AQUA

Aqua's rage was unforgiving, merciless as she stood facing her one true enemy, the one she hated most.

Even more than Aurelia.

The overflow of her emotions had the wind become an ally. It swirled around the both of them, gently blowing at their loosely tied strands.

Within Brooke's dark irises, the moonlight's reflection beamed against her brimming tears. Her fingers ever so slightly trembled, unclear whether from the crisp of the breeze or the control she no longer had upon herself. Her body obeyed no one but Aqua, for it was enchanted to abid by her magic. A slave to it. All given thanks to the spell book the former princess had only recently gotten in her possession.

"Doesn't the water seem appealing, Ruth?"

So manipulative...

Brooke's gaze wandered around, a distant look in her eyes, unable to grasp reality.

The grains of sand beneath her bare feet dug into her flesh, as if she was standing on thorns. Yet her face remained emotionless, non-reactive to the pain.

This place she knew, but couldn't remember.

Aqua's voice was close to being the only thing she could hear. More than echo but still faint, out of reach. She was losing all her will, and her heart throbbed at what a useless woman she became.

"Brookie," A small voice called out. Her head perked up, her eyes wide. She recognized this voice. It belonged to her sister. But her sister was dead there's no way.

A six-year-old girl came into her line of sight, the beautiful kid smiling. A smile so bright it puffed up her cheeks. She ran up to Brooke, slipping her tiny hand into hers. "I was waiting for you, you never came."

Innocence laced her words, her tone sweet, trapping Brooke into a noose of guilt where shame hovered over her head. A reminder of her failure.

Brooke gasped, her legs almost giving out at the contact.

Her sister's hand, it weighed a ton heavier. As if it stuck to her. She couldn't pull away, nor did she want to.

The crashing of waves grew louder, a soft murmur calling out to her, demanding Brooke to turn to it.

"What are you doing here?" She let out a meek whisper, a tear trailing down her cheek.

"I came to get you!" the kid jumped up and down. "Aren't you coming with me?"

A sob almost escaped Brooke, her whole body shivering. "Your eyes... they're black. Pitch black."

Aqua raised her head high, a smirk gracing her lips. The scene in front of her was a million dollar movie. Even if she got paid, she'd never look away.

"Aren't you coming with me?" she repeated.

"Who are you?" Brooke shook her head in despair, fear gripping her whole being. This wasn't her sister. It was a vivid magical entity. But Brooke felt so compelled to follow it. Even when she acknowledged that, she was completely entranced by it.

It was the only thing left of her.

The only thing close to a sister.

"Aren't you coming with me?"

"Yea—yes." She stammered. "Yes."

The girl snickered, "Come on, let's go." And came the powerful tugging at her arm, which had her dragged after the little one.

One step into the water and it rippled, the sound amplified with the virtuality of the world around her. The world she surely lost contact with.

Her sister pulled her in further and Brooke silently obliged, disregarding her now drenched clothes which stuck to her skin. The sensation was unpleasant, yet she never bothered to complain.

She accepted it.

She was but a mere puppet, toyed with at the hands of her dreadful puppeteer.

Even praying won't help her.

The unforgiving waves reached her waist, and she was soon to be under. All she could do was close her eyes shut, in hopes of waking up to find herself at the comfort of her bed again.

"Stop." Jayden came running along the shore. "Aqua, stop." He panted. His hand wrapped around her arm and harshly yanked her forward, emitting a gasp from her. "Whatever it is you're doing, stop. I told you before, you'd gain nothing from it."

"Oh but I would." She raised her brows in defiance, the power of the spell strengthening further with her determination.

A scream rung out into the night, catching both of their attention.

When he turned to look, Brooke was already too far in to come out on her own.

He let go of Aqua, ready to run to his best friend without a second worth of thought. But just as he was about to, Aqua held him back. "Don't you dare interfere, Jayden."

"Just shut up." His response was rushed, impatient. He pulled away from her and broke out into a sprint, not hesitating one bit before he made it in the water.

"Dumbhead." She rolled her eyes. "If he touched that kid—" Her eyes widened, a realization making itself known to her. "No. No, no, Jayden, get away from there." She called out in panic. Her fists balled up by her sides and a light ignited, so intense it made her fingers burn.

The only thing she could do was try to stop him. But her magic wasn't as fast as his reflexes.

The second his touch came in contact with the entity, in attempt to pry it away, the dark magic within it exploded into him, his soul absorbing each and every part of it.

Aqua watched as the blackening smoke simmered into his chest, her eyes welling with tears the moment they met Igujin's flaming ones.