Chapter 9 – It Is Hard, I Give Up!

~ MELONIE ~ Ogling at me, he paused his lips, “Okay, we start immediately, there's no time,” Arwan voiced out. My face went pale, “Okay… no words of encouragement or you saying something like - good girl, you made a good choice?” He glanced at me, irritated. “What do I look like? Your daddy?” “Fuck you Arwan,” I retorted displeased. Ignoring me, he pointed towards the direction, “Come here!” Without arguing, I walked closer, kicking my legs and throwing my arms to gather my strength. “Clean up this room,” he declared. I stared at him, rolling my eyes, “Sorry?” “Your first lesson would be manners; you lack that,” he responded calmly. “Are you fine? Are you sure you are not hungry or thirsty? Or maybe you are pressed. Go on, take a poop. I'll be waiting if it'll make you feel better,” I snarled. He walked closer to me, his shadow covering my entire existence, “Talk to me disrespectfully again and watch me slap you into next week. Clean up this room and meet me in the garden once you are done. Training would only start after you have done that. Remember this, every disobedience comes with punishment. I give you three minutes to be done and be in the garden for training,” Arwan commanded. I boiled inside me; my mouth heavy with curse words that I could barely pour out. As I watched him put on a shirt while littering the floor, my anger multiplied. What's the good thing about having such a great body and angelic face when he's so annoying? I'll definitely kill him first before anything else. “Argh, I hate him!” I muttered in frustration. The servant came just in time, and my eyes sparkled in relief. “Clean up the room,” I stated firmly. “Sir Arwan asked me not to,” she protested in fear. “He doesn't have to know,” I retorted and walked out of the room with a smile on my face. I got to the garden to find Arwan training. “Are you done cleaning up the room?” He asked without glancing at me. “Yes,” I replied shortly. He stopped what he was doing and walked towards me, giving me a knock on my forehead. “Ouch!” I screamed out. He gawked at me coldly, “I told you, every disobedience comes with a punishment… it will be worse next time.” I returned his stare, pissed, “Are you…” I paused. “Am I what?” He asked with a threatening smirk. “Are you… fine,” I corrected, looking away. “Are you crazy?” I said to myself, childishly; “Burn me,” he suddenly stated, with a serious face. I looked at him with a confused face, “Huh?” “Burn me, Melonie,” he repeated fearlessly. A devilish smile appeared on my face. “You shouldn't be asking me to do that right now, I'd roast you like pork because I'm mad at you.” I gathered my strength, but nothing happened. “Focus, Melonie,” Arwan growled. “I am,” I growled back. “Try harder,” he declared, and I resumed, but still nothing happened. “You have done it before, first when you accepted who you are and when you were determined to find your father. That emotion you felt, you need to find it again,” he calmly coached. I tried again, but still nothing, “Damn it!” I grumbled. I gritted my teeth and focused all my energy on the task at hand. My mind was an intense ray, concentrated and determined. I kept on trying for what felt like an eternity, but I just couldn't seem to get it right. Sweat dripped from my brow as I struggled to make progress. My muscles ached from the effort, but I refused to give up. I was driven by a fierce determination to succeed, to prove to myself that I was capable of overcoming this obstacle, and to protect my home. But no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't seem to crack the code. Every attempt failed; every effort was thwarted by some unseen force. It was as if the universe itself was conspiring against me, determined to keep me from achieving my goal. I felt like Sisyphus, pushing my boulder up the mountain only to have it roll back down again. I was trapped in a never-ending cycle of effort and failure, with no escape in sight. Despite the frustration and despair that threatened to overwhelm me, I refused to give up. I kept pushing, kept striving, and kept believing that somehow, I would finally succeed. Arwan pushed, “Look at me, relax and try again.” I exhaled sharply, veins popping out of my forehead, but nothing happened. Clara also came forward, “You can do this, Melonie, believe in yourself,” she encouraged. “No, I can't,” I snapped back, “This is bullshit. Maybe I shouldn't even be here.” “And who said that? Close your eyes,” Clara said, cupping my face, “Feel that fire burning inside you and slowly let it out. You control it and not the other way around. You are a dragon wolf, the most powerful being and the first to exist… take control. That's it.” Slowly, a little flame came to light. “C'mon, take power,” Clara urged. I pressed hard, following every instruction, but I quenched instead of blazing with fire. “Ha,” I screamed in frustration. “Relax, Melonie, it's only your first time. You'll get better. “When exactly? There is no time. To hell with everything. I'm sorry, but I can't. I can't fight and announce myself to the world. I can't even control a slice of the power you all claim I have; it's my life that would be in danger, not yours… I won't fight. “Melonie, you are our last hope. “No, I'm not! You have Mrs. Hunter, she won't die. She has been living and will keep living. I'm sure she's feeling better by now; she will have enough power to fight next time. I'm out of this drama… I give up. Arlo also ran in, his face cold blue, “Melonie…” he faltered. “What!” I roared. He looked at me reluctantly, his eyes red from frustration and pain, “Mrs. Hunter - she's dead.” My head spun, and my brain froze, “Y – What do you even mean?” “You have just two choices, Melonie: You fight, or we all die. You are in charge now, you are responsible; the lives of this many people are resting on your hands.”