I felt the fire raging a havoc, burning down all the rational thoughts, the barrier of good, the reason for my years of resilient compliant towards their rulings looks, their tainted minds.
I was done standing in the shadows.
The lights that cast the shadows for me to take a shelter were no more.
With my head lowered and eyes burning rage, glued to the sullied ground that took my mother's life, I force myself on my feet. I clench my fists until a pool of hot liquid pours out, there was no one that could calm this raging storm and save me now.
But I wasn't worried for there would be no one that could save them too.
Those sinner Lycans.
I'll avenge you, mother. I promise myself.
"There will be no life existing on this land." I look up at my mother's face, eyes blurred with rage. "I will make sure that no one lives. I will destroy every being that stands on this ground."
Loud gasps echo the earth and their loud footsteps as they back away from me. But there was no place left for them to run, to hide. "I will kill every single one that was the reason behind my mother's death." My voice now booms as the wind howls around me, darkness now coating the skin of mine, dark black.
I turn around to face those who had sinned.
They stands cowered in fear from someone that was superior to them. Like they should have all those decades ago. This was what I should have done from the beginning. Make them all tremble in angst.
Make them all fall on their knees in terror.
"I will now pass my judgment on you."
Darkness flames brighter than the flickering light from the bonfire, my face twisted with hatred, I was unsightly, unholy. "And I plead you all guilty."
I take one foot forward and point my finger at them. "Death."
And I enjoy the look of horror on their faces, a crackling of butterflies' rampaging my belly. "You shall all be punished with death. That is your ultimate punishment."
And with elongating canines and claws growing sharper and longer, I was ready to befall the punishment that I proclaimed.
"Althea."
I close my eyes upon hearing that voice.
"But they sinned, Aries." I was not ready to let go of this fire raging a havoc in me. I had to let it burn.
"Listen to my voice Althea. Hear me out."
Gentle yet hard. Sweet yet somehow bitter. But it stops the commencement of my slaughter, my hunt. My hard breathing comes out as a growl, shoulders rising and falling as I breathe.
"Althea, my love."
The voice gets closer.
And a second later, the minty scent invades my mind and holds my heart and soul captive. I fall forward into his strong arm and warm embrace. And just like that I was home.
The fire in me dies down and I break into him as I seek solace deeper into the heat of his heart and the shadow of his soul. I seek for a remedy to my pain, something to soothe, to lighten the hurt that I was feeling so deeply.
"It hurts..."
He pulls me in tighter, arms wrapped around me, pulling me flush into him. "Aries, it hurts so much."
And I cry.
I cry out loud. I pour out the feelings that was sitting in my gut, that was poking my heart. I cry out loud for him to conceal my pain within him. For his heart to carry the burden of my tears. And I cry for the loss of my family.
And he takes it all. He carries the load for me as he silently caresses my hair, placing gentle kisses on top of my head. He stands with me like a pole, holding me tall, feeding me strength. And when there was no more sadness to flow, I inhale shallowly and lean away from him, eyes still shut.
His large hand wipes the traces of weakness that I showered in and cups my face, placing a soft kiss on my forehead. "Althea, look at me, love." And I comply.
I fall into that depth again. I feel so much more than hope from them. I feel an ocean of power surging within me. "Take deep breaths, my love." And I immediately do so. "Do you feel it?"
I narrow my eyes and was about to question him when I do feel it.
I feel her.
Though her body sits lifeless, she lives through the very earth. Now that the storm had died down and my mind was clear, I truly sense her all around me.
I feel her through the vines that wraps around everything here, the ground that I stand in, the earth surrounding us, I feel her. I turn around in his arms and hold onto his hand tightly.
She was alive.
And so was the Lycans wrapped around, wrapped within the vines, although their pulses weak, their heart were very much beating. Turning back around in his embrace, I look into his eyes. "She's alive." A nod from him and I wrap my arms around his neck and break into another tear, but one filled with relief.
"She's alive." Placing my head onto the side of his neck, a smile forms on my lips. She's alive. She lives through the earth. I tell myself again and again.
"Dad? Dad, mom is alive." I inch towards him, my heart a little lighter.
"I'm so sorry, Zoe, I didn't see it coming." Wiping my tears away, I stop and turn towards Aunt Aya. "I didn't know she was planning to sacrifice herself once again."
Tears spills her eyes and Uncle Elias holds her tight, comforting her.
"We all didn't know, Aya." Aunt Ana quickly wipes her own tears, but not the guilt written all over her face. She blames herself for this.
"What happened here?" I wanted answers. The truth. I wanted to know everything.
Exhaling a shaky breath, Aunt Aya's face goes hard, fire raging in those soft brown of hers. "A few days ago, we were all summoned to the great hall. Turns out Queen Ophelia had a premonition, but time was short on our hand and their number far greater than we could handle. Within the next twenty-four hour, we were both invaded and outnumbered, and eventually we began to fall."
With eyes pouring with tears, Aunt Aya finally stops to take a sharp inhale, slowly coming out of Uncle Elias's arms. "I guess to save more life, Althea raised mountains, built these walls to shelter us. We have been here since then. There was no exit nor entrance until you showed up."
Aunt Ana's gaze shifts towards my father, completely broken. "Lucas. He's been like that since. He won't budge. We told him, she lives but he doesn't hear us." More tears flow down her eyes and she breaks further into Uncle Chris' arms.
"I prayed that I would never have to see a day like this again Chris, but I guess this is what happens when you break your promise with the goddess. It's all m-"
"Don't you dare, Eliana." Uncle Chris hushes Aunt Ana, bringing her to him, soothing her. I gulp down the tear forming in my eyes as silence whispers our ears again. I hold onto Aries for support and he stands firm like a shield, his fingers softly caressing the curve of my back.
At this moment, we were all broken.
I look back at my father and walk towards him. Placing my hand onto his slumped shoulder, I kneel beside him, reaching out to him. But he doesn't respond to my touch. He remains still as if he lost all feelings of one's touch.
"Losing his mate once again must have been too much for his Lycan. His soul." Uncle Chris whispers behind me. "The first time, he almost went berserk. But this time, he just won't move. I wonder if he knows that she still lives through the earth. But he won't listen to anyone. Our voices do not reach him."
Spiralling my hands onto his arm, I place my forehead on them, and a tear rolls down my eyes. "Dad, you have to listen to me. Mum is alive. You hear me. She lives. Please dad come back. We need you. I need you. Come back."
I plead. I beg. I cry.
But he doesn't move an inch. My tear soaks his arms and fall to the earth but my futile attempt to bring him forth goes to vain.
"I promise, I'll save her. I'll save you. Wait a little longer dad." Letting go of his arm, I wrap my arms around his neck and my mother. "I love you both." And with one last drop of tear down my chin, I pull myself up.
Wiping the tears off, I look away unable to bear the pain of their separation. Although together, they were heaven and earth apart. I hold onto Aries' large hands for support, to lessen the ache on my chest.
"Uncle Chris, do you have any idea on the situation outside? The earth covers everything and blocks our senses. It's like we are walking blindly." I look at him determined to fight back even more so than ever.
But he shakes his head. "All I know is that the entire land is held within the earth along with us. And likewise, the smell of the earth is too rich here for us to sense any difference, but we know for sure that there's no enemy amongst us."
"They are up there, on the land above us but somehow they too are caged like us, from the world outside, imprisoned to this land. While it seems like we are on a ground below them, safe, at least for now." Alastair steps forward, breaking the silence, bowing at Aunt Aya and Uncle Elias. "It's been a while, Elias, Aya." Then he faces Aunt Ana and Uncle Chris greeting the same.
"Christopher. Miss Castellanos."
"And it seems to me that you have broken his highness, King Anderson's command once again, Stamos." Uncle Chris shakes his head in disapproval while Alastair scratches the back of his neck.
"It was the Queen's order, Christopher. I could not refuse." Uncle Chris just breaths out, never knowing to throw words at me. I had always been the spoiled child around, being the only girl at that. "You never change Alastair."
"Sorry Uncle Chris, but I wasn't going to stand back and do nothing when I couldn't reach anyone here. Then Alastair comes with a group of his own and gives me the news."
I send him my best glare, folding my arms across.
"Sorry, little Zoella or should I say your highness." He smiles softly. "It had to be done that way. To keep you all safe. But here you are regardless of all our efforts. So, where are those two little brats?"
He looks behind at Eve and Matt who were still standing by the wall where we had just come through, but it was all gone now, our path sealed. "And who are the guests we have here? I suppose they have something to do with how you got here?"
"Evelyn and Matt." I introduce them with a small smile. "Eve helped created a portal so I could return home."
"A portal? That's interesting." He observes Evelyn and Matt steps forward blocking his view of her. "Sorry, that was rude. But I have never met someone so powerful who can break our defences so easily, invade a Lycan's kingdom and one that had been sealed off."
Aunt Ana lightly elbows him, and he stops his sharp interrogation, although he never lets her go. "Sorry it comes with his job. I'm Eliana and this is my mate, Christopher. Thank you for what you have done for our Zoella." And Eve answers with a slight nod but otherwise remains stoic.
Turning her eyes back to me, Aunt Ana looks behind me. "And he is?"
"Aries. Aries Blackwood. Althea's mate."
"Althea, huh?" She smiles softly. "Of course, you are her mate."
"Back to my questions, where are those boys now?" Uncle Chris asks once again.
"Don't tell me they were too scared to return?" Uncle Elias joins, making us all smile. But I shake my head.
"Before the call ended, mum asked me to look for Harmony." I hold a grim expression once again. It was not over yet. "So, they went to look for her." Uncle Elias states the fact and I nod my head.
"But looking for Harmony is like looking for a needle in the ocean. I wonder why Amara asked you to find her." Uncle Chris sighs, shaking his head.
"We'll figure out once she gets here. Or if she gets here." Alastair too shakes his head. "But first we need to do something about those creatures walking above us like they own this place. Just the thought is starting to piss me off now." He exhales loudly and we all nod our head in agreement.
"I guess it's a good thing that the land is closed off to the remaining of them, like it is to us. Because their numbers are outrageously large." Uncle Chris looks towards the tree. "I'm not sure how much longer she can or will hold them out."
Agreeing with him, I nod my head, following his eyes to her. Finding the courage in Aries's warmth, I take a step forward, letting his hand fall free, I can only try and be strong for now but first I had to make this right, fix my wrong. "I'm sorry for letting hate dictate my words, blindly accusing you all of a crime that never was yours. I'm sorry for causing you distress in this time."
I look around at the Lycans who had their heads lowered. "But if- if you are strong enough to fight. If you can forgive me enough to fight beside me. Please, I ask you all to join me, help me save our home. Take back our land."
But not a voice sounds from the silence. I look at the herds of Lycans, but their eyes all lowered. A reminisce of the past day. But unlike them, no one here was on my side. "You don't have to follow me. You don't even have to respect me. I only ask you to do this for yourself. To save our land. Our home."
Tightening my fists, I swallow the lump building up. "If not for me, fight for yourself."
"You were about ready to finish us all a minute ago. How can we be sure that you won't after all this is over or whenever that other half of yours take control of you again?" One of them finally looks up, face scrunched with anger, hatred. But deep growls follow through the protective Lycans that now surround me. Aries too steps forward, and the Lycan cowers back in fear once again.
But I hold his wrist, stopping him and he swirls around with anger in those dark eyes of his. "No one will dare speak to you that way, Althea." But past that anger all I saw was pure love.
Holding onto his arm, I smile back and shake my hand. Grateful, thankful to have him beside me and the two protective Lycans, not letting me feel the absence of the other two. Egan. Alex. But I was not forcing anyone here. Looking forward, I step out of their defence.
"If you do not wish to join me, stay here. At least you'll be safe until the war's over. But I cannot stay and watch them taint my land with their breath. I will eliminate anyone and everyone that possess threat to my land and hurts my people, my family. I will not let them. Not anymore."
"Sorry but we cannot follow an unpredictable Queen." Some nod their heads while the others still remain silent.
"Our King has fallen and with him gone, our loyalty to you is no longer valid." More head raises at that comment and their hard eyes once again throws a spear my way.
But none of it reaches me now.
For now, I truly understand. I accept it all. No matter how unkind, how sharp their words were, they were all my people. And I will protect my people, like my mother was doing. Because this was home.
"We will not take you as our Queen..."
Their voices fade as the bright golden hue suddenly lightens the dimness around and footsteps flood through. I look at Evelyn, standing by the portal, a knowing smile playing across her face. And I nod my head in appreciation.
More and more of the warriors steps out, with Noah and Ash leading the group. I see Circe, Egan, Harry, Leah and Elvin among the group. My smile stretches further to see them return safely.
They march forward until directly in front of me and all fall on their knees, hand by their heart. My heart fills upon pride at the friends that had gathered, friends that were willing to help, to fight beside me with their life.
Smiling softly at the crowd, I blink once. "I understand."
I look at the Lycans who had stepped aside, their eyes wide as they watch the foreign warriors gathered around, one of a different kind. A kind that they deemed weaker than themselves, now stood before them in such power they could never attain.
"It's alright if you can't. But until the land is safe enough for you, I will protect you all. As long as you stand on this land, you are still my people. This is still home. And I won't let my people nor my home fall while I'm still breathing."
I see a hesitation in their eyes, their gazes shied away. But there was nothing more that I had for them.
"Your command, your highness." Alastair kneels by the front with Noah and Ash, looking up to me. I look at each strong eye filled with determination and power.
"We fight. And we win."
And just like that the earth erupts with the howls and cheers of the wolves and the Lycans amidst them. I move forward, their cheers surrounding me, as I make my way towards Evelyn at the end of it all with Aries behind me like a shadow and my family at the back.
"Eve, go back to Blue Blood." She holds the look of refusal, but I grab her hand and hold her eyes. "Wait for him. I know Alex will return. I just know he will."
Whatever past we held, I know that she would never refuse my request. Closing her eyes, she nods her head and sighs. I smile glad to have her by my side.
"But first, let me open up a portal to the land above. Our way out is nowhere to be seen now." Another portal opens up beside her. "I won't be able to keep holding it open. It will close as soon as you all reach the other side." Then she looks deep into my eyes.
"I will return once Alex does. So, wait for me Althea."
I nod my head and give her a quick hug. Turning around at the rampaging crowd, my eyes turns hard again. "Let's destroy everything that walks this land, that pose a threat to this land. Kill, let no one leave alive."
Make no mistake when I say this. I will destroy the entire land if that's what it meant to have my mother back.
I am no goddess. The darkness resides in me.
While a war havocs on my door, in my home, I will not stand still.
No more.