13 year old Melvin strolled through the library at home, looking for something to take her mind off of things. She had a perterbed expression on her face, and nearby Bobby stood a distance away, at attention almost.
She glanced at several titles, but none of them caught her eye. Then she saw a book she hadn't seen before. It had a white cover, and looked pretty heavy. Picking it up, she glanced inside. It looked like a story of a battle between a wizard and a dragon. Hearing her parents moving around, she decided to take the book back to hre room. She didn't really want to talk to them just now.
Back in her room, she read the story, marveling at the story. "Wow," she said, having finished the climax. "This Malchior sounds like a great guy. Wish I could have met him."
"That can be arranged."
"Eep!" Melvin threw the book away from her when it spoke.
"Ouch," the voice from the book said.
"Sorry." Melvin picked up the book. "Most books I've read don't talk back...not even Mommy's spell books."
"I'm not exactly a book, actually." The book flipped open, to reveal a face. "I am Malchior of Non. Twas I who slew the dread dragon Rorek."
"Wow...what are you doing in the book?"
"Rorek's last curse sealed me within my own spellbook. I've been trapped here ever since."
"Oh...what were you doing in Mom's library?"
"I know not whose library I was in, but a powerful sorceress was the last one I spoke to, one named Raven."
"That's my Mom!"
"Indeed? I suppose I should have known. Only Raven could have a daughter as beautiful as you." The pages flipped, and showed a stylized image of Melvin, dancing amongst the colors of imagination.
Melvin blushed. "You think I'm...beautiful?"
"Indeed. And I am most pleased to be able to speak with you."
"You...wanna talk to me?"
"Why wouldn't I?"
Bobby stepped up to Melvin's side as she wiped her eyes. "Thank you..." Picking up the book, she headed for the window. "Our house has an open door policy inside, so if we want privacy we'd better go to my treehouse."
At the treehouse, Melvin poured her heart out to the voice from the book,, needing someone safe to talk to who would comfort her without trying to fix things.
"I know Mom and Dad love me...but they just don't understand me. They said if I wanted to be a hero, they'd let me join the Teen Titans when I became a teenager, but Mom says I'm not ready. I see all the things going on around me, and I want to fix them...but I'm not allowed to. And to top it off..." She became quiet.
"Yes?" Malchior said from the book. "What is it?"
"There...there was a boy at school I kinda sorta liked...and he asked me out. I said yes, but...when he found out about Bobby, he broke it off, calling me a freak." Melvin wiped at her eyes.
"How horrible...how could he do that to you?" A string of folded paper extended from the book, gently brushing her tears away.
Melvin sniffed. "Thanks, Malchior. YOu're really nice. I wish I could do something for you in retrun."
"Do not be concerned, Melvin. I am just happy to be here for you."
Raven was concerned about Melvin. For the past few months she'd been inexplicably...happy. More so than usual. She didn't have any real reason to be concerned...Melvin's grades were excellent, she hadn't been in any trouble at school. But something nagged at the back of her mind. Melvin kept going out to her treehouse at the end of every day, spending as little time in the house as possible. She decided o ask her.
"Melvin," she began as Melvin got up to head outside.
"Yeah, Mom?"
"Where are you headed?"
"Just out to the treehouse to play with Bobby."
"Oh, okay. Have fun."
"I will Mom, thanks. I love you." Hugging Raven, Melvin ran outside.
At the treehouse, Melvin spoke up. "I'm here Malchior."
"I am so glad," Malchior said from the book. "I have missed you. I pine away when you aren't present."
Melvin giggled. "You're so silly." She sat down in front of the book.
They chatted for a while, as they had been, about Melvin's day, her problems...Malchior even helped her with her homework. Melvin sniffed suddenly.
"What's wrong, Melvin?"
"It's just...I wish you were physically here, sometimes. You've been such a good friend, and I just...sometimes, when I'm in here, I could really use a hug, you know?"
"Melvin...perhaps you could find a way to release me from the book."
"Really? Maybe I could get Mom to help-"
"No! I would not have Raven face her failure to free me again."
Melvin stopped. "Mom...tried to free you?"
"Yes. But she was unable to. Unable to face it, she hid me away where she would not have to see her failure."
"That...doesn't sound like Mom."
"She was young, still. Not much older than you are now, and it was the first such time she had failed. It was...quite hard on her."
"Oh..." Melvin sat down. "But if Mom couldn't do it, how can I? I don't have a gift with magic like she does, and-"
"Your power, Melvin. YOur power, I believe, is the key to my freedom."
"What...what do you mean?"
"YOur power comes from your mind, and gives shape to things. Like Bobby. I think, if you pour your power into the book...I may be able to use it to break the spells that bind me. That is...if you trust me."
Melvin nodded. "I'll give it a try." She placed her hands on the book. Paper hands wrapped around hers, and she meditated, seeking the core of her power.
Garfield came in the main house. "Hey, Raven? What's Melvin up to in her treehouse?"
"Playing with Bobby. Why?"
"There's wierd lights coming from it. I was gonna go check, but she has been learning new things with her power, so..."
"Gar, I'm worried about her. I'm worried she's gotten into something she shouldn't."
Gar looked Raven in the eye. "What makes you say that?"
"I don't know. She just seems...too happy. That's a wierd reason to worry, isn't it?" Garfield was staring at her. "Gar? What's wrong?"
"Raven...where's the Book of Non?"
Raven's eyes went wide, then blank, then hard. She and Gar dashed out to the treehouse. Timmy and Teether weren't far behind.
Melvin was beginning to feel weak. She'd poured a great deal of power into the book, but nothing seemed to be happening. "Malchior, I don't know how much more I can..." she opened her eyes. Gripping her wrists like a vice were, not paper hands, but black dragon claws. She gasped. "You're not Malchior!"
"No, I am, dear Melvin. I'm just not a wizard." The book exploded.
Melvin fell backward, and looked up. The dread dragon Malchior stood over her in the wreckage of what had been her treehouse. "Bobby..." she called for help.
Bobby leapt up, determined to tear Malchior apart.
"Ah, yes...the last bit of power I need," Malchior said in a sibilant hiss. "My thanks." Lunging forward, he swallowed Bobby in a single gulp.
Melvin screamed, clutching her head.
