You can talk to me anytime, you know that. There is no point hurting yourself just to end your pain. Speak, Keindra, What are your problems? We can talk about it," Grandma softly said and caressed my hair.

I took my hand away from her. I really appreciate her gesture but it's just a misunderstanding. No matter what challenges life gave me, I won't stoop that low just to end my life. I'm not like that.

"I-It's a misunderstanding," I barely responded and tried my best to sit up.

"Then..." my grandmother gasped as she untied the cloth on my wrist and touch her finger on the wound, making me flinch.

After that, she tasted my blood, closed her eyes, started analyzing what is happening. The moment she opened her eyes, she became serious and all of the floating stuff dropped. I even heard a glass break. She looked at me with no emotion at all, I can barely meet her gaze.

"Your magic is gone. What happened, Keindra?" she repeated her question over and over again.

I gulped and started sweating. There is no point in lying right now, and lying is the most unsafe option. I sighed and started telling her what happened.

"The other day, Isaiah approached me and told me that they need my help. He said that Kia... is dying. At first, I don't have really the intention of giving them my help since my remaining magic is at stake. This morning, I came to see him again to reject his request but he said that he had a premonition that Kia ended up dying."

"And you helped them," Grandma finished my story. I looked down and nodded s a response.

Of course, I hid the part that Isaiah gave me something because for sure, Grandma would kick me out of here if she finds out that my great-grandmother's mirror is now my possession.

I thought that Grandma would be mad at me and I'm a hundred times prepared that she will throw dishes on me but I guess I was wrong. She just sighed and flashed a smile as she patted my head.

"You are a nice kid, Keindra," she softly said.

I just smiled in return and hugged her.