Chapter 482: Let Go
Chapter 482: Let Go
The stone necklace, which had been twisted into a figure eight, now formed a braid, wrapping around Wade, Haley, and Mabel's wrists.
Fortunately, they were all young, and their wrists were slim, so the length of the stone necklace was just enough.
Wade looked at Haley, whose face had turned pale, and said gently, "Don't be afraid. Whatever you see, just follow me. When I say 'leave,' you need to leave immediately, understand?"
Dumbledore discovered during his experiments that the spirit realm was not a prison. Not only could the owner easily expel intruders, but those who entered another's spirit realm via the necklace could also leave with a single thought.
Haley nodded, then whispered, "I'm not afraid... I just... I didn't know Mabel would end up like this..."
The girl's lips trembled, and she was on the verge of tears.
Wade said, "The Maledict has been slowly consuming her life, making her weaker and weaker. That's why we need to expel the Maledict from her body."
"I understand", Haley nodded vigorously. "I'll do anything to help Mabel!"
Despite her young age, she had endured hardships but never lost hope, like a small plant stubbornly growing through a crack in the rock, with a strong and understanding soul hidden in her slight frame.
Wade also nodded and looked at Dumbledore. As he heard the headmaster's incantations, his eyelids grew heavier, and he soon fell into a deep sleep.
In the blink of an eye, Wade woke up, and the world before him had changed.
This place looked like a village, with narrow, tall houses lining the streets, each with small windows and tightly shut doors.
It seemed to have once been a closed-off place, like a prison, but now it was almost in ruins. Most of the houses had collapsed, or were shrouded in dark, smoky mists, with thick layers of dirt blocking the windows and doors, sealing them off.
A cold wind blew continuously through this world, chilling the body.
"Wade."
Haley whispered, stepping closer and grabbing Wade's hand.
Wade steadied himself, holding Haley's hand, and they moved away from the ominous black mists, walking along the concrete path.
The village didn't seem very large, but they walked for a while, and the road ahead still seemed long.
Suddenly, they heard a clear, cheerful laugh. Wade turned around sharply and saw a collapsed house, inside which there was a scene from a playground. A little girl held a balloon and ran with a happy smile.
She laughed joyfully, but her figure was translucent. Someone seemed to be chasing her, but the figure was blurred, and the surroundings looked like a low-quality holographic projection.
A few seconds later, the girl disappeared abruptly, and the playground scene vanished, replaced by an empty, old house with only a shriveled red balloon on the ground.
"Wade, are there ghosts in the spirit realm?" Haley's voice trembled as she asked, fearfully.
"No, those aren't ghosts", Wade said. "Those are Mabel's memories."
But the girl had been subjected to the Obliviate spell, leaving her memories fragmented. Even the houses in the spirit realm had turned to ruins, with only fleeting glimpses of the past remaining.
Haley turned back and took a deep look at the collapsed house. Suddenly, she saw the little girl with the balloon again, but her figure was even more faded, and the entire scene seemed to be evaporating.
—Mabel doesn't have much time left!
Haley realized this with crystal clarity.
She had been following Wade, but now she pulled him, walking quickly and searching the sides with an anxious gaze.
Through some broken, spider-webbed windows, they occasionally saw memories of Mabel.
Some were reading, some leaning by the window in thought, and others crouched in a corner, crying. These various Mabels, large and small, were mostly just fleeting images that disappeared if you weren't careful.
Haley, growing more anxious, couldn't help but shout, "Mabel—Mabel—come out—come out, I'm looking for you—"
The entire spirit realm suddenly shook violently, and the two of them lost their balance. Wade quickly grabbed Haley, and to his surprise, the houses on both sides rushed backward.
In a blink, they had traveled several miles, and the houses slowed down and stopped moving.
These houses were much more complete and spacious, clearly from Mabel's memories before the wizards had interfered. However, most of the houses were already engulfed by black mists, which spread like vines toward the intact houses.
Wade witnessed the entire process of the consumption—
Mabel, with a vacant and lifeless expression, lay on the experimental table. A man dressed as a doctor was inserting a long, thin needle into her arm, while three or four others watched with interest, discussing the procedure.
Suddenly, the glass shattered with a loud crack, and black mist flooded in. The doctor and the others vanished as if they were punctured balloons. Moments later, Mabel appeared by the window, as if she had become one with the black mist.
She looked outside with dead, hollow eyes, seemingly staring at Wade and Haley, or perhaps coveting other intact houses.
Then, the black mist surged, and this Mabel disappeared as well.
Wade took a deep breath and suddenly noticed something unusual in one of the rooms. He quickly said, "This way!"
He pulled Haley over, and they saw a room about to be engulfed by the black mist, where there were actually two Mabels.
Not just Mabel, but there was also a Haley and a few other children who had been captured for experiments. They were sitting in a circle, playing rock-paper-scissors.
"Mabel! Mabel!"
Haley shouted, tiptoeing and pounding on the window. The two Mabels inside seemed completely oblivious. Wade grasped the doorknob and pushed hard, and the door opened with a click.
Haley was stunned for a moment, then immediately ran inside.
Both Mabels were wearing the same robes, but one of them was holding a dark, ragged doll. Upon closer inspection, the doll's features somewhat resembled Mabel's.
As Wade and Haley entered the room, the doll's eyes suddenly darted, staring at them with an eerie intensity.
Wade's wand was still with him in the spirit realm. He waved it lightly, and the doll yawned, its eyes slowly closing.
Haley didn't notice this. She walked straight to the Mabel holding the doll, pounced, and hugged her tightly.
Mabel, who had seemed absorbed in the game, suddenly snapped out of it. She looked at the two of them in shock and exclaimed, "—Haley?!"
...
"So, this is my spirit realm?"
After some explanation, Mabel finally understood the situation. She looked at the other children still playing rock-paper-scissors, hesitated for a moment, and then walked out of the room.
One hand held Haley's, while the other clutched the doll tightly.
"How could my world be like this?" Mabel murmured.
"Maledict is consuming everything, Mabel", Wade explained, standing beside her. "You must let it go, or you will die soon."
"…Let it go?" Mabel was confused. "Mr. Scamander and Mr. Dumbledore are using magic to separate Maledict, right?"
"Yes", Wade said. "But because you subconsciously don't want Maledict to leave, their magic fails."
Mabel was puzzled for a moment. "Then how can I help?" She looked around and shouted, "Get out of my world, Maledict!"
"Is that enough?" Mabel asked afterward.
Wade shook his head. "I need you to let go of the doll, Mabel."
"The doll? But… my mom gave it to me… What is this thing?!"
Mabel seemed to see the doll clearly for the first time, and it frightened her, but even so, she didn't drop it.
"I think this is the form Maledict takes in your spirit realm. It has deceived you, making it impossible for you to let go", Wade said.
Mabel looked at the black mist covering the houses. "But… what are those?"
"Those are also manifestations of Maledict. It is about to take over your entire world, but the key is the part you are unwilling to let go of."
Wade patiently explained, "As long as you hold onto the doll, Maledict will remain tightly entangled with your soul, and Mr. Scamander and the others won't be able to separate Maledict from you."
"Please, let it go, Mabel", Haley said, tears welling up in her eyes. "I don't want to see you die."
"O… okay", Mabel agreed, but as she tried to let go of the doll, her arm trembled, and she couldn't bring herself to do it.
Haley simply snatched the doll and threw it far away!
The next second, the doll reappeared in Mabel's arms, eyes open, and it grinned at Haley, who was wide-eyed.
Haley, furious, rolled up her sleeves, grabbed the doll, and threw it to the ground, stomping on it. "Wade, help me! Use your magic to burn this thing!"
Wade hesitated, seeing Haley clench her fists tightly and her angry expression. He still pointed his wand.
With a loud bang, the doll caught fire. Haley quickly jumped to the side, watching it burn to ashes, feeling extremely pleased.
But when she turned around, the doll was back in Mabel’s hands, unharmed. Haley’s smile froze on her face.
“What’s going on?” she asked, her voice trembling as she looked at Wade.
Wade was watching Mabel. Although she hadn’t stopped Haley’s actions, when the doll reappeared in her hand, she didn’t show disgust or fear; instead, she seemed somewhat relieved.
“Haley, the doll is just a manifestation of the Maledict in this spirit realm. It’s everywhere, so no matter how many times you destroy it, it will always reappear.”
Wade looked into Mabel’s eyes and said, “Unless you let it go, Mabel… but it seems you don’t want to?”
“I… I…”
Mabel glanced at Wade, then at Haley. She seemed to want to drop the doll, but her fingers wouldn’t release it.
“Mabel!” Haley exclaimed, her voice filled with disbelief.
Wade remained calm. “I understand the Maledict has immense power, and the feeling of being all-powerful can be very tempting. But Mabel, if you die, there will be nothing left.”
“Maybe for a while, you saw the Maledict as a protector, a friend, but that’s not the case.”
“It’s just a parasite born from pain and darkness, constantly burning your soul to manifest its terrifying destructive power.”
“Let it go, Mabel,” Wade said gently. “Don’t get stuck in the past pain. Life is a long journey, and you have a long future ahead. You have Haley and us, don’t stop here.”
“Yeah,” Haley said, hugging Mabel’s arm. “I want to watch movies with you, go on trips, eat delicious food, and chat in bed at night… Don’t leave me, Mabel, don’t leave me alone.”
Mabel’s hand holding the doll trembled. She tried to let it go several times but couldn’t. Suddenly, she burst into tears.
“But Haley… without the Maledict… without it… how can I protect you?… I don’t want to watch you suffer again….”
She sobbed, her whole body shaking. “Wade, I know you’ve been pushing yourself to become stronger… You must have something you’re afraid of too, right?… I… I want to help….”
“I… I’m really scared… I’m scared of becoming weak again… I’m scared of not being able to protect anyone, of watching everyone around me disappear… I’d rather die than become that….”
She cried uncontrollably, her face twisted in pain, and even the doll in her hand seemed to show a pained expression.
But at that moment, Haley suddenly opened her arms and hugged Mabel tightly.
“I know, Mabel, I know. I was very scared too, but then I found courage… Do you know why I’m not afraid anymore?”
Tears streamed down Mabel’s face as she looked at Haley.
Haley lifted her head, tears in her eyes, and forced a bright smile. “Because I know you love me! I know that even if we’re apart, I still have you, and I’m not alone, so I’m not afraid anymore.”
“Whether it’s drawing blood or being cut, it was very painful, but it’s all in the past. As long as you’re by my side, I can get through it.”
“You’ve always been protecting me, Mabel—not just when you turn into a black monster and kill the bad guys. You’ve been protecting me since the first time you reached out to me.”
Wade also smiled. “You’re already amazing, Mabel. You don’t have to do something specific to be helpful. Your existence is important to us.”
“So… trust me, trust that we can protect you, and believe that your worth isn’t defined by the Maledict. Let go, okay? No matter what the future holds, we’ll face it with courage.”
Mabel gazed at them for a long time, tears streaming down her face, and her fingers finally loosened.
The black doll fell silently to the ground.
In the next moment, Scamander’s magical aura spread throughout the world, and a brilliant light descended from the sky. Wade faintly heard the doll emit a sharp, piercing scream.
Then, he opened his eyes in the room and saw a dark, struggling form being pulled from Mabel’s chest, sealed in a translucent magical energy field.
(End of Chapter)
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