The Four Realms

Chapter 17: Augustine

I had never seen anything so beautiful in my life. The cavern was dome shaped with a cascade trinkling down the center into a glowing pool of liquid. Each droplet that tumbled down the waterfall seemed to carry its own luminescence, creating a cascade of liquid light that dances and sparkles in the air. I cannot believe it was real, the Yogeio Katarrakti right before my eyes. I knelt to the rock floor and scooped my hand into the incandescent water, it shimmered in my palms. "This is incredible." I whispered to myself. In the middle of the pool of gleaming water, in front of the waterfall lay a small island. On it a marble podium with a ruby studded dagger. What was that for? Had someone been here before? I turned to the others, "Does anyone know how we are supposed to do this?" I inquired. Hunter shrugged still mesmerized by the falls. "Cass did you read about what to do?" I asked her. Tears were welling in her eyes. "What's wrong?" I asked, putting an arm on her shoulder, she shook her head wiping her eyes. "I'm so sorry." she choked. "Why for what?" I asked confused. Hunter put an arm around Cassiopeia's shoulders and Nicholas huddled in. "I lied about how easy it was to get the wish." she stuttered. "What do you mean by that?" Nicholas asked sternly. "The book I got from the library said that someone has to give up their life in order to get the wish." she explained stumbling over her words. I took a step back. When I offered to take the fall if it didn't work, she knew all along that it wasn't an if. "I'm so sorry Augustine, I should have told you." Cassiopeia balled. My throat got hot as the realization sunk in. We had to complete the curse break and in order to do so I had to die. "I don't know what to say." I said slowly. "That's it we are not following through with this." Hunter exclaimed squeezing Cassiopeia tighter. "Let's just find a way out of here." he added. "No." I stated. "What!" Hunter exclaimed. "I have to follow through with what I said. I'm going to swim out there." I pointed at the small island. "And I'm assuming that knife is what has to be used to complete the job, so someone has to come out there with me. Whose it going to be? Nicholas... you said before you would do it. You would kill me." I declared my voice shaking ever so slightly. "Absolutely not!" Nicholas shouted. "I'm not letting you sacrifice yourself." He grabbed my wrist and searched my eyes. "If we go back, it will all be for nothing. Anyways like you said Nicholas, they are going to kill me anyways." I exclaimed. "Stop!" yelled Cassiopeia pulling away from Hunter. "I should be me." she declared. "What are you talking about, no!" I shouted back. We locked eyes for a moment before I dove headfirst into the glimmering pool. Being native to the Summer Court gave you automatic swimming skills. I heard Cassiopeia splash in behind me and I parted through the ripples are fast as I could. I came out gasping for air as I dragged myself onto the island. I pulled myself up and grappled for the dagger with Cassiopeia climbing on the island behind me. I held up the cool metal of the knife away from her. Cassiopeia didn't move the second I held it as if trying not to startle an animal. "Cassiopeia you know it has to be me, think about your sister." I pleaded. Her face hindered for a moment with the mention of her sister. "I made a mistake Augustine." she said her voice calm before lunging at me reaching for the dagger. I felt it slip from my hand and clatter to the floor. We both dropped to the floor searching in the dim lighting pushing and toppling over each other. Cassiopeia stood for a better look, and I took that as my moment to pounce, pushing her into the water behind us. She shrieked as she fell backwards. From the corner of my eye Nicholas and Hunter had taken off their coats and leapt into the water, now making their way over hurriedly. "Augustine, stop!" Hunter yelled while pulling himself onto the island. With tears in my eyes, I positioned the knife in front of my stomach and closed my eyes. My hands were shaking uncontrollably, I wasn't sure if I could do this. With a deep breath I made to plunge the dagger deep into my stomach but was thrown off balance by something knocking me over. I fell to the floor with a thud, Cassiopeia had twisted the knife from my hands and lay motionless beside me. "No!" I screamed, reaching for her. Cassiopeia rolled over gasping, she pulled herself to have her back against the podium which the dagger had been on. She was clutching her stomach, I gasped putting my hands to my mouth in horror. The dagger, now dripping in blood, was lodged in her side, she coughed sending shocks of pain through her. "Cassie, it was supposed to be me." I sobbed. Cassiopeia's breathed had slowed alarmingly but she looked at me with her sad amber eyes. "No," she croaked, "It wasn't. Tell my sister I hope she loves seeing autumn." she whispered tears in her eyes as they slowly closed for the last time. I sobbed into my chest wishing this wasn't real and it was all a dream. Hunter's eyes were filled with tears as he stared at the mess. He put an arm around my shoulder trying to be brave. I had given up being strong. This was so not right, she had a sister, and a mother and I have no one. No one would miss me. I stood up, my knees wobbling as I looked at Nicholas. His face was neutral, un-wavering. "Nic." I stutter hoping for support. I took a step closer to him and he backed up. I could barely stand on my own why was he leaving me. "No, I can't deal with this right now." he shouted. "What?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper. "It was never fucking real!" he yelled at us. "None of it, the curse! Nothing was real. It was just a spell to create hate between the realms. Th King told me to keep it secret. But I should have said something a few days ago. This is all my fault, if I had said something she would have been fine." Nicholas shouted throwing his hands in the air. "You must be lieing Nicholas, tell me you are lieing1" I shouted. He shook his head. I stared at him blankly, this person I had come to trust and maybe even feel something romantic for had just turned my life upside down. "How could you." I spat, "Cassiopeia just died because of me, and you have the audacity to speak about this NOW!" I yelled. My heart was in pieces. Everything was a lie, my parents never came home because of a ridiculous spell that the selfish king put on the lands so he could have dominance. I rubbed the back of my neck holding in a meltdown when Hunter stormed forward away from where he had been crumpled over by Cassiopeia's side. He slammed his fists into Nicholas's chest, "You disgust me! You and your high and mighty attitude from the beginning I hated you!" he shouted in Nicholas's face. Nicholas was speechless as Hunter shouted at him. I was shocked to see Hunter so riled up that it distracted me from the noise by the entrance of the cave. The royal guard stormed in swords and bows at the ready. "Halt where you are!" bellowed a knight. I jumped in surprise. What do we do? I put my hands up in surrender as they instructed us to swim over to them. A large knight grabbed me harshly and tied my hands at my back with rope that rubbed harshly against my skin. I barely flinched too emotionally tired to resist, what was the point anyways. The water on the slide had somehow stopped and I heard a guard muttering about putting a stopper so we could climb back up. As I approached the slide entrance I stopped suddenly, "Wait! Cassie!" I shouted begging them to go back for her body. We couldn't' just leave her there. "Keep moving!" hollered the knight as he pulled me up the slide. Hunched over we walked up the steep slide before they walked us over the makeshift bridge they created to cross the canyon. I swallowed hard, there would be no celebrations when we returned to the castle. The three of us were shoved into a tiny carriage and soon trundled off towards Kings Land once more. It felt like Deja vu when a fortnight ago I was shipped off with no clue what lay ahead of me.