Falling Leaves 43 ??

  Danya, Malika and Joie clash mid-air. The two surround Danya. Joie flaps her wings as they radiate a yellow glow bright as sunlight. She flies behind her, as Malika flies in front.

  The pink light glowing from Malika mixes with yellow light. The two colors swirl together around Danya.

  The light starts to burn Danya's eyes. She grits her teeth closing them, then curling herself into a ball.

  Joie and Malika then strike in cohesion.

  "AGH!" Danya's screech tears through the air as Malika's foot plants through her chest. At the same moment, Joie strikes from behind, her foot punching through Danya's back. Her eyes roll back. Wind knocked from her lungs. Blood leaking from her mouth.

  The sound of her ribcage—cracking—echoes.

  Danya's eyes roll to the back of her head, wind is knocked out of her, blood leaking from her mouth, her ribcage cracked and broken.

  "Tehe excellente!" Joie giggles, grabbing her by her hair and pulling her backwards.

  Yellow light surrounds Danya, encasing her in a cocoon of light.

  "Oi, Amor! Let's play a game!" Joie giggles, tossing the cocoon towards Malika.

  Malika remains silent with a smile. She sticks her palms out in front of her, creating a bat of pink energy. Sparkles radiate off it as if tiny fireflies swarm it.

  Malika quickly swings it, striking the cocoon, turning it pink and hurling it back to Joie.

  Joie cackles once more, flying backwards. She creates her own bat similar to Malika's but yellow. A shining white smiling face glows in the middle.

  She swings the bat, striking the cocoon and turning it back to yellow.

  "Eugh!" Danya groans, feeling every blow. The cocoon is sent launching back to Malika faster.

  The two continue to knock Danya back and forth. Each time the cocoon accelerates, changing between pink and yellow.

  Yes—- Malika starts to think to herself.

  Le Démon écarlate—- this is perfect. Perfect retribution—- She swings her bat, striking the cocoon with more force, sending it launching upwards towards Joie.

  "AUGH!" Danya screams as her eyes and mouth burst open, blood and saliva erupting out.

  Mmmm yes, give me more of that sound—-

  Her face contorts into a wide smile as her eyes light up, shining a pink glow.

  Father, I finally get to avenge you.

  She watches as Joie swings her bat, sending Danya back down to her. Shockwaves trail behind from the pressure of Joie's blow.

  After I have my fun here, next is Amir. A shame most of my Belles are dead—- I'd love to savor this with them.

  She giggles to herself. Savor the destruction of the one responsible for my precious Belles being killed—- and the only one who could have done it.

  She strikes Danya's cocoon once more. "IS YOU!" She shouts, a smile of glee on her face.

  The cocoon launches towards the ocean. Joie sighs. "Oi! You hit it too far! Now I have to chase it down!"

  Malika shrugs. "Do what you have to do. You want to win this game, right?"

  Joie rolls her eyes. "Whatever—-" she mutters as she blitzes towards the cocoon.

  Malika watches her. Her thoughts continue to fill her head.

  I remember it, those moments, everything that led to this—- This demon has the nerve to try to tell me about action and reaction.

  As if everything, everything, EVERYTHING she's experiencing right now isn't because of her! She accepted the job. She chose to accept the job to kill my father.

  How dare she—- how dare she try to turn this on me—- my Belles died for this cause. And I won't disappoint them by leaving you alive!

  Amir—- you're more scum than I thought you were—-

  She clenches her fist. The black dots return on her hair. Her wings flicker to black. Her pink eyes flicker red.

  Joie, who appears in front of Danya's cocoon, experiences the effect. Her yellow hair fills with black dots. Her wings flicker. Her eyes flicker red.

  She freezes mid-air, letting Danya's cocoon pass her.

  Danya hits the surface of the ocean with the force of a bomb, erupting a violent spray of white froth and chaotic droplets skyward.

  "Amor—-" Joie whispers.

  "Don't let it take over—"

  Crimson beams of energy erupt from the ocean, bursting into the sky and interrupting Joie. She immediately flies back, tilting her head upward and watching as the beams reach the sky, cutting through the auroras.

  "Tch—-" she smacks her lips.

  The ocean swirls, opening up. Danya floats out of it. She pants, droplets of blood mixed with water running down her face.

  She spits blood out her mouth. "That sure was something, huh!" she scowls.

  "Grazie for that! GRAZIE!"

  "I have more reason to slaughter you both!" She shouts.

  Her pupils contract. She holds her palm out. Crimson energy surrounds her, and her eyes glow brighter.

  "ARRIVEDERCI! POLVERE ALLA POLVERE!" She screams, aiming her palm at Joie.

  A black and red beam instantly fires from her palm. Black streaks surround the crimson beam as the light from it illuminates the area.

  Joie shrieks, watching the beam approach her, the red light washing over her face.

  "No—- No!" She panics.

  Then suddenly—vvvvmmm—Joie disappears as the beam fires into the sky.

  The moment it makes contact with the sky, the green hue darkens to black as all the auroras turn blood red.

  Red light shines down on the refuge, as if hell itself took over.

  Malika remains silent as the black dots disappear. Her eyes return to pink.

  Her bat dissolves into particles. She stares at Danya in the distance.

  Danya flicks her wrist, residue of crimson particles flying off. "Ha——ah——" she huffs. "Did I hit her?" She asks herself.

  "She's gone—- But where's her life force? It should have absorbed it."

  Pink light surrounds Malika. Her smile returns. Spores leak out her wings.

  Danya catches her breath. "Well—" before she could say anything else, Malika appears in front of her.

  "Huh?!" Danya shrieks. Malika fires tiny spores at her. She swipes her arm, releasing a wave of crimson energy and creating distance.

  As the energy disappears, Malika stands behind a screen of pink light protecting herself. The screen cracks as she grabs a shard. She launches it towards Danya.

  It moves at light speed. Danya barely has time to react as she's in motion of regaining her balance. She quickly moves her head to the side. The shard cuts her cheek. Blood leaks out.

  A burning sensation radiates through her entire head from the little cut. "What's going—" before she knows it, Malika cracks the screen more, firing a barrage of shards at her.

  Danya's eyes widen. She crosses her arms. The shards cut all over her body, ripping her cloak of shadows. The burning sensation didn't stop at the cuts; it sank inward like molten venom.

  She feels like her insides are burning and melting away. "AHHHUG!" She screams in agony. She's blown back by the relentless shards.

  Malika giggles. More—- I need you to suffer more—- I love it—- I love it!

  Her smile widens as she creates a whip of pink energy.

  She whips it at Danya, who's still guarding against the incoming shards.

  The whip cracks as it wraps around her torso. Malika slams her down to the ocean. The water splashes as she makes contact.

  Malika holds her free hand out, creating a sphere of pink energy. She tosses it to the distance. It lands in the ocean, exploding underwater.

  A loud roar screeches from below. Underwater, Danya, who's still wrapped in the whip, has her eyes closed.

  The burning pain continues to sheer through her body. Her hair continues to glow crimson as it floats upwards.

  "GWROOOOH!" The roar is heard once more.

  Danya opens her eyes as a giant shadow looms over her, the sea bloodshot red from the light of the red sky.

  She turns her head and sees a giant yellow eyeball, the black pupil 20x bigger than her.

  "MMMM!" She grunts, panicking. The beast opens its mouth as jagged teeth surround Danya.

  It chomps, breaking the whip. "GWROAHHH!" It roars once more as it leaps out of the ocean.

  A giant shark-like creature with black, dragon-like scales and a white bottom half reminiscent of an orca appears before Malika.

  She claps her hands. "Bon appetit, Amour."

  "May you enjoy that meal with love."

  The beast remains in the air for a few seconds. Malika watches with a smile.

  Then suddenly— "BURRR!" It creates a strange sound.

  "Hm?" Malika hums.

  The skin of the beast starts to dissolve, dust and particles flying off it, as its skeleton is revealed in a matter of seconds.

  Danya floats in the middle where its stomach was with a wide grin, her fangs bared.

  "Heheheh!" She giggles as the beast's bones break apart, falling into the ocean like rain.

  Green orbs attach themselves to her skin, seeping into her.

  "Grazie mio amico! I really did need that! I feel so much better now!" She stretches, yawning.

  "You know, you've really been getting me good all this time. I can't wait to show you my turn!"

  "Death Spirit—-" Malika mutters under her breath, looking up at Danya as they're both in the air.

  "You laugh—- just like the day you killed my father—-"

  "I—-"

  Memories of her father start to play in her head. The day that started it all replays.

  VOLCANIC WASTELANDS: KINGDOM HARRAAN

  Millennia ago, Malika, who's still a child, lays on a white blanket covering the sandstone ground. Brown pots with patterns similar to pharaohs and Egyptian gods in the human world are adorned across them.

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  Sunlight shines through the windows, as the sound of water splashing wakes her up.

  "Ahh—-" she yawns, stretching. Her butterfly wings and antennae droop. Her hair and eyes are a plain white color.

  She turns toward the sound as she sees a man with short white curly hair and similar butterfly wings wearing clothing similar to a Jubba. His skin shining bronze just like Malika's.

  He crouches over, washing a cloth. The sound of the water grows more aggressive. "Tch—-" he sucks his teeth.

  "F-Father—-" Malika calls out.

  He jolts up, turning to her. "Yes, dear? I thought you were taking a nap. Please don't mind me."

  "No, no, it's fine—- I—"

  "Then please go back to sleep." He interrupts. "I'll have to go work soon—- I'll be back before you wake up." He says with a forced smile.

  Malika clutches her blanket. "I—"

  Present Malika's voice starts to speak.

  Mashaer Alfrashat Almalakia, a proud Spirit, a proud father, a working man. Yes—- this day I remember clearly—-

  I remember looking at his face in that moment, the forcefulness, the unease.

  Our people, the Faraifa, our magic dwells on our emotions and the emotions of others. He fooled me into believing everything was alright. The fact that his hair and wings didn't change color when he lied to me—- I believed him—-

  It was only me and him. I never saw him much as he was always running around the kingdom. Working, using his powers to regulate other spirits' emotions. A therapist of sorts.

  My mother disappeared years before that time, still unknown to me if she was killed or just ran away from us.

  That day was no regular work day though—-

  Knocking comes from the wooden door. "Faraifa, open this door at once."

  Mashaer grits his teeth. "No—-" he mutters.

  The banging continues. Mashaer walks slowly to the door.

  "Who is tha—"

  "Sh!" He interrupts her, opening the door.

  A spirit with a red turban that covers his face. He wears red sleek armor as flames sprout out the top of his turban. Golden symbols of fire are adorned around the torso and legs. He carries a sword on his side.

  Malika's voice returns.

  The Khodas—- Prince Amir's elite guards. It was my first time seeing one up close. I've only seen them carry Amir's throne during the parades to worship him.

  It was surreal to me. A Khoda here for my father? Why him? We were just commoners, nothing special. All those thoughts played over and over in my head.

  The Khoda ordered my father to come to the palace to see Amir face to face.

  "Y-yes—- I'll do whatever—-" Mashaer says, bowing.

  The fear in his voice, the sweat, the purple spots forming on his hair and wings—he couldn't hide it anymore—- his fear was leaking out.

  Then it happened. The Khoda spotted me—- He pointed at me. I remember the shock I felt, the fear I also felt—- were we in trouble? I couldn't fathom what was happening.

  He ordered me to come with him and my father.

  I looked at my father and his eyes said everything no words could portray.

  'Obey—- Just do whatever they want.'

  I stood up—- bowing. I was shaking. I know my hair and wings turned purple in that moment—-

  Time passes and we make it to the palace.

  I remember the gold interior, the red velvet carpets, the women around Amir half naked. Some fully naked on his bed, asleep.

  Me and my father were pushed to walk to Amir as he was sitting on his throne with his head buried in his lap. His pale grey skin like ash, long white hair, the gold jewelry around his wrist and neck. The long robe he wore only covering his bottom half. He was shirtless. White markings covered his body.

  The sound of bells flowing in the wind filled the room as they mixed with the grunts of Amir—- I—

  "YOU HAVE LOST YOUR MINDS! BOW THIS INSTANT!" The Khoda yells.

  "Y-yes sir!" Mashaer shouts back. He grabs little Malika by the head, forcing her and him to bow.

  "ARUGG!" Amir growls, holding his head.

  "W-what—-" Mashaer mutters.

  The Khoda and the surrounding women run to him, holding him.

  "Sire! Please don't falter! Help is here!" The Khoda shouts.

  "Well, Faraifa, do your job! Help him!" One of the women screams at Mashaer.

  "Death Spirit! DEATH SPIRIT!" Amir screams, tightening his grasp on his head.

  Death Spirit, a name I long learned to despise. A name that makes me sick to my stomach—- the very creature I am battling at this moment.

  The first time I've ever heard of something like that was this day. The fact one of the Death Spirits had Amir like this—- I thought they were some all-powerful creatures.

  The name I heard—- I remember it vaguely—- but it was—-

  "Reserai—- how could she do this to me—- HOW COULD SHE DO THIS TO ME!" Amir stands, shaking, his anger reaching a boiling point.

  Mashaer runs to him, placing his hand on his head.

  Reserai—- I remember—- the first name I've ever heard of a Death Spirit. I wonder now if this is the name of this demon—-

  I watched as my father's hair and wings glowed yellow and pink, mixing together. Transferring joy and love to Amir.

  The moment Amir started to scream more, terror ran through my body. I wanted to run, I wanted to hide. It sounded like he was getting murdered. I was there as my father was struggling to keep him down as he kept repeating—-

  "RESERAI!" He shouts. "SHE TOOK MY LOVE AND THREW IT AWAY AND YOU DARE TRY TO GIVE IT BACK TO ME?!"

  Reserai—- was Le Démon écarlate Amir's lover? Is that why she killed my father? Her telling me Amir hired her. Was this some lover's plan?

  "STOP, PLEASE!" Mashaer screams as Amir struggles.

  "FATHER!" Malika shouts, trying to run towards him.

  "STAY BACK NOW, CHILD! DO NOT INTERFERE!" The Khoda also shouts, holding Amir.

  Mashaer's hair starts to turn black, his wings joining. "AUGH!" He screeches, falling over.

  What I was witnessing is something no child should have to go through. It was like my father got possessed.

  Amir stood up and started to scream louder like a monster. Grey smoke radiated from his ears and mouth, like he was a fireplace.

  I remember he fell over next to my father, as the smoke started to take form. It was horrific. A direct clone of Amir just appeared from the smoke, looking down at him and my father.

  I remember all the women screaming, the Khoda panicking.

  Why—- why did all this happen? Why did it have to be me and my father—- that's all I could think. Tears were streaming down my face.

  The new Amir looked exactly like him. He had no clothes. His pupils were pure black. The markings on his body pure black.

  I remember he sat on the throne, calling himself—-

  "Nice to meet you all. I'm Amir's 'Jinn,' you can say. So just call me 'Jinn.' It's truly a pleasure."

  "As of now, I rule beside Amir, as me and him are both the Princes of Harraan and the Royal Guards of the Volcanic Wastelands."

  Amir weakly stands. "Jinn? My Jinn? You're the voice in my head, manifested—-"

  He clenches his jaw. "Disgusting!" He turns down to the ground, looking at Mashaer. "BANISH HIM AND HIS OFFSPRING! HE CAUSED THIS! SUMMON THE REST OF THE KHODAS! WE HAVE A JINN TO KILL!"

  Mashaer groans on the ground as the Khoda draws his sword. The surrounding women leave the room, screaming.

  "FATHER, WE HAVE TO GO!" Malika screams, running towards him.

  Footsteps charge towards the throne room as more Khodas storm in.

  Two of them with the same armor as the first grab Malika and Mashaer. "NO, WAIT, STOP!" Malika pleads.

  After all that, we truly were banished. Told if we stepped foot in Harraan, we'd be executed on the spot.

  We were labeled criminals. We couldn't survive the Desert of the Volcanic Wastelands. So our only option was—-

  The Cursed Backwoods. There was water and more food sources, which was a higher chance of survival.

  My father during the journey here told me about it, how it was a land for the wicked, a land for the worst of the worst. A genuinely hostile environment.

  Back then, I never understood why we couldn't just go to Aerofia, but looking back, I'm glad we didn't go there. They wouldn't accept criminals.

  When we made it to the Cursed Backwoods, we quickly made shelter in one of the woods. The Soul Trees used to scare me. The creatures were always so eerie.

  They spoke in a language I didn't understand—-

  "Bonjour!" A spirit with a clown-like face appears in front of little Malika.

  That was the first time I've ever heard something like that. I was intrigued to learn about the dialect this biome had.

  This spirit was nothing like my father described them to be here. He was kind. He was sweet to me. He willingly taught me more about the language.

  "'Au revoir' is goodbye, or 'Je te dis adieu.' You say this to someone when you wish them well, someone you care about, when they die and when they leave."

  "My heart breaks every time I have to say it. It's a never-ending cycle for me, especially living here. It comes with a lot of goodbyes."

  The clown sighs. "I don't think I'll ever get used to it, honestly. But this is a life fate chose for me."

  "Je te dis adieu—-" Malika repeats to herself.

  She smiles, her hair turning a hint of yellow. "Well, hopefully we don't have to say it to anyone anytime soon, right?"

  "I don't know what I'd do if I ever had to say it to you or my father—- I've already been through a lot—-"

  "Erk! What am I even talking about! I don't even want to think of something that negative!"

  The clown giggles. "Smart. Keep that positivity. This biome feeds on your worst. Bad moods, negative emotions, bad thoughts. It's like one big psychological trap."

  Malika sighs. "Of course it is—- just more and more crap, huh."

  "Of course. It's called The Cursed Backwoods for a reason." The clown chuckles.

  Malika sits down by a Soul Tree. "I wonder, has anyone tried to help this biome before? Why does it have to be negative? Why does it have to be a place for criminals?"

  The clown shrugs. "Who knows. I guess that's just how it was created. Nature, a God—I couldn't tell you. But I believe this place is genuinely too hostile for any positivity to even flourish."

  Malika looks into her palms. "It shouldn't be like that, though. I believe everyone deserves a second chance. Everyone makes mistakes. To rot away here is just—- cruel, to put it best."

  "Well, if you can say that, what do you have in mind to make it positive? This place is littered with evil."

  "Hmmm, well, I don't know yet. But one day I will find something, make this place a good place to live. You don't just have to be a criminal or outcast to come here."

  "Ambitious little one, aren't ya?"

  Malika smiles softly. "I guess you could say—"

  "Malika!" Mashaer calls out, walking from behind a Soul Tree.

  "Oh, Father, I—"

  "It's time to come home. You'll talk to your friend next time." He says sternly.

  "Right!" Malika says, running to him. She looks back at the clown, waving.

  "Au revoir, Alaster!" She shouts, smiling.

  Alaster rubs his head. "It's Bon Voyage! Don't say Au Revoir unless it's final, kid!"

  Alaster—- to think that simple mistake of words defined that moment as the last time I'd ever see you. How I miss you.

  Malika lays in a hut built by her father, lying down on the grass. Mashaer stands above her, looking outside.

  "Malika, you stay here. I'll return shortly."

  "Hm?" Malika hums.

  "I—- yes, sir—-" she says.

  "Please be careful, Father."

  Mashaer turns around and crouches, placing his hand on Malika's head. "You don't have to worry about me. If anything, this place is way better than Harraan. Amir isn't here to get us."

  Malika chuckles. "I guess you're right. But still, we still don't know much about this biome."

  "Ahhh, I'll be fine, kiddo. Just rest. And you know, if anything happens, make sure you fly away as quick as possible."

  Malika sighs. "Yeah, same to you—- maybe take your own advice—-"

  Mashaer runs out of the hut, waving. "Don't worry, I'll return!"

  Malika waves back. "Bon— eh—- Bon Voyage!" She yells.

  "I think that was it—-" she whispers to herself.

  She lays back down, closing her eyes. "Please stay safe—-"

  Time passed from that moment. He never showed up. It felt like days. The never-changing green skies—I could never tell how long it'd been. But it's a feeling of eternity.

  I had enough and walked out of the hut. I went to go search for him myself, thinking he just got lost. I flew, checked every nearby corner. Nothing. No sign of him, until—-

  A foul stench hit my nose at that moment. It was grotesque. But my gut told me to follow it. I flew—- the closer I got to it, the more I wanted to pass out.

  The sounds of weeping flooded my ears. The Soul Trees around me broken and burnt, slashes etched on the bark.

  I continued to follow the smell, and then I saw him—-

  I saw my father's corpse lying on the ground. One of his wings completely severed, lying next to him. His pupils gone. His blood staining the grass.

  A giant gash that goes across his chest, leaking out blood. It was sickening—- I—- even thinking about it now—- it—- it—-

  "AHHHHHHUGH!" Malika screams, her hair and wings turning a deep blue. Tears stream down her eyes. She falls to her knees.

  A Soul Tree behind her whispers, "D-Death Spirit."

  Malika, in complete grief and terror, turns to it. "D-Death Spirit? What do you mean?!"

  The tree speaks again. "Girl— red—- evil."

  Another tree who's weeping with the face of an old man carved into it: "Fille rouge—- diable—- elle a ri."

  Malika continues to weep. "Red—- Girl—- Evil—-"

  "D-Death Spirit—-"

  A flashback of Amir screaming about a Death Spirit rings in her head.

  "Diable—-" she mutters to herself.

  That's when I knew—- I needed to find this demon—- no matter what. These Death Spirits took everything from me—- I couldn't accept it. I needed vengeance—-

  Malika then hears a swarm of wings flapping. She quickly runs behind a Soul Tree.

  A swarm of multiple large insect spirits swarm Mashaer's body.

  They start to eat his corpse and suck the remaining blood out of it. Malika covers her mouth, trying not to vomit.

  "Why—- why us—- Why does fate hate us—-" She whispers to herself.

  Fate—- such a cruel word—- such a cruel concept. If this world truly had something so—- so messed up. Does fate choose favorites? What can one do for fate to favor them? Was it truly fate for all that to happen to me?

  After that, I gave up all hope. I wanted to die. Why have hope when this is the life I was dealt? What else did I have to live for? Hope was a strange thing to me. It always ended up just disappointing me.

  Until that moment I found a shrine with strange gold and silver light shining inside—-

  Curious, knowing it could have cost me my life, but at that moment I had nothing to lose.

  I walked inside and saw the most beautiful pair of twins shining, basking in the light. One with flowing white curly hair, and the other with flowing silver straight hair. The one with white hair—her eyes shined like the sun. The warmth that radiated from her I could never forget. The one with silver eyes shined like a glacier. I'll never forget the chills she gave me.

  But at the same time, seeing them, in a way made me feel alive once more, like they breathed life into me.

  Sachi—- Ikigai—- oh, how I owe you two everything—- I watched as you two bestowed other spirits happiness, fortune, and purpose. And I too wanted a taste of that.

  The love you guys gave me, what I felt—- what I experienced, the joy you gave me. I had to spread it across the Backwoods. I had to let others in on this.

  So that's what I did. I learned to split my emotions into separate entities and made the love I had for you two my core emotion. With that, the more spirits I converted to good with my love, the stronger I became.

  And in time, I gained enough power to become the Royal Guard this biome so desperately needed.

  Maybe this was what fate planned for me—- who knows. I still curse it to this day.

  Meeting L'abielle, a lost bee spirit running away from spirits trying to sell her, saving her. Meeting Mothpèra, who I found as a larva. Meeting L'automne, who was also on the run from Aerofia. Then finally meeting another Faraifa, Soleli—-

  That's how I met my new family—- the Belle Maudites, the ones who I shared my love the most with.

  And now they're even gone—- by the hands of the same demon that took my father away from me—-