Runa stood before Neil and Heer, feeling uneasy. Neil stood his guard, ready to fight. “Heer, are you ready?” Neil asked Heer.
“Are you sure we should do this?”
“What?! Heer, this kid is the enemy. We have to take her down.”
“But-“
“Just transform already!”
Heer sighed as she transformed into her beast form. At that same time, Runa transformed into her dark beast form. She stood like the small panther she was, looking at Heer.
“Heer, make sure you listen to me this time,” Neil told Heer. “Remember what happened last time you dealt with her. She means trouble.”
I understand what Neil thinks of Runa, Heer thought. However, there’s something about Runa that makes it seem like she doesn’t want to be like this. I just can’t put my finger on it. I don’t know how I’ll be able to handle fighting her.
“All right, Heer! Let’s start this off with a simple direct attack! Try to get her up against the wall!” Neil told Heer. Heer nodded and leaped forward towards Runa, pouncing at her into the wall. As she tried to hold her down, Runa raised her paw and her claws glowed an eerie purple glow as she hit Heer in the face. Heer fell to the ground and transformed back into human form, revealing the mark on the right side of her face, which was now bleeding.
“Heer!” Neil called out. “What was that?!”
Runa transformed back into her human form, struggling to process what she did. “You! What the hell did you do to her?!” Neil questioned Runa.
“I…I…I hit her with my paw,” Runa mumbled. “I…I’m sorry…I-“
“What sorry?! What the hell is wrong with you?!” Neil shouted at Runa.
“Neil, calm down. I’m fine,” Heer said. “She’s already freaking out too much.”
“Quit acting sympathetic, Heer! She’s a dark beast!” Neil told Heer. “They’re all the same! She’s just as much of a danger as anyone else!”
“No…please!” Runa pleaded as she fell on her knees. “Please…I didn’t…no…no!”
Runa fell to her knees in a moment of tension. She began to shake as she suddenly started to remember something from her past. In her mind, she could see an image where a slightly younger version of herself was standing scared before Madame Naga in a dark, empty room with cracked walls. Madame Naga looked down at her and said, “Starting from today, you will do whatever I tell you to do. Your powers are quite strong. And will prove useful to me.”
“But I don’t want to use them!”
“You will.”
“But they’re…they’re-“
“Enough! You’re lucky I even gave you a place to stay! Especially considering the way your uncle treats you. Otherwise, you could go die in the cold and no one would give a care. So, shut up and do as you’re told! If you have to kill, you will kill! Because I am your master now!”
Runa started to cry as the memories played in her head.
“Runa, calm down,” Heer told Runa. “It’s okay.”
“Stay away from me!” Runa screamed as she transformed back into her dark beast form and launched a powerful dark energy beam attack that hit Heer directly into the wall.
“Heer!” Neil shouted as he ran towards an injured Heer. Heer’s body was heavily weakened from the attack. Neil tried to help her get up, but she managed to stand. “I’m fine,” Heer told Neil. “It’s okay.”
“It’s not okay, Heer!” Neil exclaimed. “That girl is dangerous! Why don’t you see that unless you can fight her back, she’ll kill you?!”
“And why can’t you see beyond that, Neil?!” Heer questioned Neil.
Neil was surprised at Heer’s sudden outburst. He grunted, not sure what to say. She was never one to get frustrated.
“I agree she may be dangerous. But why can’t you see the helplessness in her?” Heer asked. “She’s only a child. And she’s been manipulated by Droh and Madame Naga to the point that she has to create havoc wherever she goes. But if someone could help her, then maybe she would calm down.”
Neil struggled to comprehend what Heer was telling him. He looked at Runa, who had transformed back into her human form, curling up like a lost animal in fear.
“So, what you’re saying…is that she might not be that dangerous?”
“I know it seems crazy. But inside my heart…I feel that there’s something inside of her that is reaching out for help. If someone could console her, then maybe she could calm down.”
“So, you don’t want to fight her?”
“No. I can’t. Fighting her is only going to make matters worse for both of us in this case. I know that she wants to calm down. But we have to help her.”
“Then what do you want to do?”
“Just stay put here. I’ll handle this myself.”
“Heer, what are you thinking?! If you go up to her like this, you could die! I’m not going to let that happen!”
“Neil, please! I know what I’m doing. Just promise me you won’t interfere.”
“I can’t! There’s too much at stake!”
“Fine. Then at least trust me. Please. If not for Runa, then for me.”
And those were the words that got to Neil. He let out a deep breath. “All right,” Neil said. “You better know what you’re doing.”
Heer nodded. Neil watched in anxiousness as Heer slowly went towards the extremely frightened Runa.
“Why…why…why is she coming?!” Runa asked.
Kill her, Runa! Kill her! a voice spoke in Runa’s head.
“Runa,” Heer called.
“GO! Please go!” Runa cried as she launched another dark energy beam from her hand, which hit Heer directly.
Heer fell to the ground while Neil got more tensed. “This is bad,” Neil said.
Heer slowly got up again and continued to go towards Runa with as much strength that she had in her.
“Runa…please listen to me,” Heer told Runa.
“GO! Or I’ll have to kill you!” Runa screamed, launching another dark energy beam attack that hit Heer again.
If you don’t kill her, then you shall die! a voice spoke again in Runa’s mind.
“STOP!” Runa cried as she then began to launch more and more energy beam attacks at Heer. And Heer took each one without retaliating while Neil watched in horror.
“Heer!” Neil yelled. Heer fell to the ground on her knees as she coughed up blood onto the floor. She had bleeding marks on her face, neck, and arms, as well as bruises that all came from Runa’s attacks. She was kneeling right before Runa.
“Go away! Go away please!” Runa screamed. “Or I-“
But before Runa could even finish speaking, she was taken by surprise. Heer had wrapped her arms around Runa, hugging her as tight as she could, while still in her injured state. Runa was taken aback by this action.
“You don’t need to be afraid,” Heer told Runa as her eyes started to water. “I know you’re scared. And you’re acting this way because of that. But let me be your friend. I promise that I can help you. But you have to let me help you. Reach for me because I’m right here for you.”
As Runa remained in Heer’s embrace, her eyes began to water. She hugged Heer back tightly as tears ran down her face and she cried loudly. Seeing the two hug, Neil became emotional himself. He went up towards the two and kneeled, putting his hand on Heer’s shoulder.
“Wow, Heer,” Neil said. “I can’t believe you did it.”
But things changed as Neil could sense someone’s presence nearby. He turned along with Heer and Runa to see Madame Naga appear before them. Runa was especially scared upon seeing Madame Naga’s furious red eyes.
“You foolish little brat!” Madame Naga yelled. “You think you could betray me so easily?! And that I would not do anything about it?!”
“I see. So, the real mastermind is you,” Neil said. “You’re the one who’s been controlling Runa’s every move.”
“And how are you so smart?” Madame Naga asked Neil, mildly amused.
“It’s simple. Runa’s always acting like a voice is inside her head. Not her own though,” Neil said. “If it wasn’t for Heer, maybe I would’ve never seen that. But you’re the one controlling her mind. The one who feeds all that negativity in her head.”
“It’s a pity. Your anger means nothing to me,” Madame Naga said. “Because I can just go ahead and kill all three of you at once before I go retrieve the Shakti Orb for myself.”
“As if we’ll let that happen!” Neil shouted.
“You can’t do anything to Runa when we’re here!” Heer told Madame Naga as she held onto Runa.
“Ha! Look at yourself! You’re weak! Killing you will be easy,” said Madame Naga. “Let’s get this done with. Killing at ease always soothes my veins.”
“Not going to happen!” a voice shouted.
Madame Naga turned to see Sana and Rey appear before her and Neil, Heer, and Runa. She was even more invigorated than before.
“Well, well. Look what we have here,” Madame Naga said. “More prey for me.”
“Oh, shut up, snake lady!” Rey exclaimed.
“You’re ours to deal with now,” Sana told Madame Naga. “And believe us. We’re not going to go easy on you.”This is just perfect, Madame Naga thought. The opportunity I’ve been waiting for. It’s time to set the trap for my prey. Watch out, Rey…or else…
Copyright © 2021 Meryl T
All rights reserved. All illustrations created by Meryl T.
The Ringmasters Society 