The Devil's Tear

Chapter 59- Sacrifices

                In under a moment, the focus had shifted directly to the pillars of light that rose from each sacrifice’s star. Vesta stood, taken aback by what had just passed. “What h-have you done?” It was Demetri who turned his head towards the dumbfounded, silver-haired queen, smiling with fondness. “Saved your life, Your Majesty.”

                A harrowing look settled upon Vesta’s features as she broke into sobs. Demetri continued to watch her, his smile unchanging.

                Cornelia released a plaintive breath, the depths of her eyes boundless with remorse. “I understand.” With that, she proceeded beside Xerxes.

                Artemis, Allegra, and Demetri had willingly accepted to become sacrifices in place of the three royalties Vesta, Xerxes and herself. Cornelia comprehended their motivation well, though she couldn’t say she was satisfied. Those three had already lost their lives, and were only grasping onto a fabricated life with much difficulty and sorrow, each in a dead vessel. Only their souls had remained intact after being raised by Arisa. In essence, only souls were necessary for the Devil’s sealing.

                 They had been given a chance at dying a second time, and protecting Tytania for as long as eternity lasted.         

                  And they had grasped it.

                “No!”  Rosy finally mustered her strength, tears escaping relentlessly down her cheeks. “No! Artemis! Artemis!” She thrashed wildly against Arisa’s firm hold, her face beetroot red from shock and anguish. Arisa wrapped her arms around her daughter’s torso. “Calm down, Rosy.” The words had little effect, and the young girl continued to flail about.

                “Artemis!” Rosy called out when Artemis gave her a wistful smile. “Why? No! Come back!”

                Arisa buried her face in her daughter’s shoulder, hugging her close. “Ssh.”

                Shards of realisation and comprehension traced Rosy’s distressed mind, and her arms fell limply to her sides. With a bent head, she wept quietly, evident with the continual dripping of tears onto the fiery floor. She did not move for several moments, not even to breathe. In a sudden instant, she nodded with firmness and determination, lifting her gaze and meeting Artemis’s pained one, clouded with the light emerging from where she stood.

                A smile appeared on Euphrosyne’s face. It was a smile of acceptance. “I love you all.” To this, Artemis, Allegra and Demetri returned the gesture, each stricken with the sorrow behind Rosy’s skin.

Xerxes cleared his throat, “The sealing will be complete in moments.”

                “We leave this kingdom in your hands.”  Queen Beatrice spoke, her figure vanishing slowly with her sister’s, who remained silent with shut eyelids.

                “Take care,” Allegra whispered inaudibly, but Losse heard it nonetheless. “I love you, Losse. I always did.” He smirked, running a hand through his hair. His eyes pricked with tears, but for Allegra, he would smile until she could no longer see him.

                Alexei Isaura’s face was pale and imperturbable. His attention was pinpointed directly upon Artemis Delara. A flicker of surprise passed over his features when the reversal began. The black hair Artemis possessed after death changed colour from its tips, travelling upwards while releasing shards of black paper-like substance floating away and dissipating before reaching the ground.