….
Arthur sat by his desk once more. The room which had once been home to scattered documents now had several neat piles of them on the desk.
He kept himself busy with a book.
'To think I actually wrote this.'
He thought as he turned to the next page.
This was his own diary, he had found it among the many books that were kept in the bookshelf.
He had begun writing his diary when he had learned how to write and what a diary was used for, that was when he was five, their parents hadn't passed on and he hadn't was recruited to fight in the war after his awakening.
The diary was a simple account of his early life. Due to his young age when writing he mostly conveyed himself with simple, sometimes misspelt word.
'Its like a child was writing this.'
It was hard to believe that the diary was dated at almost twenty years ago.
But, there was the undeniable fact that he had forgotten the faces of his parents...
Those were people he hadn't seen in a long while, after their deaths the only thing that had been engraved in his mind was the scent of blood and the exact ways lifeless bodies fell.
Though, there was always the sense of familiarity. The sense of familiarity one felt when they saw someone they cared about.
*Tok
"Come in."
Arthur called out as he glanced up from the book.
He could recognize Celestine's voice.
The door clicked open and she walked inside.
"I wanted to speak to you about something."
He gestured to another chair, one at the corner of the room.
She shook her head in the negative, choosing to stand instead.
'She's scared.'
This was the third or fourth time tonight that he had come to that realization.
'But she's doing well to hide it.'
A slight smirk played at his lips.
To Celestine, it seemed like the grin of a predator, one that wanted to devour her whole.
But Arthur didn't know that.
"I noticed something during dinner."
He began, his words slow.
Celestine's breath hitched as he spoke, a wave of dread washing over her.
"What?"
She asked, trying to feign ignorance, however her nervousness was fully displayed in her voice.
"The tea I was given."
He continued, dragging it out.
"Was there something wrong with the tea?"
She questioned.
Even after she finished speaking her lips continued moving, she silently chanted something under her breath.
"Poison..."
He finally said it.
"I realized that you knew I was possessed."
Arthur finally said it.
However, Celestine had stopped listening to his words.
"-I call upon thee, wind blade!"
She yelled out the last part as she completed the mana circuit.
The mana around her whirled.
A visible slash through air suddenly materialized, moving through the air quickly.
'She wasn't listening, or maybe she was just too scared.'
Arthur thought.
From the distance she was from him, it was impossible for a normal awakened to dodge it. She was just too close.
Before one could even throw their body out of the way they would already be cut in half.
For mages, the best way to combat it would be to force mana into the spot it would hit to decrease the damage.
The wind blade severed Arthur's head, going though his neck like knife through butter.
"Weren't you listening to what I was saying?"
Arthur questioned, his hands poised to strike.
He was standing right in front of Celestine.
Her eyes widened from shock, she darted her head towards the desk.
The body that her spell had hit slowly vanished, it's form was translucent now.
Celestine's breathing stopped, her heart pounded in her chest as she awaited what he was about to do next.
He flicked her forehead.
"I said that I realized that you knew I was possessed, not that I was a spirit."
Arthur said.
"You're acting a lot dumber than I remembered."
He added.
Celestine staggered backwards, clutching her forehead as if his touch had burned her.
Her mind struggled to not only process the words that had come out from his mouth, but also his actions.
"W- what... are you saying?"
She asked.
"I'm saying I'm back."
He said, his grin growing by a little.
It was now a brotherly smile.
But she didn't believe it.
"Are you Arthur?"
She questioned, backing away slightly.
"Yes."
He answered again.
Celestine seemed to regain herself.
"Prove it."
She murmured.
But Arthur heard her.
"What do you want me to prove, then?"
Celestine didn't need to give it much thought.
Arthur had something, or more specifically someone close to him.
Only about four people knew who that person was, that included both her and Rosalyne.
"Who is she?"
Celestine asked.
It was a question she had asked the very same person two years ago, but at that time he ignored the question saying that he was busy.
The next time was the same.
And the same.
Until he finally resorted to beating her up so she would stop asking the question.
The question was one of the reasons she was able to tell that her brother was possessed.
Arthur's brotherly smile faded as the memories washed over him.
"Lillian."
He answered.
Celestine stared at him for a second, their dazzling blue eyes meeting each other.
Then, she ran to him.
Her body crashed into his, her arms wrapping around him.
"Brother...."
Tears accompanied her words as she hugged him.
".... I missed you."
It wasn't too long before she began sobbing, letting out all her pent up emotions.
Mostly, her sadness.
Arthur just smiled as he patted her head.
"I missed you too."
He felt her tears trickle down onto his clothing, but he did nothing about it.
'Lillian.'
He thought.
That woman was partly the reason why he got possessed by a spirit. The other half belonged to his own foolishness.
He was at his lowest point.
"There, there. It's all right."
He comforted as patted her head.
Both siblings stood there, embracing each other.