Light of the Heavens

XLV. Epilogue

Seben picked herself up from the ground. Userkare was...gone. The darkness was gone. Radiance filled the room, burning brightly from the light of the throne and her own body.

The pain in her chest was more than she imagined possible. She wept as she sat back, resting her back against the base of the Throne. She could feel it trying to heal her, but nothing would repair the rift. The only sign of Vassa left was the tiny wisp of essence Seben felt at the center of her shattered heart.

Her mouth tasted like ashes.

Rhujag let out a roar of anger, slamming his fist against the floor. "All she wanted was the magic!" he shouted. Seben heard the pain of betrayal in his voice too. Whatever their disagreements, he had at least considered Vassa a friend. "She used us to get to it!"

The words hit Seben like a punch to the gut. Vassa wouldn't....

But how well did she really know the elf?

I'm sorry, Seben.

The fire-speaker covered her eyes with her hands, trying to stop the tears. She had to believe in the remorse she thought she'd heard, even if it was an illusion.

"Where did she go?" Djau asked nervously, approaching. "Will she return?"

"No," Rhujag snarled. "She has everything she wanted from us."

Masaharta stopped in front of Seben and held out his hands to help her up. "It doesn't matter. Userkare is gone and the true ruler of Ethilir is here. We can cleanse this kingdom of his influence and restore the covenant with Heaven."

Seben took his hands, rising to her feet. She looked around at him, at the guards, at Rhujag, and took a deep breath. "I will repair the throne," she said with every ounce of conviction in her body. "But I refuse to be Queen."

Everyone gaped at her for a moment.

"I'm going after Vassa," Seben said. "I don't know where she went, but I will find her."

Masaharta scowled. "And what is Ethilir to do without a monarch?"

"Another Sunblessed will rise," Seben said, turning to face the Throne.

"This is your destiny!"

Seben shook her head. "I don't want it." She placed her hands on the Throne and poured as much of herself as she could into it.

The corrosive hunger of the Devouring Dark had damaged the connection to the divine, but Seben's spark reignited the flame to its full potential. The Sunlit Throne blazed like a miniature sun for a moment, restored in its connection. It drained Seben almost dry to do it.

She turned and looked at the crowd assembled. "I am not your Phoenix Queen, whatever the oracles said," Seben said defiantly. "I name Lord Masaharta Osei to be Regent to keep Ethilir safe until the next to bear the flower of the blood rises. I, Seben Femi, abdicate the throne and all its powers, as I am unworthy and unwilling to rule."

She stepped past Masaharta while he was still stunned and filtered through the crowd. Naji poured back into the jar at her waist and she carefully closed it. At least she would have someone to keep her company in her journey.

Seben made it out of the throne room, past the bloodied crowds stunned into silence. Never before had a Sunblessed refused to rule and she knew it. They had just assumed she would follow naturally and lead them out of the darkness. It was unquestionably selfish, but the only thing she could think of was Vassa, alone and hurting even worse than she was.

A heavy hand landed on her shoulder as she rounded the second corner. "You're making a mistake," Rhujag muttered.

Seben turned to face him, tears still streaming down her cheeks. "I don't care. I love her."

"And if she's not worthy of it?"

"That doesn't change the way I feel," Seben said fiercely. "I don't believe she was just using us. She took it away to protect me. She made a mistake, Rhujag. We can fix it."

The orc's scowl softened, worry settling in. "We don't know where she went."

"We can figure it out." Seben forced herself to at least sound confident, even if she didn't feel it. "Leus has mages who can scry and at least Adéla would help. I'm not abandoning her to the darkness. She would try to save me."

Rhujag wrapped his arms around the fire-speaker in a tight hug. "If you're going after her, I'm going with you. You'll need the protection."

Seben felt his voice as a rumble in his chest. It was immensely comforting to know she wasn't alone, despite this hollow feeling in her chest. "Thank you, Rhujag."

The orc released her and straightened up to his full height. He unslung his shield in case of trouble, axe in hand since he'd lost his spear. "Let's get out of here before Masaharta forces you onto that throne."

It was a simple choice, and one that would forever be recorded in the histories as the end of a phoenix that did not rise. However, there was a star to follow, and Seben Femi would chase it to the ends of the earth if she had to. 

END

CONTINUED IN PART II: SHADOW OF THE ABYSS