Crowned (Santa Catalina University)

Chapter 9

Malia is different. The storm the other night was cathartic for both of us, and ever since, her mood has been steady. Calm. Peaceful. It’s been, I think, five days now, and there have been no more storms. The landscape has remained verdant and lush. She’s not asked any more big questions, and seems content to spend the days exploring the fields and meadows, groves and glens. Her favourite place to be is on the cliffs, overlooking the ocean. She never goes down onto the beach, declines politely whenever I suggest it, but she’s unable to tear her gaze away from the watery horizon.

Is she waiting for something? For someone to join us? Or is she looking for a way back?

Malia’s eyes hold a longing I can’t quite decipher as we stand together on the cliff, the wind whipping our hair around us.

Today, I sense her restlessness, despite the calm facade she wears. The ocean stretches endlessly before us, its waves crashing against the rocks below, with a rhythmic melody that seems to call out to her.

Without a word, she turns and begins walking away, her steps purposeful yet hesitant, as if pulled by an invisible force. I follow her in silence, unsure of what she is searching for or where she is headed. The fields and meadows blur past us as we walk, the sun painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, as it begins its descent towards the horizon.

Finally, Malia comes to a stop at the edge of a dense forest, her gaze fixed on something beyond my line of sight.

“What is it, Malia?” I ask softly, stepping closer to her side. She turns to me then, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

“I have to go,” she whispers, her voice barely louder than the rustle of leaves in the wind. “There’s something in there calling to me, Vance. Something I can’t ignore any longer.”

Before I can respond, she steps into the shadows of the forest, disappearing from view, as if swallowed by the darkness. A sense of loss washes over me, followed by panic, and I dive into the forest right after her.

“Malia!”

The trees loom tall and thick around me as I push my way through the underbrush, repeatedly calling out Malia’s name in desperation. The shadows dance eerily in the fading light, whispering secrets that I cannot decipher. Branches snag at my clothes and roots trip me up, but I press on, determined to find her.

“Malia!” My voice is more desperate with each shout.

A faint glow appears ahead of me, drawing me like a moth to a flame. As I approach, the trees part to reveal a small clearing bathed, in an ethereal light. In the centre stands Malia, her eyes closed and face upturned towards the sky. Her hands are outstretched, palms facing upwards, as if she is communing with something beyond my comprehension.

I hesitate on the edge of the clearing, unsure if I should interrupt whatever is happening, or if I should give her this moment of solitude. But then Malia speaks, her voice low and melodic, filled with a power that sends shivers down my spine.

“I hear you,” she murmurs, her words carrying on the wind. “I’m ready.”

Before my eyes, a figure materialises in front of her – a being of light and shadow, with eyes that hold galaxies within them. It reaches out a hand towards Malia, who takes it without hesitation. And then, with a blinding flash of light, they both disappear, leaving me alone in the darkening forest.

The forest is silent. Too silent. Hauntingly empty.

Malia is gone. She just…disappeared. One moment, she’s standing there, reaching for something in the air, and the next, she’s nothing but an echo in the trees. The light flashes, and she’s gone.

I stand there, motionless, my mind struggling to grasp the reality of it.

What the hell just happened?

I call her name—shouting it into the stillness of the forest—but the only answer is the distant rustle of leaves, mocking me with its emptiness. There’s no sign of her, no trace of her footsteps, nothing. Just the quiet hum of the trees.

I take a step forward, and then another. My heart is hammering, my breath coming in short, shallow bursts. Panic claws at the back of my throat, but I shove it down. I have to stay focused.

Stay calm.

I push my way through the thick underbrush, my fingers brushing against the rough bark of the trees, as if touching them might somehow anchor me in this unreal moment.

But it’s not enough.

Malia’s absence is like a weight on my chest, and the air feels heavier with every step I take. She’s not in the clearing anymore, and she didn’t leave any trace of her presence.

I can’t believe it. How can she just vanish like that?

My thoughts race. Could it be dark magic? The figure in the clearing? Is she in danger?

I stop, standing in the middle of the forest, my mind spinning. A thousand possibilities rush through me, none of them making sense. I don’t understand any of this. But I know one thing: I need to find her. I can’t lose her. Not like this.

“Malia!”

I shout her name again, louder this time, my voice cracking with desperation. There’s no answer.

My pulse quickens. I force myself to breathe, to think. What now? What the hell do I do?

I start walking, faster now, weaving between the trees, my eyes scanning the shadows, the underbrush, every corner of the forest. It’s growing darker by the minute, the fading light slipping through the canopy, leaving me to fumble in the half-dark.

The panic starts to rise again, hot and suffocating. I can’t help it. Every part of me wants to break down, wants to scream at the sky. But I can’t. Not yet.

I need to find her.

I push on through the thickening woods, my limbs aching with the effort. I’m not sure how long I’ve been walking, but the weight of her absence is only growing, pulling me deeper into a fear I’ve never known.

What if I can’t find her?

I stop again, my heart in my throat. I try to listen for any sound, any sign of her, but there’s nothing. The forest is still, as if it’s holding its breath.

My mind flashes back to the moment when she stepped into the clearing, the ethereal light surrounding her. I should have stopped her then. Should have demanded she tell me what was going on, what was happening to her.

But I didn’t. I let her go, trusting that whatever it was, she knew what she was doing.

I regret that now.

I don’t know how long I stand there, in the midst of the trees, my thoughts swirling. The stillness is suffocating.

Finally, I take a deep breath, pushing the fear down again.

If I don’t find her, I don’t know what I’ll do. But I won’t give up. Not until she’s back in my arms.

I turn, my eyes still darting around the darkening forest. I won’t stop. I can’t.

Please, Malia…come back.