Ignis Amare

Soul Tie

"I hate to say it... but it looks like his disgusting methods actually worked." Beatrix starts.

"You've finally accepted that part of you."

"I have, but that doesn't mean that I'm going to indiscriminately kill now." I respond.

"Of course not. That was never the plan. That was never your way. The next step to reaching the Divine Flame is to become each other."

"Become? Like switch bodies or something?" Kendra asks hesitantly.

"You know the flame reflects who you are. Your flame color is tied to your soul. It's how you burn, how your soul ignites. Though the case of the Alpha and Omega is a little different.

To reach the Divine Flame and to unify the twin flames, the Omega must become the Alpha, the Alpha must become Omega. You two must learn to use each other's flames. Doing so will complete the cycle and connection between the two flames. The two will become one. The one is divine.

Kendra, you are one who has already accepted her subconscious self. The union wasn't possible until Aiden accepted his. For this to work, both the conscious and subconscious selves need to be brought together.

"Again, just because I've accepted my subconscious doesn't mean that I'm going to be using it like that." I reiterate.

"Why do you think you the Death Scythe is a killer? Why do you think your subconscious kills Aiden?" Beatrix asks, annoyed.

"Because He was trained to be as a child. Something that I can't forget!" My voice raises at the memories.

"No." Beatrix grits. "It's because you can't handle your own aggression. You collapse under the weight of your own power. You categorize it as evil and only truly tap into it in a situation where you see something as evil! Hence, this overly dramatic years long play!

People will live for you, and people will die for you. Sometimes, living means dying, and dying means living. Sometimes death is life Aiden. The way you are now, Kendra will have a much better grasp on your flame than you will of hers!

Ever since you were a boy, we've all wondered. "Why is he so afraid to be the unstoppable force he is? Why does he need a reason to be himself?"

"You don't understand Beatrix! The power to destroy everything. The power to kill, the power to end...it's not an easy thing to have. It's not an easy thing to know..." I trail off.

Neither Beatrix nor Kendra say anything. Silence settles for a minute.

I turn my back to them while looking into the sky. Partly so, tears won't fall from my silver eyes and partly because the stars have always comforted me.

"Death follows me. I am Death. You say that people will live and die for me. Beatrix, have you ever considered that may be I'm not worth it?"

My voice shakes as tears fall despite my attempts to prevent them.

"Did you ever stop to think how holding this power would feel to a child? What is it that you have seen? The person or the power?"

I turn toward her with pure unwavering will filling my being. I can see the glow from my eyes in hers.

She smiles with tears watering the windows to her soul.

"My precious Aiden." She chokes. "Was that so hard to say?"

I look down quickly, unable to hold her gaze.

"The person or the power? I used to pray that you would be able to choose a different path with your power. But I watched you grow, defend your allies, comfort your friends, and even try to hide it all under the guise of Death Scythe. And every time something happened that put someone in danger or was too big for someone else to handle, you were there.

Always drawing strength from a limitless well, always pushing to the next level, and it was never to rule or for glory. It was always to protect, to help, to serve.

I realized shortly before the death of your mother that you would never be able to choose a different path, and not because of fate or your flame. It's because of who you are.

Yes, you've killed. Yes, you've grown, been taught, and had expectations no child should have.

But I've come to believe that there isn't a single person in this world capable of wielding that flame.

You aren't the Omega Flame. The Omega Flame is you. People will live and die for you, not for the flame. Your father may be able to amass an army and wield multiple flames, but you will never have to ask Aiden. Your heart, no, your soul is connected to all.

It's yours. Do with it what you will. You will do what's right and strike true. That's who you are, and it's who you've always been. It's who you want to be. You may come from a conqueror. But you are The Conqueror. I understand your fear and that you don't want to conquer. You just want to be free."

Beatrix smiles for the punchline.

"The True Conqueror is a conqueror of nothing. The True Conqueror liberates others as he liberates himself. So be free and share that freedom! That's what you want to do, and you have the power to do it. You have the power to be yourself! Your TRUE self.

So accept the things you can't change, change the things you can, and always seek the wisdom to know the difference."

I drop to my knees at her words, sobbing and screaming for the second time today. The release is different this time. It isn't a burden being lifted or vented. This time, I accept that the weight was placed by no one but myself. I feel something in me open. My heart was locked away for such a long time.

I am not a weapon. If I am to end, I will end so that something new may begin. I told Kendra that I am her. I am life. I am free.

"What will you do?" I hear a voice ask in my head.

"Do you feel that Aiden?" Kendra asks after her and Beatrix embrace my wracking body and healing soul.

"That feeling, that warmth, that freedom, that acceptance, that certainty...that's what true love is."

As she speaks, my spirit elevates. Love is washing through my heart, healing my mind and my soul. It's really love. Love is healing scars that were so old I mistook them for flesh.

I begin to stand, causing them to lessen their embrace.

As I open my eyes, I see that a calm white-silver flame has been emanating from me. It surrounds us in a protective healing aura.

The question was asked within me, though I answer it out loud while facing them.

"I will sever the illusion of control. Not by fear or by death, but by love and life. I am the end. The end, so a new beginning can rise. I am the end and the beginning. I will kill their doubt, and I will kill their fear.

I am free, I will be free, I was free. I will show them that they are too. I am one. WE are one."

Something else is stirring within me from a place I have never felt before. As it rises through me, my eyes and the edge of my flame flicker to gold.

It's a rainbow of white, silver, and gold.

Kendra smiles at me as her eyes turn silver and says in her own voice, which is soft but firm and certain with her entire being. Her voice of flame, her voice of spirit, her voice of truth. Her voice can melt the coldest ice of the heart and illuminate the darkest night of the soul.

"Yes, we ARE."