The mask beneath her skin

I ran, not because I was scared, but because I was running from the truth.

What I saw down that corridor… that thing that looked like Melina — it wasn’t the girl I knew. 

At least, I hoped it wasn’t.

The next morning, I found Laziel in the observatory all by himself. He wasn’t training or meditating.

He was just there seated and staring into space. He seemed bland or confused so I walked up to him. 

“Elira said they’re called Hollowed,” I said quietly.

He looked up at me. There was something in his eyes I hadn’t seen before.

Guilt!

“I talked to her last night,” he said.

“Who?” I asked, pretending like I didn’t know.

“Melina” he replied, “We didn’t talk much, She said a few things, one of which was that you are not who you pretended to be.”

“So what am I, and what exactly am I pretending to be?”

“Look, May I really don’t know,” he explained. “All I did was just let her say all she had in mind, but what she was talking about, I’m not certain about it, and I…”

“I heard her,” I said, interrupting him. 

He blinked. “What?”

“I was outside the chamber, Laziel. I heard everything.”

He took a sharp breath and stood. “May, I didn’t believe it.”

“Didn’t you?” I asked. 

“You don’t trust me, do you?

“Should I?” I sneered, staring into his eyes

He winced and kept quiet but that silence spoke volumes.

“Someone’s wearing her face,” I whispered. “I saw her reflection change. Just for a moment.”

“You’re saying the Melina I talked to wasn’t real?” He gasped.

I nodded. “And now I need to find the real one.”

“Was that why I saw you panting heavily, Did it chase you?”

“Not really, but this whole plight is in an uprising for my sake I guess, and I have to get to the root of it all.

–––

I waited until Melina left for patrol later in the evening and then I sneaked into her room.

Everything looked normal — her boots by the fireplace, her training swords perfectly aligned. But something felt off.

I pressed my hand against her dressing mirror and I couldn’t feel any warmth, no aura, no reflection.

And then it instantly turned black.

Then… words started to appear like smoke.

“Her face is not the first I’ve worn, nor are you the first I’ve watched. Soon, you won’t know yourself either.”

I stumbled back. “What are you, I shouted”

“You wouldn’t want to know, trust me!” The words were written, leaving me in a state of bewilderment. 

I turned and looked at her bed and that’s when I noticed— Silver threads, each not thicker than a hair strand, coiled under her pillow.

I pulled it out carefully, A moon-thread, It glowed softly in my hand. It is used in sacred rituals and binding spells.

Why is it here on her pillow? I wondered. My suspicions of Melina began to broaden. I mean she has betrayed me before, I won’t be surprised if she does it again.

–––

Back in the sanctuary, I sat with Elira, clutching the glowing thread.

“They’re monitoring us,” I said. “But it’s not just for chaos. They want to get much closer to me.”

She nodded slowly. “They feed on proximity. They don’t just kill outright, they corrupt from within. They hollow people out until they’re just shells. Empty.”

“So Melina?”

“She might still be herself. Or she might not. If the Hollowed has taken her completely… There may be no Melina left.”

My throat tightened.

“But if she’s still in there,” Elira added, “you’ll feel her. Somewhere.”

Later that night, I found Aether sitting under the moonlight, sharpening his blade. He looked up when he saw me.

“You’ve been quiet,” he said softly.

I sat down next to him.

“There’s something in this place… wearing masks. And I think it’s coming for me through the people I care about.”

He took my hand. “Then we give it no place to hide.”

I leaned into him, feeling his warmth anchor me.

But even in his arms… I could sense it, the world was shifting, and I had no idea who I would be when the shadows finally stopped moving.

–––

Later at midnight, I lay awake greatly perturbed.

Aria fell asleep on the small bed. She came in that evening to teach me some spells and hand over history books to me. She insisted I need to memorize them all, and in that process decided to spend the night in my room. 

I glanced at her, she lay calmly breathing steadily, but I couldn’t relax. Something felt off and I could sense it.

So I threw on my cloak and wandered the back corridors of the Alpha wings again. This time, I heard something.

Heavy breathing, shallow voices, and then a struggle— chaotic and uncanny 

It came from behind one of the closed archive doors. I moved closer then I heard it clearly, a female voice;

“Please… someone… help…” 

My heart raced, I pressed my ears to the door and listened further and it was Melina’s voice. But this time she didn’t sound cruel or twisted, she seemed scared.

I yanked the door open and there she was, bound in Moon-thread, trembling and bloodied. 

This is the real Melina I thought as I immediately felt her aura within me. She looked up with swollen eyes and whispered:

“It’s not me out there… It’s not me… 

May they are impersonating me. I can’t feel myself anymore, something is gradually taking over me, she cried. 

And just then, from  behind me— A hand clamped over my mouth, and a familiar voice said sweetly:

“You were warned about looking too closely, but alas you didn’t listen and you’ll face the consequences.”