"President," called the person who just arrived at the conference room. She was a girl wearing a white Grecian dress while her black hair was styled into a waterfall. All eyes turned to her as her brautschuhe heels clicked on the floor when she walked down the aisle and stopped in front of the dominating figure in the room. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

The president looked up with her golden eyes and met her dull gaze. She raised her hand and gestured in the air without breaking eye contact. On cue, all the members of the student council stood up and marched out of the room. She motioned the noble-looking girl to settle down, "What is it, Adi?"

"A lot of high-level creatures in the Monsters Lair were wiped out, " Adi stated.

The president scoffed. "And?" she probed. "I'm pretty sure my power already has alerted me of what's going on before you thought of informing me."

"No," Adi replied, which made the president raise her eyebrows. "Another one of my kind arrived here the other day. Do you even know that?"

The president leaned on the chair and crossed her arms. She was certain that she did not know what Adi was talking about. Her power was called System and it abounds almost the entire Damned region depending on her magical power, so it was impossible for her to not know what was going on in her territory.

"I don't," the president replied begrudgingly while her forehead wrinkled. She looked Adi straight in the eyes, "How did that happen?"

When Adi shook her head, the president snapped her fingers that made screens appear in front of them. The holograms almost filled the room due to their numbers. Adi stared in awe at the president's power. The System showed all the places in their region.

"There," the president pointed when she finally saw the screen she sought. It was located at the ceiling. She snapped her fingers once again and it floated towards her direction. It stopped right in front of her face. She watched intently at the two persons fighting their way out while surrounded by huge black hounds.

"That girl," she added and pointed to the girl with long black hair and purple eyes. "Is that her?"

Adi moved closer and nodded her head. "Yes. That's her."

"What's her name?"

"Melanie."

"And she's with Axel," added the president and smirked. "I see. She found a new toy."

"That must have been the case at first but," Adi murmured and touched the screen. It automatically rewound a few hours and stopped at a particular time. She played it again. "There."

"She almost killed Axel," Adi explained. "When she canceled that ball of energy, the monster was destroyed, and it released a fog of poison."

"Yes, and Melanie doesn't look like she was affected by it, " the president added as she continued watching. They saw how Melanie and Axel teamed up to eliminate monsters coming in their way. Aside from these, there were times where Axel tried to kill Melanie but failed. Melanie showcased superpowers that they had never seen before.

"She's kind."

"Dumb if you'd ask me."

"She always forgives Axel every time she intends to kill her."

The president and Adi inspected more clips, and they finally came across the footage where the broken Melanie encountered the hoodlums who tried to take advantage of her.

"They stopped on their tracks in a brief moment. Did you notice that?" the president asked and rewound the clip. "The hoodlums looked awful. Do you think it was Melanie's work too?"

"I think it is," answered Adi. "Based on the clips we've watched, maybe she has absolute immunity?"

"I think that's not the case." the president disagreed. "If what you're saying is true, then Tamonjie must be manifesting some of Melanie's skills too."

"But she doesn't," Adi said thoughtfully and looked at the president. "Don't you think—"

Adi was cut off when she saw the president's face. A strand of her silver hair was being swirled around her finger while the pupils of her golden eyes had dilated. Her thin red lips formed a smirk. "I wonder how long she can handle that?"

Adi could not respond immediately. She stared blankly at the president and a cunning thought played at the back of her head, The Wicked Princess. This is what people used to call her right before she conquered the position.

Adi stayed composed and touched the tips of her hair, "Let's just watch her progress, shall we?"

***

"Good job," Axel praised as she settled beside Melanie in front of the pond. The water reflected their images crystal clear; one was grinning from ear to ear and the other had her knees curled up to her chest and staring straight at the walls of the cave.

Melanie sighed and muttered, "I don't know about that. " She blinked. "I don't know if I can get used to this."

"Well, you should, " replied Axel and ran her fingers to her curly hair. "Or else others will devour you."

"You did say you're going to eliminate me," Melanie accused and glanced at Axel. "If I showed my sanctified-ass again."

"And?" rebutted Axel. "I'm sorry to burst your bubble but I won't give you my fucking apologies for that."

"I just hope I can turn back time and be with my parents again," whispered Melanie and Axel remained silent. "I remembered them when I was admiring that ball of energy approaching me earlier." She felt her heart fill with sadness.

Axel chuckled, "Did you just say that you fucking admired that one thing that could have been killed you?"

Melanie swallowed an imaginary lump in her throat. She was not sure what Axel was pertaining to. Axel did try to kill her earlier with the use of the ball of energy and she could not even deny that she was somehow drawn to Axel despite the circumstances. She cleared her throat and shrugged. "I-I don't know. It just happens."

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

"Hey," called Axel and nudged Melanie's arm. "I know someone who can travel to time, and you know what she always tells me?"

"Um, what?"

"Even if you change some things in the past, time will always do something to mend it, " Axel replied and motioned her hand. "So, let's say you ditched that Purifying Ceremony by pretending you're sick or something, you're actually delaying what was about to happen but, you'll always end up being exiled here."

"That makes me feel worse."

"Exactly!"

Melanie just shook her head and did not respond anymore. She felt more exhausted than ever. Her entire body was screaming in pain and her head felt like it was being hammered endlessly by her thoughts and emotions. She just wished she wouldn't feel those anymore. She inhaled and tried to suppress everything inside her chest. She inhaled once again and whatever she deemed as irrelevant were slowly disappearing.

"Did you feel anything different?" asked Axel. Melanie inhaled sharply and she felt her system reducing its stress levels. "Like before you attended that Purifying Ceremony?" Axel added.

"I kinda did," replied Melanie while recalling her memories. "I felt like I was not me."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure but," said Melanie as she gazed at her hands, "when I woke up that morning, I had this weird dream that I cannot forget."

Axel leaned closer and stared at her intently, showing her complete interest. Melanie blinked and coughed at the closeness of their faces. She slightly moved away and sighed. She changed her position and placed her feet behind her bottoms. She looked up and the turquoise crystals inside the cave glimmered. Her purple eyes sparkled. "Are you willing to risk your sanity in exchange for superpowers?"

She looked at Axel and saw her raising her eyebrow. She continued her story, "I heard that voice inside my head when I was stuck in that darkness."

"Sounds weird," commented Axel. "What happened next?"

Melanie closed her eyes and remembered everything.

Melanie opened her eyes and saw complete darkness. She hugged herself and did not dare to move an inch. She felt uneasy. She could not see anything, but the ambiance made her feel that dozens or hundreds of eyes were staring at her at that moment. The silence was frightening; her breathing was the only sound echoing, and as moments passed by, her skin continued to crawl. She felt something was pressing against her, but she just choked her scream. Something must have stolen her tongue. It was numb and she could not bring herself to talk.

Seconds, minutes, and hours passed by, but Melanie was not aware. She was still trembling. She did not know why but whatever lay ahead, it was making her afraid. She felt like the moment she moved out of the cage she was in; she would be broken--shattered like glass with no point of salvation.

"You who came from a foreign land,

shall unravel the knot of fate,

must be washed in pure waters,

and acquire the holy dove among the races."

Melanie gasped when a girl with long white hair and red eyes materialized in front of her. The entire figure of the stranger was glowing. Her white dress flowed onto the floor, and it brought brilliance to the cage Melanie was in. She raised her hand and cupped Melanie's face, "It will not be easy," she said with her angelic voice and leaned her forehead against Melanie's, "but I know you can do it."

"W-who are you?" asked Melanie, The girl smiled, and in an instant, black ink started to ooze out from her eyes, nose, ears, and lips. The sticky sound of the liquid sent chills down her spine, and she finally moved away. She screamed when the cage disappeared and she tumbled backwards, without knowing what awaited her was an abyss.

She fell.

Endlessly.

Her back arched and she puked blood. She could feel her bones cracking and deteriorating the deeper she fell into the abyss. Tears started to well in her eyes and she screamed. There was a pool of lava awaiting her below and her clothes were starting to get singed by the heat. She cried once more, hoping that someone would hear her.

Her skin was next. Her creamy complexion turned red. She started to get blisters all over her body and she could not shake off the sharp pain the heat was inflicting on her. She also stopped breathing, for if she inhaled more, she felt like her lungs would be lacerated. Her eyes felt stingy, and her vision was starting to blur like it was melting.

She opened her mouth and tried to muster her strength to scream or speak, "P-please, help me..."

"Are you willing to risk your sanity in exchange for superpowers?"

She whimpered when she heard a voice. Unlike the stranger she conversed with earlier, the tone that resonated at that moment was dull and sinister. With her remaining strength, Melanie tried to find where the voice was coming from, but she failed. She then looked down and in a couple of minutes, she would be immersed with radiating lava and her whole existence would cease.

She swallowed her saliva even though her throat had already dried up. Licking her chappy lips, she muttered, "I-I accept."

In a blink of an eye, the lava down below disappeared, and it was replaced with a body of water. Melanie passed out as she finally gave in. Her body splashed on the water, and she sank to the bottom. Her skin was healed, and her torn clothes were covered by rings of water. She coughed and her clothes returned to normal. She slightly opened her eyes and she saw the surface of the water above her. She gazed at her body and frowned. She looked fine--like nothing happened to her at all.

Even though she was still confused, she chose to move her body and swam towards the surface. But right before her head broke the tension of the water, something pulled her from behind. She clutched the hands wrapped around her neck, which were dragging her down. She opened her mouth and bubbles came out. Her vision was starting to darken, and she started hearing things.

"You are worthless."

"It's better for you to die."

"Stay here and you will be happy."

"Forget who you are and become anew."

"Let us live once again!"

Melanie's eyes went blank, and her struggles halted. Her hands fell down and she continued to sink deeper.

"Melanie,"

"Melanie,"

Melanie was brought back to reality when someone yanked her off and threw her. She blinked and she noticed that the world was upside down. Her gaze wandered and she met the gaze of the girl with scarlet, burgundy wavy hair, and oceanic blue eyes. Her skin was porcelain, and her cherry lips were curved up. She was holding a notebook and pen in her hands, "Your story sounds promising, but we need to interrupt it."

Melanie's chest started hammering as she looked around for Axel. Her eyes widened when she saw Axel sleeping amidst the crisis. A blonde guy was walking towards the unconscious Axel along with a girl who was holding a rock as big as a tennis ball and a girl with a broken beer at hand.

"W-what are you planning to do?!" exclaimed Melanie and struggled from the space holding her back from smashing the ground. The space holding her had runes carved on it and they glowed like blood. Melanie's pupils dilated in realization. The runes were the ones making her levitate and the person who did that was no other than the girl standing next to her.

"Don't worry. We are just making sure that Axel won't wake up...for a while," the girl said, emphasizing the last word. Melanie flinched as she watched Axel get dragged to the corner. Her mouth gaped open when the two girls alternately hit Axel with their rock and broken beer bottle while the guy hit Axel on the gut.

"No! Stop that!" shouted Melanie but the three acted like they did not hear her. They were grinning from ear to ear as if Axel was a pet they were allowed to play with. Melanie clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. She looked at the girl beside her with teary eyes. "Why are you doing this?"

"You see, I don't like it whenever Axel has a new toy, " the girl said callously and walked around Melanie as if she was checking her out. She rolled her eyes. "Every time her toy gets broken, she would always get high and fill our room with the smell of marijuana. Ugh, I really hate those."

The girl looked at Melanie once again with an intimidating gaze. "So, I thought, why don't I eliminate you first before she gets attached?"

Melanie could not believe what she was hearing.

"Sane and weak people don't last long here."

She glanced at Axel who was half-awake but covered with her own blood. She could hear her grunts from afar. Melanie had mixed feelings inside her chest. She knew that Axel might not be the person she showed her to be, but she had at least accompanied her till that time. She owed Axel her life.

"What do you want?" said Melanie with gritted teeth. "I will give you anything! Just..." She swallowed a lump in her throat, "just stop this."

The girl laughed and closed her notebook with a thud, "Very well." She raised her hand and opened it. She bit her thumb and let her blood kiss the floor then it created a huge magic array engraved with different kinds of runes.

"Let's have a duel. Whoever loses must pay the price."