Aftermath

"Yes Luzius, I sometimes think that too." I said to him, but my words did not get through, as he was slowly withering away.

"Y-ʏ, ʏᴏᴜ" Agnes stuttered behind me, "ʏᴏᴜ. . . ʏᴏᴜ." She pointed at me and her finger shook while doing so.

"take a deep breath my dear," I urged her. And so she did.

"Yᴏᴜ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴛᴏʟᴅ ᴍᴇ, ʏᴏᴜ- ᴏʀ I- ᴏʀ ᴡᴇ, ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴇ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʀᴇᴄᴇɪᴠᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴛʟᴇ ᴏғ ᴀɴ ᴀʀᴄʜᴅᴜᴋᴇ," she yelled.

I cupped my ears and groaned, "you never asked."

"Uɴᴠʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴀʙʟᴇ" she was shocked speechless, "ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ᴜɴʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴀʙʟʏ ᴜɴʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴀʙʟᴇ. Hᴏᴡ ᴡɪʟʟ ʏᴏᴜ sᴇᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴛʜɪs?"

"Now, we let the story flow out."

I shrugged Luzius off me and began to walk. His lackluster eyes, which had been full of oppressive rage before, followed me as I left. The shock he felt made him numb and it hadn't quite subsided yet.

I passed Rayas father, who apparently went by Fergus, and when I did he shrunk away. His eyes were red, but his face was redder. I raised my hand at him and he twitched in anticipation of the retaliation I could deal to him; that made me grin.

Raya herself— for the first time she watched me with only pure amazement, and had even forgotten that she was lying on the floor, the floor which was probably warm due to her body, by now. I stopped to pat her head and smiled radiantly.

The crowd parted like I was Moses parting the Red Sea. If before I had been someone not to be messed with, then right now I was untouchable. They looked at each other; each one asking for confirmation of what they were witnessing.

I arrived at the place I had been commanded to stand when I first arrived, but I didn't stop. What I did, was give a servant the candle in my hands. It was only a shadow of its former glory as my frantic movements and the passage of time made it quite small. "I apologize for taking the candle so rudely before," I told the servant, but she was to stumped to say anything. The light left me (or I left the light) and I was shrouded in black.

By the time I was illuminated again, I stood in front of the throne, which was more of a rustic chair on an elevated platform, and I began taking my steps upwards. Two step was all it took and I stood at the place Fergus had stared down on me. With little ceremony I sat down.

"This is the seat which you coveted?" I knocked on the hard arms, "quite uncomfortable."

Everyone drew a cold breath. I could tell they did, because the place I sat gave me an overview of all the people in the hall.

"Agnes," grandfather gulped, "so do you also wish to let bygones be bygones? It would pain us greatly if you left us at that."

"I'm not sure. I do not seem welcomed here, after all."

"Surely you do not mean that, family has to stay together," Agnes's grandfather took a few steps towards me.

"No it is quite understandable, if I wasn't me, I wouldn't like myself either. Always ready with excuses and a silvertongue. It's too dangerous to have a wicked person like me around."

"That is not true at all, it is the words of my stupid son that has corrupted you," he kicked Fergus, "go on and apologize to her!"

Rayas father, who like his daughter, was on the ground collected himself and with great pain, squeezed out, "I apologize Archduke Agnes. I must have been been blind when I attacked you. I hope you can forgive me for my impudent actions."

"Hmm," I leaned forward, "I don't feel it."

He closed his eyes and bit his lips in frustration.

"I'm joking," I laughed, "I accept your apology. But I still won't stay here. No, I plan on leaving without the family name as you have decreed to be. So why don't you rejoice, is that not what you wished for?"

"Why," grandfather pleaded, "you accepted his apology, so why won't you stay?"

"We have gone past the point of apologizing, do you not think so? Tell me honestly how would you feel in my situation?" I rested my head on my hand. "Would you be willing to stay here, or would you not have packed your stuff and left on the spot? I accept his apology, but that is it."

Agnes' grandfather, the head of this household, was silent, "then what do you want to do with this boy," he pointed at Luzius, who promptly tensed up.

I squinted my eyes and thought deeply. In the end I reached the conclusion, "let him go."

"What," Luzius eyes opened wide. And he wasn't the only who acted that way. The crowd cleaned their ears as if they had misheard.

"Yᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴɴᴏᴛ ᴊᴜsᴛ ʟᴇᴛ ʜɪᴍ ɢᴏ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜɪs!"" Agnes shrieked, "ᴀʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴍɪɴᴅ? Bᴇᴀᴛ ʜɪᴍ ᴅᴏᴡɴ!"

"Let it rest, will you?" I said with a suppressed voice, "have you not noticed, in this entire act, I have not lifted a single finger against anyone, safe for my punch, which I did in my name, not yours. From start to finish, since day one, Agnes Maria D'Anelé- oh, well, we go by only Agnes Maria now, beat her whole family with only words. The same words which have been used to ridicule, humiliate and chastise her. Isn't that the perfect way to seek revenge for you? The perfect ending?"

"Yᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ʟᴇᴀᴠɪɴɢ ʟᴏᴏsᴇ ᴇɴᴅs ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴛᴏ ʙɪᴛᴇ ʏᴏᴜ! Hᴇ ᴡɪʟʟ ɴᴏᴛ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sᴇᴠᴇʀɪᴛʏ ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ᴛᴇᴀᴄʜ ʜɪᴍ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴏ sᴏ." Agnes screamed in anger and she grabbed my shoulders her nails sunk into my flesh, making me flinch.

"I would love to see him try," I said as I closed one eye in pain, "he does not have the strength nor the authority to ambush my life. And if he does, I will simply kill him. Rest easy," I told her." It is over."

She gritted her teeth, and her high pitched voice resounded through the hall, but only for me to hear: "Tʜᴇ ᴡᴀʏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴘᴜɴɪsʜ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴡɪᴛʜ sʏᴍʙᴏʟɪsᴍ ɪs ɪɴᴅᴇᴇᴅ ᴇʟᴇɢᴀɴᴛ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪsɴ'ᴛ ᴍʏ sᴛʏʟᴇ. Fᴏʀɢɪᴠᴇ ᴍᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ I ᴀᴍ ᴄʀᴜᴅᴇ. Wʜᴀᴛ I ᴡɪsʜ ғᴏʀ ɪs ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ, ᴄᴀʀɴᴀɢᴇ— ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ." Her face darkened and turned colder than any winter could, "I ʟᴏɴɢ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ sᴜғғᴇʀɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴛᴏʀᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴛʜᴇ sɪɴɴᴇʀs ʀᴇsɪᴅɪɴɢ ɪɴ ʜᴇʟʟ. Aɴᴅ ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴍʏ ʀᴇᴠᴇɴɢᴇ, ɴᴏᴛ ʏᴏᴜʀs."

I was rattled off my seat. Her voice for the first time in my life on this world, send a shiver down my spine, not a metaphorical one that a middleschooler described when he heard a scary story, no— it was a true, pure shiver that gripped me with terror. I wanted to call her name out, but my head began ringing like wedding chimes.

I ғᴇʟᴛ ᴍʏ ʙʀᴀɪɴ ᴡᴀs sʟɪᴄᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅɪᴄᴇᴅ, ᴘᴜᴛ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴠᴇɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜɪɢʜ ʜᴇᴀᴛ, sᴀᴜᴛéᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴏɪʟ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇɴ sᴇᴀsᴏɴᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴀsᴛᴇ. Iᴛ ғᴇʟᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ɪᴛ sʜʀᴜɴᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇxᴘᴀɴᴅᴇᴅ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ sᴀᴍᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ.

Yᴇᴛ I ᴘᴜsʜᴇᴅ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜᴇ ɪᴍᴍᴇɴsᴇ ᴘᴀɪɴ, ᴀɴᴅ I ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴇɴᴅ ᴍʏsᴇʟғ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ʟᴇss.

Fᴏʀ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ғʀᴏᴍ ᴍʏ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴀɴᴅɪɴɢ, ᴛʜᴇ ʙɪɴᴅɪɴɢ ʙʏ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴠɪʟ ʜᴇʟᴅ ᴍʏ ʙᴏᴅʏ, ᴡᴀs ᴏɴʟʏ ʙʏ ɪʀᴏɴ ᴡɪʟʟ.

I ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ʜᴏᴡ I ᴋɴᴇᴡ, I ᴏɴʟʏ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs. I ᴀʟsᴏ ᴅɪᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ᴋɴᴏᴡ, ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴀʙᴏᴍɪɴᴀʙʟᴇ ʟɪғᴇ ʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʟɪᴠᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴏᴜᴛᴅᴏ ᴍᴇ ᴏɴ ᴍʏ sᴜғғᴇʀɪɴɢ, I ᴏɴʟʏ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴀʏ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs. Aɴᴅ ɪғ ᴏɴʟʏ ғᴏʀ ᴀ ʙʀɪᴇғ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛ I ᴡᴀs ᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴄʀᴀᴡʟ ᴍʏ ᴡᴀʏ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀʟʟ ʜᴇ sᴇᴛ ᴜᴘ, ɪɴᴅᴇᴇᴅ, ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴡᴏʀᴛʜ ᴘᴜᴛᴛɪɴɢ ᴍʏ ᴍɪɴᴅ ᴏɴ ᴀ ᴘʟᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴀᴛɪɴɢ ɪᴛ.

Just like last time, my brain did not actually hurt. There was just the sound of buzzing and ringing combined, much like the sound of old radios. It felt like an itch which couldn't be alleviated.

I clutched my head, scratched it, but the buzzing turned more intense.

I felt a light tug at the back of my mind, like I was a kite soaring through the air, and down below a small girl on earth pulled me along with all her might. She kicked against the ground, digging the dirt with her feet unintentionally, as she clung to the string with all her might. But I, I didn't feel it. All I felt was the winds guiding me towards a better destination.

And afterwards there was radio silence. The buzzing stopped like a plug was pulled.

"Agnes, my dear, is everything alright," grandfather asked me cautiously.

I opened my mouth, "Nᴏ, ᴀᴄᴛᴜᴀʟʟʏ I ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇᴅ ᴍʏ ᴍɪɴᴅ."

What? That wasn't what I wanted to say. I tried opening my mouth again, but nothing happened, I felt it sealed shut, or like it was never there to begin with.

I rose from my seat, but not voluntarily— I was like a puppet stringed to do so. Without my permission, I felt my hand move and my head turned to stare at it. "I ᴄᴀɴ ғᴇᴇʟ ɪᴛ." I muttered.

I ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴛʜɪᴄᴋ ᴄᴀᴋᴇ ᴏғ ғʀᴇsʜ ᴀɪʀ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇɴ I sᴛʀᴇᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ ᴍʏsᴇʟғ. Aʀᴍs ғɪʀsᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇɴ I ɢᴏᴛ ᴍʏ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴄʀᴀᴄᴋɪɴɢ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴍғᴏʀᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ ʀᴏᴜsᴇᴅ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴍʏ ʙᴏᴅʏ. Yᴇs— ᴍʏ ʙᴏᴅʏ. I ᴡᴀs ʙᴀᴄᴋ.

I ʟᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ ᴀᴛ ᴍʏ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴇʏᴇs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴏʀɪɢɪɴᴀʟʟʏ ʙᴇʟᴏɴɢᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀɴɴᴏᴜɴᴄᴇᴅ, "I ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇᴅ ᴍʏ ᴍɪɴᴅ, ɢɪᴠᴇ ᴍᴇ Lᴜᴢɪᴜs."

Mʏ ɢʀᴀɴᴅғᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ғᴏʟʟᴏᴡᴇᴅ ᴀs ᴏʀᴅᴇʀᴇᴅ. I ᴡᴀs ɢʟᴀᴅ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴍʏ ᴠᴏɪᴄᴇ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ, ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ʀᴇsɪᴅɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ʙᴏᴅʏ, ɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴀʟʟʏ.

Nᴏᴡ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴᴇᴅ ᴀғᴛᴇʀᴡᴀʀᴅs, I ᴡɪʟʟ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ɪᴛ sʜᴏʀᴛ: I ᴛᴏᴏᴋ ᴍʏ ᴄᴏᴜsɪɴ Lᴜᴢɪᴜs ɪɴ ᴍʏ ᴀʀᴍs, ʜᴇ ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ ᴍᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜɪs ғʟᴏʀɪᴅ ᴄʜᴇᴇᴋs, ᴘʟᴜs ʜᴇᴀʀᴛʏ ᴀɴᴅ ʙʀɪsᴋʟʏ ғɪɢᴜʀᴇ. I sʜᴏᴠᴇᴅ ʜɪᴍ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴀᴠᴀɢᴇᴅ ʜɪs ғᴀᴄᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍʏ ᴋɴᴜᴄᴋʟᴇs.

Well, uh, how should I say it?

Agnes had taken over my body. To be fair, it was hers to begin with, but who would have thought she would actually pull through? I did not turn into a specter floating around, no, I was stuck in her mind. Just like Agnes was at the beginning when I took her body— But unlike her, I did not possess any fancy magic to turn myself into a living ghost.

Lᴜᴢɪᴜs' ʟɪᴠᴇʟʏ sʜᴏᴜᴛs ᴘᴇʀᴘᴇᴛᴜᴀʟʟʏ ᴇᴄʜᴏᴇᴅ ᴀʟᴏɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴀʟʟs. I ʟᴇᴛ ʟᴏᴏsᴇ ᴍʏ ʜᴀᴛʀᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀɪᴍᴇᴅ ᴀᴛ ʜɪᴍ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴅᴇʟɪɢʜᴛ/ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴʟʏ sʟɪɢʜᴛ ᴀᴘᴘʀᴇʜᴇɴsɪᴏɴ I ғᴇʟᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴇ sᴘʟᴀᴛᴛᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ᴍᴇ. "ғɪғᴛᴇᴇɴ ʏᴇᴀʀs ᴏғ ʀᴇʟᴇɴᴛʟᴇss ʙᴜʟʟʏɪɴɢ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴍʏ ʙᴏᴅʏ ᴡᴇᴀᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ғʀᴀɪʟ, ɴᴏᴡ ɪᴛ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴛʜᴇ sᴀᴍᴇ ʙᴏᴅʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴄʟᴀɪᴍ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʟɪғᴇ. Sᴀʏ, ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴏᴇs ᴛʜɪs ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜ?"

My mind faded and I grayed out, the scene unfolding turned into a messy blur, like a drunk night gone rogue. I called out to Agnes," do not kill him," I pleaded, "if you do, it will be a murder case. This won't end with you simply shrugging it off, even with your title!" But obviously she wouldn't listen. Damn it.

I ғᴀᴄᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʀᴏᴡᴅ, "Wʜᴇʀᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ʏᴇ ᴀʟʟ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴡʜᴇɴ I ʟᴀʏ ᴀʟᴏɴᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʙᴀɴᴅᴏɴᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ɴᴏ ᴏɴᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴀʀᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴍᴇ," I ᴇxᴄʟᴀɪᴍᴇᴅ, "ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡʜᴇɴ I ᴡᴀs ᴄᴏᴏᴘᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪʙʀᴀʀʏ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴʟʏ sᴏʟᴀᴄᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜᴀʀᴅ, sᴏᴜʟʟᴇss ʙᴏᴏᴋs, ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴍᴇ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜɪs ᴡʀᴇᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ?" I ᴇxᴄʟᴀɪᴍᴇᴅ, "Wʜᴇʀᴇ, ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴍʏ ᴄᴏᴜsɪɴ Eʟʟᴇ sᴘɪᴛ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ɪᴄʏ ғᴏᴏᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜʀᴇᴡ ɪᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴏᴜɴᴅ— ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴍʏ sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ ᴜɴᴄʟᴇ Rᴀɪʟᴇʏ ᴛʀɪᴇᴅ ᴀssᴀᴜʟᴛɪɴɢ ᴍᴇ ɪɴ ʙʀᴏᴀᴅ ᴅᴀʏʟɪɢʜᴛ— ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜɪs sᴛʀᴜɢɢʟɪɴɢ, ᴘᴀʀᴇɴᴛʟᴇss ɢɪʀʟ, ᴡᴀs ᴛᴏʀᴛᴜʀᴇᴅ ʙʏ Dᴀɴɪᴇʟʟᴇ, Mᴀʀᴀ ᴀɴᴅ Aʟʟᴇɪɴᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜᴏᴛ, ɢʟᴏᴡɪɴɢ sᴛɪᴄᴋs ᴀɴᴅ sɪʟᴠᴇʀ ᴋɴɪғᴇs ᴊᴜsᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴏᴡɴ ᴀᴍᴜsᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ?" I ᴇxᴄʟᴀɪᴍᴇᴅ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʀᴏᴡᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴜᴅᴅʟᴇᴅ ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ᴅᴜᴇ ғᴇᴀʀ, "Wʜᴇʀᴇ!"

Everything was white. All senses eroded into nothingness. I couldn't feel anything, see anything, smell anything, until I couldn't even tell the passage of time anymore. Only Agnes's lone voice reverberated in my mind, and I thought for a moment, maybe I was in hell.

Suddenly I saw, no- I felt, a black streak of light, piercing through the noisy whiteness and a single voice called 'me' out, "Agnes!"

Soon, all my sensory experience returned at once and overloaded me. It was like I came back from the dead. Trust me, I would know. When I opened my eyes again, I saw that I had returned to the dim hall full with D'Anelé-named people.

I began to cough violently, as I found myself needing to breathe again, and the person who called me came and helped me: Celestia.

Shit, that was way too dangerous.

"Vera brought me with her," she told me.

I replied. "A grieving girl should be resting."

"I have to follow my duties."

I then took another glance at everything. I saw Luzius lying on the ground soaked in his own reddish, liquid puddle. He was alive, albeit barely. All the eyes were on me anticipating my next move.

"Well this is awkward, scratched my head, "that girl goes and does whatever she wants and leaves me to clean her mess." I then turned to everyone and proclaimed: "The father beats his daughter, the grandfather beats his son and I beat my cousin. Everyone had different intentions, but the actions were all just the same. Let me tell you this, in this hall currently, no one has the right to judge anyone."

My words rose everyone out their frozen state, and the adrenaline seemed to wear out, as some fell to the ground, while others began to weep.

"Grandfather," I called out and he immediately tensed up, "I am going now, but I will return in about two months. This maid here is Celestia, she is precious to me. She wants to learn Alterea, so please teach her everything you know." I paused, "also, I need some money."

I waited for no response and left, but before I did, I grabbed Raya by her shoulder and carried her away. Grandfather called out to me, "what about the family name, surely you will take it with you."

I stopped right before the door but did not turn.

"No."

I solemnly walked out the hall; no one stopped me from doing so. Right before I disappeared in the darkness, Raya whispered something I would remember for a long time.