When hearts meet

Chapter 9 ~ The curse

Brion watched in astonishment, as the room lit up in orange light. The pillar of fire that streamed out of Ciana's hands, only touched Vassa, nothing else.
Nothing else burned or turned into ash. He felt the heat radiating off of her though.

His eyes didn't leave her face, focusing on her and her only. He was certain she could do it, he was just making sure she wouldn't burn out or anything, like he had done once,  many years ago, due to uncontrolled magic use.

The ice cold wind blew under his wings, that weren't yet fully grown. His father and Cassian flew behind him, talking.
Soon, he saw the camp under him, hidden in a mountain range. He landed, a few seconds before Rhys and Cass did. "Welcome to the Illyrian camp my boy," his father said, his voice a little distant.

He knew about the camps, knew what they did to females, knew his father, and especially his uncle Cass were heavily against it. His father stepped beside him, and showed him the barracks, the common room, the trainings areas.

That's when he saw. He saw how an Illyrian male punched a little Illyrian girl, because she helped her opponent up, after a friendly battle. "There's no place for weakness or mercy here," the man said. He slapped the girl, once, twice. Before Cassian or his father, who already looked like they could kill, could act, the world bursted in stars and penetrating darkness.

He heard how the man who had touched the girl, screamed, how other Illyrian males who wanted to help their commander, screamed in pain and fear. He loved it, the fear of those abusive males. But as soon as he heard innocent women scream as well, he tried to stop his magic. Tried, and failed.

He called for his father, to help him. He had lost control, had acted out of strong emotions and he didn't know how to stop it. He was only twelve yet, he didn't know. "Dad! Dad, please help me!"

A ruffle of wings, a flash of starlight and his father appeared in front of him, violet eyes concentrated and calm, not mad or disappointed, as he had dreaded. "It's okay Brion. You lost control, you're the one who can take it all back." "I am hurting them dad, stop it." Rhys smiled softly, while he touched his shoulder. The security of his father's touch calmed him down. "I made a wall of night, you're not hurting them anymore. But you're still pushing your magic out. Call it back, now. You're the only one who can do that. I cannot help you with that my boy. So call it back, now!"

Brion noticed how the last words were a command. Not father to son, but High lord to heir. "Call it back, now, Brion."

That's all he heard, until oblivion took over...

Brion snapped out of that flashback, that thought, and focused on what was I front of him again. Ciana was still pushing her magic out of her, unyielding, unstoppable flames.
The bird started shrieking in annoyance or pain, he didn't know.

~

Droplets of sweat evaporated before they had made their way down her forehead. Her skin was burning, pulsing from the heat. Not a painful heat, but a comforting, soothing heat. It sang to her heart, told her it belonged with her.

She concentrated on the task ahead. Burn the curse, not Vassa's soul. As she dug deeper, she heard the bird scream. Gotcha, she thought. A smile appeared on her plump lips. Deeper and deeper she went, until she saw that pinch of light, that red thread that was Vassa's beautiful and shining soul. Not touching that, she thought.

She moved her flames carefully around it, and dove deeper, the bird shrieking once more. There it was.
A small silver rotten shard. Her flames rose hotter, until they almost had a blueish color. She formed a dagger with it, and shot it at the shard. But before her flames could destroy it, an eye in the shard opened.