Curse of the Phoenix

Ch.65 -Pain of Heart, A Sweet Sacrifice

Song of the Chapter: The Morticians Daughter, by Black Veil Brides

"We booked our flights those years ago,

You said you loved me as you left me,

Regrets still haunt your saddened head,

But I promised you I will see you, again."

Eragon~

And then...Iara quietly came out from behind Grimm. I had already gotten off of Saphira, and was watching her.

The dress that she wore was torn, and her hands were red and sore looking. But that was because they were covered in dragon blood. Her face seemed gaunt, and her eyes had a haunted look to them. Tears streamed down her face, and she seemed terrified.

Saphira...I can't do this.

You have to. If you don't, I will, the phoenix is our first priority.

Iara~

When Grimm landed, I felt his pain. It wasn't just his pain, we shared the feeling. I had nobody else left. I couldn't lose him.

Walking around him, I saw Eragon, blade drawn. I stopped and looked at him. My legs didn't want to move, I didn't even think they could. Yeah right, go to The Vault and retrieve it's contents. There wasn't even a door!

This job he gave us was suicide from the beginning..then why had I tried, if I was only to fail?

Was it because I had no other choice?

Or was it because he had been inside my head the entire time?

I returned my focus to the scene before me..I would need all the luck I could get.

"Iara.."

"Are you here to kill me then?" He paused and opened his mouth, seeming unsure of what to say. With a shameful look he lowered his eyes.

"I'm sorry."

"What about everyone else? And Marumen? What about him?" Now my tone was a bit accusatory.

"Iara, he-"

"No! Just shut up already, you could have stopped it!" Grimm exhaled and moved his head over, shielding me.

Iara. Grimm said. His voice was far away sounding...quiet. Run.

I won't leave you!

You must.

Grimm, no, I won't. We began this together, and if we have to, we'll end it together!

Grimm lifted up his head to look at me. I stepped forward and laid my hand on his scales.

I. Won't. Leave. You.

You do not have your amulet. You will not be able to return.

It doesn't matter anymore.

And then Eragon ran at me. Grimm tried to move his head and bite him, but he jumped over, and after that Saphira held him down with her own body weight, so he couldn't interfere.

Eragon was running at me faster than I could ever run away. I had no weapon and no protection. So I froze. He saw the look on my face and paused, gazing at me. I only took a few steps back before he began to run again. And then he was only two feet in front of me, holding his sword.

I had never been so afraid. Ever. Fear wasn't something I was used to. I looked down, and then back at him, then broke down crying.

"Can..can you please heal Grimm?"

"Iara, you don't know everything.." He said. His voice cracked at the end of his sentence.

"Then tell me." I said softly.

He simply reached into his jacket pocket and pulled something out. A...necklace? My necklace. My amulet.

"Where-" But before I could finish, he threw it towards me. I caught it with shaky hands.

Looking up into the sky, I saw Thorn arrive, as well as...Loth? And Giligan.

"Eragon what's going on?"

"Everyone is ok. We had the amulets."

"..what? You're sure?"

"I swear it." That sentence surprised me. He hadn't spoken the ancient language in years, as far as I knew. But then he couldn't be lying, either.

With another sentence he healed Grimm's neck. Grimm just looked over at Saphira.

"Then why would-" My sentence died as I felt him in my head. My eyes widened and I put my hands over my ears as I was assaulted by a cacophony of sound. I gritted my teeth, and Grimm whined.

"It's...him.." I said.

And what do you think you're doing?

"What you told me to.." I said softly. "Why this when you knew it would be...suicide?"

Suddenly he was silenced as he broke our mental connection.

"Oh no." I said. I knew where he was going, too. The spot he first appeared fully formed, and where Marumen had broken his hip. The only active volcano on Vroengard.

"Iara what is it?"

"He's coming, you have to go!"

"We can't-"

"Just do it, and don't let him near anyone else. Oh...wait...one more thing."

Iara, don't! Grimm roared.

I'm sorry...I love you Grimm. More than anything.

With that, I walked forward. Two feet. One foot of the sword buried inside of me. And one foot sticking out my back.

I lost my breath, so I leaned against Eragon. It wasn't pain I felt...just a numbing cold. I coughed a few times, and got blood all over my face and Eragon's back.

"Iara, why?" He asked with a note of fear in his voice.

"I....had...to.." I coughed again, and then stepped away, and off of his blade. Taking the amulet, I handed it to him, before my legs collapsed and I fell over backward.

The sun was bright, too bright for my dying eyes. And yet I was content. We were going to win this. I would make sure of it.

The sounds melted away just as my vision did, and I slipped away into a warm eternity.