Chereads / Madison and Mason: The Witch Hunters / Chapter 21 - Act 21: Death and Memories

Chapter 21 - Act 21: Death and Memories

Continuing the last chapter - Mason got stabbed and was bleeding to death, unable to do anything but let Antoniette escape. He can't move an inch as his consciousness slowly fades away, but fortunately, Excalibur immediately absorbs Mason's soul and in order to save him, Excalibur transported Mason in to the Realm of Memories.

Mason woke up in a green lush meadow with an unfamiliar look on his face and as he stands up, he looks around and realized that this was the same meadow that they live since they were kids. He still clearly remembers what happened when they got attacked by the witches as he asked in a loud voice, "Excalibur! Where am I!? Where have you brought me!?"

The voice just echoed around as the scene starts where they live a peaceful life and later, he began hearing voices inside his head, the voices that he did not know whose. It's driving Mason crazy and starts reminiscing all of his battles, all of the lives he have taken with his own hands, the people he killed and the people who died for him and there he realized that the voices inside his head were those people, blaming him, cursing him, praying for him to die a gruesome death.

Hearing these words nearly made Mason break, but fortunately, Merlin showed up and silenced the voices while holding Excalibur in her hand and said, "You are still weak to be a king. You failed to kill your enemy and not just that, you tortured her for your own enjoyment and now look what happened. Do you still think that you are worthy of holding Excalibur?"

Mason answered, "I don't have any obligations to answer nor to honor that. I lived my life exacting revenge against the witches who butchered my parents. I did not do it so that I can be king, I did it in order to protect my sister! In order to protect the ones I love, the ones I trusted so much! And you have no right to stop me!" As he stands up and tries to took Excalibur from her, but the sword itself rejected him.

Mason was confused and asked, "Why?"

Merlin answered, "That's because the sword itself has determined your true worth. You lived your life just to exact revenge, right? No, you are living your life in your own selfish way. It's useless to protect someone if you get yourself killed, it's useless to prove everything if you don't have anything. Getting full of yourself just because you have the power will only lead to your downfall. Those who drowned in power are short lived, while those who aren't lives longer, that's why the previous user of the Excalibur was not as arrogant as you, but rather a humble man who lived a peaceful life until he died." As she gently approaches Mason and asked, "Now, tell me. Are you worthy?"

Mason didn't respond and was left speechless as looks down at the ground. Merlin has no choice but to imprison Mason in the Realm of Memories to further discipline him and said, "You will die if you don't change yourself. I will imprison your soul and consciousness in this realm. Good luck..." As she gradually vanishes into thin air, leaving Mason behind.

Back at Madison – just as she went to the location where she shot Antoniette away, she suddenly felt something and that feeling is that as if she lost something, she immediately rushes towards that location as she suddenly remembered her brother, Mason.

When she arrived, all she saw is her brother's body gone cold. She gently approaches her brother as she calls him, "Mason? Mason? Please don't joke with me. This isn't funny." As she tries to wake him up, he saw a wound from his back and his sword besides him darkens. The glorious light of the Excalibur grew dim and was replaced by rust and dust.

Madison – in the grief of losing his only family, she lost control of herself and shouted, "Why!? Why do you have to take everything from me!? I lost my parents! And now, even my brother! I will kill you all witches!" As she was about to set off with Ben, Jena suddenly stopped her from doing so.

Madison tries to ward her off, but Jena refused and pleads, "Madison, you're only trying to kill yourself! I know it hurts! I know the feeling of losing a loved one! I have lost many friends and families in my life and now, look what is has brought me. I'm not as strong as you, but you've got to move on, Mason will not be happy if his sister got killed without completing your purpose!"

Ben agrees and added, "She's right, master. I have no right to say this, but live on. This is the only thing that Mason would've wanted, to let his only family live. At least, let him rest peacefully with the others..."

Hearing this made Madison calm down and starts crying in pain of losing her only family as she agrees with what Ben said.

As the sun sets, they brought Mason's body to the meadow where their house once stood when they were still kids as they dig up a grave and buried Mason's body. After they gave Mason a proper burial, Jena left with Ben, leaving Madison alone with his dead brother. While Madison is giving her prayers, she placed a large rock besides his grave as she took the rusted Excalibur and plugs it up. "This is the least I can do. I will miss you brother." As she began to leave the burial to join Jena and Ben.

Madison, with her new allies, continues their journey to hunt down the Witch Queen – Marie Antoniette.

Several months later...

Cassie – Mason's former lover went to visit Mason's grave after hearing from Madison. She kneeled besides the grave as she prayed, "Lord, I have lost everything. Why do you have also taken Mason? I have been waiting for him for these past few months only to hear that he died fighting the Witch Queen. Lord, I pray that I will pay any price you ask, just to bring back Mason from the dead. After all, his purpose isn't finished yet." As she smiled upon Mason's grave.

To be continued...