Fractured Soul

Chapter 25: Blood and Ink

((Any further rant will be held off until the end of this chapter or stuck in Fractured Soul: Deleted content. Moving on!))

Mella was up early the next morning. She walked downstairs to find breakfast and a note on the table:

Fragment-

I suggest wearing clothes you can train in. A dress won’t cut it. Don’t expect me to go easy because my parents think you’re special.

The note was left unsigned, but Mella could tell who wrote it.  Only one person calls me fragment…wait, how could I read that?!

It made Mella confused. She looked at the paper again. The words were as clear as day. Just to make sure, she pulled a book off the shelf and flipped it open. The runes that formed words made absolutely no sense. What language is? Mella snapped the book shut, grabbed the note and food, and stomped upstairs. This was annoying. Not only did she have to be a spoiled child’s punching bag, but now her tattered memories only let her remember one language, one that wasn’t even helpful. Alex wrote with this too…I could read it…

Mella dug through the closet, searching for clothes she could train in, but it didn’t look like there was any skirts or leggings at all. Finally her eyes fell on the “boy clothes,” and realized why they looked so odd…and yet so familiar. They were the garb of the elemental soldiers. I guess that’s what I’m going to train in…

Mella pulled out the grey top, the black pants, and the boots. A sudden image flashed through her head: seeing the twins with the soldiers standing behind them, all wearing the same thing. Mella shuddered before blocking the memory out. I will never be like them.

Somewhere out in the library, minutes later, a door opened. “Fragment? Get down here!” Rin’s voice echoed upstairs.

Mella rolled her eyes as she clomped down the stairs and through the library to where Rin was waiting by the doors. She was wearing similar clothes, except her top was blood-red. Gee…I wonder what her favorite color is…I’m positive it isn’t red, Mella thought with a smile.

Rin’s eyes narrowed. “Something funny, fragment?” Mella shook her head, not knowing what might set her off. Rin looked at her one last time before turning around and walking down the hall. After a moment, Mella followed her.

They walked quietly through the castle. They passed a few people who looked like nobles. The silence was deafening. Rin finally yanked open a door and stepped into the room beyond. Mella stopped outside. Rin called out.

“Are you coming or not?” she asked as Mella’s shoulder burned warningly. Mella walked in, and the door slammed behind her.

The room was pitch black inside, and the silence from the hallway was here as well. After a while, Mella couldn’t handle the silence anymore.

“Rin?” Mella asked hesitantly. Something moved near her and she spun to face it, whatever it was, only to be met with inky blackness.

Rin’s laugh echoed around her. “You are really stupid, you know that? Poor Mella, she can’t see in the dark, she’ll trip over her own feet.” Something hit her legs, making Mella stumble and bang her knee on the ground. She gritted her teeth and stood.

“They I’ll take away the darkness.” Mella willed orbs of fire to ignite and light the room.

Rin was still laughing, but she had vanished, and it looked like the large room was empty, save for herself and something glittering on the floor. A dagger. Mella walked over to pick it up, then cried out in pain. A throwing star had lodged itself deep in her left arm. Myra and the guys had never hurt her when they practiced. This was all new. Gingerly she pulled it out. Immediately, Mella knew it was a bad idea. Her arm was bleeding heavily, and seeing it made her want to hurl what little breakfast she had eaten. C’mon, Mella, use your magic.