Scars of the Past

The mythology club was silent today. No one talked. Even though Aiken saved them from trouble, what happened today was, exhausting for many. Stopping the bullies was good but what came afterward drained everyone mentally.

It was the first time Lydia to see Oscar angry. Even his eyes were glowing crimson with rage. She felt the mana in them, it was chaotic say the least. She was scared when she saw it. He showed his spirit eyes before to her. They were golden at that time and gave a warm feeling to her. But when they become crimson, they gave a dread to whoever looked. They were burning with rage.

Oscar was sitting at the corner of the clubroom. He was looking through his phone. Lydia sighed and felt guilty. She would stop the bullies as well but when she saw Oscar's eyes and what he did, she was scared. Oscar knocked down a friend of the bully with one punch. That punch was so strong that several teeth of the kid were broken.

But what truly scared her was Oscar was about the use of magic against them. He was ready to kill them without hesitation. Even though she gained mana, Lydia was still a normal teenager girl mentally. Seeing that someone was prepared to kill someone else without hesitation was so scary for her. It was unthinkable for normal people to kill others, after all. In this era, humanity has grown soft.

She knew Oscar. He wasn't this aggressive normally. He might be a little introverted but he was a kind and calm person. He was also cute in her eyes. But seeing someone made him enraged was difficult to process for her. But there was something else. She could notice it because she was watching him. When Joseph mentioned Ted's sister, Oscar turned into someone completely different. His rage takes over him in an instant. No, it wasn't just rage. Something else.

Meanwhile, Oscar was checking his phone. It was changed when he dropped it into the liquid mana pool. From then he was regularly checking it. It still has its charge full and he can feel a slight connection with it. It may be about his eyes. While he was looking through it he noticed something warm running down his nose. When he checked it, he realized that it was blood.

"I'm going to the bathroom."

He said to the others and left the clubroom. Jason and Ted didn't care much but Lydia had a conflicted expression on her face. When she looked at his back she couldn't help but think that he carries some kind of burden. She didn't know why exactly she thought but she saw him having a tired expression almost every day. And after learning about mana, she was sure about him carrying some burden. Maybe it was keeping secrets from those close to him, but maybe not.

While Lydia was thinking about the burden Oscar might have been carrying, Oscar was washing his nose. His nose was bleeding more than he thought. When the bleeding finally stopped he took a deep breath and looked at the mirror above the sink.

There were bloodstains around his nose and mouth. It was little but still there. When he saw them he couldn't look away. They remained him the night... that Nora died. He was looking at the mirror just like now. But unlike now, his all face was covered with blood and even some shallow cuts. He had crazed look on his face.

After the images he remembered, comes to the feelings of crushing muscles, breaking bones, and screams that asking for mercy. Yet the unstoppable rage for the person who is begging for mercy. Warmblood on his fist that doesn't belong to him. And lastly, fear in his eyes. Fear for his life. When all these feelings rushed in he punched the wall near him. His breathing became distorted, sudden pain appeared on his chest. Before he could calm down the memory he was afraid to remember coming back.

It was a year ago. On a rainy night, Oscar was running with all of his strength just to be able to reach where he was going. His legs were already aching from running nonstop but he couldn't give up. He had to run, he had to reach Nora and save her. It was a couple of minutes since he learned that Nora was being bullied. He hoped no, he begged to be there on the time to save her.

But when he reached the alley near the park they used to play in when they were little, his world, along with all of his hopes, would come crashing down. What he found there was the corpse of Nora along with her killers. He saw them laughing at the lifeless body lying down on the cold ground.

*Crack*

With the cracking sound, he came to his senses. The sound came from the wall, while remembering everything he kept punching it. His fist was already bleeding. He tried to heal it with mana but it didn't work.

"Huh? I-its weird. W-why isn't it healing?"

His voice was shaky and tears were rolling down on his cheeks. He was crying silently in the bathroom without no one knowing. He was still grieving behind a friend that killed mercilessly. The friend he always depends on when he was in need. The friend that always saved him. The friend he couldn't save.

"Urgh!" Oscar puked a mouthful of blood. While he was in trance he lost control of his eyes. Even though they didn't shine, they consumed his mental energy and caused him harm. After washing his mouth he was deep in thoughts again. He didn't notice that his mind was far from how it is normally.

"I couldn't repay all of the times you helped me... Even now when they mentioned you I lose control, I almost attacked someone by using everything I have. I know that you wouldn't want me to act like this... But people like them, when I saw them I can't help but want to hurt them... I'm sorry Nora... because I'm not bothered by the fact that I want them dead. I'm sorry, I disappoint you, too."

There was a smile on Oscar's face. It was a pained and forced smile. He took a deep breath and washed his face. He was finally calming down. The pain in his chest was gone without a trace. But the breaths he took in were still hurting him. He looked at the mirror again but this time there wasn't someone who was consumed by his own rage, there was someone who is full of hope and determination.

"I will bring you back Nora. No matter what happens. I promise."

After promising it he took a deep breath. He could feel that some of the burdens he was carrying were gone now. He was going to keep his promise even if it cost his life. The memory of Nora's lifeless body lying on the ground while his killers were laughing was tormented him for a year. He didn't just want to give the life she lost to Nora back, he also wants to set himself free from the guilt of not being able to save her.

He didn't notice it but his eyes shined crimson. There was intense heat in the depths of his eyes. Waiting to get out and consume everything on its path.