|[ The Soul Reaper - 2 ]| [UNDERGOING EDITING]

Epilogue // Return of the Old One

I stood at the edge of the waterfall, watching the sky before me twist and swirl with grey and white smoky mist. I thought about Cedric, sleeping by the fire just through the trees. I couldn’t do it, even though I had promised him. It was less painful this way – no emotional goodbyes. Just… I’ll be gone. But there was a sliver of hope. I felt the cold of the glass arrow against the inside of my arm. Just a sliver.

There was a sharp hiss of wind that bit through my clothes and into my flesh. Winter would be over soon – it was almost midnight; it would be spring. I bit my lip, feeling the sadness well up inside me. Colour flickered into my vision and I saw the blue of the sky, and the silvery-yellow of the stars. I sighed, letting go of all my thoughts and kneeled down in the snow, feeling the cold melt through my pant legs. As I bowed my head, almost in prayer, I heard the sound of someone’s approach and looked up to see a figure walking towards me along the Bridge of Souls.

Abbadon stepped onto the snow before me, his dark cloak falling around him elegantly. I stood, feeling the arrow in my sleeve.

“So, you kept your promise.” He said slowly, “Shall we?” he gestured behind him towards the invisible bridge and I nodded. He stepped aside so I could walk past him, and being careful not to touch him or his cloak, I stepped onto the bridge. I walked smoothly along it, ignoring the sense of dread that clung to my spine. I felt like, any moment now, Abbadon would reach out and touch me – and then my one chance would be gone.

Time spanned out endlessly as we walked, Abbadon moving silently behind me. If I did not glance over my shoulder every few seconds to make sure he was, I wouldn’t have known he was there. Eventually the Crystal Forest came into view, the final planks of the Bridge passing under my feet. I wondered why it had not broken apart like it had the previous two times I had cross the bridge – perhaps it was because Abbadon was walking across. I sighed and stepped off the Bridge and found myself amongst the crystal trees once more. I saw souls wandering through the trees, fading in and out of view. Some stayed and watched as Abbadon walked past me, leading me further through the trees. Others lost interest and disappeared. I saw one appear and begin to walk beside me. White and hazy, I could make out no features, nor hear a voice. And yet I could sense who it was.

“Claude?” I whispered, reaching out to touch him. He jerked away, the blue fading from sight and appearing a few metres away. Of course. I shook my head. I couldn’t afford to let myself become trapped here. Abbadon, hearing me speak turned, his blue hood shading his face. I averted my eyes and he turned away again. I let the arrow slip slightly further out of my sleeve, like a hidden blade. I moved as close to Abbadon as I dared, skirting his cloak. I had one chance to hit him. One slim chance at an escape. If I screwed this up – I would be trapped here forever. As Abbadon walked turned back to face me, sweeping his cloak aside, I lunged forwards and felt, with relief, the tip bury itself in his chest.

There was no blood, but Abbadon screamed, in anger and in pain. He slapped me, knocking me aside and I waited for the numbness to seep through me. His touch would make me his. And yet, I remained the same. I blinked, confused and relieved. Had it worked? Was Abbadon without his power?

“You foolish girl!” he roared, grabbing the arrow from his chest and throwing it. It hit a tree, but tinkled back to the ground as whole and perfect as before. “What have you done?!”

“You left me no choice!” I cried, climbing to my feet. My head and neck ached from the blow, but I could feel the pain leaving me. As I watched Abbadon’s cloak stained blue and more colour filled my vision. “I couldn’t let you hold me here. I couldn’t.”

“You stupid child!” Abbadon snarled, “Meddling with magic you don’t understand. How did you come by that?!” he pointed at the arrow, “HOW?!” he shouted, his voice echoing through the trees. Even without his magic he was still intimidating.