Realms of Lost Enchantment

Chapter 1: Nobody Gets Left Behind “I wish….” The pained echoes of a wolverine creature feasted her eyes upon the long ago forsaken confines of the craggy cave in which she now remained. Half-wolf, half-dragon, she longed to empty herself of the misery that she had always held from deep within her soul.  Gazing upon the outer edges of each stalactite and stalagmite that presently surrounded her, she came to an abrupt realization in her mind: that, although this place appeared to be eternal, it was nothing but temporary to the world. Crying softly to herself, she could feel the tears drenching her fur coat in nothing but pure anguish. Wondering if or when she would ever meet someone, whether werewolf or human, who could truly understand her nature as it was. Cold and stained with blood, she continued to bemoan her mere existence, as she attempted to sever some of her skin so as to release the agony somehow.  But suddenly, a much bolder, fiercer-looking creature--what appeared to be a phoenix—made his way toward her, seemingly from out of nowhere.  “What’s wrong?” The phoenix asked, a look of concern plastered across his face.  “Hi… I’m Maelyn,” the half-wolf, half-dragon muttered unintelligibly, closing her eyes. Then she quickly opened her eyes, allowing herself to be enchanted by the sheer beauty of the phoenix. “Nice to meet you. I’m Levant.” As Maelyn continued to stare at him, he went on to explain, “It means ‘direction of the rising sun’ in Turkish.”  Taking Maelyn out from beyond the shadows, Levant placed her upon the shining brilliance of his wings. He brought her out directly into the sunlight, where both enchanting mischief and dormant fear lay. Chapter 2: No Warning Labels As Levant took Maelyn to the place where he resided, she thought to herself, This is quite a fancy living arrangement, especially for the outskirts of Puremoor. Observing the beauty of the place in awe and wonder, Maelyn believed that it appeared to be cozy and comfortable, yet ornate and fashionable. Will I ever be able to find a companion of my own? Maelyn also wondered silently to herself. She often felt out of place in the world, given the uniqueness of her nature, and the “lost privileges” that she had had to face as a result of being such an outcast in the land of Puremoor. “Care for food or beverage?” Levant inquired of Maelyn once she collected her bearings.  “I suppose I’ll have a glass of raspberry iced tea,” she politely accepted an offer of a beverage, but declined on having anything to eat. “So tell me a bit about yourself,” Levant inquired of Maelyn. “Well, it’s a bit complicated to explain. I have had several affairs with multiple creatures while in romantic relationships. Because of this… You know, because Puremoor is so ‘pure’ and clean, just like its name implies… I’ve been made an outcast due to the strict laws of the land. It’s quite an unfortunate circumstance. But I have been so blessed to already know you and become acquainted with your presence. Such a true delight to my soul.” Levant, shaking his head in seeming disbelief, placed his hand on Maelyn’s left shoulder as if experiencing true and deep compassion for her.  Maelyn then continued on, exposing some of her deepest and most troublesome secrets to him. “I thought I loved a man who gave himself to me so long ago. But it turns out that he was only human, and in a way, I felt like either I was taking advantage of him or he was taking advantage of me. Maybe both. But in the end, I decided he wasn’t worth it. Not worth the time or the energy. A complete waste of space. I cannot get along with humans, anyway, especially during the full moon cycle, when I make the proper change… from dragon to werewolf.” But then, Maelyn hesitated, as she thought to herself, Is he even listening to me?  She wanted to believe, in her heart of hearts, that Levant was trustworthy and true. Maybe I shouldn’t judge or question him anymore. He’s already made me feel comfortable enough, she continued to think to herself. Out of the corner of her eye, Maelyn noticed Levant unleashing some sort of special mechanism. She wondered what it could possibly be…. But Levant had all too many secrets of his own. Chapter 3: Mad World “You know, I feel quite inspired by your bravery and strength,” Levant turned to Maelyn, wrapping his arms around her in a warm embrace.  “I’m so beyond grateful that you feel this way….” Maelyn sank a bit more deeply into the embrace, allowing Levant to massage the back of her arms. “Would you care for something else to drink?” Levant asked, but before Maelyn could even answer, he walked over to a nearby closet cabinet to reveal that this is where he had stored some bottles of liquor. He carefully opened each of the nine drinks that he had stored there. “Cheers!” Levant raised his glass to celebrate Maelyn. “Cheers,” Maelyn muttered under her breath. For although she had been thoroughly enjoying her time and stay here with Levant, she also couldn’t help but question him… Out of the shadows then emerged a black cat lurking. “What are you doing here?” Maelyn snapped, both startled and dismayed. “Relax. It’s just Blackwell,” Levant gently placed his hands on her right shoulder, this time touching it just enough to make her feel right at home. “But where did this… he… she... come from?”  “I’ve been keeping her as a roommate for months. I found her roaming around on the streets. She had nowhere else to stay, so I felt pretty terrible about that. We’ve been living together ever since and haven’t gotten along more swimmingly, I’d say.” Maelyn instantly felt the pangs of jealousy and confusion wash through her entire being. I’m not sure why… But it bothers me so greatly that Levant left out this one seemingly tiny detail of his life, she thought. “I’m Blackwell. It’s very nice to meet you,” Blackwell nodded her head in assent toward Maelyn.  Well, she seems welcoming enough… But something still isn’t quite right.  Blackwell then proceeded to hop over and seat herself in Levant’s lap. “In case you were wondering, my name means ‘darkness,’” Blackwell continued on.  Visibly startled by the behavior, Maelyn simply met Blackwell’s gaze in return.  But Levant continued on as if nothing had happened, sipping on his liquor with much laughter and excitement. Maelyn could tell that his spirits were truly beginning to rise… “So how did you end up here in Puremoor?” Maelyn curiously asked Blackwell, deciding to play the “nice” card and strike up a conversation with her.  “Oh, well, you know… It doesn’t take much to find oneself here. All I had to do was basically wander around the four corners of the earth, and there I was…” Somehow dissatisfied with the rather cryptic nature of Blackwell’s answer, Maelyn’s gaze wandered around the room once more. She was looking for further clues that might indicate at least a little more information regarding Levant’s true motives for bringing her here. Suddenly, from out of nowhere… Out of the corner of her eye, Maelyn caught a vision of some bloodsucking vampires that ravenously make their way over toward her. An alarm sounding in the corner of the room, Maelyn panicked as she attempted to process the situation. I will not give in to terror or fear. This is not an attack; it is simply a manifestation of the pain that I feel from deep within. But before long, she could no longer hold it in. They were her natural archenemy; how could she possibly resist? So she found herself giving in to instinct before long. Her natural race, the Custer wolf, had been bred to attack vampires, who had long been at war with one another.  Maelyn opened her mouth, snarling her fangs at the vampire who currently faced her. I must resist… And yet, she couldn’t. With all that she was… somehow, she found herself unable to resist the temptation to fight back, to bite, to vengefully serve as an opposing force in this endless battle against the very enemy of her soul. “Maelyn!” Blackwell stepped in, somehow managing to mollify Maelyn as the vampire before her sank its teeth into her skin… Somehow, she just was not as strong as she once remembered. It had been so long since she had truly turned, since a vampire had triggered her true wolverine nature to come out, that she now found herself powerless against them. “Maelyn, it’s going to be fine. You just have to trust me…” Maelyn felt quite dizzy and nauseous… The vampire bite was already impacting her more so than she could have thought or imagined. I wish… I was a stronger wolf race. I wish I could somehow overpower the vampires, but their entire species has preyed on us for so long… “Maelyn, wake up. Wake up!” Blackwell stood above her, violently shaking her. It was already such a long evening… When would daylight at last reach her? “I have the keys here,” Blackwell then pointed to a paintbrush in her hand that she had attained from thin air. “If we just run… We can figure something out. This house is haunted. We can’t stay here anymore. And with your life in danger already, we especially need to…” The paintbrush in Blackwell’s hand suddenly manifested into something more. A portal to another realm- a whirlwind and tornado of sparkly, violet, bright light consumed them as they found themselves whirling away into “The Living Earth,” a world that was composed of deep dreams and new horizons that they would surely encounter… Chapter 4: What Lies Beyond the Shadows “We’re here…” Blackwell grabbed Maelyn by the hand as they at last arrived at the Living Earth, right outside the outskirts of Puremoor. The land was one of pure beauty and exhilaration – at least, in Maelyn’s eyes. For what it was worth and all the life she had left to muster, it was truly a masterpiece that she could not begin to fathom… Not only because she had seen nothing like it, but also because she was yearning to be brought back to life, given the life-depleting nature of the vampire bite. It ignited a sense of majestic peace and wonder inside of her. Reflecting on how she had mainly only seen the darker aspects of Puremoor, Maelyn especially reveled in the light that it showed. In the meantime, Blackwell observed her surroundings as well.  “Don’t worry, I’m going to find you a cure for that bite in no time. I know just the magician who can save you,” Blackwell assured Maelyn as Maelyn groaned in agony over the excruciating pain of the bite. It seemed as though Blackwell were ready to pounce at any given moment upon any intruder that made its way toward either of them… And then, yet another vampire appeared out of nowhere. Perhaps a different breed, but nevertheless, a vampire all the same. Blackwell pounced on him immediately. She no longer cared about any lingering jealousy or animosity that existed between she and her friend.  “I’m going to kill you…” The vampire growled as he revealed his fierce, blood-red eyes to Maelyn specifically. He knows… Maelyn groaned from deep within her mind. She no longer felt well enough to fight back, but she was deeply regretting the fact that she had in the first place. So she nervously remained in the shadows, given that she wished to remain out of danger’s way.  Maybe not such a good idea. The vampire made its way even more ferociously toward her, putting up a solid fight against Blackwell, in spite of her valiant attempts. “Who are you?” Blackwell hissed and spat vilely at the vampire.  “You would be all too pleasantly surprised,” said the vampire in seeming amusement. Levant. Before long, a mysterious black cloud hovered over the place, enshrouding it in total darkness. It seemed as if Levant was making his presence known in quite a loud way.  I feel so small…Maelyn thought to herself, given that she believed she had shared so much with Levant in the land of Puremoor – a safe haven for both of them, a place where they could both be their true and authentic selves without conditions or judgments.  But it seemed as though she could not have been more wrong. That whatever she and Levant had shared in Puremoor was part of the past, and simply just that. Maelyn knew deep in her soul that it could not and never would be salvaged, but she still held on to faint shreds of hope, for as little as that was worth. Turning around, Maelyn hid in the shadows as she observed Blackwell from a distance.  “In the name of the Lord in the heavens above, I command that the evil that has bound this place, that has overtaken Levant, and that has caused him to control all that surrounds him, be vanquished in the name of our Father.” And suddenly, Levant clutched himself in a bind of complete fear and violent trepidation.  It seemed as if the holy incantation that Blackwell cast upon Levant had done its proper deed. As if she didn’t need to utter a single word further, and simply allow the good Lord to take care of the rest. Blackwell and Maelyn then scurried away quickly as they attempted to find shelter amidst the shadows. After all, it was only there where they could actually find solace from the true darkness that surrounded them. Chapter 5: Only Demons At long last, Maelyn and Blackwell arrived at a safe haven – out of sight, out of mind, of the true evil that Levant had proven himself to spread and to be.  Blackwell would have very well much liked to use what was left of her magic to transport the two of them back to Puremoor, a place where all seemed so innocent, free, and pure in comparison. It was all that she wanted at that moment in time. But it seemed as if their journey toward darkness was never-ending… Because no sooner than Blackwell could even so much as think about the remainder of her magic did she perceive Levant. Once more, approaching them. How could he possibly have gotten free? I had him in such a bind… Blackwell thought to herself angrily. This is not how it was supposed to happen! Maelyn and Blackwell’s entire world came crumbling down before them, for Levant was taking it over, bit by bit, piece by piece.  Bit by bit, demons began to overtake the entire land – or at least, where Blackwell and Maelyn resided. The ground shook with a real sense of urgency, as though whispering to the two of them to run, run away, as fast as they could… Blackwell, deciding to take on Levant for herself, used the terrible might of her claws to combat him, in all his vainglory. Pouncing upon Levant’s back, Blackwell surprised even herself as to just how adept she was at putting up a solid fight. But just as Blackwell and Levant got into the thick of it together, one of Levant’s demons came to the rescue of Levant. “You miserable wretch!” The demon snarled at Blackwell, jolting alive a force within her that seemed to work against her and the entirety of her being. She could not quite explain it, but it felt as though she was being purged of every single positive thought and feeling that had ever assailed her. Instead, she was being tormented and afflicted with pain and anguish of the purest kind… Clawing and hissing at the demon with all of her might, Blackwell stood standing against the almighty presence of Levant, as they both beheld him.  “Kill her,” Levant ordered the demon with a strong sense of influence, power, and control. He seemed to possess some sort of mind control over his legion of demons, which then began to suck the very blood out of Blackwell. She did not know how much longer she could possibly remain alive, without the aid or guidance of Maelyn. “Maelyn!” Blackwell called out into the distance. She knew deep down that all hope must have been gone, vanished into thin air. But she still thought that it might have been worth a shot at trying again. Blackwell considered herself to be quite different from most felines, in that her speed and agility levels were far higher than most. They were, in fact, amplified to a level that seemed almost supernatural in nature.  And yet, in spite of how quick and witty she was… She simply could not bring herself to feel anything but alone. Cold, cruel, desolate misery that greeted her in the end. Before she knew it, or could possibly bring herself to search for Maelyn a bit further- Blackwell found herself being swallowed up by the very clutches of Levant. As he curled his claws and stretched them out toward Blackwell, his very presence metamorphosed, from vampire, into something more…. Perhaps a devil, or a satanic god. She did not know. And before she could even attempt to escape the tight grip of Levant, a heavy downpour of torrential rain began to cry out from the skies above. As if to scold or admonish Blackwell for her tempestuous moods- or else, for the bind that she had locked Levant in with the cruelty of her bewitching spells.  The unsettling rain and mirthless clouds began to transform rapidly into a strange enigma of thunder and lightning, as well as a Zeus-like, godly figure. The figure initially appeared as something almighty and majestic, a true force to be reckoned with. Blackwell cowered in fear as her eyes scanned the figure for an opportunity to pounce upon its back, its limbs, its face, its arms. But all she could do was sink into the ground in quiet, contentious fear. For as afraid as she felt in that moment, she also desired revenge, with all of her heart, soul, body, and mind. She was the one who desired the victory, to chase after and destroy those who would annihilate the lifeblood of her dreams.  As the figure descended its way upon Blackwell, pressuring her to give in to the pure anguish that it had caused her, she shuddered, and continued to give in to further terror.  “You will never overcome me,” the Zeus-like figure bellowed, cackling mercilessly at Blackwell. “You are far too weak, far too small, far too disrupted in mind and heart to even begin to understand what it takes to lord it over all the lands.” It took all the might and power from within her to resist fleeing the scene altogether.  Suddenly, however… Levant made his way over toward the two of them once more. As if to throw in Blackwell’s face, how truly weak she was. Just like the unknowable Zeus figure had said. “I thought that you were already taken care of.” Levant bored his eyes into Blackwell with such intensity and darkness that it caused tears to begin trickling down her face. As if she were all too aware of her own weaknesses and pain.  It was almost as though some type of psychical force had triggered all the darkest parts of Blackwell to rise to the surface. For her to recall every mistake, sin, or trespass that she had committed, or had been committed against her.  Levant then began to transform, right before Blackwell’s very eyes, into what seemed to be some sort of demonic force. But he appeared so angelic, so very full of light, life, and peace.  And that was what drew Blackwell to him so strongly. She simply could not get enough of him. He was almost as a shadow, almost as a dream. And the closer he drew to her, the more difficult she found him to resist.  “We’ve all been dancing in the dark…” Levant whispered with seeming astuteness, wisdom, and soundness of mind.  But in the end, it was all a lie. Out of seeming nowhere, however, Maelyn snapped her fingers in Blackwell’s face. “Wake up! He has you under a spell.” Scowling aggressively at Maelyn, this time, it was her turn to bear the brunt of Levant’s wrath. She did all that she could to resist him to his face, but in the end, all she could do was turn in the opposite direction, and run. Run. As fast as she could, for the refuge of her life.  “Maelyn, no!” Blackwell called after her, determined to not let her escape this time. Not from her sight, not once.  For she could not bear to be alone, not again… Levant, however, was not fooled for one second. “Legion! Kill this… creature immediately. Now.” Sending the demon off into the distance after Maelyn, Levant could not help but let out a sinister sort of laugh. In good conscience, he would never have done so. But he had lost his conscience or any sense of morals long ago. Blackwell, terrified, cried out desperately toward Maelyn, “Maelyn! Come back. Please, come back…” And then, let out a sob of pure exasperation and pain. It seemed entirely useless, entirely futile, to even begin to hope for the best. For hope, Blackwell had so come to learn, was entirely in vain.  At least, for now. Chapter 6: Lady of the Lake The scent of demons lingered heavily still as Maelyn attempted to ward them off, in her wake, to completely fade from her presence. It most definitely was not easy, particularly the demon named “Legion” that Levant seemed so particularly fond of. As she ventured off silently on her own, she observed the world around her, with seeming newfound adventure in her eyes.  She took in the entirety of the atmosphere from a whole new vantage point. Truly, it seemed so cruel that the universe played such sick jokes on her- but alas, she was at least on her own, independent from any petty feelings of leftover jealousy or resentment that she had held toward Blackwell. Even if they no longer held any validation or meaning, now that Levant had proven himself to be the most banal of all banal creatures… She still could not help but feel certain pangs of envy, from deep within her heart. So as Maelyn wandered off along the ancient, dusty tomes of the seemingly vile nature of the deathly earth… She stumbled across a mini cottage, stemming from the path of a nearby dirt road. Remembering distinctly how the Zeus-like figure had caused torrential rain to fall from the blustering skies above, she could not help but notice a major change in weather patterns, once more. For it had abruptly transitioned, from the arid heat of summer, to the stark cold of winter. And how lonely it now seemed. Even lonelier than before. Wandering off into the cottage, Maelyn allowed herself to revel in the true shelter that she sought from the looming dangers of Levant. It seemed almost too good to be true, and yet, she would take anything, in comparison to the deathly grip that he had previously held on her. Upon entrance of the cottage, she knocked on the door. She waited several moments. And then, several more, before opening it and strolling inside, without any type of invitation, other than her own lonesome self’s. Softly browsing the place, scouring it for any type of sign that she should be there, that this was her realm of safety, or else, shelter from the storm… She began to look even further, until she discovered a series of bookshelves that seemingly had no end. This is ever so curious…. Why are these here? Maelyn thought to herself, given that the place seemed entirely devoid of human activity. “Is anyone home?” She called out softly, before deciding to browse through the books to see if she could tell any sort of telling or revealing information about the place.  Her attention then suddenly gravitated toward a quiet, gentle sound that came from the back window. The most precious swan greeted Maelyn’s eyes, as she observed her residing within a lake in the backyard. With soft, white fur, the swan’s long neck craned toward Maelyn, as Maelyn patiently waited for her to say something. The swan then lifted its head delicately out of the water as Maelyn opened the back door and boldly made her way toward her. It swam toward Maelyn, crying out in a foreign tongue that she could not comprehend.  “Who are you? Speak,” Maelyn found herself crying out with a newfound sense of confidence and hope that she did not have before. Perhaps the swan was impacting her, ever subtly, more than she dared to dream or believe. But suddenly, the swan metamorphosed… into a woman. She was dressed so beautifully, appearing to have nearly mermaid-like qualities, her fins adorned in green scales, with quite a fish-like substance. Maleyn could sense that this mermaid was special, but she could not put her finger on exactly how. “See?” The mermaid spoke in what seemed to be broken English. She unfolded a pair of wings, showing Maelyn their majestic qualities. “I have them hid for long time.” But suddenly, a sensation of warm, bright, flashing lights blinded Maelyn, striking her numb, and entirely overtaking her. The source of the lights seemed to come from the sky, but it still seemed unclear.  A cloaked figure appeared behind the mermaid.  “Help?” The mermaid could barely gasp for air. “I am---“ But he was choking her… Until she passed out. Levant.  But it seemed as though, although the mermaid was dying, the swan had not. She was able to somehow metamorphose back into her true form. Gazing at Maelyn in disbelief, the swan said to her, “Run. World is not well.”  Which caused Maelyn to believe that it knew something she just did not… And Levant was relentless.  Attempting to s*******r the swan bit by bit, he approached her with a machete, but it was too quick for Levant. Swooping in and taking Maelyn by the hands, it whisked her away toward the greatest skies of the Living Earth, as Levant chased them off into the distance. “One day, I will have you. Every last bit of you. And then, you will truly regret all that you have done, and all that you will ever be. The world is not here, as we know it,” he cried, collapsing under some sort of unknowable, unseen pain… Where only light could truly detain him. To be continued…