Burial of hearts the black widow's malice (19 page)

“Avis, end it”. He shouted.

I turned to see Camerine before
Hecate’s throne; kneeled down, the vessel was now united with the rightful
gemstone. He raised up his arms, dagger in hand and impaled it upon his
innocent skin.

“
No
, I screamed, climbing
back up as I did”.

Falling, his blood trickled down
upon and around the vessel; his last resort to help his people.

“A
willing
sacrifice”. I
said to myself; looking upon the key that she held; it was shining vividly upon
her, as was the door which lay behind her throne.

I ran, every motion shown to me
clearly, all details beloved in each moment. I passed Hecate, grasping the key
that she clutched to.

“
No
”. She roared.

“That is
mine
”.

She reached for me, but in
turning I became infuriated by her repulsive touch. I lashed out at her.

“He was my friend, it was because
of
you
he died. And it will be because of
me
, that you shall”.

My wrath declared upon her, I
expelled all my hatred for her acts in one; a fire so ferocious it could no
longer be contained; it shot forth swollen by vicious intent, knocking Hecate
to the gates of her once exquisite home.

Running, I stood before the door aback
of her throne, the moonstones were now shining brightly. I took a deep breath
and placed the key within the door, turning it clockwise.

The door opened; before me lay
all that I had searched for. There was stillness in the air, the chirping of
birds was long forgotten in this late hour; my eyes locked upon the glistening
of the amulet, the beauty it held was unlike any jewel I had witnessed before.

Stepping forwards, I felt a small
degree of relief within myself, but this relief soon shrank as Hecate rose back
up again.

Her body stained by uncountable
burns; without a murmur she heaved her body towards me, ash breaking away from
where once skin was found. Her hands gutted, she was but a shell of her being,
where formidable evil revealed itself, in chalices filled of her victims’
lavished blood.

Her pride marching with her, we
erupted with all, withholding none. Bound to demise, she fought without
elegance, foregoing structure, in a lust for the crown of victors.

Temples of magick wrought with
chaos, were cast forth, like blades ruthlessly targeting their victim, some
faltering in their paths, some effective until retaliation shooed them away
from glory.

Winds
lashed
their blows
and rain fell, devoid of a kiss of serenity. I felt a rush of hunger build
within me, lost in the bliss of victory, called at the heart of an upcoming
massacre.

She summoned magick darker than
the moons unlit gaze. The horrors of
putrid
remains, deceived into being,
rose from a place free of compassion; dictated upon by her word, they sought to
destroy me.

The gnarling of teeth was met
with a defiant blow, turning to dust, all that dared not to fear me. It was my
hand that brought all the suffering to an end; Hecate fell from the edge of
this miserable place, to her death; but only after our eyes met for one final
time, as stones, now crumbled.

I walked up to the door, looking
down at Camerine in sorrow for what he had done to help me; I lifted my head
up. Reaching out, I placed the amulet within my hands, sighing deeply for all
the pain it had taken for this one moment. Encircling the amulet around my
neck, I turned, looking down at Camerine, I could not fail to notice the
resemblance he had with Alexander, as the world around me faded away.

Chapter 11

It was a brightly lit day, even
if before I was in darkness. I walked from the trees, hence where my journey had
begun; peering upon the forest floor, occasionally looking up at the sun as it
streamed across the sky.

It was not long before I was back
at Yilesul. There were no lavish events taking place today; Just a group of
people starting a fire ready for Normona to cook up the usual feast.

“Avis”. Jonule screamed.

My expression not changing, he
stopped before embracing me in his arms.

“Are you ok?
”.

“I will be, I hope”.

“We have been worried about you;
we did not know where you had gone. Someone had heard your screams during the
night and had gone to inspect; but by the time they had arrived you were
running away, being chased by Drailas”.

“So that was his name, was it?
”.

“Yes, after what he did to you,
we forced him to leave Yilesul; his only excuse was the fact he had lost coin
on
gambling
, such a petty reason”.

“So are you sure you are ok?
”.
Jonule said with a look of concern upon his face.

“I have just been through a lot,
I just need to get some rest”.

“We can have Bibi removed from
your dwelling if you wish, so you can have a peaceful sleep?
”.

“No, but thank you; I think I
just want to go back home”.

I left Yilesul after first
collecting the items I had left behind and made my way back to Malkaretz; it
was a long journey, but my mind was absent from what I was doing; it was locked
in the sorrow that I had just faced.

Back home, the town was busier
than usually I would expect; I did not care to think why, I just walked through
the streets in a daze, ignoring the librarium assistant as he tried speaking to
me in his usual manner.

“
Avis
, you are
back
,
how did it all go?
”.
Doris said as I walked into the
inn.

She was stood, holding onto a
bunch of flowers; her eyes lighting up upon seeing me. I ran, deep within her arms;
she was the one person I could trust. I wept as she wrapped herself around me,
cradling me from pain.

“What is wrong darling?
”.

“I… saw… I did… ”.

I ran off crying to my room, not able
to release my words. Leaving my items upon the floor, I flung myself onto my
bed, almost breaking it as I did; Snitzel decided to greet me; jumping up next
to me, rubbing her face upon mine; I stroked her with the little strength I had
left and then she laid down, purring gently.

My mind ruthless; it led me on a
fast forwarded ride through everything that had just happened to me; the
deaths, the pain, especially the happiness I had felt in Alexander’s arms, only
to be torn away yet again. My eyes began to ache. I wiped them, silencing my
mind and my heart; slipping into a dream world where maybe all the agony would
just disappear.

The hail sailed throughout the
sky, rupturing the skulls of the men and women who stood unsheltered. I looked
around, there was an ocean affront of me,
the
tides
were riding high, led by ferocious winds, ripping off boats that sat tied to
the dock. I walked upon the shore of the island, feeling the sand rise between
my feet, as the water slid over, cold as ice, it struck.

There was a bay close by; I could
hear the screams of people as they ran for their lives. Turning, there were
shadowy figures upon an embankment; they seemed to be preaching to the water’s
edge; among them a large man stood, his face covered in a silver mask; he
turned towards me, his eyes golden yellow; he reached out. From the water, shot
a creature; riding upon the waves, it devastated all that lay about it, causing
even the mountainside to crumble. It roared, deafening me; I leant over and
tried to rid of the atrocious noises that repeated in my ears. Looking back up,
he was before me; his hand outreached, ferociously he had sought-after me; now
within his grasp, I let a smile cross my face, accepting his challenge upon the
tides of the abyss.