Cursed

Chapter 1: After

      A gust of smoke-scented wind blew over the plateau, making the knee high grass ripple like a golden sea. The sun hung low below the clouds, awaiting its final descent before it vanished below the horizon.

      A lone figure sat in the grass, eyes fixated on the dying light. She watched the setting sun set the clouds awash in light, making it almost look the sky itself was on fire.

     The girl, she had once been known as Viria, thought back and remembered when it had once been her dream to watch the world burn as it looked that evening. Her time as an evil fire demon was not easily forgotten. It seemed like so long ago she couldn't even remember feeling like that. Lately, it seemed like her heart was nothing more than charcoal.

    Above the sound of the cool wind and the rippling grass, the crunching sound of footsteps could be heard. Viria closed her eyes, knowing who it was. But beyond that, she knew why she was there.
Tears brimmed at the corners of her eyes and her head hung low as the other person arrived at her side.

     Ava sat down beside her and looked up at the sunset that Viria had turned away from. Neither spoke. Neither looked at the tears that were flowing freely down the face of the other.

      Finally, as the sun kissed the horizon Ava took a shuddering breath and laid her head on Viria's shoulder, their bodies pushed together. Although Ava's speech had been regained, to her it felt as if it had been taken away again. She couldn't find the words or the courage to speak. But finally, she did.

     "We both know why I'm here." She choked out between quiet sobs. "We also know that the path you walked was a one-way street. Hell, it was a one-man street. I couldn't follow you like you probably wanted, and you couldn't come back like I thought I wanted."After all this, after everything we've done, I think we always knew this day would come." She grew quiet, watching as the sun sunk lower and lower and the fire in the sky began to fade into purples and blues.

     Viria lifted her head to the sky but kept her eyes closed. Tears rolled down her face and she forced herself to keep her breathing even, despite how much she needed to choke and sob and cry. Anya pulled something out of her pocket and closed her eyes as she held Viria tight.

      "I always loved you, Ava." Viria finally whispered. She opened her eyes and took a final glimpse of the sky. With a shuddering gasp, she closed her eyes again. "I'm sorry." 

      The last two words were snatched away by the wind, but even if they hadn't been they were uttered too quiet to have been heard. But Ava understood.

      "I know." She replied sadly. The knife in her hand glinted red in the last rays of the setting sun. "I know."A small smile graced Viria's lips as she smiled through her tears. It was the first real smile in a long, long time. The first smile that wasn't born from death or pain or from a demons curse, it was real and true and agonizing.

      "It was a hell of a ride. I'm glad you were there with me." Viria said.

       "Me too." She blubbed as tears dripped down her face into the grass.  Ava squeezed Viria's shoulder even tighter. "But this has to be done. For the good of everyone." With a long exhale and a final sob, she stabbed the knife into the crack Viria's side and up; through her ribs and into her heart and lungs. 

      The knife tore through muscle and sinew between Viria's ribs before it found its target.Her mouth opened and she gasped audibly as she almost doubled over. Blood bubbled up through her lips, the gurgling sound barely hidden by the wind as her damaged heart pumped blood through the wound. 

       Her body spasmed as she choked on her own blood and her lungs failed to perform their primary function any longer. The sound was awful, full of pain and horror but Ava held on and twisted the blade deeper until her best friend, her soulmate, her everything, was silent. Until Viria was no more, until she was a cooling corpse sitting on the edge of a plateau.

      The sun vanished below the horizon, leaving the sky smeared with purple and dark red that seemed more like blood than fire.

      There was a morose sucking sound when Ava pulled out the knife and she immediately threw up in the grass beside her. In a moment of horror and disgust, she flung the dagger off the edge of the cliff- only to realize an instant later that it had been Viria's. It had been Viria's until it had been gifted to Ava. It was the one always kept on her belt, some kind of important heirloom. It was the only gift Ava had ever received and now it would rust at the bottom of the canyon forever. Ava cried as she held Viria's body tight.

      Ava cried until her voice was hoarse and cracking and her face was crusted with salt and mucus. She shed tears until the night froze them to her face.

      She sat in the grass long after Viria's body had cooled. She didn't leave even after the stars moved above her in the massive expanse of black sky.

      Ava stared out over the horizon, her eyes unfocused and dull, her head buzzing with numbness. A headache from the cold and tears had settled in hours ago and now her head pounded ferociously. Finally, she pried herself from Viria's stiff, cold body, the blood and gore joining them together. The stench of death had settled over the plateau like a miasma and was already drawing insect life.

      With a final lovelorn glance, she pushed herself to her feet. She gave a long exhale as she tried to compose herself, then she walked away. She didn't look back.