Damnation
It was finally over.
She lay where she'd fallen, quietly kneeling on the outer ring of the circle. The stench of magic settled in her nostrils, threatening to overwhelm her, and she didn't dare raise her head to see what she had done; runes crackled underneath her skin, causing tingles to run down her spine and setting her robes ablaze. Such raw, destructive power they had…The spell-tattoos writhed and pulsed on her body in a vain attempt to expel the foreign energy from her system, edges of her mind shut to seal away the voices swirling inside her head.
Medics rushed to and fro, clamoring for supplies and backup. An oxygen mask was pressed over her face, providing a breath of fresh air to counteract the tainted, curse-laced atmosphere, and as she steadily drew in deep, cleansing mouthfuls of air, scattered memories slowly floated up to the surface, painstakingly playing back the events of the past few hours.
She could still hear his voice screaming her name as he plummeted deeper into the black abyss, could practically feel his smooth, pale finger sliding down her cheek in a soothing caress. Thin, supple lips were pressed against her own, tongue casually slipping into her mouth whilst he held her: Their first, and final, kiss.
How it'd come to this, she still didn't know. The villagers had constantly appealed to his good nature; helping them out whenever possible, save for a few that insisted he was a demon who would murder them in their beds lest they weren't careful. He always took care leaving no trace of his true identity out in the open. Someone must've ratted them out. There were no other possibilities.
All he'd wanted was a life of his own.
She was on her feet in an instant, stumbling towards the exit, ignoring orders to stay down and lay still. One swiftly-muttered incantation and she was free, soaring among soft clouds, at the mercy of the sky.
Never once did she look back.
