Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The whole time, Ivory and Will laugh at each other and talk to each other. I talk to Mavi several times, hoping that Mavi can hear me. “They just laugh and laugh and laugh and laugh...ugh! The nerve!” Just when I can’t take it any longer, I hear a voice in my head. It’s just a small voice but I can still hear it quite clear. “Ivory can be gone, it can just be you and Will, forever.” I stop in the air, hanging onto every word the voice says. “I see I have your attention now, Byleth.” The voice soothes. “Ivory was cursed, poor thing doesn’t deserve to be harmed but…” I mutter to myself and think of everything that can happen if Ivory is gone. “If you would like to take me up on my offer, meet me at that tree with a figson on top of it, see it?” I look down toward the trees and spot a little pastel creature on top of it, sleeping on a high branch. Will and Ivory finally notice that I’ve stopped and fly toward me. “Byleth, are you ok? Your eyes are glowing purple! I haven’t seen this before.” Will says. I smile and a shrill voice comes out of my mouth, the same voice that was in my head, “Oh, the things you do not know. You run but you cannot hide, I will always be here. Oh, and Ivory...I don’t think you mentioned your little, I don’t know secret?” I don’t know how, but my once teal dragon body turns into a white dragon body with red horns. Ivory screams. Will looks confused. 

“She’s being consumed! By Lamia! Lamia is taking whatever Byleth wants to happen and bargaining it!” But I don’t think Will is paying attention to what Ivory’s saying. To my pure delight, he turns toward Ivory, “Secret? Ivory, what are you not telling me?” He asks her, devastated. The same shrill voice erupts from me, “Oh, you haven’t told him yet? I thought you would have since you're in such a close relationship.” I cackle loudly. “I-I. Look Will, if I tell you then you’ll never like me, ever! But if you really want to know, then I worked for Lamia. I was her spy, I watched every tribe and advised the scouts to go steal all your weaponry. I’m sorry, she threatened me and said that if I didn’t take up the job, my family would die.” Ivory sniffs. “But Ivory, how could you seem to think that if you chose your family, millions of other lives would have been saved. Instead, you were selfish and let all those people die. How foolish of you, girl!” I snap. “Byleth, what’s wrong with you?! Why do you want me to believe that Ivory is bad?” He asks. Suddenly, I realize what I’m doing. My body relaxes and turns back to its original teal form. I burst into tears. Will seems to understand that I’m not being consumed anymore and flies over to me. “What happened back there?” Will asks me. “I-I don’t know. There was a v-voice and it just came through and I-I’m sorry Ivory.” I stammer. “It’s fine Byleth, it was Lamia. The element dragon. I’ve seen this happen before but not so powerful. Usually, Lamia will consume any dragon or elf at any time and get them over to her side by getting them what they want. However, Lamia is only able to say a few lines through that elf or person before she runs out of power. She told me that she is only able to take the form of an element dragon completely, and see how many things she wants through an element dragon.” Ivory explains. I look at my claws, what have I done and what will I do? I’m dangerous and I most certainly shouldn’t be kept around good people. I tense up, I never told Ivory that I was an element dragon. 

“Ok, so this may be hard for you, but I’m an element dragon.” I confess. I’m not sure if Will is wanting me to share that information about himself but I decide to just tell my secret just in case. Ivory cups her claws over her mouth. “Byleth, if Lamia has already taken control of you, I fear she will do it again. You’re dangerous Byleth. Just a small decision in your mind can make you go to the evil side and never turn back again. Once you are on Lamia’s side, you stay on Lamia’s side.” Ivory warns. Will turn to her slowly. “But if you can never turn back to the good side once you are on the evil side, you are still on the evil side Ivory.” He inquires. “I-well, I guess that’s not the case with me.”  Ivory replies. “Lamia has this power to consume people, like she just did to Byleth. However, I mustered enough power to fight her off when I broke the curse.” Ivory explains. Will nods. “Byleth, what did you want then? I mean, you made me feel like Ivory was evil when she really isn’t. What was the thing you wanted?” Will asks. My eyes burn. “You.” I say.