Cult of The Moon (Completed)

Chapter 16

Eden peeled Aaliyah's hands off of her body and slipped out of bed. Eden dressed quickly, in a simple white dress before heading out to the woods. Circe was already waiting when Eden arrived.

"Good Morning!" Eden called as she crossed the small field to where Circe stood.

"I see that the lovely Aaliyah won't be joining us today. Shame. I would have loved for her to witness this." Circe cooed.

"Let's just get on with it." Eden hissed, her mood suddenly sour and angry.

"If you wish, take your position." Circe nodded at Eden. The stood ten or so paces apart, both staring the other down. The rules were simple, use magic to kill or knock your opponent unconscious. But knowing what spell your opponent would cast and how to overcome or block it was much more difficult. She's too powerful for me, but I can't let her kill me. I can't...

"Eden!" Aaliyah screamed from the edge to the woods. But it was too late, Circe had already cast her spell. A ball of molten fire was hurling towards Eden, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. The momentary distraction was enough for Circe to cast a spell without Eden noticing. The fire collided with Eden, engulfing her body in the flames. Aaliyah ran across the field to Eden's burning body. The fire had ripped open her flesh and left her dress singing.

"Oh, Eden, tisk task." Circe laughed from her spot.

"Eden! Why the hell did you go through with it?" Aaliyah yelled as she fell to the ground next to Eden.

"Because I couldn't let her take you." Eden weakly choked out weakly.

"But she can't take me, I won't let her," Aaliyah said softly.

"But that's the point dear, now that you know that she wants you, she can't take you." Eden choked out, spitting some blood onto the ground after.

"No... It's not Eden. Stay with me, please..." Aaliyah's eyes grew cloudy with hot tears.

"I'm not going anywhere..." Eden looked up into Aaliyah's eyes. Emily was right, she did come from Ethan.

"I can't lose you, Eden." Aaliyah's tears fell freely onto Eden's broken form.

"You won't," Eden whispered softly into Aaliyah's ear. Eden couldn't hear anything after that, just a dull buzzing sound and the pain. She had never experienced anything like it before, it drowned out any other emotion or thought. She could feel the pull, to just give in and slip into whatever awaited her in the beyond. But yet... Aaliyah. Her one regret. Now that her many years of life were ending all she could think about was Aaliyah. How Eden had not been able to give her the life she deserved. Aaliyah deserved a life with someone who wouldn't outlive her and Eden simply couldn't give that to her. With her last effort, Eden pulled back Aaliyah's dress down to expose Aaliyah's collar bone, I am enough... Her second tattoo, the only that only Eden knew about. Oh, my sweet Aaliyah, you are so much more than enough...

*

Alliyah felt the tears rush down her face, the pang of loss fueled her rage. Everything that bound Aaliyah to the earth began to fall away, Aaliyah cried as she held Eden's cold lifeless body close to her chest.

"How did you...?" A woman spoke from above Aaliyah, She glanced up, realizing for the first time that the warm lush training field had become a cold dark sunless dimension. Hecate? Aaliyah recognized her from Eden's picture. Wait, but Hecate was... Then I must be too?

"Welcome to The Edge." Hecate crowed.

"Hecate." Aaliyah bowed slightly.

"Aaliyah. It seems that you have nosed your way into the edge between life and death. So my question is this, what will you do next?" Hecate asked she motioned one hand to a white void and the other to a broken body curled away from them.

"Will you follow your love to death or leave and save yourself?" Hecate asked.

"There must be another option, this can't be it," Aaliyah stated.

"You could trade her life for yours, but come on do you really want to do that?" Hecate said. Aaliyah slowly walked over to the frail body, and to her horror it was Eden. But at the same time... It wasn't. This Eden was tiny, pasty, and weak. Even in death, Eden would never look like this.

"Eden," Aaliyah said as she placed a hand on the corpse.

"I'm sorry..." Aaliyah whispered as she stood up and walked towards the light. I'm so sorry my love, but you would never forgive me if I chose differently.

"Aaliyah. Prove to me that you aren't just a tool. Find the secret, learn how to extend life and I'll return her." Hecate called as the room shimmered around Aaliyah.

"Challenge accepted. Bitch." Aaliyah laughed.