Savia's Heart [Sequel to Bastian's Song] [HIATUS]

[ 13 ]

[ Lachlan ]

Harmonia's scream ripped Lachlan's heart in half.

Despair bloomed inside of him and he fell to the floor of the hallway. Tears flowed from his eyes to sparkle in the water as small, multi-colored jewels.

Beside him, Militum crumpled. His broad shoulders bowed as he curled in on himself with his forehead against the coral floor and his hands wrapped around Melodia's vitae gem.

Distantly, Lachlan was aware that Harmonia's scream had summoned other people, but the sadness inside of him was too great for him to care. Bastian's smile flashed at him from his memory, and the ache in his heart told him he'd never see it again. His best friend was gone forever, and he'd never gotten to say goodbye.

"Why are you still alive?" Harmonia's song dug into them like jagged claws. "Why is she gone and you're still here? You were supposed to protect her!"

Militum's shoulders shook and he made a wordless sound that choked out of his throat and hung in the water.

"S-stop!" Lachlan cried. It took every bit of strength to lift his head. "Please, you're hurting him!"

"He deserves worse." Harmonia bared her fangs. "I'll sing him into madness for my sister's death!" The hallway echoed with her words even as her song rose in pitch.

Memory overwhelmed Lachlan.

Bastian laughing at his jokes. Zareb and Bastian saving him food from a feast when he couldn't be there. Bastian talking about the stuff he'd learned from the oldest parts of the library.

In front of him, Harmonia's song wove an image of Bastian that spoke to him from his own mind. "Lachlan, I'm scared." Bastian's tail began to break into pieces, turning to seafoam in front of Lachlan. "Why aren't you here? It's cold."

No. Lachlan covered his face. He couldn't watch Bastian fall apart in front of him. He sobbed into his hands.

Bastian screamed, the sound full of pain as he was shredded by the imagined magic of Neptune's Trident.

"No!" Lachlan's tail slammed into the ground as he launched himself into Harmonia. Her song cut off as he tackled her, pinning her to the ceiling. She inhaled sharply, and he felt her chest expand to sing once more. He wrapped his claws around her throat and squeezed, desperate to stop her.

"I said st--" Lachlan's voice broke with emotion. "Stop. Please."

Harmonia bared her fangs and lifted her hands to pry off his claws. Her grip was strong and she pulled his claws away from her throat with ease. She pushed against him, slow but inevitable, spreading his arms out to the side as she drew closer to him. Her fangs threatened him, gleaming in the dim light of the hall.

Fear trembled through Lachlan. Death was the icy blue of her eyes, and he didn't have the strength to fight it. Harmonia lunged forward, the snap of her fangs loud in his ears. Lachlan closed his eyes.

The scent of blood filled his nose and the water warmed around him.

Heat flowed from behind him. Where was the pain? Lachlan opened his eyes and started backward, into the familiar broad chest of Militum. At the same time, Militum pushed him roughly away. 

As he reoriented himself, Lachlan realized Militum's large arm was impaled by the sharp fangs of Harmonia. Militum had placed himself in harm's way for Lachlan. His blood spilled as she snarled at him. She drew her head back, ripping the flesh from his arm, but he did not cry out or move to mitigate the damage.

Harmonia released Lachlan's arms and placed her hands on Militum's face, her claws digging lightly into the merman's temples and cheeks. It was a cruel mockery of a normally intimate action, and Lachlan felt sick at the sight.

The mermaid spit out the flesh she had torn from Militum's arm. You're not even worth eating, the action seemed to say. "Are you offering yourself to my mercy, Militum?" The purr in her voice set Lachlan to trembling again.

"No," Militum said. "I know you have none for me."

Harmonia only smiled sweetly at him. "You know me so well, old friend." Her hands tightened, and Militum winced as they dug deeper into his skin, but he did not cry out.

"Just spare the boy, Harmonia. He has nothing to do with what happened to your sister."

Harmonia hissed. "Too much of a coward to use her name?" Her tail spasmed. "I'm going to rip you into shreds." Militum's blood continued to spill from his arm, surrounding her in a hazy red cloud. She lifted one hand from his face and reared back, preparing to strike hard.

Lachlan cast a desperate look to the doorway. Viola and Lyre floated peacefully, their faces bored and uninterested. His heart sank. No one was going to help him. No one was going to stop Harmonia. Fear overwhelmed him.

Brother of my heart. The voice of his best friend came to him, bringing light with it. Will you stand beside me for all time, shoulder to shoulder, and protect me from darkness?

Yes, for all time.

Then I take you as my radiant Jewel, Lachlan of the Naiads.

Lachlan inhaled fresh water, tainted with the blood of his friend, and exhaled his song. Immediately, the water around him glowed with green light that shoved itself between Harmonia and Militum and forced them apart. As he sang, the light grew and took shape; long strands of perfectly straight hair and a well-shaped torso that ended in a magnificent tail. The summoned Bastian filled the hallway, larger than life and pulsing with the power of Lachlan's song.

"I am the Jewel of Triton Bastian!" Lachlan wove his words into his song, forcing Harmonia back with the strength of it until she stood beside the other sirens. "I speak with his voice and you!" He pointed to the three mermaids, his magic lighting up his eyes. "You. Will. Listen. To. Me!"

The world seemed to stand still, and Lachlan held the last note so that it echoed round and round. If the sirens were going to fight him, he was going to make damn sure they regretted it. His song might not be enough to take them out, but he would not go down without a fight. He'd use the Pearl if he had to.

Seconds stretched into an eternity in his mind. His entire body tensed, preparing to enter combat with the mermaids.

Finally, Viola opened her mouth and made a strange noise. It filled the water, a half-chirrup that was oddly adorable considering how fierce the mermaid who made it was. Lachlan shook his head and listened again, surprised to find that the strange sound was laughter.

Viola, the most powerful person in all of Anthemusa, was laughing at him.

Lachlan gritted his teeth, cutting off the lingering note of his song, and launched himself at her.   

Look at Lachlan! All grown up and fighting with people. I don't know about you guys, but I've got $10 says Viola can take him.

Then again, Lachlan has a lot of spunk. Who do you think will win?