SIXTH BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES OF FANTASILIA SERIES
𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥. 𝘕𝘰𝘸, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴.
Xanthiene Vivenca has to find allies and legendary objects of po...
WARNING: Depiction of violence is evident in the following scenes that may be upsetting for other viewers. Reader discretion is advised.
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2412, Diori 26, Reshpe
The sound of hinges whining speared through Xanthy's head, making her vision spin and her ears ring. She had no strength left to lift her head up from the floor. Tears mixed with blood. Salt and iron introduced a new strain of filth to her senses.
Footsteps shuffled and clothes ruffled. A woman grunted as her knees slammed against the floor in a crack.
"Xanthy?" Rutoria gasped.
Xanthy raised her head at the last oracle's voice. Would Rutoria be able to save her? Hope blossomed in her chest. She did her best to smile even though her jaw hurt. "Did you foresee this as well?" she whispered through the pain pounding in her ears.
Rutoria opened her mouth then closed it again. "What have they done to you? Your form..." she breathed.
"Open the Gates, witch," the Heiress stalked towards Rutoria and forced the fairy to look her in the eye.
"Or what?" Rutoria turned to the Heiress without urgency. "You'll kill me?"
The Heiress balled her fists. "Don't test me."
"I can't die," Rutoria turned back to Xanthy with obvious pain painting her gaze. "Until I've shown the Virtakios the way."
The Heiress turned to Xanthy then back to the oracle. Her eyebrows furrowed. "What way?"
Rutoria smiled at Xanthy. It was a kind smile that Xanthy didn't expect she would see again in this dark, dark place. Tears crowded her eyes again. "The way to who she was meant to be," the oracle answered just like how the old women at the Disfavoreds did when they're recalling the olden days. "The way to what she has to do to end this war, this...tyranny."
The Heiress scoffed. "What are you talking about?"
Faster than anyone could blink, Rutoria drew a thin blade from the folds of her sleeves and slashed her neck.
"No!" the Heiress and the Sovereign screamed in unison. Xanthy's stomach tightened as she watched Rutoria's body slam to the ground with a light thump. It dissolved into wisps of gray smoke. Just as their words often fade into the ears of people so as their bodies would too.
Another sacrifice made for her sake. Another death.
That's it. She understood what the oracle was trying to show her. Yes, she would succeed with her plan. But she would fail in a lot of things, too. Xanthy hung her head and let the sobs rack her form more than she did the pain. Her mouth muttered the blessing that would usher Rutoria into a peaceful afterlife. The oracle deserved every ounce of comfort in her eternal rest.
"What is that witch talking about?" the Heiress demanded out of no one. Her face was red and her eyes were wide. Her nostrils might have oozed smoke if it could. Xanthy didn't raise her head as the Heiress stalked closer to her. "Xyris, I'll take it from here," the Heiress said to the Sovereign.
