Supernatural Tales - Book I

Chapter 28

(Unedited)

Seraphine smiled at her hosts...

"Your sister visited my world eons ago, traveling through space and time to reach us, and she found my kingdom in ruins. We had no hope. No way out. I lost my Father, the King, to the evil forces bringing havoc in our world and... My mate was infected and taken and I had lost faith... But she was our savior and she gave us a reason to fight. Knowing I needed my mate to be able to fight, she singlehandedly rescued her and brought her back but..." Seraphine sighed, her eyes on Iris, and everyone listened closely and quietly; a new part of Iris's life being disclosed to them.

"My mate was too far gone. The infection had corrupted her and its parasitic tendrils were not ready to let go of her... So, Iris made the choice that I and my family or my people will never be able to repay her for... She offered herself to the dark force inside her as an exchange for my mate and... They accepted." Seraphine's memories echoed with the sound of her mate's screams and Iris's white eyes as she took on the entire force of the dark force; it the excruciating.

"What are they? Who are they?" Azure had inquired softly, recalling the day she saw Iris so weak, and Seraphine had looked at her in alarm; not expecting her to not know of them.

"They don't know. Iris-- She never told them." Esme had spoken to the Dragon Queen, causing her silver eyes to glance at her at once, and Azure had gritted her teeth white Sybil held onto Kahlan and Elsa.

"We do not know when or how they came to be but we all call them The Void. They are an ancient evil force, appearing to creatures as a thick shadow of utter and complete darkness, and they are parasitic in nature; invading worlds, occupying their residents, and taking over their minds, souls, and bodies to control them... Before Iris, nobody had been able to defeat them but... She had the light in her. Goddess's light. And she used it to banish them from our world... But she was infected when she saved my mate and even with all the magic we had, we couldn't kill all of the virus inside her before she left. So, despite her wishes to be left alone, I had to come and see if she was okay. She had been in a hurry for some reason, saying her mate needed her, and we knew better than to stop her. It is nothing but a miracle that she is still alive." Seraphine had reached over, grabbing Iris's unmoving hand, and Sybil had watched as a beam of silvery light emitted from her palm only to elucidate her sister's whole frame.

"She is barely holding on. She... She is dying and the virus is dying with her. I wish there was more I could do but, even someone as powerful as me can not fight the darkness inside her." Seraphine sounded sad, her silvery face full of guilt, and Esme had placed a hand on her shoulder while Azure closed her eyes.

"It is alright, Your Majesty. We know you did your best. It is not your fault... I think it is Iris's wish to leave us. She is tired. She has been for a long time. And now she desires to rest at last." Esme's words were laced with pain, her golden eyes sadder than ever, and Seraphine had patted her hand before getting up only to turn to her hosts.

"Before meeting you, I did not know about the truth of your relationship... Iris became a friend of mine when she was in my world, and she talked most fondly of you. Her Blue and Red. She loved you so much that I had found myself being envious of you. I had reckoned that having a sister like her, it must have felt like nothing could ever harm you. But... But now I only pity her. I feel for you too. But I do hope, with all my heart, that you find it in yourself to forgive her before she leaves. Her actions may have never shown it, but Iris truly loved you all. It must have been lonelier for her." Seraphine had smiled sadly at the Princesses, still unable to believe that they had been so far away from Iris, and Esme had given her a sad smile while others remained silent.

"It is time for me to leave. I have been fortunate to have found her before she left and... I have said my goodbyes. Be merciful with yours." Seraphine nodded at the Princesses one last time, created a portal, and stepped through it, and when she was gone; everything got darker.