Familiar Fire

Chapter Twenty-Five

"There has to be another way. What if-"

"There isn't, Mel. This is it. If I join them, there's a chance I'll live. If I don't I will be dead soon."

"How long do you have?"

"I'm not sure. It depends on when the demons come for me. It could be anytime between today and the end of the month. Merlin told me they will come to collect me, and if I refuse, they will kill me on the spot."

"But how? You're immortal."

"I guess they found a way to kill me. I wouldn't be surprised though, they were able to concoct a poison that blocks my magic, finding a way to kill me doesn't seem like that much of a stretch."

"Are you scared?"

"Terrified. But at least I know you, Ban, and Theo will make it. You're all in Theo's visions. You wouldn't be there if there was a chance you wouldn't make it."

"So that's why he hasn't had any visions of you?" Aurora nodded, more tears running down her face. "We'll figure it out, Aurora. We'll end this war and you will get to watch your kid grow up." He stood up and made his way around the counter to hug her. "We'll figure it out." She nodded but didn't believe in his words. "Go to bed and we'll figure it out in the morning."

"Good night, Meliodas."

"Night, Aurora." And without another word, they went their separate ways. Meliodas to the room where he always stayed in the past where Elizabeth was already fast asleep and Aurora up to her room where Ban snored quietly. She quickly got ready for bed as silently as she could and slipped under the covers beside Ban. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him.

"Hey Ban?" He hummed softly in acknowledgement. "If I were to die in this war, I'd want you to move on. I'd want you to find someone who makes you happy." He rolled her over so she was looking at him. Despite being asleep just moments prior, he looked wide awake now.

"What are you talking about?"

"I want you to be happy, even if I'm gone. If I die, I want you to move on."

"Oh Aurora, don't you know there's no getting over you?" Those words made her heart both flutter and break. "And you better not die, Theo and I need you. It's all going to work out in the end. We'll be a happy family and we can adopt a dog because you clearly don't want to coparent another human child with me again." Ban jokes, making Aurora smile.

"I would gladly coparent more kids with you. We can adopt all of the orphans together."

"I love you."

"I love you too." Aurora's sleep was plagued with nightmares of what would be the future. Of war. Of a war where she fought the people she cared about and protected those she hated. She watched as she hurt the people she swore to protect. She had become the exact thing the demons always wanted her to be.

At last, she was able to free herself from her nightmare, sitting straight up in bed, gasping for breath. She couldn't do this. She couldn't abandon the people she cared about so she could live. It was selfish and cruel. On top of that, there wasn't even a sure chance that she would make it. She would most likely die either way. And of the two options, she preferred dying now than after she betrayed everyone.

"Aurora, what's wrong?" Ban asked, sitting up and wrapping his arms around her. She leaned into his embrace, trying to slow her breathing.

"Just a nightmare, go back to sleep, I'm okay."

"The suns already up, I should go make breakfast anyway. How about this, you go back to sleep and I'll wake you when breakfast is ready. You look exhausted."

"I'm fine, I'll help."

"Seriously, Aurora. You need sleep. We can cook together later."

"Alright, fine." She laid back down and Ban pulled the covers up around her. Before he left the room he placed a gentle kiss on her head. But she couldn't sleep. Her mind was too plagued with fear of the future. She wanted to live, she really did, but not at the cost of betrayal. She could hear Theo distantly crying from his room. She leaped out of bed and ran to his room, fearing the worst. However, there was no one hurting him or trying to take him, he had just woken up. She let out a sigh of relief. She didn't know how Ban had taken care of Theo for the past month by himself, especially during a war. She feared that every time he cried the worst was happening.

She walked further into the room towards the crib. Light from the early morning sun had started to pour into the room, a beam of light illuminating the crying infant. Aurora gently picked him up and held him to her chest. But he wasn't crying over the things a child his age should cry over like hunger, it was a vision. Within a second, she was able to see what he could.

It was Aurora joining the demons. She walked toward them and the only sound filling the air was Theo's wails from Ban's arms. She turned back around and pressed a gentle kiss to his head before joining them and giving into the darkness that had been growing. Wind blew around her viciously. When it stopped at last, she was in a navy blue dress. The plunging neckline and slit allowed her skin to almost glow in the moonlight. The top of the corset was covered in silver beads. The redhead figure was almost Aurora. However, instead of her cool blue eyes, they were as black as the night sky, the same color black as the wings sprouted from her back.

And when she thought it was over, the vision restarted. Aurora started to walk away then returned to kiss Theo's head. This time, however, she stopped halfway between the demons and the people she cared about. She stood strong and firm but had a sense of insight and sadness in her eyes. She looked over her shoulder to Ban and Theo, a small smile making its way across her face.

"I won't join you. I won't abandon my family. I won't betray the people I swore to protect."

"Too bad. On the bright side, it won't be long until the others join you." Without another word, Gloxinia stabbed Aurora through the heart with a thorn-covered in a teal substance. Almost immediately, she fell to the ground. Ban handed Theo to Diane and ran over to Aurora.

"You'll...you'll be okay...without me." Aurora said slowly as blood ran from her mouth.

"Don't say that. You're going to be alright."

"The thorn was poisoned. I'm dying, Ban."

"I can't do this without you. I need you in my life." Aurora opened her mouth to speak but started coughing instead. Tears ran down Ban's face despite his attempts to keep them in. "I need you, Aurora. I wanted us to get married and raise Theo. We can't lose you, Aurora. We need you." She reached her hand up to wipe the tears falling down his cheek.

"You'll be alright, Ban. You'll get married and raise Theo, just not with me."

"No, Aurora. I told you, this is it. I won't move on, Aurora. You are my life. Please don't leave me." His tears fell faster and he leaned his cheek into her palm. "Please don't leave me alone here, Aurora. You need to stay alive because I can't lose you."

"I'm sorry, Ban. I love you."

"I love you." He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping he would wake up from this nightmare. Instead, he felt the hand on his cheek drop. He opened his eyes and Aurora lay motionless in front of him, her lifeless eyes slightly open. "No! Aurora, wake up! Please wake up!" He shook her shoulders, hoping she had just fallen asleep. Meliodas placed a hand on Ban's shoulder, his face also tear-stained.

"She's gone, Ban." Aurora had never heard that much pain in the blonde's voice. Ban shook his head, staring down at the redhead. He stared for what felt like an eternity, waiting for her to come back to him. It took another few seconds before he realized she wouldn't. This was it. She was gone. He would never see her eyes light up again when she looked at him or a smile on her face. When he realized this, he let out a scream that would haunt Aurora until the end of time. A scream of pure and utter anguish. It was that scream that made her mind up on what choice she had to make.