A fifth creeper appeared before them. It stood about ten feet tall, towering over everyone, and its body was larger and bulkier, like the brute of creepers. Emily's expression widened as a thought ran through her mind.
So He's already going as far as to send…this?!
Viola threw a punch at it and only reached its gut. A flash of violet gave her hope. But when she backed away, the new creeper stood unfazed and unbruised. Its large fist came flying at her face. She only instinctively managed to shield against it with her arms. Even so, she was pushed back a few feet. And if it wasn't for another violet flash absorbing most of the damage, she was sure her hands would no longer exist. Followed by a loud, bloodcurdling screech, another fist came down towards her. Fear clawed at her skin, and her legs shivered against the impending doom, knowing that instincts wouldn't spare her a second time.
"Time for the backup!" Emily shouted as a bottle of water went flying past the side of Viola's head. And just a second before it collided with the creeper's fist, the bottle exploded, sending water everywhere. But mysteriously enough, the water split into a thousand bubbles, forming a giant barrier between the creeper and Viola.
"H-How?!" she muttered when the creeper's punch was stopped by the barrier.
"You wanted to know why I carried so many bottles?" The blue-haired chuckled, walking up beside her. "This is why." Placing a hand on Viola's shoulder, Emily continued, "You did very well, partner. I'm so proud of you!" She flashed a wink. "But, I'll take it from here."
The creeper launched several more furious punches at the barrier while they spoke. It shook but never faltered. Viola noticed her ocean-blue eyes glowing as the girl lifted her free hand and loosely faced her palm at the creeper. She then chanted something.
"Ocean Style: Basic Art—Piercing Pearls."
Every water bubble in the barrier transformed into sharp needles, then shot towards the creeper like bullets. The monster froze in its spot for a moment before its body instantly separated into several thousand pieces, dusting away before they even touched the ground. Emily joyously clapped her hands together as she walked forward and turned around to face everyone. Her eyes no longer glowed.
"Allow me to reintroduce myself!" Emily spoke to the family, shocked beyond repair, especially Viola, who was left dumbfounded at how easily she took care of the situation.
"I am Emily Seaver, a Void Hunter." She proudly exclaimed. "As in, someone who hunts creatures of the Void, like the ones you just saw!"
"Void what?!"
"I apologise for lying about my identity," said Emily, scratching the back of her head. "But hey, I always had good intentions!"
"I should've called you out on your act," Cecelia said. "If only I knew things would escalate this far!"
"This feels surreal, I must be dreaming," said Wright, rubbing his eyes.
"Oh no, this is very much real!" Emily smiled nervously. "I was going to tell you about this earlier...before we got attacked. But better late than never, I suppose."
"So, while you were here begging me to help you hunt creepers," said Viola, "you could already do it yourself…with ease…what was even the point of us teaming up?!"
"To help you learn, of course! What you went through just now was going to happen someday. And see, you were able to deal with it all by yourself! Well, except for that last bit—"
"Why would you be so sure?"
"Because you have already attracted His gaze, and they will not stop pursuing you until you're either on their side…or dead."
Viola gulped. "The…creepers?"
"Creepers will become the least of your concerns. What truly has set its sight on you is…the Void."
"Okay…" muttered Viola, worried at Emily's serious look. "Would you like to tell me more or continue keeping secrets?"
"I would love to tell you more, and you deserve to know." She lowered her head. "However, it won't be long before something worse shows up. Perhaps something even I wouldn't overcome. So, I'd rather you take that time to spend with your parents. You won't be seeing them for a while."
"What?" Viola gasped aloud upon hearing her final sentence. She stared at those blue hues, hoping it was another lie, hoping she had heard wrong. Her parents walked up to her side and questioned the blue-haired.
"What is your goal here?" Cecelia raised her voice. "Are you a friend or not?!"
"I apologise." Emily sighed. "I know, I've lied about myself, and that none of you can trust me, which I understand. But when I said that I only ever had good intentions, I meant it. I came here to investigate—that was the truth. The only lie was that I didn't come here to look into the creepers, nor this town." She looked straight into violet hues.
"But you, Viola."
"Is this about her being special than other humans?" Wright questioned.
"That, and ever since she met one of those monsters, she had peered into the Void. It would've been fine if she had left it at that. But the moment you almost killed a creeper…the Void gazed back."
"B-But you're the one who forced me to it!" Viola said, "I was already trying to stay away from them, and if you hadn't come into my life, I never would've had to fight a creeper again, and escalate things this far!"
"No, Viola. You had already drawn His gaze before we even met. You entered the fray yourself, on your own choice and action. I only came here to prepare and protect you, and to see whether or not you are trustworthy."
"W-What are you talking about? I-I don't remember facing a creeper before you came into my space!"
"You weren't yourself that day." Emily sighed. "Perhaps that's why you can't remember. But that made you suspicious in our eyes. So, I was sent to make sure if you were already a part of the Void."
"And…did I pass the test?"
"With flying colours!" She exclaimed joyfully, clapping her hands together. "There's zero chance someone as oblivious as you could ever be with them! Maybe being an idiot sometimes is actually good!"
"Was that…a compliment?"
"And what now?" Cecelia asked. "What will you do with her?"
"Your lives will be in danger from now on. Like what happened today, countless more will occur, each time being worse than the last. There is only one way we can ensure the safety of you two. To remove what attracts them…"
Emily looked down slightly, closing her eyes for a second before speaking again.
"The violet girl must leave."
"I'm sorry, but that is not happening," Wright said, and both parents stood in front of Viola.
"As much as I hate to say this," Emily continued, "you are a threat to their lives. I would love to stay here and help you against every upcoming danger, but even I could only go so far."
"She's our daughter!" Cecelia shouted. "How can she be a threat to us?!"
"Where will I go then?" Viola asked. Both parents turned to look at her with worried frowns.
"Where I live," Emily answered. "An undisclosed location far, far away from the human realm. You will be staying there, amongst other Void Hunters like me."
"For how long?"
"I don't know. Maybe months...maybe even years. But...you won't be returning any time soon."
"Viola, why are you even asking?" Wright said.
"But if I leave, who's to say that they won't target my parents?" Viola continued, ignoring her father's words. "How will you ensure their safety?"
"Our Master can place a protection spell over them. It's a powerful piece of magic that will make sure absolutely nothing from the Void can touch them. You can rely on it."
"Then she doesn't have to leave, does she?" Cecelia said, a glimmer of hope sparkling in her eyes.
"Unfortunately, she still has to. We don't know what exactly it is, maybe it's her overwhelming strength...but you, Viola, are interfering with the spell. It cannot work properly for as long as you're in its vicinity."
"No…I don't care!" Cecelia said, tears pricking her eyes, and faint doubt in her words. "She's not going anywhere!"
"I think we should...let Viola make the decision," Emily suggested. "I won't be forcing you. I just told you what you needed to know." Viola lowered her head as Emily went on. "The rest is up to you."
The violet girl thought deeply about her decision. Part of her wishes all of this was just another nightmare, and part of her still cannot fully trust Emily. What if this were a well-crafted plan, and she was working with the enemy all along?
"Viola, don't listen to her!" Wright pleaded.
But what if she was telling the truth? Viola would then bring danger to her home, she would fail to protect them, and the past would repeat itself. She cannot afford to let that happen. But she can't afford to let them go either.
All this…because I wasn't born an ordinary human…
A quote, spoken by her silver-haired friend, came crashing at her from the past, piercing through her heart and soul. It was not a shining memory, unlike earlier.
"Misfortune we are, and misfortune we'll bring."
"Viola, you don't have to go," Cecelia said, placing a hand on her daughter's cheek, "Whatever happens, we can deal with it together!"
No…we can't…
"It's better than going to some unknown place," Wright said, placing his hand on her shoulder. "With some person who might as well still be lying!"
I…I think I've made my choice…
"I'll go," she answered with a firm voice. The two gasped aloud. "Mom, Dad…" She lifted her head to face them, holding their hands with both of hers, and tears welling up within violet hues. "I'd rather leave and know that you'll be alive…than lose you forever…too."
"B-But Viola," Cecelia asked in a trembling, soft tone, "a-are you sure…?"
"I'm sorry…but this is the decision I'm making."
Cecelia pulled her daughter into a hug, and Wright followed, neither capable of fighting back tears. Emily saw this and said to Viola, "I'll give you some time alone. I'll wait outside your front door, and also be on guard for any sign of danger. Take as long as you need, but don't take too much either." She began walking away, but then stopped in her tracks.
"Also…I may have lied about a few things prior to this...but when I said that we make a great team, I meant it." She glanced back at Viola. "I'm happy to have met you, and grateful for all the time we spent together. I will cherish our memories till the end. And, of course, I look forward to making more." She gave her a wide, closed-eyed smile, then disappeared from sight.
I don't fully trust her, for now. But one thing's for sure…she's a sweet person.
"Are you…okay with this?" Viola asked, momentarily pulling away from their embrace. "I…I decided on my own. Won't you…stop me?"
"Viola," Cecelia said, "we already knew this day would come…because…" She paused suddenly, wiping her tears and glancing at Wright, who placed a hand on her shoulder, nodding. "There's something we hid from you," she continued. "Something we should've told you long ago, something you deserve to know."
"I would've preferred if we had told this over dinner." Wright sighed. "But, in case we don't get the chance later...we must talk about it now, before you leave."
"W-What's this?" Viola gulped. "Some dark truth about me? I'm scared!"
"It's not that bad." The father chuckled softly, rubbing his eyes. "It's just…the truth." He gently squeezed his hand on Cecelia's shoulder. "Go ahead."
"Viola…you weren't born to us."
"Huh…?"
"We found you, seventeen years ago. When we were driving back home from a business trip, we passed by a forest recently ravaged by a storm. It was late, drizzling, and cold. Luckily, the roads weren't blocked off by fallen trees. But, at one point, your father had to get off and clear out some branches. And that's when he saw something in the corner of his eye. A little child—you."
"You were, maybe two…three years old," Wright continued, "quietly seated under a tree. No tears, no words. Just…staring at the landscape, and then us. We thought you lived nearby, but your attire said otherwise. It looked old, like something from a cult. And no matter what we asked, you wouldn't speak a word. But you weren't afraid, just…incapable. You couldn't even stand on your own. It took weeks before you'd even take a step without clinging to us."
"I remember," Cecelia added, "you were clean and unhurt, despite the recent storm. Branches had grown above to shelter you. When we asked about it, you pointed in a certain direction deep within the woods. We expected to see someone, but there was no one. We even looked around, called out, searched for any clues that maybe someone had left you here. But we found nothing."
"So…" Viola muttered, her voice barely above a whisper, "you took me in?"
"It would be too cruel to leave you there. We didn't care for any repercussions; you charmed us with your innocence." Her mother chuckled. "You didn't cry when I picked you up. Instead, you reached out and held onto me, refusing to let go. At that moment, I knew you were ours." She smiled.
"I still remember the drive home." Wright laughed softly, brushing his daughter's hair. "When the car started, your mother had to assure you that it was safe. And upon entering the city, you wouldn't stop pointing at every little thing."
"Each time, you'd glance up at me," Cecelia continued, "as if looking for an explanation. We couldn't tell if you understood anything, but your expression would widen after each one. By the time we reached home, you had already fallen asleep in my arms. Like we were never strangers to begin with. And by the next day, you were already smiling. Just as bright even years later."
"Then," Viola asked, "did you ever find my real parents? What happened to them?"
"We tried." Cecelia sighed. "We contacted the police, the hospitals, anyone who could help us. But none reported any missing child, no records of you, nor any clues at the place you were that could have led us to your real parents. We decided that, until the day they reach out themselves, we'll raise you as our own."
"And they never came." Viola looked down. "I assume…"
"I'm sorry that we hid this all from you." Cecelia cupped her daughter's cheek, rubbing a tear off with her thumb. "We wanted to tell the truth someday. We were just…afraid. Afraid that it would change things between us, make you feel like you weren't ours. Because you are." She smiled widely. "You'll always be our daughter."
"You chose us that night." Wright smiled along. "And we'll always choose you."
"The moment I saw your eyes," Cecelia whispered, "the moment we found out what you were capable of…we knew this day would come. Deep down, we always felt you were meant for something far beyond us. We raised you to stand on your own, to choose what's right even when it hurts." Her voice trembled, but her smile stayed. "It doesn't make it any easier, of course, and we're still reluctant to let you go. But we trust you, we'll go through with the decision you've made, and we'll patiently wait for your return."
For a long while, Viola remained silent. Her brain tried to process this new and sudden knowledge. Thoughts battled between disbelief and warmth, sorrow and gratitude. Every word spoken replayed in her head, each one pressed against her chest, yet none felt heavy. Instead, she felt content. Like a puzzle piece she never realised was missing had just clicked into place. When she didn't open her mouth for a whole minute, her parents exchanged worried glances, and their hearts raced. The silence became a little too painful.
"Well, that explains why neither of you shares my eyes," she finally mumbled, lifting her head and showing them a wide, closed-eyed smile. "I've chosen you already," she spoke through the tears, shattering all their worry. "So I'll always be your Viola, no matter who comes to take me!"
She leaned and pulled them in a tight embrace, snuggling into their shoulders and sobbing along. "I'll miss this," she whispered, "I'll miss you!" She wanted to stay, to never let go, but the moment kept slipping through her fingers, no matter how tightly she clung. She must pull back eventually, but not without one final declaration.
"I promise…I'll be strong enough to protect you myself. And then we'll live together without fear of losing each other."
"Curses aren't gifts, they never will be."
"I promise!"
…
A little while later, Viola stood at the front door, carrying a backpack stuffed with personal and necessary items. Her parents accompanied her, not letting her go out of their sight for even a second. They needed to talk more, they needed more time, but they weren't given much. Who knows when the next monster might show up?
And who knows how long it'd be until they reunite? If they ever will?
"So, are we ready to head out?" Emily asked, smiling slightly, who they laid eyes on as soon as the front door was pushed open. Viola shook her head. "As expected." She chuckled softly. "I would've been surprised if you said yes."
"You can still change your mind," said Cecelia, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"No, Mom." She turned to face her. "This is for the best." She gave them each a tight hug. "I know you will be protected. Even so…please be safe and take care of yourselves."
"You too," Cecelia muttered softly, planting a kiss on her daughter's forehead. She then looked at Emily and said, "I still don't fully trust you, but this right here...she's my everything. So please…please take good care of her."
"Don't you worry!" Emily exclaimed proudly, placing an arm around Viola and giving her parents a thumbs-up. "I will make sure nothing could harm her, Mrs Caulfield!"
"You finally remembered." She smiled faintly.
"Goodbye, Mom," Viola said, waving at them and walking away. "Goodbye, Dad."
"Goodbye…" Cecelia's voice faltered, and tears fell down her face. She took a few steps forward, stretching out her hand to reach her daughter. Wright went up to her and placed his hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently.
Viola never turned back around. Because the more she looked at them, the more difficult walking on the road ahead would be. She feared that it might even lead to changing her mind. "But even so…" She muttered under her breath, stopping in her tracks.
"Just one more time…I need this."
She immediately turned around and ran towards them, wrapping both in an embrace. "I'll miss you!" She'd repeatedly tell them as they all cried, holding them tight and refusing to let go. Just like the first time, for the last time.
Emily herself teared up at the sight, and an aching pain tugged her heart. She thought to herself.
Such a lovely family you got…I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit…envious.
"So make sure that you don't lose them, Viola."
…
"How much farther?" Viola asked, sighing deeply. They had been walking for at least an hour inside the forest. "What are we even walking towards?"
"Oh, don't worry, we'll be there soon!" Emily replied, grinning eagerly.
"Don't tell me you have forgotten the path!"
"No way! This is the most important day of your life. I can't possibly ruin it! Just trust me~" She chuckled. Viola rolled her eyes, and they continued walking for a few minutes more. Until they finally stopped. "We're here!"
"Are you sure?"
Looking around, all she saw were tall trees and a shady environment, as barely any light filtered through the dense woods, especially since the sun was almost setting. The same landscape she had been seeing for the past hour, but darker.
"I was expecting some kind of a structure, like a big house maybe," she continued, not noticing that Emily had placed the palm of her hand on a tree trunk in front of them. Her hand then sank into the tree as if absorbing her, until she was halfway in. "Or do you live in secret tree houses—"
"See you on the other side!" Emily winked before fully entering the tree and vanishing from sight, just in time for Viola to witness.
"W-Where did you go?!"
Viola exclaimed in horror when she didn't see Emily come out from the other side. Goosebumps crawled all over her skin as she felt several eyes glaring at her. Upon looking around, multiple scarlet-red eyes glowed in the far distance, surrounding her, seemingly belonging to creepers.
"H-Hey, don't leave me alone like this!"
When she heard several footsteps closing in on her, she had no choice but to touch the same tree trunk, hoping it would take her to where Emily went. To her surprise, her hand went through, as if the tree was an illusion that never existed.
"What even—"
A hand grabbed her from the other side, and she was pulled in. Her entire body went inside the tree and came out the other end, in a different location.
"Don't leave me without warning ever again!" She shouted after realising that the hand belonged to Emily, who stood beside her. But when she laid eyes ahead and basked in the view of the new area, she was left mesmerised by the sight. Emily grinned eagerly and announced.
"Welcome to your new life, Viola!"