The night had fallen into a heavy silence, the kind that settles in when the weight of the world feels just a little too much to bear. In the dimly lit room, Ursula and Mitzy stood near the large wooden table, their faces cast in shadows. Miri sat in a corner, her eyes red from the tears she had shed earlier, but she had no time for mourning now. The stakes were too high, and the decision that lay ahead weighed heavily on her soul.
Mitzy was speaking in hushed tones. "Risha will be stripped of her immortality and stay on earth - that's what the council told me to pass on to you. If you want to undo this, well. lady Ursula, you know....umm...it's about something dangerous."
Ursula nodded, her face unreadable. "Mitzy, I'm listening."
Mitzy took a deep breath, her hands still tingling from the magic she had woven to erase the memories. "The only way to stop Risha's descent into chaos is through a sacrifice. A soul-bound sacrifice. The bond between her and Miri—it's strong enough to reverse the curse that's been placed on her. But for it to work, Miri must give something vital of herself, something that will ensure Risha's redemption."
Miri looked up sharply, her voice trembling. "What kind of sacrifice?"
Ursula turned to face her, her gaze steady but full of sorrow. "A sacrifice of a piece of your essence, Miri. You'll have to sever part of your soul and give it to Risha, willingly. This will restore balance to her, but at the cost of your own power, your immortality. You will never be the same. But there is something about you you must know. I am in no position to tell you this. Only your parents can do this."
"So many riddles, tell me the truth please," Miri was exhausted.
Mitzy stepped forward, her eyes serious. "Miri, listen, you can save your sister by giving a part of your sould to Risha, but your power will slowly diminish You will become full mortal and stay here until we can come up with another solution. Both of you souls are bonded together, so in order to save her from this, most of your soul's essence has to go to her. You will sacrifice your own strength to save her, and you'll never have the power you had before."
"And?" Miri asked.
" Like mortals, you'll age and die someday" Mitzy tries to make things clear.
"What about my love for Aaron?" Miri asked.
"Miri, my dear, Aaron will have to go back to our realm and as a mortal, you cannot marry any immortal as it goes against the rule," says Ursula.
Miri's heart clenched at the thought. She had always known that being Risha's protector came at a cost, but she never imagined it would come to this.
"I made a promise to Aunt Anastasia. I promised I would keep her safe no matter what." Miri stood up, her face a mask of determination despite the agony inside her. "I will do it. If this is what it takes to save her, then I'll make the sacrifice. I will not back down."
Ursula's face softened with a mixture of pride and sorrow. Her deep eyes locked with Miri's, as if weighing the consequences of the decision that was about to unfold. "Miri, you don't fully understand what you're agreeing to," she said gently, though her voice carried a weight that made Miri's stomach twist. "Once you do this, there's no going back."
Miri's heart skipped a beat, her mind racing. "What do you mean? I'll still be able to protect her, won't I?" she asked, though the fear creeping into her voice betrayed her uncertainty.
Ursula's gaze grew heavier, as though trying to find the words to explain the magnitude of what was about to happen. "Yes but you will not be the same, Miri."
"Doesn't matter, I'll do whatever it takes." Miri was determined. "I am not a good sister if I can't do this much for my little sis."
"And you made a promise to her mother. Now, you're the only one who can save her." Ursula said.
YOU ARE READING
Fates Entwined
FantasyRisha and Miri, cousins and immortal troublemakers, had always thrived on bending rules in their celestial realm. They pulled pranks on dignitaries, snuck out of formal gatherings, and reveled in their eternal youth. But their antics eventually cros...
