With Vora engulfed by weakness and instability in her powers, it was just Klev left to defend their lives from the horrid Soot. The bat Soot approached, claws at its wings’ end, scrapping the metal grating.

The creature howled, and at the same time, Klev warrior-screamed, gripped the axe tight, and drove it into its skull. It collapsed instantly, and its silver eyes dulled. Gray liquid poured out its crown, dripping through the grate to the floors below.

“It won’t happen again. I can’t let it,” Klev helped Vora back up and supported her with his arm. “We’re leaving alive. There’s a fire escape one floor down that we passed.” He pointed at a map of the mill on the wall. “I think I can get us both there. No, I know I can.”

“Well, I could do it on my own,” Vora smirked shakily, sweat leaking from her forehead. “But I’ll allow you to be my hero today.”

Now that the bat Soot was disposed of, they could descend the stairs. But the praying mantis Soot was banging and squealing around their destination. They parted from the stairwell, pushed past the metal door with safety warnings written on it like a novel, and went into a forest of long-decommissioned grinding machines. While weaving their way through the scenery of egg-white metal paint, the “Exit” signs dangling above guiding them, they kept darting their eyes left and right, wary of the Soot.

Unfortunately for them, the Soot ambushed the two by crawling on the ceiling and propelling on top of them, knocking them on their backs. It plunged its ebony blade at Klev, and he rolled out of the way, but not before getting clipped shallowly in the shoulder.

Vora regained herself, summoned the butterflies again, and blasted the Soot with a swarm of butterflies like shotgun pellets. The Soot’s flesh cracked and bled gray blood, and it fell dead. Vora lost control of her gift again and groaned. Klev helped her to her feet once more, and they arrived just a bit aways from the emergency exit door.

Klev victoriously smiled. “We did it. The fat one can’t reach us.” He turned to Vora and reiterated, “We’re going to be fine.”

A massive, clawed hand burst the floor beneath their feet and snatched up the purple-haired girl. Metal bent like a wrecking ball had blasted the metal grating. Klev fell, thankfully, on a batch of old flour, and Vora was in the claws of the fat Soot.

The fat Soot had changed its form. Now its arms were covered in ebony thorns, and it had grown claws on its hands. Its body was even larger, and its stomach mouth was wide, and many sharp teeth filled the mouth. Its tongue stretched and wound around the room like it was a snake.

Klev wanted to flee desperately, but he scolded his cowardly self. You’re pathetic. If you don’t get your head straight, Vora is going to die, just like mom. You’ll both die.

Klev's frightened face turned to a scowl. He came to his feet, picked up the ax, and swung it at the tongue of the Soot distracted by its next meal. The fat Soot became very agitated and tried to wrap the boy up with its tongue, but Klev swung again and again and severed it. The tongue writhed and wiggled on the ground as Klev charged at its origins.

The infuriated and injured Soot reeled back and tossed Vora straight at Klev like she were a dart. Vora screamed. Klev threw the ax aside and instinctively tried to catch her. Both ended up slamming into one of the large metal doors of the shipping area. Klev was battered and bruised, but breaking that discomfort was hope that skyrocketed from the sight of the nearby exit. It was the perfect moment as the fat Soot was distracted with healing itself.

“Vora, w-we can go.” Klev shook her, but she was not responding. “Vora. Come on.” He still received no response. He wiped snot off his nose with his sleeve and scooped her up in his arms. Then he saw the sharp ebony spike in her gut. That’s really bad. I have to pull it out. No, wait. I can’t. If I do that—

The Soot finished regenerating its tongue and began to mutate further. It grew beyond what the large room could contain and broke through the ceiling in the shipping area. The sun graced the inside dust of the mill after the ceiling was punctured and the building became unstable. The blonde boy avoided the falling debris the best he could, but the falling object he could not avoid was the Soot’s meteoric fist.

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“It hurts…” Vora whispered coldly. “It’s always hurt. And it’s beautiful.”

Klev averted his face as hundreds of crystal butterflies exploded from Vora. They went every which way slicing through anything in their path and creating those glasslike cracks on everything they touched—especially the Soot. The Soot howled as parts of his body cracked and oozed gray goo. Its descending fist had been turned to shredded cheese and fell around the two young teens.

Klev was startled when Vora’s eyes snapped open. Her right eye was a luscious chocolate brown, but her left was dull, pale, and cracked like a smashed marble. The skin around her eye had a similar effect—cracked skin, but unlike the kind she inflicted on the Soot. It appeared more natural to her flesh in a way. Vora was weeping, but her face remained emotionless. She slowly aimed her pupils at the unnerved Klev.

“It hurts a lot. It’s hurt for so long. Endless...” She left Klev’s arms and stood her ground against the monster. Her torn dress skirt and violet hair flapped and whipped in the chaos. The cracks had spread to her left arm, which she raised and extended her palm. “Take their agony, and make it beautiful.”

A stream of butterflies came from her hand in a flamethrower-like pattern. The massive Soot was torn to fleshy, cracked bits and became little more than clam chowder. Vora yanked the spike out of herself and tossed it aside nonchalantly; then she just stood there, the butterflies tearing and tainting the environment.

Everything was still falling apart; they had to get outside. Even though Klev was fearful of getting attacked, he charged to Vora and grabbed her hand. She appeared miserable and not herself.

“Let’s go, Vora. We’re safe. You got him with your magic.” When Vora did not respond, he breathed deeply and grabbed her shoulders. “It’s okay. I know you’re in pain. I could never compare to how bad you feel, but I hurt too. But you know what I’ll do? I’m just going to smile.” Klev beamed, putting his pearls on a grand display. “I feel better already. If you’re in pain, just smile; it’ll all work out.”

The butterflies became lethargic, froze, then vanished. The chaos ceased. Vora's cheek was moist, but her full lips curved upward. As the cracks receded and her eye became colorful, she replied, “It is easy. It really is…” She grabbed Klev’s hand tight, and he led her outside right as the mill imploded and became rubble, scrap, and moldy flour.

The two fled the scene, saving further discussion for a less cataclysmic area.

***

Klev and Vora went behind a library residing on a hill overlooking their previous destination. It was nothing but rubble and dust now.

“I can’t believe I did all that. Hmmm. Never mind, I can, given how amazing I am.”

“Amazing and scary,” Klev admitted. “How did you even do that?”

“I’ve had the ability to feel others’ pain since I was born. Seems that ability has evolved. I’ve kept it to myself because I didn’t want to worry others. You’re the only one who knows.”

“You’ve been living like this all this time? How cruel. Have you thought of going to the church to see if they could heal you?”

“I have. But I didn’t think it would end up well. I’d be called some witch, like in the old fairy tales, and burned alive. Or saved, if I’m lucky. But I made my curse a weapon. I solidified the sensation of pain and gave it a pure, physical form.” Vora bounced victoriously.

“But, why butterflies?”

“It was the first thing that came to mind when I needed to give the crystals a form. Agony made beautiful. Rather ironic.”

“It saved our lives, but I don’t think you should avoid doing it again. You appeared like you were being tortured and couldn’t control it. You weren’t yourself.”

Klev’s concerned face in that moment burned in Vora’s soul. The curse she’d been born with was helpful for the first time since being a pinky, crying, fleshy creature. But if she brought misfortune to Klev, and her loved ones, she’d rather conceal her abilities.

“You’re right. I need to find a way to properly control it. I’ll find a way, Klev. It’s my fault this happened. We mustn’t tell anyone about this.”

“Yeah, I agree. But how are we going to explain our wounds? And our clothing is holes and shreds. I just remembered! Your stomach. You got stabbed there.” Klev took a closer look at Vora’s exposed skin in the hole the spike had created. “Your wounds healed. And… I can see your belly button.”

“Oh, my. How improper.” Vora covered herself. “The only injury I have is on my thigh. All others have gone. Must be another spell I can do.”

“Probably. I just have a few cuts and bruises. I can say I slipped and fell into a batch of sharp rocks.”

“I say something similar. Like I fell off a bridge.”

“Your parents will believe that story,” Klev said confidently.

“Do you think so? You sound so sure.”

“Uh. Because you’re a good liar.” Klev laughed awkwardly. In truth, Vora’s a renowned klutz.

“Lovely. Let’s split then.” Before Vora walked off, she remembered something. She looked at Klev cutely and kissed him on the cheek. “My promise is my soul.”

Vora left Klev with the head of a raspberry.