Life Dies In The End

Chapter 71

Ela stepped towards me as I took a step back with each step she took. The door had disappeared by now. Leaving me trapped here with her. There was no telling what she would do. She was a loose cannon. Always had been, but I was always the one who loaded the canon, not the one staring down the barrel.

She paused her steps as she frowned softly, realizing that I didn't trust her fully. I could see in her face that she understood why. So she remembered our last meeting. She remembered what I had done to her. She remembered that I was the reason she was dead.

"I won't hurt you, sister." She spoke softly almost as if she was hurt. "I'm better now, I promise."

"How can I trust you?" I watched her movements closely, as I waited for her to strike, for her to kill me like she said she would.

"I spent some time with mother, she said that I should see you before you return back to the world of the living." She paused her mind seemingly elsewhere. "Mother said it would be good for me to speak with you. I doubt she would've let me, if I meant you harm."

She was right on that. Frigga always knew if there was a hidden agenda to something. She wouldn't have let Ela see me if she was dangerous, but there was something else to it too. Ela wasn't the Ela from before, nor was she the Ela from before our banishment. She was different. She seemed to be lighter, not as serious. She seemed to be almost lost in her own mind. Probably Frigga's doing. Frigga must've used some sort of spell to make Ela better, almost like the medicine humans use to fix mental issues.

"Is there something you wanted to tell me?" I took a slight step towards her as she studied the white daisy she had picked.

It had always been her least favorite flower, thanks to its purpose in magical spells. The flower itself wasn't all that special, but its powers could bring things back to life. Not things like humans or even something as small as a rabbit, but things more like a plant or an insect. I used it to cast the first rebirth spell I ever used.

"Mother says that I tried to kill you and all of Asgard." Ela looked up to me, breaking her silence as her eyes met mine. "She says that you had to kill me in return to save Asgard and yourself."

Frigga had removed her memories or tampered with them. I lowered my guard, there was nothing she could do to harm me. Not now. Whatever Frigga had done, Ela had become something else. Possibly the person she was always meant to be. Maybe this was her side of life. After all Odin did say we were both the goddesses life and death. Maybe this was what she would've been like if she was the goddess of life instead of death.

"I'm sorry that I did." Ela looked at me sadly. "Mother says I was sick for a while and that I'll be better soon." Ela extended the flower to me as an offering. "I remember this being your favorite, right?"

Ela looked at me expectantly, almost as if she were a child giving a parent a dandelion. It wasn't my favorite. My favorite had always been aconite. It was the most fascinating out of all of them, due to all the spells you could use them for.

Seeing Ela's face frown as the silence continued, I couldn't help but feel somewhat bad for her. She had done things that would surely haunt her for the rest of her existence. So I bit my tongue as I smiled, pushing aside my anger towards her. Whether I liked it or not I would always have a soft spot for Ela.

"Yeah it is." I stepped towards her, taking the flower from her and holding it in my hands. "Do you remember what your favorite was?"

I spoke to her with the delicacy I would with a child. Her face furrowed with confusion as she looked over the flowers. Then her face went soft with sadness. She didn't remember, probably for the best. Her's had always been hemlock.

I looked over the flowers ready to choose a new one for her. My eyes locked on the pink carnations I had planted when I was probably 7. They symbolized forgiveness, that's why I planted them. I had just found out I was adopted and Odin and Frigga thought I hated them for it, instead I planted them carnations.

I stepped towards the carnations, plucking one from the plant and turning back towards Ela, who was watching me closely. I smiled softly at her as I extended the flower to her. She gingerly took it from my hands.

"These were your favorite." She looked at me happily as I lied, never in her life would she have picked a pink flower as her favorite. "You never told me why, but they were."

Ela looked down, studying the flower closely. Before she moved quickly catching me off guard, with a tight hug. My body tensed with the sudden movement, but I relaxed quickly and returned her hug. She had changed a lot. Frigga was healing her and by the time I, if I ever did, die she'd be a better version of herself. The version she was always supposed to be.

"Thank you," Ela spoke softly as she pulled away from me. "For not being mad at me."

"I could never be mad at you." I smiled as I tried to cover up how hurt I still was from her turning her back on me.

My attention was quickly drawn to a door, but this time it stayed closed. This was where I had to choose, wasn't it? Stay here with Ela and help mold her into the person she was meant to be or leave and help my second family. Ela looked to the door understanding what it meant.

"Mother said you'd have to leave at some point." Ela pulled my attention back towards her. "She also said you'd want to stay and help me. Don't." Ela's eyes met mine and I saw the same determination behind them from when we were kids and wreaking havoc around Asgard. "You're still needed. We'll be here for you when it's your time."

I went to protest, but couldn't find the words. Even though I hated her, I still loved her and felt bad for what happened. She was right though. I was still needed, my purpose hadn't been fulfilled. They'd still be here when I come back, someday. There can't be life without death. I'd probably die someday.

I started towards the door before turning back to face Ela. I was proud of her in a way. It couldn't be easy for her to have virtually no memories left. None of this could've been easy for her. I smiled softly as I locked eyes with her.

"I forgive you."

Ela smiled as I could see tears forming in her eyes. I turned my back on her as I opened the door and stepped through into the darkness behind it. I loved Ela, whether I liked it or not, there would always be a spot for her in my heart, but she didn't need me at this moment. My second family did and so I had to leave her, for now.

~~Hi, Fallen_Angel here. Have a good day and be good people.~~