Beyond a Reflection

Chapter 11: Spirit Guardian

Venice's knees are shaking and so as to mine too. I'm never been scared like this before especially the 8 eyes of this spider are looking directly at us as if Venice's invisibility can't completely conceal us. No one dared to speak.

I'm currently covering my mouth using my hand, scared of muttering a single word. Sweat keeps dripping from my forehead as my hands trembled. This is the first time I'm terrified of something.

"I can smell blood. The blood of my greatest foe," a growling voice said.

It is low and it echoed in the whole zone that made me and Venice tremble more. This is why I hate spiders.

"Reveal yourself, Circe. I know that you are still not dead," the spider said again.

Who on Earth is Circe?

But the question in my mind was suddenly answered when Venice mumbled as soon as she saw a confused look of mine. "Circe is the one who imprisoned Arachne here. She is also the one who created this world to separate us supernaturals from the mortals," she explained that made me stunned for a bit.

Circe? She is not pertaining to my great-grandmother Isadora, isn't she?

"Are you afraid that I might really kill you this time?" the spider said in a challenging voice.

I gulped. Is really my great-grandmother captured this beast? Just how strong is she?

"We just need to walk underneath Arachne to reach the other side. Circe is already dead and she's the only one who can't accept that fact. She said that maybe the body of Circe is dead but not her will," Venice explained again, and it hit me.

My great-grandmother's will...

Suddenly, the memory of me with my great-grandmother appears right before my eyes as if I'm watching a film of my own life. The words that she keeps saying are that I'll be the one who will carry her will and I'll be the one who will free these supernatural people in this world. All of those... My great-grandmother gave me her full trust thinking that I'm going to do what she obliged me but I can't even make magic right now. It's like... everything was a joke.

I took a deep breath and finally let go of Venice that making her eyes widen.

"W-What are you doing?!" she whispered but I can't see her anymore.

Now, the spider's attention was on me. All of her 8 eyes were now looking at me. I almost fall to my knees and when the spider finally took its move and started walking towards me. I remained silent while keeping my courage, completely surrendering myself to fate. This is the last thing that I could do carry my great-grandmother's will. There's no way I could free these people here when I don't even have magic.

My eyes widened when the spider lowered her head while slightly curling her legs as if she was paying respect to me. I took a step back when she lifted her head and slightly moved her fangs.

"So it's you... the will of Circe," the spider said using her grumbling voice.

I looked at the spider as if I'm not afraid of her at all. I held my head high before answering, "I don't know what's the deal with you and Isa— Circe but could you move aside for a minute? I have some business that I need to attend to. Maybe we will have some chat later?"

The spider went silent for a while before moving aside, revealing a green and bright scenario. I don't know why but my heart was warm when I saw that she really made my request. I didn't know that she is this simple. I looked at the location of Venice earlier as a signal that she should get going even though I cannot see her, concealed by her magic.

"Better keep your word. I would like to talk with you and your ancestors," she said and I just raised my thumb as an okay as I began marching towards the green scenery I could see that I supposed another zone.

The moment I reached there, a warm hug enveloped me. My eyes widen because of being flabbergasted. This is the first time I was hugged except my family. It feels so warm. I looked at Venice who is whimpering like a puppy.

"I'm so worried back there!" she exclaimed and hugged me tightly and I could feel the stuff that hung on her body, touching mine.

I couldn't see but I could feel.

"I'm sorry for my recklessness," I apologized when she let go of me and wiped the tears from her eyes.

My eyes widened when she suddenly kneeled down while bowing her head.

"What are you doing?" I asked her while my forehead creased with a bit of awkwardness.

"If Arachne said you're the will of the legend Circe then you might be the 'one'. I have no idea that I've been traveling with a descendant of the greatest witch of all time. Pardon my ignorance," she said as she bowed.

"What the... stop that! I'm not worthy for that bow thing," I frowned with a bit of annoyance making her lift her head.

"But..." she hesitatingly said but I just shot her with a sharp gaze.

"Just address me 'casually'. I don't care if my great-grandmother is the founder of this world. I'm not worth it to carry her will anyway. I'm no match for her," I said while avoiding my gaze.

I'm a total failure.

"Don't say that, uhm, uh—"

"Kenny," I said and crossed my arms.

She looked at me with a confused face.

"Just call me 'Kenny'. Just 'Kenny'," I said and she nodded slowly as a response.

I gulped before speaking again. "If possibly... could you keep a secret that I'm a descendant of Circe?" I asked her a favor and she gladly nodded while her eyes are open wide.

"That's not a problem if that's what you wanted," she smiled.

"How did you reach here, by the way? I thought your, uh, great-grandmother sealed this world from the mortals?" she asked while walking.

I just shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know. The mirror that Grandma Isa— Circe left behind just opened and I saw myself in a well," I told her how did I get here.

She nodded while caressing her chin. "That's odd. The only one that could open a portal aside from the creator is its spirit guardian," she said that caught my attention.

"Spirit guardian?" I never heard about that species. Are they supernaturals too?

She nodded. "Each witch has its own spirit guardian and Circe has one too, but as far as I know, her spirit guardian— Dominus, completely crossed the after-life the moment Circe met her end. That's why it's odd because, without Dominus or Circe, the portal can't be opened," she explained worriedly.

"Wait, did you say 'each witch'?" I asked for confirmation and she nodded and looked at me weirdly.

"Don't tell me that you don't have your spirit guardian?" she asked unbelievably and I embarrassingly shook my head.

"Now, this is odd. Very very odd," she muttered.

"What do spirit guardians look like?" I asked again because maybe I have my own spirit guardian but I just didn't notice it.

It could be one of the chickens wandering in the cornfield.

"Spirit guardians are spirits, of course. They followed you the whole day and protects you from unwanted accidents. Only witches have ones that's why I don't have really that much knowledge about it, sorry," she explained.

"No, no, it's okay. But everything that you had said doesn't ring a bell." I tried to recall all of the events in my life but I can't really remember a scene where I saw a spirit or something.

Maybe the fact that I lost my magic already that's why they think that I'm not worth it to have a spirit guardian?

"As I have observed earlier, you are sick, right?" I looked at Venice with widened eyes and I just sighed.

There's no point hiding from her. I really have attachment issues.

"Yeah, I can't use magic often, or else I'll get drawbacks," I confessed.

I looked at her when she snapped her fingers. "You have the Boomerang Disorder," she said making my forehead creased.

"What's that?" I asked her but she just smiled.

"Don't worry, we will help you but first let's just see if the other four were in the house," she said and pointed forward that's why I looked forward too.

I stopped walking as my eyes widened when I saw a familiar figure, sitting outside a small mushroom house.

"Drake?" I muttered Mr. Silent's name. He's busy reading a book and doesn't seem to notice us.

Venice looked at me with an amused look. "You know him?" she asked amusingly.

I looked at her weirdly before nodding twice a row. She placed her hands on her chin and caressed it.

"He arrived a day before you do. When I asked him where he came from he just pointed above," she said, thinking that something odd was going on.

I looked at Drake again. He is just sitting there peacefully. The zone where this house is located is pretty calm. Blue sky with a rising sun and green surroundings. Nothing that magical.

Why is he here? What is a mortal doing in this world? As far as I know, there is only one portal and it was my grandmother's mirror but until now, I still can't figure out what opened the seal.

"Wait here," Venice said and go inside when we reached the mushroom house.

Drake seemed to notice my presence when he closed the book and looked up and our eyes met. There's no sign of shock in his face as if he is expecting me to be here. He just raised his hand as a greeting and opened his book again and began reading it.

"What on Earth?" The only words that I have said, slightly pissed.

How can he be so calm? Is he not shook that I am here? Hello?! This is a fantasy world! He's acting like he just saw a colleague at a mall!

He looked at me again with those cold eyes. "Looking forward to working with you," he said casually that made me silent.

What's his deal?