Edric looked at the bruise on his hand and sighed. Running the cold water through. The silence in the house was long gone. Instead erupting with screaming and echoing noise.
He waited for it to quiet down, and for the familiar sounds of Amity storming into her room. Then he could get up and bandage her. Knowing the wrath their mother was capable of.
Everything would be alright, he assured himself. It was always alright.
Walking out the door, he comes to see his twin sister holding the first aid kit. Probably from the loose tile of the weapon room. He gave her a small nod in gratitude, pulling down his sleeve so she couldn't see.
Emira spots it anyway, he can see the frown that crawls on her face. She says nothing, however, knowing exactly how Edric would respond to her.
It's already happened too many times before.
They waited in their rooms for their little sister's footsteps to come in through her room. Edric doesn't worry too much. They've done this before.
Many times before.
The thought is almost sad.
But Edric doesn't allow himself to feel that way. He was supposed to be a better brother. And better brothers didn't feel pity for themselves. He would not allow himself to have a repeat of the library incident. He would work to be better.
He had to be, Mittens deserved nothing less.
Edric does not mean to be cruel or mean. He does not mean to take his pranks too far. He just... sometimes the thrill of it all got to his head. The adrenaline was addicting. A drug he couldn't stop taking it.
He enjoyed the sweet taste of freedom on his lips. Even if it was momentary.
The short lived happiness is always worth their mother's wrath.
Everyone living here has a chain tied to their wrists and ankles, reminding them of their surname. But when he and Em make their plans... he can't feel it weighing him down. Of course he knows it's still there, it's hard to ever forget it's existence. But it felt lighter somehow.
Pranks were funny and silly. He didn't get to be that as a kid. He didn't get the sweet bliss of being a child. This was the closest thing he had to that. Edric just wanted to make sure he could take every bit of it before it was inevitably taken away from him.
But like most things, it came with a cost.
Normally, he wouldn't care for the cries or screams that erupted from his peers. All running around like witchings from the animals that usually got involved.
But then that cost came in the form of Amity.
Edric is trying to be better. And so is Emira. And this isn't an excuse for how they acted before, but... it's an explanation at best.
The only son of the Blights had been so caught up in his thinking he had not realized the stomping of a pair of heels. It did not sound like mother's. Mother's heels never tapped like that. And father's shoes did not sound like that either.
Could it be...Lilith?
He doesn't leave his room. He couldn't risk that. He needs to be in good condition to tend to his little sister. Not that Emira's bandaging wasn't helpful, he just tended to be more gentle in the subject.
Emira was better at making ointments. Despite being in the Illusions track, she was naturally gifted in potions. A gift that would never leave the confinements of their room.
Never.
The footsteps grow more rapid, loudly echoing through the halls. Edric wonders what caused her to run so frantically. He had analyzed her footsteps before, never were they this... messy.
Lilith's footsteps are powerful, echoing in a way their mother's didn't. They were rapid too. Gracefully moving from one point to the other in a swift movement. The empress was nothing short from elegance. Mother once let it slip that it was impressive she picked up on it so quickly, despite coming from no noble blood.
Or... so he assumed. He never knew her mother's maiden name.
Stepping back from the door, he sinks into his bed.
Everything will be fine. Lilith would make sure nothing happened to Amity. Everything would happen the way it usually would.
Everything was okay. Everything was under control.
"DON'T SPEAK OF THEM THAT WAY!" a voice came loudly from above.
Edric sighed in disappointment. Amity had gotten better at maintaining her anger over the years, but it seemed that that was not the case today. The girl was treading a very thin line. Titan may she come out alive.
He hoped she would be okay.
Don't be daft. Everything is fine.
Perhaps he should take his mind off of things. Maybe doodle and research comet bats and their differences with snarl bats. Yes there was a difference.
That's it. He'd draw. He'd weave the lines together and knot them in certain points. Maybe he'd even draw Em. Or perhaps Mittens. Or even Lilith. That would actually make for a good portrait. The empress of the Boiling Isles, painted by the Heir to the Blight fortune.
Well... one of them.
Where was he? Oh yeah, portraits. Yeah, he'd do tha-
"OF COURSE SHE LOVES YOU'RE RELATED TO THE AWFUL THING!"
...That is terribly out of context.
He was sure it was fine.
A rush of footsteps are heard at the hallway, but they don't stop like they're supposed to. They keep on going, fading away by each second.
Okay... things were definitely not okay.
Swinging the door open, he finds that Mittens is nowhere in sight. Emira shortly opened her door too, looking for the same thing he was. Eyes dilated slightly to see his confused expression. She gives him a nod, and he gives one back. Splitting up, they go in search of their little sister.
Emira took off to the West Wing and he took off to the east. When he does not see the familiar patches of brown and green, he makes way to the stairs.
His legs beg for him to leave, head screaming "DANGER DANGER DANGER" as he draws closer to the steps. The smell of his mother's perfume practically wreaked from them. Reminding him of who lay behind the wooden layout.
But he would not be cowardly now, Mittens deserved a better brother. Edric would be a better brother.
Slowly, he lay his toes to it's creaky surface. The carpet beneath them silenced his steps, but he was careful to go slowly. He did not wish to be caught. Not now.
"You!" he heard Lilith yell from the end of the hallway.
Edric tensed slightly, but still forced his legs to go farther. The image of Amity at the verge of tears enters his mind. How terrified she was when she came home from the wailing star that night.
He had drawn that. He had been the one to endanger her.
Not now! He scolded. Mitte- Amity needed him now. Now wasn't the time to be selfish.
"Why did you take my daughter? What did you mean by her father getting rid of her?"
...what?
He begins to go just a little faster, still careful not to make noise. Reaching his mother's office, he leans against the door. As much as he loved his sister, he knows better than to burst in.
"Explain yourself or I'll make you," she said angrily, her eyes a brilliant and murderous blue.
Edric gulps at the blue flame from her hand, matching the colour of the gem on her chest. If not a little more vibrant. Her mother is pinned to the wall, a hand gripping at her collar. Never had he seen her collar out of place. Yet here the empress was, crinkling and ruining it.
"He came to me a couple days before her birthday," his mother started.
He listens carefully, careful not to make any noise himself.
"He told me he needed to get rid of her. And that in return he'd get rid of Alador's... less than adequate record."
A caged snarl came from the empress' throat. The Lilith he knew did not appear anything short from presentable, yet the loose strands of hair from her neatly tied bun proved otherwise.
Mittens sure had dug her way into her icy heart.
"And you accepted?"
"Who am I to say no to the emperor? Believe me Lilith I didn't want to take in that thing but I'm not foolish enough to say no to him."
Amity... Amity couldn't be- well, Amity. Princess Amity was for one, dead. And he's pretty sure Mittens isn't dead.
Also that would mean they weren't related. And Edric is certain that they're related. Right?
Edric... didn't get it. He... he clearly remembered the day of Amity's birth. He remembered mother and father coming home. And... and...
...Wait... no...
That... that made sense.
Why there were no pictures of her until she was 2. Or why no one seemed to remember her existence when they came to parties when he was 4. How mother and father could not answer simple questions regarding her birth.
But... but that still didn't make sense!
Right?
"You are not to speak of this. Say nothing and you will be safe. Do you understand?"
Edric doesn't know why he suddenly wants to cry. The tears threatened to reach his eyes, but he did not allow them to.
I have no reason to be merciful with you, but I'm doing this for Edric and Emira. You may not see it, but they've grown to be wonderful witches. Amity is lucky to have had them here."
His heart twists and turns at her words, "I cannot say the same about you."
Mit- Amity was not lucky to have him, he had only made her miserable over the years. They had their moments. Moments where they were happy, just the three of them. Moments he did their make up and braided their hair. Because despite being girls Edric was always better at it. Moments where he taught her to cast light spells and kissed her good night.
But then there were moments like the library incident.
Lilith was wrong. Amity is not lucky to have had him. He had done nothing but ruin her.
Mittens- Amity. Amity should have been raised by Lilith, loved and happy. No siblings to ruin her or get in her way. No siblings to be compared to.
Amity should not have been cursed to bear the Blight name. She did not deserve the pain.
He dodges the empress' gaze and makes way towards his room.
Amity... where was Amity?
"Edric! What in Titan's name are you doing!" Emira whispered from below.
He made haste towards his older twin. Grabbing her arm and dragging her towards his room. Despite her protests, he could not find it in himself to talk. Instead dragging her away from his mother's office.
Maybe if he walked fast enough he could run from all of his problems.
"Ed? What's going on? Where's Mittens?"
"I didn't find her."
"Then why-"
"Just go!" he said harshly, making sure to keep his voice low. Emira glared at him, angry at his mysterious demeanor. Sure he runs his mouth over the stupid exotic plant he found outside the Manor but now he keeps silent when their little sister is missing.
Her brother is stupid if you didn't know.
He shoved her onto his bedroom, and Emira caught herself just in time. The worry at his frantic state made her anxiety spike up.
One thing you must know is that Edric is never worried. He is always poised and he is always the one to assure that she was okay, but when he worried, it meant something was horribly wrong.
"Edric, what's going on?"
"I'm not sure, but... but I don't think Mitten's is okay."
Emira's heart rate sped up, she's almost certain that her twin could hear it.
"What? What do you mean Edric? What happened to Mittens?"
Her pained voice triggered his reflexes. Immediately he brought his hands around her shoulders, running his hands through her hair. Emira's breath raced, almost synchronizing with her heart beat.
"Ed wha-"
"Shhh. It's okay. Breathe first. Mittens is safe. We have to breathe first."
"Bu-"
"Breathe Em,"
The ache in her chest grew and she tried to force herself to breathe. Yet her lungs wouldn't budge. Her throat was clogged and her body grew hotter by the minute.
"If you can't breathe, swallow and hold your breath for 10 seconds. Then try and follow me okay?" he said softly.
Nodding weakly, she did as he instructed. She forced her saliva down and held her breath. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5-
She began to cough suddenly, but it seemed to do the trick. Her chest stung at the cold flooding of air. Throat souring as the chill ran desperately through her lips. Edric did not let go off her, the stroking of her hair seemed to ground her under the irritating buzzing in her ears.
A sharp pain spiked at her stomach, but she tried to follow the rising and falling of Ed's chest.
Amity... what happened to Amity?
"Mittens is safe Em. She's going to be okay."
Emira trusts him when he says this. Whether it was because she naturally did or if it was because she desperately wanted to, she wasn't sure.
Mittens... Mittens was fine. They were going to be fine. They were always fine.
Right?
A knock on the door proves her wrong. Edric offers her an encouraging squeeze as he makes way towards the door. She instantly feels cold upon his leave.
When he opens it, mother is there. Her collar ruined for some odd reason.
Odalia Blight never had creases on her dresses.
"Amity is... taking leave somewhere. I am not sure when she will return." her mother's voice says, sharper than the swords on the walls of their home.
Emira nearly stops breathing again.
"I understand mother. We will not let it interrupt our schedules," Edric promised as calmly as ever.
How he managed to do it she'd never know.
"Good. And no questions, do you understand?"
Their voices are mechanical and prepared, "Yes Mother," they reply in unison. It's implanted into their minds. It is law. It is rule. It is their life teachings.
But Emira could not shake off the feeling of dread. Everything was happening so fast. What... What was going on?
Edric scanned the hallway as mother took her leave. Closing the door gently, he turned to face her. Hand gesturing to the bed, she took a seat on his blue bedding. Not that he would ever say it out loud, but he had always preferred the pink in Mittens' bedroom.
She wished she could get it for him.
Taking her hands, her heart felt immediately devastated. Edric always made sure to break news to his sisters gently. So when he took her hands and began to soothe them, she knew something was terribly wrong.
"We need to talk, okay?" he says gently, hoping to calm her enough for what was to come.
He tells her everything.
And Emira screams at the end of the night. Her cries echo the halls and reach the ears of the lumber workers in the garden. She is later found being held by her brother on the floor of his bedroom. Crying for who knows how long.
She also gets a purple bruise across her right wrist.
--x--
"Again," he orders.
And Lilith attacks again. She turns her staff and sends blasts towards her many targets. Her aim never misses, they're all drawn to their respective victims. Her feet are graceful and fast, making no noise as she passes. The swift movements of her hand fire out completed circles. Guards left and right drop to their knees, spells not missing a single one of them.
Until it does.
A single guard successfully dodges her attack. Even when he fell later on, she did not hit him.
Lilith swallows in fear.
Belos rises from his seat, and Lilith's throat knots on itself. All of her mind screams for her to run, but her feet are frozen to the ground. His degrading eyes devour her entire body. Cold water ran through her veins and her body shook violently. His eyes are predatory, they've always been that way.
"You missed," he repeated.
Apologizes and pleas for mercy form at the tip of her tongue, but they do not get a chance to leave. He grasps her chin, his gloves digging uncomfortably at her face. A sharp pain spreads through her jaw as he grazes them along her cheeks.
They're cold. They're so very cold.
"If you are to be empress, it means you will be nothing short from perfection. And that means never missing a target. Even when training."
She trembles against his grasp. Frostbitten hands prickle the bottom of her chin. His hand slowly caresses her neck and makes its way to her shoulder. They leave a trail of black poison, the silhouette of a wicked grin never leaving his lips. Despite the mask on his face, she knows he's smiling.
The guards all grunt and groan as they make way to the door. Eager to go and patch themselves at the healers office. Lilith silently begged for them to go as slowly as possible. Fearing what would happen when the two of them would be left alone.
The last of the guards shuffle out and close the door behind them. The click of the door is the last thing she hears before his gloves dig violently into the back of her shoulder.
A scream erupts from her mouth as the metal breaks through her skin. The blood drips from her broken skin. The red aroma filled her senses and smeared the metal. The rusting of his metallic gloves stung through her shoulders. Pulse ramming itself through her chest.
The tears rolled down her eyes, causing her eyelids to shut. The pain was agonizing as it spread through her shoulder to her entire left arm. Aching as he very slowly retracted them from her flesh.
"Do not miss again, do you understand?"
She meekly nods her head, the tears still stinging her eyes. Her body ached from the training period beforehand, yet now it was dull compared to the bleeding of her shoulder.
Lilith had not meant to fail, she had not meant to disappoint him.
"When you love something," he says in the darkness of the weapon room.
Looking up she sees his poisonous blue eyes through his mask. Though his voice is sweet it is nothing remotely close to it. It was bitter and sour, scorching your skin like acid and boiling rain. Demanding power and stripping you of your will. It dug into her chest and pulled at her veins.
"You want what's best for them. And for that, I want you to be the best you can be Lilith. You must understand this."
She can see the sunlight glaring through the curtains. The fire in the sky wishing her farewell as it took it's leave. Laughing at the pain in her shoulders and all of her being.
Her body is no longer hers, and she is no longer her own person. She is his. His Empress. His fiance. His wife.
She is his.
Lilith hates the glaring light of the sun. It blinded her and jeered. Amused at the suffering she endured. Testing to see her bounds and her tolerance for pain.
She hates the sun.
There are many more pains to come. There are more scars and bruises that invade her arms, back and waist. They all take nasty hues of purple and pink.
They also remind her of her failures.
And there were a lot of failures.
"Lily?"
Her head snapped back to reality, taking in the sight of the weapon room.
He isn't here.
"You've been staring at your wrist for a while," Eda remarked.
Oh... oh right.
They were in the weapons room, preparing for battle. It is nearly sundown, and her sister is by her side.
Her daughter is alive, and healthy. Away from harm's way. She doesn't hate the sun anymore and her husband can't hurt her daughter any longer.
She puts down her clothed wrist and makes way towards the large closet ahead of her. The thoughts implanted themselves into her mind, screaming at her foolishness. Taking the gilded handle, she swung it open to reveal the cloaks. They carefully covered the silicon figures inside of it's cases.
Eda's is simple enough. Taking after the original Emperor's Coven uniform so she can blend in for the first few minutes. Though underneath lay a more... flashier cloak more accommodating to her tastes. Her sister had also insisted that they both get customized dresses too. Even requesting it be made of witch's silk.
Let's just say that Lilith spent a lot of money on these.
If Delavina Clawthorne taught her daughters anything, it was that when kicking ass, you gotta look like a bad bitch.
Lilith is not kidding. Her mother has said this word for word. And she'll gladly tell you that too. And to be fair, they did look gorgeous. So there isn't really much to complain about.
Oh and her mother also told her to wear lots and lots of pearls.
So naturally, she complied.
"I get the whole purple and black color scheme but are the pearls and lace gloves really necessary?"
She scoffed, "I'm sorry were we raised in the same household?"
"What?"
"Do I need to remind you of the time she literally told us to wear forearm length lace gloves, a floor length dress and pearl jewelry if we ever assassinate someone? Come one Edalyn she even told us what shade lipstick to wear."
"Is that why you kept asking me about lipstick shades?" she asked in disbelief.
"Why else would I ask you Stupid."
Eda looked at her, bewildered at the thought of being this extra. Especially coming from Lilith of all people.
Then her memory set in little by little as she stared into the emptiness of the castle's weapon room. The castle is large and spacious, chaotic in it's own way. It was strange to see the castle that way. One would think that the sanctuary of elite witches is polished and perfect all the time. Yet it seemed even the most powerful witches were still prone to disaster.
When did she hear tha- oh yeah! Mom had said that. Along with something about letting the light hit your face at a 45 degree angle.
So that's why Lilith designed her outfit the way she did! I mean not that she was complaining it did look pretty good.
"Oh was it the one she told us when I was in preschool?"
"Yes Edalyn. Did it seriously take you long to remember that?"
"Lilith I think we should be more worried that you remember murder advice given to you when you were in first grade."
The empress dismissed her and went back to the garments laid before her. Eda followed suit, taking the dress neatly into her hands. Lilith personally never understood her sister's love for the colour red, but she must admit it went nicely with her hair.
Lilith began to gently tug at the button of her high collar, the other buttons following shortly after. Her sleeves were dragged gently off her arms to reveal scarred skin all around. Discarding her dress, she fastened her corset tighter. Running her fingers through the cool fabric of the new dress in front of her.
Lilith did not like looking at her arms. Or her waist and shoulders for that matter. They were all marked by him. And she hated thinking of him. How he had drawn his sign of possession on her. Like... like she was some sort of object to be acquired.
It's why she liked covering up so much. It was simple really. One did not like looking at the scars your husband inflicted on you.
But it was okay, she reminds herself. If she succeeded, he'd never lay a hand on her again. He'd never lay a hand on anyone ever again.
"Lily... what happened to you?"
She turned to see the horror plaster all around her face. Eyes widening and hands clenching into tightly bound fists. Lilith stared at her in confusion until her eyes trailed to where her sister had been staring. Turning to look at her shoulder, there lay a long red line starting at her shoulder all the way along her forearm. Stopping right at her elbow.
She had forgotten to cover them today.
"Oh... Don't worry too much. They're just training scars."
It isn't a complete lie. They were scars she got during training. Just... not in the way you may think.
"Really?" she asked, the anger sinking into her voice. "They look pretty deliberate to me."
"It's intense training. You can't expect me to always be careful."
"So were you dodging glove knives or something?"
...Titan Dammit.
"We must get going, Edalyn. It is nearly sun down. You can argue as much as you want with me later," she snapped.
Eda let the anger melt away and instead let the icicles of sorrow solidify. They felt uncomfortable at her skin, letting it reach the other woman in the room. The lines invaded much of her body. They took the vibrant colors of faded brown and red. Like a beast had come and clawed at her.
It pained her heart to see them. She could only imagine the amount of blood that ran down. The bitter aroma of red seemed to taste faintly on her tongue. Even if it was not there. The feeling of pure unease made Eda feel uncomfortable in her own body. Seeing them was almost like having them.
He did this, didn't he?
She doesn't say it out loud. She knows. She always knew these things.
But she knows she's right. They don't have much time. Belos would only be weakened for so long, and even then he was still powerful. She would have to ask her some other time.
Guilt crawled onto Lilith's eyes, a sigh leaving as it did. Offering a regretful frown, she buttoned her dress.
"If we succeed-"
"When we succeed," Eda assured.
Lilith let a small smile plant itself on her lips, "Right. When we succeed, he'll never be able to do this to anyone ever again."
Eda smiled weakly, "Y- yeah, he won't be able to hurt us anymore."
The empress nodded. He'd never hurt Edalyn ever again. He'd never hurt her anymore.
He'd never hurt Amity ever again.
With newfound determination, Lilith went onto put on the rest of her enchanted clothing. He'd never hurt her daughter ever again. She'd kill him over and over again if he ever did.
That is a promise.
She turned to see Eda in the coven guard uniform, though her heels did stand out. She refused to wear the "ugly clown capitalist shoes."
Honestly she doesn't even know why she tries.
"Go to your station. I'll meet you outside at my signal. You know when that is right?"
Eda nodded behind the mask. Tugging at the front of her cape to cover her half filled gem. Not now, she tells herself. You cannot be weak now, we're so close. You just have to be careful.
She really hoped Lilith wouldn't notice.
A weak chuckle left her lips, "We're really doing this huh?"
Lilith felt guilty for dragging her into this mess. But knowing her, she'd join her anyway. Eda deserved to bring justice to herself. He had cursed her, taken the many years of her life. Not to mention he had promised Lilith what he did not intend to give.
But she knows she must do this.
He would regret the day he cursed her sister. The day he married her, and the day he got rid of her daughter.
He would regret training her as well.
"Yeah... we really are." she stuttered out. Failing to mask the fear in her voice.
Titan what is she doing?
"You look good in purple. You should wear it more often," Edalyn said, trying to calm her sister's nerves.
She appreciated the sentiment. The mirror to the left glistened slightly, making both women stare into it. Lilith stared at the purple dress, which was off shoulder and lined with black embroidered flowers. The black laced gloves reached her forearms, a pearl necklace and earrings matched nicely against the color scheme.
One of the few rules Edalyn had instilled on herself was that when you commit a high capitalist crime, you gotta do it in style.
Lilith actually agreed with that sentiment.
"Are you ready for this?"
Lilith thinks. Was she ready for this? Was she ready to finally put an end to all the suffering her husband had done to her and her family? Despite the odds being against her?
No. She isn't ready. But then again, she wasn't ready to be a mother. But she had still done it, and she had done a fairly good job at it.
"Not in the slightest," she admitted, letting out a breathy laugh. Broken to a fault.
"But... let's go."
They left the weapon room, leaving it to remain in the silence of their departure. He would hurt them no longer.
That was a promise.
--x--
Belos is tired.
His bones ache as he tries to make his way to his bedroom. He silently wished it had not been so high upstairs. If he had not taken that excursion so far into the east wing, but it was necessary. The Day of Unity would be upon them soon.
Or so he hoped.
There have been... setbacks. And quite large ones at that.
The people grew more and more upset. Wearing shades of purple and black all over the streets. Refusing to go to work in sign of their protest. Though he tried to burn the books that sparked this initial reaction, he knew that would only anger them further.
Belos is not a foolish man. He would not have come this far if he was.
Could they not see that wild magic was dangerous to intrust themselves?
He groaned at his weakened state. Thanking the titan that no one was here to see him in this state. How humiliating it would be to have witnesses that weren't Kikimora or his wife.
Speaking of his wife, her heels echoed in the empty throne room he had been passing. The sight before him is... unnerving.
She's wearing purple and black. The very colours that oppose him.
He bites back a snarl.
"Lilith. What are you wearing?"
His wife does not cower like he expects. Instead, she smiles. They're painted red, unlike her usual black. They are like the blood in her veins. Devious and cunning.
And it is not like Lilith.
"Do you not like it?" she teased. Letting the unease creep up onto his shoulders. It seemed to have brought some sort of twisted joy onto her eyes.
"No," he snapped angrily, "Are you aware of what those colors represent?"
"Well I am the mother of the people," she smiles, before letting it fall. "Isn't that right, dear ."
She says it with almost as much poison as he did. The liquid rage and anger fell from her lips, her blue eyes freezing like icicles.
He did not have time for this. He had to get to their bedroom.
"I do not have time for this Lilith-"
"I'm sure you can make some time for your wife," she interrupted him.
There was a thick tension in the air, like she had taken all of the air in the room for himself. Savoring the sweet sight of his shaking body. He shot her a glare from behind his mask. If he had not been in such a vulnerable position, he would have put her back in her place.
Blast this stupid day.
"Lilith-"
"Do you remember our daughter, Amity? If I remember correctly, she had gotten your hair colour, and eyes from my side of the family."
The more that passed the more his chest grew with pain. Yet Lilith did not move away from the threshold. Staying put as he tried to make way to it.
A part of him wanted to reach out and make her lips bleed, but he knows better than that.
"I also specifically remember the day I lost her. How my cries filled the walls of the very room and you kept telling me to shut up."
What in the isles was this woman getting at it?
Drawing a circle in the air, a blue flame invaded her palm. Her gloves stayed intact, like it was made of pixie lace. Which would not be out of the ordinary. Lilith always dressed herself in the finest fabrics and textiles. Something she had learned over the years of hosting balls and parties.
He wanted to say something, but the pain that spiked in his chest did not allow him to do so.
Her eyes darkened, igniting heavy storms of the sea. Usually, her seas were tame and sad. With no will of going on. He had enjoyed this, it had given him control. These seas had belonged to him.
But now all they did was yell bloody murder.
"I remember... the day you gave her away."
The horror made way to all of his being, but he did not have enough time to react. The next thing he knew, she threw a beam of fire at him. Sending him flying out towards the doors of the halls.
Another burning sensation nipped at his skin from the side, this time coming from a single coven guard. The cold air hit his gloves and cloak. Making him hiss at the contact of rubble beneath him. He was now even farther than where he needed to be.
The coven guard that had assaulted him had walked out, ripping off it's uniform to reveal a great shade of red. The colour of a freshly bloomed rose. The very colour of his mother's broach.
The owl lady... of course. He should've known from the heels alone.
His sister in law wore a similar outfit as his wife. Though instead of her purple and black, she had taken reds and yellow. The gold embroidery of arrows all around her sleeves. Wearing matching sets of pearls as her sister did. Though it seemed she refrained from wearing gloves.
It seemed that they had put much thought into their outfits of all things.
Spinning her staff above her head, she brought it down with a loud thud. A fiery bird consumed her being, spreading its wings of fire in the air. The silhouette of her charged at him.
He is able to dodge her luckily, quickly moving out of her. Feet planted themselves onto the bridge of his castle.
Another fiery predator made way onto the battlefield, but this time a cold blue. It was no doubt coming from Lilith. He quickly summoned his staff and sent an offensive spell her way. Which barely misses her. This did not seem to phase her much, as she made her way towards him.
They take the battle to the air when Edalyn sends a blast from behind.
The Clawthorne's are skilled, he must admit.
But not skilled enough.
Magic was shot left and right in the light of the setting sun. The light filters of orange and yellow kissed every waking bit of the outside world. Enchanting colours of yellow, blue and red spread all along his castle. Proving that the two sisters were a worthy opponent in battle.
It is two against one and he still has an advantage. How pathetic were these two women?
Guards stared at the clash of colours above their heads. Not sure what to do. Some tried to make their way towards their emperor, but none ever made it past the door.
A low groan came from behind them, an abnormally large abomination emerging from behind. Before they could attack, vines grabbed hold of their wrists and ankles. Slinging them into the air.
"Luz! The door!" Amity cried out.
"On it!" she yelled back, running towards the door.
Two battles commenced in the grounds of the palace. Amity drew more and more circles the closer the guards came to her. Launching abominations and balls of fire. The pin on her black dress nearly came undone as she dove under a tackle. Letting the coven soldier hit the stone walls.
Just then Lilith was thrown onto the large doors of the gates.
"Lilith!" she called out in worry.
Her mother's eyes widened in horror at the sight. Shifting back and forth between her sister and her daughter.
"What are you doing here?!"
"Me and Luz are trying to hel-"
"NO! Stay away from this!" she ordered.
A circle was completed from her painted nails before she could protest. Casting a shield of magic form around her and Luz. The other guards stopped fighting at the sight of their empress. Becoming more and more conflicted as it went on.
Staring up, she sees Belos launch his staff at her. Quickly rolling onto her back, it misses by nearly an inch. Okay, maybe witch's silk was a good call, or else her dress would have been in tatters.
Her sister grew her cursed owl tubes and wrapped it around his body, doing her best to make haste as she sent an explosion his way. He merely lifts his hands and dispels all of it.
Belos is strong, Eda must admit. But he's also growing tired, she can see it. She can feel it. His breathing caught up to his throat. Stinging as he tried to inhale in the cold summer air.
Eda refused to slow down now.
Luz began to roll herself towards a small spike, trying to get the orb to break. After a couple of attempts, her efforts prove successful. Her hands immediately fell onto the encasement Amity was in and began to roll it towards the spike as well.
The emperor takes a step back, lifting his finger in the air. Unlike the two of them, he wasted no time on drawing spell circles. He simply let the magic flow through his veins. His body overcame with lightning, though it did not burn like one would expect.
It evaporated and suddenly stormed towards the woman dressed in purple. But this time, Lilith isn't quick enough. She feels metal graze her shoulder and pin her to the ground.
Lilith has always been afraid of her husband. No matter how wrong she knew it was, she had always been fearful of him.
But this was new. This was a new kind of fear. The one that made her freeze and whisper prayers for the spirits to hear.
His gloves dig into her flesh, much like they had 26 years ago. Breaking her skin and the fabric of her cloak. She had felt this pain before, but this time, it's even worse. He stabs into it quickly, ferociously trying to get in deeper and deeper into her bones.
She couldn't help but scream. Agony dripped into the pain in her shoulder. The heat around the area of assault burned with the heat of a million suns. The tears come almost instantaneously. Her cries seemed to reach the ears of everyone on the grounds.
"MOM!"
A desperate cry calls out from behind her. A blurry sight of her daughter being restrained brought all of the rage back. Her husband is knocked off of her body thanks to Edalyn. Who takes him head on as she tries to recover from the blood dripping from her staff arm. She clutched onto it tighter. Trying to get up, she began to shift her weight onto her left arm.
Get up. Get up and fight. Do not leave your sister at her time of need.
Lilith plummets to the ground again, but uses her staff as support to get up. Though the pain is still burning, it was nothing she couldn't take.
She cast a small healing spell to her shoulder. Though it's not enough to heal all the way, it's enough to not have it get infected. The pain made itself known often but she did not allow it to get to her mind.
She promised that he wouldn't hurt anyone again. And that meant her as well. Her daughter needed her. Her sister needed her. Her people needed her.
Lilith needed to fight.
Her sister began panting, clearly tiring quickly. Belos mirrored her actions. Giving Lilith a small betraying sign of hope.
"You cannot defeat me Owl Lady!" he spat. "Your curse will get to you!"
"Then how pathetic are you?" she shot back.
A giant spell was drawn from her staff, which later divided into multiple other circles. All sparkling like fireworks.
"That you can't beat me, AT MY WORST!"
They shot out all different attacks. Belos, who had grown weaker over the time of battle, resorting to holding out a bubble shield. Much similar to the one she had encased her daughter in.
Speaking of her daughter, she couldn't help but feel a tiny bit of pride at the sight of her kicking Kikimora in the face.
Her sister doubled over in exhaustion, though her spells still fired. Lilith took the opportunity to attack him head on. Clutching her shoulder with one hand she spun her staff and sent him flying towards the end of the bridge.
He did not get up this time. His bile sac was too inflamed to go against them head on.
"It's over, Belos," he heard Lilith say, panting as she made her way towards him.
"You've lost. You cannot win this."
He snarls as he looks up at her. How ironic, she is above him now. Not to mention he looks pathetic. Lilith drew a spell, preparing to give the finishing blow.
Amity's fire spells catch the attention of Belos, making him stare at the insufferable child.
She had cost him everything.
"I should have killed you when I had the chance," he spit out, out of breath and angry.
He sent another blast, but not towards any of his opponents. No... he sent it towards his daughter.
Amity looked in horror as the poisonous red made it towards her. She falls to the right, luckily not getting hit.
But then her legs wobble, and she feels her feet no longer touching the stone rubble of the bride.
She began to fall.
"AMITY!" Lilith cried out, completely forgetting Belos and running to the edge of where her daughter had fallen.
Spikes. All Amity could see were spikes. Just like the day at the covention. When spikes had erupted from beneath her feet and made her heart stop. It was all she could see. An estranged scream came from her lips as she fell closer and closer to the earth.
Another pained scream came from above her, and Amity was no longer falling. She opened her eyes to see her mother struggling to keep her afloat.
Please don't let me fall. Mom please don't let me fall. Mom please. She silently begged.
She doesn't want to go yet.
The sight was enough for most of the guards to make up their mind. Many made way towards their empress and supported Amity back into the air. Lights in all colours surrounding her vision and body.
As soon as her feet kissed the floor, her mother pulled her into a bone crushing hug. Her breath ragged and panicked. Amity is pretty sure she could hear her heartbeat beneath all the layers she was wearing.
Yet Amity was sure her heart had stopped.
Everything around her becomes mute. Her vision starts to blur and so do the surrounding sounds around her. Her breathing hitches and she... she can't see. Everything around faded to gray and she can't hear or see her mother anymore. Heavy tears start to fall and she wants to scream.
Lilith- no. Her mother begins to sob uncontrollably. Clinging onto her like she would disappear into the spikes again if she let go. The pain in her shoulder did not carry the same weight the fear did. Completely disregarding its open wound.
Don't let go of me. Mom please don't let me go. Don't let me fall. She begged, though she could form no words.
She didn't want to fall.
Her crying is contagious, and Amity lets the tears fall. Shaking and trembling against her mother's secure grip. Her breaths were uneven and so was her heartbeat. Which had begun to speed up with a start.
Another blast is heard and Edalyn falls back. Luz, who finally stopped fighting the guards, ran towards her and embraced her mentor. Eda is quick to get up and brush her apprentice off, but offers her an assuring smile in the process. Though it did not do much to calm the human's nerves.
He runs into the forest. Belos runs into the midst of the trees and many coven guards follow after him. Even when she does not order them too. Steve leads the group, rushing them towards where he ran off to like a coward.
But that was not what Lilith was concerned about.
He... he tried to kill her.
He tried to kill their daughter.
Her daughter.
The ever growing rage did not seize. With every breath she took she could think of one thing and one thing only.
He would pay for all this. He would pay for everything.
And she meant everything.
"We lost him. But... we'll find him Lily." Eda assured her frightened sister, who was still holding onto Amity for dear life. Like she would disappear into the spikes again if she let go. The tears clung onto her eyes, but did not fall.
"And when we do, we'll kill him." she promised the empress and her daughter. She sounded so sure of it too. Even when she was lying on the floor panting.
"No."
The answer shocked everyone around her, but she did not give them time to form any opinions just yet. She shot a maddening glare at the forest he had gone to hide in.
"I will give him a punishment worse than death." she spat out in anger. Protectively tightening her grip around Amity.
"I will send him not to the conformatorium, but the deepest depths of the isles. Never will he see natural sunlight again. He will be stripped of his magic and when he grows sick, I will make sure the healers only keep him barely alive. No one is to speak to him, not even those who guard his cell. And he will suffer in silence, if the madness does not catch up to him."
Guards dressed in purple and black began to surround her, conversing and theorizing about the situation. But Lilith didn't care. She only looked up to meet Edalyn's gaze once more.
"And when we abolish the system he so carefully built, I will force him to watch everything he's worked for come apart. I will take everything from him just as he did to me."
The shaking girl in her arms only made her snarl even more. A reminder of the horrible things he had done to her.
"And that is a promise."
Eda stared down at her chest to see the black taking over her yellow gem. Immediately she went to cover it, not wishing to make the situation any worse on her sister. She shuffled towards the castle, desperate to have something to hold onto. Her head reeled and pain trickled down her spine.
She had not meant to go this far.
"Eda?" Luz calls out, worry clear in her voice.
Before the Owl Lady can tell her that it was alright, she suddenly felt a great banging in her head. All around her faded away the closer and closer she walked towards the door.
Just get to the door. Then you can rest, she told herself. She just needed to get to the door.
But then the black drowns her. Eating her vision and hearing. Her body went limp and she comes crashing onto the floor.
"EDA!"
Luz makes her way onto Eda's side, shaking her. Trying to get her to stay awake in the midst of everything.
She saw faint blobs of color that resembled her apprentice. How she wished to see her face. Her beautiful brown eyes and hair. Her kind smile and toothy grin. How she wished to see it one last time.
Though her apprentice is the last person she sees, with tears streaming down her cheeks. She hears someone else's voice as she slips further and further away from consciousness.
"EDALYN!" Lily cries out.
Then everything goes black.