Part 1: Chapter 15 [The Fall]

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>SERAPHINA'S POV<

The sun is setting. It is beautiful, and I know that in this moment it shines for me.

I'm standing at the edge of the cliff, looking down. Memories of the past few months flood in. The wind whips through my hair and I look around at the crowd that has gathered. The conjurer trainees and Ronan are all looking up to me from where they stopped at the base of the cliff. The winter air has finally ceased; the new season is creeping in. A new season for me too. 

I can see Ian with his mouth open, clearly horrified. Ronan is off his horse, frozen. I'm forcing his hand - he has to respect me now.

All my life, I dreamt of fire.

Of freedom.

Of chaos.

I dreamt it all came from me.

It flowed from me.

All from the pain that I had endured.

Their looks.

Their comments.

Their pity.

And now him.

It was all because of him.

I take one last look at Ronin, peace settling in me. 

He respects me. I am accomplished.

I lean forward.

I fall.

~~~

>RONAN'S POV<

No- 

I look up and see her standing on the cliff. She is looking down at us like a stone statue. The wind is whipping through her hair and the orange light from the setting sun illuminates her. Reflects on her. 

She is as pretty as the sun.

I can't move. I'm off my horse, but I can't move. 

She wouldn't, would she?

I didn't mean it when I told her to jump off the cliff. I was scared. When she went to burn Bryce she looked unstoppable. I feared her. I did the only thing I felt like I could have done in the moment. 

I never wanted this. I do care about her. Too much. I can't stop the Lich army without her. 

She leans forward and it feels like time, everything else except her, freezes. It feels like minutes pass. 

No.

I take a step towards her as she falls.

No!

I'm running now, my heartbeat pounding in my ears. 

NO!

Her body hits the ground and I falter. I don't even hear the impact. She lays sprawled out like a rag doll. Kneeling beside her, I lean over her, taking in what I am seeing. Her eyes are partially opened, looking to the sun. It seems like every part of her body is twisted the wrong way. Gradually, the light in her eyes fades away. The fire in her eyes - gone. Her pretty green eyes are dull, lifeless. I realise now - she was never weak.

I'm so sorry.

I can't handle the pain I'm feeling, this ache that cuts so deep in my chest.

She's gone and it's all because of me.

I roar out in agony, pain flooding my mind. I can't think of anything else except Seraphina. The ground around me cracks open and the cliff, the earth, rumbles. Everything shakes with the excruciating pain I'm drowning in. A tear falls from each of my eyes, reminding me that I'm as human as I am daemon. 

You can't be gone.

I slowly lower my head to her stomach, resting myself on her. My tears roll over her now cold body. 

The sun sets. The darkness creeps in. 

It is many hours before the trainees coaxed me away from her. I ride back to the castle with them, leaving her body where it fell. We would come back to retrieve it tomorrow with a cart. 

I feel nothing but unbearable pain. Emptiness. Cold. 

Our late return has caused a crowd of warriors to gather around the barracks holding wooden sticks that were burning for light, prepared to come find us. They looked relieved to see us, not noticing that one of us has not returned. I see Bryce standing with his pathetic warrior friends. He laughs, not aware of what has happened. 

I get off my horse and walk towards him. Numb. 

"She's gone Bryce."

Bryce looks away from his friend that he was conversing with, confused. 

You're at fault for this too you bastard. 

"Seraphina is fucking dead. She jumped off the cliff and bloody killed herself."

Bryce freezes, his jaw hanging open. Ian comes up beside me and throws Bryce a seething glare through his glassy eyes. He looks at him for a few moments then pushes past him, intentionally hitting his shoulder on his way. Ian rarely takes anything seriously. Bryce goes to say something to me but thinks better of it. I push past him also - my only destination my bed.

I'm tired, so bloody tired. 

I don't even reach for a cigar or a glass of whiskey when I get to my room. I lay down and immediately fall into a slumber, Seraphina's face the last thing I see in my mind. 

~~~

>SERAPHINA'S POV<

I should be dead. I was dead. Why am I not dead?

A tall man, undead in his appearance but not quite Lich, is standing over me, looking down at me with curiosity. His aura feels immeasurably dark. Cruel and cold. His eyes glint with a certain vengeance. 

"I am Talos, the Lich King. I have brought you back to life, sun. Without sun there is no moon. Without light there can be no shadows cast. You may stand by my side and rule with me - I will not betray you as they have."

I smile, the dull ache in my body dissipating. I can feel my ocean rising again. Kneeling down slowly, Talos speaks softly.

"You are so strong that my undead magic could not alter your soul - you remain yourself. You remain as fire, unapologetically Seraphina the goddess of the Sun. Burn bright."

I bring myself up to my feet, standing. He does the same. Looking at him, I reach my hand out. I speak with elegance. Warmth.

"We will remain at truce, shadow. This eclipse of light and darkness in this moment is simply one of peace. War is coming to this kingdom - a war you started yourself. I no longer feel precious about the people that live here. Do with them as you will. I will roam the lands free."

Talos shakes my hand and grins.

"Until we meet again, Sun Goddess."

"Until we meet again, Moon God."  

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PART 1 END

Part 2 will be coming soon!

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