From Ashes and Dust (Book One)

Chapter 30.2

"I brought it up here so I could give it to you," Enyalius said. He unsheathed the sword and held it out toward Vatra.

The godkiller's blade was crafted with immaculate precision. Tempered steel reflected the light overhead like a beacon. The vines stamped into the blade near the hilt appeared to dance with each movement. Enyalius adjusted his grip on the leather wrapped hilt, motioning again for Vatra to take it.

She refused.

"You think I want that piece of shit?" Vatra blew air loudly through her nose, wiping the tears at her eyes with the back of her hand. "Fall on it for all I care."

"Vatra-"

"I don't want it! I never did! I'm not going to kill you just to take back my mortality. Even if you punched me in the face right-"

Enyalius raised his free hand and landed a sharp slap right across Vatra's face. His eyes widened in both surprise and shock, as if he didn't expect to commit to the action himself.

"Did you just slap me?" Vatra questioned in disbelief. She touched the stinging of her cheek with a tender prod of her finger.

"I went for a punch, but I didn't want to punch you," Enyalius admitted with a shrug. He held out the sword. "Now take the godkiller, love."

Vatra looked at the godkiller. This was the weapon she was sacrificed for. The one her life was used to forge. In a twisted thought, Vatra believed she did deserve the weapon.

"No," Vatra forced out.

"Gods, you're so stubborn," Enyalius said. "I don't expect you to make the decision on taking your mortality back, but I'm giving you the power to take it. You deserve to have this weapon. Even if you don't want to use it for another twenty years, or two-hundred, I don't care."

Thoughtfully, Vatra reached out and took the godkiller. The weapon was heavier than she thought it would have been. "It should be a decision we make together."

Enyalius laughed. "I can't say I'll ever jump up and tell you I'm ready for you to kill me, love. Just know that I won't hold it over your head when you're done dying and living through flames."

"And Revna?" Vatra questioned.

"She understands," Enyalius said. "Feel free to have the same conversation with her if you want."

Vatra dragged her nail against the flat part of the blade. It moved along the metal with ease. There were no cuts to the blade, no marks or blemishes.

"It's interesting," Vatra started, "the years you had this godkiller, you were someone completely different. A much better fighter." She added the last sentence with a cocked brow, taking a dig at the fact Enyalius could barely throw a punch.

"I don't want to be that person. Like many others are given strength by their godkillers, so did mine. I was fearsome," Enyalius said. He gazed off in the distance, his focus on something not quite in the moment. As if he were reliving a memory from centuries past. "Perhaps it was for the best that Revna was bound to me, and I lost that godkiller," he commented, eyes darting back to meet Vatra's.

For some reason, Vatra set the godkiller down beside her and wrapped Enyalius in a hug. The god was just as taken back as she was. He paused, hesitant to return the gesture, but wrapped his arms around her.

"I thought you were about to kill me, now," Enyalius said through a chuckle.

Vatra sniffled, fighting back another round of tears. "I'm not that big of an asshole."

"A surprise kill would be the best move, though," Enyalius commented. "Don't warn me about it."

"I'd rather not talk about killing you," Vatra said. She buried her face into his shoulder, shutting her eyes as tight as they would go.

The god fell silent in response to her wishes.

Biting her lip, Vatra pulled away from Enyalius after a moment. She spilled what had been weighing on her heart. "There's a chance he's still out there."

"Who?" Enyalius asked.

"Spyro," Vatra said. She knew she was going to sound foolish, but the incident had been replaying in her mind. Every detail, and every agonizing moment of Ares' betrayal.

"Vatra-"

"He took his heart," Vatra interrupted Enyalius.

The god's curiosity was visibly piqued. He raised his brows. "I saw he... had it," Enyalius said, hesitating in his words to bring up any memories.

Vatra rolled her eyes. "He took it. Ares dropped Spyro's body but still kept his heart when he turned and left. Why would he do that? Spyro was bound to me not long after Hephaestus brought me back as a phoenix. I'm not even sure the extent of his immortality."

"Hephaestus bound Spyro to you?" Enyalius pushed.

"No, not quite. Another god did. It's a long story, but it wasn't long after I came back that Spyro appeared by my side," Vatra said. "Why?"

"Now I'm not so sure Ares doesn't have something planned with his brother. All of this could have always had another goal for him," Enyalius sighed out. He leaned back on the palms of his hands. 

Vatra climbed to her feet, grabbing the godkiller beside her as she did. "If there's a chance Spyro is out there, and Ares is trying to use him, then we need to find him. But we also have a duty to help the other gods and supernatural beings that Hephaestus is hunting down. Our story doesn't end on this station," Vatra said.

Enyalius nodded in agreement. "Okay. Let's get the others. We'll take them down together, as a crew."

"The Agkistrodon will definitely be renowned once again," Vatra said. "I'll make sure of it, as its captain."