Chapter 128 - The End Of War, Part 4

"...Before you tell me what you wanna tell me," Marcy interrupted, holding his gaze. "I feel like I need to get drunk first. I'm demanding."

"But you can't—" Van began, then paused as Amoria's voice suddenly echoed in his mind:

"I don't drink, but Marcy and the others do—they act like they can get drunk. Not because they need to, but because they want to keep a part of themselves alive... the part that remembers how fun it used to be."

Van exhaled, his shoulders relaxing.

"...Fine," he agreed quietly. "I guess I haven't had a drink in a while."

Marcy gave a small, relieved exhale through her nose and smiled faintly, leading him down the stairs of the guild toward the storage area behind the counter.

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Anne laid down on her bed as Misa nodded to them. "I'll come check on you girls in a bit. Anne, try to get some sleep, alright?" Her voice was soft, comforting.

Anne weakly nodded, saying nothing. With a short sigh, Misa stepped outside, leaving Anne alone with her tangled thoughts.

"...Anne," Lizzy's hesitant voice broke the silence, barely above a whisper. They lay back-to-back, neither facing the other.

Anne remained quiet for a moment, then replied, her voice drained. "What is it?"

"You... um..." Lizzy paused, shifting nervously, as though unsure whether she should continue. "You like Van, don't you?"

Anne didn't respond immediately, caught off-guard. Too tired to come up with excuses or defenses, she spoke honestly. "Yeah. I do."

"But it doesn't matter," she added bitterly. "He's leaving anyway."

"You don't know that," Lizzy whispered. "Maybe Aunt will change his and his father's minds."

Anne said nothing, eyes staring blankly into the darkness.

Lizzy took a breath, her voice tight with guilt. "I... I want him to stay too," she confessed quietly. "At least for a while. I didn't even get to thank him..."

"Then why didn't you thank him just now?" Anne interrupted, sharper than intended. "Why pretend you were asleep?"

"I didn't want to disturb you and Aunt..." Lizzy's voice grew softer, tinged with shame. "And... I felt ashamed. I trusted Michael. Trusted him even more than... forget Van—I trusted him more than you."

Anne's silence stretched, taut with tension. Her breathing grew heavier, tremors shaking her voice. "Yeah. You did trust that leech. You SHOULD be ashamed." Her voice broke, her anger cracking through her composure. "You damned fucking moron. This is the last fucking time I ever hang out with anyone you know."

"That fucker... That motherfucker..." Anne's words dissolved into sobs, muffled cries punctuating her fury. "How dare he..." Her body shook, the pain overwhelming her anger. "How dare he..."

Lizzy turned slowly, startled but understanding, and quietly embraced Anne from behind. Anne stiffened at first but soon surrendered, crying openly in her sister's arms.

"I'm sorry," Lizzy murmured, holding her tightly as Anne's tears continued to fall, raw and unrestrained.

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"YOU'RE NOOOOT ACTING DRUNK ENOUGH, HELMET-HEAAAAD!" Marcy's voice boomed playfully.

Van laughed awkwardly, glancing downward. "How does a drunkard even behave...?" he murmured between hesitant laughs. "I'm wobbling my head, not looking anywhere too long..."

"You talk waaay too cleaarlyyyyyy! Drag your words out liiiiike thiiiissssssss!" Marcy gave him several firm, playful pushes.

Van cleared his throat, exaggerating the sway of his head. "Liiiiiike thiiiis?"

"You suuuck at thisss!" she teased, giggling. "Whateverrr... Now, take anotherrr drag from the jugggg..."

Van obediently took another sip, feeling no burn or dizziness. The bitter taste lingered on his tongue, yet he felt nothing from the alcohol. Resolutely, he took an even larger gulp.

He stared down briefly, feeling ridiculous yet oddly certain that indulging Marcy's request was the right choice.

"When caaan I taaalk about Maguuusss? It's importaaant," Van dragged his words, mimicking her exaggerated tone.

Marcy lazily slapped her palm on his shoulder, chuckling. "You're such a party-poopperrr... but at leeeast you're playing alonggg..." She let out a loud, exaggerated hiccup.

Her voice then quieted, becoming soft and subdued. "I feel liiike I knooow what you wanna tell me about Maaagus." She rested her head on his shoulder, eyes distant as Van flinched lightly.

"A girlll shouldn't fall in love so fast, you know?" Her gaze softened, voice wavering slightly. "I left... my father... my tribe... my duties... all because some handsome stranger showed up... and... and I never even liked men to begin with..." She hiccuped again, voice dropping to a tender whisper. "I was... in love once before... before Magus..."

Van swallowed hard, looking downward as her head leaned against him.

"She was beautiful. Strong. And I cared deeply for her," Marcy's voice steadied, her drunken facade slipping.

"But the moment Magus asked... I couldn't stop myself. I abandoned her without a second thought," she admitted quietly.

"It feels strange, doesn't it? It has to. I don't even feel guilty about leaving her—or the tribe. I barely knew Magus, yet... I should feel terrible, but I don't. Instead, I felt complete." Her tone steadied further, "Even now, I still think it was the right choice."

Van solemnly turned toward her, eyes narrowing as the faint pink mist swirled around her head.

Marcy's gaze sharpened slightly, voice lowering to almost a whisper.

"Magus... did something to me, didn't he?"

Van froze, body flinching subtly, eyes locked on her.

Marcy let out a soft, knowing chuckle, feeling his muscles tense beneath her touch.

"Feeling your... boulder of a body shift like that... It's this, isn't it?" she whispered quietly.

"...Yeah," Van admitted slowly, nodding. "He... has a mind-control spell that only works on women. He did it to all of you girls. I... I've known all along."

"Haaa..." Marcy exhaled, a faint laugh escaping her lips.

"Marcy, don't worry," Van quickly added, his voice firm. "I'm going to remove it—I can do it."

"Oh... You... you can do that?" She looked up at him lazily.

"Yes," Van answered resolutely, gaze hardening. "Anne, Lizzy, your girls... They all had that spell on them. I've already removed it from everyone. Amoria is free, too. Only you and Lalyn remain."

"I see..." Her smile deepened. "I'm... I'm happy."

"I'll free you now," Van declared, raising his palm to remove the enchantment.

"Don't, Van," she murmured, placing her palm gently against his, halting his motion.

"Marcy, please," he insisted, voice tightening. "I'm sorry, but you need this—"

"I need it?" she asked, looking into his eyes, suddenly clear. "Or do you?"

"...!!? YOU DO!" Van spat after a brief, stunned hesitation.

"I... I don't want to stop loving Magus, Van," she confessed quietly, lowering her gaze.

"You only think that because of this spell—don't you see!?" Van nearly snapped.

'Why am I even entertaining her!?' he thought frantically, fist clenched painfully at his side. His eye twitched as Amoria's confession about Magus flashed through his mind.

'This ends HERE!' He moved to act—but Marcy firmly cupped his fist, halting him once again.

"I understand," she said softly. "But what about afterward, Van?" Her gaze rose to meet his, intense and steady.

His breath caught sharply.

"I... I'm pretty batshit crazy when it comes to grudges," she explained quietly, her head resting lightly on his shoulder. "You know me, Van. I'll kill everyone who's wronged me." An image of Bernard's brutalized body surged into Van's mind. 

"That's how I was even before you came along. Our tribe would've slaughtered you two if it weren't for Magus—just for trespassing, for your audacity. Gods forbid if we'd discovered your power... we'd have turned you into our eternal meat-sack." She sighed deeply.

"I wouldn't have batted an eye. So..."

"Who's to say I won't start hating my Anne after returning to normal?"

"...!!"

"You... You won't...!!" Van nearly growled, tightening his fist again, yet now lacking even half his previous strength.

"Do you know that?" Marcy's voice grew softer, "Anne... she's the reminder of his hold on me. Right now, I think about it... and I love it. I love that Magus took control of me. I love that he gave Anne to me. I love that she's his child—and mine."

She paused, voice firm.

"I love Anne."

"If you take this... Spell away," she continued, "something tells me I'll hate her. That everything will flip." A quiet sob escaped her lips. "I don't want to hate her. I don't want to stop loving my daughter."

"I... I said you won't...!!" Van's voice broke, "Amoria—Amoria knows all of this! She knows, and she still loves her child! You won't—"

"I'm not her, Van," Marcy interrupted, her voice quiet yet firm. "That priestess is smarter, more restrained, wiser than I'll ever be. And I love her too—because of her ties to Magus. I love you, Van, for the same reason."

Marcy wrapped her arms around him, embracing him tightly.

"Please," she pleaded, "Don't take my daughter away from me... And hate all of you."

Van froze, eyes wide and breath trapped in his chest. His fists slowly unclenched. In the heavy silence, his gaze drifted into the darkness at the corner of the storage area.

There, barely visible in the shadows, sat Mika and Rika, their heads bowed, weapons limp in their hands.

"It's... it's fake, Marcy..." Van mumbled, words stumbling weakly over his tongue. "It's all... it's—it's fake..."

"Heh..." Marcy exhaled. "Now you sound like a real drunk."

"Please," Van whispered desperately, "You know it's fake..."

"I know," she answered with a nod. "But it's real to me. Everything I have right now—my feelings included—it's real enough."

Van lowered his gaze, unable to meet her steady, bittersweet smile. His mind raced chaotically, unable to find the right words.

"Just go," she urged, holding his palms tightly, unwilling to break the connection just yet. "But come visit once in a while, alright? Anne will be happy."

"And so will I," she added.

Van remained silent, staring downward, lost in swirling thoughts he couldn't piece together. Eventually, Marcy's grip loosened, her fingers sliding away from his hands.

She stepped back, straightening herself, and offered him a final playful smirk. "And who knows? Maybe you'll finally take me up on my offer next time," she teased, raising an eyebrow mockingly. "You know—considering how 'easy' the sloppy seconds I am, and all."

Van scoffed as he looked away awkwardly, "Psh. Enough of your nonsense already, dumbass."

Marcy sighed as she turned to leave, glancing back just once with softened eyes.

"My offer stands," she said, fading into silence as she disappeared into the shadows, returning to the guild and leaving Van to his thoughts.

'I have all the power in the world right now,' He looked at his palms, 'But I can't do shit about this.' He clutched his fist, as tight as he could before letting it go.

'I hate this so fucking much,' he thought, leaning heavily on his elbow and rubbing a palm roughly over his face.

"...Guardian of Wind, come out. Block the sound," he muttered sharply.

Immediately, she appeared, enveloping the storage area in a veil of silence.

"FUCK!" Van screamed, seizing a nearby chair and smashing it violently against the dirt floor, splintering the wood into countless fragments.

"FUCK, FUCK, FUCK—FUUUUCK! FUCK YOU, YOU PIECE OF SHIT! MAGUS, YOU—" he roared, voice tearing with rage. The Guardian remained silent, standing still in the corner, quietly watching as Van rolled in the dirt, each punch shaking the ground beneath him. His muscles strained, frustration mounting as he forced himself to hold back his strength, mindful of not destroying the guild.

"FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU, MOTHERFUCKER!"

At last, exhausted, Van collapsed onto his back, breathing sharply.

"Haa... fuck...!" he exhaled harshly, staring blankly at the ceiling above.

After several long moments, he steadied himself with a few deep breaths.

'Well... guess I should visit Lalyn now,' he thought, rising slowly with a heavy sigh. His gaze drifted momentarily toward the shadows of the storage area, where Mika and Rika still hid themselves quietly.

"And you two?" Van asked, voice drained. "Got anything to say about what just happened?"

Silence lingered in the shadows before the twins responded.

"...Remember our deal..."

"...Van."

"We won't hunt you down..."

"...until you remove everyone's..."

"...mind control," they finished quietly, their voices blending into one.

"I see," Van replied flatly, turning away. "Take care of yourselves."

Without another word, he followed in Marcy's footsteps, leaving the storage area behind.