The Other Sleigh Beggy [Ancient Magus Bride]

Chapter Nine

Piper's P.O.V.

I wake up in my bedroom with Chise sleeping on the edge of the bed. I don't remember much of what happened. All I remember is putting a blade to my wrist, that woman telling me to end it all, then Chise telling me something while she was hugging me. 

"You're awake, good." Elias is sitting in a chair near my drawer as he was reading a book. "Are you feeling alright?" 

I jolt up from my bed. "Um... How long have I been asleep?" 

"Almost 10 hours. Chise has been keeping you company, along with Ruth." Elias tells me. I look at the foot of my bed to see Ruth sleeping there. "How are you feeling?"

"Actually... A lot better." I feel much better. No heavy burden weighing on my shoulders or not feeling any guilt and I feel well rested.

"Do you remember what happened?" 

"A little bit." I look over at the mirror to find it all fixed, like it was never broken. "Piper, I think I understand what's been going on with you." Elias sits on the other side of the bed and takes a strand of my hair. "You're stressing yourself out because of what happened to you in the past. All those deaths you had to witness, you take the blame for it. You take all the burden on yourself and try to find ways to make up for it. But to you, it was like no matter what you did, it always ended up someone getting murdered in front you." He knows!? 

"H-How did you-" 

"Chise used her magic took look into your past. She told us all what you have been through. Because you are sleigh beggy, you are able to see things that normal humans can't. However, the creatures you saw only killed for their own entertainment, or that by command. Since they saw the terror in your eyes, they continued to kill to watch you suffer." 

I guess that makes sense... But I feel like it's my fault for not trying to save them. I warned them, but they didn't listen. They thought I was crazy... 

"But it was still my fault... I should have done something..." I look down at my lap. "If I would have done something, those people would still be alive."

"It is not your fault, Piper. Just because those people died, doesn't mean you have to take your own life just to ease your sorrows. I know what it's like. I've been there." Chise speaks, waking up. 

"B-But..." 

"You are a sleigh beggy, not only that but a powerful mage. There will be tons of deaths in life, but you are not the cause of it. You can't blame yourself for something you didn't do. You are not to blame, Piper." Chise gives me a serious look before smiling at me. 

I take in her words and I feel at ease. I come to realize the truth after denying it for so long. I have to stop living in the past. 

"Wait! What about that shadow woman? Is she still around?" I ask. 

"She's gone. That was acutally you, Piper. You somehow used magic to create her to remind you of the guilt, pain, and sorrow. You've been carrying those emotions for so long that you made a shadow to hang around with you. It was like another you. Have you noticed?" 

"Yes, from time to time. But, I thought it was all in my head...I never knew that I had created her... I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble. Please forgive me..." I bow my head. Elias pets my head, making me look up to look at him. 

"It's alright, Piper." Elias leaves with Chise follows him, along with Ruth, leaving me alone in my room to rest. 

I lie back down and close my eyes. I feel like I can finally sleep without being scared about it. For the first time in years, I am able to sleep in peace. While I slept, I felt something flying above.

"Hey! Are you awake, yet?" That voice...

"Ariel?" I open my eyes and she is in my face, smiling at me. 

"Good morning, wolfy!" Ariel giggles. "You really had us all worried back there. I hope you're feeling better." She kisses my forehead. 

"I'm sorry for making you all worry." I bow my head. 

"That's alright!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For the next few days, Elias and Chise have been helping me with my magic. Elias is trying to figure out what kind of magic I have in store while Chise helps me with my own magic. We share the same powers however we are so much alike.

"Chise, Piper, we have an errand to run." Elias tells us both as we are outside the house. Chise was tutoring me on the different creatures that hang around the house. 

"Coming!" Chise hollers. "We'll pick up where we left off when we come bac." Chise smiles at me and I nod my head. 

Elias, Chise, Ruth, and I head out into town to investigate a forest that had police tape over it. Apparently, people have been going into this forest and they never came out. People say that they have disappeared without a trace, or that they had died in the forest and the bodies have not been found yet. Others say that they were screaming, followed by a growl, in the forest. That's why we're here to investigate. 

"I'm going to take a look around. Ruth, Chise, you will investigate around the forest. Piper, you will go in the forest. If anything happens, just call for me" Elias tells us. 

"Right." I nod my head as Elias strokes the top of my head like a kitten. 

We all part ways and I go into the forest. I knew right away that some creature has been taking away humans that come into the forest. Either it kills them or makes them disappear. But I can't figure out the screams, according to rumors. 

Either people are in the middle of being killed, or that they saw this creature and fled, trying to get out of the forest. 

I walk into the forest, looking from left to right, to see if I can find anything out of the ordinary. I don't know what I will find, but I know that I will be prepared.

I hear something snap, like a twig, making me flinch. I slowly turn around to see nobody there. Maybe it was just a bird or something? But...There are no other animals in this forest...While I was looking around, no other animal was in sight. Someone or something is here...

I continue to walk around in the forest as I feel like I am being watched. I don't bother to look back because if I do, something will take me. Just stay calm, Piper...Stay calm...Stay calm... Stay- 

"AAAOOOHHH!" I heard a deep, frightening howl and I run. Fear washes over me like a wave as I run as fast as I can.

I hear footsteps behind me, coming closer and closer to me. As it comes closer, I trip and fall to the ground. Something flies pass me. 

When I look up from the ground, I see something in the sky. It was...some sort of wolf?... It had wings too! I never seen anything like it... 

The wolf like creature slowly flies down to me and lands in front of me just a few feet away. It's teeth baring at me, snarling at me as it's red eyes glare into my blue ones. Wait... I've read about something like this before...They're extinct because many of them were hunted down. It's...

"A Winged Fang..." I whisper.