Could Have Been

Medrauta stared at the doorway that had been left ajar for what seemed like hours prior.

Leaving the door open had been very unlike her mother. Stranger yet was the fact that she’d left without saying farewell or giving Medrauta a kiss on the forehead. Despite Morgana’s frequent absences from the house, she had always made sure to spoil her daughter whenever possible.

That was why the silver-haired child had been left so confused by her mother’s sudden departure that she could do nothing but stare at the half-open door vacuously, as if she had been possessed by a spirit. In fact, that might even be the case.

Though she could see and hear clearly, Medrauta felt as though her body was not under her control. Her mind was hazy, almost as if the world itself was a dream.

Her stomach growled, and a pang of hunger shot through her stomach, grounding her to the world once more. For a moment, it felt as though she might have drifted away to some far off place, where a too-familiar blonde-haired girl was crying out her name in vain. Not that she knew any blonde-haired girls.

She shook her head, breaking free from her semi-catatonic state at last. Now that she was moving around again, she found the last few hours actually rather strange. In fact, she couldn’t even tell if it had only been a few minutes or actual hours. But then again, there was no point in dwelling upon it.

The gnawing void of her stomach called, and she would have to satisfy its demands before doing anything else.

Medrauta made her way to the kitchen almost robotically, her limbs moving without her conscious command. She reached into one of the cupboards, grabbing the jar of cookies waiting for her. Slowly and methodically, she consumed one of them.

With her stomach sated at last, Medrauta swept her gaze around the empty house. It was silent as expected, but so too was the town outside. The sun had begun to dip below the horizon, dyeing the sky in a multitude of colors that were predominantly orange, but there should have been at least some commotion despite the hour. To have none was simply out of the ordinary.

Medrauta made her way to the door and stepped outside somewhat experimentally. The wind whispered silently in her ears as she looked around. Everything seemed normal aside from the lack of people, but the buildings around her home were lit, and if she strained her ears, she could hear her neighbors conversing over dinner. As usual, everything was normal.

...What am I even doing outside? She thought, a frown creasing her brow. The sun had somehow managed to fall even lower below the horizon now, the moon quickly rising to take its place as the cloak of night draped itself over the sky. Medrauta stared up at the moon, its silver light jogging her memory.

That’s right. I’m supposed to be looking for mama. Medrauta nodded to herself, affirming her own motivation before beginning to stride purposefully down the street. Truthfully, she had no idea where she was going, nor did she know where her mother had gone, but for some reason, she knew she was heading the right way. The only way, in fact.

Even if Medrauta wanted to, there was simply no way she could deviate from her current course, her body refusing to listen to her commands as it steadily marched down the moonlit streets. She walked slowly at first, gradually gaining speed before she began to run without conscious volition. Her swift legs, small as they were, managed to carry her far out of the city’s bounds, moving faster than what a normal child of her age should’ve been capable of. For some odd reason, Medrauta could sense her mother’s approximate location. She always could.

That was why she never worried even when Morgana left for extended periods of time, but this time, Medrauta felt a strange urge to find her mother as quickly as possible. She could not explain this feeling, but she understood it was something she must do. Something only she could do.

At last, Medrauta arrived at her destination. She didn’t know how long she’d been running for, but her breath was even. Though the sheen of sweat covered her brow, she didn’t feel tired at all.

She turned, looking behind her for a moment. Though their house was located near the capital of Revelo duchy, it should have taken at least two hours to reach the ducal castle on foot. Yet, here she stood atop a hill overlooking the castle, barely a hundred feet from its walls. It should have been impossible, but here she was.

Taking a deep breath, Medrauta turned to the only other thing standing on the hill. A large stone statue depicting a proud knight bearing a sword and shield. The feeling in her chest pulled her toward the monument, and before she knew it, she had discovered a secret entrance in the base of the statue that led downward into the earth.

It hadn’t been difficult to spot seeing as the hatch had been left ajar, but her chest now filled with an ominous dread as she peered down the dark passageway. Several torches were set into the walls, their flickering flames making it possible to see down the stairway below. Slowly and cautiously, Medrauta descended into the passageway, her body instinctively finding its way to her mother.

Though it was the first time she had been here, there was something strangely familiar about the passageway and the monotonous stone pattern that lined its walls. She kept her gaze fixed firmly ahead, continuing to follow the tugging sensation in her chest, unable to deny its call.

Each of her steps landed heavily on the stone staircase, causing her progress to echo loudly as she made her way downward for an indeterminate time. The entire time, Medrauta’s mind remained muddled, her legs moving of their own volition. It was almost like she was an observer in her own body, but even so, the sense of urgency and anxiety in her chest was real. Instinctively, she somehow knew that this would be the last chance to see her mother.

“M-Mama...?” Medrauta’s voice came out strangely warbled, as if the words she spoke did not belong to her.

At last, she had reached the end of the staircase, finding herself in an enormous underground chamber with intricate lines and designs carved into the floor. A multitude of towering stone pillars stood, holding up the vaulted ceiling and giving it an almost awe-inspiring appearance. Chandeliers and lanterns holding ghostly blue flames flickered above, casting an eerie glow against the smooth stone that lined the room.

In the center were three figures, but Medrauta only recognized two. Morgana darted to and fro, fighting valiantly against a black-robed woman who bore bright crimson eyes and silky hair black as night. Behind them stood Merlynne, the blue-haired woman wielding a glowing translucent sword in one hand while strange blue symbols surrounded her other, firing multicolored bolts of mana at the black-haired woman.

“Morgause!” Morgana shouted at the black-haired woman. It didn’t seem like she had noticed her daughter’s arrival yet. “It doesn’t have to be this way! You can still surrender peacefully!

“Hah! Listen to yourself, Morgana!” Morgause cackled, firing crimson lances of mana at the Paladin. “You who have slain so many of my kind are now offering me mercy? Do you really think I’m that stupid?”

Morgana’s sword flickered through the air, appearing as no more than flashes of silver as it cut down each lance that Morgause had fired. Similarly, Morgause deflected Merlynne’s bolts with her own weapon, a pitch-black blade that floated around her.

“...That was different.” Morgana said, her voice almost a whisper. “We were friends once, Morgause. We’ve chased each other for so many centuries... Don’t you want it to finally end?”

Wait, stop! Why am I getting closer!? Don’t do that! It’s dangerous! Medrauta willed herself to back up, but to no avail. Those tiny legs of hers continued their forward march to doom and there was nothing she could do to stop herself.

“Mama...?” Medrauta’s voice echoed in the chamber as the fighting stopped for a moment, interrupting Morgause before the witch could speak. All eyes immediately fixed on the silver-haired child who stood before the three, her shoulders trembling with fear.

“M-Medrauta!?” Morgana’s eyes widened in shock, the sudden appearance of her daughter confusing her to no end. Even Merlynne was surprised at the child’s arrival, finding herself speechless for once.

The only person in the room who had a muted reaction was Morgause, staring at Medrauta with a measure of curiosity. “So you have a brat now... Of all the people I know, I never thought you would be the first to settle down, Morgana. But then again, I suppose the rest are dead, so they never had the chance.”

Morgana didn’t reply. Instead, she merely moved toward her daughter, ensuring that she placed herself solidly between Morgause and Medrauta.

Morgause released a sigh as she shot Morgana a pitiful gaze. “...Perhaps you are right. Perhaps this feud of ours truly is getting stale. I will surrender on one condition.”

“Name it.” Morgana said.

“I want a boat and safe passage to Higashi. I will leave this continent, and in return, you shall stay your blade. We will no longer chase one another and our conflict will be at an end.”

“Do not agree, Morgana.” Merlynne said, feeling Morgana’s spirit waver. “She is deceiving you.”

“How about it?” Morgause extended a hand, ceasing to concentrate on whatever magic was keeping her sword afloat. It clattered to the ground loudly. “You have found your peace. Now it’s time for me to find mine.”

“...Alright. Let us let bygones be bygones.” Morgana said, taking Morgause’s hand and shaking it firmly. The two women exchanged a nod of agreement, and there they parted ways, never to see each other again.

Morgana and Medrauta returned home that night, an exasperated Merlynne dogging their heels. From then on, Morgana devoted herself wholly to her daughter, raising Medrauta into a proud and righteous knight who came home every day to a hot meal and a warm embrace. She—

No.

She became a well-respected figure in the community, eventually rising to the rank of Knight-Commander in the Imp—

That’s not what happened.

S hE bEcaMe A wELL-resPecTEd f—

All of this is wrong... It’s just... It’s just fucking wrong!

The ideal world around Medrauta froze and stuttered, like an abruptly ended dream. It collapsed, shattering into countless fragments that revealed the true horrors it had attempted to mask.

At last, Medrauta could see the world around herself with crystal clarity. Though she still bore no mastery over her body, her mind no longer felt hazy, and she finally understood the reason for her lack of control. For these were memories.

Memories she wished she had forgotten long ago.