Eternal Sins

•Chapter Five•

Black inking gushes of water ran beneath a raven hued moon, down hill, swift. The trees bent for the water, parched, seeking. Grass grew tall, fairy lights littering the edge of dried weeds.

The wind blew warnings. The chill in it's dance could not be mistaken.

As Eva dismounted her horse, Ben stayed atop, scouting the perimeters of the tree line.

"We were right here," she gets out in amazement, her fingers brushing over the bark of the tree where she stood hours ago. "And he-" she turns sharply, positioning herself likewise to her teleport. "Right there," she examines the sparse area, no longer filled with Cedris' energy.

Ben planted his feet firmly, settling the horses.

"We were too slow," Eva presumes, looking to her love with grave worry.

"Let's just have a look around, they may have lingered." Ben suggests this so that Eva would leave with no regrets. He knows the pain of searching endlessly with no satisfaction, no reprieve. He could spare her only so much for a later, busy reflection.

The two march close to one another, back to back as they enter a thicker portion of trees. Beyond a large border, trees broke open space once more.

The creek emptied into a large lake, black glittering water shining against their eyes.

They almost turned around, before Ben caught snag of a floating white tunic in the center of the lake. Alerted, anxious disbelief spread through their chest.

Cedris was in the middle of the lake, face down, for an unknown amount of time.

Had the black serpent come for him and won?

Eva's limbs moved on their own urgency, pushing her towards the water. As she neared, she noticed green and yellow flecks igniting before her deep within the water.

A foot was in, then the other, ankles sogging into the lake. She kept going.

As Ben approached the water, he saw the magic seeping from underneath the sand.

He knew right then, they were in trouble.

"Eva!" He shouts her name, making her whip around, now waist deep. "Come back, now!"

She raises her arms at him, making an irritated face. "He needs our help," she whines impatiently, turning her back to him again.

"No, no, listen to me. This lake isn't a normal lake, it's-"

Eva's head was under before he could finish, her body swimming out to Cedris. She grabs his limp arm, beginning to tug him. Their arms lock and Cedris takes his first breath in hours, inhaling some water. He sputters as Eva keeps tugging.

"I got you," Eva assures him, "it's gonna be okay."

Coming to, Cedris pries her hand off of him, stopping himself and Eva just a tad off center.

"Get out of the lake!" Ben is yelling, "it's a trap!"

Terror flashes before Eva's eyes as she subconciously feels tentacles wrap around her wrists. She had been trapped in water before, she wasn't sure she could survive it again, not after all this war.

Cedris leans up, fully concious. "I need your help. I hope you'll forgive me once you see." And he shoves her, pushing her whole body weight beneath him into the lake. He refuses her air as she kicks and squirms.

Ben is swimming now, trying to reach her before it was too late. He kept yelling her name, trying to gather attention. But Cedris ignored Ben entirely.