Chapter 13 – Arlo And Clara

• ~ MELONIE ~
• Everyone was focused on training, but I was focused on Arwan, since seriousness had decided to forsake me, I should use it on something I enjoy doing.
• Arwan stretched his hand towards me, “Come here, Melonie.”
• I ran forward immediately, awaiting the training and results of the day.
• Clara also ran towards us, “Hey guys, I'll be training with you,” she stated, and I smiled warmly at her, noticing the distance between us.
• “Clara… is something wrong?” I asked reluctantly.
• Her warm smile disappeared, “C'mon — nothing is wrong. It's just…”
• I turned towards her with a serious face, “It's just…” I encouraged her to keep talking.
• “Melonie, I saw you transform yesterday,” she explained. “I have never seen such a powerful creature in my life. You—you were fully transformed into something that never existed.”
• “Right, so you are even more scared of me now?” I asked bitterly, “C'mon, I'd literally protect you rather than hurt you.”
• “I know Melonie… I just got goosebumps,” Clara stated, a warm smile spreading across her face.
• I still wasn't convinced, “So — what's with the distance you put between us?”
• “Oh, that…” she voiced out, “It's something ridiculous, I just feel like I'd get burned by merely touching you.”
• I laughed out loud, “That is silly. I'm as cold as ice — touch me.”
• Clara ran away giggling, “Christ, no! I won't let you burn me unaware.”
• I smiled warmly, She was so adorable.
• Arlo rushed forward, “Hey Melonie,” he greeted, and I sent him a deadly smirk.
• “Clara, we need to talk,” Arlo voiced out.
• Clara looked at him with a face that said, “That's weird” “About what?” She asked.
• Reluctantly, he responded, “Will you be my fighting partner?”
• Clara froze, “And why would I do that?”
• “What do you mean?” He explained, “You are not that good with your fighting skills, and I don't have lycanthropic abilities. See... It's a give-and-take thing for both of us.”
• “I'd rather get killed by those things than fight with you, Arlo,” Clara growled. “You are annoying. I'd get pissed in the middle of a fight with a dark walker and face you instead.”
• “Whoops,” I stated mockingly.
• Arlo's shoulders dropped. “Why? There's also someone you like? Who's he?”
• “They went on a mission; they will be back soon.” Clara announced, her face turning lit, “Why don't you fight with the person you like too?”
• “The person is Melonie, and she doesn't want to be with me.” Arlo retorted.
• I laughed out loud, trying to explain. “C'mon, bestie, I want to fight with you, I just can't.”
• “Bestie! Stop pulling my legs, you don't like me anymore.” He kicked like a child.
• Clara barked, “Well, whose fault is it… You lied to her first.”
• “I wasn't talking to you, rabbit,” Arlo roared back.
• Clara stuck her tongue out and widened her eyes teasingly.
• “You all should get your ass here or you are out of today's attendance and that prompts punishment.” Arwan scolded coldly.
• “You know what — fuck all of you,” Arlo expressed his disappointment, “I'll just die peacefully before the fight.”
• “Rip, my friend,” I encouraged with a salute, and he stormed away.
• “Arlo, get back here or you will be out of attendance,” Arwan calmly announced.
• “You too?” Arlo cried out, “Isn't it supposed to be like — brothers supporting brothers?”
• “Melonie, come here — I'm starting with you,” Arwan stated. “Arlo and Clara, train together over there,” he said, pointing in a direction.
• “No!” They protested in unison, and Arwan simply ignored them.
• Arwan stared at me with a serious face, “Okay, Melonie, what you did before, can you do the same thing again?”
• “I'll give it a shot,” I responded calmly.
• Trying very hard, I felt a strange, unsettling sensation coursing through my veins. It was as if my very essence was shifting like the tides pulling back from the shore. I looked down at my hands, and they seemed... ordinary. The familiar hum of energy that had once coursed through them was gone.
• I tried to summon the powers I had used just a day before, but they wouldn't come. The memories of what I had done just a few hours before seemed like a distant dream. I had wielded the elements with precision and ease, summoning storms and conjuring fire from thin air. But now, I was just a shell of what I was before.
• “Melonie…” Arwan called out, “You are not doing anything.”
• I snapped back at him, “I am trying very hard, but nothing is happening.”
• “What do you mean? You were completely transformed one day ago,” he reasoned out.
• Suddenly, a man rushes towards Arwan, throwing him a punch, “My entire loved ones were killed by dark walkers, but you still haven't found a way to get rid of them,” he yelled.
• I snapped my eyes at him, my hands burning in flames, I was ready to burn him to ashes, “Get your filthy hands off him,” I menacingly muttered.
• Arwan gawked at me, his eyes widened in shock, “Take him away,” he commanded, and the average old man was dragged away.
• “Melonie, you — did you just… activate your powers?” His voice rang out. “Try again, Melonie.”
• Once again, I resumed, but nothing happened.
• Arwan looked at me with a fascinating face, “Try focusing on your angry emotions. You just did it, you can do it again,” Arwan instructed, “Arlo — come here and get Melonie angry.”
• Arlo ran forward, “Ha-ha… It's revenge time.”
• He gawked at me, “Remember when you like someone in the mundane world, he didn't like you back,” Arlo blurted out with raised eyebrows.
• “Try something more serious,” Arwan pressured.
• “Trust me I'm already very pissed, but nothing is working,” I interrupted truthfully.
• Arlo nodded seriously, “Melonie… It's your fault that your mundane mother and her friend died.”
• I snapped my head towards him angrily, “How dare you, Arlo!”
• “Put that energy on activating your strength,” Arwan cautioned.
• I inhaled sharply, gathering all my anger… but still nothing happened.
• Arwan twisted his head in confusion and exhaustion, “There's something we are yet to uncover about you — like how to arouse your powers.”