Witches of Mellgrah

"Maya! Did you hear? I did it! I did it!" Andrea was happily prancing around Maya when they met to have lunch together. "I awakened! I'm a witch!"

Remembering, a smile crept up on her face. Maya was truly happy for Andrea. So far, from their squad, only Linda hasn't succeeded in awakening. It did worry her, but she had faith in Linda. It seems most students have already succeeded by now, and there was still time for more as the Initiation was happening at the end of the week.

Putting a delicious macaroon in her mouth, Maya was sitting at her desk in their room, doing revisions of today's lessons. She had been diligent in her studies, not because she had always been a model student but because it was also important to familiarize herself with this strange new world she knew close to nothing about. The history, the rules, politics, and culture — they were all new. She was but a toddler here.

However, it seemed it was hard to focus today. 

Macarons were from Keith. He arrived today to pick up Elena bearing gifts. It is a popular pre-packaged set in a renowned cake shop Downtown. Andrea goes mad over them, and Maya secretly wished she'd have a chance to try them.

It was for the both of them to share, but Elena passed it to Maya, saying Maya could have them as Elena isn't fond of sweets.

'How can a person not like sweets?'

Come to think of it, there are a lot of things gluttonous Elena doesn't like, after all. Besides sweets, Maya learned milk was also off the table, also thanks to Keith. He'd drop by their table at lunch, being all lovey-dovey, bringing her a box of milk that dropped extra from a vending machine.

"Gross," Elena flatly pushed it away.

"You shouldn't avoid it. It's good for you."

Keith was the only person who would fearlessly rebuke Elena. And ever since last week's incident, he was held in even higher regard, as if he had tamed a dragon.

"Third… A third guard has passed your window, just now."

While Maya was studying, Leo was focused on observing the new security measures put in place. Since their window was so close to the wall, they could catch a glimpse of guards passing by on their patrols.

"Three in an hour? It doesn't sound too bad."

However, there was no way of telling if that was good or bad since Maya knew next to nothing about vampires that lurk outside. She had tried to talk Leo into going outside to look for them and check what they were like, but he refused.

"It's dark… I don't want to go alone…"

'What was the point of having him as a cheat if he was such a scaredy-cat?'

However, since Maya had another opportunity to talk to Amanda. As a headmistress dealing with a crisis, her schedule was hectic, but she had made it possible to converse with Maya and fulfil her guardian duties, albeit short. And the Headmistress has always made an effort to make Maya feel safe.

Maya had given it some thought and started blaming Elena for being so frightened by the newfound danger last week. It was Elena who planted the idea that they were tricked into coming to this world. But thinking rationally, it wasn't like the old world had no dangers. She may have been far from it, hiding in her own private world in denial and solitude, but even her parents were taken from her.

The danger was sometimes much closer than one would assume. For her parents, it was Maya herself. It was due to her own poor decisions that they died. Her mother died in a tragic car crash because Maya insisted they return to their vacation home to pick up a stuffed animal they had forgotten. Her father died because she wanted his attention and forced him to try ice cream they were both allergic to. 

As a result, she had shut herself away from making choices again. Bearing consequences was too overwhelming.

'If I continue as I've been doing, being chosen by the Elements will go in vain.'

Therefore, there were some decisions she had to make.

But first, she wished to talk to Anastasia. Ever since Anastasia implied it was where she could be found, Maya had been showing up at the tower to no avail. Maya wondered if her unorthodox power had an aspect that allowed her to strengthen a ghost's connection, or if was it strictly passive.

'I want to ask Anastasia about my ghost-seeing ability.'

Grunting to herself, she was frustrated there was no one else to ask. However, it was due to her being unwilling to ask anyone who could look at her strangely for it. Whenever she attempted, there was never a hint of anything like it existing.

All of the colourful macarons she was munching on were tasty, but now, there was only one left. The green one. Maya reluctantly reached for it. Leaving it for last because the colour didn't look appetizing, she was still too much of a sweet tooth to abandon it completely.

"Is it apple flavour?"

There was no point in prolonging it. Who knows, it could be the tastiest one. Maya relished in its sweet flavour. It was delicious indeed. But she couldn't help but feel that something about it was vaguely familiar. Is it some exotic fruit?

Maya was too unassuming. All of the vampires in the world weren't a danger as much as she was to herself, right now. And then the horror hit. There was a reason the flavour was so unfamiliar yet felt too distinct to forget. It was because the flavour was pistachios…

🜺🜺🜺🜺

Leo sat on the window sill, staring at the darkness outside, secretly exasperated by Maya's boring decision to study. She always did like receiving compliments for being smart, yet she was equally fun-loving and imaginative, often dreaming up creative games and ideas that her father eagerly supported.

A smile played on Leo's lips as he recalled a time when they'd spent days constructing a massive paper dragon. Maya's father had then brought it to life, puppeteering the creation while they played the roles of brave dragon slayers. Leo's own parents, by contrast, would have dismissed such activities as frivolous and wasteful, preferring he sit still and focus on his studies instead.

Then a sudden thud grabbed him out of his reminiscence and Leo was startled to find Maya on the floor.

"Maya?"

But then he palled seeing her wheezing and trying to breathe while her face turned red and swollen, covered with cold sweat.

"Maya!"

Leo immediately grabbed her, recognizing an emergency, and dragged her toward the door. She needed help, right this instant, but there was no one around but him.

Picking her up, he tried to carry her, but as her consciousness began to slip, she fell right through. Leo stared in shock and horror as suddenly something incredibly precious as him being able to touch her like a being of real matter was taken away.

Leo began screaming and calling her name, desperate to keep her awake so that he could move her. Little by little he was able to drag her across the floor. But then, his hopes sank as he stared at the closed door, crushed under realization that it was all in vain.

There was one insurmountable obstacle in the way.

The cherished freedom he had as a ghost that no physical matter could stop him from going anywhere he wanted was now a glaring flaw. Leo could not open the door.

He couldn't open them, carry her unconscious or call for help. He couldn't even use her hand to bang on the door in hopes someone heard it. He was utterly useless.

As Leo wept in desperation and misery, the door suddenly swung open. Elena returned, stopping abruptly at the threshold. Seeing Maya sprawled on the floor, she stared in complete bafflement. She didn't understand what was happening.

Then, Keith hurriedly pushed past her, recognizing the symptoms of a severe allergic reaction and anaphylactic shock. He scooped her off the floor in an instant and rushed to the emergency room with Maya in his arms.

Maya was saved.

🜺🜺🜺🜺

'I'm such an idiot…'

Maya received a quick treatment, a scolding by the medical staff for carelessness, and medicine to have at hand if similar situations were to arise. Since she had arrived at Mellgrah, she was only focusing on the outside dangers, but failed to consider her own life-threatening allergy.

This experience deeply shook Leo. Unaware of Maya's allergy and powerless to help when she was in danger, he now clung to her like glue—forlorn, pale, and trembling slightly. He had nearly witnessed her death—and what a foolish way to die it would have been.

Maya was out of sorts for most of it. It came as a shock to hear Keith was her saviour. His attentiveness impressed her, especially when he gave her his number for future emergencies. Maya couldn't help but think he was a great influence for Elena to have around.

Keith gained an admirer, however, Elena—who stuck to Maya's side not saying a word, while she let Keith handle everything—misunderstood the nature of that admiration.

"Stay away from him," Elena gave her a stern warning after they were alone.

A little taken aback, Maya stared at her. 'Is she being jealous?' 

In addition to being quite difficult to read, Elena has been in a strange mood lately.

"You should have told me you have such a flaw," Elena scoffed.

"A flaw?"

"…instead of giving him a chance to play hero."

There it was. Maya never understood her choices of words.

"Have you never seen a person have an allergic reaction before?"

Elena didn't answer. 

Considering someone else's safety and well-being must have been unfamiliar territory for a person accustomed to fending for themselves. Elena's unwavering confidence made it easy to forget, but as the Headmistress had pointed out, she was still learning to navigate social situations that most would consider normal.

'Perhaps I should have told her, but it simply slipped my mind.'

Maya felt guilty. Although everything had turned out alright in the end, the situation could have been handled with more grace if she'd simply informed those around her about her allergies. Yet…

'It's true, isn't it?'

Due to Elena's own flaw, she very much depended on Keith in such situations. Keith was her saviour as well. It made sense she would be a little possessive.

"Don't worry, I'm not interested in Keith romantically. I'm just grateful for him."

Elena's expression was a little sour and hard to read as usual. "Just stay clear of him. If you cross the line, we won't be able to stay friends."