Bonding 1 - Mel and Eulalia

It had been years since Eulalia had been back to her childhood village. As she walked through the streets, listening to the gossip and rumours, she marvelled at how little had changed. The same crystals twinkled in between the same stores and homes. The only thing that seemed to change was the topic of gossip and Eulalia’s age. Now that she was older, she could understand what they were all talking about in the village she once thought was massive. The village was so much smaller and it felt even smaller by the whispers that spoke of her or of her childhood friend. 

The rumours they spread about Eulalia were kind but over exaggerated. They spoke of her accomplishments in magic and around Vitalus. However, when they spoke of Melanthios, it was nothing but vitriol and spoken out of fear. Eulalia paused in the center of the square. Vayrons passed her with angry jabs at her sudden pause. She remained where she was to take in all the stories she could about her childhood friend. 

“... monster…”

“A bad omen right in our midst…”

“He’ll be the death of us all…”

“At least he stays hidden…”

“... but those experiments…”

While she listened, her eyes jumped from crystal to crystal to floating islands in the sky. It upset her that Mel’s character was under such cruel criticism, but she also couldn’t blame them because Mel had surrounded himself with some questionable characters. With a sigh, she started her trek towards the dark forest that surrounded this village. 

At the mouth of the forest, the swampy forest that is or used to be a zataro’s territory, Eulalia took a calming breath. She made her way into the humid darkness to find Melanthios. 

Mel was in his rundown home. It was barely held together, but it didn't have both the green and nightshade puller. The home was built in the roots of a massive tree, so if the walls fell, he’d still have a roof of sorts. 

He stared at the crystals around him as they hummed with the magic he tried to pull from them. His latest experiment had to do with syphoning raw magic from the crystals and trying to infuse that magic into himself, or at least another object. However, he hadn’t been successful. His own lightning seemed to reject the idea of merging with the raw magic as it shot around the cottage. Mel huffed a sigh before he returned to his books. He read and read, trying to find some solution to this ‘problem.’ 

Mel paused as his magic prickled around him. It signaled that someone had walked through his ward, but he shrugged and continued his reading because he knew that the confusion spell he warded his area with would turn the intruder away. 

Eulalia felt the lightning magic raise her hair. The magic seemed to recognize her as it let her pass. She chuckled and wondered if Mel was aware his magic was acting on its own, or maybe it could feel her intentions weren’t cruel. However, with the thoughts aside, she knew the magic meant she was getting closer. 

Eulalia walked for several more minutes before she felt the earth under her paws shake. A second later, the crystals next to her flickered, followed by a burst of air that rushed by her. She paused, flicking her ears around trying to pinpoint more noise, but there was nothing. An eerie silence settled over the dark swamp forest before she broke into a run.

Mel grunted as he looked at the dark cloud from the explosion settling around his cottage. He coughed and growled his frustration. Failure after failure was fueling his erratic emotions. The walls that held his emotions in check were threatening to burst and this latest failure might just have been enough to break him down. 

Eulalia was running through the forest trying to get closer to the center of the earthquake when she heard a roar, and then a flash of teal lightning brightened the dark forest. The large bolt of lightning broke off into small streaks that raced through the forest and Eulalia felt the familiar pain of being struck with Mel’s magic. Except this time, he was much stronger. She coughed and wheezed, trying to steady herself to move forward. 

Mel was still standing in the middle of his home, panting at the excessive use of his power. He needed a break, so when the dust settled he walked out of the remains of his explosive magic to wander the forest. 

Mel was deep in his thoughts when he caught the scent of blood through the smells of scorched earth and bark. Normally, he wouldn’t be concerned, thinking it was a small animal that got hit by his lightning. However, paired with the earlier warning that someone breached his ward, Mel grew worried. With quick steps, Mel effortlessly moved through the forest, following the smell of blood. 

Eulalia was resting against a tree, it was all she could do to keep her eyes open. She wasn’t sure where she was hit, just that it was more damaging than she cared to admit. Doubt spiralled in her mind. Maybe she should have left him alone. Maybe she shouldn’t have come back. Maybe…

Mel watched a glowing pink butterfly appear out of the darkness in front of him, and his panic spiked as his mind raced. Although he kept to himself, he kept tabs on Eulalia, and he knew that illusions, primarily butterflies and birds, were something of a specialty for her. He tried to tell himself that she wouldn’t have come back, not after everything he had done, but maybe she had. 

The puller tore through the forest with a new purpose, and his fear was right. He came across Eulalia lying against a tree with her eyes closed and a large cut along her side. 

“Lia!” Mel called, running to her side. 

“You have to stay awake,” Mel continued, nudging her. 

Mel didn’t wait for a response, instead he concentrated on his lightning and cauterized the wound. He apologized over and over, until the open wound was sealed with a burn. He knew that would be enough, internal injury and everything he couldn’t see. He focused on his magic and sent a bolt out of the forest. The magic arched over the trees as Mel focused on his magic’s path until he made it strike the door of a healer in the village. 

Ilona didn’t wait when she saw the teal lightning hit her door, leaving a burn mark behind. She knew what it meant, so without another thought, she was in the sky, following the trail of magic. 

“Lia,” Mel whispered, “You have to stay awake. Help is on the way.”

Eulalia’s eyes flicked, but that was the most movement he had seen from her. Mel felt a weak pulse when he placed a paw on her throat. 

“Melanthios, what happened?” A gentle voice called for his attention as the yellow and white tyrian landed near him. 

“I didn’t know… She… got hit… again.” Mel stammered out. 

Ilona pushed the puller to the side to see her patient and a familiar face. Ilona smiled and grasped for her yellow magic. With a hum, Ilona worked her healing magic into Eulalia. Mel and Ilona watched as the burn faded completely and was replaced with fur. When Ilona was done, it looked like nothing had happened like Eulalia was just asleep. 

Eulalia sighed as she listened to the healing music. A familiar tone, but one she hadn’t heard in years. 

When she opened her eyes, she found two faces looking at her. One, of the healer she’s known since she was a pup, and the other, of a worried old friend. Eulalia smiled as she pushed herself off the tree and stretched gently. 

“Hello, Eulalia,” Ilona said. “How are you feeling?”

“Sore, but better. Thank you,” Eulalia replied. 

Ilona nodded before turning to Mel and asking, “Melanthios, are you going to be all right? Should I leave something for when the shock wears off?”

Mel blinked before pulling his eyes off Eulalia to address Ilona, “No, thank you, Ilona.”

Ilona gave the pair a light bow before shooting into the canopy above them and disappearing. 

Eulalia sighed as a tense silence blanketed the two remaining vayrons.

She broke the silence with a joke meant to break the tension, “Don’t go disappearing on me now.”

It was meant to be light-hearted because the last time he hit her with magic, he vanished, and this happened to be the first time they’d seen each other since. It wasn’t how Eulalia wanted their reunion to go, but she didn’t want him to retreat like he had last time. 

“Why did you come back?” Mel snapped. 

Eulalia rolled her eyes and chuckled, “I came to check on you. Being alone will wear on your mentality.”

“I’m fine,” Mel grunted, but his eyes remained on Eulalia, assessing and making sure there weren’t any other injuries. 

“Are you?” Eulalia questioned, “What was the massive explosion before your lightning went wild?”

“It happens; that’s why there’s a ward that should have kept you away,” Mel hissed. 

“Clearly, your magic felt otherwise,” Eulalia pushed. “When’s the last time you left the forest? Or the last time you spoke to anyone?”

Mel glared at Eulalia. She knew his harsh tone and attitude were more a result of his worry than anything else. It had been years, but she felt she still knew him. 

Ignoring her question, he asked, “You shouldn’t have come back. Why did you?”

“I was worried. I’ve heard the rumours –” Eulalia started to say. 

“So, you know to stay away,” Mel challenged. 

“So, I know they aren’t true.” Eulalia fought back. 

“They are,” Mel retorted. “Don’t you remember? This isn’t the first time I hit you–”

“It was an honest mistake. We were pups.”

“I leveled a whole village. That makes me the monster they all say I am.”

Eulalia shook her head. “Llyr manipulated you, and I emptied the village before you got there. No one was hurt.”

That surprised Mel. He didn’t know that part, and it honestly eased some of the self-loathing he was so used to carrying with him. She was always helping him, probably more than she realized. 

“What about this time? I could have…” Mel fought with his words before he rushed out, “I could have killed you.”

“But you didn’t. I’m fine,” Eulalia insisted. 

“If I hadn’t decided to take a break, you would have been.” 

“Melanthios,” Eulalia hissed, “Stop focusing on the what-ifs. I didn’t die; I’m fine.”

The use of his full name by Eulalia made Mel stand up straight. He wanted to argue more, find more reasons to push her away because it was easier that way. However, Eulalia’s expression said she wouldn’t stop. So, Mel sighed. 

“Fine,” he said. “How long were you going to be in the area?”

Eulalia rewarded him with a bright smile, “Indefinitely. I was coming home.”

[1847]