Divided Paths: CH 2

On the way there I changed my look and car back to normal and went to work my usual day, the only topic that could be talked about in the entire building was Lexar and his evil deeds “It's incredible how this man has the entire population manipulated to such extent nobody even questions anything” I thought empty minded, still thinking if by any mean I could save Lexar, knowing that if there was any trace of my involvement I'd completely ruin my plans and my side of this 'destined path' “The only thing I can do is visit him one last time as his caravan transports him towards Albatraz, it is on another side of the country, flying him would be considered risky so I might be able to catch up with the caravan and have some minutes with Lex" I thought as the minutes and hours moved so painfully slow it felt everything was moving in slow motion, as every busy day usually is in Xantrac corp, I signed many documents, met with many suits and kept grinding to expand my company and my political reaches around the country, at least this kept me entertained while night time came. I pulled some strings and finally got some answers for when and where Lexs caravan was leaving for Albatraz.

“At least I get to see him” I said as I headed home, reading myself for the huge risk I was about to take “I hope this doesn’t bring any consequences” I said thinking about a strategy “I mean I obviously need to bend time, if I don't I won't get any time with him” I thought thinking I also had to hide my identity "I can't change my appearance, if I was to be seen I'd be searched for to the ends of earth, I need to think of a disguise probably that covers my face completely" I thought as I walked.

I walked around the house over and over, thinking what I could do, and in my anxiety I walked over my parents studio “I haven’t been in here in so long” I said as I admired everything there was in there, my parents were what people would call collectors of weird things honestly, I went over each little thing trying to distract my mind, and a specific mask my father had from who knows where, gave me an idea, I grabbed it off the wall, it was cryptic, two big holes where the eyes are and a big carved black grin that went across each side on the white mask. I walked towards an antique mirror and put it on, “It matches my white hair to perfection…..” I said, staring at myself “The white devil, that’s how my magical alias will be known from now on” I said, casting a spell on it so I could see as if I had nothing on, breathe as if I was not wearing a mask and feel comfortable. I went to my room and made up a completely white outfit, white pants, white boots, and a white hoodie, tucking my hair inside of it, finishing it up with some white leather gloves.

“I need some weapons with me, my magic is not the strongest out there” I said looking myself up and down in a mirror, I went back to my parents collection studio and grabbed a pair of tanto knives with jade handles “These were definitely my moms collection”

I said taking them out of their sheaths “Still incredibly sharp” I said cutting a sheet of paper like butter, I placed some enchantments and curses on them so they were way more effective for me in battle and always came back to me no matter what happened or where they were at “I think this should do” I said heading out the door and preparing myself and my mind “All right let's do this” I said leaping into air and moving towards the place I was going to intercept the caravan.

I kept checking my time so I was sure I was on time, finally in the distance I could see the caravan of cars and the truck Lexar was being transported in “All right I have to make this quick” I said setting a timer for 3 minutes and 33 seconds letting my magic flow inside of me, feeling as it burned through my veins, I chanted and time stopped, I landed and opened the door for the truck where Lex was guarded by three guards, shackled and tied with his head against the truck wall just staring at the roof, I looked at him and willed for him to be excluded of my magic, he snapped his eyes at me and stared for a second “When did you learn to command that at will?” He asked with his eyebrows furrowed “A while back, nice to see you too as well, been a long time” I said rolling my eyes behind my mask, I quickly took a look at how beat up and bloodied up he looked, and my hands started shaking and my eyes burning with tears “Why did you have to go out alone and do all this stupid shit by yourself?” I asked him in between tears while my voice broke, I took my mask off so I could wipe my tears off and I crouched in front of him putting my forehead against one of his knees “You would not understand” He answered drily “And obviously, I realize maybe you don't know me that well'' Was all I could answer, as I knew time was ticking for me “I’ll always be here, I’m fulfilling my side of that stupid 'destiny', I guess you had to do your part alone, and that’s on you, I cannot be affiliated with you, this is probably the last time we’ll be able to talk in who knows how long Lex” I said as I stood up straight “I just want you to know that…" I paused and took a deep breath "I love you, I’ve always loved you and I might love you to the day I die, I believe you might be my soulmate, and if I can’t have a happy life like the one I always wanted for us, I will search for you in every timeline, in every reincarnation, you can’t get rid of me that easily'' I said without really thinking with tears flowing down my cheeks “I… I-” ‘BEEP BEEP’ My watch interrupted him “Shit no time, I have only a few seconds left, I will cast a blood curse on us, this way we might not be able to see each other or talk, but we will at least know if the other is still alive and we will share some level of emotions and connection” I said taking out my Tanto and chanting an incantation as I carved runes into my neck and chest “You’re pretty bloodied nobody will notice” I said carving them into his skin as well, after I finished his neck, our eyes met, at a nose to nose distance and I stared into his eyes, which showed me nothing more than sorrow, I traced his face and jaw with my finger and hand and gave him a small peck on his lips “Bye” I whispered as I was running out of time, I closed the door of the truck making sure I left no trace behind and flied away as my time chant came to an end and everything reverted to its normal pace.

I sat on a rocky hill a couple of miles away looking at the caravan take away the love of my life, my best friend, to one of the worst places in the planet while my heart was racing so hard it could burst out of my chest “What the fuck did I just do” I thought torturing myself over my words and actions “Well there is nothing else I can do” I said out-loud as tears streamed down my cheeks, I knew fully well that was the last time I would see him in a good while, and it was time for me to set my plans and my side of destiny in action.

After that night a very long and tedious path followed me, it was not an easy one, but I kept reminding myself why it was for and my end goals, slowly but surely I was able to climb the political and economical ladder, the white devil became my alter ego, with which I submerged into the underworld and the slums, slowly making a name for myself, which helped me gather information and allies, it was a during the day and during the night sort of situation.

Slowly but surely the lack of sleep and over achieving was taking a toll on me, both in my business face and my white devil disguise, I could not think straight most of the time and barely sleeping, while constantly being active during the nights was taking its toll, even with my magic “I have to do something, it's been months I don’t sleep more than an hour or two and barely eating doesn't really help” I thought as I was being driven to work “I’m so tired I crashed my car and now I have to have a chauffeur” I added to my train of thought rubbing my eyes under my glasses “Well, after tonight's mission I’ll find a solution for this, or I’ll end up killing myself” I thought laying my head back and closing my eyes, sleeping for the rest of the ride to my corporation, I woke up as we arrived and quietly made my way to my office sitting down and starting my day to day work.

“Ma’am I have some news for you” One of my assistants came into my office interrupting my empty mindedness “Yes, shoot me with it” I said while sipping my last bit of coffee, which was likely my fifth during the day “Your request to participate in the political rally as a candidate for the position of governor has been denied” She said handing me over the official notice, I sighed “Well it was to be expected, I’m still young, a female and want to revoke a bunch of rules so it is what it is” I said signing it and turning my chair around “I’ll have to wait another three years to be able to propose myself as a candidate again if I wish to, and I’ve been grinding for almost six years to put myself in a slightly respectable position, these pharmaceutical people and politicians are all rabid werewolves out there” I said twirling around in my chair as I closed my eyes “It’s been so long” I thought thinking about our timeline “Eight years since I left the academy, four since Lexar was incarcerated and I feel I’ve done nothing useful” I said sighing “I should stop by the academy one of these days check if anything has changed, maybe I can gather some information around there” I thought as my watch beeped “Ha, time to go home finally” I said getting up and heading to the garage.

Once I was finally home I went to the kitchen and ate some instant frozen meal I had and sat there in a huge empty house “Been six years since I said I wanted to get a familiar and I never do” I said out loud sighing “I mean, since pets were eradicated a long time ago, we have familiars now and they come in such a huge variety of beings, I don’t know what to befriend, and I don’t even have time to sleep, when am I even going to take the thing out for a walk or something” I discussed with myself out loud “Ah whatever, better get ready” I said throwing away my trash and heading to my room.

“Man I hope todays exploration has some success, I already took tomorrow off just in case it shows some promising results” I thought as I showered and dressed myself in my white devil outfit “I wonder where the hell my parents got this weird ass cloak, but I can make it change colors and shapes so it’s great, although sometimes I feel it has a mind of it’s own” I said “I also feel like a cliche clown wearing this, but, it helps conceal my head so I don’t have to wear a hoodie” I added as I adjusted it to be mid length. My outfit had evolved over the years, over time I gathered many different masks that suited my personality, I swapped the white boots for white sport shoes, the hoodie for a white long sleeved shirt, kept the white pants and added a white jacket for when it was cold, and my trusty cloak, I kept my very reliable twin tanto blades and toned in my magical powers “Nowhere close to some of these magical people, I am sure 90% of every magical being now is altered or enhanced, well…. it could also be I’m just very weak, who knows” I thought heading out to the forgotten underworld using a magical hub inside my house I summoned myself in a back alley of the slums and I made my way to the pier.