Bottle of Stories (97)

"Why aren't you happy? I thought we are friends?" Leivo paused as soon he felt a cold blade on his neck.

"Do not come any closer to Rey." Jayson recovered from the curse but his memories are still intact contrary to what Leivo said.

"Jayson, no more fighting!" said Kid.

"We can't trust him. He might hurt Rey again," said Annie who is still holding her bow and arrow.

"I'm sorry, I was just protecting my parents' wishes. Rey, I'm sorry. I realized that I have no control over my actions and Rey's presence alone can release my own desires. I want justice for my family but it hinders me from making any friends. This is all their fault, the Skar family."

Jayson did not believe what Leivo said and he did not put down his weapon.

"Can you forgive Skars if they apologize to you?" asked Rey.

"No, they can't bring my parent's life back. But you are different, we are friends! You should forgive me."

Annie looked at Rey like he is trying to communicate through telepathy that Leivo should not be forgiven.

Rey already made up his mind even Annie tries to influence him. "I can't. When you tied me to the chair, I was scared. When you put a lot of magic in me, I thought I was going to explode. When I woke up, Jayson was down and Annie was crying. You hurt a lot of people and you seem to be proud of it. Do you have no conscience at all?"

"I'm sorry! Don't leave me, you are the only friend I have. Do not forget that I helped you set him free." Leivo pointed at Kid.

"Jayson, Annie, please put your weapons down." Kid walked a few steps forward. "I also put them in a lot of trouble just to set myself free. I do not know if they will forgive me or will they become friends with me. We are somewhat in the same situation where we are both guilty of our own actions. However, we cannot force others to forgive us because the only person we can ask for forgiveness is ourselves."

Leivo is hopeless so he fell to the floor and bawled his eyes out. He cried for Rey's name, again and again.

The previously cursed people approached him while Rey, Annie, Jayson, and Kid walked away. Everyone is comforting Leivo, some are patting his head, wiping his tears, and hugging him, but it wasn't enough to stop him from crying because they are just strangers to him. He might be successful in carrying his parent's revenge but he lost his only friend who understand his stories.

It is already morning when Cu and OP arrived at the museum. "Is it finished? My gut tells me something is wrong with Skar," asked Cu.

"Skar is innocent, you should not believe the things you remember. Skar would never do that." OP saw that everyone is comforting Leivo. "No, Leivo is our enemy not Skar."

"He said that they will not remember that he cursed them but they will remember what the Skar family did. I don't know what he is talking about," said Annie.

Cu was enlightened when he heard Annie's explanation because he nearly forgot what they are doing in the first place.

"Oh no, Kid, please bring me to Skar."

"Okay." Kid opened an entry in a wave of his hand.

OP dashed inside and Cu was about to follow him. "Thank you," said Cu to everyone before running inside the opening.

Annie smiled back. "Goodbye!" she happily said.

Kid closed the path.

"Hey, Kid. Before we go home, can we sleep for a while?" asked Rey.

"Sure, I know a great place." He immediately transported them to a neat master bedroom with a great view of the sea.

Rey hopped in the bed, hugging the pillow bigger than him. Annie did the same and accompanied him on the king-size bed.

"My body can't take it anymore it hurts so bad," said Rey.

"I want to sleep too. Our fight is so tiring," said Anie.

Annie and Rey chatted so loudly like they haven't seen each other for a long time. Those laughs and amazement as they share their stories while they are gone turned into silence when they fell into deep slumber.

Kid and Jayson remained silent the whole time, thinking that nothing can break their friendship because Rey and Annie knows each other really well.

~~~*List of Chapters*~~~