Lost in The Mind

“It’s a simple decision, Charlotte Armelier.”

Charlotte’s eyes moved quickly between Alysia and Gerald. They were like a pendulum moving from one place to another. Her semi-open jaw couldn’t stop trembling.

“If you don’t choose, we’ll help you choose!”

Charlotte squeezed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm down.

“I choose me.”

“What?”

“Yes, whatever you have to do… Do it on me.”

The hero’s voice fell silent for a few seconds. Suddenly, he started laughing out loud. It was a distorted, maniacal laugh, choked by weird gagging, as if he were choking.

“You’re really desperate to show you’re someone, right?”

“Maybe, and if I can protect my friends in the process, so be it.”

He laughed again.

“As you wish, Charlotte Armelier.”

The roots holding Alysia and Gerald began to loosen until they were finally set free. The two of them fell to the ground, gasping for air. Charlotte, followed by Zoe and Sybil, ran toward them.

Alysia, with a bloodthirsty look on her face, tried to stand up, but her legs failed her. She fell to her knees again.

“I will kill him!”

Zoe offered both Magica Cards from her pocket watch. Gerald, with a trembling hand, accepted one and began to recover. Alysia, with one hand, threw the card away.

“What are you doing, Lens?” Zoe seemed worried.

“I don’t need anything from you, Hufgens!”

“But—”

“Shut it! I won’t ever trust you!”

“We don’t have time for this!”

Alysia tried to get up again, but she failed again. Her entire body, and especially her legs, were trembling as if she were suffering from the highest fever.

“Zoe, can you carry her?”

“I think so.”

“Good, take the path we came through and get them out of here.”

“What about you, Charlotte?”

“I’ll be right behind… I will distract him.”

“It’s too dangerous.”

“Just trust me.”

Even in almost complete darkness, Charlotte smiled. Her genuine smile was like a bright ray of sunlight, which lit up even the darkest corner.

Without hesitation, Zoe carried Alysia on her back.

“Put me down, Hufgens, or I’ll drown you!”

She began to move, trying to break herself free, but her body was too weak, so she could only flail her arms in the air.

“Come on, Mister Gerald, we have to move,” Zoe whispered.

“Yes…”
He stood up, took a few unsteady steps, and finally fell to his knees again.

“I-I couldn’t protect the prince… So, useless.”

“Excuse me?”

“My life's duty is gone… I deserved death.”

Zoe tried to help him get up, but the weight of carrying Alysia was too heavy, and it kept her from moving freely. A tingling sensation ran through her whole body.

“Something is wrong with them, Charlotte.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m not sure what’s happening.”

Sybil tugged at Zoe’s clothes and pointed directly to a root.

“Are those the cause?”

She nodded.

“Sybil says that the roots around are to blame.”

Charlotte thought for a second.

“That explains why Gerald lost his way before.”

“So perceptive.” The hero’s voice echoed again. “Oh, little Sybil, we’re glad you learned from us.”

His voice was now coming from all the paths.

“Would you like to go back home with us?”

“I won’t let you near her ever again!” Charlotte shouted in every direction.

He sighed.

“You were planning to escape all along, Charlotte Armelier.” The hero clicked his tongue. “That's a big no… I want to show you the truth of this world.”

“What are you talking about?”

As they spoke, Zoe managed to help Gerald to his feet and headed down the path. She walked slowly, taking care of Sybil.

“We want to help this world… For a better future.”

“And that’s why you kidnap and hurt people? Or turn animals into beasts?”

“We would never hurt an animal or anyone.”

Charlotte, looking down the various paths, began to walk backwards, slowly.

“What about your former party?”

A horrifying scream brought her to a sudden halt.

“I-I don’t remember…”

For a second, his voice stopped being distorted and even cracked.

Charlotte felt a strange feeling in her heart. She wanted to stay and ask more, but her body kept moving toward the exit on its own.

“Why did you do it?”

“T-they were on our way… Just like you…”

“In your way? For what?”

“That’s for you to figure out, Charlotte Armelier.”

His voice became distorted again.

“If you didn’t want to hurt anyone… Why did you attack the orphanage?”

“To find differences.”

Charlotte finally reached the correct path. She was about to run off, but she stopped.

“Differences?”

“From those Sine Magica.”

“And you need their blood?”

“Y-yes.”

Charlotte's hands were shaking. She felt beads of cold sweat run down her forehead.

“Why?”

“For our future.”

From one of the many paths, a humanoid figure emerged. It was made entirely of roots and dead wood. It was both tall and slender. Its head was the only non-humanoid part. Instead, it resembled a chicken's head with a long beak.

“You want to turn people into that?”

“No, we will protect this world.”

Charlotte was paralyzed.

“Please, I know there’s a bit of hero in you… You must control the roots of The Buried Tree.”

He didn’t answer.

“Please… Let me help you…”

“No, we promise… we’ll… help you to see the truth.”

“I know you didn’t mean to hurt your friends”

He let out another horrid scream. Charlotte was forced to cover her ears.

“Just wait and see… Don’t forget to look up.”

The beast let out a roar. It was a mix of a human voice and a chicken’s cry. Completely distorted and choked by retching.

It ran toward Charlotte. Its leg-like roots looked clumsy, and its arms seemed lifeless, only moving because of the movement of the rest of its body.

Charlotte turned around and ran as fast as she could.

Thud, Thud, Thud.

Its footsteps echoed behind her.

Closer and closer.

Charlotte didn’t look back.

She could hear its choking sounds right in her ear.

On impulse, she used her arm.

The roots on it spread out like stakes.

Those stakes hit the beast directly.

With a scream, it fell to the ground.

Out of the corner of her eye, without breaking stride, Charlotte watched it get up.

She made her way through those dark paths, hoping to take the right one.

Suddenly, Charlotte heard Zoe's voice ahead. She used all her energy and picked up the pace.

She caught up with them.

“Charlotte, I’m glad you’re alright.”

“We need to get out of here.”

“What? What’s wrong?”

Without answering, Charlotte grabbed Gerald, who was still staggering along, and pulled him along so they could run faster.

Zoe, still carrying Alysia on her back, used all her energy to run faster.

“What happened to the hero, Charlotte?”

She again ignored her question.

“Is Sybil guiding you?”

“Y-yes, she said she remembers the way out.”

“Let’s go faster!”

“But…”

Zoe stopped talking and focused all her energy on keeping running.

“Charlotte! Charlotte! This isn’t the right way!” Bastion shouted. He was strapped to Alysia's back.

“What?”

“The girl got confused.”

“Sybil?”

“Yes, you're going straight to—”

Before Bastion could finish his sentence, Sybil stopped. The others behind her did the same. They had reached a narrow passage that extended in a square shape. At the end of it was a simple earthen wall.

Sybil desperately began searching for a secret hideaway.

“I-I s-swear it was this way…” Tears welled up in her eyes. “I-I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry, all we have to do is return.” Zoe tried to calm her.

Thud.

“Huh? What was that?” Zoe questioned.

Thud, Thud.

“Charlotte, something is coming.”

Thud, Thud, Thud.

“Charlotte, it's getting closer!”

She kept a distant look.

“Charlotte, what is happening?”

Thud, Thud, Thud, Thud.

Charlotte couldn't say a word.