Malion: Up In Flames

Hope

He's gone... he's gone... he's gone...

A name echoes in my ears.

He's gone. He's gone. He's gone.

There it is again.

He's gone-

"Elliott!" I look up, "Anthony, please. Give him to me. It will be alright." I shut my eyes and Herross's words fade out.

"He's dead..." I mumble, pressing my forehead against Kaylum's chest. I repeat myself again and again. It's all I can muster from the sobbing.

"Anthony..." Hero places a hand on my head. Suddenly and smoothly, I'm not so afraid anymore. I look up at him, my heart still pounding and tears still streaming down my face. His eyes have gone a deep grey. He takes my hands and gives them a gentle squeeze.

"We have his soul and his body. All that's left now is to put them together. Kaylum will be alright." Herross says. It's as if something clicks in my heart. I close my eyes while Elliott mutters something to himself. I can't tell why these tears well up, but they're there and they have far too many emotions filling them. I lean forward, uttering Hero's name. He holds me close and then I hear words that make me rocket out of that everlasting pit I had been sinking into.

"All we need is his body. Anthony, please let him go..."

"You... you're not touching him." I huff, pulling away from him and tightening my arms around Kaylum's body.

"Anthony. Please, we need his body and his soul to make him whole again. Please let him go. His staff has his soul inside of it. With Elliott's help, we can extract his perfectly and we can bring him back. Kaylum will live again." Herross said, keeping his soft demeanor.

"If you can't do this for yourself, do if for Lilith." He said. I hesitated then looked down at Kaylum. I pressed my forehead against his.

"For our Lily." I tell him softly. It takes me a moment to summon the courage I need to get up and step away from him, but eventually, I manage it and blink a few tears out of my eyes. Herross takes Kaylum into his arms and bows his head at me. Then turns and disappears. Moments later, Selvan appears at the entrance to the courtyard with a mighty battle cry that abruptly ends upon his realisation.

"Where...? What on Gaia happened? Where did everything go?" He asks, suddenly appearing in front of me.

"Anthony! You look like the battle was particularly successful! Tell me, where is Kaylum?" He asks. It feels like a stake sinks into my chest. I turn away, balling my hands into fists.

"Oh... Wait... don't tell me... he..." I look back at Selvan to see a heartbroken look in his eyes. They flicker gold and then a burst of power from him sends me flying backwards. I look to the group behind him and they had been sent back towards the door.

"Selvan!" I call out to him, my own voice cracking. Another wave of power bursts out of him, but I get up before the shock
wave forms and I grab onto him. His eyes are entirely gold.

"Selvan, listen to me. Herross has him. He promised me that he'll be alright." I tell him, only halfheartedly believing my own words.

He looks up at me, his eyes still gold.

"Herross?"

With the simple uttering of his name, he appears, resisting his brother's powerful shock waves. He walks forward and wraps his arms around his brother. He speaks to Selvan in celestial and slowly, the shock waves gain more time between each one until they disappear altogether.

"Herross... are you sure we can do this? Bring him back?" He asks and he replies in celestial. His eyes slowly return to normal and he sinks into the embrace.

"I don't know what I would have done. Kaylum may have been an annoying little Gaian but he didn't find me offensive or off-putting, like so many others have on my travels. He was not afraid to go against me, to challenge my views..."

"And he'll continue. Selvan. We are Gods." He says.

Decoda's P.O.V.

That evening, I stand by the balcony, leaning on the railing. I feel a soft hand on my shoulder and look behind me to see Elliott's gentle smile.

"Are you alright?" I ask him, noting his reddened eyes. His smile grows slightly as he leans into the railing beside me and let's out a deep sigh.

"I'm worried. If they can't bring him together, then Kaylum's gone... if they do it wrong, that would be worse." He says to himself more than to me. I cradle his face in my palm and look into his sky blue eyes.

"I have faith in them. They'll bring him together. I know Kaylum will be fine." I tell him quietly.

"I've given them the directions on how to extract his soul from the staff, but the rest is up to them. That's why I've given you all those weapons. They will keep you safe, even after death." He tells me, closing his eyes and leaning into mt hand.

"You truly are amazing." I tell him, recieving an softly flustered expression. He turns to face the view. After a long silence, he sighs.

"This is beautiful."

"It's my kingdom." I tell him, pushing away from the railing and standing tall. He looks at me with a gaze of uncertainty.

"I need to protect it. Nothing like that can ever happen again. I will make sure that the evil that has haunted this kingdom will forever be purged."

Moments later, Edea bursts through the door.

"I am so sorry to interrupt your moment, but Anthony Martin's Child will be born shortly!"