Chapter 172: 172
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In response to my question, the vampire Prince smiles sadly, shaking his head. At this I feel my face drop. I had hoped initially that he might be here longer, that I might be able to soak in his presence uninterrupted for just a fraction more and not be addled with thoughts of losing him all over again. But upon seeing my crestfallen expression, gently he reaches down to lift my hand out of the water and enclose it over his own.
"I'm sorry, darling," he whispers, the once vivacious light leaving his eyes, his expression dulling as a sweeping melancholy makes its way over the air around us. My heart pangs with grief as his hand tightens over my own.
"Azrael is about to give me another shot of silver. My shadow form is going to be depleted for a while, I will not be able to be with you physically until I have recovered. But I promise as soon as I do have enough strength, I will find you again. You will see me before the end. I-"
Suddenly, Soren's body grinds to a halt, the breath catching in his throat with a sharp inhalation like air being sucked from a vacuum. Soren's shadow form flickers, his limbs twitching in spasms of unwanted muscle, eyes widening, back arching, mouth agape in silent scream. His body goes tense, like an electric wave has been shocked through him, sending his body into regions outside of his control as a singular tear trickles down his cheek.
"No- not now! Not yet!" I cry out desperately, reaching towards him, feeling a heavy tug on the bond between us, a wrenching at my heart that signifies that the deed is done. Dampening the screams from my throat, I clutch tighter around Soren's hand, but it's like grasping for clouds, and all at once my fingers slip from his grasp, leaving nothing in its place but airy blackness.
Then just like that, his form shatters, swirling trails of darkness exploding into the air, sending shockwaves of dark swirling shadows rippling out from his form, the shadowy illusion destroyed.
"No," I weep miserably, bringing my hand against my chest, clutching it tightly as though to rekindle some memory of what I have just lost. "Why now? Why?"
For a few minutes, Kal and I swim there, hearts pounding, his hand wrapped over my shoulder, rubbing comforting circles over my skin in an effort to lull my grief. As soon as the air empties, my cries of distress have stopped singing around the cavern like a siren's song to a sailor, we both lie there breathless, treading water to keep ourselves afloat. I can tell Kal is trying to catch my attention, his eyes flickering across to me in regular intervals, but I have neither the strength, nor the courage to look at him.
"I-I'm sorry Serena. We will get him out, I promise. I know we will." Kal reassures, but there is an edge to his voice that makes me not so certain. Silently, I pray to the heavens that whatever Soren is going through, he will be alright. I do not think he would be succumbed to a dilute silver injection, or maybe even several, but it certainly would put a cap on his powers at the very best. Yet that is not to say that Azrael- wherever he is- hasn't brewed up some other concoction of hell to forcibly inject into my husband, or anyone else for that matter. Who knows what that slimy snake is up to?
My only answer is one of silence, a broken link between me and the outside world. No soothing voice, no reassuring teasing, just empty air, and a vast cavern of water, rolling with a continuous string of washing waves. What was I expecting anyway?
"Come on," I instruct, subtly wiping a tear from the corner of my eye, hoping grimly that the dragon beside me does not notice the action, or at least has it in his best interest not to mention it. Either way, he does not give any indication if he does.. "Lets get going."
Down, down into the murky depths we swim, leaving the ethereal trails of glowing green crystalline light sinking far behind us, drawn in by the shadows and the darkness that slither in the depths beneath. Confidently, I swim ahead, guided by the pull and tug that resides deep inside my heart, beckoning me further from the watery shadows and into the grim unknown. The only light source we have is my own- a trickling golden light that exudes from my body, coating the dense water, spindly weeds and thick, winding water creepers with a pale but much needed light.
As we swim, I try to forget about Soren, about the way he looked before he disappeared- the tenseness of his body, the tear that had rolled in silent distress down his cheeks. How helpless he had looked, his body tense, electrified with pain, so weak it was almost terrifying. The Scarlet Prince, reduced to nothing.
I hope I never have to see it again.
I suppose trying to forget about him isn't going to work after all.
Wordlessly, Kal swims behind, eyes darting, knife out, his movements tense as he swims, as though he is prepared to spring into action at any minute.
It is clear to anyone from the tenseness in his body, the darting wariness of his eyes that, illusion or otherwise, he desperately does not want to be here. I always used to assume that dragons- being mostly wild and chaotic creatures whose great knowledge in the arts of magic and wizardry would somewhat bolster their bravery, wouldn't mind the water, but I can see now that was a naïve hope.
Kal's fire may be black, but it is, undoubtedly, still fire. Even a youngling would realise that water quenches fire, so Kal must feel entirely suffocated. I suppose it's different from me- heavenly fire is not so easily doused by mortal elements and is quite easily rendered to a force of destruction, but I can still sympathise with the feeling.
The feeling of hopelessness, suffocation, and the ever impending and always growing feeling of doom and despair, as if we might never escape this place, trapped like flies in a web against Azrael's grasp. I am sure if I could hear his heart, it would be beating like a stampede of wild horses.
Relenting inwardly, we keep swimming. This is not a place of regrets or fear, not when there are illusions waiting at every corner to feed off those doubts and insecurities, ready to render you helpless to the depths of your own mind with a mere snap of their fingers.
A minute down and the waters become chilled. The reeds are thicker here, more winding as we travel closer to the source of their growth. Reeds and plant life slide past our legs, tangling against our bodies with slimy green leaves and stalks that is enough to send chills spider walking down my spine.
As we push through, shoving aside stems and leaves the size of a dinner platter, I begin to see things darting in the shadows, small things at first, but the further we push, the more they begin to swarm us. Silhouettes of creatures as big as carriages, and some smaller, twisted ones, like the branches of a gnarled oak dancing in and out of my vision. To say I am not at least a slight bit terrified to see them would be an understatement- I have no clue what lurks in these murky depths, illusion or otherwise. There is no telling what sort of monstrosities have been placed down here, and what equally hideous creatures have been conjured from our own minds.
Every now and then my eyes flicker to Kal, and I point wordlessly to each creature as it goes past, earning myself a shake of his head in indication that he cannot see them. And so we swim on, the cycle of pointing and head shaking continuing into a mindless automaton.
From inside the reeds, something flickers around my leg. Jolting, I dart round, frantically sweeping my head from side to side, trying desperately to find the source of the motion. But all I see are trailing water flowers, a myriad of water weeds, small skeletal lifeforms and crustaceans, and no Kal.
There's no Kal.
Despairingly, I start to wind my way back through the reeds, pushing each one hurriedly aside, retracing my steps as best as I can, but my efforts are made increasingly futile by the fact every turn, every corner, looks exactly the same as the last.
My mind starts racing frantically, the worst possible outcomes arising to mind. What if something has got him? What if he has fallen victim to an illusion, what if…?
My bereavements are quickly dispelled as Kal swims headlong into me.
A flurry of bubbles and confusions arises between us, dispelling the initial shock as we give each other a long look, before quickly falling into a relieved underwater hug. There is much I wish to tell him- first and foremost thank god I found him, but doing so would require an awfully dangerous amount of water uptake, and that is not something I am willing to risk. So instead I give him one more fleeting hug, and take him by the hand.
At least that is what I would have done if a tentacle hadn't wrapped itself around my leg and pulled me straight back into the murky depths.
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In response to my question, the vampire Prince smiles sadly, shaking his head. At this I feel my face drop. I had hoped initially that he might be here longer, that I might be able to soak in his presence uninterrupted for just a fraction more and not be addled with thoughts of losing him all over again. But upon seeing my crestfallen expression, gently he reaches down to lift my hand out of the water and enclose it over his own.
"I'm sorry, darling," he whispers, the once vivacious light leaving his eyes, his expression dulling as a sweeping melancholy makes its way over the air around us. My heart pangs with grief as his hand tightens over my own.
"Azrael is about to give me another shot of silver. My shadow form is going to be depleted for a while, I will not be able to be with you physically until I have recovered. But I promise as soon as I do have enough strength, I will find you again. You will see me before the end. I-"
Suddenly, Soren's body grinds to a halt, the breath catching in his throat with a sharp inhalation like air being sucked from a vacuum. Soren's shadow form flickers, his limbs twitching in spasms of unwanted muscle, eyes widening, back arching, mouth agape in silent scream. His body goes tense, like an electric wave has been shocked through him, sending his body into regions outside of his control as a singular tear trickles down his cheek.
"No- not now! Not yet!" I cry out desperately, reaching towards him, feeling a heavy tug on the bond between us, a wrenching at my heart that signifies that the deed is done. Dampening the screams from my throat, I clutch tighter around Soren's hand, but it's like grasping for clouds, and all at once my fingers slip from his grasp, leaving nothing in its place but airy blackness.
Then just like that, his form shatters, swirling trails of darkness exploding into the air, sending shockwaves of dark swirling shadows rippling out from his form, the shadowy illusion destroyed.
"No," I weep miserably, bringing my hand against my chest, clutching it tightly as though to rekindle some memory of what I have just lost. "Why now? Why?"
For a few minutes, Kal and I swim there, hearts pounding, his hand wrapped over my shoulder, rubbing comforting circles over my skin in an effort to lull my grief. As soon as the air empties, my cries of distress have stopped singing around the cavern like a siren's song to a sailor, we both lie there breathless, treading water to keep ourselves afloat. I can tell Kal is trying to catch my attention, his eyes flickering across to me in regular intervals, but I have neither the strength, nor the courage to look at him.
"I-I'm sorry Serena. We will get him out, I promise. I know we will." Kal reassures, but there is an edge to his voice that makes me not so certain. Silently, I pray to the heavens that whatever Soren is going through, he will be alright. I do not think he would be succumbed to a dilute silver injection, or maybe even several, but it certainly would put a cap on his powers at the very best. Yet that is not to say that Azrael- wherever he is- hasn't brewed up some other concoction of hell to forcibly inject into my husband, or anyone else for that matter. Who knows what that slimy snake is up to?
My only answer is one of silence, a broken link between me and the outside world. No soothing voice, no reassuring teasing, just empty air, and a vast cavern of water, rolling with a continuous string of washing waves. What was I expecting anyway?
"Come on," I instruct, subtly wiping a tear from the corner of my eye, hoping grimly that the dragon beside me does not notice the action, or at least has it in his best interest not to mention it. Either way, he does not give any indication if he does.. "Lets get going."
Down, down into the murky depths we swim, leaving the ethereal trails of glowing green crystalline light sinking far behind us, drawn in by the shadows and the darkness that slither in the depths beneath. Confidently, I swim ahead, guided by the pull and tug that resides deep inside my heart, beckoning me further from the watery shadows and into the grim unknown. The only light source we have is my own- a trickling golden light that exudes from my body, coating the dense water, spindly weeds and thick, winding water creepers with a pale but much needed light.
As we swim, I try to forget about Soren, about the way he looked before he disappeared- the tenseness of his body, the tear that had rolled in silent distress down his cheeks. How helpless he had looked, his body tense, electrified with pain, so weak it was almost terrifying. The Scarlet Prince, reduced to nothing.
I hope I never have to see it again.
I suppose trying to forget about him isn't going to work after all.
Wordlessly, Kal swims behind, eyes darting, knife out, his movements tense as he swims, as though he is prepared to spring into action at any minute.
It is clear to anyone from the tenseness in his body, the darting wariness of his eyes that, illusion or otherwise, he desperately does not want to be here. I always used to assume that dragons- being mostly wild and chaotic creatures whose great knowledge in the arts of magic and wizardry would somewhat bolster their bravery, wouldn't mind the water, but I can see now that was a naïve hope.
Kal's fire may be black, but it is, undoubtedly, still fire. Even a youngling would realise that water quenches fire, so Kal must feel entirely suffocated. I suppose it's different from me- heavenly fire is not so easily doused by mortal elements and is quite easily rendered to a force of destruction, but I can still sympathise with the feeling.
The feeling of hopelessness, suffocation, and the ever impending and always growing feeling of doom and despair, as if we might never escape this place, trapped like flies in a web against Azrael's grasp. I am sure if I could hear his heart, it would be beating like a stampede of wild horses.
Relenting inwardly, we keep swimming. This is not a place of regrets or fear, not when there are illusions waiting at every corner to feed off those doubts and insecurities, ready to render you helpless to the depths of your own mind with a mere snap of their fingers.
A minute down and the waters become chilled. The reeds are thicker here, more winding as we travel closer to the source of their growth. Reeds and plant life slide past our legs, tangling against our bodies with slimy green leaves and stalks that is enough to send chills spider walking down my spine.
As we push through, shoving aside stems and leaves the size of a dinner platter, I begin to see things darting in the shadows, small things at first, but the further we push, the more they begin to swarm us. Silhouettes of creatures as big as carriages, and some smaller, twisted ones, like the branches of a gnarled oak dancing in and out of my vision. To say I am not at least a slight bit terrified to see them would be an understatement- I have no clue what lurks in these murky depths, illusion or otherwise. There is no telling what sort of monstrosities have been placed down here, and what equally hideous creatures have been conjured from our own minds.
Every now and then my eyes flicker to Kal, and I point wordlessly to each creature as it goes past, earning myself a shake of his head in indication that he cannot see them. And so we swim on, the cycle of pointing and head shaking continuing into a mindless automaton.
From inside the reeds, something flickers around my leg. Jolting, I dart round, frantically sweeping my head from side to side, trying desperately to find the source of the motion. But all I see are trailing water flowers, a myriad of water weeds, small skeletal lifeforms and crustaceans, and no Kal.
There's no Kal.
Despairingly, I start to wind my way back through the reeds, pushing each one hurriedly aside, retracing my steps as best as I can, but my efforts are made increasingly futile by the fact every turn, every corner, looks exactly the same as the last.
My mind starts racing frantically, the worst possible outcomes arising to mind. What if something has got him? What if he has fallen victim to an illusion, what if…?
My bereavements are quickly dispelled as Kal swims headlong into me.
A flurry of bubbles and confusions arises between us, dispelling the initial shock as we give each other a long look, before quickly falling into a relieved underwater hug. There is much I wish to tell him- first and foremost thank god I found him, but doing so would require an awfully dangerous amount of water uptake, and that is not something I am willing to risk. So instead I give him one more fleeting hug, and take him by the hand.
At least that is what I would have done if a tentacle hadn't wrapped itself around my leg and pulled me straight back into the murky depths.
In response to my question, the vampire Prince smiles sadly, shaking his head. At this I feel my face drop. I had hoped initially that he might be here longer, that I might be able to soak in his presence uninterrupted for just a fraction more and not be addled with thoughts of losing him all over again. But upon seeing my crestfallen expression, gently he reaches down to lift my hand out of the water and enclose it over his own."I'm sorry, darling," he whispers, the once vivacious light leaving his eyes, his expression dulling as a sweeping melancholy makes its way over the air around us. My heart pangs with grief as his hand tightens over my own."Azrael is about to give me another shot of silver. My shadow form is going to be depleted for a while, I will not be able to be with you physically until I have recovered. But I promise as soon as I do have enough strength, I will find you again. You will see me before the end. I-"Suddenly, Soren's body grinds to a halt, the breath catching in his throat with a sharp inhalation like air being sucked from a vacuum. Soren's shadow form flickers, his limbs twitching in spasms of unwanted muscle, eyes widening, back arching, mouth agape in silent scream. His body goes tense, like an electric wave has been shocked through him, sending his body into regions outside of his control as a singular tear trickles down his cheek."No- not now! Not yet!" I cry out desperately, reaching towards him, feeling a heavy tug on the bond between us, a wrenching at my heart that signifies that the deed is done. Dampening the screams from my throat, I clutch tighter around Soren's hand, but it's like grasping for clouds, and all at once my fingers slip from his grasp, leaving nothing in its place but airy blackness. Then just like that, his form shatters, swirling trails of darkness exploding into the air, sending shockwaves of dark swirling shadows rippling out from his form, the shadowy illusion destroyed."No," I weep miserably, bringing my hand against my chest, clutching it tightly as though to rekindle some memory of what I have just lost. "Why now? Why?"For a few minutes, Kal and I swim there, hearts pounding, his hand wrapped over my shoulder, rubbing comforting circles over my skin in an effort to lull my grief. As soon as the air empties, my cries of distress have stopped singing around the cavern like a siren's song to a sailor, we both lie there breathless, treading water to keep ourselves afloat. I can tell Kal is trying to catch my attention, his eyes flickering across to me in regular intervals, but I have neither the strength, nor the courage to look at him."I-I'm sorry Serena. We will get him out, I promise. I know we will." Kal reassures, but there is an edge to his voice that makes me not so certain. Silently, I pray to the heavens that whatever Soren is going through, he will be alright. I do not think he would be succumbed to a dilute silver injection, or maybe even several, but it certainly would put a cap on his powers at the very best. Yet that is not to say that Azrael- wherever he is- hasn't brewed up some other concoction of hell to forcibly inject into my husband, or anyone else for that matter. Who knows what that slimy snake is up to?My only answer is one of silence, a broken link between me and the outside world. No soothing voice, no reassuring teasing, just empty air, and a vast cavern of water, rolling with a continuous string of washing waves. What was I expecting anyway?"Come on," I instruct, subtly wiping a tear from the corner of my eye, hoping grimly that the dragon beside me does not notice the action, or at least has it in his best interest not to mention it. Either way, he does not give any indication if he does.. "Lets get going."Down, down into the murky depths we swim, leaving the ethereal trails of glowing green crystalline light sinking far behind us, drawn in by the shadows and the darkness that slither in the depths beneath. Confidently, I swim ahead, guided by the pull and tug that resides deep inside my heart, beckoning me further from the watery shadows and into the grim unknown. The only light source we have is my own- a trickling golden light that exudes from my body, coating the dense water, spindly weeds and thick, winding water creepers with a pale but much needed light.As we swim, I try to forget about Soren, about the way he looked before he disappeared- the tenseness of his body, the tear that had rolled in silent distress down his cheeks. How helpless he had looked, his body tense, electrified with pain, so weak it was almost terrifying. The Scarlet Prince, reduced to nothing.I hope I never have to see it again.I suppose trying to forget about him isn't going to work after all.Wordlessly, Kal swims behind, eyes darting, knife out, his movements tense as he swims, as though he is prepared to spring into action at any minute.It is clear to anyone from the tenseness in his body, the darting wariness of his eyes that, illusion or otherwise, he desperately does not want to be here. I always used to assume that dragons- being mostly wild and chaotic creatures whose great knowledge in the arts of magic and wizardry would somewhat bolster their bravery, wouldn't mind the water, but I can see now that was a nave hope.Kal's fire may be black, but it is, undoubtedly, still fire. Even a youngling would realise that water quenches fire, so Kal must feel entirely suffocated. I suppose it's different from me- heavenly fire is not so easily doused by mortal elements and is quite easily rendered to a force of destruction, but I can still sympathise with the feeling.The feeling of hopelessness, suffocation, and the ever impending and always growing feeling of doom and despair, as if we might never escape this place, trapped like flies in a web against Azrael's grasp. I am sure if I could hear his heart, it would be beating like a stampede of wild horses.Relenting inwardly, we keep swimming. This is not a place of regrets or fear, not when there are illusions waiting at every corner to feed off those doubts and insecurities, ready to render you helpless to the depths of your own mind with a mere snap of their fingers.A minute down and the waters become chilled. The reeds are thicker here, more winding as we travel closer to the source of their growth. Reeds and plant life slide past our legs, tangling against our bodies with slimy green leaves and stalks that is enough to send chills spider walking down my spine.As we push through, shoving aside stems and leaves the size of a dinner platter, I begin to see things darting in the shadows, small things at first, but the further we push, the more they begin to swarm us. Silhouettes of creatures as big as carriages, and some smaller, twisted ones, like the branches of a gnarled oak dancing in and out of my vision. To say I am not at least a slight bit terrified to see them would be an understatement- I have no clue what lurks in these murky depths, illusion or otherwise. There is no telling what sort of monstrosities have been placed down here, and what equally hideous creatures have been conjured from our own minds. Every now and then my eyes flicker to Kal, and I point wordlessly to each creature as it goes past, earning myself a shake of his head in indication that he cannot see them. And so we swim on, the cycle of pointing and head shaking continuing into a mindless automaton. From inside the reeds, something flickers around my leg. Jolting, I dart round, frantically sweeping my head from side to side, trying desperately to find the source of the motion. But all I see are trailing water flowers, a myriad of water weeds, small skeletal lifeforms and crustaceans, and no Kal.There's no Kal.Despairingly, I start to wind my way back through the reeds, pushing each one hurriedly aside, retracing my steps as best as I can, but my efforts are made increasingly futile by the fact every turn, every corner, looks exactly the same as the last.My mind starts racing frantically, the worst possible outcomes arising to mind. What if something has got him? What if he has fallen victim to an illusion, what if?My bereavements are quickly dispelled as Kal swims headlong into me.A flurry of bubbles and confusions arises between us, dispelling the initial shock as we give each other a long look, before quickly falling into a relieved underwater hug. There is much I wish to tell him- first and foremost thank god I found him, but doing so would require an awfully dangerous amount of water uptake, and that is not something I am willing to risk. So instead I give him one more fleeting hug, and take him by the hand. At least that is what I would have done if a tentacle hadn't wrapped itself around my leg and pulled me straight back into the murky depths.
