Everything was in place.
Flames flickered and ate away at the wick of vanilla candles, and they were placed in specific locations around Sage's room. A thick line of salt outlined the edges of the room. It was a feeble attempt for protection, but it was the only thing they had.
Nathan eyed the amethyst engraved knife in Sage's hand. The candlelight bit off the blade and reflected in sharp refractions. He shied away from the knife. Nate could almost feel the blade pressing against his skin, hungry as a starved beast.
The soul in his hand pulsed and shuddered in a strange heartbeat. Heat and ice stung his skin where the soul touched, but he held on tight.
"Why do we need the blade?"
The siblings glanced over at Evie. Her skin pulsed with a red glow, and her eyes were embers glowing in a white flame.
"Because," Sage said, "whenever you do a spell that could cause innocents harm, it requires blood."
Nate looked alarmed. "What?"
There was a crease of pain between her eyebrows, but she smiled anyways. It was a strained smile, like her lips were pulled too tight from the corners. "It'll be fine. For the greater good, right?"
"Is it- I mean, is it going to hurt? How much blood do you need?" His words struggled to pass through his lips.
"Nate." Sage placed a calming hand on his arm. "I know what I'm doing. I'll be fine."
Swallowing, Nathan nodded and continued to watch Sage.
"As soon as the wards are down, they'll swarm upon us." Her words felt like shadows pouring out of her mouth. "The salt might hold them off for a few seconds, but it should be enough time for Blake's soul to get carried away."
"And as soon as he's gone, Evelyn will pass on?"
Sage fumbled with the hem of her shirt. "Maybe. I don't know. The transformation has already begun, and I don't know if the Reapers will get to her first."
Silence. Heavy and thick and suffocating laid itself upon them.
"Do it." It was Evie.
Sage nodded once in her direction and then got to work. The candles flickered with her movements and shadows climbed the walls. She held her hand above a glass bowl. Nerves wracked Nate and he felt like he might be sick.
Words flew out of her mouth in a quiet hum. The dagger was raised, poised, ready to bite into her flesh. She took a ragged inhale and sliced the blade over her palm in a fast jerk. She hissed and clenched her fist. Blood oozed between her fingers.
She opened her hand back up. The red dripped off the ends of her fingers. It hit the bottom of the glass bowl with a steady drip, drip, drip.
Nathan thought he was about to be sick.
The blood pooled in the bowl. Nate could just smell the metallic tang of it, feel the slickness of it rub against his fingers, but then he realized he'd felt that before while Evie was dying. He looked over at her.
She was slumped on the ground, head in her hands. Crimson flowers bloomed on the front of her shirt, growing at a rapid pace. Her breathing was rapid, making her chest rise and fall at a sporadic rate. Evie looked up at him.
"I remember," she whispered. "Everything."
Grief clogged his nose. Sage was bleeding, Evie was in pain, and it was all because of Blake.
He felt like crushing the soul in his hands. He wanted to throw it, hurt it, in anyway he could. But if he did, Evie would change and people would die. So he held on.
Sage's hands were shaking. "Nate. I need something to stop the bleeding."
Nate nodded and placed the soul next to him. Panic made him rip the hem of his shirt off. He didn't like it anyways.
She wrapped the material around her hand a couple of times before continuing. "Now for the last step."
Nate swallowed. "And what is that?"
"It's easy. All I have to do is break the bowl. It symbolizes the layer of protection. If even a crack hurts it, it happens on the force field. And if there is a crack... the Reapers can get in."
"Okay."
"It will be fast," she warned. "They'll swarm upon us. Are you sure?"
Nathan nodded.
Sage took a deep breath and launched herself at Nathan. Her arms wrapped around him.
"You're a good brother, you know that? And I'm sorry for ever thinking you were the murderer."
Nate ran a soothing hand down her back. "It's fine. And I'm sorry for everything."
Sage sniffed and pulled back, wiping her eyes and making her face into an indifferent mask. A shaky breath. "Alright. Let's do this."
She picked up the bowl, her hands seeming too small to be able to do something so big. She took a breath. Nate took a breath... and she dropped the bowl.
Broken glass tinkled against the wooden floor. The blood splashed onto the floor in red drops. There was a shake in the house, like something bigger than the bowl had broken. A crack appeared in the sky. Black swarmed near it. The Reapers were ready.
The crack spread like the house was covered in a dome of glass. And then it exploded outwards.
Shards of the field burnt up in a blue flame like burning embers. Black blocked their vision of the outside world.
The Reapers were swarming closer.
Nate snatched up the soul on the bed and fell to the floor beside Sage. He put an arm around her like he could somehow protect her from the Reapers. And maybe he could. He had hurt a Reaper before out in the snow simply by touching it. Maybe he could do it again.
Evie crawled up next to them. The Reapers were closing in on them. Getting closer, and closer, and closer. The faltered only a bit at the line of salt surrounding the room before plunging past them.
"Oh god," Sage whimpered. Her hands clutched his shirt.
"Shh..."
A break appeared in the swarm of black and a bird rocketed through. It was a raven, with glossy black feathers and sharp eyes. It cawed at the group and Nate opened the hand holding the soul. Nate held out his hand and the soul spread it's gray glow around the wings of the bird before it took off.
Sage and Nate held their breath... but nothing happened. The Reapers were still advancing on them. Nate's sister tucked her head into his chest, tears wetting his shirt. He closed his eyes. This was it. The end.
Out of nowhere, blinding light flashed through the room. It cut through the Reapers and dissolved them, until the only thing left in the room was a trio huddled in the middle of the floor.
They looked up, disbelief on their faces.
"Nate. We're alive." Sage looked wide-eyes at her brother. "We're alive," she repeated.
"But how?"
There was a softer flash of light, and a dark-skinned girl stood before them. Wings jutted out of her back. An angel.
"Evelyn," she said. Her voice wasn't above a whisper, but it shook him to him bones. "You did it."
Evelyn looked up at her. The red of her eyes had faded away until it was back to the normal brown. Her lips were parted in surprise.
The angel offered a jewel covered arm towards her. "It's time."
Evelyn blinked like she couldn't believe it. "You mean I can pass on? Like now?"
The angel laughed gently. "Yes. You can. Fate is very happy that you fixed everything. You may pass on now."
"Can I- Can I have a few last words? Say goodbye?"
"Of course."
Evie turned to them then. "Nate... I remember everything." She placed a cool hand to his cheek. "Thank you.
"And you," she turned to Sage. "Keep an eye on him. Make sure he lives a full and happy life. And keep out of trouble."
Tears welled in her eyes and she turned back on Nate. "I love you, Nathan. But I want you to be happy. Find someone else, okay?"
Nate nodded, tears threatening to choke him. "I will."
She stood up and took the angel's hand. A dazzling door melded itself out of the dark, bright yellow light emanating from it. The angel pulled her to it, a smile on her face.
Evie looked back the last time, two tears slipping down her cheeks. One he knew was for her, and the other, he knew, was for him.
Guys, it's almost over. That was the last chapter. The only thing left is the epilogue. THAT IS IT! Please vote and comment!
-Sophia ^_^