Oni paused heart racing as Jack's body slumped in the lake and for a moment everything stopped. Each side looked at each other confusion and displacement evident in everyone. Oni felt a sense of loss she has never had in her life, she had no purpose. Then a cry rang out.
"Get the sword!"
Then mayhem began again. And for a brief moment, malicious joy flooded her and she turned to reach for the sword. Oni felt a hand clasp around her's as she took hold of the hilt, she flinched bringing up her dagger stopping a centimetre from Marissa's neck. The two girls stared at each other, as a net of lightning dance around them. Oni could hear Kai's footsteps behind her, she could hear the enemies hammering at their defences, and she could hear the hammering of her own heart. Oni could hear so much, and she was afraid of what Marissa might say. What she might do, but this was her purpose. Fighting for those who could not fight and she had to fight, to save all the ones she loved.
"Do you trust me?"
The question rocked through Oni. Determination glittered in Marissa's eyes and the battle raged behind them, but this question seemed to freeze time.
"Oni..." Kai's voice whined in concern. Oni looked back at the number of enemies tripled, he was looking ragged and it certain doom peaked from around a corner.
Oni smiled and let go of the sword. "Why not?" Oni turned her back on the witch and came up side by side to her Dragon. Her love. They were going to die here, but at least they saved the others. Saved so many. "Will you marry me?" The words slipped out just as easy as pulling out her blades.
She looked at him wanton smile on her face, blades at the ready, and he beamed back at her. "Let're the Gods be our minister."
"And blood as our bible." Oni kissed Kai deep and passionately, her whole world electric, just as the shield of lightning fell apart.
Hope was lost, enemies rushed in, she was ready to fight to the death beside her beloved.
Several things happened at once that if Oni was ever asked she would not be able to explain. Power surged through the whole cavern, so powerful it slowed down time. Oni turned to look for the source of this power. Marissa stood in the middle of the lake, she had placed the sword in and power billowed out. She threw the gates of magic wide open, instead of closing it. Her skin burned away and reformed constantly as the power overwhelmed her. They were all stuck in power so immense it felt like they were moving through jelly, which reflected their insignificance in the greater balance of the world. Maybe it was a single instance but it felt like forever and in that forever moment one of her bone necklace burned. It burned hot and bright making her skin bubble around it. In the far crevices of her mind, a memory of her youth came bubbling forward. "When all hope is lost, make a wish and snap the bone. But only when you have hope no longer."
Oni closed her hand in a fist around it. "I want all three of us to live." Oni crushed the bone in her hand to dust, even as it cooked her skin.
Oni watched as finally Marissa gathered enough strength and will to pull away from the sword. She could feel the world slowly begins to speed up, her energy has been restored but so had her enemies. Then she heard a little ethereal whisper. "Invite me in."
And so she did.
The last thing Oni remembered was her skin burning away and a dark laugh that wasn't her leaving her mouth. Then darkness.
YOU ARE READING
Of Spirit and Blood
RandomA Seres de Maxia story. The Curators have existed ever since there were towns. They were a secret order whose purpose was to keep humans safe from magic. Protecting them from seductive beasts, enchanting items and cursed trees; in the beginning they...
