#myla

Trix walked through the town with her companion. Though they were amicable with each other, they both knew that they were on a mission. The two walked through the streets casually but with a sense of purpose, scanning each alleyway and every person for the one they were looking for.

“Are- are you sure this is a good idea, T-Trix?” Myla asked quietly. It was strange to refer to Trix with the online moniker, but it was what she requested, so who were they to deny her that? “Y-you saw wh-what it did to Abigail. Wh-what if something bad happens to you? How will we tell the office?” It was pretty clear that Myla was scared and apprehensive about this whole thing.

“It’s going to be fine, Myla! Trust me, we just need to bring them to the police, and it’ll be alright!” Trix smiled reassuringly, head turning slightly to the left to make up for her blind spot on the right. Brown and red eyes, calculating as ever. “Besides, if anything does happen, it’ll just be more proof for us that it’s not safe to let it just roam about!”

If there was any image the two were expecting to see when they found the culprit, it was not seeing it resting on a bench and finishing up a small bag of cherries across a 24/7 convenience store. Combined with the esoteric appearance of the magician, the whole situation seemed utterly bizarre, almost enough to make the duo forget just how serious their situation is.

“Can I help you with anything? You appear to be quite fixated on me, so to speak.”

The stranger already finished the last cherry by the time the two approached it, now staring back with a moderately curious expression.

Myla and Trix both jumped at the sight. Had they really missed it this whole time? Damn.

“Y-you!” Myla squeaked, ducking behind Trix. Truth to be told, it seems like they were quite frightened at the sight. Trix, on the other hand, was puzzled at how it seemed to know them and their purpose. She folded her arms across her chest, letting Myla stand behind her.

“You.” venom dripped off Trix’s voice. She’s not even attempting to hide her contempt. “You really thought you could get off scot-free after kidnapping my friend?” she scoffed.

“Ye-yeah! You’re coming with us to the police!” Myla dared speak up from behind Trix. Secretly, their hand was already on her pepper spray in case anything went wrong. Myla was clearly intimidated already, despite having never seen this stranger at all. Maybe she’s just shy?

“…Ah. Are you the miss that was bothering me earlier online, then?”

…shit. Doesn’t seem like it actually recognised them at all, and now they blew their main advantage. The culprit was already standing up, one hand on its cane and the other tipping its hat.

“The thought amuses me most greatly, I must admit. What is it that makes you believe I will follow?”

With a scoff, the stranger saunters away from the duo and into the nearby park, away from light and possible witnesses.

“I happen to have another idea.”

Dammit. Ugh, idiotic of Trix to think that this would work smoothly. Of course not.

“Hey! Where do you think you’re going?!” Trix called after it, taking out her phone and turning on the flashlight before giving chase after it. “Come on, Myla! Let’s go!” Gravel crunched under their feet as they ran.

“W-Wait! Trix, wait up!” Myla was rather slow at running, forcing Trix to stop and wait for them. “M-maybe we should uh, come back another time? O-or like, actually call the police instead of capturing it ourselves?” she suggested nervously, also taking out their phone to turn the flashlight on. Clearly, they didn’t want to be here. But they did owe Trix a favour, so…

Trix shook her head, a look of barely contained rage and vindication on her face. “No way! This is our chance to actually do something! The police won’t do anything, so the only option is if we turn it in ourselves! I have UNDENIABLE proof that it kidnapped Abby, and they still won’t do anything!” She spat, posture tense. Myla shrank back in the face of Trix’s anger. It was a sorry sight indeed. “We need to do this. For her. We need to bring it to justice.” Turning around, she marched on, looking for the criminal. Myla reluctantly followed, still anxious given how they’re biting their nails.

As the two gave chase, it seemed as though they were barely keeping up. On every turn, on every corner, they could only catch a glimpse of red and white before it disappeared again.

Laughter echoed through the park. It was toying with them, and it didn’t even try to hide it. Even still, there was nothing they could do but try their hardest to keep up, sprinting farther and farther into the darkness, until they could finally make out the unmoving silhouette at the very centre of the park.

By the time the duo found the criminal again, they were both very out of breath. The two took a second to actually breathe.

“Agh… dammit, I’m out of shape…” Myla gasped, wiping sweat off their brow.

“Ugh… it’s been toying with us… disgusting…” Trix spat, standing up straight again after a second. “Okay… alright, see? It’s right there, we just gotta… make sure it comes with us calmly. Yeah. Alright. Let’s go,” Trix waved for Myla to follow as the two approached it cautiously. “Remember the plan, Myla. W-you have a warrant. You can arrest it and turn it in. Even if the Ness Anne police won’t handle it, someone else will.” The look Trix gave Myla showed that she knew exactly who will.

Even with the whispered reassurances, Myla was still obviously frightened. She was very new at this, wasn’t she? Still, just follow Trix’s plan and everything will be alright. It will be fine. “H-hands in the air! Y-You are hereby un-under arrest for the kidnapping of A-Abigail Fierro!” Myla called out as they approached, flashlights still on. She was shaking, but did their best to put on a brave face. “Y-you have the right to remain silent!”

It started deceptively simply. Two cards came flying through the air, striking right at the flashlights and knocking them out of the two’s hands, glass slashed in half.

“My, my. How naïve. I must say, I almost feel let down.”

The silhouette turns, jewellery dimly reflecting what little moonlight shined onto the scene. A deck of cards in hand, it tossed them high in the air, a grim scowl barely visible on its face, and watched as the metal cards grazed the duo.

“Nevertheless, it is time to begin the promised show.”

Myla dropped her phone when the cards slashed at their phone, shrieking as the glass cracked. Meanwhile Trix didn’t even see the card, whether that be a combination of her own blindness or the dark, who knows, but she definitely saw the flashlight wink out.

“Wha-?!” Trix looked down at her phone, struggling to make out what just happened.

“T-Trix, we should go! L-let’s just go, please?” Myla grabbed onto Trix’s arm, tugging her backwards. “It’s dangerous, it’s dark, let’s get outta here!” ‘While we still have our necks,’ they thought nervously.

“Ugh—” Trix stumbled back, knocking into Myla. Show? What on earth was it talking about? Ok, now Trix was a bit alarmed. She thought it would be simple. How foolish. “Can’t see a thing—” she grumbled, looking back at the strange sight. Had that deck of cards always been with it and they just never saw? Who carries around metal cards anyways, let alone throws them with such precision?

“Trix?” Myla was pleading at this point. Surely they were regretting coming out here with Trix.

“I fear I simply cannot allow you to leave, now. It is your recklessness that led you here in the first place, after all.”

Whatever the amount of cards was, it was definitely not 52. Slicing through the air, the cards streamed down like bullets, now flying close enough to leave scars behind.

“My apologies. I would already be done by now, but the Coin demands a proper spectacle.”

Manifesting a spread of cards in its hand, it launches them directly at Myla, who happened to be just a little closer than the other.

It took all of five seconds for Trix to immediately go back on her own promise from earlier that night. Yep, this guy is very dangerous. They were going to leave. Now. Regardless of what it said.

“Excuse me?!” Trix yelped as the cards slashed at her, cutting through her skin. 

Goddamn, that hurt. Blood dripped down her arms and nicked face. Myla got a similar treatment, except—

“NO!” But it was too late. The barrage of cards hit Myla squarely, causing them to fall to the ground. In the dark, Trix couldn’t see the exact injuries, but her heart dropped to her stomach when she heard Myla’s moans of pain. “Myla, Myla get up, c’mon! We- we still need you at the office, you can’t give up now!” Trix cried, pulling Myla up.

“Ugh…” Myla coughed, wet and sputtering. “H-help..”

Myla, sweet, good Myla who had no idea what she was getting themselves into. Myla, who had only ever wanted to impress others. Myla, who took on this request because nobody else would. Because nobody else believed that Trix’s pursuit for revenge was worth their time, not even to bring justice to a dear friend.

“Myla? Myla, can you walk?” Trix’s voice hitched. “Here— c’mon, we gotta get outta here—” Trix slung Myla’s arm around her neck. She will drag her friend out if she has to. “Just hold on, please, it’ll be alright, I promise—”

Swish! Swish! Swish-swish!

Four cards flew one after another, burying themselves in Trix’s wrists and ankles. They weren’t there to kill — the wounds weren’t deep enough — but every step hurt like hell itself, cards digging themselves further into her body. A second flurry of cards followed, striking right into Myla’s back.

“I do advise you to surrender, you know. There is a chance you could still get away. Abigail is waiting for you at home, is she not?”

The cards in Myla’s body disappeared, only to be replaced by a new batch flying out of nowhere. This was going very wrong, very quickly, and it was seemingly not about to change anytime soon.

Breathe, Trix, breathe. It’s fine (it is not fine. She could feel the cards in her ankles and wrists, digging into her flesh. She could feel the blood dripping down her skin. No doubt that walking would be a terrible, terrible choice).

“I—” surrender? When had Trix ever given up? When did she ever stop her efforts half way?

But as the cards struck themselves into Myla’s back, they could only cough and hack up more blood. They stopped in their tracks completely. Myla, now, was clinging onto Trix by the shoulders, wheezing and hacking up blood. So, so much blood. Trix could feel it on her hands, could see it drip down Myla’s pale face in the dim moonlight.

“T-Trix… help…” Myla choked out weakly, eyes unfocusing. “It… hurts…” Myla collapsed into Trix’s arms, painfully sobbing. Blood soaked Trix's clothes and dripped down her arms.

Myla had to survive, right? If Trix gave up now, would Myla get to live? If Myla died, the blood would be on Trix’s hands. It would be Trix’s fault if she died here.

“Fine! Fine, we- we surrender! J-just don’t kill us, please!” Trix cried out, barely holding Myla up. She was losing blood, fast. Maybe if she got them to the hospital now, they could be saved. Right?

“Swell.”

The stranger slowly began to approach, a predatory gleam in its dimly glowing eyes. A cane in one hand and a metallic Ace of Diamonds in the other, it leaned down to face Trix directly, letting the cards disappear and making Trix’s ankles heal with a flick of its hand.

“Then run.”

Yet another flurry of cards flew right at Trix, but this time the ends weren’t sharp – no, this time the force of the attack was focused on sending her backwards, forcing her bloodied hands to let go of the grip on her companion. Her arms still bleeding and Myla crumpling to the ground without support, Trix was between a rock and a hard place – taking the stranger’s mercy would mean abandoning Myla. She could flee, killing her friend, or she could stay, killing them both.

Run? It was really letting her go just like that? But what about Myla? Trix yelped as she was forced to let go of her friend, desperately grappling for their clothes to no avail. Myla’s body fell limply to the ground, the only remaining sign of life being the twitching in their hand. Pushed several feet back, Trix could only hold her bleeding arms close to her and not just cry from the pain on the spot.

Myla called out weakly, coughing more, “D-don’t… leave… me here… please…” Myla was crying, her weak body wracked by the pain and grief.

Myla will never get to finish that D&D game. Trix won’t join them at the table. Myla won’t ever get to see her sibling, ████, get better. They won’t be able to share snacks together ever again. Trix could almost hear the crinkling of the bag of peanuts and pistachios from yesterday afternoon again. She won’t see Myla at alumni reunions again. Trix won’t even be able to see them at the yearly Christmas work party, because Myla hasn’t even spent a year with them yet.

The engagement ring on Myla’s finger glittered faintly in the moonlight. Oh, Myla will never get to walk down that aisle. Myla’s fiance will never kiss them under the flower arch while their closest friends and family cheer. Trix won’t get to fulfill that promise they made as kids to be each other’s bridesmaids. That house in the mountains that they’ll build with their own hands, lived in for decades, will never be a reality. Instead, the next time Sam will see Myla will be in a coffin. Or a cremation site. Who knows.

Trix stumbled back, her cuts and wounds stinging as she stared in horror. Ugh, snap out of it, dammit! Her friend was dying, right there in front of her! Someone who actually had a bright, beautiful future! But… they would both die, Trix realised, if she went to help them now.

If Trix died here, would that make up for her own fault of bringing Myla here? Would her death bring Sam and ████ some justice? If she died here tonight trying to save Myla, would that ruin her? Trix almost took a step forward before she remembered that face.

Abigail. Her puffy hair, her trembling figure in her arms. Abigail, kind, wonderful Abigail who is just as innocent as Myla is. If Trix died, Abigail… Abigail would be alone. And then who would protect her? This person is dangerous. It threatened to kill Abby. And if Trix wasn’t around, who would care whether she lived or died?

“T-Trix…?” Myla was reaching for her, calling her name. “...You… should run… t-tell… Sam… I l-love him… and…” Myla’s hand bunched up, tearing up a handful of grass. “I’m… sorry…”

Snap. Out. Of it. Now. Leave, get out, run. Run while you still can, Trix. Your mission failed. It’s time to retreat. Look back if you must, but run while it’s feeling merciful. Carry Myla’s last words with you until your own inevitable end. Never forget this night, and be reminded of your own reckless sins every time you look down on your arms.

“I-” What could she say? What would make a dying person feel better? It was clear that Myla was positive that they would die now. They weren’t even fighting anymore. They gave up, just like that. Swallowing the bile rising in her throat and blinking away the tears, Trix whipped around and ran for her life.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.. I didn’t mean for this to happen, I swear…” Trix whispered, sniffling and wiping away the tears falling down her face in the dark.

How pathetic. She couldn’t even grab their phone as she left. Selfish fool.

Watching the other girl flee for her life, it stands down on one knee, right hand gripping the Ace.

“How very unfortunate. My apologies for roping you into this in the first place, my dear.”

With that, the Ace finally presses against Myla, slowly and carefully slicing her chest open like a scalpel. Once that’s done, the bloody metal card vanishes, replaced by a generic 6 of Diamonds.

“I have long been after a six, and I will not reject the one your friend so kindly brought as an offering.”

It looks over to Trix, a tepid measured smile on its face. Is she still on the run, or has fear and curiosity made her turn around and witness what she’s caused?

Trix did look back, like Orpheus looked back at Eurydice. But it was dark, and the two were precisely in her blind spot. She couldn’t see a thing.

Her mind made up far worse things for her instead.

She kept running. She bolted out of the park, gasping and sprinting. Away, on the lit streets. It wasn’t until she was half a block away from Abigail’s house that she barely slowed down, but picked up the pace again anyway. Nowhere was safe.

She banged on the door until Abigail, sleepy but safe, let her in.

Trix did not sleep that night. The tears, blood, and guilt kept her awake. Not alert necessarily, but awake.

Perhaps fate had finally decided on the consequences it would bring upon her life for all her sins.

Meanwhile, back at the park, Myla was still sobbing as the person she couldn’t see in the dark cut her open. Chest heaving and tears pouring openly down her face like the blood that was surely gushing out of every wound on their body.

God. She was going to die here. She was going to die, and they’ll never see their dear Sam again.

“S-S-Sam… Sam, help… it hurts…” Did the pain finally drive her crazy? Sam wasn’t here. Sam was safe at home, either in bed or staying up late for the final wedding decor designs that he would carve on wood later. Maybe if they tried hard enough, she could pretend that the grass and blood smelled like him. Like wood and sugar. “S-Sam, Sam, please don’t leave, p-please, I-I need help, Sam? Sam, are you there?”

When did this happen? How did she let themself end up like this? It was supposed to be simple. It was supposed to be a quick night out, a quick job.

Myla didn’t want to die. Myla never wanted to die. At the very least, not so soon.

“Sam.. Sam…” oh, how she wished Sam were here. They missed him so, so badly. How they wished that they hadn’t left him so soon, had stolen one more kiss from him at the airport. She cried out quietly for her beloved, shaking on the ground.

“I understand. The worst will be over soon, I promise.”

Down on one knee, the magician takes off its rings and reaches down to the cut, a leather glove slowly making its way inside. Blood enveloped it, seemingly vanishing right after as its colour merged with the glove’s.

“Do try to calm yourself as much as you can. It will be far easier for us both.”

Another card, this time far smaller than the others, appeared in the stranger’s hand, slicing straight through the ribs. The immaculate, sharp metal was appearing out of nowhere and disappearing into nowhere, all for the purpose of this twisted ritual. And yet, finally it reached its goal, the paper card pressing against Myla’s heart, miraculously undamaged despite all that surrounds it.

“...Let us begin.”

Calm down? CALM DOWN?!? Myla was anything BUT calm. She was in pain, they were abandoned, and they were dying. Yet, she was also too weak to scream anymore. Tears streamed down her face, onto the grass and her hair, the cuts on her face stinging with the salt (not that she noticed. They haven’t noticed in a while.).

Cough, cough. More blood was spat out. At this rate, she may as well just drown in it. But they didn’t want to die. Tilting her head off to the side as much as she could (the one logical thing she’s done so far), she hoped that the blood would drip off and not, in fact, drown themselves on land. By some miracle, she was clinging onto the last threads of life.

But not for long. She could feel it. Death was coming for her. Her vision was spotty, her voice small and strained.

“I’m... sorry…” What in the world could an innocent person be sorry for? Her own incompetency? Their lack of a spine? Her inability to be there for the people that need her like their sibling? Who knows what they’re referring to right now. Maybe she’s just delusional. “S-Sam… will I see you again…?”

That thing shining on her hand. An engagement ring. Their engagement ring. Right. Focus on the engagement ring. A promise. That’s right, they made a promise together, hold on to that. Don’t think about the pain, don’t think about Trix or ████ or how quickly this night had gone awry. Think about Sam and all the wonderful things he is, and pray he will never have to write her obituary. Pray that ████ will never have to weep in the hospital bed at the news.

Myla’s thoughts trailed off until they were barely even coherent as the card found its way into the heart. Whether from blood loss or from what was going to happen next, the only thought she had the strength to focus on was Sam, no doubt aided by their engagement ring.

“I doubt you would recognise him.”

And indeed, it seemed as though details of his appearance were erasing themselves from her mind. Seconds later, his name was no longer accompanied by any visuals, the letters alone repeating themselves in her mind. She didn’t have to worry about Trix anymore, didn’t have to replay her running away to her friend in her head.

Trix… Whose name was that, even? It sounded similar to hers, but they weren’t close enough to confuse them. The only thing still playing in her mind was… Sam. Someone obviously dear to her, judging by the ring before her.

Her head hurt. The more she tried to recall, the harder the headache responded. Maybe it wasn’t a great idea in the first place.

Sam. Right. Sam is someone important to them. Someone…

Sam?

S a m

S

a

m

…

What?

Sam is someone… someone. Someone that she held dear, someone very important. Right. But who’s Sam? And why? How could they value someone she only knows the name of? Try as she might, she couldn’t recall any of his features.

The ring is pretty, though. Next to all the others (where did they come from? Does it matter?) it might look a little plain or even out of place, but she liked it.

Where… was she? It’s dark. She couldn’t really see. Why were they on the ground? It’s cold. What time was it? Blinking, she slowly sat up, looking around. They spotted … Ace. Right, that’s its name, right? Dammit, her head was killing her. What… happened?

“...Hello?” she squinted, trying to make out its figure. “Um… hi?”

The dark night is no place for someone that can’t even remember her own name.

“My greetings, Six. Welcome back to life. Acolytes never quite get used to the experience.”

Suffice to say, the plan worked spectacularly. It didn’t even need to do anything for that girl to bring a new vessel right to its doorstep. Extra hands would be imperative for what’s to come, after all.

“Come. I will ask Ten to familiarise you with… the experience, so to speak. Fret not — it is difficult to overstate her affability.”

It leaned over slightly, reaching a hand down to help her up.

“After me, please.”

Acolyte? Back to life? Wait…

“I… Died?” Six. That’s her name, isn’t it? They rubbed her eyes, looking down at her hands. Her nails were perfectly fine, several rings lining her fingers. Were they not supposed to be that way?

“Uh… alright…?” They took its hand and pulled herself up, dusting her skirt off (where did that come from? Has she always worn this? It felt like it at least). It was… confusing and disorienting, to say the least. “I-I’m coming…” But she followed Ace nonetheless. What else was she supposed to do?

A self-satisfied smile on its face, the Aspect led the follower out of the park. The confusion and shock wasn’t anything new — most Acolytes went through this. The last time was a pleasant surprise that it really shouldn’t get used to.

“You will get used to the feeling in due time, be assured.”

Very well. This is what it opted to undertake, so it’s time to teach them once more.