But I'm Just a Boy // phan

(27)

Are you sitting down? Comfortable? Good, because this is a long one. 2022 words exactly- coincidence? I THINK NOT!

Why are you doing this, Louise?" I called. She smirked, fire lapping her feet and crawling up and down her arms.

"When I came to slay the dragon, I had six curses. I had so many curses I couldn't keep track of how to get rid of them. And I finally heard about this amazing rune that supplied all the magic in the world, so hell, I'll destroy it.

"The curses were the only thing that kept me alive when I was met with such a rage I could not comprehend. Burns, cuts, poison leaking into my veins. Someone approached me. Told me I didn't have to die. Handed me this," she reached under the neckline of her frock and pulled out a pendant; the rune, "and told me I could be the most powerful person in the world.

"So I took it. Of course I did, and I was instantly healed. I possessed very bit of magic in the entire world and could do with it what I wished. So I cleared every curse, every magic entity, nothing escaped my world-wide delete. So everyone thought I had done it. When in reality I was just biding my time. Growing stronger.

"And I grew so strong! I put curses on entire kingdoms! The possibilities were endless when it came to what I could do. And I set parameters that I believed impossible.

"Oh, but the rules. The stupid, ancient rules that kept my wildest ambitions in check. It was impossible for my power to grow when I kept hitting ceiling after wall after ceiling. But I dealt with it. As my magic grew, my humanity melted away. I am no longer human. I am a God." She started to laugh, and I searched around me to see if I could find anything to fight her with. Some swords, some shields. Nothing that could protect me against a terrible death curse. Phil's hand squeezed mine, and my heart began to beat fast. I would not let her win. Phil is mine.

"And then, after I had been secretly cursing people left and right, after I had racked up enough courage, I met you, Phil." Her eyes softened, and she held her hand out to him. "I met you and suddenly I wanted nothing more than to be with you. I loved you so, so much. And you claimed to love me!" Her fire was back now, and she dropped her arm.

"You said you loved me and then told me to leave! You said you found someone else!" She was screaming now, and the fire that was lapping her feet grew and grew until it surrounded her. "You said you loved him, Phil, and that you couldn't love me! So I put a curse on you! True love's kiss. I didn't think it existed. So I made it that, even if you were awoken, the actual person who did it wouldn't be able to tell." I turned to Phil, who looked like he was on the verge of tears. I squeezed his hand, and tears began to leak from his eyes. He had loved me.

"So, now, you're going to pay! I'm going to tear your heart out as you did mine!" And she shot a spell at me, which made me drop the ground, writhing in pain. I felt like my blood had turned to fire, like my organs were made of ice, like my skin was slowly getting pulled away from my flesh everywhere all at once.

"Dan!" Phil shouted, falling beside me.

"Dan." Louise mocked, flicking her hand again. Phil and the others were suddenly sent to the stands of what appeared to be a jousting arena. I clenched my jaw as the spell stopped, my body aching. I spat on the ground and tried to get up as my party shouted from the stands, apparently unable to move.

"What do you want from me?" I asked, my voice strangled. She laughed, letting me get all the way to my feet before hitting me with another torture spell.

"I want what you have, Dan! I want Phil! I want him to love me like he claimed to!" And she hit me with the spell again. I was going to die. I wanted to die. I wanted this pain to end so, so badly that I didn't even want to open my eyes. I felt a scream bubble from my lips but I couldn't hear it. My breath was coming short. My body was rigid. My heart was pounding so fast it felt like it was going to explode. The only reason I didn't give up was the small light in the darkness. Phil. Phil, my amazing Phil, my beautiful prince, my true love. I couldn't leave him to this woman. So I kept fighting.