Note: Getting so close to the end, guys. So excited!
Oneide is the Nymph of Life. She's mentioned in the comic and not the TV show. Also, I tried my hand at creepy! Let me know if it works!
Chapter Thirty-Four
The Nameless Death and Its Eternal Love
The Prince felt the start of a headache, reading a backlogged report about a dozen times, regarding a territory dispute between two lords with large farmlands. They had a rare section of swamp between them that neither wanted to claim, as that would make them legally liable for a large camp of Lurdens living there. When his eyes glazed over, reading how neither of them claimed to have lineage old enough to be around at the swamp's formation, Phobos knew he would get no work done until Wilhelmina returned.
He could only think of how he watched her dress in her nightclothes and then transform into her guardian form. She smiled at him, eyes telling the truth of her worry even if she tried to hide it. She lingered, teasing him playfully, floating in the air with the thin membranes of her wings ablaze in the golden morning light. His lover leaned in to share a deep kiss, telling him she couldn't wait to feel his magic dance across her skin again and him toy with her delicate wings. Then she left, leaving through the portal, making him ache with worry as she was so far beyond his reach.
Prince Phobos, as much as he tried not to let the worse invade his thoughts, it was hard not to wonder what would prevail?
Would it be her fortunate luck? Where her life was one of legends and lore, and she would always get what she wanted? Always win every challenge before her?
Or would it be his endless misfortune? The boundless pain of his existence pulling even her down this time? Making their end a tale of tragedy?
Phobos looked at the ring on his finger, feeling the same warmth in his chest as when he looked into her expressive brown eyes.
She risked a great deal with her sign of trust. The prince knew how much the Keeper valued her connection to magic. So it carried more weight than just words, her giving him his connection to Achilles back.
It elated the frog to be connected again. Phobos explained the danger it posed to not only them, but the Keeper. Achilles, while he didn't enjoy lying to Elyon, was far more afraid of a repeat of the courtyard incident.
Connected, Phobos understood how deep that fear ran in him, as he now checked with Phobos near constantly, worried about mistreatment of the prince with no one near him. Phobos assured him all was well for now and to focus on his own duties.
Before noon, when Phobos was ready to just burn all the papers before him and be done with the blasted job, Wilhelmina burst through his office door. She slammed it with more force than needed, cracking the wood. Now, wearing the short dress from the beach with black shorts under, her hair was wet, and he could smell heavy scents of soaps and shampoos in the small office space.
"Tell me why they summoned me! Summoned me," she stressed, fuming, pointing up at the ceiling, brown eyes wide. "And then have me wait fucking hours to see the Oracle because he had 'other appointments'?" She pulled a wood chair from the wall of the office to the other side of his desk. "And I'm like fine, I'll just comeback later and Luba was all like 'he called you come' and I'm like 'bitch stay in your lane'. Then, finally, I see him, but Luba and Kadma's nosy asses are trying to come in and listen and he has to send them away like three damn times. Then he's all like 'what done is done' and 'one nymph cannot judge the other' and 'blah blah blah'," she went on, still yelling at the ceiling, looking ready to fly up and punch it.
Phobos, having a hard time following her tirade, interrupted, "I do not speak 'pissed off human'. What are you talking about? Why were you summoned?"
Wilhelmina sighed, rubbing her wet hair, and crossed her arms. "Okay, so some good news; the Oracle can't interfere since what I did was with Xin Jing's help. So technically, it was a 'holy act' or whatever the hell he called it. He also can't speak of it with the rest of the council, as it is knowledge shared by N'Ghala."
"That is good, no?" he inquired, confused by her anger.
"Yeah, it's just…" she sighed again, looking to the ground. "He told me the reason the council tries to keep Xin Jing dormant. She's woken up hundreds of times and, more often than even I like, the Keepers take advantage of her. They get, like, a get out of jail free card when she's awake, since as long as she approves of what they do, the council can't take action against them."
Phobos raised a brow, interested in that news. "So, seeing how eager she is to bond with her chosen, and how naïve she is when first waking, I can see that being a problem on a grand scale."
"Yup, like taking over planets grand. It's why they took the Heart from Nerissa the second she showed her evil colors," she explained, frowning deeply at the reminder of her predecessor. "Splitting the powers of the Heart five ways helps keep her dormant longer. But she still woke faster this time around." Wilhelmina looked at him, brown eyes clear and strong as she proclaimed, "Because of you."
"What?" he balked, confused by what he had to do with waking the nymph.
"Or at least your seal. Drawing in that large amount of dark magic shocked her awake. It made her seek you out, as your magic woke her." She gave a soft smile. "All this shit she's done is a thanks for you. Trying to repair your relationship with Elyon, buying you gifts, playing matchmaker with us when she saw we liked each other," she listed, turning a little red at the last thing.
She gave an awkward laugh. "You're blessed, buddy, by a nymph. Even I can't believe that shit."
At that, the Heart glowed bright with magic and something else. Something warm and inviting.
Phobos laughed, shaking his head at the revelation. "Better late than never, then?"
She rolled her eyes. "Don't let it get to your head. It just means Kandrakar can't directly interfere with actions taken on your part. Metamoor, Earth, and any other planet can still act as they see fit. But it helps, if you ever need to…" she stopped, biting her pink lips that looked glossier than normal.
"Understood," he answered, knowing what she was implying.
If he had to leave, Kandrakar couldn't chase him, but the rest of the universe could.
Wilhelmina left, telling him she was going to tell her fellow guardians as much information as she could share. And that was basically everything but why she was called before the Oracle in the first place.
Later, invited to lunch in Elyon's gardens, it was clear they couldn't believe he was 'blessed' either.
"She blessed you?" Irma said, pointing to the dark hair girl playing jacks with Achilles, Cecilia, and the twins.
They invited Cedric and Miranda, as Elyon wanted to show his old spy master why taking on that role for her kingdom would be best for her family. While Miranda needed little convincing, bored with her rather simple life in the country, Cedric was more apprehensive, given what he witnessed recently. So Elyon invited them for their more simple day-to-day activities to show that was a fluke.
When they joined them and questioned who the girl was, Irma grinned and said, ominously, "Your god."
Seeing that neither were very pious, they ended up not caring much at Xin Jing's identity as long as they kept her under control. To them, she was just another magical creature that hoarded more than her fair share of magic.
Phobos, sitting on a bench next to Wilhelmina, sharing a plate of cold cuts and fruits, sighed at the water guardian's outburst. "Why yes, my life is so blessed. As you have seen with your own eyes," he dryly pointed out.
The four guardians, Matt, and Elyon, were sitting on a thick blanket, playing various Earth card games. Wilhelmina had opted out, deciding to watch over the nymph to make sure she behaved. And while Cedric and Miranda both knew enough about Earth to participate if they wish, they also chose to sit and eat next to them to watch over their charges.
"No cheating," Achilles said, as Xin Jing used magic to make the ball bounce far too high.
She frowned, struggling with finer motor skills of her magic made body. She tried a round without magic and played even worse than the young twin boys.
Now frustrated, on Achilles' turn, she stood, moving to stomp on the gold ring at the end of the boy's long hair as he moved to lean forward. Wilhelmina made to stand, only Cedric, on her left, stopped her, nodding towards Cecilia.
The blond girl had stood, placing a hand on Achilles' shoulder to keep him from moving forward and pulling his hair, and looked Xin Jing dead in the eyes.
"We don't hurt friends," she said firmly, like she had both heard and given that lecture before.
Xin Jing stepped back, turning away to pout as she sat on the ground.
Confused, Achilles looked up at Cecilia and over to Xin Jing, having missed what the blond had saved him from.
"What happened?" he asked, owlishly blinking up at his blond friend.
"Nothing," Cecilia answered, sitting back at her spot with her brothers. "Finish your turn, crybaby, so I may finally win."
"Hey!" Achilles called, insulted. "I'm close to winning, too!"
They bickered for a bit before Cecilia looked over at Xin Jing and called, "If you wish to get better, you must be content with losing, at least to me. You cannot grow without risk."
Not completely happy, but no longer wanting to wallow in her self pity, Xin Jing rejoined them as they continued to play.
"Okay," Matt called, as Phobos' group wasn't the only one that watched the meaningful exchange. "No disrespect, but how are you two raising that girl? She is both terrifying and wise beyond her years all at once."
Miranda made a show of wiping fake tears from her eyes. "She is a gift. One day, she will either lead armies to victories or break the common man's spirit with just a word."
"Or both," Cedric added, placing a hand on his wife's knee as they proudly watched their daughter boss around the ancient goddess and deadly moon opal frog.
Wilhelmina just smiled, watching Xin Jing struggle to perfect her skills.
Phobos knew Kandrakar was wrong to worry, as she took her duty as Keeper to heart. She would never lead the nymph down a dark path. Never take advantage of her slowly waking mind.
At one point, they stopped playing jacks and Cecilia watched, interested, as Xin Jing tried to teach Achilles what she was showing him the previous night. That caused them all to stop and watch, worried at what the girl was teaching the frog.
He was struggling, brow pulled tight as his hand traced the air, leaving a shaky line of yellow light. Achilles stood, taking a deep breath, and dragged a long line across the ground. This time the line stayed and expanded, a warping noise echoing in the garden, an interdimensional portal opening at his feet.
Shocked, the garden was dead silent other than the distortion of the portal and Achilles' happy cheers of success. Then, Xin Jing darkly grinned, reaching in the portal and sweeping her arm, another appearing above them, making a connecting loop.
Then she kicked Achilles into the portal.
He yelped, falling in and out of the realm as he endlessly tumbled through space. Cecilia tried to grab him, only they both became trapped in the loop. Achilles crying in panic and her laughing with joyful shrieks.
Wilhelmina shifted, her form changing to lightning, and dashed to the portal, carefully grabbing the two free and closing the rifts.
"Xin Jing go to your, uh, jewel, right now!" she said, done with the girl's misbehavior. She glared but did as told, vanishing.
Now on stable ground, Cecilia pulled Achilles up, smiling the widest she ever had.
"That was so fun!" she beamed, hair a mess. "Open them again!"
Cedric, relaxing seeing his daughter's enthusiasm, called out, "That is enough for now, Cecilia. We need to head back to the inn before your brother's pass out from exhaustion."
Cecilia nodded, grabbing her brother's hands and joining her parents.
The family left, leaving them with the reality that Achilles had a new power. One that proved without a doubt he was connected to Metamoor's Heart.
"Um," Taranee said, breaking their silence. "I think now is a good time to bring this up." She looked at Phobos. "I found your tomb."
Phobos cynically answered, "I don't think there is ever a good time for information such as that."
She shrugged. "Information is neutral. It's what we do with it that matters."
"Okay, a lot of shit just happened in like two minutes," Irma called, rubbing her temples. "So what's first? Achilles opening portals or Phobos' tomb?"
"Did I do something wrong?" Achilles asked, worried as he looked at the yellow glow on his hands.
"No," Elyon assured and gently explained what he had done. "Only a handful of people across the entire universe have that power. Me, Will, and now you are among them. It's a vital power, as it links worlds together and grants freedom like no other. It's also dangerous, as you can't always know what waits on the other side. What will come through if you leave them open." She reached out a hand, and he went to her, letting her pull him onto her lap, where she fixed his hair, messy from his fall. "You mustn't use that power unless one of us is with you. Understood?"
Since Phobos had removed the ring, as he wasn't sure if his sudden interest in jewelry would go unnoticed, he could only guess at the frog's emotion as he nodded, agreeing with the queen.
"So about that tomb," Wilhelmina asked, worried eyes glancing at Phobos.
Taranee cleared her throat. "It's sealed, but I'm sure it's there. And I was thinking about how you want to remove your immortality," she said, eyes flashing, looking excited. Wilhelmina had told them about his goal, hoping to help him search. He didn't expect any actual help from them, as they weren't spell weavers, just magic casters.
"Since we have the place of your resurrection, Hay-Lin can recreate what happened there with her powers."
Hay-Lin paled, not happy to be a part of her plan.
"That way you can see exactly what spell Weira uses so you can correctly counter it!"
"That… shall actually work," Phobos said, impressed.
"Hey!" Hay-Lin called, annoyed. "Did anybody ask if I wanted to go into a freaking tomb? Huh?"
"You really gonna say no, Hay-Hay?" Irma countered with a knowing look.
"No!" she shouted with a pout. "But I still would like to be asked, you know?"
"Sorry," Taranee apologized. "I just confirmed the location and wasn't sure when to bring it up. Since you know…" she trailed off and Cornelia finished, understanding.
"We gotta see the whole, probably nasty, process?" she said, understanding what waited for them in the tomb as the healer of the group.
Phobos rolled his eyes. "You are not needed. It sounds like Hay-Lin only needs to be present if you are so squeamish."
Hay-Lin shook her head. "Nope! Not gonna go to a tomb to watch a zombie movie with just you Phobos. No offense, but that sounds just awful."
He rubbed his temples, headache coming back. "I do not care who accompanies you for your… moral support. As long as you get the job done."
"I'll come, if it's cool," Irma offered, raising her hand. "I have seer powers, so I can help focus her images with my water."
"You're just being nosy," Cornelia countered.
"You're just jealous your 'mental' power is telekinesis. It's literally just lifting shit like your Earth powers."
Phobos turned away from their now heated quarrel to look at Wilhelmina, who tugged on his arm.
"Hey," she mumbled. "I can talk to Hay-Lin. So just you and her can go. You… this doesn't have to involve all of us. Even me."
Phobos understood what she was offering.
"This is not a sensitive topic. I do not remember any of what happened and have no problem with the sight of death and decay," he answered.
Only she frowned. "Phobos… you say that. But it's not the sight of your freaking dead body that's going to bother you, and you know it."
Oh, right.
Weira.
And she wasn't the only one who realized that.
He turned to see Elyon staring at him, eyes wide and nervous.
In the end, he decided Wilhelmina was to accompany Hay-Lin, as Taranee needed to focus on leading them to the correct spot, and they might encounter dark magic in the tomb. Also, knowing she craved to know her mother's face, he extended an invitation to Elyon as well.
His sister was grateful, as she wasn't about to force her way into his affairs. One addition he did disliked was Caleb, as heading into a sealed tomb with Phobos and only three guardians, event fighting forms, was not liked by her council. So Caleb came along, trying to hide his interest in their small quest.
While it offended Irma not to come, she poked light fun at Wilhelmina being his 'moral support'. The two guardians and Matt stayed with Achilles, who was worried at the idea of Phobos going to where he once laid dead.
With Taranee as their guide, they ventured into the castle's crypt, the thick smell of decay and death vile as they entered the newer sections with fresh bodies.
Taranee lit the stone wall sconces as they walked, following a hand-drawn map in her grasp. Hay-Lin jumped at every shadow that danced across the dusty stones and rocks that skipped from their party's progress. She clung to her leader, arms tight around one of hers.
Elyon was quiet, glancing around at the nameplates on coffins made from stone to precious metals. When Phobos spied her hand reach for Caleb's, he knew the once rebel leader was there not just to keep an eye on Phobos.
They kept walking down an endless maze of halls, deeper than Phobos ever bothered to venture. While Elyon's magic kept the upper levels clear of dirt and pest, the lower levels now had visible wear. With cobwebs, thick layers of dust, vermin scurrying, and cracks in the walls and grounds appearing more and more. The smell of fresh death changed to the staleness of the long forgotten dead. Signs of grave robbers were noticeable now, in a section not traveled in decades, and they came to a dead end, the section of wall covered in a thick, hairy looking black moss.
"Ew," both Wilhelmina and Hay-Lin called at the sight.
Taranee waved a hand, setting the mold ablaze. Only it didn't burn.
She nodded. "Dark magic. We're here." Then stepped back, looking at her leader. "Will, this is you."
With her free hand, she zapped the mold, the thing reacting, hairs extending like spikes before succumbing to the cleansing quintessence and withering away. Wilhelmina looked disgusted at the sight and shivered as she moved back, letting Taranee approach.
Putting away her map, she lit her hand to look over the wall. "These stones are different. Newer than the others."
She placed her burning hand on the stone, and her flames turned white, making him sweat from the sudden inferno in her palms. Her hand melted through the stone. When she pulled her hand free, air, pungent in a more vile way, rushed out. Taranee ordered them farther back and her body caught fire, turning from red to white as she burned hot enough to melt an opening for them to pass through.
With the path open, she waved them over once she removed the heat from the lava, making it safe to walk on as it was stone once more.
The path opened up to a wider chamber that held a tall door. Taranee lit the room and Wilhelmina read out loud the writing the two other humans couldn't read.
"Here Lie's Metamoor's First Prince. A son stolen from his mother and father. A king denied to the world. Phobos"
"Cute," Phobos said with a scoff, making Wilhelmina look at him in worry. "Let us get this over with."
Elyon bit the inside of her cheek as she read the message left by her parents, and stayed quiet as Taranee and Wilhelmina pushed open the door last closed long ago.
It was both grand in size and simple in decor. The wide, open space with the ceilings high. The old Meridian crest of Weira's rule was carved along the back wall, massive and detailed. There was one lone bench, facing a raised platform, a small glass coffin atop.
"Why glass?" Caleb asked, troubled by the morbid sight of a child-size coffin.
"To monitor his decay?" Taranee thought out loud. "She knew at a certain point, bringing him back would be cruel." Then, very quiet. "Well, I hope she knew."
"I… this place," Hay-Lin muttered. "So much pain. So much." She clenched her eyes and buried her face against the Keeper's chest, who hugged her, rubbing her back.
"Are you going to be okay?" Wilhelmina asked, worried at her friend's reaction. "We… we can try something else?" she offered, guilty at having to stop when coming so close, but not wanting her friend to suffer. "We can see if Irma can use her seer powers somehow?"
Hay-Lin shook her head, taking a deep breath, and pulled away, shaking.
"I can do it… it just took me by surprise. Normally, pain isn't in places like this, because, you know, people are already dead. You get sadness a lot, but not… this." She took a few steps to the glass coffin, her body glowing with her connection to air, and touched it.
The room flashed, colors and air turning as images and shapes came together. Once the connection stabilized, she stepped away, back to her companion's side, and they all watched as a man came into focus.
He was sitting on the bench, hunched over, sunken eyes and haggard face not matching his grand, flowing cape edged in white fur and his gold threaded tunic and breeches. He wore a crown of gold, with jewelry to match.
Elyon, almost in a trance, walked forward to view the man's face better.
"King Zayden?" she asked, looking at Phobos.
He nodded. "Yes, that is our father." He had the same fine blond hair and pale skin as them. With a delicateness to his frame.
He was rapidly tapping his foot, eyes glued to the coffin that now held a small body.
A badly decomposed body with a white cloth over its face, discolored from the juices of the body, and dress in similar clothes to the king. The little hands were folded over long withered flowers, roses now black.
Elyon joined her father in viewing the body, eyes pulled back in pain.
Then, with the hard clicks of heels, a woman entered.
Long red hair, clear blue eyes, flush skin, gold crown adorn with jewels and a blue silk dress edged in gold. She wore simple jewelry and make-up, looking far more composed than her partner.
"And that, dear sister," Phobos called with disdain dripping from his voice. "Is mother dearest."
Elyon moved back as Zayden had jumped to his feet at his wife's entrance, his face turning from pain to anger.
"What have you done?" he demanded, voice similar to Phobos' in tone, pointing to the casket. Actually, to the black roses.
At his raised voice, the black roses shifted, small humanoid creatures peeked out, giggling and whispering to each other.
She ignored him, walking past him to stand next to the glass coffin.
"Weira!" Zayden snapped, frustrated, eyeing the black flowers with fear. "This cannot be sanctioned by Kandrakar-."
She cut him off, voice soft but firm. Not as kind as Elyon's, and with a forced sweetness. "Sanctioned?" She repeated, shaking her head. "Their Keeper could have fixed this. Brought him back the day we lost him. But it was not allowed," she ended bitterly. "They said his loss was natural. Destined." she rubbed a hand across the glass. "How could it be I was destined to lose him? I am queen of this world, am I not? One of a great and noble line. The Light of the very planet? So why, I ask, must I lose my light?" She took a deep breath. "My son?"
Phobos was trying hard not to laugh. It was like viewing a poor play. She was still performing, even when only her husband was there to see.
"Do you think this doesn't pain me as well?" King Zayden argued, raising his voice but making no move to approach the coffin. "He was my son as well."
She spun around, eyes flashing with magic. "Is! He is our son! He is not gone! The whispers keep his body from decaying to fast. So I had enough time to-"
"To what, Weira? What have you done?"
She held her head high, jaw tight. "What any mother would do to save her child."
Zayden shook his head. "You are our queen first. Without you, this world dies. Countless lives will fade without-."
"I do not care!" she snapped, grief now breaking her demeanor, making her lips quiver. "I always put him second. Left his care to wet nurses and governesses. His growth to staff and nannies. All because I was queen before a mother. Even knowing how other children mocked him, calling him a 'false light'. Knowing how there was no love he received in the arms of those who saw him as a curse. And, when he was hurt, attacked, I did not protect him myself. I left him to the same guards that slit his throat, letting him choke on his own blood!" Fat tears now streamed down her red cheeks. "Left him to die alone in the dark."
She wiped her face.
"I will not leave him in that dark, Zayden. Even if I shall lose Kandrakar's useless favor."
Zayden, face red, barely holding back his own tears, shook his head. "I want him back, too. Do you think-" he cut himself off, taking a deep breath and forced himself to go on. "Dark magic is a lie. Death is a better fate than to be tied forever to its twisted desires. Is that really what you want for him? More pain? More strife?"
"I want him to live," she answered firmly. "I want him to have what was taken from him."
"He shall never be king. It was already a miracle he was in line for Metamoor's Heart. After this, it is severed."
"I shall fix it," she said in a now agitated state. "I know how to tie him back. To this world and the Heart."
Weira used magic to lift the top of the coffin and place it on the ground.
Zayden looked horrified as he yelled, "What accursed spell have you uncovered, Weira?"
She smiled, face breaking. "No spell, my love. Only an exchange."
Pulling a dagger free from her robe, she cut her hand. Dropping the knife, she placed her bleeding palm on the black flowers.
"Hear me, nameless one. I offer a trade for you to salivate over. My soul for his. The Light of Meridian for a child. Does that not sound divine?"
Zayden's eyes widen, fear filling them. He moved, reaching out to pull her away, only he was thrown back, an unseen force making him sit.
"Listen," voices echoed in unison, raspy and distorted. "We… listen."
Across, at the top of the crest, black moss prickled to life, covering the seal in seconds, pulsing and swaying. The center expanded, growing and stretching until it popped with a sickening squelch as black, puss like ooze bubbled from the open cyst. A long, malnourished arm reached out to grab the squishy edges, bony fingers clenched, smashing moss and muck together. It pulled. And pulled. And pulled.
A second arm joined its struggle.
Then another.
And another.
And another.
And so many more.
Until they gripped almost every edge of the pulsing wound and pulled one last time.
A head broke free, skin distorted and bruised, maw large with rows and rows of mismatched teeth. On its face was many more, but they all shared that one monstrous mouth, faces stretching against the skin, sunken, hollow eyes looking around the room.
They all looked at Weira.
"Lights are not ours," it breathed, voice still heavy with distortion. "Lights join Infinity."
Weira removed her hand, not flinching as she stared up at the massive creature before her.
"That is why you should take this deal," she said, sounding calm as she negotiated for her son's soul. "Once in a lifetime deal."
"Once… ever…," it corrected with a hiss.
"All the better, no?"
Its jaw dropped open, one gnarled hand digging inside, making it gag and convulsed at its own treatment to itself. It pulled its arm free and lifted its hand. Opening, it revealed a sleeping child, dressed in a long nightshirt. While his eyes were closed, looking peaceful, the deep, red slash along his neck told the truth, as his gown was so dyed red the true color was lost.
"That… body…," he called, waving a different hand at the corpse below. "Is no… longer… fit."
"That shall be fixed," she said. "Just return my child to me."
Oddly, the creature pulled the boy back to hold him closer.
"Death is freedom," it said, voice more coherent. "Life is pain."
Phobos felt something click in him, having thought that so much in his life.
"How dare," Weira started, only for her mouth to snap close as it forced her back to sit with her husband.
"Listen… understand what you ask," it ordered, eyes still on her. "Souls are made by Oneide. She makes and makes and makes. Does not care. Lets them drift, alone… we find them. Love them. Give them an end… but that makes them us." It tilted its head. "He is now us."
It looked at the empty body.
"You ask for a piece of death. Of the nameless one. Understand?"
It reached out, touching the white cloth that covered the boy's face.
"Your magic shall protect our vessel. Let him walk beyond any other. Yet, life is pain. Cruel. Cruel. This is cruel," it uttered, near weeping. "But… we cannot ignore your soul. A piece of Infinity."
Then it roared, making them who viewed it jump from the sudden show of anger.
"Suffer, suffer, suffer! We are to free Oneide's souls from that, not to add. Not add. Wrong! Wrong!" it roared again. "Oneide shall come if all Light is gone forever." It shook its head, swaying it side to side in panic. "Can't take. Not yet."
It looked back at Weira and then to Zayden.
"There is another soul that must come. The princess to replace the queen. So two souls to be saved for just one?"
It narrowed its many eyes. "Shall you join us early, brother? Mother and father to save son and daughter?"
Zayden, in all his cries of protest to what Weira had set in motion, didn't hesitate to nod, agreeing.
It screamed, voice full of sadness and pain.
"Shall do it! Shall take… deal! Sorry," it cried, rocking the soul in its arms. "Sorry! Life is pain. Death is freedom. Sorry! Forgive us, small one. Remember, Oneide's love is false. Only the nameless' embrace eternal."
It moved, delicately placing the soul into the body.
It watched, agony across its face as the body wiggled, not able to breathe, as its lungs were collapsed. Not able to move. See. Scream. Just mute in its unending pain.
Weira and Zayden were released, rushing to their son's side.
"On the day of the new Lights' first breath, you shall join us. Join nameless death." It looked away from the struggling child before it, shame clear as it begged for forgiveness, receding back into its hole.
Leaving Queen Weira, King Zayden, and the resurrected Prince Phobos.
