Runespoor: Stronger Together

Chapter 4: Ominis - Wishful Thinking & Unleashed Rage

Her words pierced my heart when it escaped her lips. 

"Ominis, I should've...I should've jumped in front of that curse..." Emelia's voice echoed, "maybe...maybe if I did...Sebastian would've seen what he was doing was wrong; maybe he would've gone back to being the old Sebastian before...before everything went wrong..." she said, her voice trailing off.

"Emelia..."  I murmured, my voice barely a whisper.

I wanted to scream at her, to tell her that neither I nor Sebastian would've been the same afterwards, that sacrificing herself was never going to be an option.

My mind had shifted to another memory – the day Emelia was crying hysterically in the undercroft after reading the Daily Prophet about Sebastian; her cries filling the room, and I couldn't do anything to help her, but hold her close and hush her soothingly. I remember her shaking in my arms, trembling from fear, anxiety and heartache, she could barely stand, speaking incoherently – eventually crumbling to the floor. I recall holding her fragile frame in my arms, feeling her warmth take over me, her familiar scent invading my nose, her hair smelt of strawberries and vanilla with a hint of coconut.

Emelia couldn't even make out words due to her violent sobbing.

Thankfully, I thought of a distraction to help her – listening to my heartbeat; I reminisced putting her head close to my chest, reassuring her that I was there for her confidently when in reality, I wanted to cry beside her and wallow up in our sadness together, but I had to be strong – for her – for us. 

Once she cried herself to sleep, I held her in my arms a little longer and enjoyed the silence around us, her soft breathing a sweet sound to my ears.

I wanted to obliviate her memories right then and there – everything involving Sebastian.

It crushed my heart into the deepest parts of despair, hearing her in pain. I felt utterly useless I couldn't do more for her, but...if I could erase her memories, perhaps her suffering would go away and she'd be...better.

The thought was truly tempting, but I couldn't do it; knowing Emelia, she'd hate me if I did such a thing to her, even if it was for her own good.

"Emelia..." I whispered to her sleeping body, caressing her tear-covered cheek with my thumb delicately, "I promise you that with every tear you have shed, Sebastian will understand it when he stands before me again, a thousand-fold. He'll be sorry that he's hurt you, my sweet darling girl."

-

I came out of my dream, feeling the weight of the past linger around me.

I despised reliving that moment of Emelia tormented; it never failed to feel like my soul was being torn to pieces.

"You're awake," Alistair simply hissed at me; I sighed, opening my eyes.

Sitting up and turning my head towards the snake's irritable voice, I groaned in annoyance.

As I swung my legs to dangle on the side of the bed, Alistair spoke. "Bad dream?"

"Frustratingly so," I answered, stretching myself in all directions, running my hands through my hair.

"I could tell. You kept shifting in your sleep," he informed me.

I got up, ignoring his comment. "What time is it?" I questioned, reaching for my wand.

"Around one in the morning," Alistair replied with a sigh.

"And Emelia?" I wondered in anticipation.

"Still asleep."

That response gave me instant relief.

With Alistair, it was nice to know how she was doing when I was sleeping; I didn't have to worry too much and with my gift I'd given her for Christmas, my confidence in my abilities to be there for her heightened.