An Ember's Tale

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Ember wanted to break.

She felt her heart shatter into a million pieces as she watched Mark's now cold eyes hold her gaze. She hoped for a flicker. A small moment where his gaze told her that he was still the same Mark she knew, but his gaze never shifted.

Ember saw a million different things in a moment. She saw all the signs she had missed every naive moment when she had fallen for his tricks. She saw the butterflies, the rejection, the secrets, the lies, and the moments where she had felt so safe, so secure in his arms. That moment when she felt like nothing could touch her- that she was invincible. She saw the moments filled with white clouds, golden sunsets, and faded magic that made her heart soar. She also saw the fights, the arguments, the secrets, that would cause slamming doors and dooming silences that would lead to nothing but broken promises.

Ember had lost Mark, but not in the way she had expected. She never had Mark to begin with. He had always belonged to Akull and Ember had been too naive, too infatuated with him to notice. She had always thought that relying on her instincts had been the only way she could have survived, but her instincts had led her to Mark. And Mark had led her straight to Akull.
To her doom.

Ember didn't know what she was feeling. Maybe it was hurt and pain but she felt as if it was something much more. Something that she couldn't even begin to describe on a deep level. She wanted to cry. To breakdown as she sobbed violently over a stupid boy. She wanted to feel the hurt, the pain, and the regret. She wanted to feel it all, but she couldn't. Not now. Not when she was facing her fate that had been decided for her for centuries.

At least Ember could die with no longer any regrets. She hadn't wanted to die because of Mark, but she no longer had anything more to live for. The only reason she was dying was to save her brother. She had hoped that Mark would be her reason to want to try and fight- to stay alive, but she had no reason now. But something inside of Ember told her to fight. It told her to stand up to those who doubted her and to show them that she was still strong. That no matter who broke her- she could be made whole again. And it was that feeling that gave Ember the strength to carry on despite her breaking heart.

Ember broke her gaze from Mark's and back toward Akull who was watching her curiously. He saw the hurt and pain in Ember's eyes that she couldn't hide no matter how hard she tried. But Ember didn't mind the pain in her eyes because that only meant that she was human. That she could feel and that was the difference between her and Akull. He couldn't feel anything.

"Being the General gave me delightful insights into Mark's own game he was playing," Akull smirked. "And to my surprise, it was with you, no less. I sent Mark to help guide you to me and the Forbidden Island, but I didn't expect him to travel along beside you. So I pretended to be the General and followed you. The General was a character I created centuries ago, I mean, being immortal is incredibly boring, so I had to have some form of entertainment. But when you're the ruler and a tyrant, there is this certain stigma around you- so I thought, why not make up someone for fun? Although, when I was the General, I never expected Mark to make the Fire Element fall in love with him, but I do congratulate you Mark. You and I are more alike than you care to admit."

"Of course, My Lord," Mark nodded at Akull, his voice that of a stranger. "Thank you for such an honor."

Akull turned back to Ember with a triumphant grin while he gestured to him. "It took me years to finally break him, but once I did, he has been loyal ever since. He's like a... a dog. I give him a command, and he does it- no hesitation. Why don't we test it-"

Flames rose to Ember's fingers as she struck it toward Akull. Akull just sighed and flicked his wrist until her flames fell to snow on the floor. Her heat grew dormant inside of her while a dark chill echoed throughout the room.