//------------------------------// // Chapter 8: Guilt // Story: Aldred: The Wizard on the Run // by DaringWizard //------------------------------// Aldred sat quietly by the stream. His hands were quivering, he was shaking. His heart was pounding. Not in excitement, but pain. One thousand years he'd been gone. Only now did he realize how much everything had changed. So much time had gone by, that Celestia had found someone else to finish his work... It didn't sit well with him. "Are you still questioning your loyalties?" A voice asked, Aldred turned his head to see a boy dressed in dull-green robes with shiny silver rims. He walked up next to him and sat down. "Ackerley... please... I don't know what to do anymore, I need time to think." "We're always there for you. Defected of Celestia or not... what's that?" Ackerley asked, Aldred stuffed the parchment into his pocket. "Something Private." Aldred responded, Ackerley tilted his head in curiosity. "It's all right, Aldred. I understand... and, if those rumors were true- if you want to talk about it, I'm here for you." Aldred bent his head in shame- he knew what was about to be brought up. "...You know, there's no shame when the heart is concerned." Ackerley put his hand on Aldred's shoulder, trying to comfort him. "Tell that to the hundreds of extremists who tried to have me executed over it. I still have scars on my back..." Aldred raised his head. "Their gone now. You don't need to worry about them. They won't hurt you... why are you still sad?" He asked. "...because I'm starting to wonder if my parents really were innocent or not... if I should've sided with the resistance." Aldred said, Ackerley raised an eyebrow at him. "What do you mean?" He asked. "I never was there when it all happened... I was far away from there..." Ackerley watched as his friend slowly go pale. "Aldred... what did Celestia tell you?" Aldred was silent, he opened his mouth several times as if he wanted to say something, but he couldn't find his words, instead, he gave Ackerley the parchment. "Read it." Aldred said, Ackerley looked down at it, then, after a few seconds, his eyes went wide. "What on Earth...!?" Ackerley let out. "Celestia gave it to me... she claims that while I was gone... she had her student- Twilight - finish my work..." Aldred said. "Ackerley... what am I supposed to do?" Aldred asked. "... I don't know. But I think you do deserve this knowledge... why don't you try it?" Ackerley asked, he handed Aldred the parchment, got up and left. "...Maybe because I don't deserve it..." Aldred said, even though Ackerley wasn't there, Aldred buried his face into his knees- he spoke to no one, but himself. "What am I doing... what was I thinking..." Aldred muttered, he took his face from his knees and looked out into the stream- someone was standing there- a boy dressed in blue robes with shiny blue rims. He glared at Aldred, but not because he was angry. "You never did anything wrong, Aldred. Do not let her lies get to you." "Go away." Aldred responded, the boy stepped out of the water and knelt down in front of him. The stream grew still. "This is a trick. Think about what she did to you and your parents- she used a spell reserved for those changeling bastards on us to send us to Light Tartarus- she could've killed us in the process." "Shut up..." Aldred whispered. "Think about what she did to your parents and sister! Think about-" "SHUT UP! Shut up!" Aldred shouted, red liquid pooled in his eyes, and streamed down his face like tears, the boy repelled at this. "Think about what she did that made your tears of anger run red." The boy finally said, Aldred reached up to his face and rubbed his hand across his cheek- to find that his tears looked like blood. The boy walked away and left Aldred in a state of despair. "Damn you Chris... go to hell!" Aldred shouted, the boy didn't answer. In that instant, he decided what was right. -------------------------------- He finished transferring the script to his grimoire. He took careful notice to make sure it was perfect, down to the last letter. As he spoke, his blood became electrified. He felt himself getting lighter and lighter. Eventually, he vanished into thin air. He found himself in a large... he didn't know how to describe it. It was like space. Stars glowed in the distance. They shimmered, they sparkled... and standing there was Princess Celestia. "You should know... that I've been watching you from day one. When I was still young... when you saved my life." Celestia said, Aldred walked towards her. He couldn't feel anything. Not his heartbeat, not his skin... nothing. He felt nothing. "I looked to you as an older brother. You remember when we used to go to the ancient temples? Read up on the old magic books?" Celestia asked, Aldred stared at his feet. Guilt was piling up on him. "...you remember the day you woke up in the hospital bed after your eyes were cursed? How I was crying?" Celestia asked, Aldred looked up at her, she looked very melancholic. The guilt Aldred felt was unbearable... what was he doing? Why was he doing it? Why was all he was feeling there? Why was it even important...? A tear rolled down his left cheek. "I know you must hate me for what I've done. You have every right to." Aldred blinked. "I know what its like to lose your family, I understand the pain you felt..." Celestia walked closer to Aldred. He took out his sword, and chucked it off into the distance. Celestia stared as she saw Aldred's robes turn from Black to a mid-grey. "I never like fighting anyway." Aldred said, he turned to walk away. "Aldred..." Celestia said, Aldred stopped. "Yes?" He asked. "What are you looking for?" Celestia asked, Aldred felt like he was falling into himself. He felt he could say, without regret, that he was the worst person alive for what he had done. Celestia really did care for him... and he had treated her like a monster. Aldred felt his lungs inflate with air as he readied his voice to answer her question. "I'm looking for a purpose." Aldred said, he heard something hit the floor- a teardrop- Celestia's. "Just as you always have. Ever since you created the 'locket'." Celestia finished. "...Why do you still wear it?" He asked, pointing to the gem on Celestia's necklace. She gave him a sad smile. "To remember the person who gave me something I could never have without that person- a family... I haven't opened it since you left." "What's inside?" Aldred asked, there was silence. "Something very dear to me..." Celestia said. "Take care of it." Aldred finished, and he walked away, leaving the area filled with stars.