MELODY

Mmm…” Melody mumbles as she stares down at the dismembered grouping of vines. Tapping her fingers together she gathers her thoughts. She had traveled a bit farther and entered a room similar to the previous one, with this same creature. It was an easier fight this time though she gained no mysterious cube. Instead she now holds an item in her hand. It is an emerald green belt made of a similar material to the vine she had ought. The belt meshes together in a criss-crossed fashion as if woven from leather and joins together with a delicate clasp. It blends well with Melody’s fair skin, its color matching her eyes when she isn’t channeling magic. Though the clothing she wears covers her entire body, it’s weaved in a way that blends together with the person’s skin. You could almost call it a second skin, however the thought can be a bit uncomfortable.

Wervern Belt Type Object Familiarity 0 / 100 Rank Basic A forever-weightless belt made from a tenacious creature.

Melody had already tested it out. While she wears it around her waist, anything attached to the belt becomes weightless. It certainly makes carrying things less burdensome. The weird thing, to her, is that it has the same properties as her skills. An ability and an object can be considered the same thing? Well, perhaps they can. What does she know. The thing that interests her more is that the pathways in this strange maze has narrowed as she’s moved further in. Melody can feel it. She’s close to the end.

Still in her thoughts she glances through her boxes, noting the various changes. Her essence had grown to 46 after the many battles. The familiarity her water affinity held was further increased to 23. Her internal perception skill had triggered another two times leaving it at 10. Her new skill convergence has been the slowest, only reaching 4 after all this time. Slow. Melody could only feel all of it was slow. She has to be missing something. For her, who already had strength, it may make sense. But for others who started with nothing. How can they survive?

"Think Melody,” she mutters, her fingers continuing to habitually tap against each other as her mind sinks further into thought. Her eyes drift down to the water gathered near her, shining light on her surroundings. Melody can’t help but recall a past memory.

Sister Merri,” Melody asks as she looks up at her doting teacher. Merri had always been the kindest to her with her auburn hair and pretty brown eyes, which is why she was never afraid to ask her questions. “Why does Sister Frein ask me to figure out this magic thing by myself, but you always give me books to read? I’m never sure what to do.”

Merri looks down at Melody softly, giving her a pat on the head. Ignoring the annoyed look she answers. “Difference of opinion.” And stops. Melody’s eyes widen slightly and then her mouth puffs out as she threatens to tear up.

“Sister Merri!” Melody cries.

“Alright alright dear, I’m just messing with you.” Merri laughs, drawing Melody into a hug. “Though it is a difference in opinion. We all wish the same thing, to see our little miracle grow up right. You see, Sister Frein believes that magic is a personal thing and one should find their own path. She is not wrong.” Merri’s eyes drift toward the statue, staring into its vague persona. “You know our belief well. It stems from who we are as Aesyn. Compassion is the heart of a person. Our journey’s are a personal thing, and the conclusions we reach at their end are ours to make. Sister Frein only wishes to see you find your own journey. I believe no different.”

“But then why do you ask me to read those books? Don’t they talk of other people’s journeys?” Melody asks.

“Yes and no,” Merri answers. She leans down and gazes deeply into Melody’s eyes. “They talk of journey’s where only dead ends lay. To ignore our history, magic’s history, is not to find our own journey. It is to walk another’s, ignorant of its failure. Melody. Experience and knowledge are two sides of the same coin. It’s only that one can be found at a journey’s start, and the other at its end. You shouldn’t neglect either.”

Melody draws herself out of her daze as she can’t help but smile at the sweet memory. She has an inkling of what she missed. For now, though, she’ll shelve that away. Turning her eyes forward Melody feels well rested and ready for another battle. With that decision set she ventures forth. She continues to travel down the dizzying pathways of trees. As she has thought with each area traveled there are less pathways to be lost in, less monsters to fight. Soon she finds herself walking down a single pathway to a far away end, knowing that whatever comes next won’t be easy. And sure enough, as she reaches its end and finds her path widened into a grand room, she confirms that thought.

It’s certainly a grand enough creature. The vines have gathered together into a huge mass, creating a body that looks like a massive giant. Only this giant’s features are all made of a myriad of vines. And at its center beats a heart of wood, as large as she herself. The creature’s eyes have been on her from the start, but it has yet to move.

Wervern Progenitor

[ Ruler ]

“Young one.” A powerful voice echoes out, its presence crushing into Melody’s mind. She reels back in shock, her eyes immediately darting to the towering creature above her.

“Is that you?!” She gasps out, struggling to keep herself together.

“Yes, young one. Come. Sit down near me. I’m sure you are aware you cannot defeat me,” It says, its presence softening in her mind. Confused Melody simply nods her head and drifts closer. As she lays down and looks up at it, she feels a sense of mystery fill her.

“You can talk?” Melody says. A bark of laughter echoes in her mind in response.

“Would it matter? Do you think we are not intelligent beings if we do not speak in a way you can understand? Language is universal.” Its rumbles, while softer, still hurt Melody’s head a little as she hears them. Still, she sits quietly and listens to its rambles. She could feel something from it. A sadness that came from deep within it. “Ah, but we were the same. Do not see these boxes as an accursed fate. Truthfully, it is as much your salvation as your hell. It is mine too, and all that come here. But I am tired. My children are gone. I no longer wish to fight.”

In front of Melody’s eyes she watches as the giant creature seems to dissolve, its vines collapsing into each other until only a few remain. These few have grown in luster, becoming filled with a radiant energy. The now tiny creature rolls its wooden heart over and rests on it, peering over at Melody. “Your questions will be too many. I have grown too tired. It’s okay young one, you will learn things in time. If you ever make it to the Old Conglomerate, seek The Red Spider. She’s an information broker. Terrible prices, but she always speaks true.” Its eyes seem to recall the past, growing reminiscent.

“What do we fight for? You will find yourself coming to that question one day. It will decide the moment you break or grow stronger. I found that moment and grew stronger. Only…what I fought for is gone. What use is my strength now?” Its eyes start to dull as its words grow slower. Seeing such a powerful being so lost in their pain, Melody grows sad at the sight and she makes a decision. Her left hand reaches down and gathers some water, tearing at the clothing across her other hand. As her hand feels the cold air she looks down at the dying creature and reaches over. And places her bare hand against its heart.

Melody is unable to even cry out as the wind is knocked out of her. Its emotions pour into her like water into an empty vessel, filling her soul with its sadness and heart-wrenching pain. Melody feels its love for its children, its yearning to hold them. And that feeling of piercing despair as that hope turns to ash. Keeling over she holds fast to its heart, refusing to let go as she takes on all of its emotions, her own heart shedding never-ending tears. It looks down at her with that same sadness.

“You are a kind one,” it murmurs softly as it gathers Melody into its embrace. A crack slowly spreads across its heart that lay next to it, widening with each moment. “Don’t let my death sadden you. It was long coming. Thank you for accompanying me at my end. Someone like you deserves to live a full, long life. I hope this last parting gift will help you at least a little…” As it speaks its final words, its heart cracks and tears in two. The small, now lusterless vines holding Melody collapse along with its heart.

Melody desperately picks up the limp vines and the crumbling pieces of its heart, clutching them to herself. But as she cries, the emotions still fresh and raw, she knows there is no life left. For no emotions assault her anymore. Just a deep emptiness. As she stares emptily at the pieces clutched in her hands, the clothing around her hand slowly mends itself. Soon the seams merge together and appear like new. As if it had never been opened.

It takes a long time for Melody to recover. Her moment with the being was momentary, but its emotions transcended any barriers. Its question still rang around in her mind, even now. What do I fight for? At first, she had thought her Sisters. But she found that answer false in her heart. She desired to protect them but had no wish to fight for them. Contrary, and yet true. Her thoughts drift to the one she’s meant to find. Perhaps her answer may lie there.

Either way. With a broken sob Melody feels the last of the heart she clutches in her hand crumble to dust. The last piece of what it once was, gone. It was foolish of her to place her hand on the being. No Aesyn would willingly risk themselves in this way. But as she clutched her heart, and felt those painful emotions, she knew she would have done it again. Perhaps this is her journey. With those sad thoughts leaving her eyes drift down, and finds them placed upon another intricate cube. She knew that only a little of the beings energy entered her. Almost all of it was placed in this cube.

Memory Cube [ Locked ] Essence: 10,000

Melody understands when she sees the cost. To need so much can only be said of its value, and the effort put in to create it. Picking it up she clutches the cube tightly to herself. In her eyes this is its new heart. Its life, held in this tiny cube. And what is inside will always be with her. With shaky legs, and a numbed heart, Melody fixes the cube onto her belt and turns to look forward. The trees that had formed the maze lost their tenacity on the beings death, with many of them wilting alongside it. This left many spaces in the walls that were once closed tight to be opened up enough for a person to squeeze through. Closing her eyes Melody feels that faint connection and knows she’s close now.

Her eyes take one final look at the scene behind her before she forces herself to move on, stepping outside of the now decaying maze. Numerous more trees greet her as they did before. As Melody treads forward she feels a wave of exhaustion wash over her. Touching those emotions had taken their toll. Melody felt like lying down and going straight to sleep, but forced herself to continue forward. She’s not far off now. There’s at least one person Melody knows she can help.

Melody doesn’t travel far before she reaches a cave entrance. A few more of those strange trees tried to attack her but they were quickly dispatched. Her eyes trail over the cave’s surface. Her hand trails up and passes over its smooth surface until it finds a small indent on one side. Feeling its surface Melody conjures a tiny bit of water and spreads it over the surface. As it receives the water the indent reacts instantly and starts glowing. When Melody’s hand leaves its surface a large symbol is revealed, three sharp strokes piercing down with one cutting through its side. “I seek passage.” Melody whispers toward the symbol, and then waits patiently.

It takes a while for an answer to be returned through the pact. Far too long, Melody thinks as her hand reaches up and touches again on the symbol. A scratching sound echoes in melody’s mind as a hurried voice answers. Though the connection shudders and shakes, the rich and gentle voice still soothes over Melody’s mind, relaxing her spirit. “Friend of the Al’mardi, we grant you safe passage. However I am afraid this stone is no longer ours, these depths no home to us. Be wary of your surroundings. Be safe.”

At those words worry fills Melody as she attempts to send another message. But the symbol on the wall dims. A crack pierces through it, signifying its end. Melody stares at it for a long time before letting go with a sad shake of her head. She enters the cavern and starts heading down its tunnels. As melody traveled down she was able to choose which path to take based on the connection she felt. Melody rarely had to backtrack. At least in the initial areas of the caverns Melody found very little of anything. A few small creatures currying about that were quickly dispatched and that’s it. However soon enough as she treads deeper she starts to encounter more monsters.

A strange armadillo creature is what she finds the most. With her needles of water she quickly dispatches them so she’s unsure of what they can do, and starts to move slower and more carefully. Soon she makes it to a large cavern. However this cavern is empty. As Melody looks at its floor she notices some pieces of…something that was once here. Her eyes flickering over the mess she quickly realises who did it. Her feet pick up speed now and she starts to move faster as she follows the trails of discarded mess deeper into the caverns.

It takes her a few hours to get there. By this time her eyes have grown heavy and she desperately desires to sleep. But her determination to reach her destination before she does wins over her desire to rest. As she reaches the caverns entrance she feels the connection crying out to her. Her steps slow and she treads carefully. The glow of light coming from the small gathering of water next to her only reaches a few inches in front of her. So as she steps inside the cavern the first thing she notices is the chains.

Massive, sprawling chains lying across the floor. As she steps further in she sees bodies scattered across the floor, some half-eaten and others discarded. Littered around those bodies are items of different sorts with all sorts of boxes popping up around her. But her eyes only notice this for a moment before arriving on the figure she had been looking for. The moment she saw his scales she knew she had found him. As she took a step closer the light finally grows close enough to settle on him, and Melody’s eyes widen in shock.

Her hand goes to her mouth as tears flow down. She sees his limbs pierced through by those chains. Behind him stands the impossibly huge chain behind him, it too chaining him to this place. Her eyes trail along his wounds seeing the coldness that seeps in.But more than that, Melody knew the true nature of those chains and her heart could only cinder in response. To create a single one required the death of hundreds. It’s a chain that doesn’t pierce the flesh, but digs into a person’s soul and binds them to it.

As her tears flow down Raze’s eyes snap open and pierce into hers. Seeing him awaken she stumbles forward and kneels before him. “Don’t speak,” Melody says softly, her hand reaching toward him. “The memory is there. Just let it surface.” Raze watches as she draws closer, a strange feeling of intimacy filling him. For a reason he can’t comprehend he fails to guard against her. As Melody’s hand touches his heart that faint connection suddenly snaps in place. An inherited memory washes over Raze as he finally understands who, and what, she is.

“I am Melody,” she says softly as she reaches over and takes his arm, placing it to her heart. A sliver of hesitation enters her eyes, before determination replaces it. The connection strengthens still. “I know it has been long. Far, far too long. But if you will still take an Aesyn, I will offer myself.” As Melody speaks, she prepares to cut the clothe and place his hand directly onto her flesh. But as she goes to do so Raze’s hands grips hers, holding her in place. Looking at him, and seeing his gaze, she closes her eyes in response. “I understand,” Melody says softly, a small hint of sadness echoing out. “It truly has been too long.”

“No.” A deep voice washes over her. The voice weighs on her like a powerful presence, but one that softens and comforts. The connection snaps away and disappears as he speaks. Melody’s eyes snap open and stare up into Raze’s golden eyes. Though many cannot see the emotions that flicker inside them, Melody could see the kindness held inside them. “I will not take your freedom for an old promise. I will have you,” Raze says, his hands dragging her to stand up with him. “But as a friend.” As Melody gazes into his eyes she can see his words true. A content smile spreads over her face.

“Thank you,” Melody says as her swaying body finally gives into its exhaustion. In her heart, she felt the promise had only grown more important to her. Whether it was given or not. Melody collapses into his embrace and falls into a restful sleep. The first one she’s had for a long time. Raze looks down at her sleeping form as he lays back down, gently resting her next to him.

“Is freedom something to be given so quickly?” he asks himself as he stares down at her form. Raze could see her determination held in that frailty. Her dazzling green eyes had pierced into him with a steel he admired. Raze’s thoughts can’t help but drift to Sera, and a brisk laugh escapes his lips. It had been a long time since Raze laughed. Too long. “I guess it can.”