Potent

Gemini shot to her feet and whipped her head around to where she heard that voice speak.

Mastermind Malcolm leaned against the doorframe to Valentine’s room. His white hair and pale complexion made him look like a ghost. His red and black armor looked like they were stained with blood and ink. Gemini wished she could smack the stupid, pleased look off his face.

“How did you--what are you--”

“I said I would come for you, Gemini. Did you think I would forget my promise?” Malcolm quipped, grinning wickedly.

Gemini set her teeth but ran to Valentine’s side, shaking him and searching for any wounds. “You can’t help him, my dear. Obviously.”

She spotted the medium-sized, black rock a few feet away. A hole in Valentine’s one window also caught her eye.

“You killed him!” She screamed.

“Oh, please. A tiny rock can’t kill anyone. He’s still breathing, isn’t he? Or did you even bother to check?”

Hope fluttered in chest. Instantly, she put head on his chest. His heartbeat pounded back at her. She scrambled to check his pulse. Within five seconds, she felt it against her fingers. He’s alive… A huge sigh of relief flooded out of her. “I must say I’m truly surprised at him. How adorable that the boy who was robbed of love finds love again,” Malcolm droned.

“How dare you!” Gemini shouted. She picked up the rock and threw at Malcolm.

To her satisfaction, it hit his arm, causing him to give a sharp cry. Clutching his now bleeding arm, he glared at her with hatred, obviously humiliated that she used his own weapon against him.

“Clever. But now… you have no weapon and no Valentine to protect you.” Malcolm drew two long, curved swords and Gemini felt a flash of fear. “When we’re finished, what do you say we show Valentine my handiwork? I’d love to see what he does when he finds out someone else he loves is dead.”

For one moment, Gemini was horrified. For some reason, Valentine words echoed in her head.

I watched the entire city live in complete bliss. No major tragedies happened to them. Those people had everything: Family, friends, and happiness. So I destroyed their happiness just like mine was… with fire. And they never even saw it coming because they never thought it would happen to them.

Gemini snapped. Valentine had gone through so much. He hadn’t come this far to go through all that pain again. She decided right then and there. There no chance in heaven or on earth she would let it happen to him again.

She screamed louder than she ever had.

“YOU WON’T TOUCH ME OR HIM! I’LL KILL YOU FIRST!”

Malcolm actually looked afraid. Gemini realized he wasn’t looking at her, he was looking at her feet.

Gemini looked down and gasped when she saw a circle of red light and energy around her. It must be magic… but how did I..? The circle dimmed. NO! I want to use magic! The circle brightened again.

Gemini fixed her eyes on him, pouring every ounce of hatred, anger, and disgust at him.

The red circle flared, surrounding her in it’s light. Her anger came back in full force. She screamed at him again.

The crimson energy shot at Malcolm, knocking him flat on the floor. Gemini glanced down. Her clothes had been changed to bright red armor. She held two fiery swords in her hands. Strangely, neither of them felt heavy to her.

Abruptly, Malcolm flew at her, brandishing his own black swords.

Gemini’s limbs suddenly knew what to do on their own. She blocked his strike and swung at him in return. Malcolm was completely caught off guard and her sword sliced his bad arm. He groaned but kept fighting with both hands.

Throughout their fight, Gemini kept her anger in mind, using it to focus. She did not want to suddenly stop using magic. She would be defenseless and Malcolm would kill her.

Malcolm clearly had talent and skill as a swordsman. Neither of them were able to hit each other for several minutes.

Gemini swung at him but he blocked her strike. They stood with their swords locked, both of them straining.

“How… are you doing this--”

Instantly, Gemini kicked him, stunning him, and knocked one of his swords across the room.

“You wouldn’t understand,” She panted. “A heartless, selfish person like you could never understand.”

“Oh, really?” Malcolm grinned crookedly, pushing himself to his feet, a hand on his stomach. “You don’t know me.” He lunged at her. Gemini quickly countered his strike. “What makes you think I’m selfish?”

She wanted to laugh at his irony.

“Everything.”

Feeling especially vengeful, Gemini delivered an attack of her own at her. Somehow, Malcolm seemed to be able to hold against her despite being slightly wounded.

“Let me break some news to you. The whole world is selfish. It’s our instinct,” He chuckled.

“Of course it is! But you? You do whatever you want and who cares how it affects others!” Gemini yelled, swinging her sword.

With a pained smile, Malcolm blocked her sword.

“Again, isn’t that what everyone does these days?”

“No! It’s not! There are still kind--and brave--and selfless people out there!” She punctuated each adjective with a clashing of their swords.

“Oh, really? Like you?” Malcolm sneered, slicing at her feet and grazing her knee. She cursed, taking a step away. They both stood there, panting. “How can you talk like that and still love him?”

She flinched.

“What?”

Malcolm gestured a sword to Valentine’s fallen body.

“Valentine wears blood and death like a perfume. He has fire in his eyes and ice inside his veins. But you love that sick monster anyway, like he’s the sun.” The hatred and bitterness in Malcolm was easy to see.

Why does he seem to hate Valentine so much when he’s no better? Gemini couldn’t help thinking. But she tried to form an answer.

“You don’t know him. Or me. Because he’s changed. Not completely. I know there’ll always be a part of him that’s evil… but honestly? That’s what I like about him,” Gemini replied, glancing at Valentine, wishing he’d wake up. She wasn’t completely sure she could take Malcolm on her own.

“He’s changed? Oh, darling, that’s what they all say.” Malcolm smirked, shaking his head.

Gemini blinked, uncertain of what he was trying to say.

Malcolm leaped at her and Gemini barely saw the attack coming. She sprung out of the way but he swung at her as she did, cutting her side. She let out a yelp of pain and dropped to one knee.

He put his sword to her neck. “Ever wondered what I’m Mastermind of?”

Gemini growled as she swept her sword at his legs. Malcolm countered her swords so hard, it sent one of them flying into the wall.

She gasped and he leaned right in her face. “Death.”

He knocked her other sword away and shoved her onto the ground. Gemini barely had time to breathe. “Considering murder? I’m your man. So I must say, I’m surprised at the little stunt you pulled.”

She tried to push herself up but Malcolm grabbed her by the hair. She screamed. “I was hoping Valentine would be awake to watch you die but I suppose this will do.”

Gemini squirmed as Malcolm combed her hair into one ponytail in his fist. “Pity. You do have lovely hair.”

Slice.

Tears sprung to her eyes and she watched the clump of her long, blonde hair fall in front of her, it’s strands separating on to the floor. Her armor faded away. Her white and black servant’s uniform took it’s place.

Just as she was ready to scream at Malcolm, his fingers closed around the collar of her dress. His sword shimmered into a dainty little dagger. She kicked at him with all her strength but he spun her around against him. He chuckled in her ear.

The next thing Gemini knew, she was falling on the floor and hearing Malcolm cry out in pain at the same time she heard a crashing noise.

“You--” Malcolm started, then made a horrible, strangled noise. Then all sound from him stopped.

Gemini whipped her head up.

Valentine stood a few feet away, his back to her. Her eyes widened at the cracked wall and Malcolm’s body in the center of it.

Valentine waved his hand at Malcolm, whose limbs flew back against the wall, pinning themselves there. He stalked towards Malcolm.

He’s going to kill him… Valentine’s going to kill him…

“This ends it,” Valentine rasped. Gemini froze. “I’ve had enough of people hurting her!”

Gemini saw him gently held up one hand. Then he sliced his arm sideways.

Malcolm’s body did one violent jerk and his mouth tried to scream but nothing happened. Valentine moved his arm again and Malcolm was jerked again, shaking and eyes starting to water with tears of pain. He kept trying to scream but no sound came out.

“Valentine, stop it!” She yelled, near hysteria. She scrambled to her feet, running over to him. Valentine didn’t acknowledge her. “VALENTINE!”

Gemini frantically tugged at his arm, which was ready to move again. “Please stop.”

“He hurt you,” Valentine hissed, eyes fixed on Malcolm.

“Stop this. No more killing.”

That got Valentine to look at her.

“What?”

“No killing.” Gemini shook her head, tears in her eyes.

“Gemini--”

“No killing.” She tightened her grip on his arm. “Beat him up if you want but don’t kill him.”

“He deserves to die.” Valentine glanced back at Malcolm’s body with such hatred, Gemini pulled her hand off of his arm.

“Maybe he does. But the more people you kill… the harder it will be to turn away from evil.”

Valentine looked at her. Then at Malcolm. With a long pause and a strained sigh, he flicked his hand and Malcolm was released on the floor.

“I’m going to regret this…” Valentine muttered, angrily.

“I don’t think you will,” she replied. A thought popped into her head. She squinted at him. “Valentine, is he going to live?”

He shifted from one foot to the other, not meeting her eyes.

“His spine is broken.”

“What?” Gemini was so flabbergasted, it took her almost a minute to speak. “Heal him!”

“Heal him? If I’m going to heal anyone, you’re first.” Valentine moved towards her bloodied hand. She stepped back.

“Is he going to be dead by the time you finish healing me?”

Valentine bit his lip and didn’t say anything. “Heal him first,” Gemini huffed, crossing her arms.

Valentine’s lips twisted into a faint snarl, clearly unhappy. But he waved his hand behind him and Malcolm straightened, gasping for air. Valentine flicked his fingers and Malcolm’s left leg bent the wrong way. Right as Malcolm screamed, Valentine waved his hand again and Malcolm vanished in a puff of black smoke.

“Really?” Gemini glared at him.

“You said I could beat him up.” Valentine crossed his arms in defense. She rolled her eyes. “Now can I heal you?”

Realizing just how wounded she was, Gemini tried to nod but all she could do was grimace. Valentine waved his hand over every injury, the blood and cuts disappearing, and her skin was back to its pale color.

When he finished, Valentine crushed her against him, his arms around her. Startled, Gemini hesitantly relaxed into his embrace. His whole body seemed to sigh in relief. “Stubborn girl,” he muttered and she wasn’t sure if he was talking to her or himself. But she smiled, wrapping her tiny arms around his waist. He pulled away, his fingers gently combing a few strands of her choppy hair. “Do you want me to change your hair back?”

“No.” She shook her head, a small smile on her face. Surprisingly, her decision was already made.