Chapter 74: [Route Choice 01 – Mellissa] – Shopping For the Garden

 

 

It was a long day yesterday, and because of all that hassle, I woke up a bit groggier than usual. My bed was a mess, and everything was thrown about the room. It was as if a tornado had come in as I slept and destroyed everything in a whirlwind of passion. I sighed sharply, knowing what caused this mess…

"I… should lock myself in a closet, so I don't have to do this every day."

My night terrors caused me to swing about as I slept. Occasionally I'd wake up with bumps and bruises too. But thankfully, the night terrors weren't that aggressive. My room wasn't nearly as bad as other nights.

“Well, today I have it off. Jade wants me back into the city tomorrow. Maybe I should take this chance to start my garden so I can slowly wean myself away from Radiant City.”

I stood up and made my way to my drawer and put a pair of clean clothing on and took my katana off the wall.

"My plan is to go to town, buy some seeds and starters for my plants. That way, I can have my garden."

The idea of having a vegetable garden felt like a dream. I had my own garden in the forest that Maxwell made sure I tended to daily. I grew herbs, fruits, vegetables, and more. However, as time went on, the nutrients in the soil began to diminish, and from then on, my diet would start to consist of meats from whatever animals were still around. I occasionally found berries and edible mushrooms as I looked for food in the latter part of my stay. It… was strange how fast things began to change. 

“Ah, I can’t wait.”

My excitement was getting the better of me. So, I looked about the dirty room with things tipped over and sheets sprawled. It was like a hurricane burst through my room and needed to be cleaned immediately. 

"I'll clean when I get back…."

My excitement cast away my diligence as I decided to clean up my room when I came back. Maxwell would scold me if he was still around for doing something like this, but that didn't matter. The food came first today, and I didn't want to waste my day off even for a minute. Since I got here, my green thumb has been itching, and I didn't want to waste precious daylight.

I walked out of my room, took my katana in hand, and made my way out the door. I shut the door and began my calm journey to Radiant City. The field was nice and refreshing, and I slowly began to enjoy this walk of solitude. As my feet brushed up on the tall grass, I saw Radiant City in the distance. The fresh wind passed by, causing my hair to flow as I looked at… the bane of my existence. I sighed harshly, thinking about the events of yesterday.

“When I figure all of this out, about this missing person’s case, I’ll finally be able to live the way I want to live.”

I reminded myself that soon I'll finish my mission and would happily stay the hell away from this city. That was my main goal from here on out.

 

After more walking, I approached the gates, ready for the knights to approach me and ask me questions before going in. This would be normal when I came to the Radiant City, so… I accepted that I had to deal with people in this manner.

As I expected, a knight saw me approaching and made his way towards me.

“Hm?”

I opened my mouth slightly as I felt something strange. There was a slight tremble coming from underneath my feet. My senses heightened as I sensed something massive coming our way. I turned to see a gigantic wave of beasts on the horizon. There were beasts of all shapes and sizes approaching in a stampede of power.

"We have beasts! Everyone get into formation!"

The knight ordered.

All knights who were doing their own thing, playing card games, or chatting away, instantly came to attention as they got to their battle stations.

This was like when I first came to the Radiant City the other day. The Knights were organized when things like this appeared. I watched, waiting for them to do what they did last time and destroy all the beasts before they even got a chance to reach the gates.

“Everyone!”

The leader of the knights called as the group stood to attention. Like before, a knight took me by the collar and pulled me towards him.

“H-Hey, let go of me.”

I complained, but he wasn't hearing it.

The beast ran at the gates in a crowd of frenzy. They were quite a ways away. However, I could still feel them marching on the ground from this far out. If I had to guess, there had to be around fifty or more approaching us with vigor.

Spectrum cannons raised up as they aimed at the beasts—just like before. A spectrum barrier gathered around us, drawing in the beasts who craved it. Whatever formation the beasts created was being disturbed by their lust for the elements the barriers were producing.

In a fit, the beasts rushed faster, trying to feed on the spectrum flourishing from the barrier. The cannons were ready, and at the leader's command, they fired them, decimating the group of beasts instantly. White dust scattered across the land and faded away into the air. The insane power behind the cannons was nothing to scoff at either.

“That’s a wrap!”

The knight's leader said, causing all of his people to calm down and return to whatever they did.

“Alright, you can go in.”

The knight ordered me as he let go of my jacket. But I felt something else in the distance, still far away from the gates. Its shadow was humongous, and the other knights hadn't picked up on it yet.

“Are you sure that’s all of them?”

I asked cautiously.

“What do you mean?”

All the knights seemed to turn back to what they were doing however, there was something larger coming. I doubt they felt the disturbance in the shadows like I did. I glanced to the distance and a vast shadow hovered over the land. Flying above the horizon was an enormous beast that flew towards us. The beast had the head of a lion and wings of a demon. Its tail was made up of living snakes that slithered in the air. Its body was pure white, and it reminded me of a Chimera, an ancient beast from books I've read before.

“I’ve never seen a beast like that.”

I murmured.

“That’s a Venus, everyone! It's dangerous, and we can’t take it lightly. Everyone, get back into formation! Turn off the barrier and don’t let it get close to the gates!"

I knight’s leader ordered.

The knights ran to take formation, leaving me behind to watch the beast dance in the sky. It seemed this beast was called a Venus. That alone reminded me that there were beasts of all kinds that I’ve never encountered.

“------”

The beast roared. I had to cover my ears as the shockwave of its scream echoed at the gates. Knights around me did the same and were caught off guard by the sheer magnitude of the beast. Its body was pure white, and its eyes the color of the gold like most beasts. But I could feel the power as it flew towards us.

“Here it comes!”

A knight cried out. Everyone began brandishing their weapons.  I felt a spell being charged as its white body glimmered in the sunlight. It was a fire spell and a dangerous one at that. The level of spectrum going into this one attack was going to be devastating.

"Get the cannons started again!"

The commander ordered.

 A few knights ran to do just that. The spell was getting stronger by the second as knights began firing off their own personal spells at the beast. Bow and arrow users were firing their weapons to stop its advances in the sky. But despite these efforts, the beast's spectrum barrier was preventing it from being struck down.

“-------”

The beast screeched as it released a rain of fire down on the gates. Large boulder-shaped fireballs came down on the gate like hail in a storm. Knights shielded the gate from the powerful spell with their water barriers and successfully held down the fort. I watched as the beast was already channeling another attack their way.

“Okay…”

I sighed… It was too early in the morning for this, but I took out my blade, preparing for the battle ahead. It casts a large shadow, and I figured I'd use it to appear from below and land a hit on it to surpass its barrier.

I rushed in with my katana raised.

“Hey, what are you doing, redhead! Get back in this barrier.”

I ignored the knight's warning and rushed towards the shadows nearby. Before I made it an eerie voice stopped me in my tracks.

“Atta my way! Let me through! Let me through!”

Her devilish voice caught me off guard. I looked above me to witness those glorious dark wings fluttering in the sky. Her claws were shining a horrid bright red while the demon soared through the heavens, holding that halberd of hers.

“What the hell?! Countess Mellissa! You are not supposed to be at these gates!”

The knight leader screamed at the demon, flying right at the beast. She was like an arrow from a bow as her body dived toward the beast. With her halberd in hand, she clashed with the beast’s barrier with a thrust. A brilliant shine of white light lit up the sky.

“--------”

The beast screamed in an unintelligible wail. Mellissa’s halberd lit up and exploded in the sky. The beast fell down from the heavens and landed on its back near me. The snakes on its tail flapped around, biting at anyone who dared to get close.

"The spell is canceled."

I whispered.

Taking this chance, I rushed in and ran towards the beast. With both hands on my katana, I spun in a horizontal arc, channeled darkness into my blade, and twirled like a spinning top. Darkness flowed through me as a purple spell danced around my sword. A snake attempted to bite me, but I sliced its head off clean. The strong smell of venom flew past me as the snake's tail flopped on the ground. Another bit towards me but I sliced downwards, butchering its head with my blade.

Both snake tails were defeated in a matter of a second.

“-----”

Enraged, the beast attempted to claw at me as it tried to regain its balance. Darkness corrupted my blade, and I swung around and sliced its face, causing it to stumble backward. White blood poured from the beast's new wound as it stumbled backward.

“Oh my gosh! She’s back! She’s back!”

I heard the happy cries of the devil above. Her voice was getting closer, and when I looked her way, I saw her aiming down at me with her halberd. She was going to spear me if I didn’t escape soon.

“Tsk.”

I clicked my tongue. The beast regained its balance and ran towards me. I was trapped between two enemies hell-bent to kill me. So, I ran at the Venus beast that towered over me. It was large and cast a dark shadow under its belly.

“I’m going to skewer you like meat!”

Mellissa threatened as she brought her weapon down.

I ran towards the beast and slid underneath it. My body melted into the shadows just as the demon’s halberd struck the ground where I stood. She missed the beast's nose by inches as her weapon became trapped in the dirt.

"You can run, but you can't hide dark vessel!"

The demon was face to face with the beast. Mellissa cackled as her halberd edge began to glow brightly while stuck in the ground. It exploded before the beast could strike her down, causing the monster to scream from the blaze. The explosion caused the ground around the beast to light on fire too.

I appeared on the side of the battlefield, under the shade of a tree, and watched Countess Mellissa spar with the Venus. Other knights were doing the same. For some reason, nobody wanted to interfere in the battle.

“------”

The Venus got back on its feet. The partially cut-off tails swung back and forth as its bright golden eyes stared down the devil. Mellissa held her weapon behind her head and cackled like the maniac she was.

“Shut up! You’re weak! Me killing you is your pleasure!”

The beast's back was turned, and I figured this would be the best time to deal with it quickly. So, I channeled darkness into my sword, readying my spell as it was focused on Countess Mellissa. She dropped her weapon on the grass and held out her arms as if accepting a hug from the creature.

“What the hell?”

I was shocked and confused at what Mellissa was doing.

"Come to me! Claw me to death! Show me your rage, you filthy beast!"

I stopped… to see what the hell she was doing. Instead of interrupting this battle, I could learn… what kind of person Countess Mellissa was. Like the knights around us, I put my weapon to my side to see how this demon was going to handle this beast.

The Venus rushed Mellissa and brought out its claws. She extended her arms, unguarded. To anyone else, this would be suicide.

“-----”

The beast roared and brought its claws down on the devil.

“What the hell?”

In horror… I whispered under my breath.

The beast clawed her face body and legs in one swift motion. But that didn’t stop the demon from grabbing the monster’s leg.

The Venus was off-balance as it tried to stand on three legs. It was massive and tried to pull away. But the demon cackled as blood rained down her body from the attack. I watched in awe alongside the other knights… I assume they were just as confused as I was.

It was then I heard a loud pop like a twig being broken. The beast roared in agony.

“You had your chance!”

She twisted its leg, snapping the bones inside. With pure strength, that Mellissa devil slammed the beast over her shoulder and slammed the Venus into the ground. The shockwave alone caused everyone around them to stumble. The lion was on its back at the mercy of the devil.

“You filthy piece of crap!”

Mellissa stopped on its face, caving the beast's head with sheer physical force. It sounded like she was stepping on grapes to make wine. I've killed thousands of beasts in my life so far but I've never seen one taken down so brutally.

Slowly, its body turned to dust, but the true monster here, Countess Mellissa, wasn't stopping. She continued to stomp on it. I looked over my shoulder to the knights who were watching her tirade. Nobody attempted to stop her as she brutalized the ashes of the already long-gone Venus.

We watched as the demon took out her claws and ravaged what was left of the beast. Her behavior was full of hate and malice. Countess Mellissa was… out of control.

“Shut up! You’re nothing but prey! So weak, so weak! Shut up! Shut up!”

Finally, a knight with bright red hair ran through the crowd and held out a white cross-looking thing. It reminded me of a rosary. Cautiously, the knight approached Mellissa.

“Countess Mellissa, that’s enough! Behave yourself!”

She ordered as she pointed the rosary her way. The Venus was long gone, but as a rabid dog, she continued to scratch her bright red claws at the remaining dust. It was like watching a wolf devour meat. There was no compassion or sense in what she was doing was wrong. The hysterical laughter started soon, causing a chill to go down my spine.

“What is with her?”

I mumbled.

The smile she gave me was one from hell itself as she looked up at me. The claw marks over her face were healing crudely as she got to her feet and began approaching me.

“Oh?! I almost forgot you were here, dark vessel.”

The red-headed knight approached her, holding out this white cross but it seemed Mellissa didn't care as she continued to approach me.

"Feodora Cicer, I want a rematch! I'll hold you in my arms and claw your neck to pieces this time. I want to feel your bones snap as I drink that darkness from your blood!”

“Countess Mellissa, I order you to obey me!”

The red-haired knight ordered with force. Countess Mellissa glared at her. Despite how the knight sounded… I could tell that this knight was terrified of the demon.

“Shut up, Terra!”

Her wings spread in a burst, causing the wind to push us. Knights fell around us, and the one with the white cross dropped the rosary on the dirt and fell to her butt. All that was left standing were the devil and me.

She laughed like a maniac as she walked toward me. I held my katana at my side. Her eyes were red with hate and she licked her lips, tasting the blood flowing down her face.

"You really are tenacious…."

I complained as I readied mentally for her attack.

Mellissa appeared above me like before, eyes full of bloodlust. Mellissa slammed her halberd down towards me, but I avoided to the side. I knew what to expect as it began to glow brightly. When the demon attacked, there was a delay, which was her weak point.

I avoided the explosion as it devastated where I stood only moments ago.

Taking her delay to my advantage, I rushed in and sliced to the side of Mellissa’s body. My blade cut into her shoulder, causing the demon to stumble back. Blood poured out of the wound. If I was a bit more accurate her neck would have been in two, and this might have ended sooner.

“Haha! How fun! How fun! I like when the pigs fight back!”

Like a zombie, Mellissa ignored the injury as she brought up her halberd and swung it with the wounded shoulder. Blood sprayed my way as I ducked, avoiding her strike. I brought my blade back, channeled darkness into it, and thrust forwards, jabbing my katana into her stomach.

“Ohh! This is delicious! I love feeling your darkness flow through me, Feodora. It's… It's… You know… I could die happy right now."

Saliva rolled down her lips as she basked in the dark spectrum flowing through her. The demon's blood poured onto my hands as I pushed forwards and twisted my blade.

“Calm down you sicko!”

Her lust was overbearing, and I had to pin her down before her wound could heal. So, I pushed my katana deeper into her body and lifted her up. I brought her body down and slammed her to the ground. My blade pinned her between the dirt and my sword’s hilt. However, Mellissa didn't struggle. With a sword impaled in her, wedging her body into the dirt, she kicked about, happy like a little girl on her birthday. My darkness was feeding through her, and it should have been painful, but she was in ecstasy.

“Oh yes… killing you will be so satisfying.”

Mellissa threatened as she reached her hands out towards me. I pushed my blade into the dirt, but her eyes shined bright red as she mocked me.

“You’re going to scream bloody murder as I rip your face apart! I want everything inside of you! I want to nibble on your spleen! I want-“

“That’s enough, Mellissa!”

The red-haired knight stepped into the battlefield again. With that cross in hand, she hovered it over Countless Mellissa. Suddenly, the demon's eyes faded from bright red to a slight green.

“You’ve disobeyed one too many times today, Countess Mellissa! You had enough time outside today! It’s time for you to go dormant!”

I was still holding her down with my blade when a few knights approached me. One tapped my shoulder and I turned to him a tad confused.

"That's enough. You can let Mellissa go now, Feodora."

Reluctantly, I pulled my blade out of her stomach, earning a harsh groan from the demon. Her wound closed up in an instant. It was as if the gaping hole that blood was pouring out of was never there.

Mellissa's devilish wings faded into her back and vanished. I watched as her horns retracted into her head without leaving an impression. It was eye-opening watching her transformation. It was like Mellissa was morphing into a brand-new being.

After all the changes were done, calmly, she lay there with her eyes shut in silence. It was worlds different from how she was only moments ago.

“Sorry, Ms. Cicer…”

The red-haired knight turned to me. She was slightly shorter than me, and her hair was about my length. It was like looking at the fire as even her eyes burned those bright red colors. She wore knight attire, a white coat, and blue pants like everyone else. In her hand was that strange cross object that she used to settle the demon down.

“Ah… don’t worry about it.”

I said a tad cautiously. With one hand on her hip, the knight introduced herself.

“My name is Terra, and I was supposed to help keep watch of Countess Mellissa today. Jade Opal warned us that Countess took a liking to you the other day and if she caught wind of you to make sure she doesn’t attack you again.”

“Took a liking to me?”

I couldn't believe that Jade would phrase it that way. If trying to murder me so she can nibble at my organs was  "taking a liking to me" then this entire city was beyond insane.

"Yeah. I guess Mellissa did take a… liking to me."

I nodded halfheartedly.

“Nngnn…”

The human began to tussle. She opened her eyes and looked around in confusion.   Blood was all over her clothing, and her dress shirt was ripped open thanks to me cutting her clothing when I stabbed her in the stomach. Knights rallied around her as they made sure Mellissa was okay.

“Oh? It’s you again! Ah, Feodora Cicer, right?!”

Her voice was gentle and felt a tad endearing. This Mellissa was worlds different than the monster I just stabbed my blade through seconds ago.

"Did you get hurt again?"

She asked as she got to her feet. Her tone was like a mom scolding her child as she looked me over.

Terra, the knight, attempted to take hold of Mellissa, but the human kindly brushed her off as she looked at my bloody hands.

“This is a lot of blood. You really like to get hurt, don’t you Feodora?”

Worriedly, she asks. I could see her grimace as if it was too late to save me. I sighed deeply and shook my head.

“This is… your blood, Mellissa.”

I replied. The human titled her head as if I was the crazy one here.

"Oh, my… is that right?"

She held my hands and looked over all the blood from her body. Her lips pursed as she turned to me. The human looked me in the eyes as if I was lying to her, then looked back at my hands.

“Are you sure this is my blood, Feodora?”

That's when the peanut gallery around us started hollering in amusement. A few knights began laughing, and even Terra sighed harshly at Mellissa's lack of self-awareness.

“Mellissa Ann Cafree, allow me to take you back to your dorm room to get cleaned up.”

Terra attempted to take her hand away from me again, but Mellissa shook her head from side to side and brushed the knight off.

“No, we must get Feodora medical attention! Can’t you see she’s lost so much blood that her brain isn’t functioning right?!”

I gripped her hand tight and looked her in the eyes.

“No, we need to get you medical attention, Mellissa.”

I corrected her, but she wasn’t buying it.

This was beyond strange. This happened the other day when she had no recollection of the events that had just transpired during our fight. Jade mentioned that this version of Mellissa isn't the other version of Mellissa, and I still couldn't understand how that was actually true.

"Stop being stubborn, Mellissa! Jade will have my head if you went around looking like “who done it and why!”

Terra attempted to pull Mellissa’s shoulders, but she wasn’t yielding. She was attached to me as someone glued us together.

"B-But what about Feodora! Look at her, she's covered in blood too!"

Again, I was covered in her blood, but that wasn't registering to her.

I don't believe I had a scratch on me this time. But she wasn't letting go of my hands. Terra was growing anxious as she took a deep breath and looked my way.

"Fine, if you're going to be stubborn about it, Mellissa Ann Cafree…"

Terra looked me dead in the eyes.

"Ah… Ms. Cicer, Mellissa isn't going with me unless you receive medical attention too. So… if you would?"

“You want me to go with you two?”

The knights around us were gossiping, likely having a field day with this entire ordeal. The only excitement they get is when the beast comes out, so this crazy show of a bloodied woman pulling along a dark vessel was newsworthy to them. All the attention was getting to me, so I obliged reluctantly to get out of this situation sooner.

"Fine… where are we going, Terra?"

Terra’s shoulders lifted. She hopped slightly like a red bunny, earning her first victory of the day. The knights around began teasing her with chides and the like. Her face went red as she coughed to the side, clearing the mood.

"I need to take Mellissa home. She lives at the Radiant City Academy. It's not too far from here. We can get you both cleaned up there. I… I just need to get her a new set of clothes before Jade sees her like this."

Terra walked in front, so Mellissa and I followed her. Mellissa held my hand tight, and her blood was becoming cold but she only tightened her grip on me.

When we stepped into Radiant City, people looked our way as the bloodied Mellissa happily hummed. Kids were frightened, but the human was nearly skipping with joy. I… felt like there was a beacon on me as everyone eyed us.  

“Was my other side having a bad day?”

Mellissa asked and turned to me. She was worlds different than the demon side of her. Her eyes were gentle, and her voice was soothing. I found it a little hard to look her directly in the eyes too.

I… wasn't sure if she was having a bad day or not if I had to be honest. From how it looked to me, she was having the time of her life fighting that Venus beast. Countess Mellissa was beyond excited to try and kill me too.  

“No… she was having a lot of fun, Mellissa.”

The tall human giggled and cupped one hand over her mouth.

“Oh, that’s good! That’s really good, Feodora!”

Mellissa giggled as she began swinging my hands with hers. She was taller so it was a bit awkward trying to reach her height.

“I wish I could meet her one day. I’m sure she’s a lot of fun.”

“You… never met Countess Mellissa before?”

She entwined her fingers with mine. The blood smeared on our hands as she confessed.

“Nope. I’ve only heard stories of her. I never had the chance to meet this... Countess side of me.”

I had to wrap my head around that. Of course, Mellissa would have never met that side of herself if she had no memories of what it does when she's… not controlling her body.

The two Mellissa's were… fascinating at the very least. It made me wonder if the demon side remembers what the human side does though.

"I'm happy we get to see each other again Feodora. I had fun tending to your wounds the other day."

I scratched my cheek with my free hands.

“Oh… yeah… that was an interesting afternoon.”

You are reading story Radiant Prism at novel35.com

I was instantly reminded of all the kisses she gave me when she… treated my wounds. It made me wonder if she was going to do that again. I imagined her trying to kiss all the blood out of my palm and it horrified me…

I banished a strange thought as soon as it came into my mind.

“Okay, I have to try to fully understand this, Mellissa. You… don’t remember what your other side does?”

I glanced to the side and met eyes with her. No matter what, it was hard for me to look at her because… I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful she was in comparison to the devil's side of her.

She shook her head, causing her long purple hair to flow from side to side. This version of Mellissa had the brightest green eyes, and she felt warm and soft. I couldn't lie… she was a tad mesmerizing to look at.

“Nope. I can’t remember what she does, Feodora. When she’s out it feels as though I’m in a dream. Once she leaves, I wake up.”

Awkwardly, Mellissa giggled.

“It’s strange to hear these stories of this person doing all these crazy things with my body and yet I never even spoke a word to her before.”

She pushed her shoulder closer to me as we followed Terra to a district of Radiant City. The buildings were like stone, and the streets were paved with bright cobblestone. There were plenty of buildings dedicated to libraries, scientific research, hospitals, and the like. This had to be the academy district that she mentioned before.

“Feodora…”

Mellissa turned to me.

"Where are you going by the way? You don’t live in Radiant City, I take it you’re visiting for some reason?"

"I was heading to the shopping district to get food and supplies before the gate was attacked by the beast. I was going to build my garden today and needed to buy a few things."

She nodded.

"I don't have classes today, so maybe after we treat your wounds, we can both go shopping together? I'd like to get to know you better, Feodora Cicer."

I just wanted to get my things and get the hell out of this place, but it seemed Mellissa wanted to hang out.

“Hm…”

I thought about it. Yesterday, that demon side of Mellissa destroyed my food. I was pretty pissed off about that as I made my way home.

“Yesterday your other side destroyed my groceries, but it's not like you'd remember that, Mellissa.”

Excitedly, she bounced up and down.

"Then let me buy you your food! Please…. Please, Feodora?! If I can hang out with you today, I’d love to purchase your food!"

We’ll she should compensation for having that psycho side of her try and kill me.

“Are you sure? I have enough to get what I want.”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s the least I can do since my other side had put you through all of that.”

Mellissa said happily.

“Right this way.”

Terra guided us to the gates of the academy. A few girls looked shocked as they ran up to us.

“Oh no, are you okay Mellissa?!”

Mellissa's friend looked more concerned for her than she did for herself.

“I’m just fine. It’s this girl that was hurt. Everyone, meet Feodora Cicer.”

She held up our hands with the dried blood all over them. Each girl gasped in horror. Finally, one of the girls pulled us apart and looked over my hand to ensure I wasn't wounded.

“I’m fine… Mellissa’s the one that needs medical attention.”

I sighed, trying my best to not get overwhelmed by all the new faces. People who I assumed to be students were looking our way too. Terra turned to me and put one hand on her hip.

“There’s a school shower in the spectrum lab, Feodora. You can wash up in there and try and remove the blood from your clothing.”

I turned to see the other three girls dragging Mellissa away, likely back to her room.

“F-Feodora! I’ll be out in a minute! Ah, can we meet up at the shopping district?! Please don’t forget!”

I watched in awe as they pulled her into the school’s dormitory. Terra sighed and shook her head.

“Listen, Mellissa Ann Caldo, the human side is a charming girl, Feodora. Please don't hold the craziness of the demon side against her. They… are two vastly different people."

I looked at Terra who appeared to be a bit jaded about the situation.

“How are they together, Terra? Is it a curse of some kind?”

Terra shrugged.

“I don’t know the details. If you want to ask someone about it, Jade Opal or maybe even Elizera, the head of the knights, would know the answer."

Terra sighed harshly, she seemed to be overworked, and all of this was getting to her.

“Really… it’s likely the Radiants know the full story but aren’t telling us. They like to keep their secrets from the populace.”

“The Radiants?”

She lifted her head and looked back at me.

“No, I shouldn’t be saying anything bad about the Radiants. They are great protectors, and we owe them a lot. Without their guidance, we wouldn’t have the society we cherish today."

Terra looked towards the collection of buildings. With her right hand, she pointed toward one of them in the middle.

"Behind you is the spectrum lab. They should have a public shower that you can wash yourself off in. Again, I'm sorry for what happened. I'll… make sure I control Mellissa properly next time."

“No, don’t worry about it, Terra.”

I shrugged.

"If worse comes to worst, I can defend myself against her since I know her tricks."

Terra’s eyes shifted to the side. Her expression darkened and she let out a long, drown out sigh.

"She has a bit more up her sleeves, so be careful. I never saw her act this way around someone, but then again, I've never seen a dark vessel like you around the city either."

With a salute and a slight wave, Terra began walking away.

“It was nice to meet you, Feodora Cicer.”

The humble knight made her way out of the academy district. A tad wary, I made my way into a large building. Students were in class, and as I looked about, it seemed this place was mainly for spectrum studies and things like that.

“I’ve heard of academies… but I’ve never been inside one.”

These places were designed for people to come and learn in groups with books. Maxwell taught me a bunch about math, history, spectrum, and more. I've learned the basics from the orphanage, but… being alone for all those years, I couldn't imagine attending a place like this.

“This place is big.”

I walked around, still with Mellissa's blood on me and my clothing. I found a washroom with a label for girls as I looked around. I assumed this must have been what Terra was speaking about, so I stumbled inside. I looked around and noticed that this place was top-notch. Being the academy named after Radiant City, I'm sure they had all kinds of crazy funding. As the site implied, there was a section for me to wash up in the back.

I took off my clothing and began washing my arms and legs. I would have to wait until I got home to clean my clothing correctly, but at least I could put the water on it to attempt to clean the blood off. As I watched the blood pour down the drain… I thought more about that woman.

The demon brutalized that beast and attempted to kill me for sport. She looked happy. Like she was honestly enjoying the thrill to kill me. She… is the last person I want to associate with if I want to keep Maxwell’s promise and live.

But then… her other side, the human side, is gentle, warm, and really lovely.  Terra asked that I don't stand her up, and I can see why. She's too much of a sweetheart to want to do anything mean to her. It's strange…

“Hmm…”

Mellissa has found her way into my mind. I wanted to know more about how two separate beings became entwined into one like them.

After cleaning myself up as best as I could, I exited the washroom and made my way through the halls. I was fascinated by the structure of this place. There were giant statues of scholars and historians. Fountains dedicated to Radiants and other notable people. I may have not gone to a school growing up, but Maxwell was highly knowledgeable in subjects. I learned a lot from books also. 

Suddenly, people began flooding the hallways. It seemed classes were over, and I was dead center in the middle of the chaos. The sudden shift from empty to crowded caused me to literally jump as crowds of people brushed passed me.

“Eh…”

I was getting overwhelmed, so I shadow walked outside the exits and appeared outside the crowd. I jogged lightly until I reached the other side of the campus. The number of students going from place to place is ridiculous. There had to be thousands of people walking about… It made the idea of going to school… stressful.

“I wonder what courses Mellissa studies here?”

That's when it hit me that I was supposed to meet Mellissa at the shopping district. After taking one last look at the academy, I rushed off, making my way to the shopping district.

 

---

 

When we reached the shopping district, there was a crowd of people clustered in one area. It made getting inside all the more annoying. So, I stood back and waited for things to die down. That's when I noticed a particular human walking about. Mellissa held a piece of paper in her hand and a pen in the other. There were merchants walking behind her as she looked at different shops.

"I would like…."

I couldn't hear what she was saying, but Mellissa looked determined as she bargained with merchants. She turned my way, and as if she became a beacon of light, her face lit up with excitement. The crowd let her through as she skipped my way.

“Feodora! Feodora!”

She towered over me as I looked up to meet her gaze.

“Ah… are you busy, Mellissa?”

"No, not at all!"

She smiled coyly and filtered her fingers through her long hair. With one finger

“I spoke with the vegetable merchant and they told me what you bought the other day. So, I've been getting you the best deals."

“Best deals?”

One thing I wasn't good at was haggling, so this seemed like a new type of magic as I looked at her list.

“100 green tomatoes, 200 starter seeds of… everything?”

This list was massive, from fancy soaps to luxuries like apple cider barrels and candies. I was getting overwhelmed just seeing all of this.

“Are you shopping for a bunch of people?”

Sternly, she shook her head back and forth.

“Oh no, this is all for you.”

I began to breathe heavily. There would be no way I could afford this, and that crowd seemed to be enjoying her shopping spree.

"M-Mellissa, I don't need all of this. You know what, it's fine. I'm just going to go home today."

She gripped my hand… tight.

“Don’t worry! My family can afford it! This is chump change to them!”

At that, she dragged me along with her. After letting go, she began writing on her paper again.

"Now then… you mentioned that you wanted to start a garden. That takes all kinds of composing. Hm… 18 bags of the best compost."

I felt like I wanted to die. I didn’t mean to cause all of this. People were mystified by the amount of material the merchants were packing away. This must have been the biggest payday of the year for them.

“Mellissa, there’s no way I could get all of this home.”

She stopped, looked at me, and tilted her head.

“You’re so cute, Feodora.”

I felt like she was pitying me for some reason…

“My family owns the distribution of goods. Have you heard of the Castrol Farms?”

I remember hearing the name before the other day. They are the company with the big machines that were like iron carts. I saw them unloading many supplies when I went to the gates yesterday.

“The Castrols distribute merchandise to the vendors here and around the Radiant City.”

I answered. The human put one finger in the air.

“Yes, and the Cafree’s fund the entire company. We own their production, so buying back our own merchandise might cause us to lose a little money but not enough to break us."

She giggled, and it made me a tad embarrassed. Never could I imagine that this human with the crazy split personality family owned the largest distribution company in Radiant City.

“So let me at least help you get your garden started. It’s the least I can do!”

I put one hand on my hip and sighed deeply.

"I… appreciate the help, but I don't need the things like the soaps and cider. I can make my own luxuries. Just… offering me the compost is well more than enough."

The human beauty put the pen to her lip and slumped her shoulders slightly.

“Hehe, yeah… I might have gone overboard. I… I guess I just wanted you to like me, Feodora.”

My face become hot when she confessed this. I didn’t expect that to be her reason, and it made me turn away from her in embarrassment.

“You… don’t need to buy things to make me ah… like you.”

The awkwardness settled in as we both turned away from one another. I could feel the crowd around us watching for the next big purchase Mellissa was going to make.

“Well then…”

Mellissa spoke up. She looked at her massive load of purchases. I could feel merchants giving me mean eyes as their product was… likely going back into their shops.

"Well, I made a deal with most of them. I don't want the merchants to get upset that they lose their promised revenue."

With her hands behind her back, she turned back to me and smiled endearingly.

"How about I have the rest delivered to you weekly? That way, it won't overwhelm you with so much product, Feodora?”

I was getting eyes from everybody in the shopping district. The shoppers were eager to see this big sale. Then the merchants who wanted money in their greedy pockets stared daggers into me. And her, this tornado of a woman that I still couldn't put my finger on, Mellissa Ann Cafree was watching me too.

“I-If it’s not too much trouble, sure. But I owe you for doing this for me, Mellissa.”

I said timidly.

“Deal!”

She screamed excitedly. The onlookers cheered as Mellissa wrote a check for the goods. I was horrified that it equated to around 10,000 gold in total. I would be working for years to pay off that debt, but here she was, showering the merchants with gold like it was water.

Merchants helped us load a bunch of seeds and soil into the back of their… iron carts. I still didn't know their name, and the confusion on my face must have sparked Mellissa’s attention. She giggled, causing the blood in my body to rise to my cheeks.

“W-What?”

“You act as if you’ve never seen these before.”

I slump my shoulders.

"I… I grew up away from modern society, so a lot of this stuff is new to me."

She waved me to follow her, and I did just that. We walked over to the compartment where the person would steer the machine.

"This is known as a vehicle. Humans in the past would ride vehicles everywhere.  Thanks to the combined effort of Radiants, Atom Tower, and the Castrols, alongside the Cafree funding, we recreated the vehicle. We use a mixture of fire, water, and wind spectrum.

I was in awe as we looked at the vehicle. The massive machine could pull material from one end of Prism to the other, all using natural elements. That begged the question, though…

"Do you need a vessel user to use it, Mellissa?"

Surprising to me, she shook her head.

"Nope. A vessel user just needs to channel their spectrum into the machine to use the power. It harnesses that energy and uses it correctly as the machine is on."

With a bright smile, she hopped up and down.

“Humans can use it without a vessel being around. However… we do need vessels to charge it."

The way she bounced around like a child… was really adorable. I… I don’t know how to feel about Mellissa Ann Cafree. She was terrifying one minute, and then I couldn't… stop looking at her the next.

"Would you like a ride home? Our driver is heading back to your place, and having you inside would make things easier for directions."

I lunged back.

“Ah… you want me inside that thing?”

“Hehe.”

I laughed as she took my hand and gently pulled me inside the back part of the compartment with her. I accidentally pushed up along her body as I fell inside. However, she didn't mind as she pulled me close to her. We both were forced to one end of the machine's seats, and the other side was empty. I… felt like this wasn't right, but she wasn't letting me go.

“You know… I like talking with you, Feodora. You’re interesting.”

We were so close that her breath trickled along my cheek. I could hear the people loading soil into the back of the car and felt a bit bad that I wasn’t helping them. But with her holding me like this, I doubt that I could help even if I wanted to.

"Yeah, you too, Mellissa."

I turned to her, catching those beautiful garnet eyes. She was nothing like her other side… and I didn't know what the conditions were that made that demon come out… but I think I could grow to like the human side for sure.

“Ms. Cafree, are you ready to go?”

“Yes, we are.”

The two drivers got in, and suddenly the machine came to life.

“Eh?!”

I jumped as it began to move. Slowly at first, we made our way down the road, but I couldn't get used to the vibration that it was making. It wasn't like being on a cart. It was like this was a beast, a creature alive on its own.

“Hahaha.”

Mellissa burst into a laughing fit. She… seemed to like watching me make a fool of myself.

“W-What.”

“Tell me more about where you’re from, Feodora.”

Her eyes lowered, and her smile tenderly settled down into a calm… wholesome one.

"Well… I used to live at an orphanage when I was little. I don't remember its name, but it was pretty far from Radiant City."

I began to tell her of the orphanage and how I was pushed out by a few bullies. How my mentor, Maxwell, found me and taught me everything I know today. I explained to her why I came to the city as well.

She listened with that tender smile on her face. She seemed fascinated by my story… even though it wasn't much other than the tale of a girl who was outcasted by society.

The vehicle's movement fell on deaf ears when we got lost in each other's eyes. I was still close to Mellissa, and my left side had an empty seat, but… I didn't try and escape to distance myself from her.

“What about you? I… I don’t know much about you, Mellissa.”

“Well, as you know, my name is Mellissa Annabella Cafree. I’m the eldest and only daughter of the Cafree family.”

I nodded.

“And you’re human. There are not many humans left in this world."

From the history that I was taught from Maxwell, humans began to die off more regularly when the Radiants came. They couldn't adapt well to the changes, and natural selection began to weed them out. Only pockets of humans were left, which didn't seem to change with a lower life expectancy of even vessels.

“Yes, the Cafree’s are humans. My father and mother have owned the import and export of goods passed down for centuries by this point."

I looked at the goods behind me. The soil that was going to my place was a testament to their pull.

“The Cafree’s must own a lot.”

"Yes, we do. We own the factories that produce wood, ore, and other materials. We own the farmlands that give us meat, vegetables, fruits, and more."

She put one hand up and poked my nose.

“Actually, it’s under the name “Castrol's," which we provide the funds for. Without us, the Cafree’s, the Castrol's wouldn’t have the funds to provide to Radiant City.”

It all began to fall into place. Mellissa Ann Cafree… was a rich girl and she showed it. She was kind… caring, and seemed to study medicine. This side of her… was worlds different than the demon that wanted to nibble at my insides a few hours ago.

“Then… how did you and Countess Mellissa become one?”

I asked. Suddenly the car stopped as we reached my cabin.

With a forced smile, she tilted her head and looked me in the eyes.

“Maybe I’ll tell you one day.”

She opened the door and jumped out. I was captivated with questions as I jumped out of the truck. The two drivers were unloading the soil on my porch, and Mellissa watched the sunset in the distance.

“What a beautiful view.”

She said as she turned back to me. Suddenly, she pushed her cheek close to mine. I felt a hot sensation brush up against me as she laid her lips on my cheek. I was surprised; too surprised to do anything but focus on it.

“Thanks for the day. I had a lot of fun.”

The human giggled as she raced off and hid in the vehicle. She peaked out the window and gave me a gentle wave. Suddenly, the machine turned on, and the drivers began pulling away. I was left with a bunch of soil and seeds, ready for me to get planting the minute I got the time.

However, I was in awe as I watched the machine pull towards Radiant City. Mellissa watched me from the back window, and I… waved at her.

"Hm… I… wouldn't mind getting to know Mellissa better."

I admitted. Something about that side of Mellissa captivated me. But to see that side of her… I'd likely have to deal with Mellissa's murderous, blood-lusting side. I… didn't know if that was worth it yet.

"Well, I still have time. I'll get my starters planted, and soon enough, I'll have the garden ready."

I thanked Mellissa for providing way more than I needed. In my heart, I knew I owed her and was going to make sure I held up to my end of the bargain.

 

The question remained in my head as I planted my fruits and vegetables…

What happened to make Countess Mellissa and Mellissa… one entwined person.

Before I knew it, she was on my mind until the moment I fell asleep.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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