Warning: Exploited Loves

Relentless forces pushed Lilly forward with no regard for injury. Cold numbness invaded her pages. The inner spaces flooded with salty water. Spells muddled, then melted together. Debris stripped leather off her cover. Wet pages ripped from the spine. They disintegrated into flow. Her inky forms evaporated before they could take shape.

The red gem glowed as Jorseph tumbled away. She couldn’t feel his heartbeat. The ocean’s numb chill replaced his warmth. Kind hearted mana with a stubborn streak ceased to flow. Tangled leather cords wrapped around his leg and refused to let go, even as they disintegrated. The book hit bottom. It drug like an anchor. Barnacled rocks ripped out remaining pages. Pain from being shredded alive flowed over her senses.

She refused to let go.

A metallic wire, all that remained of in the binding, held the ruby in place. The spine lost it binding. Naked coils exposed the wand. Not a page remained as wires came apart. Lilly cast mend flesh, she cast water breathing, she cast a sphere of protection. She pulled to keep him from being tossed. Steel sheets driven by waves sliced the cord. Giant cleavers bore down over Jorseph’s body.

Lilly threw herself into the wall of her ruby. A brilliant red lit the ocean. Steel sheets dented, then knocked back when punched by an invisible fist. Ocean retreated around an explosion. Crystal shards pushed water back. Jorseph’s unconscious body thumped into a pile of sea cucumbers.

In the center of a hole in the ocean, with tides flowing around it, stood Lilly. Her mouth hung open as she stared at her hands. They felt soft and warm. Fingers pushed together and fists clenched.

A dress of elements hung loosely from her shoulders. Torn pages swirled amidst tornados of fire and ice over her chest. The earth and its oceans fought about her legs. Moccasins of leather coated her feet. Short sleeves of wind and cloud fluttered over thin arms. Twisted steel against her head tied hair into a long flowing tail. Browns eyes embedded with a ruby shard in each pupil gently glowed. A ruby mask covered the upper half of her face. Tears fell from the mask, slid down her cheeks, and mixed into the elements of her dress. Long black hair, slick of ink, trailed down her frame; a mahogany and oaken wand tied the end in a bow.

She ran to Jorseph and put her hand on his cheek. She felt his heartbeat. She hugged him tightly. She sniffed, then burst out crying. He was alive. She lifted him over her shoulder, then looked towards the clouds. 

Grabby circled above the hole in the ocean. His breathing was heavy.

Her time was short; urgency burst in her chest. She lifted Jorseph across her hands as an offering.

Grabby swooped and clutched the boy’s shoulders with his foot claws. Then he flapped his wings with all his might, only to feel the recent wound tear. The membrane of his wing bled as it separated further. His flight listed.

Lilly cast mend flesh.

A shudder went through Grabby’s body. He nodded a hesitant thanks. Then took off at full speed with a young dragon hanging from his shoulders.

Lilly took a deep breath to hold back her tears. It was time to confront Zenobia one last time.

An aura to enveloped her form. Something soft, something glowing and violet wrapped like a wet blanket. It burned like acid. Visions imposed themselves on her mind. The intensity of the jealousy made her gag. But she realized it belonged to her, every last drop. She screamed into the wind.

Zenobia is dangerous. She’s always thought herself better than everyone else, but now, she’s outlived her usefulness. It’s time to strike decisively. You don’t need a wielder to finish her. You’re the superior one. Show her how wrong she is.

Lilly’s fists clenched, “Are you the voice in Zenobia’s head? Jealousy, that’s what you’re using on me? Yes, I’m jealous. I’ve always been jealous of her. How would anyone not be? If you had any idea what kind of person she really was, you’d be jealous too!”

The violet aura clamped harder. Breathing came heavily from newly crafted lungs, “She’s bossy because she’s a natural leader. She’s manipulative because she can bring everyone together to do something good! She’s a seducer because she’s the prettiest girl in the entire school. She’s proud because deep down she knows what she can do. Never once has she used that as a weapon! She’s raging because she misses everyone so much. She can’t handle the pain anymore! How dare you exploit that! How dare you hurt my best friend! I’ll NEVER forgive you! NEVER!”

You’ll regret this insolence. It’s not a good look for you. The violet aura shattered into shards around her. It broke of its own accord, as if the source was too cowardly to be discovered.

Tears streamed down her cheek. Snot ran down her lips. She sniffed and wiped her face, “We don’t have time to regret anything. Not anymore.”

She flew too the remains of the refinery, where Zenobia walked amidst rushing ocean. Drones filmed her violence from every angle as the refinery burst into oily flames. Exploding vats lit the night sky.

Grabby flew past with Jorseph in tow toward the municipal building. He turned and flew backwards because he caught Zenobia’s eye. A brilliant neon eye glowed with palpable hatred in the darkness of smoke. The duffel bag at his side had a toy bone at the top. The chew toy bounced as he tossed it in his palm.

“Wah!” it barked.

A saw of water big enough to slice them in half launched at them directly.

“Moo!”

Grabby threw the bone while flying backwards. Just before it hit the water, yet another explosion lit fireworks above the refinery ruins. A fine mist joined the display. The shockwave blew running water aside as it shattered broken pipes.

Zenobia encased her mop and dove. When she surfaced, there was no sign of the imp or Lilly’s unconscious wielder. A violet energy crackled across the mop. One of the fronds fell.

They’re working together, Lilly and the imp. They’ve always been working together. She’s coming to kill you. But she’s on her last legs. Kill her first. End your suffering.

Zenobia saw Lilly approaching over the horizon. How did she look so normal? Why was she crying? Mop gripped tightly in her watery form as she braced herself. Another fronds fell. Her other hand clutched at her glowing eye while her form tensed. But a creature made of wood and water couldn’t cry.

“Lilly…” she whispered, “Why did you betray me?”

Lilly's fist felt warm. It gelled her body. The flow of blood and the feeling of a human heart beat invaded her cold liquid torso. A human form! How dare Lilly show off like that! Zenobia flew backwards from the force of the punch. She broke through refinery pipes. Her gelled elemental form rolled, then splashed into shallow ocean. Tides rushing inland showed signs of slowing.

Morning light’s first hint of glow reflected over evening clouds.