Melody stumbles backward, and Oliver helps her find her balance again. Sun Wukong makes a show of raising his foot, taking a slow step forward. Then another, and another, grinning around the group. He hums to himself, rolling his head to the side.
"Let's go with...you," he muses, springing into action. He streaks into the air like a blur, appearing in front of Koji. He raises his staff, his eyes filled with wild glee. "First one down!"
"You're facing me!" Marcus roars, a pair of clones shooting after Sun. One slashes across the Monkey King's back with his daggers, while the other transforms into a boa constrictor, coiling around Sun's neck. Koji pitches himself backward when Sun lashes out with his staff, narrowly avoiding getting clubbed.
"You made me miss," Sun says, looking down at the snake Marcus around his neck. The other clone growls, wrapping his arms around Sun's waist. He grunts with effort, transforming into a black bear. Sun doesn't react to it at all, his shoulders slumping. "Look, if this is all you've got, can we just call it here? I'll keep playing with you if you can make it interesting, but I've only got a few centuries of freedom, and I'd rather not waste it."
"How's this for interesting?" Emelia says, her eyes glowing gold as she raises her bow. She fires an arrow, which slams into the back of Sun's head. Once again, he doesn't react at all to the attack - even his hair barely ruffles. The arrow shifts in place, changing into a glowing hieroglyph. Marcus's two clones jump away as the symbol flares red, then bursts into flames. Koji throws his hands out, calling a gust of wind to wrap around Sun. The flames are sucked into it, spreading into a whirling inferno.
"I guess it's a good try," Sun says from within the flames. Melody feels his power swell and the flames disperse as three copies of Sun dive out of it. One copy flies at Marcus, batting his two clones aside when they move in to intercept him. The second clone lunges at Emelia, who jumps back, launching an arrow at the ground. It turns into another hieroglyph when it lands, projecting a wall of light between them. The last flies at Koji, who shoots into the air to escape.
"I-I can't keep up with them," Melody says, her eyes flicking around at the three blurs as they chase their targets. "Oliver, they're too fast! I can't-"
"Yes, you can," he says, his whole body trembling. He steps in front of her, raising his staff. He squeezes his eyes shut, gripping Caduceus in both hands. "Pick one and try to get rid of it. I'm going to hide us with an illusion," he says through chattering teeth. Melody nods, throwing her hands out. Sun's power presses against her in waves, and she grunts with effort, worming her magic into it. Looking around the battlefield, she homes in on the clone flying after Koji.
Melody imagines her magic digging through the pressure, using it as a tunnel connecting the three versions of Sun together. She shoots her magical threads into the sky, and as soon as they connect to the copy, they stop dead. It's like a brick wall. She grits her teeth, flexing her fingers to dig into it. She has to get through if their plan is going to work. She feels sweat drip down her forehead, the ensuing battle fading into the back of her mind.
She's nearly thrown off her feet when Sun's power breaks and the clone shatters. It crumbles to dust, disappearing in the wind. The Sun attacking Marcus stops dead, blinking in confusion. He looks to the sky, checking for his clone. When he can't find it, he slowly looks down. His eyes land on Melody, and he grins.
"That's a neat trick," he says with a giggle. "Let's see if you can do it again." He throws his arms out, and a dozen copies fly out of him. The one attacking Emelia peels away, joining the group as they surge towards Melody. Oliver whimpers, aiming Caduceus at them.
"I thought we were hidden!" Melody shouts, turning her attention to the real Sun. Oliver nods, firing a beam of light at the advancing hoard. The clone at the front takes it in the chest, brushing his armor off like it was nothing.
"W-we should be!" Oliver squeaks, shooting another beam to the same result. Melody tries to snake her magic threads into the clones, but there are too many of them. Lightning flashes, striking the ground in front of the Sun army. Koji floats down from the sky, arcing another bolt at the first Sun. Sun doesn't flinch as it streaks past his head, slamming into the ground.
"You should stick to hiding, pacifist," The real Sun hums, examining his nails. "Even if you could hurt me, I know you wouldn't."
"But I would!" Marcus says, springing into the air. He takes on his winged lion form, crashing into the center of Sun's clones. He claws and bites at them, but they just stomp past, thumping him with their shoulders. Oliver tries blasting them some more, his aim getting worse as his hands shake uncontrollably.
"Koji, over here!" Emelia calls, waving her hand. "Get me over them!" Koji nods, lifting Emelia into the air with a miniature tornado. Emelia twists her body to aim downward, drawing back her bow. She fires five arrows in quick succession, landing in a circle around the twelve copies. Each arrow turns into a different symbol, giving off a blinding light. The light from the five points connects to create a dome, boxing the copies in. The clones stop, looking around at their new prison. Then the copy at the front of the pack kicks through it, shattering the dome instantly.
"I need to get my power into him," Melody grunts to herself, panting heavily. She can connect to her friend's power just fine, but that won't do any good. She has to find a way to get it into Sun - the real Sun. Oliver blasts another clone, and suddenly an idea springs to mind. She grabs Oliver's arm, dragging him back a few steps. "Oliver, I need you to attack the original. Just like you've been doing to the clones, but keep the beam connected," she says quickly. At the same time, she presses her palms into his back, trickling magic into him. "Can you do that?"
"I-I think so?" He whimpers, looking into the approaching hoard fearfully. They all giggle and smirk back, taking slow, deliberate steps toward him. He swallows hard, his body twitching. "Actually, on second thought, I don't think-"
"Just one shot, that's all you need," Melody insists, squeezing her eyes shut. She feels her power swirl and mixes with Olivers, and she pushes even more into him. "You can do it; I believe in you. Just like with Orochi," she adds softly. Oliver nods, raising his staff. Sun raises an eyebrow, clicking his tongue. His dozen copies freeze in place, parting to give him a clear shot.
"Go ahead, let's see what you can do," he taunts, waving Oliver closer with two fingers. "I'll give you a free shot - it won't change anything, anyway." He throws his arms out to his sides, exposing his chest.
The clones suddenly turn on Emelia, Marcus, and Koji, going on the attack. Koji shoots into the air again, screaming when four copies close in on him. Emelia suddenly drops, tucking into a ball and rolling when she hits the ground. She smacks one of the copies with her bow, diving onto her back to avoid another's fist. Marcus breaks off into a dozen clones of his own, each taking on a different animal form. But they're easily dispatched by Sun's clones, and Marcus struggles to fight back when they start grabbing at him.
"Oliver, you can do it! Just fire!" Melody begs, hearing her friend's cries of pain. Oliver closes his eyes, letting out a guttural battle cry. Caduceus glows brightly, the rounded head burning amber. A thin beam of light shoots out, slamming into Sun's chest. The Monkey King suddenly gasps, his eyes going wide. He stumbles back, and Oliver grits his teeth, forcing his hands to stay steady.
Using Oliver's attack as a bridge, Melody drives her magic into Sun's body. She pushes it into every nook and cranny she can find, forcing his own power into the deepest parts of Sun's being. One by one, the copies' movements begin to slow, and they begin to crumble to pieces. Sun grasps at his chest, clawing at the light as if to rip it off. But Oliver keeps it locked on target, and Melody works as fast as she can to cut off the last of the Monkey King's power.
"I-I think that's it!" Melody calls, collapsing to her knees when she breaks her connection. She clutches the back of Oliver's shirt, panting heavily. Oliver sinks to the ground next to her, his arms limp. She looks up at their opponent, grinning victoriously. She can still feel her power within him, circulating like a virus. "He's powerless now!" She adds, looking at the rest of her group.
Marcus peels himself off the ground, covered in bumps and bruises. He has a black eye and bloody nose, his face caked with dirt. Emelia steps out from the tree line, similarly battered with leaves sticking out of her hair. Koji still hangs in the air, but his eyes are unfocused, his breathing ragged.
Sun looks down at his hands, his mouth agape. He flicks his wrists, but nothing happens. He flexes his fingers, his tail twitching behind him. Still nothing. His eyes drift up to Melody again, and he chuckles weakly. "Wow, is this what you gods feel like all the time? No wonder you're always so cranky," he says with a shrug. "Oh well - I guess it's time to stop messing around."
"I was thinking the same," Marcus rumbles, dashing in with his daggers. He slashes at Sun, who leans back just out of his reach. Marcus twists, aiming a stab at Sun's midsection. Sun easily catches his wrist, twisting his arm painfully. Marcus cries out with pain as he's spun around, and Sun kicks the back of his leg. Marcus drops to his knees, and Sun grabs a fistful of his hair, yanking his head back.
"Don't be stupid. Even without my powers, you're no match for me," Sun hums into his ear, his eyes locked on Melody. "I'm a master martial artist too, remember? That's got nothing to do with magic." He thrusts Marcus's head forward, slamming his face into the ground. Melody yelps, but Oliver holds her back from rushing in to help.
"One down," Sun hums, stepping over Marcus when he goes limp. He plucks his staff from the ground, twirling it in his fingers. "Come on, it's no fun if you try one at a time. Try attacking me all at once." He points at Oliver, Emelia, and Koji, flashing a pointed grin. "Maybe then it will be worth my time."
Marcus suddenly jumps, throwing himself onto Sun's back. Sun yelps with surprise, reaching over his shoulder. He grabs Marcus's wrist, whipping him over his head. Marcus slams into the ground with a sickening snap, and Sun stomps onto his chest, cutting off his wheezing cough.
"Well, that was boring," Sun says, his smile fading. But Marcus grins back up at him, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
"Maybe check your neck first," he growls. Sun blinks at him, bringing his hand up to his throat. He brushes his fingers across the thin golden collar sitting there. "Mel, now!" Marcus cries. Melody's eyes widen, and she steps forward, her heart hammering through her chest. It's now or never.
"Spúta-"
"Is this what the master plan was?" Sun says from behind her, making Melody's blood run cold. The Monkey King looming over Marcus suddenly dissolves, collar and all. Melody wheels around to find Sun behind her, holding the collar in two fingers like it's a rotten fish. "You couldn't think of anything better?"
"B-but, how did-" Melody breathes, her hands trembling. Oliver scrambles in front of her, raising Caduceus defensively. Sun swats him aside with the back of his hand, sending Oliver flying into the trees.
"I've been watching you for weeks - it was obvious you wouldn't bet it all on a direct fight. So, I sent a clone to fight you," Sun explains plainly. "I thought you had some sort of divine seal or portal to your underworld prepared. But Odin's collar? Bor-ing!"
"But your magic," Melody says, stumbling back. Marcus charges in, and Sun easily bats him aside the same way he did to Oliver. "I sealed it, how could you have-!?"
"Oh, you never sealed my power. I just let you think that so I could see what you had up your sleeve," Sun says, grinning darkly. He grabs Melody's wrist, dragging her back towards him. "I told you before, you can't beat me." Melody swallows hard, taking a slow, shaky breath.
"That doesn't mean we're going to give up," she hisses. Sun chuckles, nodding proudly.
"And I wouldn't expect you to! But...that doesn't apply to your friends." He grabs Melody's shoulder, twisting her around. She tries to fight, tries to call upon her divine power to put up some form of resistance, but she can't. She put everything into negating Sun's powers - and it wasn't even the real him.
"They'll never give up, either," Melody spits, glaring over her shoulder. "No matter what you do."
"We'll see about that," Sun says coldly. Melody feels something wrap around her neck, and her blood turns to ice in her veins. "Click! There we go!" He cheers, grabbing Melody's head. He twists her chin up to show off her throat, giggling evilly. "You see that, don't you? Look who's wearing the collar now!"
Melody watches as Emelia's arms fall to her sides, and Koji all but plummets out of the air from the shock. Oliver picks himself up, only to collapse into a heap when he sees the golden band around her neck. Marcus peels himself off the grass, and as soon as his eyes meet Melody's, she knows what he's thinking.
"We can still do this!" Melody calls desperately. But none of her friends move. Even Marcus just watches in horror as Sun strides around her, looking her up and down while rubbing his chin.
"I think it suits you," he says, spinning to face the others. "Now, I'm sure you all know what's going on here. I know how to activate that thing - and none of you know how to deactivate it," he says, jerking his thumb over his shoulder at Melody. "Anyone want to test me?"
"No! Nobody move!" Marcus begs, his voice hoarse. He throws his hands out as if to keep Emelia and Koji at bay, then he looks at Melody, his eyes wide with fear. In them, she can see his silent plea. Don't try anything. It's not worth it. But Melody grits her teeth, glaring at the Monkey King.
It can't end here, she thinks. Not after everything we've been through. Not when we're so close! I'm not giving up! She glances at Marcus, offering a silent apology. Fear settles into her stomach in anticipation of what she knows is about to happen. She sucks in a deep breath, raises her hand to Sun, and mutters a quick curse. A ball of fire slams into the back of Sun's head, fizzling out a moment later. Sun sighs, shaking his head.
"Spútať."
The pain is so much worse than she was expecting. She thought it would be a searing pain that there's no escape from. Its agony - but at the same time, it's so much more. The pain consumes her. It rips into her mind and destroys her thoughts. Her eyeballs blister and burn, stealing her sight instantly. When she blinks, it's like her eyelids are lined with sandpaper and thumb tacks.
Marcus's cries of desperation are lost as her ears shut down. At some point she collapses to the ground, but she doesn't feel the thump. The breeze and tickle of grass against her skin fade into the background. She screams, but her voice sounds foreign; like it's coming from somewhere far away. She feels herself convulse, her arms and legs twitching violently in a futile attempt to make it stop.
She grabs at her face, digging her nails into her skin. She kicks wildly at the air. But soon enough, her legs go numb. Her arms quickly follow. And unable to think, she falls into the pain, letting it absorb her. Her throat burns, her voice having gone hoarse long ago. She keeps her hands pressed against her face as if to shield her eyes from the pain from which she knows she'll never escape.
But finally, the pain eases, and Melody gasps for breath. She coughs and chokes, her chest heaving. A pair of burning hands grab at her, and she trembles, unable to fight as they lift her up.
"Mel, it's okay, you're okay," Marcus coos, combing the hair plastered to her forehead with his fingers. His voice floods her mind, his warmth spreading through her numb body. Even with the pain gone, it takes five long minutes for her sight to return. She blinks as dark shapes begin to form. Her mind is a foggy mess. She feels something wet land on her cheek, then another. Her vision finally clears, and she squints up at Marcus. Tears roll down his cheeks, and he cradles her in his arms, kneeling on the ground next to her.
"M-Marcus..." she says, her throat scratchy and dry. Marcus nods, gripping her tightly.
"Mel, you have to hand it over," he says desperately. "Give him the treaty, please. Please!" Melody cocks her head to the side, the words disappearing into her cloudy thoughts. Sun appears over Marcus's shoulder, grinning and waving at her happily.
"T-the treaty-" she echoes weakly.
"Give it to him!" Marcus yells, hanging his head. "Mel, it's over. Please, don't give him a reason to do it again."
"Which I will," Sun says plainly. Melody grunts, touching her forehead. The world fills in around her; the trees, the grass, the mountain casting its long shadow over them. Oliver, Emelia, and Koji watching with horrified expressions. Piece by piece, her memories of the fight return. She flinches when she remembers the terrible pain. Tears build as she looks up at Marcus again, and she carefully touches his scars.
"That's what it was like?" She gasps, her chest tightening. "For three weeks?"
"Yes," he says, his voice breaking. Fresh tears roll down his face, settling into the lines left from the snake's poison. "Now you know how bad it was. So please, for the love of the gods, give him what he wants." Sun raises his head and giggles proudly. A sharp pain stabs into Melody's chest, and fear floods her mind. She can't hand over the treaty. But she's not sure she'll survive going through that again.
"...O-Okay," Melody says, squeezing her eyes shut. She slowly digs into her bag, hating every agonizing second as she grabs the treaty, takes it out, and thrusts it into the Monkey King's waiting hands. He nods, lifting it into the air proudly.
"Thank you," Marcus whispers. He bites his lip, choking back sobs as he pulls her head into his chest. Melody grips his shirt, the horrible emptiness the pain brought with it replaying in her mind. It's obvious now that the collar was only active for a few seconds, and it nearly destroyed her. How Marcus lasted for three whole weeks, she'll never know.
"Alright, now that everyone knows the position you're in, it's time to get going!" Sun cheers, pumping his fist in the air. "I've got to bring you to the Jade Emperor to face punishment for what you've done. I'm sure nobody's going to try anything funny?" He grins down at Melody, and Marcus glares back at him. "Good. Then let's go!" He marches like the conductor of a marching band, stomping up the mountain. Marcus helps Melody to her feet, his eyes downcast.
"Are you okay?" Emelia says, rushing in to help her stand. She takes Melody's arm, and Oliver and Koji move in to help however they can. Melody stares at the ground, her heart feeling empty.
"No. We failed."