Their Past

There was an eerie silence between the two of them. The basement was filled with the sounds of chewing. Not a single word was said between them. Whilst feeding him, she had a gentle but faint smile on her face. The dark circles that surrounded her eyes disappeared, replaced by thick peach color. Her face no longer pale like before and had an obvious pinkish blush. The severe shaking was gone. The observable scars and bruises on her had been "healed" and seemingly never there, only replaced by a thick peachish color, however the bruises that hid beneath her attire had worsened dramatically but Frei couldn't see that.

"I learnt illusionary magic recently. I was fortunate enough to be given the permission to read inside the library." She said joyfully.

The silence had been broken.

"Want me to show it to you?" She asked.

Frei promptly nodded, curious about the effects of the illusionary magic that Johnny had used to bring the diary into Freiheit. 

"See this bowl? Watch it disappear." 

Her mana began to form, all started flowing towards the direction where the bowl sat and soon in that radius, a peach-like color formed slowly before immediately turning into the texture and color of the ground.

"Awesome right?"

Frei nodded his eyes gleaming with excitement. It was moments like this where he didn't mind that he was chained. Or perhaps he simply couldn't have known that this wasn't the appropriate reaction to being chained, for he had not known anything outside of Freiheit nor any knowledge in general.

"Magic is such a wonderful thing. It changes the life of many, including mine and hers." She said calmly. "I had a twin sister once and despite having my looks, she acts nothing like me. She was quiet and gloomy, and I was happy and carefree." She continued on.

20 Years ago, two girls by the name of Maria and Gloria were born. Birthed with the blood of an Imperian and an royal, 'holy blood' Maria calls it. The two girls were taken care of by their granny and the mother but the father neglected the two. Gloria would stay home, studying about magic from the books that her mother brought back whilst Maria would be out playing with the other children. 

Seven years after their birth, their homeland was invaded and conquered by the Holy Empire, leading them to flee towards the eastern parts of the land. The Holy Knights wielded long and strong weaponries capable of ending the life of many in a single stroke. Blood was spilled and many died. The three of them would flee to a place that was known to be the Land of Green, Greenpath. It was called this way for their luscious greenery, the surrounding forest that could reach the many clouds of the skies and for the numerous ruins that were entangled by the vines of the forest, the lands engulfed by the hearts of the oaks. Many residents lived there, alongside the many refugees that fled alongside them.

Life there was peaceful for the three of them. Maria would occasionally be nostalgic of her old homeland and whenever she complained about it, Gloria would shut her down immediately with a cold response. When they turned eight, Gloria grew fascinated about Terra Sancta and its capital, despite her bitterness towards their land she couldn't help but feel slightly curious about it as she shared their blood. 

'Why had they invaded their homeland?' She would wonder everyday. While Maria didn't really think, she just played. Time moved on, their bond grew stronger and eventually they met a blacksmith whose wife was an accessory vendor. In Greenpath, bracelets were the trend, couples, families, children would wear them as a way to attract good luck. Maria didn't pay them no mind until a band of soldiers would enter Greenpath, they wore heavy metal platings and on it their names were carved onto it. This gave Maria an Idea, to have a metal plating and have a thick tangled rope attached to it. 

Maria wanted to carved her name onto it just like the soldiers and with the remaining coins she had. She ordered a custom order, a metal plating, she'd asked the blacksmith and the wife. 

'Can you make this for me?' While she brought her rough sketch of her idea. The Blacksmith saw her idea and seeing as it was a child asking, he accepted it. On the day right before Gloria's birthday, two bracelets were made, two shiny metal plating with no names inscribed on it.

'Here you go. I assumed you wanted to give your sister one but I think you deserved one too. However, if that's not what you want, just give it to someone else.'

'B-But I don't have enough money for two.'

'No. It's still the price of one, the other one is free, on the house. Kid.' The blacksmith said.

Maria gleamed and brought out her pouch of coins. She spilled the coins onto the counter and counted it. One, Two, Three, Four… there wasn't enough, she recounted again, One, Two, Three, Four… 

'I-I am sowry, I thought I got enough,' Maria sobbed.

The blacksmith and his wife felt bad, and accepted the four coins despite them losing out.

'Thanks!!!' Maria exclaimed in absolute joy. Then the couple helped her carve Maria and Gloria's name onto the bracelet.

On Gloria's birthday, she was given the bracelet. Maria expected a joyful thanks from her sister but instead Gloria responded with a cold remark, 'Why would you even spend it on a bracelet.' 

Her remark broke Maria's heart which became a detriment to their bonds and eventually led Maria into having a desire of changing her. 

By the time they turned fourteen, Gloria would constantly reread her books, analyzing every single detail that the book offered. Some books she bought using her allowances, and some were given by her mother, which during that time, she rarely came home. Maria had matured and decided to help her granny by working as a waitress and during her break, she would learn to cook trying to lessen the burdens her granny had.

Gloria was very interested in the world of magic and she had quite the exceptional talent for it as well, however she wasn't not given any opportunity to learn it from any official means until an opportunity arose, news about a competition regarding magic came which would allow for an entrance towards the best academy in the Holy capital. She gleamed in anticipation for the competition. 

Maria and Gloria hadn't talked much to each other after the bracelet incident. But when Maria heard of the news, she felt uneasy. When Gloria was preparing herself for the competition, using magic to create fireballs and water magic, someone notable approached her, an old man called Wall. He entered Greenpath in hopes of finding something of note, something regarding an eastern tribe but all he saw was a young lass playing around with magic. But what really interested him were the sheer concentration and power she had in her magic.

'A prodigy.' He thought greedily.

He wanted the young lass, which was an investment to him. 'I mustn't think like this,'' he thought in his own mind. During that time, Wall had tried to change himself and his sadistic image so he changed the way he thinks. 

'A prodigy.' He thought less greedily.

He approached Gloria, attempting to forcefully buy her off with a large sum of money. Enough money that her family would be able to live comfortably for the rest of their life. Gloria didn't want to accept the offer then Wall threatened her with his influences, but she did not have the support and power to betray his expectations and for the first time in her life, she felt nervous and scared. 

Back home, she told Maria and her granny about her predicament. Gloria was shaken by it and her cool display dropped which made Maria feel guiltily satisfied. Maria thought about how the money would be able to help all of them and Gloria if she ever made it into the academy. Gloria thought about her future if she was bought by Wall, trapped without any freedom, she wanted to be something great, a great sorceress like her mother, she wanted to be free.

Tears began to drip from her eyes as she continued to think about it, the anxiety felt like it weighed like a hump of rocks. Seeing her reaction, Maria remembered the two bracelets she bought for themselves and thought of an idea, that the two of them could switch identities, achieving both benefits of them getting the money and her sister to be able to get into the academy. 

'Don't worry!' Maria exclaimed joyously, imagining the money they would make. 'I'll help you out!' She continued gently.

Maria then told her the idea which she agreed, not thinking much of the consequences. The two of them were very naive children.

On the day of the competition which was also the final day of the decision. Gloria left hurriedly, after saying her goodbyes, hoping to see her again. After that, Maria sold herself to Wall, adopting both Gloria's personality and identity, as she crammed in magical knowledge overnight to deepen her facade all the more. She then was forever known as "Gloria ''. Wall gave her the money and left straight away without verifying her magical prowess. Maria saw the large sum of money and felt content. But only after a few years does the reality of being sold off weighs in on her. 

"-Gloria then went to the venue of the competition and swiftly took out all of the competitors. The spectators were awed by her performance, which then she was given the title of 'The Prodigious Sorceress. That's what they say at least. I never got to see it myself nor did I ever get the description and even when I asked about it in my letters, she never replied." Maria said to Frei.

"But is good isn't it? That my sacrifice made a difference, that she will have a different ending compared to mine." She comforted herself, "Though I just wished she would reply to my letters, that my presence exist. "

"Here take this. I have no need for it anymore, She handed him her bracelet, her sister's name carved into it. "Gloria"

"If by any chance… You are set free. Go find her." She said calmly, yet within that calmness lies a hint of anger and hatred.

"So Frei, I really appreciate you being here with me. That I could at least have someone to talk to, someone that can understand me, someone that can at least appreciate me. So truly… Thank you for being with me." She uttered.

Frei stayed quiet throughout it all.

Despite calming her words, Frei felt something eerie growing in the air, between him and her. But he replied to her with a smile, not thinking much of his thoughts. A sudden chill was sent down his spine when he heard Maria's words.

"Goodbye, Frei. See you next time." She said with a sorrowful smile on her face and left. "Oh, and live Frei. Even if you got no one. Even if you are alone, live because in the end, the only person you'll have is yourself. Live for yourself."

After three days, he was released from the basement, he worked a few, and slept. In the midst of his slumber he was disturbed and awakened by something cracking followed by the sounds of something swinging alongside a metallic sound. He stood up from the hay he was sleeping on and saw something, a familiar silhouette of a person blown slightly by the wind, floating above the ground and hanging tightly beneath the tree. 

Frei looked closer.

The person's long hair was engulfed by the darkness and when the moonlight shines upon it, her face and long brunette hair was revealed. Frei does not know the meaning of death, nor does he know how to make someone die. But he does recognize the looks of the deceased from the time where he saw the burning bodies of men and their gazes. Empty and lifeless. The woman beneath the tree was the same.