✔ The Way We Burn || Kol Mikaelson (Complete)

Chapter 11

WARNING: Angst, Character's Death.

(Sadly, it was unavoidable. Kol will suffer a bit before getting his happy ending with Nora)

1001 A. D.

It happened a sunny day. The day after the full moon. A bright, shining and oh so warm sun was already high in the sky when Kol woke up, feeling more relaxed than he ever had in months. Leaves on the trees were sparkling with dew and, as he left the darkness of the caves, he relished in the mere feeling of being alive, with sunrays deliciously warming his skin and erasing the last remnant of cold of the previous night. There was no hurry in his steps, no burden on his heart and soul. Only the feeling of peace making it easier to breathe and take in the scent of Nature.

Rebekah stopped him briefly to ask if he knew where Nik and Henrik were. He was quick to reassure her that he had seen the two of them just the night before, speaking lowly to each other. No doubts they were planning something and he wanted no part of this as it would surely be...explosive. Nik had been a bit depressed since Tatia had told him the love she felt for him was one for a brother, not for a lover, and that the only man in her heart would only ever be Elijah. Hopefully, their little brother had some idea to brighten Nik's mood. They had all tried to no avail - even Elijah, and gods had it been awkward - and eventually given up. Well, all besides Henrik, that is.

He stepped into the forest and headed to Nora's camp, humming and one hand trailing lazily over the bark of trees.

Then he saw red. Blood. Lot of it. Splattered everywhere. The corpse of two gutted beasts, their blood and bowels tainting the grass and fallen leaves with a dark crimson color. And Nora, bleeding against a tree, a circle of fire around her and her sword stuck on the ground on her left. She had several gashes all over her body and face. One in particular seemed to touch her left eye, and he wasn't sure she still had it. Yet, none were more terrifying than the one over her stomach that he could see through her ripped dress. Her hands were trying to slow the bleeding down but were ineffective.

There was a pounding in his ears as he ran to her, crossing over the fire without a second thought. It burnt his skin and he didn't care. All he cared was the eternity it took to cross the distance and reach her. Even as he did, his heart was in his throat and he couldn't stop his hands and voice from shaking when he called for her.

"Gods, Nora." He didn't know what to do. She was bleeding and it wouldn't stop. He didn't know a thing of magical healing and felt helpless. A warlock was no god.

She couldn't die. Not now, not ever. She couldn't leave him. She just couldn't.

His mother. His mother would know what to do. She knew healing. He had to bring her Nora. She would heal her and everything would be alright once more. He would kill the first person trying to hurt her and no one would ever try again.

He put one of his hand on hers. She was cold and barely conscious but somehow she found the strength to open her eyelids. One blue eye and one empty socket. "It's alright. You're going to be alright. I'll take care of you. Nothing will hurt you anymore." Nothing would ever again. Cursed or not, he didn't care. He was going to destroy the beasts hiding behind their neighbors' faces. They would pay for daring to touch her and beg for mercy. A mercy that would never come. He would paint their village with their blood, use their corpses to light the fire warming Nora's nights. He would trap their souls into an endless suffering until the end of times.

"Kol..." she struggled to say, every breath hurting her.

Like a switch, his darkness receded and hid deep inside his mind.