The Cat Left Behind

Chapter Seven

Point of View following changes to Desdemona

They were safely in the bubble and rising high.

However, the sudden outburst of sound penetrated the silence, causing them to jump and the bubble to roll over.

Desdemona looked down and met the most horrifying sight she could possibly imagine.

A red jagged bolt of light had risen out from the ground, steadily reaching for their bubble, many demons surrounding the bolt. Skye's face turned white as she struggled for altitude, but the light bolt was gaining on them.

With a horrible cracking sound, the sphere broke in two. Skye stuffed the pearl into Desdemona's hand. The part that held Desdemona gained altitude, but the half carrying Skye has begun to descend, forming a kind of mirrored mist beneath Skye, as the bolt of light hit her.

Time seemed to have stopped.

"SKYE!"

Skye did not react at all, except for that perhaps her eyes widened a little, before falling earthwards, gracefully, her black cloak billowing behind her, her robes swooshing in the light breeze, her eyes closing, with a calm, almost peaceful expression on her face. As the last strands of her silvery hair seemed to lose the light it emitted and fell lank and grey around her face, Desdemona heard her voice, that cool, calming voice that passed through her burning, broken heart like pure, clear water.

"The fight isn't over, it's only just begun."

Where Skye had once been was now lank grey mist, reddened by the remaining of the demons' spell.

And it was perhaps because of that voice that Desdemona chose to sit back looking skywards instead of throwing herself off the broken half of the sphere.

Skye had been so much to her, to them.

More than just a companion. She had been a friend, a mentor, and helped them out multiple times. Without her, Desdemona thought with a horrible jolt, they might already be dead from the ghost.

Skye.

Rest in peace.

The dead that mattered to us will always remain in our hearts.

Words from Chihiro.

Desdemona buried her face in her sweater as tears began to well.

Point of View following changes to Chihiro

Aria had completed the journey with no existing harm done, and without speaking a single word to Chihiro.

Chihiro wasn't bored either, she was drinking Aria's life story out of her head.

Aria was a witch, yet born into a family that despised witchcraft. Her parents wanted her to study, non-magical and pursue a career as a lawyer in the non-magical world, but Aria ran away from home. Upon meeting Meganne's mother, Melanie, she started as a trainee in magic and soon was only second to the powers of Skye.

Beneath the cold cover, Aria had a burning, compassionate heart. That was the reason for the flicker of fire behind the midnight blue...Chihiro nodded.

"What are you nodding at?"

"Nothing."

Point of View following changes to Riddle

"Riddle! Riddle!"

Someone was tapping him hard on the face.

A wave of brown.

He blinked.

It was Kylie.

"Oh," he said, getting off the chair groggily, "I fell asleep."

"Well, now you'd better be awake. Meganne's getting me, Aria and Shannon to her room," she scratched her head, "I guess Skye's not back yet."

"Okay, I'll watch the potion."

"Seems like you read my mind. Thanks though---got to get going."

Single Point of View following ends

Meganne was sitting on top of her white-and-gold velvet covers, staring absent-mindedly into the fire.

Aria was the first one to talk, "What happened, Meganne?"

However, still, Meganne remained silent.

"Do you want us to leave?" asked Kylie.

But just as they were standing up from either their chairs or the thick fluffy carpet, they heard Meganne whisper, "No."

"Please get Penelope Blackwood here. Junya Murakami will take over as Intermediate Instructor to the magic trainees."

"Meganne...what has Penelope done?"

"Nothing. I'm naming her as the new magical advisor. Aria, the title of head of the advisors has been transferred to you. Help Penelope a bit. Also, Penelope goes with Chihiro, and Aria, you go with Desdemona, and tell her that I do not blame her in even the slightest."

"But...what about Skye?" questioned Shannon.

Meganne immediately held a hand to silence her and directed them out.

Only after they were a good distance away from Meganne's room then did Aria and Kylie turn to Shannon, "Get Penelope here, and we'll explain everything."

There were tears in Kylie's brown eyes, and Aria was bowing her head. Shannon didn't understand, but she turned a corner and descended a set of stairs into a room lit by several chandeliers, each holding thirty-six white candles.

"Murakami Junya?"

A boy about fourteen walked up to her and bowed his head.

"You will take over Penelope as Intermediate Instructor today."

"Penelope, please come with me. You have been promoted by Meganne to magical advisor. The rest of you, please continue with your class. Junya, please assume the teaching position," she motioned for the dark blue-robed girl with blonde hair to follow her.

They walked in silence to where Kylie and Aria were still standing. Kylie was sobbing into Aria's cloak, who was supporting her and beckoning them into a nearby room with a circular glass platform and pouffes around for them to sit on.

There was silence for a long time before Aria finally spoke.

"Skye has left us."

"What do you mean? Did she betray us? How could she? She was raised here! Did she form an alliance with Tom? How is that possible!"

As Shannon continued to bombard Aria with questions, Penelope spoke up, "She meant, Skye has left this world...left us."

"WHAT! Tell me...please tell me it isn't true..."

But it was met with confirmation from a nod of Aria's head.

Point of View following changes to Penelope

Penelope was fifteen, and that was the normal age to become magical advisor. Skye and Aria joined when they were thirteen, as they were extremely bright, and Kylie and Shannon joined at fourteen.

Alas, magical advisor was a great and honourable title, but the bearers tend to have short life spans. Seven, eight counting Skye, died before the age of twenty.

She did not want to become one of them.

But she wanted to serve the position and do good.

Or did she?

A/N: Sorry.

Character fact: Out of the four, Chihiro is the only one known by the townspeople to have a magical background although all of them do.