Alice walked into Mendaline's cave hand in hand with Maria. Mike and Charlie looked astonished.
Mendaline was sitting on the ground, arranging pebbles. Who knew that witches could get so bored?
Mendaline looked up and smiled mischievously. "You know, I just love it when idiots gain common sense," She remarked. "It makes the earth a much more tolerable place to live in."
Maria laughed and gently drew away, joining Mike and Charlie. Alice remained where she was. "Where is Knave?" She asked, noting his absence.
Mendaline's smile grew sad. "Aria just lost someone close to her. Knave is with her."
"What?" Alice shouted. She was so caught up in her own problems that she had no clue what was happening with those around her.
"I hope she's okay!" Alice said, unable to think of anything else to say.
"It will take time, but such is the rule of life." Mendaline looked right in her eye, as if staring into her soul. "You can't hold on to people you love forever!"
Alice decided it was time. She looked at Maria, who nodded encouragingly. Alice felt a small spark of happiness. She was reminded of old times again.
"Tristan is going to come to visit me in an hour." She informed.
"So?" Mendaline prompted.
"So, I have decided to tell him that he is Cora's power source," Alice said. "He deserves to know that about his life."
Mendaline looked pleased. "That is a wise choice!"
"However, I am going to tell him that, and only that!" Alice said, eyeing the witch, trying to drill the meaning of her words into her.
Mendaline caught her meaning. Her smile wavered. "I am not sure I want to understand what you mean." The witch said, as if daring her.
Alice always loved a good dare. "To sum it up, I am going to tell Tristan that he is Cora's power source and that he has absolutely nothing to worry about because we have thought of something else to defeat Cora!"
Mendaline looked as if she could barely control herself from bursting out. Charlie looked between the two girls worriedly. Maria had grabbed onto Mike.
"And may you do the favour of telling us what master plan you have come up with?" Mendaline demanded.
"I am done hiding in this cave, waiting for whatever Cora might do next. Which is why, I have decided to take the fight to Cora!" Alice replied.
Mendaline laughed unbelievingly. "You know what, come to talk to me when you're sober!"
Alice grew closer. "Mendaline, please just give me cha..,"
"SHUT UP!" Mendaline stood up. "Ever since I met you, I have been tolerating all the crap you've been doing! Whether it's healing Cora, or misunderstanding your loved ones, or how you have such a thick head that when others try to show you the right path you do not even want to listen, let alone follow it!"
Alice couldn't take it anymore. "At least unlike you, I value relationships!"
"What is going on here?" Knave demanded, suddenly appearing. Charlie was right behind him, proving that no doubt he was the one who had brought him.
Mendaline turned towards Knave. "Ask your girlfriend, who thinks she knows it all!"
Knave chuckled. "She decided not to sacrifice Tristan!"
Mendaline stared at him. "And that is funny to you, Wentworth?"
Knave shrugged. "No, I laughed because I guessed right," He looked at Alice, who braced herself for hatred in his eyes. However, when he looked at her, his eyes were full of understanding. "I wouldn't sacrifice Aria either." He said. "I am with you!"
Alice closed her eyes in relief. She sensed Mike and Maria coming to stand behind her to show their support. Charlie remained standing between Alice and Mendaline, as if torn between them.
"By the evening I will be gone," Alice informed, looking at Mendaline. "If you want to join me, I will be more than happy. If you don't, I promise I will not hold it against you." She sighed. "You might be right in your own way, but I just can't let someone else pay the price for my happiness. It's not fair!" Alice continued, "I am so sorry for everything, Mendaline."
"You don't get it," Mendaline turned to Knave, looking desperate. "I tried to do the same thing you are doing long ago with your father, and look what price you had to pay for it," She said. "We had failed then, and there is no way that we have a chance now that Cora is even more powerful!"
"But Mendaline, this time you're not alone!" Knave assured.
"It doesn't matter!" Mendaline whispered, vanishing before anyone could say anything else.
As soon as she was gone, Charlie rushed towards Alice and took her hand in his. "I will join you in the evening." He promised.
A tear escaped her eyes. "You will?"
Charlie looked like she had slapped him. "Hey, before all this crap happened we were a team, remember? So what made you think that I would abandon you at such a crucial time?" He reached out and wiped her tears. "Your ghost squad will always be with you, come what may!"
"You think I made the right choice?" Alice asked.
Charlie nodded. "Mendaline does too."
"Didn't look like it!" Alice observed.
He chuckled. "Trust me, I know it!" He said. "I guess, she just had this hope that just maybe you might agree and Cora would be gone from our lives! She's been through a lot, and when she finally has people to care for her, she doesn't want to lose them."
Alice smiled at him. "Since when did you become so wise?"
"Ever since he met Mendaline." Mike replied. Charlie blushed.
"I am very happy for the two of you!" Alice said, hugging him.
Charlie patted her back. "It's not yet official, you know."
Alice broke the hug. "It will be!"
Charlie ruffled her hair. "Now, let me go and try to talk to her."
"Yeah, good luck with that, brother!" Knave said, patting his shoulder.
"I needed that!" Charlie said. He gave a wink, and just like that, disappeared in thin air.
Alice found herself wishing her brother remained safe. Convincing Mendaline when she was furious was probably as hard as defeating Cora.
"I am so glad you two worked things out!" Mike said, looking at Alice and Maria.
"They did?" Knave asked.
Alice nodded. She took Maria's hand with one hand, and held Mike's with the other. "I am also happy for the two of you," She said. "You had feelings for each other since like the 1800s, it was about time you two got together."
Maria shook her head. "1800s?"
"That's just exaggerating!" Mike added.
"Well, it is true." Knave said.
"I would've told you that you two don't need to join me this evening, but I know if I do, one of you might slap me." Alice said.
"EXACTLY!" Maria and Mike said at the same time.
"However, there is one thing I want you two to do before that." Alice said.
"And what exactly might that be?" Mike asked.
"I want you two to spend the remaining time you have with each other!" Alice said.
Maria smiled. "And I want you and Knave to do the same."
"I'm so glad that Alice has you to knock some sense into her!" Knave said, looking at Maria gratefully.
Alice elbowed him. "Shut up, Knave!"
"No value for your boyfriend's feelings!" He murmured.
"So we will meet back here?" Mike asked.
"At five!" Alice informed.
"Five it is!" Mike said.
As soon as Mike and Maria were gone, Knave faced Alice. "So, shall we go for our first official date?" He asked, offering her his arm.
Alice took it. "Of course!" She replied cheerfully. "But before that, I have to tell Tristan something!"
"Tristan?" Alice called out as Tristan entered the cave.
Tristan took her in, looking concerned. "Did Knave say something to you?" He suddenly asked, sounding furious.
Alice quickly shook her head. "No!" She said. "It's just that I was missing you, and was wondering how you've been."
Tristan looked like he didn't believe her. "Um, I am right here." He pointed out.
A small smile tugged at her lips. "Do you remember how we first met?" She stopped. "I mean, how we really first met?" She corrected.
Tristan nodded. "I think it was the time when we bumped into each other and you ran off as if I was some sort of thug or murderer." He paused. "However, I am not certain if that had really happened, since you know...., Cora!"
"It had indeed been real!" Alice confirmed. "It had all really happened."
Tristan was quiet for a moment, before asking, "Where is everyone?"
Alice's smile slipped. "They are a bit..., " She broke off. "Let's just say, upset with me at the moment."
"Even Knave?" He asked.
Alice shook her head. "Only Mendaline." She replied. When he said nothing, she took a step closer to him, gathering her courage. "Tristan, I have to tell you something."
"Yes?" He prompted.
"You remember how Mendaline had explained about a witch's power source?" Alice asked. He nodded. "We now know Cora's!" She informed.
Tristan almost smiled. "That's good, right?" He asked, looking confused.
Alice shrugged. "Depends on whom you ask." She slowly treaded. "I am saying this because her power source is in you!"
"I am sorry, what?" He asked, looking shell shocked.
"You are Cora's power source." Alice repeated. Tristan looked as if he would faint anytime. Worried, Alice grabbed his hand. "But that's alright, we found a way to defeat her without the need to destroy her power source." She lied.
"How?" He asked, looking as if she had given him a lifeline.
Alice wished she knew. "That is something I will tell you tomorrow," She allowed. She held onto his hand tightly. This might be the last time she saw him, and she had to tell him all the things she never did. "For now, all I want to say is, thank you so much for being you!" Tears filled her eyes. "I love you!" She said, hugging him.
Tristan was taken aback by surprise, but he held on to her.
Alice broke the hug. "Will you come back in the evening?"
"Actually, I planned on staying." He replied.
'I can't let that happen!' Alice thought. "I think you better head home!" She quickly said. "No one is here at the moment, and I am going out for a walk with Knave. In fact, I should get going now!"
Alice reached up on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek, getting away from him before he could ask anything further.
"A Harley Davidson bike, no way!" Alice exclaimed, staring at the black beauty in front of her.
"It's actually a clone," Knave informed, sitting on the bike he had brought, while she had been talking to Tristan. "Mendaline had gifted this to my dad, who in turn gifted me."
"Handy having her as a friend." She remarked.
Knave smirked. "It has its benefits."
"Who taught you to ride a bike?" Alice asked.
"No one!" He replied.
Alice's heart dropped. "Oookay, so how did you learn?"
"Who told you I did?" He casually replied.
Alice swallowed. "Yeah okay, let's just take a walk, Knave!" She suggested, desperately wishing he would agree.
He laughed. "Just trust me, will you?" He asked, gesturing for her to join him.
Alice forced a smile. "Sure!" She said, settling herself behind Knave, keeping her hands on her lap.
"You might want to hold on, unless you want to die before we reach Cora." He said. "Once in a lifetime opportunity," He said. "It's not easy to get a chance to ride with me!"
Alice did not have to see his face to know he was smirking. She knew how to wipe that out. "That's probably because you have never ridden before."
"Who said I didn't?" He asked.
Alice was done figuring him out. She wrapped her arms around his stomach, feeling hard muscles beneath his jacket. "You work out?" She asked in disbelief.
She felt his whole body vibrate as he chuckled. "Neh, I'm just gifted!"
Without warning, he started to ride and she was thrown against him. She rested her head on his back and closed her eyes, letting the cold wind kiss her face. She supposed if it were not for Knave's body keeping her warm, she would've frozen to her death.
Alice hugged him tightly, and let herself forget the fact that after a few hours, they both would probably be dead.
"How is Aria?" Alice asked, glancing at Knave, who was sitting next to her on the park bench. She felt guilty for not asking earlier, but she had been too busy evoking feelings in an emotionless witch.
Their bike was parked a few feet away from them. For a first time, Knave had done pretty well riding one. Was it his first time?
Alice supposed she would never be able to figure out Knave even if she had her whole life ahead of her, which she supposed she did not. Neither of them did. The thought made her want to curl up and cry.
"She's doing much better actually," Knave replied, breaking her from her thoughts. He smiled. "In fact, she might've found someone!."
Alice was surprised. "Who is it?" She asked eagerly.
Knave shrugged. "She was about to tell me but Charlie suddenly appeared, worried that two witches might murder each other!"
Alice sighed. "You think Mendaline would be okay?"
"Mendaline would never be okay with what we're doing." He replied.
Alice nodded. "I don't blame her for not joining us. She has nothing to do with us anyway." She held Knave's hand. "In fact, neither of you has anything to do with this. This is my fight, and it's not fair that all of you have to fight it for me!"
Knave looked incredulous. "Alice, this is not your fight, it's ours," He began. "And we're not fighting for you, but we're fighting with you! There's a difference."
Alice rested her head on his shoulder. "If we get out of this alive, you're taking me for another ride."
She felt him shake as he chuckled. "A ride it is!"
"How exactly do you know that Cora is in your house, Alice?" Mike asked, as he floated alongside Alice, as they made their way to the house she once resided in. He was holding Maria's hand tightly, replicating how Knave was holding on to Alice's hand.
"I can hear that crazy voice telling me she's there." Alice replied.
Charlie had not arrived, and so they had decided not to teleport to their destination, as to buy him some time. Deep down Alice knew that like her, everyone was just trying to delay the inevitable.
They had not spoken much since they had met up in Mendaline's cave, and the silence did not do much for Alice, who was constantly pushing away images of them all dying a horrible death. Mendaline's absence did not help matters.
"Do you think Mendaline will come?" Alice asked Knave. "Not that I fancy her dying, but it's just that I wish we would've parted ways on a good note."
"We might live!" Was all he said.
Mike and Maria who had obviously heard the whole thing, mostly because they were all huddled closely, exchanged a glance.
"Part of me wishes Charlie doesn't show up." Alice said, to no one in particular.
"He won't abandon us!" Maria said, with a little quiver in her voice.
Suddenly, Alice stopped walking. The others gave her a questioning look. "Like I said earlier, this is my fight! You guys don't need to do this." Alice said. She felt Knave's hand tighten on hers.
"Mike and Maria are free to leave," Knave informed. "But Alice, our lives have long been joined to become one, which makes this fight equally mine!"
Before Alice could say anything, Mike added, "And Alice has been a part of us since we met her, and no one can live with part of them missing!"
"Which is why, neither of us is backing out!" Maria completed.
Once again, Alice was deprived of speaking, as Mendaline's voice cut in, "Well, I wanted to clearly back out, but these freaking feelings just won't go away!"
They all turned to see Mendaline and Charlie standing a little away from them. Charlie was beaming, and the witch looked like how she always did, annoyed.
"Since everyone is saying something, I would just like to copy and paste what Maria and Mike just said!" Charlie said.
"Never thought I would ever say this out loud, but thank goodness you're here, Charlie!" Knave exclaimed. "I was dying with all this seriousness, no room for humor!" He smirked at Mendaline. "Love finally brought you here, huh?" He teased.
"Actually, humanity did!" Mendaline replied, nearing them. "You see, I eventually realized that you idiots have a zero per cent chance of winning, and I am the only person who can take that zero per cent and turn it into, if not a hundred, a fifty!"
"Yeah, that's satisfactory!" Knave sarcastically said.
"You know what else is satisfactory?" Mendaline began. "Changing my mind about helping you."
"It did take work to bring out the human side in Mendaline, so Knave, if you wouldn't ruin it, I would really appreciate it." Charlie said.
Mendaline shot Charlie a look. "I was going to help either way!"
"Then why did you throw a tantrum?" Knave demanded.
"It's my way of convincing myself to do things I am not that keen to do!" The witch replied.
"And I am sorry for dragging you into this mess, Mendaline." Alice said.
"Oh, you better be, darling!" Mendaline shrugged. "And another thing, if we come out of this alive, you can call me Mendy."
"That's her way of telling you that she's not angry with you." Knave said.
"No, it's my idea of a pep talk." Mendaline retorted.
Alice did not care what it was. The fact that the girl had shown up for her was more than enough. Knowing Mendaline, Alice knew the witch would never do what she was about to do.
Alice closed the gap between her and the witch, hugging her tightly. "Thank you for doing this, even if it's just for Charlie."
Mendaline gently pulled away. "Who said I am only doing this for him?" A kind look adorned the witch's face, one that Alice had never seen before. Perhaps it had always been there and only Charlie had been the one to see it.
Mendaline blinked, and that look vanished just as fast as it had come. "So, what's the plan?" She asked, looking around at everyone. Her eyes widened as realization dawned on her. There was no plan. "The heck are you guys even doing?" The witch demanded. She looked at Alice. "We're marching right till Cora's doorstep without a plan, and what, you think she will just hand you a knife to slice her throat?"
"Is that a way to kill her?" Charlie asked.
"Of course not!" Mendaline snapped. "The only method to kill her is to destroy her power source, or as you had translated before, like how Tarry had killed Volde- whatever-his-name-was!"
"Like how Harry had to kill Voldemort." Charlie corrected.
"I think the best plan of action right now would be to make Cora as weak as we can so she can harm no one." Alice said.
Mendaline snorted. "Piece of cake!"
"Then let's do it!" Knave announced.
Mendaline looked shocked. "I was being sarcastic."
Knave raised an eyebrow. Of course, he had sensed the sarcasm. "Do you have a better plan then?"
Mendaline shrugged. "Yes! Enough of passing time," She looked at Knave. "Use your powers to teleport your girlfriend, we're right behind you!"