X's avatar took a deep breath and rounded the corner.

A few feet away, Melody was tied to a tree, gagged, and blindfolded. Y stood close beside, her knives held almost casually in each hand.

"You made it," she called to X's avatar. She smiled. "It seems the girl is worth something to you after all."

X's avatar ignored Y. "Melody," he called. "Are you alright?"

Melody looked around as if to ascertain the direction from which the voice came. She seemed scared, and she pulled farther back against the tree. She tried to speak, but couldn't and soon gave up on talking.

"Take out the gag," X's avatar instructed, his voice neutral.

Y raised an eyebrow. "Why should I-"

"I have what you want," said X's avatar. "And you want it badly." He looked Y in the eyes. "You don't dare to mess this up."

Wind curled around Y as her expression darkened. A cold power slammed into X's avatar, the scar across his chest burning with a pain that cut to his very soul. He gasped, wavering on his feet.

His eyes fixed on Melody. This was his fault. It was up to him to fix it.

"Remove the gag," he repeated, staying standing.

Y gave him a contemptuous glance, but looked away. She ripped out the gag in a single, fluid motion. Melody gasped for air.

"Oh, thank goodness you guys are here!" she called. "I don't know what she was planning to do to me, but it would have been nasty! Just, don't do anything stupid to get me back. She wants your powers, X!"

X's avatar slumped, closing his eyes. So it was as he suspected.

"I don't want to spend another second in this horrible place," snarled Y. "Will you make the trade, X? Or does the girl have to die?"

X's avatar sighed.

"Very well," he said. "Release the girl. I will let you take whatever power from me you desire."