Nightmare

Kate’s serious upfront bothers Mia, as of now the two are currently having a bonding time, well, not like the normal sisters would do, like putting a make-up, or brushing each other’s hair and some sort of gossiping other boys, let’s say what they’re doing now is kinda a brass one.

Mia couldn’t let her sister win this time, even though Kate’s glare is scaring her, she shrugged and concentrate on putting her mana inside the crystal ball even though she knew, she has no chance on winning on this tug-of-war. The rules are simple, the players must focus on pouring the crystal ball with their mana. At first, they will equally put mana inside of it, when they’re ready they’ll start to take over the crystal ball and start pulling it over with their link of it– dominating the other one until the connection will be completely severed.

As of now the crystal ball floats leveling to them, blue and violet wave swirling inside. The blue mana of Kate dominates the entirety of it while Mia is struggling to pull the crystal to her domain.

“You ready to give up?” said Kate “It’s alright, no need to hassle. There’s always a next time.” With the mocking smile written on her face, Mia couldn’t help but to be pissed and use all she got to fight back.

“Oh, you ask for it don’t ya? I'm so gonna kick your ass.” snarled Mia, exerting mana as she could. Her face writhing in tiredness, but she couldn’t let her sister win again. As she continues to put much effort, she presses, increasing more mana, so much that she didn’t even notice that it is affecting her, the blood dripping on her nose because of the use of her life force as compensation to boost her mana.

“You need to stop!” Kate shouted, but Mia didn’t listen as she was consumed by her power. Giving her no choice, Kate who’s concerned now pours mana as she could, it was not easy though because of the extra power Mia allowed to flow within. Now, the Mia is taking over the game, the crystal is slowly getting close to her, but Kate wouldn’t go down not until she manages to disturb the uncontrolled mix of energy she uses and snaps her out.

“Crap,” Kate muttered and scowls due to the large expense of mana. Her pupils dilated, assimilating her thoughts with her powers, and when she feels it, she went for a final push as a large amount of mana enters the crystal and severed the connection of Mia. The uncontrolled energy burse out making them flew, landing their backs at the walls. Kate sits down, tired and panting, waiting for Mia to wake up.

Not too long, Mia who regains her consciousness, asked “What the hell just happened?”

“It is you getting wrecking ball happened,” Kate said as she catches her breath.

“What do you mean?” Said Mia, taking a deep breath.

“You lose control again.” Said Kate. “How many times had I told you that mixing life energy into our mana is dangerous?”

“I-I didn’t mean to. Sorry.”

“It’s okay. I mean it’s not okay, you couldn’t have killed me, but then again no need to linger in the past, crap.”

Mia examines her, secreting so much sweat and panting, suggesting that Kate had a hard time taking her down. She stands up, offering her a helping hand but then asked,

“Did I win?”

“No, I win, easily,” Kate said to her with a smug face, but her current heavy gasping and profusely sweating tells otherwise.

Kate couldn’t believe it that her beloved sister could push her this far, she could merely control her mana and conjure such basic magic but the expanse of her mana proves something to her, she could become the strongest witch she had never seen before, much more like to their past mother. Kate knows Mia’s uncontrolled magical prowess might pose a threat to the people and even for herself.

Mia places the spoon and fork at the plate, preparing for their dinner. Kate flips the egg and when she sees that it is enough, she puts it on the plate along together the bacon she cooked.

“What are the principles of using magic?” asked Kate.

Mia whose focus is digging in, disturbed, questioning “What?” Her attention now is on Kate.

“What are the principles of using magic?” she said again.

“Uhm,” she pauses “Use your imagination to shape your mana.”

“And then?”

“Wholeheartedly release it with the compassion of something positive.”

“And why is that?”

“If you let negative energy fueled your mana it will affect your mind thus losing control.”

“So,” She pauses drinking the water “What the hell happened back there?”

“You don’t have to-to nag about it, I’ll find a way to control it okay.”

“Uh-huh, look, the point of the tug-of-war is for you to learn how to manipulate mana at will and in control, not to freak out because of wanting to win.”

“If you weren’t such provocative.”

“I was testing you. You must do the opposite of it, not to let yourself consume. Do you understand?”

“Yes, I understand.” Said Mia. “Now can we continue practicing after dinner?”

“Next time. No need to rush, I also need to rest, you probably have no idea how it is tiring to do part-time job and study at the same time and training my sassy little sis.”

“I could never guess.”

***

Her woeful gaze surveys at her reflection, laid to her bountiful bosom, to the etched furrow of her forehead and her crimson lips. Her black dress flailing as if it has a life on its own – led her floating body somewhere she hasn’t visited considerably for a long time.

Like a stripling film, the light of moon makes its way across the woods as it sets down at the west, touching a part of her face, looking down at the grave of her late parents. Her face turns to pale as she knelt remembering the day, she let her parents die, it was not completely her fault though but she felt she’s also responsible she had an exceptional prowess for a child but she wasn’t able to help to avert their death.

A voice recedes at the seemingly void part of the forest where light seems didn’t pass through it.

The voice speaks in a cold tone and at the same time, shows being authoritative. ‘You could’ve saved them. If you weren’t such weak enough to accept who you are, to accept the power you accursed.” The voice said, darkly. Kate could feel the presence of the other being shifting positions unpredictably. “Why are you doing this?!” Kate shouted, demanding.

“You seek to know why?!” Her voice angrily replies. ‘You already know the answer to that question!’

In an instant, she was engulfed by the grimly void, she tried to run and resist by chanting magic but does not affect. “Let me out!” she demanded her voice echoes at the dark entirety. She runs aimlessly wherever her feet may lead her, she pauses as she could feel again the presence. She gasps as she hears a footstep, slowly getting close to her, behind her. She turns around to see herself, not very much like her, as the perfect likeness to her is much more sinister, her smiles crept ear to ear, her temples are gray and her void, menacing eyes staring at her soul.

“This can’t be real.” Her hands cover her mouth unto the covering her horrified face. “This is just a dream, breath, inhale, exhale.”

“Oh darling, you have no idea how wrong you are.” She said, grimly as she grins. With that Kate screams, echoing across the void.