Cloverfield Magic

Chapter 21 - Heart to Heart

Issac was furious. He had demanded to be taken to Alice immediately, and in the face of Issac's steely adamance, Hemlock eventually relented. If nothing else, Circe looked just as surprised at Issac when she heard about Alice, and gave the other spellcaster the cold shoulder as the group descends down a set of spiraling staircases into what Issac can only describe as a dungeon.

After passing several floors of empty cells, Issac spots a familiar pale figure strewn out on the filthy floor behind a set of iron bars.

"Alice!" Issac calls out, rushing to open the cell's door.

"Hemlock!" Circe scolds, "Even if you thought your actions were justified, this is too extreme! The punishment doesn't fit the crime!"

Issac sandwiches the healing charm in between his and Alice's hands and coaxes the magic into his friend's broken body. When Alice's eyes eventually flutter open, her eyes find Issac's face and offers a sad, bloody smile.

"Did everything happen like it was supposed to? I didn't tell," she says proudly, and Issac wants to cry.

"Please, Alice," Issac begs, "Please, from now on, promise me to look after yourself. I can't stand to see anyone hurt anymore. Especially not because of me." But Alice had already passed out again, her body forcing her back to sleep so that it could focus on healing her remaining wounds.

That afternoon, while Alice was resting, Hemlock pressed Issac to join him and Circe for more practice, but Issac refused, opting to stand vigil by her bedside instead.

Hemlock allows Issac's uncooperative behavior for a couple more days to express penitence, but he begins to get frustrated at Issac when the boy refuses to participate in more practice sessions even after Alice had made a full recovery.

"My gift is too dangerous," Issac argues. "I was arrogant to think that my gift could fix everything when in reality it might just make everything worse. There has to be another way we can help Rowen without it."

"You need to think of the bigger picture," Hemlock returns, "This is bigger than just your friend. Your gift has the power to change history. Think of all the unjust deaths you could prevent. Think of all the tragedy you could divert. What about your sister? Have you thought of her?"

Issac wavers. He reaches for his pendent, but his hand grasps at nothing before he remembers that Augustine had taken it from him. Alice notices this and offers her hand in reassurance instead, and Issac squeezes it gratefully.

"I... don't know. I want nothing more than to bring her back... but I don't know if it's my place to mess with fate." Issac ponders.

"If that were the case, then Magia wouldn't have given you such a gift to begin with!" Hemlock argues loudly. "Imagine her last moments, screaming, in pain, begging for someone to save her... and for no one to answer that cry," he continues.

"Stop it!" Issac pleads, but little did he know, Hemlock wasn't speaking to Issac.

Issac feels his chest light up in an indescribable agony and suddenly finds that he can't breathe. Looking up in confusion, Issac follows the scarred arm sticking out of his chest up to Circe's own shocked face, as if she herself couldn't believe what she had just done.

Her usually joking demeanor was replaced with one of deep regret, and her electric blue eyes were drowning in anguish and gleaming feverishly with a touch of madness,

"If you won't do it, then I will," Circe states sorrowfully, before ripping Issac's nascent soulstone from his chest.

Instantly, Alice jumps to Issac's defense, putting herself between Issac and Circe.