Greys III - Revelations

Chapter 49 - Silence

I had never felt so inadequate, and considering the life I had lived, that was a heavy statement. I had always been surrounded by magic and power far greater than my own. And I had always been treated like glass, not because of what I lacked, but because of what I had, what I was. Because I was needed, because I was prophesied, even though it was only as a secondary character, a sacrifice, if at least a willing one.

And now it was here, the time I had stayed alive for, the reason I stepped down from that ledge so many times, the reason I was worth something. But of course now, finally now, right when I was supposed to do my one duty, fulfill my one purpose...I no longer wanted to. I wanted to live, I wanted to grow old. Because I had people I wanted to experience life with. Jordan, Levi, Abby...Nevaeh. I had never felt how I did for her for anyone else. I even enjoyed being around Malachi in some strange way, even James. I enjoyed my life finally. Just in time to give it up. How appropriate.

I don't know why I made the joke with Malachi that he was responsible for my life, I knew he wasn't, I knew what would happen regardless of who had my back. Because, unlike the others, I knew how to interpret the prophecy, or at least, I thought I did. I had had decades with it, to decipher it, to follow every possible meaning until I found the only answer. And the answer was repeatedly made clear, especially by the final line - all must lay down their lives. And I was the start, the metaphorical finger in the dam. Or at least, that is what I had convinced myself of, but watching Jordan and James fail time and time again against the Collector, seeing them unable to beat him, the only time I ever witnessed them lose, it shook my hope, my plan. Then when that monster grabbed James, disappearing from Jordan's reach, I felt my heart sink further.

His soldiers formed a ring, as much of a wall around him and Jordan as they could, fighting off and slowing Kael and Nevaeh and Malachi as they tried to break through the circle to help, to save the closest thing to family any of them had ever had. Even if it was only a rival and long-lost, pseudo-brother for Malachi. Some part of me knew he loved James too, though I doubted he knew what those words meant, or could recognize the associated emotion.

I continued to pull from the Collector, but it was useless. Even if I could pull some amount of his power from afar, stop him from disappearing back to wherever he had come from, it seemed I still couldn't stop his Gift from flowing into his son when he had a hand on him. And now he did. So, I prayed. I bartered. I offered anything to have this work, even just to have this be the first domino in that bastard's demise. That would be enough for me.

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I couldn't understand what was happening before me. My mind couldn't fathom that we were losing, that we had actually already lost, that it was over. Some small logical part of my brain knew how this would play out, knew every option ended the same. But that knowledge couldn't seem to bleed through me, spread into the rest of my mind. I just couldn't believe it. It was wrong. This wasn't how it was supposed to go.

So I stood there, stuck in mind and body as his remaining soldiers surrounded me, executing every step like this was exactly how it had been planned. Then the devil spoke, his voice smooth and ancient and haunting. Equal measures beautiful and horrible.

"My dear child, you knew this would be the conclusion. I'm sure you saw it a hundred times in your mind, your dreams and visions - maybe multiple versions, variations, but we always end here, don't we? Your love's life for your loyalty, your submission.

Show me, little wing, show me how much you care for him and save him. No more practice - this is the last time I'll ask you to join me. But even now, as I hold all the leverage, all the power, I still offer you him as a gift. If you join me, you will both live on, together in my home. You will not receive a better offer, batnae."