Cold Flames

QUOD MALEDICTUM

"Dark magic spells.."

Zaraya murmured and swallowed hard while staring at the letters and symbols that only royal witches can comprehend. Her heart began to thump like a wild stampede. Shaking in fear, she slowly picked up the booklet and started reading all the dark spells that the late king never teach them even once. She flipped all the pages until she found a spell that made her swallow in terror. The poison spell. She read its uses and effects and how to break that kind of spell. Then swallowed hard again. She knew from then that her father was one of the most powerful wizards in history who holds white and black magic spells. But she never thought she can find one, and it's even inside her book for witch sake! Did her father put it there on purpose while he was still alive? She thought he burned his black spells after marrying her mother?

"Zaraya..?" Zapheya's voice from outside her room brought her back from reverie.

She immediately hide the booklet nervously on her pillow.

"Zaraya?" and a not so loud knock follows. She cleared her throat.

"Yes?"

"Can I have a word with you please? Will you let me in?"

She compassed her wand and pointed it to the door then uttered..

"ABERTO!" (a-bare-tow) Then the door opened widely revealing Zapheya's presence.

She compassed her wand again and pointed to the door. "CLAUDE OSTIUM!" and the door shut on its own. She then faced Zapheya. "What do you want?" she asked coldly and gave her a blank stare.

Zapheya stepped in and walked towards her, sat down by her side and unexpectedly held her hand and softly said ,"I humbly apologize for our Mother's behavior towards you earlier. I hope you can still find it in your heart to forgive her, Zaraya. If you think she doesn't love you, then what you think is wrong. She loves both of us. Please believe me.." Zapheya's soothing voice slowly lingers through the very depth of her heart and soul that time, but her subconscious pushes all those words Zapheya just said

and removed her hand from Zapheya's grasp.

"And you expect me to believe that?"

"I didn't expect you to believe me, but I beg you to believe me, Zaraya.. I wan't you to see me as your twin sister, by flesh and blood, not your enemy. I wan't you to see me as your friend, not your foe. We only have each other,Zaraya.. And I love you so much.." Zapheya said in misty eyes and in between her sobs.

But still, Zaraya won't open her heart for those soothing words. Drastic jealousy and disastrous hatred already occupied her heart, mind and soul. So instead of listening to Zapheya's advice, she scoffed insultingly and asked,

"Is that all you want to say?"

Zapheya sobbed painfully again. "Raya.. Please.. Accept me in your heart already.."

"Leave now, Zapheya.."

"What do you want me to do for you to accept me and treat me as your own twin sister? I will do everything, Zaraya.. Or what do you want to do to me just to alleviate the guilt that I have in my heart for a long time because of the treatment and behaviours that Mother always threw at you, you can do it to me. You can do anything to me just to pacify your furious heart. Please, Raya.."Zapheya pleaded in between her sobs.

"Anything??" an idea hit her like a thunderbolt because of that. And that idea is way too heartless to do. 'But this is now or never,' she thought nervously and glanced upon the pillow where the booklet is hidden. Then she shook her head. "Oh No! No! I justcan't do that! She's my sister!" In her mind she shouted.

"Yes. Anything. And even everything. Just for us to be friends, Zaraya. Just for you to see me as your sister, not your foe." The warmth of her sister's voice and the purity of her sister's words made her almost realized how Zapheya loves her truly. But the bumped of the thought that perhaps she was faking it all up again made her brows furrowed. And think about the booklet again. Then she sighed harshly on the thought.

In the end, she just pushed away that negative thought and just turned her back to Zapheya. "I changed my mind. You can't do anything about it. We can never be friends. So get out of my room this instant."

She heard her sister sighed in an obvious sad manner. "I know what you're thinking . And if what you think can make you happy and can vanish away all your hatreds in me, then do it."

Zaraya's eyes widened in disbelief and conscience creeps down to her heart in that very moment. She stared at Zapheya and clearly saw the unbreakable braveness,kindness and humbleness in her sister's eyes. She swallowed uncontrollably and saw her smile sweetly but at the same time, sadly at her.

"W-What are you talking about? Get out!"

"Do it,Zaraya. Do what makes you totally happy."

"LEAVE ME ALONE NOW, ZAPHEYA."

"Mother is right. You really are stupid."

She gasped on what she heard from Zapheya and saw her staring seriously at her. "I beg your pardon?"

"I said you're stupid."

"Stop it, Zapheya," she clinched her fists so hard because of raging anger that slowly boils on her head.

"And you're not just stupid, but unloved by our mother too."

"ENOUGH, ZAPHEYA!!" she snapped in massive anger alredy and mindlessly knowing that she compassed her wand already.

"And not just unloved, but unwanted too."

"I SAID, ENOUGH!!" she shouted angrily with eyes flaring with rage and motioned her wand then pointed it to Zapheya.

"DO IT, ZARAYA!"

"AAAAAAAAHHHH!! ENOOOOUUUGGHH!!"

"DO IT!!"

"AAAAAAHHHH!!" Then she closed her eyes and cast the spell in her mind.

"SOMNUS IN AETERNUM SOMNUM!!!"

(sleep in never-ending sleep)

Was the last thing she said and then everything.. Went pitch black.