Glaring angrily at the distant rock castle from where melody came out, Kent stood up.
His hand rested on the cold, lifeless shoulder of Fatty Ben, his most trusted friend. The sight of Ben standing like a stone statue, eyes vacant and body stiff, sent a sharp pang through Kent’s chest.
His knuckles tightened, and a wave of helpless frustration washed over him. The haunting melody still drifted in the air, tugging at the edges of his mind, but unlike his companions, Kent remained unaffected.
"Oh, so sad… is this fat guy your friend?" Suddenly a soft, mocking voice echoed behind him. Kent’s head snapped around, his gaze locking onto a peculiar figure hovering lazily in mid-air.
A girl—no older than fifteen in appearance—draped in oversized, dark robes floated beside him. Her bushy hair tumbled past her waist like a waterfall of shadows, with wild curls sticking out as if they had a mind of their own.
Her cheeks were round and plump, giving her an oddly chubby look, but her narrow eyes gleamed with mischief. A faint, smug smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she propped her head on her hand, watching Kent with unfiltered amusement.
"Who the hell are you?" Kent demanded, rising to his feet. His voice was cold, but his heart pounded faster with each breath. There was something eerie about this girl.
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"Me? I’m the Queen here," the girl announced dramatically, twirling in the air like a child showing off a new toy. "Queen of this lovely, dark castle. Everyone here listens to me, you know. Including your fat friend."
Kent’s brow twitched. He took a step forward, glaring at her. "Stop playing games. If you’re responsible for this, you’d better stop that damn melody. Tell me, how do I wake them up?"
The girl snorted, cupping her cheeks with both hands as if deep in thought. "How dare you mock the soul bound melody. This is the greatest melody. Hmm… maybe you are deaf. Also, they’ll stay like that forever. Or maybe… just maybe, I don’t feel like helping you."
Her teasing grin widened. Kent felt his sanity slipping. In two swift strides, he crossed the distance between them and grabbed her by the throat and lifted her into air. "Tell me how to stop this. Now."
The girl didn’t even flinch. Instead, she giggled. "Oooh, so scary. The big hero thinks he can choke a spirit." Her body flickered and melted away like mist through his fingers. She reappeared a few feet behind him, sitting cross-legged in the air.
"I already told you, I’m the Queen. You can’t hurt me," she said, sticking her tongue out playfully. "But you can keep trying if it makes you feel better."
Kent’s hands trembled with rage. His gaze flickered to Fatty Ben and the others, still frozen at the castle’s entrance. "You think this is funny? All of these people are trapped. Thousands of lives. And you’re sitting here playing games?"
But the girl spirit only giggled without caring about his emotions.
"Speak. The music is for giving life, not to take lives. I may not be able to do anything to you. But I can tear this place down into bits. Do you want to see?" Kent asked with a threatening look.
The girl’s expression shifted, but only slightly. She floated down to the ground, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Fine. Maybe I can help. But on one condition."
Kent narrowed his eyes. "What condition?"
"A wish," she said simply. "Grant me one wish, and I’ll tell you how to save your friends."
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Kent’s stomach twisted. There was something ominous about the way she said it, but he had no time to argue. "Fine. Whatever you want. Just tell me how to break the spell."
The girl grinned, holding out her hand. "Shake on it."
Kent hesitated for only a moment before grasping her hand. The instant their palms met, a dark, smoky thread wrapped around their wrists, binding them together. The thread pulsed, glowing faintly with each beat of Kent’s heart.
"There," the girl said, her voice thick with satisfaction. "Now that we’re bound by the Vow of Shadows, you can’t break your promise. Not that you would, right?"
Kent’s jaw clenched. "Just get to the point."
The girl lazily floated toward the castle entrance, motioning for him to follow. "Come on then. I’ll show you. I will tell you my wish later."
Kent walked beside her, eyes scanning the interior of the dark castle. Its stone halls were lined with glowing blue torches, and the air felt thick and heavy, like walking through a dream. As they ascended a spiraling staircase, the distant melody grew louder, vibrating through his bones.
Finally, they reached a grand chamber at the castle’s heart. Eight massive, ancient instruments were arranged in a circle—a harp, flute, drum, lyre, violin, trumpet, cymbals, and an organ. Each one hummed faintly, resonating with the cursed melody.
At the far end of the room, a dark stone tablet stood, etched with musical notes that shimmered faintly in the dim light.
The girl floated toward the center, twirling in place. "Ta-da! This is where the magic happens."
Kent’s eyes narrowed as he approached the tablet. The notes on the stone seemed to shift and swirl under his gaze, as if alive. "What is this?"
"A spell," she said, crossing her arms. "It’s called the Soul-Binding Melody. It traps the souls of those who hear it, turning their bodies to stone. If you want to break the curse, you have to play the melody written here using all 8 instruments at once."
Kent’s eyes flicked to the instruments. "All of them? At the same time?"
The girl nodded with a grin. "Yep. Good luck with that."
Kent exhaled slowly, his mind racing. "You brought me here knowing it was impossible."
"Not impossible," the girl replied, leaning closer. "Just really, really hard. There is a spell above that written melody. Look closely. It will allow you to replicate yourselves into 8 different clones. Come on, now. You can do it. I believe in you."
Her smirk made him doubt every word.
"And what happens if I fail?"
The girl shrugged. "Then you stay here with them. Forever. Or until I get bored."
Kent clenched his fists and moved close to the long standing rock.
"Don’t lose yourself in the melody," The girl whispered in his ears with a loud giggling smile.
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Give name to this Lolly!