Chapter 2.2: Strange Light

As they continued to walk around the quiet corridor Maxine felt strong thumps in her chest. She was constantly followed by her partner Austin as she ran away from the event hall. They also felt tired and kept looking around. Austin wants to complain to her because he thinks it's strange. He's just waiting for the appropriate moment to ask if they're still doing the right thing. Maxine appears to be aware of what he is doing. She simply gave it a determined smile and began walking slowly. Maxine could hear the luminous stone is chirping once more. The chirping was like a natural noise that he often heard when he was still in the nursery. It sounded like a hum when mum wanted to put you to sleep while also making you happy.

"What is that noise? Is it just me hearing those creepy hummings?" Austin asked in confusion.

In response, Maxine hushed him. They ground to a standstill close to a door at the end of the passageway. Feeling nervous, they slowly opened the door as they both peeked through the crack of the door. Behind it, there was a blinding peculiar light that seemed brighter than the sun. They constricted their vision to adapt and to observe the light alter. During their gaze on it, they noticed the gradual development of a woman's form. It returned to the previous look of the waitress, but her clothes were different. It is already dressed in a blue tank top with heavy brown lining on the inner sleeves. The decorations on its top are also inspired by autumn leaves, and they are complemented by some cerulean blue tassels. It was equipped in high-waisted navy blue knee-high shorts with a belt at the waist. Many of the badges on his belt appear to be moving as well. Her shoes are green boots with light blue accents on the sides.

"Finally! I'm glad you have accepted the invite.. with a friend." the lady sarcastically exclaimed.

"Who are you? How can you transform from a piece of light into something? OMG, are you real? Or are you some kind of a ghost?" Maxine asked.

"Easy tigress, who are you talking to?" Austin asked. A little smirk was shown from the lady's face.

"He can't see me. It is only you who had the svetlo" the lady replied. It walks around the empty hall. All the lights are open, only Maxine can see her existence. The lady sat on the nearest bench she saw then started to cast a short hum. Once she's done, Maxine felt Austin fell to the ground.

"That will give him a goodnight rest!" she chuckled.

"To answer your questions.. hmm I am Jazz Aseo, President of Campus Executives of Mysterical High. You can share your courtesy sometime later. Second, it's one of my temporary powers as an officer. Uhh.. and what was the last one?" she thought while tapping her chin using her forefinger.

"Hmm.. oh yeah! Not a ghost, I am a human too. All these magical facades are some kind of representation of our identity as the students of our school. You get to learn this stuff soon just like how it is meant to be" Jazz said as she decided to show Maxine a few of her floating powers.

"How do you know me?" Maxine asked in confusion.

"I didn't know you, the stones find their owner. There are only ten stones reaching different places every year. You were observed and tested for many situations and struggles throughout the last year of your secondary education. Mysterical High is a university for wonderful students like you" Jazz replied as she flew towards her.

"Wait, isn't illegal to stalk someone privately? And I haven't heard about that place or school or whatever you're talking about. What's in it for me?" Maxine asked once again.

"You're quite annoying. Too much coffee this morning, eh?" Jazz faded her smirk into a poker face. She walked around Maxine, inspecting her from head to toe.

"My questions.. aren't they supposed to be answered?" Maxine calmly asked. Jazz stop walking in front of her. Jazz's head turned suddenly on her and stared her in the eyes. A smirk flashed on her lips again. So it formed gestures in the air that seemed to form a ball until she threw it upwards. After what the lady did, the appearance of the surroundings suddenly changed. They seem to have moved to a strange desert because it has trees that are tall and healthy. The wind was strong and the fine sand gradually turned dark gray. Maxine turned her gaze again to the woman who was now near a portal with various blue streaks coming out of it.

"What lies behind this gleam is your destiny." Jazz said while looking intently at the portal. "Your fears.. doubts.. anger.. differences, everything! All of them will be thrown away once your destiny was fulfilled."

“Waste no time, come and dance, open your eyes or lose the chance...”

“Waste no time, come and dance, open your eyes or lose the chance...”

“Waste no time, come and dance, open your eyes or lose the chance...”

Maxine looked at her from afar. She does not understand anything about what she is saying. Those humming gave her goosebumps as she was taken aback by the chirping she was hearing. She's confused, scared, and terrified. She turned her back to run away but she was stunned when she saw the woman behind her.

"No matter how far you go, there's no escape from your fate. We see your every move. We know your motives. Your innocent act is no longer a secret!" Jazz exclaimed.

The place fell into silence. The strong wind gradually calmed down but also gradually darkened. Only the light of the portal illuminated their location. Maxine turned again towards the portal and again recalled the reasons why she was there.

"Seems like you have found the reason, huh? The stone was there when you sacrificed for someone to live. That is the purpose of the university.. to make use of your ability to end the non-sense morality and create new life." Jazz said.

Maxine looked back at her with determination in her eyes.

"You knew she didn't deserve to live here. Make choice and be one of us.." Jazz leaves her with that message then walks towards the portal. She paused for a moment to give her a mid-turn as if to say something more. But it did not continue and entered the portal permanently.

When Jazz disappeared from her sight, Maxine came to think. She knew Alscheya was the one it was referring to because before she could go to this farewell party it had warned her. Maxine gave everything for that child. Even if she pays for her life, she will do it because she is the only one mission in life.

Flashback. It was a nice afternoon, there was a family sitting in a park having a little picnic. From the looks of the passerby, they are just a happy family celebrating. It is indeed a happy family of little Maxine. She is five years old and she has a best friend dog. Her parents gave it to her when she was a year younger. She has long been asking her parents to have a younger sibling but her mother is having a hard time giving birth again. Her father’s pregnant friend came to the park. Even young Maxine wonders why she is carrying a baby even though she is not married.

"Oh hi, my sweet little Maxy! You look adorable in your yellow polka dress today!" the lady complimented her. Maxine seemed to be shy so she smiled politely as she responded.

"She's very distant when somebody new is around hahaha! So how was the baby going? She's almost gonna be out for a little time soon!" Maxine's father said excitedly.

"Just a little bit more of cha-cha for my labor maybe," it replied.

The lady danced while the father is assisting the belly. They are having fun and goofing around while Maxine is still in awe of what are they doing. Her mom is holding her hands to guide her dance with them. Her feelings are a little bit different and were about to cry. Her mother gasped as she kneel before her to make her calm.

"You're not into dancing, huh? Okay, okay, we can hush now... I think daddy wants us to have a ride around the city! You'd like that huh?" the mother convincing the child after wiping her tears. She somehow settled down and agreed. The father had no idea about his wife's suggestion but they all got to the car to fulfill the child's wish.

They traveled around the city in Father's car. They were with his pregnant friend and they kept singing and playing music from the vehicle's radio. Little Maxine gradually enjoyed the music and went along with their fun. It was sitting in the toddler car seat next to their pregnant friend in the back of the car. In the middle of their journey in the city, the pregnant woman felt a pain in her abdomen. Maxine's father also felt panic so he quickly drove fast. Her mother immediately leaves the front seat behind to help her friend. This seems to be a sign that the woman is about to give birth. The two women held hands while the man pulled over the car. When they reached the intersection they did not expect the traffic light to stop suddenly. The father braked slowly to follow the traffic light. The woman could not stop screaming because of the pain she was feeling. Since there was no one to see any vehicle or pedestrian passing by, the man started the vehicle. He also believes that no police can arrest him so he has already executed it. By the time the vehicle had passed the intersection, they heard the loud honk of a truck from their left. They all turned to the source of the sound and were caught before they could react. The car slid towards the corner house. The speed of events that even the occupants of the vehicle did not realize what had happened.

Only little Maxine regained consciousness after the incident. Her placement was neat, without a scar. She removed her seatbelt to get out of her seat. She glanced at her mother who was turning her back on her side. She also looked at her father's condition. They're still alive and only the pregnant woman is conscious. When the paramedics arrived, they were immediately taken to the nearest hospital. The baby and her mother were in a bad situation because of the accident. Their family sustained only a few injuries. A few months later, the mother and daughter were still unable to leave the hospital due to complications the child received. Maxine's family visited to help in the situation there. As they went through the door, the lady felt nervous which enabled her to flinch.

"I am not expecting any visitors," the lady said. The family was confused about her strange actions. The father knew this person for a long time yet today as if they're strangers.

"Why are you here? Aren't you the reason why we end up here?!" she screamed in anger. Pointing to little Maxine, glaring at each other's eyes, she was furious at the innocent child.

"What is this nonsense? Maxine has nothing to do with this. She's just a kid!" the mother defended Maxine.

"She's a witch! Her eyes gleamed, she hums a lullaby, it is a trap when she wanted a trip around the city! She wanted to kill me! Stay away from me, from my baby!" the lady said throwing her hospital pillows and blankets towards the kid. The father trying to calm her down but she insisted.

It struggled to get out of the man's arm. It runs towards the door to get away from this room. She keep on shouting for help and pushing away all the people she encountered. The family was left inside the room. Maxine's gentle eyes were filled with terrifying. That moment when the accident happen, she had a vision. The kid will be born and raised in misery. She was malnourished, untreated equally, tortured, and deprived of love and attention from the lady she's sitting with in the backseat of the car. As a kid, she thought that the right thing to do is to punish the lady before it happens. That simple wish in her mind was cast unbelievably. No one else hand seen the changing expression because the family embraces her. The mother knew that the lady's claims are true and possible. The next day, the lady was diagnosed with mental illness which later became an issue to be the guardian of the children. The hospital decided to give the baby in Maxine's family's care.

"We're gonna take care of her as a family as these things happen for a reason. She has named Alscheya.." the father said as he carefully caress her cheeks. Maxine hold his father's arm to bent him down so that she can see the baby.

As the years went by, Maxine became the child's protector. She was not harmed by anything in all aspects such as mentally, emotionally, and physically. Her complications as a kid were long gone. Alscheya's condition is extraordinary as she was not aging. However, if she was cut or wounded that would release much blood she will get older by a year. Until the present day, she was still a kid as her protector never want harm to her. End flashback.

She decided to enter the portal because she knew this decision would be good for the child. Austin, on the other hand, woke up from his slumber. When he got up he saw Maxine walking towards the portal. It pulled out of his purse a glowing stone. The young man's eyes widened thinking that she might be under a spell and he touched the stone Maxine was holding. At the same time, half of Maxine's body had penetrated so the stone split in half.