The Anima [completed]

35.

35.

The throne was cold against my legs and exposed back as I settled into its comfort. Grown tired of standing while I waited, I sat upon the black throne to relieve myself of some of my exhaustion. The red bloodstone was warm in my palm and I rubbed it with my thumb. My eyes never left the cold body of my doppelgänger. The blood had stopped spreading from the wound in her chest, the edges of the pool beginning to dry a sickening bubbling black. I did not dare to remove the dagger, for until she was burned there was still a possibility it's removal result in her rebirth.

The stone throbbed, demanding attention. I nibbled my cheek and after only a moment gave into its demands. Hastily, I tied the stone around my neck before I second guessed my decision. As soon as the stone met my skin, warmth, unlike anything I had felt before, sent shivers through my body. The power that surged from its surface was both hot-spiking my blood like a drug, and cold-my muscles freezing over and tingling as if on ice. The stone shone erratically until the power settled over my body and it matched the rhythm of my heartbeat.

Apart from the feeling of infinite power, I did not feel any less myself than I had since I first entered the Fae world. Just as I began to ponder over the possibilities The Umbra's power could bring, Blake re-entered the room, Alvar and Lucius following close behind. I froze in my seat. Alvar's face was a swollen mess of blood, his lips lost in the blood that poured from a crocked nose and eye's hidden behind swollen sockets that threatened to swallow his beautiful iris' whole. Lucius was just as bad, if not worse. They had shaven his head, aggressive strokes stripped parts of his scalp completely and others leaving chunks of red hair; blood dying the blonde strands.

Alvar's eyes locked onto mine and despite the extreme swelling he smiled. He began to run towards me. My heart could have burst, but the power inside me most certainly did. With each step Alvar took, a part of him was healed. His cheeks were rid of bruising, his eyes escaping from the swelling, and his skin cleared as the blood was reabsorbed into his skin. By the time I was being wrapped in the familiarity of his arms, he was the Alvar I knew and loved.

Stunned by my own revelation, my lips froze as Alvar leaned down to kiss me. After the moment of shock passed, I melted against him. The sensation brought by his soft lips was more powerful than any of the power I had been gifted, or ever would be gifted. No matter what world I eventually chose as my own, I knew I must have him within it.

A small grunt tore us a part, but we remained touching, our chests pressed up against one another.

"Sorry, Lucius." I laughed and flicked my hand in his direction.

From my finger tips, my power surged towards the Faerie. It enveloped Lucius like a blanket, cloaking his bruising with golden light. Upon closer examination, I realised the light wasn't golden; it was a strong mix of red and gold, emerging as a play on strawberry blond hair, curling around the Faerie like a hungry animal upon a carcass. Lucius' hair grew back instantly, long blonde hair sprouting down nearly to his knees before I pulled the power back into my body.

I felt no different than before, no energy depleted in the slightest. In fact, healing Lucius and Alvar had brought an intoxicating cocktail of emotions that but the spring back into my step. It was as if I hadn't just killed another being or used the last of my reserves to heal Beast and myself. Lucius laughed loudly and tossed his new hair off his shoulders, as if he hadn't just been beaten bloody.

Once Lucius had finished laughing and Alvar stopped staring at my face, an awkward tension settled in the air. I realised only then that I was not wearing a shirt and the fight with my other half had torn my sports bra almost completely off. My pants were also torn and although the wound on my stomach was gone, blackened blood remained spread over my exposed belly.