I don’t want this.

Back. Forth. Back. Forth. Lily paced around her room. Even as her body ached to rest.

I don’t want this.

She couldn’t sleep. Couldn’t relax. Even as exhaustion clawed at her. Her mind was racing. Back. Forth. Back. Forth. 

I don’t want this.

Everything was crumbling at her feet. Ever since the night they stargazed, nothing felt right. Willis was snarky, bitter. He always tried to play it off. “I’m just tired”. “I didn’t eat a lot today”. “I didn’t mean to say that out loud”. Always something. She believed it less and less each time. Yet she could tell how desperate he was to hide it. So she let it slide. She owed him that.

One night she went out there, he was in the ocean, knee deep. She had stood there far longer than she should have, lost for words. When she finally spoke up he brushed the whole thing off. He came back to the shore. She asked how the water was. “Cold” was all he had said. They didn’t talk long after that.

Their last meeting had been the final straw. They barely spoke. Willis had told her to leave. He apologized. He needed space. He didn’t have the energy for this like he expected. He needed a week. A week. It was the longest week of Lily’s life. She couldn’t take this.

Claws dug into her scalp. She had to fix this. She had to. She had to apologize and fix it and make it all go back to normal. That blank, hollow look in his eyes haunted her mind. At this rate a week would turn into two weeks. Three. A month. Several. One day he would stop coming. She would be back to her life before. She didn’t need him to go out there, to go anywhere, but what would be the point?

I don’t want this.

She had to apologize. If only those words didn’t carry so much weight. Those words could unravel everything. Apologizing meant admitting she was wrong. She would never think so low of him. If she was wrong about him she was wrong about herself. She couldn’t be wrong. She couldn’t be wrong.

She couldn’t lose him either. He didn’t deserve her misery.

She paced. Back. Forth. Back. Forth.

Back.

Forth.

Back.

Forth.

Back.

It was far too long until she collapsed into bed.

Lily grunted as she hopped the border. The river was wider further into the forest. She had no problem clearing it. Still, a part of her feared the idea of falling in. She could swim. She would be fine if she did. Surely.

She shook her head, Focus. She crossed there for a reason. Replaying her plan as she made her way down to the beach. I shouldn’t tackle him outright. He probably wouldn’t like that. Plus his breathing problems could act up. She was going to spook him. Get him up. They would play together. Then afterwards she would apologize. A flawless plan, truly.

Except the part where she had to say sorry.

She kicked a rock on her path. It skipped before heading straight into the rushing water with a plunk. A crow’s call echoed. Apologizing is easy, she lied to herself. Her lies were getting harder to swallow. Just be honest. Maybe avoid the part where-

Something slammed into her. The force sent her tumbling to the ground. Crashing with a hard thud against the grass. She felt her magic peel away. One second it was there, the next gone. Her vision blurred at the sudden drop in energy. Nausea rose up her throat, ears ringing. She groaned, shakily sitting up. Her head felt heavy when she lifted it. What just-

Her body locked up.

Before her stood a stranger. Their hair black, bangs accented with red. They were dressed quite extravagant. A bright red jacket over a dark grey vest. Decorated with various bits of gold. Her magic swirled around them. Their single visible eye held a glint of pink and yellow among its stark blue hue. A scar-esque marking ran across their eye, a cut through above it. With star markings below their cheeks.

She opened her mouth, yet not a sound left her. There was an Erys in front of her. One that wasn’t Willis, and one that certainly wasn’t the Abaddon King.

“You aren’t supposed to be here,” the stranger spoke. They gazed upon her. A predator looking down on its prey. They stepped forward.

She scooted back. Her chest heaved. Had she always been shaking? I need to get out of here. They took her magic like it was nothing. Her eyes darted back. The river wasn’t far. She could-

“I wouldn’t do that. I’m faster than you,” they said like it was a fact. An undisputed truth. They shifted their grip on their weapon, drawing her eyes to it.

Her breath hitched. A scythe. The same scythe Willis had shown her weeks ago. The same scythe she held so gingerly. Its blade turned against her now. Velvet. The irony of their weapon didn’t feel so humorous now.

Run.

She bolted.

Run run run run run run-

Velvet dashed in front of her. She didn’t get the chance to scream before they grabbed her, throwing her back from where she came. Her body skipped, back smacking against a tree. She fell with a wheeze. 

“That was stupid. I wouldn’t do that again,” Velvet scoffed. Scolding her akin to a parent to their disobedient child. “I’d prefer not to hurt you.”

“A bit late for that,” Lily hissed through gritted teeth. She pulled herself up, leaning against the bark. Even as the ache pulsed through her back. That’ll be fun to walk off. She would feel it in the morning if she lived to see it.

Panic choked her as they approached again. Think, think, think! “You’re- you’re Velvet, right?” she asked. 

They paused, eyebrows raising. Though their expression was quick to settle back to a cold hard stare. “Yes. I’m Velvet Erys.” They thankfully did not resume their approach.

“Willis told me about you,” she said as she scrambled up from the ground. She frowned as a bitter thought entered her mind, “Though he neglected to mention you were his younger brother.” Why didn’t he tell me-

“Older sibling,” they corrected.

Older- “What?” she blinked, thrown off. She brought a hand to her head, “That doesn’t make sense. Willis is the prince, isn’t he? Why is he heir to the throne if…” Did he lie to me?She lost herself to thought, stepping forward. 

Velvet’s voice snapped her back, “Watch it.” 

She stilled.

They tilted their head at her. It reminded her of Willis. But that curiosity felt far less sincere in intention. “Willis told you about me?” they asked, making small movements toward her. Their tone bordered on sarcasm.

They don’t believe me. Shit- She inched away from them. “Yeah, he- he did,” she insisted. Despite her better judgement, she called upon her staff. Its smooth wood slid into her unsteady hand. She drew magic to herself. Replacing what had been taken, and then some.

They didn’t react. “I am the most powerful mage in Abaddon,” another fact stated. “Even within my family, I am above the King.” They rolled their scythe between their fingers, twirling it with precision and control. An unnecessary display that sent a crystal clear message.

“However, I am not foolish enough to believe you aren’t a threat,” they admitted, standing to their full height.

“I don’t want to fight you,” her voice was small, pleading. Confidence long drained from her. She nearly tripped over herself. “We can talk this out. I know it looks bad that I’m over here- but there’s a good reason for it. Willis is on the beach. We could-”

The wrong thing to say, apparently. Velvet stiffened. “Enough of this.” They rushed her.

She turned heel, dashing down the river bank. A scream tore its way from her throat, “WILLIS!”

There was a rush of wind as Velvet swiped at her. More magic torn from her body. She stumbled, nearly crashing into them as they appeared in front of her again. She light stepped back when they swung. Conjuring a shield. Their blade ripped through it like paper.

I can’t do this forever. She would run out of magic rapidly at this rate after only two attacks. Then there would be no hope for her. Does he want to kill me? Am I going to die?

They vaulted towards her and she braced for impact.

A body came between them, a familiar hand pushing her back. There was a distinct sound of metal clashing. A low screech rang out. Ice cold magic splintered in all directions. Willis’ gun went flying, clattering to the forest floor. He stood before her, back turned, shielding her. 

Yet she was sure if her eyes were closed, she wouldn’t be able to tell at all. Why- why can’t I-

He wheezed, swaying. He held his chest. Her ears twitched as she caught a low mutter, “Don’t pass out. Don’t pass out. Don’t pass out. Don’t- don’t-…”

He collapsed. 

Her staff followed suit. Hands coming up to her mouth in rising horror. For a moment, everything was still. His body laid limp. She could see Velvet again, who stood there stiff as a board. They looked as shocked as her. So much of Willis’ magic swirled around. Emitting off them like their body couldn’t handle it all.

She felt nothing from her friend.