Destined

27. What I Cannot Lose

Alva sneered at Artemis, but I won't let anything befall her. She deserved the world. "You are no better than a poisonous serpent." His eyes hardened on his daughter. "You refuse to accept what you are, a failure."

I huffed. "Not so, Alva." His eyes swirled with surprise. "She is one of the few things you created right."

"My king, where is this all coming from?"

Artemis was not a failure. She never failed to reach me. I glanced at Alva. "That answer is right here." Our auras combined, her sunny aura and my silver glow spread along the scythe. I searched her eyes and Artemis knew what was coming, or so she thinks. The scythe was not ordinary. Each element had an aura around it and Artemis could not know what it means if she could touch it. Only I had that power until now. I retreated from my grip.

"Aiden," she called my name.

"You must be the one," everyone stared at me. "For a long time, I waited for you. Artemis, you said you do not want to stand aside while those you love die. You are like me."

A wrinkle formed in her brow. "What do you mean?"

I laughed at her naïve side. "There are things my clan knew better than most other races. Prophecies, legends, myths, and magic are all slivers of truth that lead us to seek our dreams. I doubt anyone knew the truth of my power." A smirk formed. "But you know that truth, the one in my power."

Artemis studied my face and then stared at the scythe. "You idiot, what are you even going on about at a time like this? I don't understand what your power has to do with what is happening here."

I hugged her to me. "You saw me through all the guises and facades, Artemis. You have the magic I cannot escape, even if I used every spell I knew."

Alva fumed in the corner of my vision. He was about to unleash his power.

"Trust me," I whispered, and felt her aura shine.

Alva threatened to tear us apart, but I felt the brunt of his attack. I grimaced at the agony on my back. Artemis stared at me. "Enough of this, my king! This little front of yours is over."

I let go of Artemis. She reached for me, and the scythe fell. I turned around. "Your sin will end you. The elements gave every opportunity to turn back, but you refuse mercy. Alva, you lost long before you realized it."

"They don't exist!" He cried while the entire ground shook under us.

"Kid, look out," Zelme yelled.

I did not move. Alva's power struck me, and I stumbled back a little. "Stubborn and foolish to accept those elements. Like they care about anything. They abandoned the world, and they left you to suffer for it."

I unsteadily bent down for my scythe. "You have it wrong. You and I created nothing, Alva. They live where we cannot control or abuse them."

Alva frowned. and his eyes brightened. He rushed me and struck my chest. I slammed far into the base of a dark ash tree. I grimaced. Clawing my way up, but not in time. Alva struck again and pierced my shoulder. "Forget the elements. They forgot you. I should be the one, the only one you need!"

I stared at him. "I don't need you, Alva." Gripping his arm, a dumbfounded gaze he gave me. "They are always with me. They did not forget me."

Fury flared his aura as he pinned me to this tree. "Liar and I will prove it." He withdrew his bloodied hand from my shoulder. He strode toward Artemis and everyone else. His back turned, and I noticed the energy around him building. "I am sick of you all!" The wood grew dark at his words. Artemis glowed. She tried to run past her father, but he struck her so hard she fell to the ground. "Our world doesn't need any of you in it. So, die!"