[Narrative] Life on the other hand won't let you understand
"That is correct."
Inside the nothingness, a bizarre woman in a colourful dress was looking at us, with curious eyes. Those eyes didn't seem particularly alive.
So that's the Avatar of Magic. She's the one who drove Clow to insanity.
"What is this place?"
"My domain. I am afraid only I can sense its beauty. If you do not feel comfortable..."
She waved a hand, and the blank space became a room full of cushions, like coming right up from an Arabian night fantasy. She was now laying in a boudoir.
"Make yourselves comfortable. I have not had company in decades. Sit."
"No, thank you." The other ones made an halt in the middle of movement. Miss Doyle almost fell on a cushion below her.
"Why not?"
"I'm not sure... My Lady, we need to talk to you about something serious."
"Ah, that is too bad! It is Clow Reed." It wasn't a question.
"Yes. You should know he plans to---"
"Send all magic somewhere else, I know."
I couldn't believe my ears.
"You knew? Why aren't you stopping him? He's trying to kill you!"
She smiled. I didn't like that.
"I never said I was not, child. I never said he would succeed, either. He is not going to kill me with my own energy, because I shall not let him. He shall have a heart stroke, seconds before he pronounces the last word of the spell. When his body regenerates, the solar eclipse shall be over. The hole can only be created during a total solar eclipse. He has been waiting for decades, that poor child."
That was it? That easy? She had always planned to stop him?
"Let me get this straight," said Megan. "That bloke wants to kill you, and still, you're going to resurrect him again?! Are you a sadist or something?"
"Yes for the first one. I do not understand the second one."
"Let's try with a simpler question," I said. "You have been resurrected him over and over again. You're not letting Clow die. Why? Why are you so keen on having him alive?"
"Child, it would be such a waste..."
"Huh?"
"Clow Reed is an exceptional man. His powers are rather strong for his kin, and he was able to unify two branches of magic. He created fifty seven entities. So powerful. So clever. Such a waste for such a being to be mortal. I cannot let him leave this world."
"Nobody lives forever," I insist.
"I know. That is the reason I let him live."
"Have you even asked him if he wanted to stay alive?" I heard Spinel's voice saying.
"What do you mean?" The Avatar looked perplexed. "It is a well-known fact human beings long for eternal youth and life. Who would not wish to get that?"
"Clow, apparently." Ruby murmured.
"Not all humans want the same things," I said, "and that includes immortality. You are generalizing us all in the same category. If you had asked him, he would've told you he didn't want that."
"That is not possible. Humans live for so scarce time..."
"Why do you think he keeps attempting suicide?"
"I thought it was his way to amuse himself and play with me."
"It isn't, my Lady. He verily wants death, and you're in the way."
She frowned, trying to understand the concept. She was like a very whimsical, spoiled little girl.
"I did that to please him... He had done so much; he had amused me, so I wanted him to be happy..."
"He isn't. Your constant revivals have driven him to madness. He actually wishes for magic to end, so you could leave him alone. Even if you stop him now, he'll just wait for the next eclipse and try to kill you again."
Silence. Had I insulted her?
"He really does not want my gift?"
"No, I'm sorry."
More silence. She seemed disappointed.
"I believe you. You ought to know him better, after all. But.. if I grant him what you have told me he wants, he would be gone and return to the karmic cycle."
"That's the point."
"I liked seeing him. He did things no other sorcerer ever did. You," she looked at my eyes, "I had the same expectations on you, but you had to give so much away."
"It was what I wanted. See? We all want different things."
"I see. Then I shall proceed."
"You are going to kill Reed?" Megan asked.
"No. He could change his mind. No. I shall make him a common mortal man, so there is no way he can be revived again."
"Thank you."
"This shall affect you, though. Your existence and powers are linked to his."
"...What do you mean?"
Inside the nothingness, a bizarre woman in a colourful dress was looking at us, with curious eyes. Those eyes didn't seem particularly alive.
So that's the Avatar of Magic. She's the one who drove Clow to insanity.
"What is this place?"
"My domain. I am afraid only I can sense its beauty. If you do not feel comfortable..."
She waved a hand, and the blank space became a room full of cushions, like coming right up from an Arabian night fantasy. She was now laying in a boudoir.
"Make yourselves comfortable. I have not had company in decades. Sit."
"No, thank you." The other ones made an halt in the middle of movement. Miss Doyle almost fell on a cushion below her.
"Why not?"
"I'm not sure... My Lady, we need to talk to you about something serious."
"Ah, that is too bad! It is Clow Reed." It wasn't a question.
"Yes. You should know he plans to---"
"Send all magic somewhere else, I know."
I couldn't believe my ears.
"You knew? Why aren't you stopping him? He's trying to kill you!"
She smiled. I didn't like that.
"I never said I was not, child. I never said he would succeed, either. He is not going to kill me with my own energy, because I shall not let him. He shall have a heart stroke, seconds before he pronounces the last word of the spell. When his body regenerates, the solar eclipse shall be over. The hole can only be created during a total solar eclipse. He has been waiting for decades, that poor child."
That was it? That easy? She had always planned to stop him?
"Let me get this straight," said Megan. "That bloke wants to kill you, and still, you're going to resurrect him again?! Are you a sadist or something?"
"Yes for the first one. I do not understand the second one."
"Let's try with a simpler question," I said. "You have been resurrected him over and over again. You're not letting Clow die. Why? Why are you so keen on having him alive?"
"Child, it would be such a waste..."
"Huh?"
"Clow Reed is an exceptional man. His powers are rather strong for his kin, and he was able to unify two branches of magic. He created fifty seven entities. So powerful. So clever. Such a waste for such a being to be mortal. I cannot let him leave this world."
"Nobody lives forever," I insist.
"I know. That is the reason I let him live."
"Have you even asked him if he wanted to stay alive?" I heard Spinel's voice saying.
"What do you mean?" The Avatar looked perplexed. "It is a well-known fact human beings long for eternal youth and life. Who would not wish to get that?"
"Clow, apparently." Ruby murmured.
"Not all humans want the same things," I said, "and that includes immortality. You are generalizing us all in the same category. If you had asked him, he would've told you he didn't want that."
"That is not possible. Humans live for so scarce time..."
"Why do you think he keeps attempting suicide?"
"I thought it was his way to amuse himself and play with me."
"It isn't, my Lady. He verily wants death, and you're in the way."
She frowned, trying to understand the concept. She was like a very whimsical, spoiled little girl.
"I did that to please him... He had done so much; he had amused me, so I wanted him to be happy..."
"He isn't. Your constant revivals have driven him to madness. He actually wishes for magic to end, so you could leave him alone. Even if you stop him now, he'll just wait for the next eclipse and try to kill you again."
Silence. Had I insulted her?
"He really does not want my gift?"
"No, I'm sorry."
More silence. She seemed disappointed.
"I believe you. You ought to know him better, after all. But.. if I grant him what you have told me he wants, he would be gone and return to the karmic cycle."
"That's the point."
"I liked seeing him. He did things no other sorcerer ever did. You," she looked at my eyes, "I had the same expectations on you, but you had to give so much away."
"It was what I wanted. See? We all want different things."
"I see. Then I shall proceed."
"You are going to kill Reed?" Megan asked.
"No. He could change his mind. No. I shall make him a common mortal man, so there is no way he can be revived again."
"Thank you."
"This shall affect you, though. Your existence and powers are linked to his."
"...What do you mean?"