Is this goodbye?

Prince Cassius took a sip from his teacup, and his eyes followed me as I entered the room.

“Janessa, that took you a while,” he said.

“Oh, this dress took a long time for me to figure out.”

It was a half-sleeved, midi-length navy blue dress with embroidered details at the waist.

“Alright. Anyway, what do you say? Should we go to Prism Island? If not, I will entrust someone else.”

He got up and pulled the chair away from the table so that I would sit down. After doing so, I stared at the sugar cookie on the side of the tea.

“I suppose we should. I’m not sure if we’ll make it out alive,” I said.

“Janessa, I am certain it will be fine.”

“I doubt that. Your highness, I think we should take someone with us.”

Cassius smiled and sank down in his chair.

“Of course we will. I will appoint one of the most famous guards.”

The guards were so useless last time… We need someone who is a proficient magic user.

“Your highness, why not the three witches?” I asked.

Cassius’s eyes widened as he straightened his back and stared into my face.

“What? The witches, you say?” he asked.

“Yes. They seem to be good at magic.”

Cassius took a long sip and said, “That, they are.”

He rested his chin on his clasped fingers and closed his eyes.

“I suppose. We would have to disguise them. Moreover, we might fall prey to witch hunters.”

“Hmm…”

I crossed my arms and looked away from him.

“Your highness, why does everyone mistake me for a witch?” I asked.

Everyone has funky hair colors here! It doesn’t make any sense to single me out like this.

“Oh. You see, Janessa. The leader of the witches, Marigold, had disappeared five years ago, and she had the same hair color as you do.”

“Huh? That doesn’t make me a witch!”

“It is alright, my love. I will love you even if you turn out to be a witch.”

“Okay…”

I looked up at the ceiling and back at Cassius.

From the corner of my eye, I saw a shadow peeking from behind the Prince.

“Janessa, watch out! Behind you,” said Cassius.

I looked behind me and saw the statue, except its face was cracked, aside from its hollow eyes that followed each and every movement.

Cassius held my arm and tried to run away as the statue was about to topple on me. I couldn’t move at all! I tried to lift a finger, but was met with immense pain.

Little by little, my features began to turn to stone! My mouth couldn’t open so that I could scream.

“No, Janessa, no! Please come back! Why did I ever put you in such danger? I should have sent you away.”

At that very moment, my heart stopped moving, but I didn’t feel any less alive.

My hand that held Cassius’s hand crumbled away. The walls disappeared, and I could no longer see Cassius, but I did feel the touch of his hand.

No! Cassius, where are you?! Cassius! Cassius?

I managed to swallow my spit.

It went dark, and I saw a purple streak across the sky that circled around and formed a figure that descended into the space in front of me.

“Who are you?” yelled Cassius’s voice.

“I’m Janessa, Cassius!”

“Cassius? You simply know his shell of a body. What makes you think I am the same as my body?” he mumbled.

Cold winds blew and surrounded me as my spirit twirled, leaving my body behind.

“Cassius, I still believe that I will learn to love you. All of you,” I said.

“Is that so? Hmph. Strange. There were other women before you, and they all begged to go back, and ran away from my body. They never came back. How do I know you will not do the same?”

I swallowed and said, “How many of them went to hell?”

“None.”

“None?”

“You see, they are not worth my time. I wish for someone who will spend an eternity with me. After my body dies, I wish for someone who will gladly follow me into hell and be with me there till the end of time,” said Cassius.

“Cass, would you do the same for me?”

The figure of light had no facial features, but appeared to look at me.

“I am not certain I would do that for anyone. I tried to sacrifice for my mother, and look how that turned out.”

“Oh?! Is this how the story goes? I will only agree to your childish plea if you try to understand me. How can you expect me to sacrifice for you when you wouldn’t do so for me? It’s a two-way street, remember?”

“Janessa, was it? You seem worthy. Goodbye, my body and heart are both weeping rivers for you.”

An orb of red energy escaped from my body, and the crystal around my neck lit up. A figure that resembled me rose from the orb, and the purple figure shot across the sky and left.

I began to hear Amelia say, “Cassius, I believe it is best for you to leave everyone. You have yet again sacrificed another woman’s soul. I will not hear any of this. You must go into exile, and away from all human contact.”

“But, Amelia, what about Janessa? She hasn’t returned yet!” he said.

I opened my eyes and saw a series of clouds and cherubs painted on the ceiling. I smelled that sweet scent once again.

“Oh, that poor girl. She did not know what she was getting herself into! If she does not return, we will arrange for a small funeral for her. She does not have anyone else to do so.”

I realized that my head was on a pillow.

“Janessa…”

My eyesight cleared as I realized that the pillow was placed on the Prince’s lap as his face was covered by his hands.

“Cassius!” I said.

“J-Janessa?!” he said

I found a series of heads staring at me.

“Yes?” I asked.

I got up, and Cassius hugged me at once.

“Janessa, I am so sorry! Are you truly alright? I will arrange for your departure from the castle as soon as possible. Oh, God, I will miss you!” he said.

The rates of our breathing matched as Amelia said, “What a relief!”

The others spoke in cheerful voices as Cassius let go and helped me up.

“Thank the Lord! He granted you your life. Now, we must make haste! You wanted to study costume design, right? We will arrange for it. Ah, I will miss you. Please write to me!” said Cassius.

“Cassius, let her go,” said Amelia.

Cassius stepped away from me, and the open windows caused air to flow across, while the sun burned brightly.

“But Cassius, I wish to be by your side.”

“What?” said Amelia and Cassius in unison.

“Have you lost your mind?” asked Amelia.

“Janessa, it is better this way. We can be far apart, but still be friends. Oh, Janessa, I will never forget you!” said Cassius.

“But, Cassius, the soul said I seem worthy of you.”

“Hmm. I do not trust my dark side one bit,” he said.

“Okay…”

He’s starting to sound like his lost soul.

Everyone left, one by one, including the prince.

Sighing, I went back to my room and tapped on the screen several times.

“Janessa! When will you leave? I am going to miss you,” said Comet.

“Comet, I don’t know!”

I plopped myself onto the bed and lay there for a few moments until I heard a knock on the door.

“Janessa! It’s me, Cassius.”

“Alright, I’m coming!” I said.

This is it! We’ll reunite.

I opened the door at once.

Cassius was there, holding two boxes.

“What’s all this?” I asked.

“Parting gifts.”

“Right.”

I clenched my teeth, stomped my foot on the ground, and took them.

“Now, dear, things won’t be so bad…”

“Cass…”

“What?”

Those three cursed words might actually take me back to the underworld if I don’t mean them.

“Please, let me come back at one point. Let me love you.”

He let out an exasperated sigh and said, “I understand. Look in the box, you might find an answer.”

He shut the door and left as I opened the boxes with quivering fingers.