43. Wounds

When the smoke dispersed, the old lady was still there, but shorter and without horns. She fell to the ground and Isabella rushed to help her. Isabella felt the old lady's pulse and raised her head. Isabella shouted to her friends, who approached:
- "We need to help her, her pulse is weak!" - Caoilainn rushed to get a futon in her bag. But, much to their dismay, the old lady said:
- "Don't worry about me, my dear. My time is almost up, anyway" - she smiled. Isabella noticed the eye disappeared from her robes and on its place was a red cross.
- "No! Come! We need to bring you to the city." - the old lady smiled and said:
- "Again, don't worry, I am sick and I know my time is up. It was already, on my world." - Isabella looked at her, sadly - "my dear, why are you so sad? Soon I will meet my Lord and all will be fine." - Isabella took a breath and set the old lady in the futon, releasing her.
- "Alright, I accept your will" - Isabella had a stern look. - "is there anything you want us to do?"
- "Just one thing, I would really like to thank you all."
- "So, it shall be done."
- "Can you give me your hand?"
- "Sure" - the old lady held Isabella's right hand with both her hands. She said:
- "My name is Macrina. It seems I've been possessed. Thank you for your help."
- "Don't worry. My name is Isabella."
- "Yes, Lady Isabella of Kitatik." - as Macrina said that, Isabella's eyes widened - "Isabella you have a golden heart, you are one willing to sacrifice yourself for the sake of others." - Macrina stopped - "be sure to trust yourself and your friends." - Isabella was a bit scared, but bowed and left her. She signaled to her friends and Mazanlold approached Macrina. She grabbed his hand.

- "Mazanlold" - said Macrina.
- "Yes, pleased to meet you, Macrina" - he bowed and she continued:
- "Thank you for saving me. You are so young and you already are a brave and honorable warrior. Fighting makes one rough, so remember that life is a gift, embrace it, believe in it and let go of the past." - Mazanlold pretended not feeling her words too much and let Caoilainn approach. Macrina took Caoilainn's hand.

- "Caoilainn." - said Macrina.
- "Hello Macrina, nice to meet you!" - she replied.
- "Nice to meet you too and thank you for saving me." - Macrina smiled - "Always cheerful aren't you? Always live like this, cheerful and helping others! And oh, you are so talented! Be sure not to drown in it, always be open to others" - Caoilainn smiled and said:
- "Sure thing! Trust me!" - Macrina smiled. Then, Richard approached and Macrina took his hand. Macrina looked at him puzzled.

- "Richard, is it?"
- "Yes, that is my name, pleased to meet you."
- "First, of course, thank you for saving me." - she stopped and stared into his eyes - "You are not like the others, are you?" - Macrina continued, staring at a puzzled Richard - "You seem to be a mystery. I wish I'd live to see it solved. One thing I can tell you, regardless of the solution: look for love, live with love, embrace love. I know love is the key you've been looking for." - she breathed deeply - "It's the key we all look for. However, you have a special need for it." - she paused - "love, always love, to find your own heart and the heart of others." - and with another breath, Macrina left this world.

Richard closed her eyes. The four took some time to bury her and pay their respects.

After paying their respects, the four travelers felt the weight of all that happened crashing down, causing them all, expect Isabella, to sit on the ground. She breathed, looked up and down, and walked around. The fact is, she was conflicted. She felt the need to apologize to her friends and at the same time, the need too keep it all to herself, rally them and keep pushing forward. After all, they were all hurt and she shouldn't burden them with her difficulties. That is what she thought.

- "Isabella, what is bothering you, why don't you sit down?" - Caoilainn said. Isabella's eyes widened.
- "Nothing, nothing at all, just restless" - Isabella replied. Caoilainn continued:
- "Isa, I know you, please tell us what is wrong, we can help" - Isabella gulped and lowered her eyes. There was no chance to delay the decision, either she opened up right now or closed herself and pretended it was nothing.

Then, Isabella looked at Richard. He felt nervous and avoided eye contact. Isabella, however, remembered the beach. What they talked about and how she pushed him to open up himself. "Maybe" - she thought - "I should do the same." Isabella sat down, looked at Caoilainn and said:
- "Yes, something is bothering me" - Caoilainn simply waited. - "comrades, I think it is better to tell you all about this" - she drew Mazanlold and Richard's attention. - "The Duke showed me some horrible stuff, some bad memories and some scary prophecies."
- "I am sorry" - said Caoilainn. - "I empathize with you, I know what that fiend is capable of."
- "I think now, we all know that now" - said Richard.
- "I saw some memories of our travels" - Isabella continued - "The traps of Neggenegg and Delfinifled, the hurdles at Menialainem, and the apes at the beach" - she touched her chest - "I am deeply sorry for all of that, I know I could have been a better leader and could have kept us away from these troubles."
- "You don't have to blame yourself, Isa" - Caoilainn replied.
- "But it was my fault, at least my fault is bigger. I am sure someone else would have protected and guided you much better than I did." - Caoilainn's face was puzzled as she replied:
- "What do you mean?"
- "I mean I'm sorry." - she looked down - "and I mean that maybe it is better for me to give up on this journey and let you go on. I have not been a good enough leader and maybe I don't deserve to walk this path with you, actually" - she hesitated - "it is I who have been dragging you down all this time" - Isabella panted a bit while the others were confused with what they had heard.

Some time passed and Isabella kept her eyes down, not being able to look at the others. Suddenly, she felt a touch on her shoulder. Raising her head, she saw Caoilainn, who was standing and said:
- "Do you really believe in that?"
- "What do you mean?" - Isabella replied.
- "Do you really believe that we are better off without you and more" - Caoilainn let a sad laugh - "that we want you out?"
- "Well" - Isabella looked down - "I have doubts, that is it. I know I have lots of flaws, and I know I do my best, but I fear not being enough for me" - she paused - "and for you."
- "Okay, I understand" - Caoilainn put her hand over her face - "Isa! We love you! I will talk on my behalf at least" - Caoilainn moved and put her hand on her chest - "I love you Isa, you are the best friend and best leader I could ask for! Yes, you have flaws, you may have made mistakes, but so did I! What keeps us together is how we stand up after these mistakes and go on!" - Mazanlold got pumped up:
- "Well, I can only agree with Caoilainn on everything!" - Mazanlold spread his arms - "Isabella you are amazing and you are the reason we stick together!" - he pointed at his head - "this Duke messes up our minds and we make mistakes. So what? We go on! I have such a hard time sharing those feelings, it is good that you shared them, I think."
- "Really?" - asked Isabella.
- "Yes!" - both Caoilainn and Mazanlold said at the same time. Meanwhile, Richard was reflecting on all that. Without much strength, he got up and started talking:
- "You see, Isabella, the Duke made me think I had killed you." - he panted - "Not only did I feel a tremendous guilt for taking a life, much more for being your life, but also, I couldn't imagine how we would go on without you" - he hesitated - "or, how I would go on without you. Moreover knowing I was the one to blame. It" - he hesitated - "It was too much to bear" - he looked down and cried.

Caoilainn was a bit unsettled, she had never imagined she would see that scene. However, this was the moment that Isabella got up, and, with tears falling from her eyes hugged Richard. Caoilainn and Mazanlold gave them some space.
- "Never say you don't have a heart again." - Isabella whispered to Richard.
- "How can you be sure these tears are from my heart?" - Richard also whispered.
- "Can they come from anywhere else?" - asked Isabella.
- "I guess no, I will not say that anymore." - he paused - "but only if you promise not to say you are unworthy of us."
- "That may be hard" - she answered crying - "but I can make that deal." - they shared their embrace.