Chapter 112 - Something Is Off

While flying above the grounds of Aeros, Cassy noticed how there were more clouds that formed in the skies, not like before. She nearly turned emotional, just thinking of the possibility. 'Will it rain?'

"I hope so." She smiled, thanking the recent miracles they had received. 

Yet again, she was reminded that Amanda brought so many blessings to Aeros and across other lands. Despite the powers she held, she never once rubbed it in anyone's faces.

Cassy would not easily believe that Amanda could act high and mighty. Moreover, betray her brother. 

When she reached the northern villages, she slowed down the flapping of her wings, skimming through one section of a village to another. It was in the third village that she finally found Amanda. 

Amanda was helping a boy, seemingly with a wounded knee. She was carrying him to a house while calling to whoever was inside. 

Cassy slowly descended and landed her feet on the ground. As she kept her wings, Amanda quickly called her attention.

"Cassy, thank goodness you are here. I did not want to enter their home and help the child... I fear my fire would go out of control in an enclosed space, without Christopher around," said Amanda. "Can you help me with him?"

That hasn't happened, but the paranoia remained in her thoughts. Amanda just wanted to be certain. 

"Sure," said Cassy as she walked to help carry the boy inside. She stayed there for minutes, giving the boy a little healing potion, which she regularly carried. 

When she walked back outside, there was no Amanda. Her nose wrinkled as she asked herself, "Where did that girl flee off to?"

She strode down the street and after some time; she found her ready to kick a boy with her foot! Her eyes widened as she stormed in Amanda's direction. "Amanda! What are you doing?!"

"The child bumped into me! I almost fell down!" Amanda said. Her chest dramatically heaved while catching her breath. 

Cassy's instinct made her push Amanda away from the boy. She carried the little one in her arms and handed it to the villagers who were watching on the sidelines. 

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. Please get the boy," said Cassy. 

The people were scared out of their wits seeing Amanda's bruteness towards a mere boy. This was, after all, the same girl that created a wall of fire around the nation. 

Worried for what the people may think, Cassy pleaded, "I'll talk to Amanda about this. I'm sorry, please forgive Amanda."

Turning to Amanda, she asked, "What are you doing, Amanda? He was just a boy?! Even if he bumped into you, kids are always like that, playing around!"

The Amanda that Cassy saw was not paying attention to her. Instead, Cassy noticed that she was eyeing someone from a distance. She looked back and only saw a soldier from Terene who quickly acted to look down on his feet.

This utterly made Cassy frown. When she directed her gaze back to Amanda, she was running towards an alley.

Cassy rushed to follow Amanda, but the second she turned to the passage, she found no one. The alley led to a pile of construction materials, and there was no Amanda.

Bemused, she made her way back, scratching her head. She muttered, "Something is off."

From the same alley where Cassy came out from, a soft voice could be heard. It was barely a whisper, but it was audible against the sound of the wind. Gradually, a portion of the piled construction materials began to change its form.

Not a moment too soon, Keelan appeared in the same spot. He had earlier shifted into the shape for the same rubble. His soldiers rushed to his side and reported, "That was a close one, Sir Keelan."

"Where is Amanda right now?" He asked while catching his breath. He ran so fast to hiding earlier, he still had not recovered. 

"About ten houses from here. It's like you asked us to do. We told her she was needed," said the soldier of Terene. 

A mischievous grin became painted on Keelan's face before he said, "Now, let's make the people hate her more."

Meanwhile, Cassy was walking down the street, still in pursuit of Amanda. She was about to fly up in search of future sister-in-law when she heard her name. She found Amanda once again, this time, with a frown on her face, walking with another soldier of Aeros. 

The soldier was in a state of confusion, rubbing his nape as he walked with Amanda. 

"Amanda?! Why in the world are you suddenly disappearing?!" Cassy asked with her voice raised. 

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Cassy! The soldier of Terene told me that someone needed help! I rushed immediately while you were taking care of the child." Responded Amanda.

Pointing her thumb to the soldier next to her, she added, "I found him, unconscious earlier, lying on the ground."

"Someone hit me on the head," said the soldier. "I did not see who it was."

Fortunately, the soldier could heal, just like many of the soldiers of Aeros. The bruised that was earlier evident, disappeared in minutes. 

The tale of the soldier made Amanda and Cassy look around. 

"Well, we need to look into that, but before anything else, Amanda, I'd like to talk to you about your sudden violence over a mere child," said Cassy. She quickly grabbed Amanda's arm and pointed out, "You just aided a wounded child, and then you go out hurting another!"

"What?! No! I don't understand, Cassy!" Amanda asked, utterly confused. 

"It's her! She was the one who hurt the child!" Said an old woman. More of the crowd followed, pointing fingers at Amanda. 

"What's going on?" Amanda asked, looking at the villagers. 

"Lady Cassy, you can't let Amanda go unpunished for what she did!" Yelled the old woman in a red scarf over her head. Her tone was close enough to sound like a man's voice. "Who hurts a child?! What kind of woman is she?!"

The old woman turned to the cluster and said, "You must speak up! This Amanda cannot abuse her authority like this!"

It did not take long for people in that same village to speak their minds, following the encouragement of one old woman in a red scarf. 

Cassy had to push back Amanda behind her and said, "We will speak to Amanda about this and rest assured, she is already regretful for what happened?"

"Regretful? Cassy? I don't even understand what is going on?" Amanda tried to reason with her, but the more they settled in the same location, the more people came out from their homes, giving Amanda judgment.

To Cassy's opinion, it was not helping anyone at all. She turned to Amanda and said, "Go back to the castle! Stay in the room until I return. I will handle this."

Looking at the soldier, she said, "Gaurd Amanda's room and make sure she does not go outside!"

"Cassy!" Amanda tried to object, Cassy insisted it was for the best.

Amanda was so frustrated that her anger reflected in her flames. She lit up in seconds while announcing, "Stay away from me!"

Her phoenix wings erupted from her back and she flew up in the sky, toward the direction of the village. 

Cassy felt her chest in pain. She saw the hurt in Amanda's eyes, but she had no choice at that point. The crowd was angered, and she needed to ease the tension in the village. 

When she returned her attention to the people, she said, "I will investigate the matter -"

"What is there to investigate, Lady Cassy? We clearly saw Amanda pushed down the boy and was ready to kick him!" It was the old lady again, fueling the anger of the people. 

Soldiers of Aeros who were previously spread across the village finally found her. They acted to disperse the crowd as Cassy said, "There must have been a good explanation for what happened. For now, let us not judge and I can promise, we will look into it."

"Let us not easily forget how Amanda had aided our nation, please. I ask for everyone's consideration!"

It took a few more convincing for Cassy to let the villagers return to their homes. Only then did Cassy walk back, hoping to speak to the same boy whom Amanda had bumped into. 

Unfortunately, she could not find the boy, nor the same people whom she handed to the boy to. She instead found the old lady wearing the red scarf, sitting on a porch from one of the old houses. She was smiling as she was rocking her chair. 

"Grandma, I'm sorry to ask for your help, but do you know exactly where the boy whom you were referring to earlier?" Cassy asked, leaning forward to the old lady. 

Hearing no response, she asked again, "Grandma?"

"Oh, Lady Cassy, it's you," said a woman in her mid-thirties. She walked closer to the old lady and said, "Grandma doesn't speak anymore. She fell ill a year ago and since then, she never spoke again."

With a heavy sigh, the woman said, "She doesn't even recognize us anymore."

"She - she doesn't... Speak?" Cassy asked with a complete grimace.. It was just half an hour ago when the same old lady with a red scarf was practically frying Amanda with her words.