A/N: Hey, just wanted to say that I had made a few changes in the previous chapter. I'm sorry but you might wanna read the latter half of Chapter 19 before proceeding on to this chapter. Because, like, I completely omitted the part where Good Luck returns. (Lmao, rip Good Luck. Maybe we'll see you soon.) Again, I'm so sorry but I'm a bit of a pantser. And it's sort of my habit to keep changing a few stuff here and there, so as not to leave any plot holes.
Also, this chapter might be a bit boring. But it's really vital to the plot. So just hold on. The action will be coming soon. Promise ;)
And since I'm here -- haha, you know the drill -- please do press that vote button and leave me a comment on your thoughts <3
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"Is Fate getting what you deserve, or deserving what you get?"
~ Jodi Picoult (Vanishing Acts)
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Miracle didn't run.
He had wanted to. Of course he did. But when he saw the devastated look on Sherry's face, he couldn't find it in himself to leave her. A part of him wanted to be smug and shout on her face, "Ha! This is what you get for betraying your friends!" But he wasn't cruel. Whatever resentment or grudge he had been holding against her, all of it dissipated into naught.
Maybe she deserved all of it but Miracle couldn't help the pity that arose on his chest. Because, at the end, she had been trying to save the person she loved and cared about. Like he was trying to save Blue.
That didn't justify her actions, of course. And Miracle wasn't sure if it would ever look at her like a friend again. But, still, his heart pinched with sympathy when his gaze fell on her face. If nothing else, perhaps it would serve as a lesson, a reminder.
Sherry sat on the couch, rocking back and forth, her hands clutching the letter with a tight fist. Her eyes were brimming with unshed tears at the betrayal. A taste of her own medicine.
Suddenly, as if a bolt of lightning had shot through her, she stiffened, her tears disappearing. She swallowed, her eyes flashing and Miracle could almost see the gears turning inside her head, determination taking clutch of her. Her gaze snapped to Miracle's and the burning hatred in them almost made him shrink back with shock. And, just like that, Miracle knew he had his old Sherry back.
She looked at him, her face tear-streaked but her voice chillingly calm. "I know where he is. I know what he's planning."
Miracle raised an eyebrow.
"I can help you," Sherry said, her voice trembling with rage. "Do you trust me?"
For a long minute, it was only silence between them. Then, Miracle grinned. "I trust you."
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"If we are to save Blue," Sherry began, crossing her arms over her chest, pacing the length of the room, "you first need to know the entire story."
"Then tell me," Miracle said, gesturing impatiently, running his hand through his hair, like he tended to when he felt twitchy and restless. "Where is he? What is he planning? What does he want with Blue? How did he even break free from the sarcophagus?"
That question, in particular, bothered him the most. It should have been impossible for Evil to free himself from the sarcophagus. Miracle would know; he had helped craft it.
You see, Goodness and Evil - being such abstract concepts - couldn't take on human forms, unlike, say, Miracle himself. They were almost like deities to the rest of them. And if they were deities, that meant Miracle, Wrath, Hate, the Luck sisters, et cetera, were no more than mere commoners. After all, Miracle was an embodiment of something fairly simple. He made miracles come true. While Hate always begot hate. Happy gave joy to people. Their jobs were simple. Hence, it was easier for them to conjure themselves as humans. Be alive.
But evil wasn't simple. Neither was good.
No being is purely evil or purely good; there is always a little of both. Besides, for what one might consider as evil, others might think of it as a blessing. What is good for one may be destructive for others. And it is because of this inevitable paradox, Goodness and Evil could never take on human forms. But that didn't change the fact that they were far stronger than the 'commoners'. After all, good and evil were the most primal instinct of humans. The most basic of emotions. Which is why, they could possess people, use them as hosts if the need surfaced.
That said, it is only because humans live that Goodness and Evil do too. Because, at the end, the existence of humans and their perception of world and the way they tended to pigeonhole everything as 'good' or 'bad', 'right' or 'wrong' made their survival possible. Did an animal thought to consider his actions when he attacked his prey? No, of course not. That seemed absurd, didn't it?
Quite like the way Miracle had Wrath as a counterpart, Goodness and Evil were nemesis of each other. Hence, they were bound to clash. And they did so through humans. It was, however, important to maintain a balance. But, every once in a while, the balance would tip.
The most recent instance of such would be the time of the World Wars when Evil's influence had grown stronger and stronger. Goodness had to step up and rein back control. Taking the aid of the Luck twins, Miracle himself, Love, Fair, Justice and a few others, they had planned to restrain Evil. But, of course, the question arose: how do you defeat something that wasn't even truly alive?
The shadow of Evil had seemed to shroud almost the entirety of the world during those turbulent times. And with his powers being fueled by Hate, Unfair and the others, he was nearly unstoppable.
But he could only take on one host at a time. It hadn't taken them long to find out who had been the host. Once they got hold of that vital information, they had crafted a magical sarcophagus made from the warmth of love, the delight of miracles, the laughter of happiness, the optimism of hope - all things, arguably, 'good'. It was a vessel made entirely to contain the essence of Evil, like Pandora's Box. Once sealed in, he could never open it from the inside. It could only be unlocked from the outside.
Of course, it wasn't possible to seal all of Evil - only the strongest parts of him. It had taken much sacrifice, blood and toil to finally subdue him. And, while he had remained locked up, his influence had receded - at least, the worst brunt of it. The wars came to an end, countries made their peace, death tolls came down. And the rest is history.
Team Good had defeated Team Bad. Just like it was supposed to. At the end, evil could not prevail.
But while the humans rejoiced, Team Goodness still had one more thing to deal with: what to do with a sarcophagus with a deity trapped in it?
The answer was fairly simple.
Why, they threw it on the ocean, of course.