THE NEW LIGHT OF DESIRE, APOLRENAE
ISABEL & ROSABEL : The Chosen One
HOUSE OF THE DRAGON
when being a master of a dragon means how powerful you are
What I did to her was merely punishment. Other gods and goddesses may not be as kind to her as I did. No, I will not return her to you. She deserves to be where she is. You heard what she said the night before.”
“No,” Isabel begged, “she didn’t mean what she said Rosabel,she was just angry When she loses her head, she always acts before thinking It was my fault I–I dragged her into this situation, I will never do it again!”
“I do not acknowledge that, it is not my concern ”
Athena reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a red rose petal.She rested it gently on her palm and showed it to Isabel.
“What is that?” Isabel asked.
“This?” Athenasaid, giving the petal a calm yet menacing look. “This is her,” she said.
Isabel froze.A stream of cold chill rushed throughher bones. She stared at the rose petal on Athena’s palm unbelievably.
“That’s… Rosabel?!” she gasped.“No way. You… turned her into a…”
“Arose petal.” she nodded. “Suits her, does it not? Owning to her name.”
“But… I thought you sent her to hell.” Isabel shivered,and Athena busted a massive laugh as if she heard the funniest joke.
“Hell? Child, you must be deranged. We do not have such privilege to bring or take a soul to the afterlife. That is against our way. We do not kill; we protect and punish. And in this case, your little friend crossed the line,so I merely gave her a hard consequence.”
Athena moved her hand to the other side. “Even though I have no right to take her soul away, I do have the power to changeher appearance.
If I flick
my fingers,the wind will blow this petal to wherever. You and I will never be able to see her again. Shall I do it, child?” she gave her the evilest smile ever.
Isabel fisted with anger, “You are cruel…” she muttered under her breath.
“I am, sadly,” Athena agreed.Her narrow, menacing eyes glared down at Isabel. “And so does other gods. Did you really think that gods are all about good deeds? We are as unhinged and corrupted as you mortals are. You would be surprised to know what I had done in the past. It sickens me to see mortals worship us as if we are pure.”
Isabel was about to back away when she remembered Rosabel’swords.
Are you just going to give up like that?
Athena sighed,“To be honest, child. I do feel sorry for you to have a friendlike that. But one’s destiny should not be entangled with another ”
“I’ll do anything!” Isabel cried, and that was what the goddess had been waiting for. Isabel saw it in her eyes, the way they narrowed with intentions, the way she hunched forward, grinning. This was why Athena waited for her to come back here. And why the cunning goddess sent the owl to her. She knew.
“Anything?” she asked slyly.
Isabel sensed a terrible mistake she was about to commit. “Yes.”she said.
“Anything you want, I’ll even pay you monthly if that’s alright ”
“Pay?” Athena shook her head, her thin lips pulled into a sly grin
“Your money does not interest me ”
“What does interest you?” Isabel pursued,“you must have something in mind. That’s why you waited for me here, the reason why Glauko–whatever guided me to you. You clearly want something from me. So out with it!”
Athena chuckled, “You are smarter than you look. A young lass with the courage to make a deal with the devil. And here I was, doubting myself that you are the one.
“What do you mean?” Isabel asked.
“Never mind that, child. Let us continue our conversation.”
Athena stepped closer to her, the glazing grey eyes awaken something in Isabel’s body.
“Do you remember what the snake and I were talking about?”
“You mean Rosabel? Yeah,she said she wanted to join you. You said no but eventually, you accepted her. But when you found out that she was evil, she insulted you and you vanished her.”
“That about sums it up,” she agreed, “Except if you recall, she wanted to be my apprentice. I was not too keen on one. They can be both useful and a burden.”
“What’s all this leading?”Isabel asked.
“I decidedto give it a thought.Now that I have separated myself from my clan, an apprentice would not be such a bad idea.”
Isabel frowned, “You mean you want to take Rosabel as your student now?”
“Tartarus, no!” She roared and Isabel swore that she felt the ground shook beneath her
“That demon? There will be no telling what she will do as she matures. No, Isabel Levine, I do not wish for Rosabel Martin to be my apprentice.”
Then she pointed a long, bony finger at Isabel. And she knew exactly what the cunning goddess was going to say.
“You want me?!”Isabel sighed in disbelief. And the goddess's dark, sinister smile told her she was right.
“You’re crazy!” Isabel exclaimed. “There’s no way I’ll become your apprentice! No way! You must be mad to even think of a such thing!”
Athena shrugged, “Then there is no deal.” she said simply.
“Please,” Isabel begged. “There must be another way. Please reconsider.” but Athena’s dull expression remained unchanged.
“The issue is not open to debate, child.”, she said. “If you wish to save your friend, then join me. If you refuse, then there is nothing else to discuss.”
“What if I ”
“Do not waste my time!” she roared, stomping her foot into the ground which made Isabel flinch unexpectedly “I had put up with plenty of ignorance in the mortal realm If you are not interested in my offer, say so and I will leave. But do not waste my time with other options, because there is none.”
Isabel nodded, defeated, then stepped forward.“If I become your apprentice, what do I have to do?” she asked.
Athena smirked. “You will come with me to Mount Olympus,the home of all gods and goddesses. You will follow my orders while being under my command. You will be supervised by me at all times. You will do everything
I said. If I tell you to speak, you will. If I tell you to go, you will. If I tell you to die, you will. And in return,I will teach you the way of the divine,you will learn the truth beyond mortal knowledge. Oh, and I will return your snake-like friend Rosabel too.”
Isabel’s gaze became unfocused, those were such heavy requirements and frightful needs. But if she accepts the goddess’s deal, then she would have to leave her family behind.That would be the end of her human life;no more school, no more books, no more class with Ms. Blackwell, no more reading about animals, and no more happy dinner with her family.
“If I join you, do I have to be immortal?” Isabel asked.
“Not exactly,” Athena claimed. “Mortals who left their realm to other realms will have a longer life span than they usually do. They will become stronger, smarter, and braver. They will at least live through their hundreds. But in exchange, they can never return back to their home realms Becauseif they do, their soul will immediately depart their body ”
“I don’t know, that sound really depressing,” Isabel said
“It is your choice,child I will not force you to be my apprentice In fact, you are free to walk away and pretend that this meeting never happened.” Athena said.
“But Rosabel will not come back!” Isabel cried, a brim of tears forming at the corner of her eye.
“Yes,” she agreed idly. “It is your life or hers”
Had this played out differently, she wouldn’t come here to see Athena at all. She would still be lying in her bed with her siblings, all cuddled up
under a warm blanket. But she would feel an empty void in her, a void filled with nothing but the guilt of letting her best friend turned into a petal forever.
“Well?” Athena finally brokethe silence that hung in the nightair like a ghost. “Have you considered your answer?”
Isabel thought about it, she really did. She wanted to run away and lied to herself that she was just dreaming. But that would mean her best friend would never be found again. It was a trade for life. Did Isabel felt guilty enough to throw away her own life for a friend? Was Rosabel worth such a deal? The answer was:
Yes.
“Fine,” Isabel sighed. “I’ll do it, I’ll become yours.”
Athena lifted her chin, satisfied.
“To save my friend, and not for any other reason. I don’t like it, but I have no other choice. I’ll be your apprentice. But know this, Athena. I will never trust you, and you will never be able to earn my trust. If there’s a chance for me to betrayyou, I will take it. If an opportunity to kill you arises, I will not hesitate. You’ll never be able to trust me.”
Isabel expected Athena to fall back in either fear or rage, but she simply nodded. “I know you will. That is why I want you, Isabel Levine. A goddess’s apprentice must have spirit. Your honesty and ambitious qualityare exactly want drew me to you. You will be a dangerous lass to have around.
Of that I am sure ”
“How do we do this?” Isabeltook a deep breath and Athena tucked the rose petal– Rosabel– into her coat Isabel’s breath hitched when she thought the petal would be squished between her pocket
Athena pulled up her hand and then a golden scale appeared in her hand.
“You know how this goes,child. I will take a droplet of your bloodand drop it on the dish. On the other side, I will rest a feather. If the dish with your blood is heavier than the feather, I can not accept you. However, if it weighed lighter than the feather ”
“Then the deal’s done.”Isabel finished and bit her own fingerso that it created a wound. Blood was streaming down her finger but she forced a brave face.
Athena smiled, “That is the spirit, lass.”
Isabel secretly wished for her blood to be heavier than the feather,that way she would have a reason to withdraw from the deal. But unfortunately, her blood is lighter than the white feather.
“Very well, you have a good heart. This will do.” Athena snapped her fingers then the golden scale immediately disappeared. She took Isabel’s bleeding finger and covered it with her soft palm. In a second, Isabel could feel the itch and pain go away and when she looked again, her wound disappeared. No scar and no indication of injury.
“Can you change her back to a human now?” Isabel asked.
“In a moment,” Athena said and raised a finger, then placed it on Isabel’s wrist. She closed her eyes and chanted a strange phrase that Isabel doesn’t understand.
Athena chanted and golden insignia wrapped around Isabel’s wrist like a bracelet The golden ring wrapped around her permanently
Athena opened her eyes, “This is a symbol of a divine apprentice. Other gods will be able to recognize that you are my apprentice from the insignia on your arm. This symbol is permanent, you will remain mine until the day your soul parted.”
Isabel studied the golden insignia closely. It was the most beautiful symbol she had ever seen. Logically, it suits the goddess sinceshe was pretty much the most beautiful woman Isabel had ever seen.
Athena chuckled, “Interested, are you?” and Isabel blushed away.
“Now then,”Athena reached into her pocket again and delicately pulled out the red rose petal. “Shall we bring her back?”
Isabel stared at the petal, almost forgetting why she agreed to the deal with the devil. She wondered how would she be able to explain all this to Rosabel. The fact that she indeliberatedly took her place, the place that her best friend longed for. Could they ever be friends again after this? And how would she explain to her that she will have to leave the world to be with Athena? To learn the way of the gods while Rosabel stayed here, alone.
All in all, the only possible answer Isabel could think of was… to not tell her at all.
The classroom was singing with joy. The students all gathered up around a desk in the middle of the classroom. They were so focused on one of their classmates that none of them noticed Isabel walking into the classroom.
She didn’t forget to put a bandage around her wrist, so nobody could see the golden insignia around it There was no way she would tell Rosabel
about what happened. If she found out that Isabel took her desired position in order to save her life, they will never be friends again.
After last night, Athena chanted a spell, and the petal slowly transformed into a girl. Rosabel’sbody lay unconsciously on the ground while Isabel tried to wake her up.
The sleeping girl’s eyes snapped wide open and stared at both Athena and Isabel for a few seconds before closing again. Then she fell into unconsciousness for the second time.
“Rosabel?!” Isabel shook her friend’s arm. “Is she… dead?” Isabel’s pale face slowly curled into a panic.
“No. Her body is adjusting to her old form. She will be fine.” Athena said. Suddenly, they saw a light coming through the forest. As Isabel looked closer, it was a light from a flashlight. More and more were comingthis way. Isabel recognize one of the men, he was the policeman that showed up at school this morning! And now dozen of policemen were coming this way.
Athena grabbed Isabel’sarm away from her sleeping best friend and jumped behind one of the big tombstones. The group of policemen spotted Rosabel on the ground and began to run toward them.
“We must leave now, come.”Athena hissed. “Olympus awaits us.”
Isabel staredat the hand she was holding out, then at Rosabel, then at the policemen, then at the dark forest behind her.
Athena lowered her hand. “I see,” she said in a bleak voice. “You are going back on our deal ”
The policemen were inspecting Rosabel’s body about five meters away from where they were hiding They were checking for a sign of life from her
Athena stood up, “Very well. Isabel Levine, I give you three days to say farewell to your friends and family. But after that, you will come with me to Olympus. That is final.” Isabel opened her mouth as if to say something but quickly shut it Hesitantly, without thinking, she dashed out of the tombstone and ran into the dark woods behind them Back to her home, where she hid behind her blanket, and pretended that nothing had happened, except for the golden insignia embedded into her wrist
“I can’tbelieve that you’re back!” a girlin her class beamed.
“We thought you ran away! That would be the coolest thing ever!” a boy laughed and the rest of the classroom giggled as well. They were all surprised to see their missing classmate back, sitting in her seat.
Rosabel rested her face on her hand,“Ah, that’s stupid.Why would I run away? Besides, there’s no other place I’ll rather be than here.
What a lie, and both Isabel and Rosabel knew that.
“I don’t know what happened to me,” Rosabel said to her classmates.
“Isabel and I sneaked out at night to watch a movie. But then we lost each other in the crowd. I was knocked over and had a blackout. The next thing I know I woke up and…well… I slept for days. Nobody could see me because I accidentally fell into a sewer.”
The students all laughed.They thought Rosabelwas being serious.But deep down, the girls knew that was not what happened.
The red hair girl spotted her best friend standing by the door. Her face lit up and waved at Isabel. They chatted and joked around with each other until the real question arrived.
“It’s weird, when I was unconscious, I had a dream. I thought I saw you and… nevermind. But yeah, the dream felt so real.” Rosabel said and Isabel had to lowered her gaze, afraid that her best friend might find something in her eyes.
“Where did you go after the movie?” Rosabel asked her best friend. Isabel straightened her back, debating whether she should tell her the truth.
“I um… went back home, obviously.”
“Alone?” she asked.
“Yes, of course,you didn’t want to come with me. And you didn’t tell mewhat you were up to, so I left.” Isabelcrafted a lie that came straight out of her mouth, and Rosabel seemed to believe her.
“Did you see anything that night?” Rosabel asked, her eyes having a glimpse of doubt.
Isabel was about to speak when Ms. Blackwell entered the class. She tucked her glasses to her face and smiled at her students.
“Well, isn’tthis great news? Our sunshine is here!” Ms. Blackwell smiled and put her books on her desk. “Welcome back, Rosabel.”
Rosabel wore a thin smile, “Thanks, Ms. Blackwell.”
“You know,I thought you and Isabelran away together. Her parent told me she snuck out late at night not long after you were gone.”
Rosabel shot Isabelan alarming look and she was takenback in a beat.
“Say what?” Rosabel pardoned
“Funny story, after you left, Isabel tried to run away too But her parents caught her first I would be shocked too if both of you decided to go without saying goodbye ” Ms Blackwell joked
“But now both of you are here and safe. What a coincidence.”
Rosabel narrowed her eyes, “Yeah,”she looked at Isabel from the corner of her blue eyes, “What a coincidence.”
The class continued. Ms. Blackwell taught Greek Mythology to the class. She described how Zeus was spirited away to the Mountain of Dikte on the island of Crete where he was raised by the primeval goddess Gaia. And how he birthed his daughter in the most horrific way.
“You see, children,” Ms. Blackwell pointed to the picture on the board. “Zeus swallowed his pregnant wife, Hera. Later when Zeus felt immensepain in his head, he ordered Hephaestus to split his head open with an axe. And out of his skull, out came his daughter who was destined to be a goddess of morals and wisdom. Her name is ” “Athena.”
They answered at once. Both girls quickly looked at each other, surprised by each other’sanswer Rosabel’s astonishing blue eyes widen and Isabel had to quickly turn away Her heart was beating so rapidly that she expected Rosabel to notice it
“Well done, girls! You really did your homework I didn’t know you were interested in Greek Mythology too, Isabel.” Ms. Blackwell praised.
Isabel managed a nervous smile. She could feel a pair of eyes boiling into her skull to her left. But she didn’twant to glance that way. She daren’t.
Rosabel wasn’t suspicious at all. She knew.
Even after the school bell rang, Isabel couldn’t find the courage to approach Rosabel.She left the classroom as quickly as she could and threw her backpack over her shoulder. Then she heard someone call her name
“Isabel!”
She turned around And there she was, her best friend,running down the hall to catchup with her She gaspedfor air before speaking, “Why are you avoiding me?” she asked.
Isabel looked left and right, “What do you mean?” she asked.
“You know what I mean,” she said standing upright. “You didn’t talk to me for the whole day.”
Isabel tilted her head, unable to meet her eyes. “I um… just wasn’t feeling well. My head really hurts, so ”
“I’ve been thinking aboutit. You said you went home but that’s not what happened, was it? You probably stuck around and wandered into the forest near the theater. And you saw what happened between me and the goddess.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about! I didn’tsee anything!”
Isabel snapped.
“No?” Rosabelasked.
“No.” she lied.
“You didn’t see the goddess and I talked?Are you ”
“Look. Rosabel,”Isabel interrupted. “Whatever happened between you and Athena is your business. Please stop bugging me.”
“You’re such a bad liar, Isabel.”Rosabel half smirked half laughed.
“Eh?” Isabel tilted her head, pullingthe bandage around her wrist tighter.
“I said I was talking to the goddess,not Athena. If you weren’tthere, how else would you know?”
“Because…” Isabel bit her tongue and sighed. “Alright, yes I saw it.”
Rosabel nodded,and her gaze fell to the floor.“So you avoided me because she said I was evil, right?”
“No, of course not!” Isabel protested.
“Then why!?” Rosabel yelled and made Isabel flinch.“Why did you avoid me? Are we not friends anymore? What are you hiding from me?”
Isabel froze. ‘What am I hiding? The fact that I saved your life by giving mine to Athena. If I tell you, you’ll never be able to trust me again.’ she wanted to scream her thought out loud but couldn’t. Rosabel’s eyes began to watered.
“My parents told me the police found me at the graveyard alone I don’t remember falling asleep while meeting with the goddess Something must have happened Did you speak with her? Did you make some sort of deal with her?!” Rosabel yelled
Isabel was shocked to see how Rosabel almost figured it out. She was about to give in when she thought of a lie.
“Yes, yes. I did something.” Isabel forced words out of her mouth. Rosabel was about to start raising her voice when Isabel continued.
“That woman wasn’t a goddess, she’s a magician, you idiot!” Isabel explained and Rosabel felt a slap to her face. “After you insulted her, she hit
you in the head and blacked you out, I told her that if she touched you again, I’d tell the police what she did to you.”
“And she believes that?” Rosabel asked with cocked eyebrows.
“Well, not really. But when I told her that you are the most popular girl in school and everyone will find her no matter what. She reconsidered and left. I was so scared I ran back home; but then I forgot that you were still at the graveyard. I wanted to go back but I thought you’ll eventually wake up and find your way home.” Isabel wanted to pat her own shoulder, it was the smoothest lie she’d ever told.
Rosabel nodded.“Okay,” she said. “But… seriously?”
“Seriously,” Isabel said.
“No I mean, you really left me at the graves?”
Rosabel asked and Isabel wasted no time answering, “Yeah,sorry about that.”
After that, the tension in their conversation slowly faded and was replaced by their laughter. The girls decided to walk to Rosabel’s home together, watch a horror movie and stay for dinner. Though they were back to being friends again, this whole time Isabel forgot about the missing bandage on her wrist. And someone had already spotted the insignia.
Knowing that she’d a few days left on earth wasn’t the worst thing to know.The worst thing that will happen after today was that Isabel will never get to see her friends and family again.
She spent her last two days saying silent goodbyes She visited all of her favorite spots: the library, parks, and bakery store She even wash the dishes when her mother asked her to do so Her father was surprised when
she offered to help with his garden chore. Isabel spent most of her time with her twin brothers. She will probably miss these two little monkeys when she’s not around. Isabel even played with their toys!
Sometimes when Isabel looked at their face she realized how much she loved them, and she’d turn away to hide her tears.
She paid close attention to Roasbel’s face, her red hair, and her bright smile. Isabel will miss her the most when she is gone. Despite what had happened, Isabel still loved her like a sister. They had always and will continue to be connected in a way no one will understand.
That was when Isabel came to a realization and she had to rush to see Ms. Blackwell on Friday evening once the school bell had rung.
When Isabel reached the end of the corridor, she found Ms. Blackwell sitting by her desk, marking her students’ quizzes. She looked up from her papers when Isabel entered the classroom.
“Can I help you, Isabel?” she asked with her sweet voice. Isabel felt her guts balled when she realized this will be the last time she’s heard her favorite teacher’s voice. Isabel gritted her teeth before speaking, trying to control her voice.
“Friend.” she said.
Ms. Blackwell didn’t understand at first, but a few seconds later she smiled and nodded. “Well done. That’s the answer.” she said.
The answer to Ms Blackwell’s riddle from days ago: Miles apartbut connected by heart, what am I? Was “friend” Isabel understood is the moment she know how important friendship is when it was about to disappear
Ms. Blackwell reached into her cupboard and pulled out something. She gave it to Isabel. “What’s this?” she asked.As she studied the object, she couldn’thelp but let her tears stream down her face. In her hand was a marble engraved with the word ‘friend’ craved into the marble. The small purple marble glittered in the evening light. Isabel wiped the tears from her face.
“Thank you, Ms. Blackwell.” she sniffed. Her teacher’s face softens like an angel. “What’s wrong, honey? Are you alright?” Isabel wish she could tell her what was bothering her. It felt like a stone in her heart that can only take years to lift.
Isabel forced a smile, “Nothing. I’m just… very happy.”
“You may keep this to yourself, or give it to your best friend if you want too.” Ms. Blackwell said.
Isabel said goodbye to her teacher and left the room, leaving the memories she shared with her behind.
Today was the day, there was no going back. No more extra time nor overtime. She will have to leave the world behind. There was a note on her bed. It wrote, ‘Meet me at the same place.’The writer didn’t leave their name on the card. Isabel felt a heavy rock dunked into her lungs like someone is hunting for her.
Isabel sensed that she will have to return back to the same graveyard, where someone will be waiting for her.
‘Athena, you didn’t have to be corny about it with a note ’she thought Isabel shook her head and threw the note into the bin
She gave her parents a big hug and kissed her brothers goodbye. Her parents knew something was wrong so they asked her what was bothering her. But Isabel brushed it aside and told them that she just wanted to let them know that she loved them very much. Then she asked to be excused from dinner and left the house with tears in her eyes.
Isabel wanted to say goodbye to Rosabel for one last time but figured that she will just make her cry even more. So she gave a solemn glance at her best friend’s house one last time before walking into the night.
It was a cold night, but it didn’t freeze her heart at all. Hers was already frozen with each step she took to the graveyard.
When she arrived at the yard, the moon shone brighter than any night. Isabel looked around for a sign of a goddess but there was none.
Isabel felt both worried and relieved at the same time; she didn’t want to rush the process, yet she was concerned if her guts were right.
If Athena isn’t here,then why?
A cold chill ran down her spine when Isabel realized that the person who wrote the mysterious note wasn’t the goddess. It was someone else.
Suddenly, a hand reached out from behind one of the graves,wrapped itself around her mouth, then dragged her to the ground.
Isabel muffled beneath the attacker’s hand and wiggled as fast as she could She opened her mouth to scream but stopped when she saw a dagger, the tip of which was pointing at her throat
“If you move in the slightest, I’ll push this into your skin ” the attacker warned.
The menacing threat didn’t have as much impact as the familiar voice which uttered them.
“Rosabel!?” she gasped, glancing up from the dagger to find her face. It was her, trying to look brave but quite terrified. Her shadow casted onto Isabel’s face. “Rosabel, what the ”
“Not a word!” she hissed. “I don’t want your friend to hear.”
“My friend? You mean Athena?” Isabel asked from the ground.
“Athena, goddess of wisdom, whatever!” Rosabel sneered like an animal. “I don’t care what you call her!”
“What are you doing here?”Isabel asked. “To kill you.” Rosabel answered.
“Kill me?” Isabel shook her head. “Listen, if you want to kill me, do it. If you want to talk, get that thing out of my face so we can do so. I can barely breathe having that thing near me.”
Rosabel hesitated at first but decided to withdraw her dagger. Isabel got up and kneeled next to her. “What is wrong with you?” she asked her red-haired best friend to which her expression deepened.
“You betrayed me…” Rosabel muttered under her breath but loud enough for Isabel to hear. “You took my place! You knew I wanted to be a goddess, yet you stole my dream away! And to think that you are my friend, hah!” Rosabel sneered and began to laugh like a maniac. “I thought I could trust you. I thought you were my friend!”
“I am your friend!”Isabel snapped. “I became Athena’sapprentice to save your life! Do you remember the time when I told you that she turned you into a rose petal? She wouldn’t turn you back unless I join her!”Isabel
explained with every energy she had, but her best friend would not listen. The dagger in Rosabel’s hand trembled faster.
“Lie! I don’t believe you. I knew you took my place when I saw the golden insignia on your wrist.”Rosabel’s shaking finger pointed to Isabel’s arm.
“You knew about the insignia?” Isabel asked, surprised
“I’ve read it in the old books, the one in Greek mythology It’s a symbol for mastery and proxy ” Rosabel’s shallow breath made her voice cracked like a witch's “That’s why the goddess told me I was evil,wasn’t it? You met up with her before the theater, and told her I was evil so that she could reject me and take you in instead!”
“That’s not true at all! I only heard about it when I saw ”
“You traitor!” she snarled. “You already have everything! Real parents! Siblings! A happy home! I don’t even have any of those! You were my only friend! You’re the only one I have!”
Isabel stared horrifyingly at her best friend. The one who would brighten up her day, the girl who always talks to her about myths and legends, the person she called best friend. Rosabel had gone mad.
“Rosabel, listen to me ” Isabel reached out her hands to grab her shoulders but Rosabel rapidly stood up, the dagger gripped tightly in her hand.
“I hate you! Just die!” she screamed and raised the dagger into the air, ready to launch for a kill.
Isabel’s eyes widen. She almost saw her life flash between her eyes.
Then with her survival instinct that had to awaken in her body, Isabel pushed
her backward. Rosabel stopped midway as she lost her balance, and toppled down to the ground. She rolled down the slope. Her head bumped twice into the grave as she fall. Then at the end of the path, Isabel heard a loud scream.
Isabel froze, realizing that she was still alive. She looked down the hill of the graveyard and saw her best friend on the ground. Her auburn red hair was all messed up with sticks and dry leaves, but the sight of that wasn’t as petrifying as the fact that she saw a dagger between Rosabel’s chest.
Rosabel was stabbed.
Isabel disjointed thoughts as her mind zipped from one unrelated thought to another. She cried and rushed down the hill,tripping over stones and falling, but she got up and ran towards Rosabel.
“No, no, no…” Isabel stared eyes wide at the dagger. Rosabels’ blood bleeding from her chest. Her eyes rolled back and began to cough out blood.
“Rosabel! Oh my god, NO!” Isabel screamed, her hand holding onto Rosabel’s. It was weak and pale. Isabel wiped the blood off of her face.The force of her rolling from the ground meant the dagger accidentally stabbed into her. The girl laid helplessly on the ground,the wound spread from her chest to her stomach.
Isabel’s mind was rushing everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Her agonizing cry mixed with a regretful scream and frustrating whine that echoed through the night. The only thing she could say was, “I’m sorry…”
Then with her final desperation, she howled to the night sky. “Athena!!!”
In a matter of seconds, someone fled down from the sky out of nowhere, like a shooting star from heaven She landed on her knee, a graceful
lock of hair, an orange coat floating behind her like angel’s wings, and a golden necklace around her flawless neck.
“I am here, child.” the goddess of wisdom spoke.
Isabel sobbed while Athena studied Rosabel’s wound, she kneeled down beside her. Her expression was solemn and unknown.
“Can you help her? Please, she is dying.” Isabel begged through her sob.
Athena shook her head slowly. “ I can not.”
“Why!? You are a goddess,aren’t you!? Why can’t you help her!?Is it because you said she was evil!? Stop thinking about that and ”
“This is her destiny.” Athena said and Isabel stopped shouting. “I do nothave the powerto alter her fate, it has been written by the universe.
All gods are forbidden to take life and death beyond mortals.” Athena said.
“But… you did change her into a rose petal, remember?”
“I already addressed that. I did not take life from her, I punished her – not killed her. Thus, her fate was not sealed nor changed.It is not prohibited. But this…” Athena shook her head again. “This, I can not help her.”
Isabel looked down at her dying friend,her head laid on Isabel’slap. She continued to sob miserably.
“Then what can I do now? Just watch her die?” Isabel squeaked and Athena rested her hand on her head gently. “I am sorry, lass.”
“Is ” a faintvoice appeared from her lab “Isa bel ” the incapacitated girl lifted her hand up to Isabel’s face
She took her frail hand, “Rosabel? I ”
“Do you…remember?” she asked, her voice tired and dry. “That our name… it r-rhymes like ” Rosabel coughed a mass of blood from her mouth. Though Isabel forced her not to speak,the dying girl struggled at last. “Our names… our names…”
“Our names rhyme like a song.” Isabel said a catchphrase that they used to say to each other. It was a reminder that they will always and forever be best friends. Even when death is near…
Rosabel managed a weary smile. She noticed tears rolling down from the corner of her face.
“Can we be friends again in the next life?”
The words stabbed Isabel like a burning spear, a knife that pierced through her soul in and out But before Isabel could answer, Athena,who had been observing them silently beside them lowered her head slightly
“ I am afraid that may not happen.” She closed her eyes. “Rosabel Martin, your soul is far too doomed. Those who have an evil heart,when they die, their soul will be stuck in a Lake of Soul – it is neither heaven nor hell – a place where the damned will roam for eternity where they will never reach an afterlife.”
“That’s bullcrap!” Isabel roared, almost beating the goddess to a punch. “How could you say that!? Have you got no heart at all!?”
“I am speaking the truth, lass.I cannot save her.” Then Athena looked at Isabel with gentle eyes, “But you can.”
Isabel felt a spirit lift her hope up.
“Then tell me! I will do anything to save her!” Isabel cried.
“Even when she tried to kill you?” Athena asked.
Isabel nodded furiously, eyes still wet from crying. Athena took a deep breath and glance up at the moon, almost as if she was preparing for the worst. “There is a way,” she said. “Rosabel Martin’s soul is too evil to travel to the afterlife, when she dies, she will be damned forever in the Lake of Soul. But…” Athena paused, deciding whether or not to continue. And after deciding, she said, “An evil soul can be cleansed if traveled with a pure one.”
Isabel didn’t understand at first. But then she realized it before Athena can say it.
“You mean… my soul can…”
“Yes.” Athena nodded calmly yet sadly. “You can choose to give up your soul and take hers with you to the afterlife. Her sins will not vanish, but your essence will smoothen the bad deeds that she has. Wherever you go after this is beyond my knowledge, if the universe decided to take both of you to hell, then there is nothing I can do. You might end up in heaven, but that is not likely as Rosabel Martin’ssoul will be with you on the journey. You must choose wisely, there will be no undoing your choice.”
Isabel went silent, her hand still holding her best friend’s fragile hand who began to breathe shallowly breath.
Athena still locked her stare at the moon.“Taking your soul out of your body is strictly prohibited, I will soon face great consequences.” Then she looked away from the bright moon and gave Isabel a comforting smile “But that will not be your concern, lass You have a pure heart, a loyal quality of a friend And I admire you for that ”
“Her time is running out, Isabel Levine Will you accompany her to the afterlife?” Athena asked finally
A pile of sand was falling from the upper side of an hourglass, Isabel counted each second that passed as she considered what Athena said.
Her fate of goingto Olympus to be Athena’sapprentice changed in a blink of an eye, replaced by a sorrowful, cruel, unexpected event.
But when Isabel saw her own reflection in Rosabel’s exhausted eyes. She saw a glimpse of regrets and fear.
Isabel smiled weakly and caressed her pale face. For once, she knew what to do, either right or wrong, and she has decided.
“I’ll do it.” she said finally.“I’ll go with you, Rosabel.You are my best friend, and I love you. I love you like a sister.You don’t have to say anything else, Rosabel. I already understand. Wherever we end up – hell or heaven, damned or blessed – I will be with you at every step of the journey.”
Isabel pulled a marblethat she recently got and held it between both of their hands; a bond that connected them together. “Rosabel…” she sobbed.
Rosabel’s face lit up, there was a mix of blood and tear in her eyes. But she gave Isabel the familiar smile, the one that can bloom the world around her.
“You… why…” Rosabel uttered softly. “You finally…won. But I guess… that’s just… who you… are… Isabel Levine.”
Looking into her eyes now… It was all there, everything they had. They were an unstoppable duo in class A twisted friendship no one will be able to understand If only they had taken a different path here and there, things wouldn’thave turned out this way If only they could change the past and do life over, they might have been able to stay friends
In a realm far, far away. A modest educational institution set in an elegant place was built The students are free to explore the education of their interests and thrive to make new friends from all around the world
The place is called Mae Fah Luang University, located in Chiangrai, Thailand
A young girl with thick glasses held her books to her chestas she walks alone, trying to figure out where her class is. As an international student, she didn’t have any friends with her. She was quite shy and introverted. Many native students in this place couldn’t really connect with her because of the language barrier.
The girl sighed and adjusted her glasses to her face. Then without warning, she accidentally bumped into someone. She almost toppled backward.
“My bad, are you ok?” the person in front of her asked.
“I’m ok, sorry for ”
“Hey, are you an international student too? You don’t look Thai at all.”
The girl looked at another person,it was a girl in uniform too. She tied her hair back into a ponytail with a red ribbon wrapped around it.
“I’m Rosa, what’s your name?”
The girl in glasses studied her face. There is something familiar about her. It’s almost like she’d met this girl a long time before.
“My name is Isa, I’m from America.” she said shyly.
“America? I’m from there too!”
The girls began to walk to their class together. Isa found out that Rosa also attended the same school as her. They talked about their life, and how they decided to study in Thailand.
“It’s crazy. Thai people have the best history ever. And don’t even get me started on their traditional food.” The girls both laughed.Feeling a strong connection that never felt before. They almost reached the classroom when Isa joked.
“Isa and Rosa, our names rhyme like a song, doesn’t it?”
Rosa stopped walking, she looked at Isa in astonishment.
“I… heard that phrase before,” she said and Isa felt goosebumps all over her skin – she has heard it too, but when?
Then Rosa shrugged, “Nah, I think I’m trippin’.”
The girls chuckled and then walked into their first class of the day together, they held each other hand, and nothing in the world could tear them apart.
From far away, a woman in an orange coat watches them with a proud smile on her face.
“Humans… they are such fascinating creatures. The wheel of destiny can be a mystery sometimes, and it is beyond bewildering how these soulmates are attached to each other. What a shame that you and I will never be mentor and apprentice ” she snickered
“But I see that you two are happy together My best wishes to both of you ”
With that, the mysterious woman fluttered her coat and disappeared.
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