“So I am correct, hm?” He looked at me and then smiled. I can’t quite read him. His smile isn’t genuine nor does it show amusement. I avoided his gaze as much as possible since I am still trying to gather myself. What happens now?

“Are you going to take me to the authorities? Oh, let me guess. I am your purpose of visit, isn’t it? They sent you here to look for me.” There is no point denying anything to him. I do not lie pretty often even though I could lie pretty well. I am a good actress, my parents just don’t want me to take the entertainment industry until I’ve turned thirteen. I don’t feel like lying to these people, not when I feel comfortable around them.

The biting breeze whispered through the air. Flynn's presence surged over me in an instant, his strength overwhelming as he quickly pinned me to the ground. His push collided with the sudden gust, resulting in a confusing tornado of motion and sound. As I battled to get my bearings, the world around me appeared to blur, the weight of Flynn's presence pushing down on me. The ground behind my back seemed hard and unforgiving as I lay beneath him, in stark contrast to the warmth that exuded from Flynn's body. His gaze was fixated on me with unflinching intent, the emotion in his eyes unmistakable. Adrenaline rushed through my blood, enhancing my senses and intensifying my awareness of every aspect of that passing moment. “Why should I give you to them if I could just kill you right at this moment.” I don’t feel like moving.

“Why? No, that doesn’t feel right. The question should be expressed with the word ‘how.’”

“I am a Mizushi. My ability isn’t suspended by manipulation alone. I understand how liquids work and why.” I rolled my eyes at his answer. This isn’t some kind of action movie, as if what he told me answers anything. “It’s your eyes.” As I became aware of the jagged chunk of ice clenched tightly in his fingers, the realization flooded over me like a chilly wave. Its cold tip brushed against the delicate skin of my neck. The icy touch appeared to soak into my very being, tingling my nerves with fear. I noted how the jagged edges of the ice glinted in the shadowy light, revealing a cold and unforgiving nature as I focused on the minute details of the ice. Its pointy tip is directed right at the sensitive nerves in my neck. The air around us became thick with suspense. The ice's harshness against my flesh acted as a constant reminder of life's fragility, its presence demanding my complete attention. “You’re wearing contacts but I can see through it just as how I can see through Death’s. Your eyes are dark blue. At first, I thought it was because your magic is more powerful than the others. A good reason as to why they’re keeping you here but no magic flows in your eyes. They’re just a color reflected by the light, not a color produced by your magic.” So much for a foolproof disguise. However, I can’t really blame Death. She didn’t expect an upper warlock to get to this place and I am the one who insisted on him staying. There may be no perfect disguise but I am the one who started cutting the strings. “How did a creature like you get to this place?”

“I’d like to know the answer to that question myself as well,” I said then smiled. I am pissing him off but I don’t care. Not because I am not aware of my situation but because this is how I am. This is who I am. A girl who is nurtured in the chilling closeness of cold-blooded people would surely adopt their ice demeanor. Emotions are a strange notion in my parents' world, replaced primarily by disappointment and fury. I was taught from a young age to conceal any sign of emotion, to keep the colorful, bubbly spirit that once defined me hidden. My parents' tight hold progressively peeled away that aspect of my being, leaving an empty shell behind.

My emotions became a violent tempest, threatening to swallow me as I navigated the volatile waters of puberty. Tantrums would erupt at the least provocation, and even little violations by my classmates would drive me into a rage. During this turbulent period, a doctor labeled my problem as borderline personality disorder, a label that reinforced the idea that emotions should be feared and controlled. With each passing day, I learned to put on a serene mask as a shield against the raging waves of my parents' anger. I became an expert at burying any traces of emotion down within the depths of my soul. My default mode of existence became the art of appearing unaffected, a survival technique developed in the furnace of my upbringing.

However, as time passed, my capacity to convey my emotions disappeared into the void of forgotten memories. The essence of whom I used to be, lively and alive, faded into the background, drowned out by the demand of my parents' disinterest. They unwittingly removed the very essence of my being in their obsessive drive to mold me into their image, leaving me adrift in a world devoid of emotional connection. It's a lonely existence, moving through life as if you're a ghost, haunted by the nothingness within. The disappointment and wrath of my parents resound within me, a continual reminder of the emotional terrain I was denied. The desire to experience genuine connection, to freely express the whole range of human emotion, remains a lofty ambition that will never be realized. So, as a prisoner of my emotional suppression, I continue to follow this path of apathy. The warmth of joy, the solace of melancholy, and the rage of fury were all imprisoned inside the depths of my soul, longing to be released. But, until that day comes, I'm stuck in an emotional rut, a tribute to my upbringing's terrible legacy.

Though short-term, fear and pressure find their way into the depths of my existence. They creep in like shadows, forming a momentary veil over my heart, only to vanish before I can fully comprehend their presence. These emotions dance on the outskirts of my consciousness, their impact so fleeting that they scarcely register in the fabric of my existence. And yet, amidst the enormous expanse of emotional barrenness, there are rare moments when relief and delight manage to breach the unbreakable fortress I've erected within. They bloom for a brief moment, like frail petals in a lonely landscape, throwing a lovely brightness upon my soul. But their glow is fleeting, slipping into darkness before I can fully grasp their warmth. These short-lived emotions, tiny millisecond whispers, slip my grasp like airy wisps. They fly over my brain, enticing me with their fleeting presence before disappearing into a sea of forgotten sensations. I wish to grasp them, to enjoy their essence, yet they slide through my fingers like grains of sand, leaving nothing but a lingering sense of longing. I am a prisoner of the shortness of feelings in the depths of my existence. They come and go so quickly, leaving me unsure of their full influence. I'm left wondering what it would be like to feel the complete range of human emotions, to revel in the depths of sadness as well as the heights of happiness. But for the time being, I am bound to the domain of fluctuating feelings, hoping for a taste of their elusive charm.

“You’re not even scared.” He took the ice away from my neck as he looked at me. “There haven’t been any changes with your body’s liquid activity since I did this.” He could be talking about my blood. I haven’t felt any kind of emotion since so my heart neither beats fast nor slow. There wouldn’t be a change in my blood pressure.

“What’s happening around here?” Death said from the door. Flynn pressed the blade once again against my fragile neck, his goal apparent and terrifying. However, Death herself intervened, her eyes ablaze with an inconceivable clarity. A powerful wind materialized as her strength surged, tearing at our entwined bodies and attempting to separate us. The power was relentless, a tempestuous exhibition of her magical might. Death's grip on us relaxed in that frenzied moment, and we were thrown apart from each other. The wind carried us, like mere leaves caught in its gusts, until we were close enough to see each other but far enough away to be safe. It was as if Death had organized this intervention in her vast wisdom to safeguard us from the impending danger. Death's dazzling eyes began to subside as the winds died away, their once vibrant glow fading into darkness. The flickering sparkle that had guided us through the storm had now faded. A profound stillness descended over us in the aftermath of this remarkable encounter. As we stood there, isolated but joined by the shared experience of facing Death's intervention, the air was heavy with the weight of the moment. Death's involvement lingered in the air, an obituary to fate's unpredictability and the unbreakable spirit of survival. 

“That girl is a human,” Flynn said.

“I know.” Death replied.

“The protocol said that humans are dangerous. She should be killed. The way you’re keeping her and hiding here, this is illegal.”

“I know.”

“Then why aren’t you doing anything?”

“I shouldn’t”

“What? You’re defying the law?”

“Don’t I defy it already just by existing? Besides, the law never protected the oppressed, they just protected those who seemed to have the most power. That kid doesn’t possess any kind of magic, how can she be dangerous? What harm could she do?” Flynn started lowering the ice. “I am the reason that Aico is here, okay? I performed a reviving spell but a transportation spell has been made instead. I took her from her place which is why she is here. I’ll get her back as soon as I can so don't kill the poor girl.” 

“A death witch performing a transportation spell? Ridiculous.”

“An upper witch being thrown to the lower dump? A lot more ridiculous. Haven’t you learned anything after the upper threw you here? You’re still following their ways like a lapdog.”

“What a joke,” I whispered but loud enough for Flynn to hear. He threw the ice and stood up.

“How do you plan to bring her back?”

“I need to ask a life witch so I’d know how to undo a transportation spell.” Flynn scoffed and stormed inside the house. Death went to me and helped me stand up. “Don’t mind him, kid. Old habits die hard. Are you okay?”

“Yes,” I said as I dust myself. As soon as we came inside, Asphalt drew us to the inviting counter with evident urgency. The tempting aroma of food filled the air, luring us closer to the promise of a filling lunch. With excitement in the air, we sat down and proceeded to taste the savory pleasures before us, enjoying each bite as it danced on our tongues. I was immersed in the act of eating, my hunger gradually lessening with each mouthful, when I noticed a dramatic change in the atmosphere. Flynn went down the stairs and made his way toward us, determined. The air shook with unspoken tension as if the room's energy had altered to accommodate his presence. 

Time seemed to stop as Flynn focused his stare on ours, his eyes filled with a peculiar intensity. As we awaited the purpose of his descent, there was an air of expectation, a palpable energy that engulfed the room. The clinking of cutlery on plates faded into the background, leaving only the approaching encounter between Flynn and us in focus. The space between us appeared charged with unspoken messages and secret agendas at the time.  The symphony of aromas on our tongues took a back seat to the intriguing interaction that was about to take place.

“I know a life witch.” He said.

“I know. How would you not? You’re from up there.” Death said.

“No, I know her personally.”

“Your point is…?”

“I’ll help. To bring her back home, I mean.”

“Why?”

“Just because.”

“Then I wouldn’t accept your offer.”

“What? Why?”

“Just because.”

“That’s your best shot of bringing her back. I thought you wanted to bring her back home?” Death just looked at him unmoved by his words. He exhaled before continuing, “I’ve been here a few days but none of you ever treated me indifferently. Aico just met me back then but managed to trust me enough to bring me here. I felt bad needing to kill her earlier and couldn’t do it. I’ve been waiting for someone to intervene so I would have a reason not to do so. Do you think you’re the only sorcerer thinking that the upper’s laws are full of crap? I… know how it is to be pulled away from your family so… I wanted to help her. No ill intentions intended.” 

Death just stared at him for a while before wiping her mouth and saying, “Where is this life witch?” Flynn smiled with relief and was about to speak when Death cut him out. “But you should eat first, kid. This is not some suicide mission.”  He went to the counter and sat. Death then messed with his hair while chuckling. “You’re learning to speak more, that’s nice, kid. You should speak more and don’t think about what others might think. Bottling up those words could be exhausting.” She said then went back to her food.

“Aico,” Flynn called. I faced him without answering. “That’s not my purpose.”

“What?” I asked.

“I didn’t come here to take you nor was I sent here for you.”

“What’s your purpose then?” He paused for a second as if considering what to tell me.

“I can’t tell right now.”

I shrugged at his response then went back to my food. “Okay.”

“Eat a lot, creatures! We’re meeting someone today!” Death exclaimed.