Chapter Forty-Four

Chapter Forty-Four

Shard attacked Lui outright, swinging her longsword with both hands. Lui protected against the assault with a parry and backed away from her. “I don’t get it,” Lui said, switching to a fool’s guard as he continued walking backward. “How did he do it? Was it brainwashing? Torture? Did he threaten someone?” Lui questioned. 

“What on earth are you babbling about?” Shard asked in a bored voice as she landed and walked toward him. 

“EDJ,” Lui clarified as he continued to step away. “He’s the one that twisted your mind into the shape that created this evil apparition of your former self. I want to know how he did it. Was it this castle? The enemies?” Lui asked. 

Shard tilted her head curiously. “This really bothers you. Why do you care so much?” Shard asked. She threw an icicle at him, but didn’t feel compelled to be accurate about it.

Lui batted away the icicle as he continued backing up. “You used to be my friend, that’s why I care!” Lui’s brow furrowed. “It hurts me to see you like this. I’m trying to help you!” Lui smacked away another loosely thrown icicle. “Why did you join him?” Lui asked, stalling for time as much as he was seeking understanding.

“Because I’m evil. That’s what I do,” Shard answered plainly, continuing to advance at an unbothered pace.

“You weren’t evil when you rescued us,” Lui shot back. “You weren’t evil when you told us to leave! You were normal up until the second you walked in here so what happened?!” 

“Normal,” Shard repeated with a scoff. “I’ve never been normal. Even before I was trapped in my own body.” Shard’s voice grew soft and her gaze drifted. “I wonder if that’s why… huh…” Shard shrugged and refocused on Lui. “Is it really that hard to believe I chose this path myself?” she asked. 

“Yes,” Lui answered. “The Hanna I know wouldn’t have fallen so easily to his schemes.”

“The Hanna you know doesn’t exist,” Shard said, casually swinging her sword in circles with one hand as she walked.

Lui narrowed his eyes. “I don’t believe that.”

“Either way, I was here first.” Shard’s red eyes lit up and her head lifted, as though a pleasant thought occurred to her. “She never told you, did she? That this evil side of her exists?” Shard asked, almost with glee.

Lui watched Shard suspiciously. “No,” he finally answered. “She didn’t.” 

Shard tisked and shook her head. “That’s quite the secret to keep from someone she calls a friend,” she commented. “Wouldn’t you agree? Always fighting the evil within herself,” Shard continued, perfectly comfortable with the sound of her own voice. “Never revealing what it was she struggled with. Trying to keep me locked away forever. Maybe if she had told you, she wouldn’t have snapped. Or maybe she never valued your friendship to begin with…” The corner of her mouth tugged into a little smirk. “Does it hurt, knowing she didn’t trust you with the truth?”

The back of Lui’s foot bumped against the wall, forcing him to stop retreating. Of course it hurt. Lui pursed his lips. Keep it together. Lui’s shoulders lifted as he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I think it was out of greater respect for us that she didn't tell us,” Lui answered thoughtfully. “I think she didn't want to subject us to any trouble. I think…” Lui paused for a second. “In her own way… she was still trying to protect us.” Lui suddenly looked up at Shard with a grin. “Who could blame her with someone as nasty as you in her head?” 

Shard’s smirk was instantly replaced with fury as she lifted her sword and launched toward him. Lui dove out of the way. Shard’s sword impaled the wall. Shard let out a forced laugh and turned to face Lui. 

“Woooow,” Shard started, leaving the sword stuck in the wall behind her. She decided she didn’t need it. “Your friend lied to your face and you’re still willing to defend her?” Shard asked, creating a large claw of ice in one hand and a new sword entirely of ice in the other “You are an optimistic idiot.” Shard drew closer, speaking in an almost singsong taunt. “That’s not respect. That’s mani-pula-tion.”

“I never said it was right,” Lui responded, continuing to retreat in the opposite direction with his sword on guard. “Only that I understand.” 

Shard pressed forward and slashed at him. Lui parried away the ice weapon and jumped back. “We all make mistakes,” Lui continued. “Maybe all the stress did cause her to snap, but that doesn't mean we're still not here for her! Now that we know what she’s up against, we can figure out a way to help her!” 

“I refuse to be trapped again!” Shard shouted, pirouetting with the ice claw aiming for Lui’s face. Lui brought the sword up in time to catch, and chop off, several of the icy talons. Lui gasped and his eyes went wide, fearing he accidentally sliced off his friend’s fingers. The icy claw, being several times larger than Shard’s actual hand, only re-grew the sharp talons back. There was no visible reaction from Shard, aside from mild annoyance. Lui let out a relieved breath and ducked to avoid a jab from the ice sword. 

“Who says you have to stay trapped?” Lui asked, dodging away again. “There are ways she can vent her evil side every once in a while without hurting anyone. Think about it, if you go to the gym at least three times a day, you’ll be too exhausted to do anything evil.” Lui continued dodging away from consecutive claw attacks. “Great for training. We could turn it into a game. You love games!” 

A fireball swooshed past Lui. “Yikes!” Lui turned to see blue and red clashing together as the Original and his Evil Other fought. The distraction was enough for Shard to freeze Lui’s foot to the floor. “Ack!” Lui dropped to a knee, inadvertently also dropping his sword. 

“I do so love games…” Shard responded slowly as she stepped up to Lui.