“I told you to stay back! O sky of ice, turn into arrows and fall down!”
The very instant she spoke the words, imbuing them with intent, a multitude of slender spears made of ice rained down right before Ren’s nose, burrowing into the ground and blocking his path.
It looked like he was shaking his foot when the ice cracked after he kicked it aside. Without breaking his pace, he leapt lightly over the icicles and continued his relentless approach.
“Why do you keep on coming? Did you not say you were all right with my choice? Just stay put and watch me activate the spell!”
“Huh? I said I understood, that’s true. But when did I ever say I’d take orders from you? …I’ll go wherever I please. If you don’t like it, try and stop me if you can!” Ren scoffed, the crunch of gravel on his shoes growing louder as he drew nearer and nearer to where Mia stood.
How…? Why do I feel so scared? Stay away. Don’t come closer. I don’t want you here. You are only going to get in my way. If I get a whiff of your scent, if I feel the touch of your hand, it will ruin everything.
Mia’s mind went blank. The only two things on her mind were how she had to complete her mission no matter what, and how that meant never seeing Ren again.
Making the most of the cramped space inside the crystal wall towering around her, Mia ran along its perimeter, calling forth a veritable downpour of magic, one spell after another. Any and every form of magic she could conceive. She sent hailstones flying everywhere, created gaping holes in the ground, hurled blades of wind. However, they were all spells that Ren had seen many times before, so he dealt with them in a speedy and efficient manner, never even breaking a sweat.
Seeing the futility of her efforts, Mia decided to take a different approach, twirled her wand around, and ascended into the air. Ren dashed forward suddenly, forcefully grabbed on to her cloak and pulled with all his might until he dragged her out of the air and down to the ground. She crashed into the gravel helplessly and looked back over her shoulder with a start. There, she saw Ren, looking down on her with uncharacteristically cold eyes.
“Oh, I ain’t letting you go!” he growled, his large hand reaching out towards Mia’s cheek.
She slammed her eyes shut, shook her wand and chanted, despite being right next to Ren, “Dance, o wind!”
As soon as she uttered the words, a strong air current picked up, roaring to life between Mia and Ren. The wind swelled up like a typhoon, tearing Mia and Ren apart and blowing them away in opposite directions. Ren, being propelled backwards by a gust of wind, twisted his body so he could brace his foot against the crystal wall, stepping down from it and landing on the ground nimbly. Mia, however, slammed gracelessly into the slab of crystal with her back, the force of the hit knocking the wind out of her. She slid down the wall awkwardly, landing in a heap. She was gasping for air, as if she had just run a marathon at full speed.
Her head was spinning and her back hurt. Quick, I have to cast the next spell! Mia thought, but her mouth could only open in shaky, oxygen-starved inhales. Why did every little action feel so taxing all of a sudden? Had she really used that much magic? She shook her head in confusion and grasped her wand tightly, as if holding on to a lifeline. This wand was an important treasure she had received from her father.
“Sorceresses use this kind of wand. Come on, give it a twirl. See how the bit with the star lights up? Pretty, right?”
When she was little, her heart had filled with excitement over the wand that lit up when she waved it around. Nowadays, the part that used to light up was broken, and even replacing the batteries didn’t make it shine again, but Mia still couldn’t cast spells properly without it.
Her father may have been a man full of contradictions. He may have been suffering to an extent she may very well never fully grasp. But her father had always been kind to her. He had been strict during their lessons—about magic, about his way of life, but he had also been kind to her and had given her plenty of love. Mia’s father was her everything.
“…Magic… Have to…use…magic…” Mia rasped, ragged breath like sand in her throat. She pulled what little fight she had left in her together and brought herself up to stand.
She gripped her wand so tight her knuckles turned white, raised her head and there—right in front of her was Ren.
“Re-Ren.”
Her body tensed involuntarily. When did he get so close to her? Ren stood silent. He was scowling, a usual and very familiar wrinkle in his brow; his upturned eyes making him look like more of a villain than she could ever hope to be. His hand stretched out towards her. Mia closed her eyes automatically, her shoulders trembling.
Was he going to cover her mouth so that she couldn’t use magic against him anymore, like he always did? But as the seconds went by, no hand curved over her lips. Instead, she felt enveloped in something soft and warm.
“…Huh?”
Ren was holding Mia in his embrace. Her eyes opened wide in surprise. He held her tight against his chest, his arms pulling her in ever stronger.
“I’m not gonna stop you, silly. I’m done with being a Champion of Justice. I quit. Instead I’ll be your minion, you’re hiring right? I have good references, I once worked for the good guys, you know?”
Mia was panting and out of breath, her mouth hanging open in a small “o” out of sheer shock. She couldn’t seem to close it. The only sound that passed through her lips was “huh”, which hung above her like a question mark rather than transform into an actual word.
“Go on, use it, the great magical art of darkness. If that’s what you wanna do, then so be it. I’m not gonna judge you for your choice. …But, please, let me do this, at least,” Ren beseeched, his arms, holding her to him with almost crushing strength now. As if he never wanted to let go, not even for a moment. As if he wanted to carve the sensation of Mia’s form against himself.
“You know, I have no idea how it’ll feel to just disappear. I gotta say, I’m terrified. Going out in an instant, like a light, seems okay as far as the choices here go, but fading out slowly, bit by bit, now that sounds pretty nasty. But if I’ll feel you right next to me while I cease to be, well, what’s to come doesn’t seem so scary anymore.”