Angel slowly opened her eyes, wincing a bit at the bright light around her. She groans as she slowly sits up, seeing the familiar sparce greenery in front of her, reaching out towards it, seeing that her hand was pitch black. She looked at it in confusion, only to be shocked to see that something black slowly started covering her. She looks at her hands then look at the pond in front of her, remembering about the last time she was in it, seeing that last time it was very effective to heal her. She gets up to stand, wobbling a little as she takes a step forward to the pond, slowly but surely getting close with each step. She stops at the edge, seeing her reflection of the unfamiliar person in front of her, with black eyes, black spots in her hair, and cracks over her face, but she didn't have too much time to think about it. She carefully put her foot in the water, the cool feeling starting to spread within her as she slowly starts to sink, trying to feel a bottom before putting her other foot in the water. She felt her foot hit something, assuming it was the bottom of the pond, and put her other foot in it. Once her feet where in the pond, she felt the cool feeling instantly coursing through her, letting her relax as she walks to the middle of the pond, feeling the water slowly covering her as she walks. Once she reached the middle, she stopped, seeing that the water came a little over half her body and sighed. She looked down and look at her reflection, seeing that she was slowly but surely becoming normal again. She closes her eyes, lowering herself in the water, letting the water rise up to her face and slowly lay down, floating in the pond as she let her mind wander. That man from before, what he said, what she thought, even the scenes she's seeing...What was it? Who was he? What does he know...? She thought back on the strange dream she had a few days ago. He showed up, but the way he was commenting sounded like he knew more than meets the eye. Plus, that dream...it felt somewhat familiar. That kid...looked a little like her. The memory slowly appears in her head, remembering how crestfallen the kid looked after being yelled at, and she remembered feeling disappointed at the scene. Why did she feel that way? Why did that scene feel so familiar? Was it something she missed? The questions plague her mind, but the familiar sharp pain come to her, preventing her from trying to remember it. She opens her eyes, seeing that she was welcomed with bright light and stare at what she assumed was the sky. Her eyes wander around, seeing that she spotted a familiar figure looking at her, and she looks at them, starting to plant her feet back in the water, standing up.
"I see you have already gotten used to using the pond, despite it only being your second time using it," Mentor says as they stare at her. She looked at them, and a thought popped up. Should she ask about before? They did appear at the right time when she was unconscious, but would it be rude to ask? Would it seem like she's accusing them? She didn't want them to think that she didn't trust them, they've been helping her all this time, and she didn't want to break that trust. Mentor looked at her thinking. "Is there anything you want to ask, little?"
The question throws Angel off, not really expecting them to ask the question, but what she's heard from the others, when she's thinking about something, it is quite noticeable on her face, something she needs to fix on, she makes a mental note. "Um...what...before...what was that?" She cautiously asks, hopefully not to offend the person in front of her.
Mentor becomes silent at the question and Angel looks down in shame after asking. Maybe they feel offended at the question after all...? She thinks as the silence continues, being more awkward by the second. Mentor sighs after a while, getting Angel's attention, as she looks up at them. "Do you briefly remember the time that I told you about a Purifier in the past?" Angel closes her eyes in thought as she recalls a conversation about them and slowly nods. "Apparently, it seems that he has made himself known in your life, a problem that I did not expect."
Angel looks at them in confusion, processing their words. "He has...? But...what have I done?"
"You have been helping those with overbolt," they answered. "He has a certain disdain for Purifiers after his incident and have lived so long based on that feeling. Usually, those who goes through overblot pass from the exhaustion of their magical reserves, but he was...different." They stop, trying to find the words to say. "Everyone that he helped with overblot instead made him grow in power, taking that overblot as his own and manipulating it as his own magic. He was able to make the thing that kills people into a strength that others cannot imagine, but..." They fall silent, trying to find the next words to say. "With a power like that, consequences had to be made."
"Consequences?" Angel asks.
"They could not die unless them themselves are purified," they answer, shocking Angel. "I suppose, you might know what that might entail." Angel pales at the information. Two things that came to her mind: 1) that he could have purposefully caused the event all those years ago and lost his means of escape and 2) that she would have to purify himself, a thought that make her shake in fear. If he had that power, the power from the scene she kept seeing, then she wouldn't stand a chance again him. Just her being near him almost put her on death's door. "You do not have to deal with him," Mentor sternly says, bringing her out of her thoughts. "I will try to handle him."
Angel felt a bit reassured at the statement, at least feeling a little bit relieved at the information, but there was something else that came up in her mind that she wanted to ask them. "Um..." She starts. "What caused him...to be like that?"
"Just like your friends," they curtly answered, leaving Angel confused. "He experienced a betrayal unlike anything else, bringing him on the brink of destruction. I do not want you to experience that either," they said in a somber tone. "I have been seeing what you see, hearing what you hear, and even reading the thoughts you have, little one. I can tell that his words are getting to you, and I want you to know that what he is saying is wrong. I know that he was speaking from experience but, I can tell that the people around you are good, you do not need to worry," they said calmly. Angel thinks about their words. What they said are right. The people she hangs around are good people who consider her as a friend. They've done nothing but helped her during her stay here and teach her new things she never thought about before, but something been nagging at her for a while. It could be from the man from earlier or her past experiences but the weird feeling she's been having became more prominent as time goes by. The doubts that she had kept growing every day, and it's been getting harder to ignore the feeling. Would she eventually end up like that man? Would she be abandoned by the people she considered as friends? She shakes them away, trying not to think about it. After all, the more she thinks about it, the possibility of it happening might increase, at least in her mind. Mentor watches her as she thinks, and an idea came to mind. "If you would rather prefer, little one," they start, "I could help you temporarily forget what you have seen so far." The request baffles Angel as she looks at them. "Do know that I can not fully make you forget everything or the fact that it can come back to you, but it will be enough to ease your worries for the moment," they explain. "When you wake up, I will erase some of your memories, but intense experiences will cause them to resurface. What it is depends on your psyche."
"Is this why I can barely remember anything after I speak to you?" Angel says as she thinks about the idea, remembering that she had a bit of a gap of memory every time she talked to them.
"Yes," they answer. "What we discuss here could affect your actions. It's more of a safety net to make sure that you still enjoy your life here while also doing your job as a Purifier. What I can do is erase memories about certain things to help you calm down worries you might have, so any event or scene you wish to forget, I can assist with that. That is the best I can assist you with at the moment."
Angel thinks. Could it really be that easy? It's easy to forget, that's for sure, but the problem lies with after. As they said, intense emotions can cause it to resurface, but what those intense emotions are, she's not sure. Anything could happen, but what could she forget? She's already forgotten so much of her life after all. She can't even remember her own life before coming to Twisted Wonderland. Though, as Mentor said, it's temporary and can come back, giving her a peace of mind, and the thought does seem appealing. It might actually help her clear out some of the feelings of doubt in her mind. She looks at Mentor, answer in mind. "I...would like to take the offer," she hesitantly says, and Mentor nods at her.
"What would you like to erase then?" They ask and Angel sadly looks at them. They nod at her look. "I understand, little one."
Angel looks down at the water, staring at her reflection as her vision starts to fade and her surroundings start to become foggy. She glances at Mentor as they look at her, eyes closed through the mask as she slowly starts to see black overtaking her vision. Whatever memory she will lose, maybe it will be for the best for her. I suppose...only time will tell She thinks as she closes her eyes, making her fall into the void.
A/N: Sorry about this chapter guys I was in a rush to finish it for the release today but I've been working on this chapter for the past week and half and just rushed the ending of this chapter because I got frustrated and distracted by it (games take up my time!). Anyway, only got about 4 more chapters to write before the end of book 4 then it'll be a hiatus to write side stories and to spend the holidays with my family. Thanks for understand long everyone! (11/8/23)