by Brea Alepoú
Lemy looked reluctant to go.
Melony looked over to Lydia as she dusted the debris off of her shoulder. “I know you don’t want to leave him but in order to save him I need you to find as many gems as possible especially the light blue with green dots. I can use it to heal him.”
Melony didn’t wait to see if Lemy listened and did what she asked, she needed to prepare for the attack Lydia was sure to send her way. The sound of thunder cracking near her ear had Melony jumping to the side. Just in time, she turned and there was a hole where she had been standing. She turned back to look at Lydia, her hand out stretched and a black gem sat in her hand. Melony watched as it turned into dust. Melony looked next to her again the area was a big hole but it wasn’t like a bomb went off, there was no debris it was just empty space. Some of the dirt from the ground gone as if someone dug a hole and took the dirt somewhere else.
Melony turned back to face Lydia, whatever the black gem did it wasn’t anything that Melony wanted to be hit with. Her fingers crossed that there was only one. This time when Melony conjured a fire ball she didn’t have to concentrate so hard. She threw the ball. Unlike her earlier shot it missed Lydia. She conjured another one, she threw it. Lydia easily moving around. She moved as if she could predict where Melony would through the ball.
Melony threw a series of the fireballs. At first the fire started to get easier, but by the twentieth fireball Melony was losing momentum. Her fire had grown weaker by each ball. It stopped even landing anywhere near Lydia. Now it fluttered out. Melony rested her hands on her knees, sweat dripped from her face as she tried to catch her breath. SHe felt as if she had run a marathon and then decided to lift weights. Every muscle in her body ached and pulled. Muscles she didn’t know could hurt ached.
Lydia stood there regal as if chaos wasn’t happening around her. Her eyes trained on Melony. “You could have been great.”
Melony smiled. “What’s to say I’m not great already,” she taunted.
Lydia shook her head, she moved heading toward Melony. Melony held back throwing another fireball knowing it wouldn’t be strong enough to reach lydia. So her best bet was to wait until Lydia got closer.
“You can use magic without a book and gem,” Lydia praised.
Melony didn’t care for her praise. “Yeah I know I’m special,” she said.
Lydia stopped walking, a smirk appeared on her face and before Melony could react she sent a ball of lighting at her. It hit Melony in the chest, sending her flying backwards. Something soft wrapped around her waist catching her in the air.
Melony’s whole body felt hot, little shocks went off at random spots. Making muscles spasm, it felt as if she had drank five espresso shots. Her heartsbeat that fastes she had ever felt, teeth chattering, unable to control them. And her eyesight was blurry. All she could hear was a rushing noise. She shook her head, as she felt a hand on her shoulder. Melony tensed away from the hand. She couldn’t see who it was. The hand wasn’t hostile so when it touched her again Melony didn’t flinch away.
The hand shook her a little and Melony groaned, her brain feeling like a fried egg. She closed her eyes for a second before opening again. Her vision was slow to come back. She could make out a figure standing next to her, she blinked a few more times, making out colors. Bright red. Nari. Melony blinked again.
“Melony,” Nari called out. It sounded distant but Melony was glad her hearing was improving.
Melony lifted her shaking hand to her ear and rubbed it hoping to maybe speed up the process.
“Melony,” Nari called out again.
“Yeah,” Melony answered. Her voice sounded crackly, her throat hurt like she needed some water.. She blinked more and finally figures went from blurry shapes and colors to actual people. “Shit I thought I might need glass for a second there. Could you imagine me in big black rimmed glass?” she joked.
“Are you serious right now?” Nari asked.
She wasn’t but it beat reality.
Nari still sounded a little distant but it was better then moments ago. The furry thing that had been wrapped around her was no longer there. Melony looked around to see Itsumi close and fighting. Melony huffed out a breath she didn’t have to spare and started to move to get up. She needed to continue fighting. Her body fought her as she tried to stand.
It hurt making her want to scream. A whimper escaped her as she stood.
“Slow down, even I can tell you’re in a lot of pain. I’m actually surprised your alive,” Nari said. As she reached out and help Melony stand.
Melony was grateful she doubted she could stand on her own at that point. She stood and her legs shook so much, her knees knocked together.
“You could’ve told me you can use magic without a book or gem,” Nari sounded hurt.
Melony side eyed her. “Yeah, where was I supposed to slip that in? I’m pretty sure I missed the tea party and sleepover where we share each other secrets,” Melony said. She was in pain and pain made her grouchy.
“Right, sorry,” Nari said.
Guilt hung on her shoulders for making Nari feel bad. Melony looked around the room, they were holding their own but barely. She sighed.
“We may win,” Nari sounded hopeful.
Melony wanted to laugh at the optimism. She didn’t have the heart to tell her that she didn’t really know how to control the power all that great. She just figured out the whole fireball thing. Melony looked to Lydia, she stood there in the mass of chaos staring at Melony. As if waiting for her to come back and continue fighting. Melony had a feeling that Lydia got off on crushing people.
“She’s waiting,” Nari whispered.
Melony nodded. Her legs grew steady the longer she stood there. “And here I thought I was special. Guess I can toss the award.”
Nari shook her head. “How are you able to joke at a time like this?”
Melony shrugged her shoulders, it was probably some dumb coping mechanism. Just how Nari could be optimistic when all the odds were stacked against them. Melony wasn’t sure it would be possible but she concentrated as much as her fuzzy brain would let her and conjure a huge flame.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Melony
With the giant flame in her hand, she ran toward Lydia. As she came within a few feet of her, she threw it at Lydia. She didn’t stop there, building the fire on the floor, making it grow. It spread up the walls, surrounding the area where Lydia stood. Melony smiled; she’d cornered Lydia.
“Some of us can’t repel flames,” Nari shouted.
Melony turned to see Nari and Phillis fighting off the fire that was close to burning them alive. Itsumi and Zola were both unaffected by the flames. Melony drew back the flames, but she couldn’t control them enough to keep the others on her side from getting hurt.
Turning her back on the enemy had been a dumb move, and one she shouldn’t have made. Just as Melony turned back to face Lydia, a lightning bolt went past her so fast Melony almost didn’t see it. She definitely felt the electricity as it gave her little shocks as it went by.
“You know, it’s rude not to wait while someone is having a conversation,” Melony retorted.
“So much potential. It’s almost a waste that I will have to kill you here. Then again, I’m sure your mouth would have had me killing you soon anyway.”
Melony didn’t get to respond before another lightning ball appeared in Lydia's hands, and Melony knew she had to dodge. Another hit from the lightning ball and she was sure she wasn’t going to be waking up.
She didn’t move until Lydia threw the ball, but as soon as it left her hands, she dashed to the side. She turned to laugh at Lydia until she heard the cry. It sounded like an animal. Melony turned her head to see Itsumi thrashing around as lightning covered her body. Even the novelks that had been fighting her backed away in fear of the electricity that wrapped around Itsumi.
“Itsumi!” Melony screamed.
“How can you worry for others?” Lydia taunted.
Me
lony looked away from Itsumi to glare at Lydia. She had another lightning ball in her hands. Melony stood, anger rushing through her, but more than anything, she could feel Itsumi’s pain. It didn’t feel like her own—she didn’t feel it physically—but she could feel how much Itsumi was suffering. No matter how much Itsumi tried to make it seem as if she was okay, Melony knew the truth.
“I have to wonder how you got a unicorn and the fox god child to bond with you. Answer me that before I kill you.”
Melony scoffed at her. She thought of the flames at Lydia's feet. Before she tried to make them grow, she knew she couldn't do that without hurting the others. This time, she thought of making the flames so hot it would melt everything it touched. The fire went from flames to magma, bubbling on the floor and creating more magma. Lydia looked down, and Melony watched as she whispered some words and water appeared.
It did nothing to the magma.
The look on Lydia's face was priceless as she realized her water trick wouldn't do the work. Melony smirked and tried to make the magma move. It was slow, but it touched Lydia, and the scream she received for her efforts was sweet. It felt exhausting, but Melony continued moving the lava. It moved at a snail’s pace, and Lydia easily dodged it.
It felt as if she was pushing and pulling a three hundred pound rock. A headache started, but she still continued trying to make the lava bigger. It covered more ground, but as she was concentrating on moving the lava, she also had to concentrate on dodging the lightning Lydia threw her way.
She definitely didn’t work out enough for battles. She knew now why Itsumi and Zola both had such strong bodies. Fighting took a lot of muscle; muscles she hadn’t even considered useful before.
“Fuck!” she shouted. Melony had dodged to the side, but not quickly enough. A lightning bolt hit her arm, and it went numb. She glanced down to see it shaking.
Black fur went past in a blur, and before she knew what was happening, Itsumi was there, attacking Lydia. She easily dodged the lightning that Lydia was throwing around. Melony flexed her hand, the feeling coming back slowly. She had no time to focus on herself. Itsumi was the perfect distraction.
The lava didn’t touch Itsumi, disappearing wherever Itsumi’s paws landed, and as soon as she moved, it was back. Melony didn’t have to worry about hurting her; she would be okay. She focused all her efforts to move the lava, closing her eyes, knowing Itsumi would protect her. She cleared her mind of everything else and focused solely on the magma, how thick it was, the intense heat, and she could feel it seep through her fingers. Even to her it felt hot. She opened her eyes and put her hands up, palms facing Lydia where she stood.
“Agh!” Melony shouted as lava shot out of her hands, and the lava on the floor crept up Lydia's legs.
Screams and curses left Lydia’s lips as the lava covered her. Melony’s hands shook, and they hurt. It felt as if she had placed her hand on the burner of a stove and just pressed down. Her whole body shook with exhaustion, and she couldn’t go on any longer. Her hands lowered, and her legs went limp.
She didn’t make it to the floor.
One of Itsumi’s tails wrapped around her waist, catching her from falling down. Melony’s eyes were heavy with fatigue, and she looked over to Itsumi in her fox form. She was bigger than Melony thought a fox could be. She couldn’t pass for a normal fox at all. Melony ran her sore hands over the soft-looking fur, but it felt like sandpaper against her tender flesh. It didn’t stop her from petting Itsumi though.
“So, I think we wo—” Melony stoped mid sentence.
A lightning ball hit Itsumi in the side, her tail unfurling from around Melony as she went flying into the wall. A loud crunch echoed in the room at her impact.
“No!” Melony screamed.
She turned to see Lydia standing there with lightning in her hand, her hair singed at the ends and pieces of her dress burnt the only evidence that she’d been set on fire.
“How?” Disbelief filled Melony. It couldn’t be real.
“Do you think I would let her die?” Isabelle walked over to stand next to Lydia.
Melony cringed at the sight of Isabelle, but the fear didn’t consume her. She was sure it had everything to do with her anger, and the fact she was bone tired. Where had Isabelle been the whole time? Why come out now?
“I am done playing games with them. Change, Isabelle,” Lydia commanded.
In front of Melony’s eyes, Isabelle started to transform. Her once blue eyes were now red and glowing, and her body consumed with blackness. It dripped from her body, hitting the floor like thick mud. Isabelle seemed to grow at least ten feet. Her hands turned into razor blades, antler-like horns grew from the top of her head. She was terrifying. If ever there was a text book on demons, the sight she was seeing would be the definition.
It moved, Melony no longer considering it to be Isabelle. It enveloped Lydia, the tar-like substance covering her body, and Melony felt bile burn the back of her throat, sickened by the sight. Or was she so afraid that she could throw up? Either way, she wanted to close her eyes and run away from it.
Melony got a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. She turned around to shout for everyone to run, but it was too late. The air cracked with a loud bomb as lightning filled the room. Everyone was hit, even those who were on Lydia’s side. Melony fell to the ground as lightning shocked her body. Screams unable to escape as searing hot pain coursed through her body. Before she could recover, she was hit again.
Her vision blackened.
Melony felt heavy, as if something sat on top of her. She tried to open her eyes, but it was impossible. They wouldn’t budge. Not one inch of her budged. Fear clutched her heart as she started to panic. She tried calling out to Zola and Itsumi, but her mouth wouldn’t open. No sound left her, not even a hum. She couldn’t even hear or feel herself breathe.
Was she dead?
She couldn’t be! She didn’t want to die. She wanted Zola and Itsumi. Were they okay? Fuck. She just needed to move to know she was alive. No matter how hard she struggled nothing happened.
Unknown: Call my name.
Melony swore she heard a voice. She listened for it again.
Unknown: Will you call for me?
Melony: Call who?
Unknown: Call my name.
Melony didn’t know who she was supposed to call, and she couldn’t speak. How was she going to call anyone?
Melony: What is your name?
Unknown: Call for me.
Melony: No voice.
Unknown: Call me forth, and you and yours may live.
Melony wanted to cry. She wanted to call out whatever name would save them all from dying, but she didn’t know the name! She wanted to scream in anger; she didn’t know how was she supposed to do anything. She grew up believing she was human and magic was something in a fairytale. Now, she was battling for her life, and she was supposed to call out a name of something that would save her, but she didn’t know what or who.
She prayed for some memory to appear. One deep in her subconscious that she may have forgotten, that was buried for safekeeping.
Or for a special spell that maybe her parents placed on her to break so that she could call out and save the ones she loved. Something, anything! She just wanted an answer, a way to remember. Anything—even the first letter, so she knew where to start guessing.
But no, there was nothing. No magical memory of anything. In that moment, a small part of her hated her parents. They hadn’t been bad parents, but they hadn’t prepared her for any of the magical stuff she now faced.
They’d left her ignorant, and now, because of it, not only would she die, but Zola and Itsumi along with her. If the others didn’t escape, they would die in vain. They’d taken a chance on Melony, and now, they were going to die. The frustration Melony felt in that moment of helplessness was worse than when she was being tortured. Then, it had only been her life on the line. It was worse with others’ lives on the line.
Itsumi’s and Zola’s f
aces flashed in her mind. It was worse because she had found love, and now she was about to die without telling them. What cruelty… If anything, she was being tortured again. Her heart ached.
Unknown: You have not died. Yet you feel pain as if you have lost.
Melony: I can’t remember any name. I don’t know how to call to you.
For all Melony knew, she could’ve been going insane, talking to herself. What if the voice was her imagination? Either way, she would give it a try. She wasn’t sure what name to call out.
Her mind made one up.
Melony: Ryu
Nothing happened. She decided to make up more names and try them until the voice responded or something happened. She called out a bunch but nothing happened.
Unknown: Call out my name.
Melony: I’ve been fucking calling out names! Give me a damn hint.
No response. Melony wanted to punch something; she wanted to move and shout her frustration. She felt trapped in her own mind.
She shouted in her head again and again. She called out the name Ryu—she’d just chosen a random name—and mentally screamed it until she felt her own throat vibrate with noise. It was small, but she kept trying. She kept repeating the name Ryu as if it was a mantra.
It was all she thought about. She let the name consume her every thought.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Melony
Melony broke through with a shout. She could hear the battle around her once more. She opened her eyes and, without skipping a beat, called out, “Ryu!”
Melony didn’t know what to expect, but she wasn’t the only one gasping in surprise when a huge dragon appeared in the middle of the room. It made the queens court room look small.
Ryu: Orders, mistress?
Melony stared slacked jawed at the huge blue and purple dragon. He shouldn't have been able to fit in the room. The wings on his back—if spread—would knock down the walls, bringing the room down on of them. Flying them out of there was out of the question.
