Into the Great Below PV Alexander V. Finished

Mentions: @Aida Mòrsgor-Ama Ellwood

Alexander stood there. Watching out over the lake as he saw how Aida put the Mosp to rest. For a moment he wanted to tell her not to go into the cold freezing water. But that felt weak. It did not fit the gravity of this situation. Felt almost sacrilegious to do so. As Aida walked into the cold forest, almost like an inhuman faerie from a German fairy tale Alexander could not help but feel regret. Regret as he saw how the form of the Mosp was carried down together with Aida's coat.

He did not have the heart to say that it would probably be eaten by insects in the lake within a few days and that if it did not get eaten, it would simply rot. Instead, he reflected on what had lead up to this. Mostly him casting Incendio on the mosp.

He realized he did not truly regret the action or what happened to the Mosp itself (mostly). He had thought himself and Aida in danger. They had been in danger. And yet, looking back on this, he felt that he had acted wrong. That he could have done something to lead this all to a better conclusion.
He had expected the ball to go badly, he had not expected himself to hurt so much once it was finished. Not physically but emotionally.

Alexander looked at his clothes. Surprisingly, they were still alright. They had not gotten bruised and though he had ran excessively in it, it was definitely not ruined. But it was a testament to what had happened. The tragedy of this day.

He felt bad. Yet even though he felt miserable, he knew he had to stand strong, for his friend. And so Alexander told Aida that it was not her fault. That she had made no mistakes and that it was all bad luck. Which were all true, and he saw how Aida looked relieved as it said so. And yet still he felt bad. He had murdered the Mosp. He was at least one of the reasons behind its death. even if he wasn't the only reason.

He saw how Aida walked out of the water. Her clothes dripping with water, her wet shoes squelching as it went over the ground. But his focus was on her eyes. And Alexander could not sense what was behind those eyes. He had not seen anything like it before and he did not know what to think. It felt almost alien, the way Aida looked at him. And he felt he had to do something. And so he did. He spoke with conviction, but also a bit of sadness and melancholy. Emotions coming from the fact that Aida felt so bad as well. And a small bit of regret for the Mosp itself, as he began to feel guilty for the action itself.

He said words maybe he himself needed to hear as well.
"You did the right thing"

At the edge of the forest a deer crept quietly, watching. Fireflies also began to appear, first dotting the distant perimeter then appearing closer until Alexander and Aida were surrounded. As Alexander looked over his clothes, Aida looked as well. Surely it was an illusion, but the suit that was a bit large on him earlier in the night seemed to fit just a little better now. The garments had not been completely destroyed, and having assumed they were a hand-me-down, Aida thought that if he had worn something of his father's or another relative's that Alexander must have a more functional relationship with family than she did. Aida's eyes narrowed as she supposed that if she so much as saw any clothing belonging to Sean, she would burn them to ash. Yet, back in the library she had gotten a sense that there was a darkness lurking about the subject for Alexander. Indeed, now the boy's words echoed through time back from when they had met by the old oak tree, re-emerging from where they had burrowed into Aida's mind: "I suppose I am a little haunted by memories before Hogwarts."

Looking into Alexander's eyes as if it would help her to uncover his past, she began to shiver. The pattering of lake water mixed with blood and poison dripping onto the silty shore sounded quite loud in the still of the night. The girl was really freezing now, substantially numbing the mosp's venom in her veins.

Stepping one foot forward towards Alexander, Aida felt an illusory force field pushing her back. What did his eyes say? They were full of pain. He was hurting. Was it the mosp? Was it his past? Slowly, Aida took another step forward. The pain was calling to her. The darkness beckoned. She needed to be there.

"You did the right thing," said Alexander. Aida stopped, and it struck her that her pain might be causing him pain. Griffith had taught her to control her feelings in order to be a pillar for others, and that she could feel herself. Indeed, Aida was also full of pain, and there was Alexander, trying to be strong for her. But all she wanted now was to know his pain, to help heal his wounds... if he even wanted them healed. The calling was stronger and clearer than any real voice she had ever heard.



Closing her eyes to take a moment to think of how he might be feeling, she recalled that it was him who set the mosp ablaze in the first place. While the wrath of other humans also fell upon the mosp, as was the nature of this war, Alexander was not simply one of them. No, he had helped her turn this all around, even if her failures of strategy, her lack of magic, and her lack of knowledge caused her to fail. Aida felt so much that it was her who had failed the mosp. Her heart knew he had incinerated the creature out of an instinct to protect either him, Aida, or both. And yet, shouldn't he have done something else? Like her, shouldn't he have taken a different action? Aida did not want to forgive herself, but she did not want to blame Alexander either. These were the wages of war. Every general has to shoulder the weight of their mistakes, but that kind of regret can eat away one's will to live.

"After we have learned what we can, we cannot be weighed down by the departed. If anything, they should become the fire in our veins so that the future can be better. I am glad that you were there, and I would want you by my side at any battle."

Aida was not sure what she had learned. Was it that she should kill things instead of letting them suffer the frail possibility of recovery? Alexander had said she did the right thing. Aida didn't know anymore, but she did trust Alexander. They were both human and both sure to make mistakes, but Aida laid down her burden and decided to just trust Alexander's words. That was the only way she would have any peace.

His blue-green eyes were beautiful in the moonlight. Aida hoped that she could bring him this peace in return. The witch's eyes grew wet with tears, but not from the grief. Her heart was full of gratitude.

Mentions: @Aida Mòrsgor-Ama Ellwood

As Alexander listened to Aida he could not help but slightly feel insignificant, Aida stood in front of him like a character from a fantasy book. Like a fae or mythical creature that could have jumped out of the fairy tales themselves. Her words spoken with such weight and such severity. Aida might in fact be a faerie, both in how she acted and how she appeared. Glistening in the moon light like a pale rider.

In front of this he could not help but feel boyish. He was just a kid, though she was as well, he had not been for Hogwarts that long either. Or.... had he ? Nah he hadn't been here for that long. He was a first year after all. He was just Alexander, the kid who was a little weird and introverted who was bullied a little. Just a regular person, stuck here in such a magical world.

Alexander breathed out, trying to regain his senses. Reflecting on the words that Aida said. The weight she put on his shoulders. As the cold night air prickled his senses, and goosebumps spread accros his body. Alexander exhaled.

"Every experience like this is a lesson. It is important that we do not forget neither the lesson nor those who provided it. "

He breathed out, then got a small smile on his face. "Hogwarts... is a weird place. We can't predict what the future will hold. And..... it heartens me to know that we will be by each other's side when it happens."

Alexander's smile grew a bit wider.
Then he had a thought and walked closer to Aida, he was not quite used to this. He hadn't had any real friend before this. As such Alexander nervously scratched the back of his head a little.

Then his arms slowly went wide and open, though a little awkwardly so. And as they came into a physical distance Alex gave Aida a hug. A slightly soft hug but still one. As the hug enveloped Aida she heard Alexander whisper.

"Thank you... for being there."

Aida listened closely to Alexander’s words, each one etching deeply into her mind. It was especially on rare nights like these that small decisions could have complex, far-reaching effects. As Alexander’s face hatched a smile that grew into a grin, Aida’s pearly face also slid into a small smile. In her deepest heart Aida felt the urge to laugh and play again, like they had before the ball had darkened. Now, Alexander was strengthening her and she wanted to do the same for him. To be a source of light and warmth in the blackness, constant as the moon but always within reach. Aida’s grin grew sly as she, inside her head, laughed at herself. What could the weird phantom of a girl even hope to be for Alexander? She who alienated everyone who ever came within reach.

Yet, Alexander was beginning to walk forward. His arms slowly went wide and open. Before Aida could understand what was going on, Alexander was giving her a hug. He was tremendously warm. Blinking hard, Aida was concerned that she would get his suit wet with all the lake water, or worse, bloody it with her hand. Eyes darting around, Aida didn’t understand. A small fire lit inside her ribs. Then, quietly, Aida felt that this moment was the greatest gift she had ever received. Could this be the first hug she had ever had? She carried no memory of her parents. The girl had been nuzzled by horses, licked by dogs, kneaded by cats… but she could not remember a human ever hugging her. That was a thing books described, something she had seen strangers do. Aida did not know what to do. All she knew was that it felt incredible. It was not even a mere human. This was Alexander.

"Thank you... for being there," said the boy. Overflowing with gratitude, Aida kept her bloodied hand still at her side but reached around Alexander’s back first with her off arm. Yet, that didn’t feel right, so Aida balled her wounded hand into a fist in the hopes that it would not touch the fabric of his overcoat. Wrapping her other arm around him, too, Aida understood that this is what she had been wanting the whole time. She had just never had a name for it before. Breathing rapidly, Aida discovered she could feel the boy breathing as well. The smell of burnt mosp and smokescreen clung to his hair and clothes, as well as a faint whisper of blossoms, but above all he smelled like Alexander. Aida was happier than she had ever been in her life. Even happier than when she had earned the trust of Manticore. Awash in peaceful reverie, Aida could feel her heart beating in her chest. It was regular like clockwork, and she knew it meant that time was passing. Suddenly Aida realized she could feel Alexander’s heartbeat as well, through her shoulder. They both seemed so mortal despite the timelessness of the moment. Burying her face into him, Aida didn’t want to let go. Either of them could have died this night. As she was regaining some warmth, the mosp venom began to burn again. For the first time, Aida wondered if the mosp venom would kill her, and she had lost a lot of blood... but now more than ever Aida wanted to live. She couldn’t let herself die now that she felt so alive. Inhaling deeply one last time, Aida pulled back.

I should break into the potions storeroom, she thought. I know how to make antidotes. That way I can keep our secret. Then the grown-ups won’t try to torture information out of me about Alexander or what happened. The hospital is too dangerous. I’ll do it myself. Then I won’t die and I’ll be able to take care of Alexander.

Deeply looking into his eyes, Aida nodded. She had decided.

"I will always be here for you,” said the moonlit girl. Closing her eyes, Aida then whispered back: "Thank you.” Somewhere in Alexander's arms she had stopped shivering, but now Aida began to tremble for a different reason. Not wanting the moment to end, Aida squeezed her wounded hand hard. "Let’s get back before we’re caught.”

Thread closed.

@Alexander Varellion