Chapter XXXIII

After meeting Eric just outside the West Wilham High gates, Lilly walked with him in silence as they made their way to his house. At first, she worried that Nigreos and Album might be watching for them, but there were still enough students leaving that they could blend in with the crowd. Once they had branched off and were on a street alone, he threw up a distortion spell to be on the safe side until they arrived at his home. She wanted to say something to him, but found herself unable to find any words that could be of comfort. She could tell just by the tense expression on his face that he wasn’t in the mood to talk, and so she respected that and kept quiet, turning her thoughts instead to her upcoming meeting with Alice. When Eric told her that Alice was safe, she had wanted to immediately rush over and see her. However, due to the erasure of two more students and Rina’s death, she had decided it might be best to wait until Monday. Eric was busy enough as it was. She was glad that she finally found a good time.

But I’m not even sure what I’ll say to her. After everything that’s happened since the festival, I can’t even begin to imagine what state she’s in right now.

They already knew from Rina that Alice had given their names up to Nigreos and Album, but seeing how long she held out, Lilly didn’t want to think about what pain they must have put her through. She couldn't blame her friend for giving them up because she didn’t think she could have lasted as long.

And they cut off her leg… Eric already said he couldn’t regrow limbs so she’s going to be crippled for the rest of her life. Even if we somehow manage to fight Nigreos and Album off, Alice’s life will never be the same.

The two of them turned onto Eric’s street and they picked up their pace, anxious to get into the relative safety of his home. Once they walked up to the door, her boyfriend produced his key, unlocked it, and beckoned for her to come inside. He then dropped the distortion spell and let out a sigh of relief.

“I’m home,” he called out.

The entry hall was silent and she couldn't hear any noise coming from within. The two of them quickly removed their shoes then headed further inside to the entrance of the family room. When they peeked in, they found the room empty.

“Guess my dad’s still at work,” Eric muttered. “Good. In that case, come on. Alice is staying in our spare room.”

She nodded, quietly following after him as he led her into the hall and past his bedroom to the room on its right. The door was closed so the boy approached it and rapped his knuckles against its wooden surface a few times.

“Alice, it’s Eric. Lilly’s here to see you.”

“A-alright,” came a soft voice from inside. “Come in.”

Eric glanced over at her then pushed open the door before motioning for her to go inside first. She obliged, stepping past him as she entered the room. Despite having believed herself to be prepared, she was still unable to contain the overwhelming emotions that surfaced when she saw Alice sitting up in bed, her hands folded on her lap and the comforter pulled up over her legs. She looked exhausted, but other than the lost leg hidden beneath the blanket, she looked to be okay, however there wasn’t any sign of the old cheerful look in her eyes. Instead, she was almost staring up at her blankly, as if she no longer felt anything. Yet, despite that, after a little under two weeks of fearing that Alice could die at any moment, she felt intense relief at the sight of her good friend.

“Hey, Alice,” she greeted, choking back the tears that were threatening to flow. “It’s so good to see you again. I was so worried.”

Alice nodded meekly. “Y-yeah, it’s good to see you, too, Lilly.”

That was all she said and the words were spoken in an almost emotionless voice. She couldn’t imagine what was going through her mind or what she could be feeling. Eric had told Lilly that he filled her in on everything relating to magic, Ijiria, and the stone. In addition, he had reluctantly told her of Rina’s death and since then, she had been barely responsive. Lilly knew very little about the past she shared with Rina, but despite what they went through during Christmas, they were still old friends.

And Rina died saving her. I wouldn’t be surprised if she blames herself for what happened.

“How are you feeling?” Lilly managed to ask. “If you need me to do anything for you, I’ll do it, you know?”

She shrugged. “Thanks, but I’m okay. Eric already used his magic to heal everything but my leg. There’s not much else to be done anymore. Not like there’s really much point though. I appreciate your concern, but you’re worrying over nothing. None of this matters.”

“W-what do you mean?” she stuttered. “Of course it matters, Alice. I know you’ve been through a lot but I want to help you—”

“You want to help me?” she interrupted in almost a whisper. “Then send me back. Go find Nigreos and Album and let them take me. I already told Eric, but he doesn’t believe me.”

She wants to go back? But why? I don’t understand!

She glanced over at Eric, who had moved to the corner of the room opposite Alice, but he simply shook his head as the girl continued to mutter.

“They aren’t killing us, Lilly. They’re saving us. They’re sending us to a place where we can be happy. Everybody’s there now. All the people you claim are dead. Vinny, Jay, Evan…Rina and Audrey. They’re in paradise…and we should be, too.”

Lilly didn’t have a clue what she was talking about, and while her claims about this paradise were confusing, she was instead struck by a different part of what she said. “You…remember them?” she asked. “Alice, do you remember Mickelson, Brooks, and Wright?”

Alice nodded. “I do. Album did something to me when she sent me to paradise. I don’t know why, but I can remember them all.”

“But…” Lilly clenched her teeth. “I don’t understand. When she sent you to paradise? What’s paradise? Eric, what’s she talking about?”

Knowing that the boy knew the most about magic, she turned to him for an explanation, but he only shook his head and shrugged. “She was saying this last night, too, but I don’t have a clue what she means. My best guess is it’s the result of some brainwashing to get her to tell them our names.”

“It’s not a lie, Eric!” Alice suddenly snarled, her features contorting in fury. “Paradise is real! I’ve been there! Album and Nigreos showed it to me! Vinny’s there! He’s not dead!”

Her voice was shaking and Lilly couldn’t help but to take an involuntary step back.

“They just sent him to another world…” she continued, “...one where we can be happy! But right now, we aren’t there, so he’s sad! He’s suffering because we’re not there so we need to go and save him! And now, Jay’s there, too…with Rina and Audrey! It doesn’t matter that they're dead because they’re there! They’re waiting for me…for us...so we need to go find Nigreos and Album! We need to give ourselves up and abandon this hell of a world! There’s no reason to fight them!”

Despite her screaming, Eric remained calm as he shook his head. “I’ve already told you, Alice. Nigreos and Album lied to you. They probably used some form of illusion magic to make you believe they’re saving us, but they aren’t. They’re killing us and erasing us from existence. If we give ourselves up, we’re walking to our deaths.”

“No, no, no, no, no!” she shrieked, clutching at her hair as she shook. “That’s not true! It’s not! I know it’s not! Please, Lilly!” She turned to stare desperately at her. “Please! Believe me! They’re saving us!”

Lilly swallowed, unable to process that the panicked girl before her was really Alice Mendez. It made her sick. She was witnessing the effects of what the Masters did to her and she was forced to accept that Alice’s leg wasn’t the only thing that they might not be able to fix. They had scarred her mind, too.

“Alice, I…”

But she couldn't find her words. She didn’t know what to say. With each day, her world continued to fall apart and soon, there wasn’t going to be anything left.

“Tell me,” Eric began, bringing Alice’s attention back to him. “I brought it up last night, but I want to confirm one last time. Nigreos and Album are at your old hideout, correct?”

“They are,” she breathed. “Why are you asking? If you want to go after them, you should know you can’t beat them. They’ll kill you, Eric. You won’t win.”

“I know,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t try to negotiate. Half a mile west of the path, right? That’s how to get there?”

Lilly narrowed her eyes, seeing the brief flash of determination that went through his eyes.

“Yes,” Alice answered.

He nodded. “Good. In that case, I’ll leave you two alone for a while. I want to scope this place out and verify this.”

“You’re going alone?” Lilly instantly demanded.

“I am,” he confirmed. “But don’t worry about me, Lilly. With my magic, I can keep in the trees and stay safe. I’ll only be gone for a few hours so take care of Alice and when I get back, I’ll walk you home.”

“But—”

“If we don’t know what we’re dealing with, we’ll only be in more danger,” he stated firmly. “I promise, I’ll be safe. And remember, their magic doesn’t work on me. They won’t be able to hurt me.”

She reluctantly looked away, knowing he had a point but still hating the idea of him sneaking around their base alone.

But then again, I’m completely powerless around them. If I was there, I’d just be a burden on him. He’s better off alone.

“Alright, be safe,” she said.

“Thank you, Lilly. And I will.”

With that goodbye, he departed the room, leaving her standing alone with Alice, who had already started staring down at her hands with that empty look from before.

“He’s wasting his time,” she murmured. “He’s delaying the inevitable. I wish you both would just listen to me. I’ve been there. I’ve seen paradise.”

The girl was talking to herself more than she was to Lilly, yet she still felt the need to respond. “Tell me about this paradise, Alice.”

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At the moment, she agreed with Eric. From what they already knew of the Masters, it was easily believable that they would create an intricate lie such as a paradise to convince Alice that they weren’t there to harm anybody else. In fact, knowing Alice like she did, that would be the most effective way of getting her to talk. Alice would never sell out her friends to be murdered, but if she thought she was saving them, it wouldn’t be hard to get their information.

Yeah…I’m almost certain that paradise doesn’t exist. But Alice clearly believes it’s real and she says she’s been there…so I want to hear what she has to say.

At her request, her friend looked up at her as if hoping that she might have gotten through. Her expression then turned distant, as if she was reminiscing on happy memories and when she spoke, her voice was airy and relaxed.

“It’s amazing. In that world, I never lost anything. Audrey was there…and Rina and Jay. We were all still friends. We hadn’t fallen apart like we did here. Audrey never died and we were spending our high school days together. It was like a dream, Lilly…and one that didn’t have to end.”

Lilly frowned. Based on the way she spoke, the Jay boy that was erased on Friday was one of her old friends. It only made her wonder how much of her own reality was being toyed with and changed because of the growing number of people who had been wiped from it.

I wonder how well I knew this Jay Brooks. Eric said he was a close friend of mine, but I wonder what our relationship was like. I hate not knowing the truth. I hate that I’m losing parts of this past year.

“It sounds nice,” Lilly whispered. “But Audrey’s dead, right? So…how could this place be real? Why are you so certain that this isn’t some lie told by the Masters?”

“Because it was real,” she replied, as if that somehow answered the questions. “I knew Audrey, and that girl in paradise was her. And I know they weren’t lying because Vinny was there…and they sent me inside the same way they sent him.”

Lilly cocked an eyebrow. “And how was that?”

“Album stuck her hand in my chest and whispered an incantation that turned my body to dust and reformed me there,” she said. “It’s exactly what they did to Vinny in the diner.”

Stuck her hand in…and turned her to dust?

Regardless of whether Alice’s paradise was real or fake, that piece of information was crucial to fighting them. It matched what Eric said Album tried to do to him when she attacked him in the forest the previous Thursday.

That has to be how they erase us, she thought. Although, it’s strange. Alice doesn’t seem to be lying so, at the very least, they made her believe she went to this place. And when I spoke to Nigreos last Monday, he claimed that Mickelson wasn’t dead. Is it possible…that there’s some truth to this paradise they showed her?

When Nigreos had first made that claim, she and Eric had written it off as a lie made to convince them to submit. That still felt like what was happening, yet the optimistic part of Lilly wanted to believe it was true.

Because if it is…then Mickelson, Brooks, Fischer, Wright…they aren’t dead. They’re in this paradise and maybe…we can get them out. Or at least, if Nigreos and Album catch us, our fates won’t be sealed. It won’t be over yet.

“Vinny’s inside there…” Alice went on. “He’s there and he’s lost. He needs us to come and find him. Nigreos and Album aren’t going to hurt us. We’re just going to be somewhere better than here.”

Lilly sighed then shook her head. “You say that, but you were there at the diner, right? You saw them kill all those innocent people. If they were here to save us, then why would they do that?”

For a moment, Alice’s expression tensed up in pain as she most likely recalled whatever she saw on that infamous night. “I didn’t say they were good people. I still hate them. Those people didn’t need to die… Rina didn't need to die. But none of that matters anymore because Rina and Monica and everybody else they killed will be there.”

So that’s how she’s coping with this. She’s telling herself that this world is already lost and that she can find happiness in this other place. But I just can’t accept that. Whether this place exists or not, it can’t be as perfect as she thinks it is.

“Alice…”

She went silent as she heard the sound of footsteps coming down the hallway followed by a soft knocking at the door.

“Mendez, it’s me.”

Lilly frowned at the voice, having figured the person at the door was Eric. After a moment, she realized that Eric’s father must have come home while they were talking and she hadn’t heard.

“Yeah, come in,” Alice called out.

When the door opened, Eric’s father walked in and immediately stared in surprise at Lilly. She had only ever met him once and that was on the night she and Eric were attacked by that monster after the festival. But back then, she had only caught a glimpse of him through the doorway and he had hardly spoken to them. This was the first time she had gotten a clear look at him. He was dressed in a suit and tie and his graying hair was combed to the side, giving him a much more respectable appearance from last time. He had a full gray beard and was quite large in the stomach. However, she could still see the resemblance between him and Eric.

He frowned and glanced away. “Oh, er, I didn’t know you were coming by, Miss…?”

“Harper,” she answered. “I’m Lilly Harper. We met a couple weeks ago.”

“Yeah, I remember you,” he grunted. “I didn’t see my son around though. Is he not home?”

She shook her head. “No. He went out, but he said he’ll be back in a few hours. He’s checking on something.”

For a moment, the older man’s features hardened and she could tell that he already suspected what Eric was up to. While Lilly didn’t know much of anything about Scott Reiner, she did know that he was aware of the existence of magic. After Rina dropped Alice off, Eric had been forced to explain everything to his father and now, he knew more or less what was happening to them. Yet, all he had done was keep watch on Alice. She didn’t know what was going through his mind, but to her, it almost seemed like he didn't care.

“Well, I was just checking on Miss Mendez but seeing as you’re here, I’ll excuse myself.”

With that curt goodbye, he turned around and departed the room. Lilly, however, wasn’t ready for the conversation to be over. There was so much about that man that confused her. With everything she had been told about Eric’s mother, his father seemed to be the exact opposite. He had stayed out of his son’s life for years and showed little care in what he did. From her perspective, he could hardly be called a parent. And now, with Nigreos and Album in Wilham, he should have at least tried to do something to save his son, but he was just sitting around. It infuriated her and she wanted to know what was really going on with him. Eric wasn’t home so she was free to have a one-on-one conversation with him.

“I’ll be right back, Alice,” she muttered, then walked through the doorway and moved down the hall.

“Mr. Reiner!” she called after him.

Eric’s father, who was on the other side of the hallway, opening the door to what she assumed must have been his bedroom, stopped and glanced back over his shoulder, his brow furrowed in curiosity.

“Yes? Can I help you?”

She clenched her teeth and for a moment, she wondered if she shouldn’t just back out and leave it alone. After all, Eric’s family life wasn’t her business and she was almost certain that he wouldn’t have wanted her to talk to his dad.

But then again, he got Alexa involved behind my back, so why don’t we just call it even?

“What the hell is your problem?” she demanded, taking a few steps forward to close some of the gap between them.

The man looked taken aback by her sharp tone and she saw anger flash across his eyes, but he seemed to quickly take control of himself as he responded. “Excuse me?” he growled. “And what do you mean by that, Miss Harper?”

She narrowed her eyes, feeling her own anger bubbling up as she faced him. “Don’t act like you don’t know. What kind of father are you supposed to be anyway? Ever since I met Eric, I’ve heard all about how kind and wonderful his mother was, but he never talked about his dad. I never really knew why until I met you that night and saw how you treated him! He came home late in the evening with a girl you never met and you didn’t give a damn! Why is that, huh? Why didn’t you care?”

Scott eyed her with clear irritation then snorted. “Hasn’t anybody ever told you it’s rude to pry into other people’s business, Miss Harper?”

“Hasn’t anybody ever told you that you’re a shit father,” she snapped back.

She clearly hit a nerve with her bluntness and even she wondered if maybe she was taking it too far. However, the constant stress of the last two weeks and the possibility that she could be dead soon made her realize that it didn’t matter how she treated him. If she died then it was likely he wouldn’t ever remember the conversation anyway, so to her, it seemed silly to have a filter. The end of their lives could be in sight so she wanted Mr. Reiner to hear what she had to say. She needed an outlet to vent her fury and he was providing her with the best chance.

“Maybe it’s time for you to leave my house,” he said through gritted teeth. “If you can’t be polite then—”

“Make me, why don’t you?” she retorted. “You listen here, Mr. Reiner. To be perfectly honest, I know that what I’m doing right now would probably piss your son off. Like I said, he’s kept his family life a secret from me for a long time. But I feel like this needs to be said. Any day now, we could all die. Nigreos and Album could make their move and more of us could be erased from this world. Your son could die and what are you doing about it? You haven’t talked to him. You haven’t tried to help him! He said you’ve just been keeping to yourself! So let me ask you this! When the hell do you plan on acting like a father?!”

Part of her expected him to lose his temper then and there, but to her surprise, he remained calm and merely scoffed. “I…was never meant to be a father.”

She hadn’t expected such a response, but before she could say anything, he went on.

“I know I’ve been a shit father, Harper,” he snapped. “I don’t need some high school girl to tell me that much and I don’t need to be lectured by one either. So mind your own damn business, kid, especially when you don’t understand a thing. I may be a shit father, but I’m not sitting by and doing nothing.”

And with that, he stalked into the room and slammed the door behind him, leaving her gaping in surprise at the empty hallway.

He’s…not sitting by and doing nothing? What’s that supposed to mean?

***

“I-I….I did what…you asked me to do…”

Nigreos Noctis folded his arms as he regarded the trembling man before him. He was on the older side with a balding head and round glasses, as well as a suit and tie. The Master of Darkness didn’t know his name nor did he care to. All he needed to know was that he was a teacher at West Wilham High. They were standing in a rather secluded part of the forest a few dozen yards off the path where they faced Eric Reiner a few days prior. The sun was getting low on the horizon and soon, it would be dark once again. Behind the teacher, Album was standing against a tree, regarding the situation with a bemused yet satisfied look.

“So you got me the information I wanted?” Nigreos asked. “All the addresses I requested?”

The teacher swallowed and hurriedly nodded, frantically reaching into his bag to produce a few pieces of folded up paper. “Y-yes…” he stuttered. “I got the records you asked for. Tao, Clark, Harper, and Reiner, correct?”

Nigreos grinned darkly as he swiped the papers from the man’s hand and unfolded them to get a good look at them. Sure enough, it had all the information he wanted. At first, he had been hesitant about getting involved with the magicless more than he already had, but seeing as how desperate they were becoming, he bit his tongue and took the risk. And so, that morning, he jumped a man who appeared to be part of the staff and threatened him to retrieve what he wanted. Like he expected, after showing him a bit of magic, the man was cowardly.

“Thank you,” Nigreos muttered. “I appreciate your help.”

The man swallowed. “So, um, am I free to go? Is my family safe?”

“Do not worry. Your family will be fine. Go ahead, Album.”

Having expected him to say that, Album bolted across the gap between her and the teacher instantly, never hesitating to bury her left hand straight through his back before it erupted through his chest. He let out an audible cry and his eyes went wide in utter horror.

“Erasurei,” she intoned.

When the Master of Light yanked her hand free, the man stumbled forward, his mouth opening and closing in futile attempts to process what had just happened. Unfortunately for him, his body began to crumble into dust before he could, and soon enough, he had faded into nothingness.

“Well, while I would have preferred not to interact with anybody else, I can’t deny that was effective,” Album mused. “We have what we need?”

Nigreos nodded, folding up the papers once more and slipping them into his suit. “Yes, the problem is solved. From here, it’s just a matter of going to each house and erasing them.”

“Perfect,” she said. “I’m sick of this place.”

With the teacher erased and forgotten, the two Masters proceeded silently toward where their hideout was located. As much as they had suffered plenty of surprises, Nigreos knew that in the end, the result was never going to change. With the information they gained from Mendez before they lost her, tracking down the West Wilham students was simple.

It’s unfortunate that we lost Brooks, but in this instant, Album was right. In the end, it won’t matter. We’ve won.

Nigreos grinned to himself as he and his partner stepped through the barrier and into the clearing with the hideout, only for them to both stop and gape in shock. There, before them, was the little cabin up in flames, collapsing in on itself as the fire burned through the wood. The heat was intense and the smoke was being contained by the barrier, so it immediately became harder to breath.

What in the living hell happened?!

But the moment he asked himself that question, a boy appeared in his vision twenty yards away, as if dropping a distortion spell. He was smiling as wind magic flowed around him, preventing the heat and smoke from harming him.

Nigreos clenched his teeth in frustration, realizing just how obvious of a question it had been.

“Reiner.”