34.
Everything was black. When I finally pried my dry eyes open, it was just as dark as the curtain behind my eyelids. My body was still bound, my cheek cold against the hard tile of the throne room, my limbs refusing to respond. My tongue was numb and my mind shrouded in fog, a sensation mimicking the effects of local anaesthetic.
I was alone. There were no sounds, not even a brief hitch of a breath or the shuffle of light feet could be heard. It was as if the building had been cleared out completely. All furniture was gone, or if it was there, I could not see it in through the darkness. Where light once refracted off the walls, there was an absence of all brightness.
Frantically, my eyes attempted to search the room, but my head would not move off the floor. The space I could monitor was so insignificant that it began to feel like the walls, the same walls I could not see or feel, were closing in. My breathing caught, the air escaping rapidly from my lungs as I began to panic. But my body was paralysed, and as much as I tried to draw the air back in, my diaphragm was not responding. I spluttered and coughed, all the while being completely still. My eyes strained as the oxygen was pulled from my blood to support my vital organs, bulging from their socket.
The pain was like liquid fire, spreading through my body like my blood was gunpowder. My blood thinned, and just as the pain became so great that my body felt as if it were eating itself, it stopped.
Light flooded in from an open door, reflecting off the tiled walls to illuminate the large throne that sat in the centre of the room. Perched atop it, a wicked smile on her face, was my doppelgänger. I gasped, bringing in a large and gulping breath as the feeling returned to the upper half of my body. As I wretched on the floor, my legs dragging behind me, the Elder rushed into the room, a bundle in his hands.
"Forgive me," He rushed as Ly gave him a serious side eye. I did not speak, my body functions jarred by a lack of oxygen, but I could assume that his sudden entrance was unexpected, "but it's ready."
He presented the bundle in his hands, his head bowed before his ruler. Ly plucked it from his hands eagerly, throwing the cloth wrapping onto the floor and extracting the object in one swift motion. In her hands she clutched a long curved blade. It was black, almost impossible to see from my position on the floor, and seemed to be void of jewels or any speciality. None the less, it was frighteningly sharp, that much was clear as the tip glinted like a bright star. I knew it as soon as I saw it; that was the blade meant to take my life.
Ly held her hand out expectantly and the elder placed a small bottle in her hand.
"This is it then?" She examined the tiny bottle, tipping it upside down.
"Yes. It will strip all power when applied, so you wont have to use the spell anymore. How long it lasts, however, none can tell."
"Thank you, Blake. That will be all."
The elder's gaze passed over my crippled body and for a moment I thought he might say something. But, as he was no longer needed, he slunk back into the shadows and closed the door that had allowed light into the room. Once again, there was nothing but darkness. Then, with a snap of her fingers, my doppelgänger lit the room, a globe of light hovering in the centre of the room.
For the first time I saw a glint of red at the hollow of her throat. The blood stone glinted, held up perfectly like a thin black cord.
I attempted to draw forth the gold light at my core. There was no response. The light quivered like a small child scolded by its mother, shrunken into the corner. But whatever bound that held me wouldn't last much longer; such was clear by the vile of poison that my doppelgänger clutched eagerly. If I could somehow avoid ingesting it, I might have a chance at getting away and finding Beast, Alvar and Lucius. If I could somehow get my hands on both the poison and the blade, I might stand a chance to face Ly alone. I just needed to stall enough for my legs to regain feeling.
"Why are you doing this? You want to destroy the First Plane? Destroy Earth?"
She barked a laugh at my question and rose from her throne, dagger twirling in her right hand.
"Oh darling," I watched in horror as my own face on a different body contorted into a wicked and wretched smile, "I don't want to destroy anything. I want to save it."
Her steps only brought her closer, dagger still twirling in hand.
"Save it? By tearing down the very barriers that keep all humans safe?" I pulled my body away from her approach, upper body straining as I crawled. One of my toes curled and I nearly cried out I triumph.
"Those walls don't keep anyone safe. They just keep them ignorant." One of my other toes tensed and relaxed.
"It will begin a war." Another toe, along with a spasm in my calf.
"There is already war. Many wars. You may find this will open their minds, concentrate their aggressions."
"And when everyone's done killing themselves, you'll be there, I assume." I kept my legs relaxed, not wanting to give away the fact that both of my thighs had regained feeling and my feet were tingling.
"Of course." She grinned and continued to stalk towards me, amused by my slow attempt to get away, "and then we will reach a state of co-existence. It will be a world where the Shadows are no longer shadows. And the humans can use our lands to resolve the issue of overpopulation."
"But how is that going to work?" I asked, genuinely interested in the answer as I tensed my muscles, readying myself to jump up, "Won't breaking the barriers just mean everyone will exist on the one land mass?"
"Oh sweetie," I had stopped struggling and now she crouched in front of me, uncorking the bottle of poison, "You're ignorance amuses me. The world is not as circular as you'd like to think. It is flat, with two sides. On one side, lies earth, and on the other lies the First plane, hidden. And between the two, beneath the dirt, we exist, hidden," She used her dagger to gesture to our surroundings, "Breaking the walls will just make the portals feely available and the dimensions will be seen by all. It's the only way forward."
"But to achieve it, millions will die in the process. Including me." Fear and adrenaline made my body quiver. Ly saw my trembling and already believed she had won. But with confidence comes carelessness.
"Yes, well, you wont disappear completely. You're essence will be in this stone." She flicked the bloodstone with her dagger and I flinched, "You win some, you lose some." Ly took her eyes off me for a moment as she laughed, dipping the blade in the sticky black poison.
I took it as my chance, seeing no doors unlocked or a clear way to escape, and I lunged. As my arms wrapped around Ly's shoulders, the blade was knocked out of her hands and slid steadily across the room. Our bodies collided heavily, her back cracking against the tiled floor. Between us, the bottle crushed. The thick black poison sprayed onto Ly's face and onto my arms.
We both froze. The imminent results of the poison began to take effect and that little quivering child in the corner shrivelled up almost completely. My abilities were only that of a human. By the widening of her eyes, I knew it was working on her as well. Two things happened simultaneously; I reached for the discarded blade and was thrown with force from atop Ly's body. My fingers scrapped the handle, but altogether missed as I was cast aside with a strength that matched my own. I scrambled to my feet as Ly began to stand, her fists clenching as she searched for the dagger.
I didn't waste another second; I lunged for the blade that lay to one side of the throne. Ly, hot on my heels, lunged instead for my ankles. We crumpled once more onto the ground, the impact hurting more than it had before. Ly brought up her fist and slammed it into my skull. Big mistake. The punch dazed me, but the force had broken the fingers in her dominant hand. She cried out, the pain lost to anger as she lifted her hand to strike me again. I bucked my hips as she drew back, pushing her off of me and scrambling towards the dagger.
The leather hilt slid easily into the palm of my hand. On instinct, I slashed the dagger out behind me and tore through clothes and skin. I spun on my heel and watched with amazement as Ly's blood poured heavily from a slice of the upper bicep. It didn't heal; it just kept on bleeding. It had worked; her powers were shut off. Not waiting for her shock to register, I sliced forwards again, aiming for her guts.
Ly dodged the blade easily and elbowed me in the stomach. The blade slid from my hands, clattering on the floor. Ly's eyes widened as the dagger slid towards her. Her confidence dropped her guard. I punched forwards, my fist striking her throat first and then her stomach. She staggered backwards and gasped, her windpipe struggling to take in air. I brought my guard up and prepared for a fight. But this other version of me had a different idea.
Ly dropped her guard completely and reached for the discarded dagger. She slid onto her knees and picked up the dagger in one fluid motion. I raced forwards and before she could stand kicked her in the face. Ly fell backwards with a screech, her head hitting the tiles on the way down. I raced forwards and threw myself upon her. Straddling her hips, I threw down my fists onto her face with all the force I could muster, again and again and again. With the adrenaline burning, I couldn't stop myself. Over and over I stuck her face, and over and over she let me. Her nose cracked under my fists, a tooth dislodged and her cheeks began to swell. After what felt like minutes, but was only a few seconds, I slowed my punches.
Beneath me, Ly began to laugh.
"You stupid, stupid girl." Blood sprayed onto my face as she began to laugh once more, a deep cackling that sent a nauseating sensation to my stomach.
I looked down, suddenly aware that her eyes had been drawn to my stomach, and realised my mistake. I had left my stomach open and had fallen directly into her trap. The nausea wasn't from her laughter; it was from the black dagger that was lodged into my abdomen.
Everything I had learnt in school and in training screamed at me to leave it in my body, that taking it out was suicide. But I could not let Ly win, I could not let her destroy the world as she saw fit. I braced myself, holding onto the hilt of the blade as I closed my eyes. Ly continued to screech with laughter from beneath me, but I shut it out. With a great sigh and a heave of my chest, I pulled the dagger from my stomach.
I screamed as the pain tore through my stomach, blood gushing from the wound onto Ly's face. But the blood on her hands wasn't mine; it was the blood of all the innocents she would kill, the blood of my friends, the blood of my family. I began to loop an image over and over again in my delirium; with this blade she killed my sister, with this blade she killed Alvar, with this blade she killed Beast, with this blade she would kill my sister. The image darkened, throbbing at the forefront of my brain until it was all I could see, all I could feel. In one swift motion, and a scream that tore through my throat, I raised the dagger above my head and drove it into the centre of my doppelgängers chest.
Blood spluttered from her open lips as Ly coughed. I collapsed backwards, a whimpering cry escaping as I clutched my stomach. Whatever she had hit, it was vital.
Ly's hands grasped the dagger hilt, and I expected her to pull it out. Instead, she laughed and pushed it in further, all the while staring straight into my eyes. She smiled, her teeth stained with her own blood.
"You can't stop it. One way or another, the humans are going to find out. But if you beat The Anima to the chase, you can control how it happens, who dies and who lives."
"I will not let millions die... to fulfil some fantasy prophecy you think will solve the galaxy's issues."
I shuddered, out of breath, and pulled myself away from her body. I took off my shirt and pressed the material into the wound. I had to keep myself from screaming. It felt pointless, having an argument with a dying woman, but I felt compelled to defend my beliefs.
"Look around you," She laughed, causing the blade to cut deeper into her chest, "you're living a fantasy because you chose to ignore the real problems in this world, and your own. We all need change. That change is The Reckoning, and it will never be stopped."
I wanted to fire back, to tell her that nothing was inevitable and that with her gone, no one was left to fulfil her destiny. But with her next cough, she began to violently seize; her body shaking against the dagger, tearing her chest to pieces. Her mouth foamed, blood spat from her lips and then she was still.
Ly's haunting words were lost to me as I felt a surge of power suddenly reboot my system. Beneath my fingers, my stomach began to heal. I launched to my feet and welcomed the gold light back into my body, the poison finally wearing worn off.
"Beast!" My power unfurled and lashed out, expanding over the entire shadow empire as I searched for my Gryphon. Below my feet, something pulsed. "Beast! Beast are you okay?"
"Lyra?" A weak voice answered my call and an image entered my mind. Wherever he was, it was dark and he was restrained, but he was safe.
I stumbled, catching myself on the armrest of the throne. I nearly fainted in relief. Quickly, I poured what was left of my power into his energy, healing the bruising from the restraints and restoring his energy.
"Just sit tight. We are going to be alright."I opened my mind and felt Beast use my eyes to stare at my doppelgängers body.
"Oh, oh my! Oh my—" The elder suddenly barged into the room, the same door he had used before wide open, his hand drawn to cover his mouth.
"No need to pretend anymore, Blake. She's no longer able to order you to care." I spoke softly, watching the blood pool grow on the black floor. It was like watching lava flow down the mountains of Hawaii; beautiful yet destructive.
It seemed to suddenly dawn on him that this outcome may mean his death. Crumbling to his knees, he bowed at my feet, head pressed firmly against the floor.
"Forgive me, my lady, my quee—"
"Enough." I cut him off and gestured to the necklace still wrapped around Ly's neck. "You will tell me what my sister's blood stone was intended for and how to restore the portals. I wish to return home."
"My queen—"
"I am not your queen."
"Lyra..." He stuttered and clumsily rose to his feet, "The gem was spelled to capture your essence once you were killed. It draws in power and allows the wearer to access it."
"So," I reached down and tugged hard at the cord. It did not break at first, but as soon as I pushed my power into the threads the material snapped and the stone came free, "It now holds The Umbra's powers?"
"Yes. When you wear it, you shall have power over both Planes." He answered swiftly.
I gently stroked a droplet of blood from the stone and examined it. It looked the same as it had when my sister first gave it to me, only this time the red layers seemed to move.
"You will show me how to use it to reopen the portals, then when we are all safe I want to destroy it."
"But it's too powerful, we can't just destroy it!"
"I do not want to hear it, Blake! You will find a way to destroy it! I do not want this power!"
In a fit of anger, I threw the stone onto the ground. As soon as it touched the ground, a violence force threw me backwards and I crashed heavily onto the ground. A bright red light emulated from the tone, forcing me to cover my eyes as it continued to brighten. I coughed, Blake groaned next to me, also thrown back by the explosion, and attempted to stand. The light from the stone pulsed once, twice, and then disappeared. Once again, the stone was just a stone.
"What was that?" I ground my teeth to keep myself from screaming.
"I told you, Lyra. It is too powerful. Now it has The Umbra's power, it cannot be destroyed. You have no choice but to wear it."
I closed my eyes and took three deep breaths to calm myself. Now was not the time to discuss such matters.
"Where is Alvar and Beast?" Although it was a question, I demanded an answer.
"Beast is being held by the wolf Noir, in the basement. I assume by now they have recognised they are not a threat to one another. Alvar and Lucius are being held by the wraiths in the top floor. The order of their deaths has not yet been passed. I will inform them immediately to bring them down and have the people gather outside."
I flicked a hair out of my eyes, pretending to be unbothered by this information. In truth, my heart finally had steadied hearing Alvar was safe, as was Lucius. I already knew Beast was okay, the warmth in my belly told me we were still tethered to one another. But that did not explain a new sensation I had begun to feel, an itch in my brain like someone was trying to enter it.
"The wolf, what is to become of it? Shouldn't it be dead?" I guested to its master's body.
"No, no neither the wolf nor the Gryphon would have died from the events of today. You and... Ly's souls are cut from the same cloth, so the wolf is now yours."
"Interesting," I paused, mulling it over in my head, "And it will do as I say, protect me, and always think of my best interests? It wont try to kill me and regain it's former master?"
"No, he will never try to kill you. Now Ly is dead, your death truly means his own demise. The bond you form may become just as strong as your tie to the Gryphon."
I chewed the inside of my cheek and suddenly realised what the itching sensation was.
"Beast? Do I let him in?" I called to him gently, knowing he was exhausted.
"I don't think we have a choice, really. But if he ever tries to hurt you, I won't hesitate to kill."
Drawing in a heavy breath, I let the walls to my mind come down just enough to open a door. With the subtly of a dying fish, the wolf came bundling through that door and ran around my memories. While he explored, I allowed myself to absorb his presence and his own memories. While he was loyal, and should have stayed loyal to one owner, he seemed to accept me as his new alpha.
"Welcome, Noir," I called gently through our bond, "you're stay will be how ever long your loyalty and love stretches. I hope for your sake that is forever."
The wolf opened his mind and sent me an image; his head was bowed, neck barred in a display of his submission. Satisfied that the threat had resonated, I allowed a wave of affection to pass over him; a show that with his loyalty he would not suffer, or ever be alone.
"I'd like you to retrieve the others now," I opened my eyes and turned back to Ly's staked body, "and gather the people. We will burn her body outside."
Blake nodded and quickly retreated.
"Blake?" I called, stopping him before he exited the room, "If you ever betray me, I'll put you in this stone." I paused, licking my front teeth with my tongue, "Don't you ever betray me."
Although I could not see him, I felt his low bow as he left the room. After he found the others, we were going home.
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Hey guys, sorry this updates a day late!
Im on my uni break now so I can and will crack out some more consistent updates and maybe even do a few double updates :)
This was a really hard scene to write because I'm still getting used to the idea of action sequences. I admire anyone who can write a fight scene really well because this took me three days just to write the 500 word fight section XD It's still not as good as i want it to be, but I hope it conveyed everything that it needed to.
What do you guys think is going to happen next?
Did you like Lyra's other half, or are you glad to see her gone?
Comment your thoughts!
Vote if you enjoyed :)
xx Charli
(unedited)
((above is my favourite electric mix))