Surviving Times

MIA'S POV:

I guess I was out for a while now. Everything was hazy. But it felt hot… I was able to feel mom and grandma… those two never left.

Honestly, I was too tired to think anything. I just want to shut down for a while… whoops, sleep.

.

.

.

I guess I shouldn't have slept for long. The two of them had dark circles while I slept without a care in the world.

As soon as I woke, mom hugged for a long time. She had many things to say, but kept it inside her. She never did. She always bottled all her feelings within her. I wish I could support her with that… But I'm merely a three year old, not so reliable.

***

It's been three years since my 'baptism.' The passage of time was a bit blurred for sometime after the trial. But thanks to the help of one of my ancestors, I was normal again, not that I'm normal, but still, the feeling of emptiness subsided for good.

And yeah, I passed the trial. But somehow all the ancestors seemed to unavailable. Then I thought, what if they were there with me all the time while I faced the Void? The answer, Yes. They were there. And somehow, I manage to antagonize a whole lot of them…

I felt depressed about it for a while… All of the witches in there were clearly some badass witches. And I pissed them off badly. I kinda pity them, but hey it's not my fault.

The only good thing I got from all this trial fiasco would be the guidance of Anathema Josette Morgan. And she is… just freaking awesome in few words.

I love her because she's so cool and chill for an ancient witch and was fun talking to… She was also one of the few who managed to leave their a 'copy' of complete awareness behind after their death.

This is like all the knowledge, experience and thinking abilities of a person left behind in the form of tutorial. She's not just a simple ghost because she's able to do magic. Show me a ghost who is able to do magic as good as her. I will admit that she is not unique which is impossible. And man I adore her so much. We both hit off quite well.

One, because she doesn't see me as three years old I am. She treats me as an equal and doesn't shy away from placing me in danger. Which I appreciate. Don't judge, I'm not a... never mind.

Two, she was the first person to ever pass the void trial like me. She praised for being inside the void for nearly 1250 years. I didn't know I was in there for that long… and she was the one who increased the difficulty of the trial before she died. I am indebted to her for that, otherwise, I would never be able to complete my dream project.

Three, she is simply a cool girl. Her thinking is beyond times. She was like an OP jack of trades and knew so much stuff and doesn't mind sharing it with me. I was the only one given the chance to visit her chamber. It was indeed like her… versatile.

So here I am, inside the chamber of Anathema, the witch hidden in an enigma to the entire world. I was chatting with her.

"Say, Anathema. How do you think this would work?" I was presenting her the plan to make some keys of the celestial spirits.

"Hmm. Another novel idea?"

"Yeah. What do you think?"

"Honestly, it might work but it might not work. Let's us try it out in the virtual reality and check the odds. How about it?"

"Sounds just fine for me."

She was cool with the virtual reality. I know that concealing it from her would be a pain in the arse so, I told the truth except the unGodly AI. She accepted it quite well.

Apparently, she had done the same in her trial it seems. She was bored and hence she thought of new theories to pass two centuries in the void. And yeah she absolutely loved thinking, and sometimes overthinking.

But that was fine. I tend to overthink. My life or lives made me an antisocial pessimist, so I overthink a lot.

Henceforth, she's my new best friend.

I didn't spend all these years in vain. I managed to convert all the magic spells from the Earthland usable here. The Earthland magic consumed substantial amounts of magic. A simple charming and I'd be a goner, puff.

This is where Anathema and I know we love each other. She might actually be the most talented witch in the magic theory. She's an enormous help in breaking all the Earthland magic to simple runes and then design the spells with the identical effect.

It would've been so arduous without her help. I mean, the laws of the two worlds were so different. The magic itself constituted differently. In Earthland, the magic was made of ethernano. In here, the magic stemmed from the soul and emotions.

The magic from both the worlds was like the two sides of the same coin or maybe a different coin altogether. And figuring out the means to relate them was as good as a blind man who never held a gun hitting a bullseye. In short, my gratitude towards Anathema has no bounds... I'm quite grateful but also a bit suspicious... She's helping with no problem at all. I asked her the reason for that. She just smiled mysteriously. Saying that I would soon know the reason.

Hence I had no qualms with sharing my knowledge with her. Except the alchemy. I have a bad feeling that she would start comprehending the world due to her curiosity but also because she wont able to do it. She is dead after all...

Life was so nice, I knew I was getting stronger by the minute and expanding my knowledge. And the best of all, I know my mother is not going to die. My trial did indeed make some massive changes to the mission. The two missions were replaced with a single mission which remains to be unknown yet.

I was content. My mom is alive and healthy. Everything was going well, not.

There is such a useless thing called society.

And wizarding society wasn't much useful either. I hate them all. Because they consume so much time. For no use.

But as a matter of fact all the parents think exactly the opposite. So here come the not so necessary evil called socialization.

Mom d.e.s.i.r.ed me to socialize. And guess what. I had to give in. She was quite tolerant already. Providing me six years of freedom from the hypocrisy called mankind. But I guess I can't push my luck any further.

Only Anathema and Gresil understood me. But even they think it's time for me to get along with the kids of my age which undoubtedly would be stupid.

Anathema thinks it's important… because it's important. I'm not gonna argue with my friend.

But Gresil tool, I was wounded.

'I thought you would understand my plight, Gresil.'

[Mia, even though I'm not a human, I think it's good if you get along with others. Staying alone is no good.]

'I'm bound to be alone, Gresil. You know that better than anyone.'

[No, you chose to be alone and always do]

'Because that's the right thing to do. I shouldn't get close with anyone in any life. That's my curse.'

[Then why do you love your new family, Mia? You know they will be your family for only this life. So what's wrong with getting along with more people? You love Anathema, same way you'll find more.]

'My family and Anathema, three people I can afford to cherish and love. I'm not capable of-'

[Don't lie Mia. You loved the entire Fairy Tail Guild. So no problem with making many friends for you.]

'You still don't get it. I will forget them eventually, and I don't want to. The fewer the better. If I forget them, I-'

[You won't forget them Mia. You're just afraid you would. And that would you would forget yourself in the process…]

'And that's why I need to keep myself together, Gresil. In this vicious circle of lives, I want to be someone I Know.'

[But you're already becoming something you're not, Mia]

'DON'T YOU DARE SAY THAT!'

[The one I knew was never afraid to face anything, even death. But now, Mia, you refuse to even face few kids!]

'...I'm just annoyed that's all.'

[No! You're scared. Scared that you won't be able to part with them!]

'Fine. I admit it! I don't want to have anything to do with anyone. All because I'm afraid of letting go! What's wrong with that?'

[There's nothing wrong. That's why you should not close yourself from others, Mia.]

'Do you know how hard it would be, Gresil? To part with someone you know, you love and cherish. Knowing you would never see them again?'

[I know it, Mia. I left my parents in Edolas and all the friends in Earthland to come with you.]

'...'

[I did so because I wanted to help you. Helping you to be you. Mia, you said it yourself. In your first life, you said you wanted to see the world, meet new people and see everything in life. Why are you backing off now?]

'...'

[Not everything would turn out like Aziryn, Mia. Not every parting would be painful. You may miss all the people here, but you will also meet new ones, who will be just as irreplaceable.]

'...'

[Since 'it' happened, you are slowly becoming a shell of your former self, Mia. I want you to be You again. The one, who was unbreakable. Not fragile like this! We both promised to treat every moment like an adventure! So don't you dare back off Now!]