chapter five | forever

"Let. Me. OUT!" She screamed, the whites of her eyes glowing a bright orange light as she used the most energy she'd ever used for magic; an amber light emitted from Ethan's pocket, causing everyone in the crowd to gasp just after they accepted the true form of the remaining monsters.

The blond furrowed his brows, pulling the glass from his pocket, only to get his hand burnt by the energy it held. He dropped it, shattering the glass, and allowing her to escape.

Levana Sylver roared from the glass, her entire body emitting that amber glow that they'd only seen in her eyes. Her inky hair and light skin were glowing as if she was holding golden hour in her palms; her hair was floating around her head as she levitated into the air. Before she walked down a dark path that she wasn't sure she'd ever return from, she needed to enjoy her last few moments of freedom.

When she landed on the ground, she almost collapsed. The amount of energy she'd used had drained the color from her eyes and skin, but was sure to return after a four day power nap. She looked to Ethan with hatred in her eyes, weakly approaching him and landing a harsh slap to his right cheek.

She turned toward the crowd, pointing at the closed portal. "That man you just saw? The one that truly ruined everything? He's the problem. He hates humans, and sacrificed our friends in order to get his own selfish wishes granted... he killed my dad, with the help of our loving principal. We're not the threat to you, the main reason we're here is to try and make peace, so that people like him are no longer in power in our world."

The crowd murmured in agreement, some girls snickering as they watched Ethan rub the bright pink handprint on his cheek. Marnie smiled, looking toward the portal. "See? Humans really have changed."

Aggie pulled a witches glass from her robe pocket, wiping some dust from it before asking all of Halloweentown if they'd heard everything. The portal exploded open, and out came Edgar, Gwen, and a couple of the former students from Halloweentown.

Gwen hugged Levana, just in time to catch the dizzy girl. "How'd you get out?"

"My dad told me that if I ever needed to escape somewhere that seemed impossible, to... put all of my energy into my magic."

The witch widened her eyes, looking to Chester with panic in her face. "Can you carry her until we can get her somewhere that she can rest?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

The witches took their magic back, and Edgar's - leaving him mortal as he whined from the ground. With the small amount of energy that was keeping her awake, she conjured a crimson dagger, one that her father had left her in his will, and telekinetically stabbed the man in the heart.

"That.. was for.. my dad." She breathed, a small smile on her lips from knowing that the last sight she'd see before hibernation was Edgar Dalloway bleeding to death, with her father's dagger in his chest.

After Edgar's body had been disposed of by the council of Halloweentown, and they agreed to not prosecute Levana, Gwen gave Ethan the duty of taking the midnight haired girl home. He'd refused, at first, but knew that she wouldn't give him any choice.

So, there they were, alone in the Cromwell Clan's house; Levana was unconscious, the color entering her body as quickly as paint drying. He felt nothing but guilt and remorse, and despised himself for allowing this to go this far.

The blond conjured a vase, with different colored roses scattered about it; this was the only way he knew how to apologize without winding up like his father, the only way he knew that she would know he felt horrendous.

Five yellow roses, five white roses, one black rose, and a single red rose in the center. He'd bewitched the red rose with an anti-aging spell, which he'd tied a note to, and looked back at the witch he'd spent his entire life next to.

Ethan took a deep breath, forcing back the tears that were threatening to spill, before placing a goodbye kiss on her forehead, and exiting the human realm.

...

"I know that there's nothing I can say to make you forgive me. There's nothing I can say that will even make me forgive myself... You know I'm not good with words, so I left you more roses.

Yellow roses for the beautiful friendship we had, one that I'd so stupidly destroyed just for my father's approval.

White roses to show that no matter where fate drives us, whether we meet again or not, my heart will always remain loyal to you.

A black rose for remorse, mourning, and death. The death of a friendship that could have been so much more, the mourning of the lost loved ones we both now have, and the remorse for killing something that was once so whole and full of life.

And, finally, a single red rose.

Despite everything I've done, I've realized that in losing you, I have lost the best part of me to ever exist. I'll never get that part back, not unless the heavens open and you somehow forgive me... I love you, Levana Sylver, and I'll stop loving you once all of these roses die.

Forever,

Ethan"

Tears stained the paper before her as she read the note over and over again; it was like she'd read it a million times, and she still had yet to become desensitized to it. Her heart cried, as did her eyes, at the note that had been left for her a week beforehand.

Almost everyone came back, fearless of humans as they continued the school year as nobody other than themselves. Ethan hadn't contacted anybody, and Levana was in no hurry to go back home; she wasn't even sure if she wanted to.

So, she didn't. For a year and a half, she had not returned to Halloweentown, until it was time for her freshman year of college...