Bonus Scene 2
K ALLENUS
When had my life come to this? I rolled around in a desperate attempt to scratch the persistent itch plaguing my back. My wings were tucked tightly to my sides, but no matter how much I writhed and squirmed, relief eluded me.
"Damn this cursed form!" I growled, momentarily pausing in my futile attempts to find relief.
It was infuriating how something so simple as scratching an itch had become nearly impossible since being transformed into this ridiculous winged unicorn. The fact that it had been my own father who ordered the curse be placed on me only made it worse.
"I admit I needed to change my ways. But did it really have to be like this?" I muttered bitterly.
Since the day the witch had appeared and delivered what she claimed to be cosmic karma, my life had been turned upside down. She'd shown up a handful of times since then, always with some new request or task for me to complete. Each one seemed designed to push me further out of my comfort zone, forcing me to question my own nature and beliefs.
"Of course, it's never easy, is it?" I grumbled to myself, resuming my efforts to alleviate the maddening itch. "Nothing ever is when witches are involved."
As if on cue, the witch herself materialized beside me, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. I couldn't help but feel a pang of annoyance at her terrible timing.
"Having fun there, Kallenus?" she asked, her voice dripping with playful sarcasm.
"Hardly," I snapped, struggling to keep the frustration from my voice. "If you're going to torment me like this, the least you could do is help me scratch my damned back."
"Where?" Ophelia laughed, the melodic sound floating through the air like wind chimes.
The sound of her laughter danced through the air like a mischievous sprite, grating on my nerves and doing something strange to my insides. I blamed it on her power over me. There was no way I was starting to fall for this infuriating witch.
"Alright," I muttered, standing on my hooves while Ophelia moved to scratch my back. It took a few tries, her fingers hovering just out of reach of the itch that had been tormenting me. But when she finally found the sweet spot, right next to my wing, I couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.
"Feeling better now?" she teased, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
"Much," I replied, not bothering to hide the annoyance in my voice. "Now, what brings you here? Have you come to grace me with your esteemed presence?"
Her smile widened, as if she could see straight through my sarcasm. "Even though you like to hide behind that grumpy exterior, Kallenus, I know you're secretly happy to see me."
I snorted, trying to brush off her comment. But deep down, I worried that she might actually be right. After all, despite our constant bickering, there was something about her presence that felt… comforting.
"Let's not get carried away," I said, attempting to regain control of the situation. "I assume you have some new task or sacrifice for me to complete in order to prove myself."
"Always so quick to jump to conclusions," she chided, shaking her head. "Maybe I just wanted to check on you, see how you're coping with your new form."
"Or maybe you just enjoy watching me suffer," I shot back, unable to resist the jab.
"Perhaps a little bit of both," she admitted with a wink. And as much as I hated to admit it, there was something endearing about her.
"Either way," I huffed, "I have things to do. So unless you're here with another task for me, Ophelia, I suggest you leave me to my own devices."
"Very well," she acquiesced, a sly grin playing across her lips. "But remember, Kallenus… Change requires sacrifice. And sometimes, that sacrifice means letting go of your pride and admitting that maybe, just maybe, you're happy to see someone."
I glared at her.
She just smiled back at me. Then the air crackled with energy as Ophelia waved her hand, making a bright light appear out of nowhere. My eyes widened in surprise and annoyance; I hadn't expected her to bring someone else into our conversation.
"Emma, dear, don't be shy," she called out gently, coaxing the timid spirit forward. A young girl, probably around ten years old, emerged from the light. She was dressed in worn old clothing that looked like it had seen better days. Clinging to Ophelia's side, she peeked out from behind her protectively.
"Is this the horsey who's going to help me?" Emma asked with an innocent curiosity that grated on my already frayed nerves.
"Excuse me?" I snapped, indignant at being referred to as a mere horse. "Horsey?" My voice came out in a low growl, more agitated than I cared to admit. "For the last time, Ophelia, I am not a horsey! Actually, I am not a horse at all, thank you very much! I'm a... well, I'm a unicorn, actually." The words tasted ridiculous in my mouth, but they were true, nevertheless.
"Technically," Ophelia interjected with a smirk, "you're a pegacorn."
"A what now?"
"A pegacorn. Half unicorn, half pegasus."
"Absolutely not," I scoffed, my disbelief getting the better of me. "If anything, I would be a Unisus... or a Unigasus... anything but a pegacorn. That just sounds ridiculous!"
"Regardless of what you want to call yourself," Ophelia said, ignoring my protests, "you are the one who will help Emma with her request."
"Oh no I'm not."
"Relax, Kallenus," Ophelia said with a hint of amusement in her voice. She turned to Emma, who still hid behind her nervously. "Yes, Emma, Kallenus here is the... creature that will help you talk to your brother."
"Couldn't you do it?" I snapped, frustrated by the whole situation. "You're the witch, after all."
"Unfortunately," Ophelia replied, her tone turning serious, "I can only interact with certain people, and Edge is not one of them."
I sighed. Even as I grumbled internally, I couldn't help but notice how Emma's eyes filled with hope. Despite my irritation at being called a horsey, something in her gaze made me want to help her, if only to see her smile.
"Fine," I muttered begrudgingly, "I'll help. But don't call me a horsey."
"You're a cute horsey."
"Ugh," I grumbled, rolling my eyes at her. "I suppose I am the horsey that has to help you."
"Emma wants to tell her brother, Edge," Ophelia explained, "that she doesn't blame him for her murder. That it wasn't his fault he couldn't protect her from a powerful evil witch."
"Ah, big bad witches," I muttered under my breath, casting a sidelong glance at Ophelia. "I can certainly relate." Even though I knew deep down that Ophelia's curse hadn't been something she could have refused, I couldn't resist the urge to make a snide remark.
"Thank you," she whispered, her gratitude shining through her ghostly form.
I glared at Ophelia, my annoyance spiking as I walked toward Emma. The young girl's eyes widened in the dim light as I approached her, my wings twitching restlessly at my sides.
"Can... can I ride you?" Emma asked hesitantly, her voice barely a whisper.
"Ride me?" I balked, indignation flaring within me. "I am not some common mount to be?—"
"Of course, you can, Emma," Ophelia interrupted with a laugh, clearly enjoying my discomfort. "Our dear Kallenus is just being a bit grumpy right now."
"Grumpy?" I sputtered, already preparing to protest when I suddenly felt an odd sensation on my back. To my surprise, Emma had already floated onto my back, sitting in a ghostly side-saddle position.
"Alright, fine," I muttered under my breath, resigning myself to the indignity of the situation. "So, where are we going?"
"Leave that to me," Ophelia said with a confident smile. "I'll transport you two to the right spot at the right time. All you have to do is make sure everything goes as it should."
"What does that even mean?" I asked, puzzled by her cryptic words. She never gave concrete details on anything.
"Trust me, you'll know," she replied, waving her hand dismissively as a bright light swallowed us up, transporting us to another place entirely.
As we emerged into a strange, colorful spectral world, I felt my hooves sinking into the soft, ethereal ground. It was unlike anything I'd ever experienced before, and I couldn't help but marvel at the beauty of it all, despite my irritation.
Emma, seemingly unfazed by our surroundings, began chattering excitedly about her big brother and how much she loved him. Her words were a stark reminder of what I'd lost, and what I was striving to regain. This was just one more task I had to complete in my unending quest for redemption.
"Kallenus, do you think Edge will believe me when I tell him it wasn't his fault?" Emma asked suddenly, her voice laden with uncertainty.
"I can't say for sure," I admitted, feeling the weight of responsibility settle upon me. "But I'll do everything in my power to make sure he hears your message."
"Thank you," she whispered.
As we continued our journey through the spectral world, I couldn't help but feel a strange sense of purpose. Perhaps helping this young girl would bring me one step closer to breaking my curse and regaining my old life. And maybe, just maybe, I'd find something even more valuable along the way.