Evolved

43. Eternal.

Hera's screams were both from terror and physical pain. 

Theo's body fell hard, and the sound reverberated through her. Her chest burned and her eyes swam with tears. The ache in her body matched Theo's wound, and she felt him weakening every second his life force poured out of him. Azrail stood over his 'son's' body, breathing heavily when Theo was whipped away by an unseen force, past them both. Hera's eyes widened in fear before she spotted her father running with her soulmate in his arms. 

His 'adopted' son. 

They dashed through a new portal with Monroe as Hera's tears flowed freely. Relief took over, and she felt the effects of fatigue as the adrenaline left her nervous system. Hera turned back to the man that was ruining so many lives. How could she take his power without him killing her first? Azrail still clutched the knife he had driven into Theo in his grip. She had to keep him talking. Her voice cracked as she tried to sound strong."You would kill your own son?" 

Raucous laughter passed through his chapped lips. "He's just a bastard. I have many more where that came from." He scoffed and Hera felt sick. How many women had he forced to bear his children?

"What the fuck do you even want?" She sounded dejected and more tired than she truly was. Hera hoped she could fool him and he'd underestimate her.

"Isn't it obvious? Power. You should know how it feels. You have my other son's power running through you right now, don't you?" She looked at the unconscious body she stole from and cringed.

Theo's brother.

But he was a Shield Evolved so he couldn't have been controlled by Azrail, she realised. Everything he did was of his own free will. He was left to be indoctrinated by the angel of death before her when Theo had escaped. His life could have been so different, if not for Jane. She sent a silent thanks to her as Azrail interrupted her thoughts.

"Come work with me. Do you know how much power we could acquire? Forget those wretched Evolved, they are weak. They will all die anyway. Let them live in their hovels; afraid and useless. We could change the world."

"What was his name?" She probably sounded pathetic to his ears but he was a person. Theo's brother.

"Five." His tone was bored and unbothered. He even kicked him with his boot and sneered at the weak groan he heard back. They would have to do something about him when he woke up. He would be human now. Vulnerable. 

"His name is a number. Why does Theo have a name then?" Hera had already guessed the answer before Azrail spoke. Everything about him was disgusting and terrible. 

"He was the first. Theo was his mother's choice but I named him Zero. Rather fitting considering how pathetic he is and easy to kill too." 

Hera was appalled and wanted to curse at him, but thought better of it, before returning to the previous conversation. "Why would I ever trust you?"

"I'm the only one who truly understands you, child. When your little friends realize your true power, your true form, they will fear you. We are the same." His eyes were wild and a maniacal grin wouldn't leave his face. 

For a moment, Hera wondered if she could gain his trust so she could finish him. "If I come with you now..." She moved slowly towards him and paused as if to think. "I-I will come with you if you let everyone else go." Perhaps she looked too eager or insincere but something changed.

A strange expression passed his face so quickly, Hera couldn't decipher it. He clicked his tongue and shook his meaty head. "How disappointing. All you think about is everyone else." 

Hera realized too late that Azrail discovered her plotting and threw his knife at blinding speed across the plateau. 

"Pathetic." She heard him say before it plunged into her low ribs and sliced her lung. She fell back from the force and felt her breathing get heavy. "Weakling."

She left the knife in as she looked for Azrail. His oversized body was retreating to his aircraft. As her lung filled with blood she sent her energy out, maybe for the last time, she thought and dragged him down off the platform. Her power curled around his whole form in fury. Tendrils burrowed into his flesh and he screamed in agony. She had never caused anyone pain at this point but her rage-fueled Evolution took control. He had hurt her soulmate, his mother, her aunt. 

So many innocent people. 

The energy from her dug deep inside him until it found his black, charred Evolution. He was poison, inside and out. She envisioned her fist, wrapping around its entirety, and ripped it from his chest with a scream. 

She could not let the sickness of his power inside her body, instead, she jammed her fingers into the earth and released every last bit of him into the soil. The earth would neutralize his evil, she knew, and she breathed thanks to its undulating waves of energy. Her breath rattled in her chest as more blood filled her right lung and the shell of her enemy staggered over. 

"What did you do you fucking bitch. I should have killed you." His voice was garbled and empty when a strangled cry left his lips.

She knew instantly who the presence was and wanted to reach out to him. 

"You cannot hurt them. They are eternal, demon." Zeke stood between them and directed his pure light before him.

In his hands, she saw what appeared to be a mirror. It had no borders and it looked like a liquid shimmering and glinting the light. 

"Come closer." Zeke hummed.

Azrail leaned forward and saw his reflection. Beyond his reflection, there was nothing. He saw the void, endless darkness, and emptiness. He realized then that the girl had taken more than his power. She had stolen his soul. 

His eyes stared until he could see nothing. He was nothing. He crumpled before Zeke, wailing, broken. 

Zeke turned to face his little friends. "Heal yourself, child. Look within." 

Hera's vision was fuzzy as Juno took over, surrounding their lung with protection as she drew out the blade. She nearly lost consciousness from the fire she felt at its withdrawal. Her energy swam around the blood in her lung and pushed it out tenderly before closing the wound in her tissue. 

Zeke's warm hand pressed over the wound to stop all the blood from escaping as she finally lost consciousness. Monroe appeared with a numb Arlo who closed Hera's wounds, healing her just enough for Zeke to safely carry her through the portal which closed behind the trio. 

Zeke looked back in resignation as he imagined Monroe's plan and carried his little friends home.