MERIKH: THE BLACK POWER

Episode 5: NOVARA

Golden lantern light drifted across the gardens like scattered stars. Students and families filled the courtyard, their voices blending into a warm, restless hum.

Novara was the night devoted to Deus, the one who had given life to the world .At sunset, people whispered their prayers into glowing lanterns and released them into the sky, thanking him for the gift of existence itself.

All around us, lanterns were already rising—small lights drifting upward like slow-moving constellations.

But getting five immortals to release a single lantern together should not have been this complicated.

"It is not opening," Jane said, holding the lantern between two fingers like it had personally offended her.

Calix leaned over to look at it. "You're holding it wrong."

"I'm holding it fine."

"You're strangling it."

"Lanterns don't have feelings Calix—"

The lantern fell from her hand. Jane stared at it. Then at Calix.

"Fix it."

"It's not broken, you just—"

"Fix. It."

Kyren reached over, adjusted the sides in approximately four seconds, and handed it back without a word.

Jane looked at it. Then at Calix. "Why aren't you useful like that?"

"I have other qualities," Calix said.

"Name one."

He opened his mouth but couldn't find his words. Celia laughed at the scene.

“You should probably be helping us Celia,” I said, moving near Jane to hold a side of the lantern.

I am helping," she said, still laughing, crouching down with the candle. "I'm doing the most important part."

"The most important part is keeping it straight," Kyren said, gripping a side of the lantern from his corner.

"It is straight," Calix said.

"Your side is lower than Jane's."

"Jane's side is higher than mine."

"That's the same thing, genius." Jane said raising her eyebrows

"It really isn't—"

"Light the wick Celia," I said.

She touched the candle to it. A small flame caught.

"Hold it steady," Kyren said.

"We are holding it steady," Jane said.

"Calix isn't."

"I am—"

The lantern lurched sideways. We all grabbed it at once, four pairs of hands colliding, someone's elbow finding my ribs.

"Just don't move," I said.

Everyone stopped in their place. The flame took its time to slowly fill the lantern. I could feel it lifting, that first gentle pull against my fingers like something waking up.

"Don't let go yet," Celia said, standing now, her eyes bright.

“How long are we going to hold it?” Calix asked, stretching one of his hands.

“Are your hands that weak?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

“These hands are made for forming energy traps not to hold a lantern, light” Calix said, looking at his hand as if it were some priceless emeralds.

“Such a useless power,” Jane rolled her eyes, “whom are you going to trap?”

“I can trap you right now, demon” Calix moved his hands towards Jane.

“You think you can even catch me?” Jane’s eyeballs flashed red.

Kyren sighed. “I am so tired of their bickering.” He said from beside me.

"At least it's not boring,” I said.

“Quiet everyone,” Celia said raising her hand, “ This is the time for the best parts.”

We four looked at each other and then looked at Celia, who looked way too excited for her ‘best part.’

Sighing collectively, we lazily said in a union, “Wishes”

“Yeah, wishes,” Celia shouted, jumping like a kid who was offered chocolates.

A smile crossed my face. Celia's smile is the only thing that still makes me feel alive.

“Is it compulsory?” Jane asked, making a face.

“Is that even a question?” Celia dramatically widened her eyes, “Come on close your eyes everyone”

We all reluctantly followed her. Closing my eyes I wasn't sure if I should ask for the same wish. It never came true so what is the possibility that this year it will be true?

After a second, I slowly opened my eyes. Everyone was already waiting for me.

"Let go of the lantern,” Kyren said slowly, removing his hand.

We followed his instructions. The lantern started moving up but then dropped. My heart dropped with it.

It hung there for one terrible second, barely above our heads, drifting sideways like it had already given up. Calix made a sound that was not heroic. Jane grabbed my arm. Kyren looked physically pained.

“You can do it; you can do it…” Celia kept repeating her words.

Slowly, as if taking motivation from Celia's words the lantern started rising.

First just above our heads. Then above the trees. Then higher, joining the dozens of other lights drifting upward until it was impossible to tell which one was ours. Except we all knew. We were all pointing at the same one.

"That's ours," Celia said, grabbing my arm, her voice rising. "Look — look how high—"

"I see it," I said.

"It's going so high—"

"Celia, I see it—"

She was already clapping. Jane joined her. Even Kyren's expression had softened into something almost warm. Calix had both arms raised like he had personally carried it into the sky. I watched it rise until it was just a small light among hundreds of small lights.

“We did it!” Jane exclaimed.

"What did everyone wish for?" Celia asked, still watching the disappearing lantern.

"You're not supposed to say it aloud," I said immediately.

"I know, I'm asking anyway." She looked at me.

“A wish said to others isn't fulfilled.” Kyren said.

“We know the rules, bookworm.” Jane said, folding her arms, "Calix, what did you wish for?"

"To never have Bernard's class again," Calix said without hesitation.

"That's not how wishes work," Kyren said.

"How do you know? Have you ever had one come true?"

Kyren paused. "...No."

"Then we're all just guessing." Calix shrugged. "I'm guessing ambitiously."

I looked at the sky and then at others present. At least Calix had the right attitude about it.

I excused myself from the group for a little break. As I passed the garden, there were students who were still holding their lanterns and some who were enjoying the feast. Among everyone there was also someone who was doing none. Theon, the unbeatable student of our Academy. Every student in the academy feared and respected him.

He was calmly sitting on a chair in the far corner of the garden. One leg upon another, eyes focused on the book in his hand.

“Lost in the crowd?” He said without removing his gaze from the book. I looked around to see who he was referring to.

“Are you talking to me?” I said, raising my eyebrows. Theon closed the book, picking a finger between it.

“I don't see anyone else ogling at me,” he said with a plain face.

Ogle? Me?

“In your dreams,” I muttered to myself.

“I can hear you” he raised his eyebrows.

“Perfect,” I forced a smile. I turned to leave but stopped and turned back to face him.

“What are you doing alone?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

“Were you ‘ogling’ at me with blind eyes?” He said returning back to his book. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and looked at him.

“First of all, I was NOT ogling at you. And secondly, I meant to ask why you are here when others are celebrating over there” I moved my hand to the crowd behind us.

“What were you doing at Dejia?” Theon asked, turning a page over.

I frowned, “ That wasn't an answer.”

“I am not obliged to give you any answer,” he finally closed his book and stood up, putting the book on the chair, “Rather tell me what was a Light doing in the city of Darkness?”

He walked over to me, enough close to smell his energy. My surroundings became cold like the air after rain yet I could feel the beads of sweat on my forehead.

“Why should I answer you?” I said, steadying my voice.

There was no way I was letting him know the reason. He opened his mouth to say something, looked somewhere behind me and returned back to his chair, opening his book.

“You shouldn’t keep someone waiting.” He said as if finishing the conversation that never started.

I frowned confusingly and turned back and...

There was no one in the entire garden. I turned back and even Theon wasn't present. I was standing all alone. The black clouds started covering the sky. The sun was replaced by moon. The moon seem to filled with crimson as if it is bleeding.

I took a step back and felt something wet beneath my feet. My heart skipped a beat as I looked down to find I had just stepped into warm blood. My heart started throbbing in my throat. I wanted to scream but I couldn't produce a single voice. I could not hear my own voice. I looked all around and realised I had stepped into a bloody mess.