Warning: Love That Doesn't Let Go

Relentless force pushed Lilly forward with no regard for injury. A cold numbness invaded her pages. The inner spaces of the book flooded with salty water. Spells became muddled and melted together. Debris stripped the leather off her cover. Wet pages ripped from the spine. They disintegrated into flow. Her inky forms evaporated before they could take any shape.

The red gem glowed as Jorseph tumbled away from her. She couldn’t feel his heartbeat. His warmth replaced was now with the ocean’s numb chill. Kind hearted mana with an oddly stubborn streak that matched hers 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 the remaining pages. The pain of being shredded flowed over her senses.

She refused to let him 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 it continued to come apart. Lilly cast mend flesh, she cast water breathing, she cast a sphere of protection. She pulled at his body to keep him from tossed, but 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 as if punched by an invisible fist. Ocean retreated around an explosion as crystal shards pushed the 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 that felt soft and warm, fingers she could push together and fists she could clench.

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. 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 back; 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 up towards the clouds. Grabby circled above the hole in the ocean. She could hear his breathing. Her time was short; urgency burst in her chest.

She lifted Jorseph across her hands as an offering to the imp.

Grabby swooped down and clutched the boy’s shoulders with his strong 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. She had to use this final power to stop this senseless death. It was time to confront Zenobia one last time.

It was time for an aura to envelop 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 of her. 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. Lilly clenched her fists, “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!”

You’ll regret this insolence. It’s not a good look for you.

Tears streamed down her cheek. Snot ran down her lips. She sniffed and wiped her face. The violet aura shattered into shards around her. It broke of its own accord, as if the source was too cowardly to be discovered.

“We don’t have time to regret anything,” Lilly cried, “Not anymore.”

She flew too the remains of the refinery, where Zenobia 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. The hatred was palpable enough to sense. A brilliant neon eye glowed in the darkness of the 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 fireworks 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 one of the fronds fell off. Her other hand clutched at her glowing eye. Her body tensed. But a creature made of wood and water couldn’t cry.

“Lilly…” she whispered, “Why?”

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

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