Fate of the Blessed

Chapter 14

Aeron

"This could have been so much easier Amara." I grabbed her by the hair, flinging her backwards. She slid along the floor, coming to an abrupt stop. She struggled to get back on her feet. Blood ran down her leg. I held a malevolent smile on my face as I walked slowly towards her. She was a tough nut to crack, but I enjoy a challenge.  

"Fuck you, Aeron" Amara spat, holding her knee.

My eyes flashed in anger. I held up my hand towards her. Her eyes went wide, the air was being sucked out of her lungs; she struggled to breathe and crumpled to the ground. Her orb on the plinth behind her dimmed. I dropped my hand. Exhausted, she dropped to the ground. I laughed; it was amusing watching her gasp for air.  A sudden memory of hers shot through my mind. Not a recent memory, but an ancient one from long ago. A previous life, perhaps. A lightbulb moment hit me, and I gave a sly smile.

"I know what you are now." I said, Amara still gasping for breath, looked at me, her green eyes glistened with unshed tears. 

"You're Thrice-Blessed." I darted towards her, catching her by the shoulders, staring right into her eyes. She tried to pull herself out of my grip, but she was too weak.

"What the hell are you talking about?" She said. 

"In your past lives you've reached the Elysian Fields three times; this entitles you passage to the Blessed Isle." I let go of her shoulders as I began pacing back and forth. I ran my fingers through my hair.

"You are a rare creature indeed."

"What does this even mean Aeron, you're not making sense. I don't understand." Her pitch rose as the words tumbled out of her mouth. 

"It means you're special Amara, the power your orb holds." 

Amara

I looked at him; I didn't understand any of this, Blessed Isles, Thrice-Blessed, Elysian Fields. It was all too much. None of it made any sense at all.

"Only a fraction of people ever reach the Blessed Isle, don't you see Amara? Your soul is rare and powerful."

I stared up at him; he was crazy. He was dangerous, and I was like a lamb being led to the slaughter. Aeron paced in front of me, but I didn't take my eyes off him. My mind raced with the possibility of not getting out of here alive if I was still, in fact, alive. I had to get back to Shanti; she needed me. He walked towards me and bent down, his face inches from my own. The intensity of his gaze made me turn my head.

"Oh Amara, what a joyous occasion this is."

I built up my courage and head-butted him, catching him right in the nose. He stumbled backwards, knocked off guard. I took the opportunity of his distraction, dragging myself from the floor I limped towards the door. I braced myself, fearing at any moment I would be pulled backwards, but I reached the door without incident and slipped through it.

Aeron

I watched her stumble out of the door. This time I let her go. She had nowhere to go, even if she got out of the front door. Her orb was the only way she could escape, the only way she could move on. I wiped the blood from my nose and looked at it smeared across my fingers. I smiled as I licked them clean.

"Run little Amara, you'll be back soon enough."

Tae-Seong

I reached the top of the steps, but nothing had stirred. My body was on full alert, ready to react to the slightest movement. My pulsing heart reverberated through me. I held my sword ready, inching slowly forward through the open doors and into the main chamber of the temple. Its marble floors and pillars held an air of beauty. If I was here under any other circumstances, I would have marvelled at its distinction. Pillows and cushions littered the edges, but the middle lay empty, save for one oversized throne at the far end.