Melusine wove her way through the hundreds of people that were rushing through Equinoxes' busy streets. One word ran through her head; Lilith. For all she knew, she was dead. Tortured. Melusine just hoped they would make it in time. A glimmer of light shone brightly in her heart, reminding her that Lilith was close.
Melusine fell to the ground, tripping over one of the many citizen's feet. Dust filled her mouth and teeth. She whipped her cheek, and rose up from the floor. Out of the corner of her eye, Melusine caught a glimpse of a wooden stage, similar to the one they had back in Baltane. Fear struck through her heart, as child after child were placed in the audience, clinging to their parents. She had seen this before. Back when they took Lilith.
Pushing her way through the crowd, Melusine heaved herself in the opposite direction. She kept on running, and didn't stop until she was far away from the town centre. It had been another sacrifice. Another one. How many would he take?
Melusine swore two things as she joined Penate. One, she wouldn't let Lilith suffer as Annwin did, and two, she would slaughter anyone that caused this.
Penate clenched his teeth. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
Melusine simply nodded her head. "It is our only option." She traced her finger across the rocky terrain, pointing to his layer.
Dijin's castle stood far in the distance like a small, black blob. It was hard to believe that many people were killed, and tortured, in his place. She took a deep breath. Without Lilith, her life would crumble apart. Penate smiled. As if he could sense her despair, he reached out his hand, offering it to her. There was something real in that smile. Something that hadn't been there before. She pursed her lips. Reality flooded back through her body, reminding her that Penate was a snake. A cold hearted snake.
It wasn't long before the earth heated up, encouraged by the afternoon sun. Sweat dripped from Melusine's pale forehead. They had been climbing for hours, and the rocky terrain made it unyielding. She teared her way through the rigged rocks, the sharp points ripping through her skin.
Penate frowned. "I can't go on. Look how far it is." He pointed miles off in the distant.
"Stop complaining and keep climbing." Melusine smirked. The sun rippled the horizon, and the rockbound mountains unveiled as they continued.
Squinting her eyes, Melusine could catch a glimpse of Dijin's layer. She gulped. Lilith would be in there now, her whole life falling apart. He was far too bitter to kill her diligently and swiftly like the other sacrifices. Knowing Dijin, he would make the most of this privilege. Take time to stop the steady beat of her heart. Melusine buried her head in her hands, releasing them from the boiling hot rocks.
In her heart, she knew Dijin would do this. That in a strange, twisted way, he had already killed her.