Until Eternity // An Eternals Story

Nine

Note:

I wanted to take a moment to let you know that I have decided to push back updates to every other day, as college life is getting a *tad* ahead of me. By giving myself an extra day to work on chapters, I know they will be of so much better quality - you guys deserve only the best. That being said, hopefully it is easier for me to stick to this schedule!

Also, huuuge thank you for 5k, I'm just mind blown. Like seriously. Feel free to leave any comments or questions you may have and hope you enjoy the chapter! (This one is sort of a filler, but expect ~much~ more drama and a certain mind-controlling Eternal to appear soon!!)

Australia

Ikaris returned them to the ground after some time, and as soon as Emris's feet touched the pavement, she wished to go back up in the air. Up there she felt free. Like she wasn't confined to the laws of the man, like she didn't have to pretend to be someone she wasn't; up there, dancing with the stars, riding upon the winds - Emris was infinite.

"Thank you," Emris uttered softly. "For stopping me. I -"

"You belong with us," Ikaris affirmed. "Sprite and Sersi were right. You may not be an Eternal, but it feels as though you are, and that's all that matters."

Emris was truly grateful to hear such sure, resolute words from Ikaris, and knew in her heart he was right. What had she been thinking, about to go off on her own? She wasn't. Her emotions had overpowered her better sense of judgment - she'd have to work on that.

Her hands slipped down from Ikaris's neck, where she had been holding on to him, and for a moment they rested on his chest. She was about to push away, about to go back up to her room and forget she'd ever tried to leave, when a girl gasped.

Emris and Ikaris's heads shot to the side and her heart instantly plummeted. She shoved Ikaris back and frantically looked at the redheaded girl standing outside the hotel, who stared at Emris and Ikaris in devastation. Her features were twisted with a haunting betrayal, eyes screwed tight in a sure effort not to cry.

Emris moved toward her. "Sprite, it isn't what you think, really!" Emris cried, desperation filling her voice as she thought back to Sprite's dream.

Sprite was in love with Ikaris.

And to see Emris with Ikaris now, after that ghastly dream she'd just had? Emris knew she had to explain, otherwise Sprite would loathe her for eternity.

"Sprite please," she pleaded, reaching a hand out for the trembling girl. "Just let me explain."

Sprite stumbled back from Emris, nearly falling. Her head shook, tears spraying out. And then her face lost its misery, and Sprite looked at Emris with wrath. Pure, raging fury. "I hate you," she spat, and then Sprite vanished from sight.

"No!" Emris cried. She leapt forward, hands searching the space Sprite had just been, but she was gone. Emris wrapped an arm around her stomach as bile rose up from her core. She had the nerving feeling as though she were going to be sick.

Sprite hated her. She surely thought Emris and Ikaris had been doing something lustful, something like what she'd seen in her dream, and now Emris wasn't even able to explain the truth to her. Sprite would be angry that Emris had almost left her, but she'd get over it. This, though? Her love for Ikaris was a powerful, powerful thing. Sprite would never be able to forgive Emris for breaking her heart.

Emris clenched her other hand to her mouth, refusing to let her growing hysteria escape. She felt Ikaris moving behind her, then a hand was placed on her shoulder.