Days had passed, and Adreanna supposed it was getting easier. The landscape was getting easier, and her relationship with William was getting warmer.
But a wall had formed between them. Thin, but effective.
She still questioned him about his "insurance policies". Yet every attempt was met with vague half-answers.
She sighed, studying the maps and writing her notes in her grimoire. Its black cover had a pentagram carved into it that she liked the most about it. She was writing up the location of the other circles in conjunction to her own when the earthquake began.
The pen fell out of her hand while the building shook. The light faded in and out as a demonic roar filled their ears.
"What's going on?" Styx asked, every hair on his body rising. He shifted into a raven as the table he sat on fell to the floor, leaving broken wood in its place.
William rushed into her room.
"What's happening?!" she called out. William stared, as if trying to decide whether to tell her. He growled in frustration.
"An attack by a lesser god."
She stared in shock.
Were the gods so desperate they actually tried destroying Hades themselves? How far did his powers reach?
"Stay here!" He commanded.
The building shook, particles of stone fell from the corners.
"I'm coming with you." It wasn't safe here.
"No. Listen, these rooms they won't break. They might move, they might shake, but they're strong enough to withstand this. You'll be safer here." He glared, his eyes telling her it was final. She sighed.
"Be careful."
He nodded, running off.
"Are we going to follow him now?" Styx asked curiously, settling onto her shoulder.
"Just a few more seconds, let him think we actually listened... Ok, now."
William was already gone. How had he moved so fast? She briefly wondered if he'd teleported before dismissing the thought. Teleportation was, at least with current magical resources, impossible.
Every inch of a body had to be pulled apart, then forced to move at extremely high speeds, and put back together. It required a level of power and concentration too impractical to perform.
An enormous block of stone fell in front of her. The building was collapsing.
The dead world came to life around her. Witches she had never seen before hurled spells at the invader, while others fought with arrows and knives.
The creature howled. It had the head of a ram, but a huge, black and hairy body matted with blood. Waves of crimson erupted from that body, throwing the attackers back several feet. She stared at the river.
Just a few minutes. That was all it would take.
I can't leave William. I have to find him first.
"What are you doing?" A voice roared behind her.
"William." She whirled around, taking a step back as she did so.
His blonde hair had turned black. The skin was ash. Each finger ended in huge, blood-stained claws. The only thing that remained her of his real identity were his eyes.
"This isn't safe." He called out, hands blazing with fiery energy. She shook her head.
"Wh-what happened to you?" She stared at him.
"I'll explain later. Go!" Another burst of magic sent them both reeling back several meters. She knew the smart thing to do would be to leave.
But this was William. Her William.
She shook her head, grabbing his hand. Around them, the creature battled with the others, roaring in triumph.
She focused, channeling William's power. Any resistance he had faded away as the creature reared up, preparing another strike. She had to work fast. Her brows furrowed as she felt his power within her. There was so much...how much had Hades given him?
She took all of it.
"Tenebrae, exi hinc. Exi ex hoc mundo et nunquam redi. Hoc malum repelle. Infelix creatura, expellimus te tenebras. Expellere nostra voluntas. Expellere nostra voluntas. Expellere nostra voluntas!"
They chanted, building up their power. It speared into the creature, piercing its flesh. Black veins appeared from the wound as if some poison were pushing through its blood. It howled in pain, staggering back. The spell had weakened it, but for how long?
Long enough. It fell to the ground as arrows tipped with Acheron water plunged into its body. All around them, warriors cheered at their victory. But Adreanna could only stare at her friend, watching as he shifted back.
He looked at her, eyes averted. He was not William. Not entirely.
But she didn't care. She'd almost lost him...
It was a few hours before they settled in. She never cared much for victory celebrations. Instead, they sat in her chamber, each avoiding the question until, finally, she blurted it out.
"What happened to you?"
He chuckled.
"I tried to escape. I failed. Hades tried an experiment, binding my soul with Cerberus."
Her eyes widened. "Cerberus? As in the three-headed guard-dog of the underworld?"
William shrugged. "More or less. Not sure about the three-headed part, though. One's enough for me."
"Why didn't you say something?" She glared.
"I didn't want to worry you. I'm sorry."
She sighed. It would do them no good to get angry now.
What's done is done.
"No, don't apologize. You did what you thought was best."
"Do you remember that day in the woods?" He asked her. It surprised her. Though, she supposed, he deserved an answer.
That day. The day all her dreams had come true, and simultaneously come crashing down. How she'd longed for him. For him to be hers. But he'd kept his distance until then. Once more, their fears got the better of them.
I wasted so much time on those fears. Moments we could've shared, dreams we both had. It's all gone now.
"Yes, I do." She replied.
"Why did you do it?" He asked.
"Why play with me? Why not just say it clearly?" He struggled to keep his voice steady.
"I was afraid." She admitted.
"Afraid of what?" He asked.
"Afraid of what people would say, afraid of how my parents would react. That fear ruled my life, William. I knew my parents wouldn't want me to fear it, but I was. I was scared of what I felt."
"And now?" He asked.
She stared at him. The question hung heavy in the air as she answered.
"No. Not anymore."
And with that, she met his lips. This was not like their kiss in the forest, passionate and rough. This was slow, a gradual release of everything they felt. Every laugh, every heartache, all turned into one emotion.
Love.
But as Cerberus growled his displeasure, William could not help but step back. He could see the disappointment in her eyes, but he had to know.
"You'd take me? Like this? You've seen what I can do, what I became."
She stared at him as if weighing her words carefully. Finally, she spoke.
"William, I love you. I always have. But we both know that Hades will never allow this. And even if he did, I'll always be second to him. We have to find another way"
"Escape." She whispered.
"Are you mad?" He hissed. "Escape? And go where?"
"We can find it, Will. We can find Yggdrasill. A better world is out there., just in our reach."
She could see it, that little flicker of hope in his eyes. She smiled. He would come with her. He would love her, just like she loved him. They could be together, free from the chaos and evil of this world.
"There is no such thing."
5 words. That was all it took for her dreams to crash to an end. She staggered back, recoiling.
"What? You can't be serious. William, please." She said, her eyes begging him to stay.
She looked at him, searching for any hint of hope. Nothing.
He's made his choice. Now I have to make mine.
The entire world seemed to slow. She kissed him, feeling his defenses breaking down. The binds loosened, his mind caught entirely in that single moment.
Tears streamed down her face as she plunged the dagger into his flesh. Blood splattered from the wound as he stared at her, eyes so wide she feared they would pop from their sockets. Hot tears washed onto the floor beneath them.
She focused, driving her magic through the blade.
"Fortitudo tua mea est. Tua potestas mea est. Sic est, et sic erit. Tenetur terra, aer, ignis et mare. Voluntas mea absoluta est. Nulla vis in terra eam mutare potest. Nihil mutandum. Nihil!"
She felt their cores merge, their spirits melded together as his powers transferred over to her. Her magic felt strong, renewed beyond comprehension as she absorbed all of his magic.
When she opened her eyes, the tears had all finished. William lay on the floor, dying.
She crouched.
It was useless. Yet she repeated the familiar prayer.
"If you die before you wake..."
Her breath caught in her throat. But William smiled, finishing it for her even as he choked on his blood.
"Hekate, my soul do take."
It was done. He was dead. Styx walked up to his corpse, bowing his head.
As they left the room, a single tear rolled down her cheek.
ns 15.158.61.8da2
