From the moment Arkins rejected the mysterious silver-eyed girl, things began to shift.
She didn't take rejection lightly.
The next morning, Arkins woke up dazed, his body heavier than usual and his mind foggy. He hadn't remembered falling asleep, yet he dreamt of soft voices calling his name, wrapping him in an unnatural warmth.
Zyren noticed it first. "You okay, bro? You look... off."
Arkins rubbed his temples. "I feel weird. Like... like I've been enchanted or something."
Zyren narrowed his eyes. "That girl. The one with the silver eyes. She's messing with you."
Meanwhile, Melly could feel something wasn't right. Arkins had always been clear-headed, calm. But now, his attention drifted, his energy low, like he was being pulled into a trance.
Melly followed her instincts. That night, she used her newly practiced spell to track spiritual energy—and what she saw terrified her.
A faint trail of silver mist connected Arkins to the girl. It slithered through the air like a serpent—proof of a siren's enchantment.
"She's got him under a spell," Melly said to the group. "She's luring him slowly. It's not strong yet, but if it grows, he won't even know who I am."
Selene's expression darkened. "That's how sirens work. They don't snatch you all at once. They pull at your soul until you willingly surrender it."
"We need to break it before it gets worse," Ezra said. "But how?"
Melly stood, her eyes fierce. "I'm going to confront her."
That evening, she found the girl sitting near the moonlit fountain at the edge of campus—waiting.
"You know what you're doing," Melly said coldly.
The siren turned, her lips curving into a sly smile. "He doesn't belong to anyone, sorceress."
Melly's fingers lit with a faint blue flame. "But he chose me."
The girl stood, her silver eyes glowing faintly. "Then prove you deserve him… if you can survive me."
The air crackled with tension. Power hummed around them.
It was only the beginning of a deeper war—one not just for love, but for control.
And Melly was ready.
The encounter with the siren left Melly shaken but more determined than ever. She had felt the strength of the girl's energy—dark, smooth, and seductive. It was unlike anything she'd ever faced. This wasn't just a school rivalry… it was a spiritual war.
The next day, Arkins looked worse. Dark circles clung under his eyes, and his once vibrant aura had dimmed. He barely noticed when Melly walked up to him.
"Arkins," she whispered, placing a hand on his arm. He looked at her like she was a stranger.
"She's draining him," Selene muttered, watching from a distance. "He's slipping."
Zyren clenched his fists. "We can't let this continue. Melly, you need to sever the bond."
"I know," she replied, voice low but steady. "But not with violence. That's what she wants—to break me, to provoke chaos."
That night, Melly went into the hidden forest behind St. Luca, where magical energy was strongest. She drew a circle of protection using crystals, salt, and ash. Her spellbook opened beside her, pages flipping as if guided by unseen hands.
She chanted softly, her eyes burning with blue fire.
"By the root of soul and breath of fate,
Sever the ties of siren hate.
Let his heart be his to own,
And cast the shadows far from home."
The wind howled. Trees swayed violently. Melly's energy crackled in the air. Suddenly, a scream pierced the night—it wasn't human. The siren felt it.
Back in her room, the girl clutched her chest, hissing. "You think you've won?" she whispered. "This is far from over."
Meanwhile, Arkins gasped awake. The fog lifted from his mind, and Melly's face was the first thing he saw.
"Melly?" he whispered, confused and frightened.
She held him close. "You're back," she said. "She can't touch you now."
But deep down, they both knew this was only the beginning.
Because Melly had declared spiritual war… and the creatures of St. Luca had started to notice.